Year: 2019

Cups targets for High Quality

Editor BOAY

Levin galloper High Quality (NZ) (Handsome Ransom) will likely head on a cups path over the summer after his win in the Raukawa Cup (2100m) at Otaki on Sunday. The Geoff Haigh-bred, owned and trained gelding impressed his connections with the three-quarter of a length victory and they are now eyeing a similar path to last year with the seven-year-old. “He has had eight runs this time in and he hasn’t finished further back than fifth,” Haigh said. “He’s a genuine horse and we own him ourselves, but he isn’t…

Gold Mount, Qafila out of Melbourne Cup

AAP

English stayer Gold Mount has been retired after suffering a suspensory injury during the Caulfield Cup. Trained by Ian Williams, Gold Mount finished 12th, beaten just over four lengths, in Saturday’s $5 million Caulfield Cup (2400m). He had been scheduled to progress to the Melbourne Cup before the injury was confirmed., “It’s a tough game, and setbacks are part of the sport, but Gold Mount will enjoy a peaceful retirement,” Ian Williams Racing said on Twitter. “He gave us some great times this year, and thank you for all kind…

Litt comfortable ahead of Plate decision

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Trainer Richard Litt believes Castelvecchio can be a Cox Plate force and should be selected. Young Sydney trainer Richard Litt will take his stable star Castelvecchio for an easy gallop at The Valley ahead of an anticipated Cox Plate start and is confident the colt can give the race a shake if selected. Castelvecchio travelled to Melbourne on Sunday and will gallop at The Valley at Tuesday morning’s Breakfast With The Best trackwork session to familiarise himself with the circuit and top off his preparation. Acceptances for Saturday’s $5 million…

Internationals targeting rich Golden Eagle

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Three northern hemisphere-trained horses targeting the inaugural Golden Eagle in Sydney are settling into quarantine at Canterbury in preparation for the $7.5 million race at Rosehill. The Golden Eagle (1500m) for four-year-olds will be run on November 2 and the Aidan O’Brien-trained Never No More, Richard Hannon-trained Beat Le Bon and Michael O’Callaghan-trained I Am Superman all arrived in Sydney on Saturday and have settled into the quarantine centre at Canterbury racecourse. They are still three-year-olds to northern hemisphere time and get a 1kg allowance on the southern hemisphere-bred horses…

Derby hopes rest with Long Jack

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The pressure goes on Long Jack at Geelong on Wednesday to keep alive the Group 1 Victoria Derby (2500m) prospects for Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman. The Cambridge trainers had three hopefuls — Long Jack, Quick Thinker and Rhaegar — entered for the Victoria Derby at Flemington on November 2, but are now down to just Long Jack, who will be using the Listed Geelong Classic (2200m) as a dress rehearsal for the big one with Damian Lane in the saddle.