Day: 7 October 2024

Bjorn Baker is set to have a strong hand in the A$1.5 million Listed Alan Brown Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill with his team spearheaded by two-time New Zealand Group One winner Belclare (NZ) (Per Incanto). Baker has nominated five horses for Saturday’s 1400m race and believes it shapes as an ideal target for Belclare, who has been kept up to the mark with a barrier trial fourth behind stablemate Overpass (Vancouver) since her Australian debut in the Gr.2 Sheraco Stakes (1200m) last month. “She trialled brilliantly on Friday, she is going to have an easy gallop tomorrow (Tuesday) and…

New Zealand’s darling of the turf Orchestral is set to cross the Tasman this week to tackle the Gr.1 Toorak Handicap (1600m) at Caulfield on Saturday. The four-year-old daughter of Savabeel had a standout three-year-old term, winning five consecutive races, including the Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m), Gr.2 Avondale Guineas and Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m), before heading to Sydney where she won the Gr.1 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) and placed in the Gr.1 Australian Oaks (2400m). She made her first public appearance this season at the Taupo trials in August…

Multiple Group One winner Mustang Valley has joined her mother in the Windsor Park Stud broodmare band with both set to visit the Cambridge farm’s new stallion Paddington. The top-quality mare carried 60kg to victory in the open mile at Tauranga on Saturday in what was to have been her lead-up to another crack at the Gr.1 Livamol Classic (2040m), but was found to have bled and has been retired. Bred by Windsor Park, who remained in the ownership group, Mustang Valley was trained by Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman…

In form gelding Wolfgang has secured a plane ticket across the Tasman this week to tackle Saturday’s Gr.2 Herbert Power Stakes (2400m) at Caulfield. The six-year-old son of Puccini has been faultless this preparation, winning both of his starts, including downing Australian raider Rolls at Matamata last week. “He was second-up over 2000m and he attacked the line really well. I am very happy,” said Peter McKay, who trains the gelding with his son Shaun. The Matamata conditioners were weighing up making a late nomination for the Gr.1 Livamol Classic…

Inglewood Stud is in the running to defend its title in the Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m). Gus and Bianca Wigley’s North Canterbury nursery bred and sold last year’s winner Velocious, whose subsequent victory in the Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m) earned her Champion Two-Year-Old honours. Inglewood homebred Vega For Luck is now following the lead of the Stephen Marsh-trained filly with his debut success at Tauranga on Saturday rewarded with $14,375, which almost certainly guarantees a berth in January’s juvenile feature. The stud also bred and sold the two-year-old’s promising stablemate…