READ TODAY'S ISSUENICCONI SA HOTY
Recent Lightning Stakes winner Nicconi (Bianconi) was crowned South Australia’s 2009 Horse of the Year at the annual South Australian Thoroughbred Breeders Award Dinner at Morphettville on Saturday evening.
NEW SYDNEY TRIALS
The barrier trials set down for Warwick Farm today, originally scheduled for Monday, have been abandoned due to the weather and the state of the track. A new set of barrier trials will be conducted at Warwick Farm to replace this set of trials. Nominations for the Warwick Farm trials on Friday, 12th February will close at 11am today.
WILLIAMS APPEAL
The Victorian Racing Appeals & Disciplinary Board will hear an appeal by jockey Craig Williams at 12.00pm on Wednesday. Williams is appealing the decision of the Racing Victoria stewards’ and severity of the 12 meeting penalty imposed when he was found guilty of a charge of careless riding on his mount Carbon Trader in Race 1 the Selangor Turf Club Handicap at Caulfield on Saturday, 6 February 2010.
GROWL ROLLS BACK THE YEARS TO LAND HOBART CUP
First win in nearly three years for son of Montjeu (Ire)
By anyone’s standards, Growl has led a colourful life. Bred in New Zealand, the son of European champion Montjeu (Ire) was one-time Caulfield Cup favourite, went to race in Hong Kong, returned to Australia and was tried over jumps but yesterday he won his first race in nearly three years with a big win in the $400,000 Hobart Cup (Gr 3) over 2200m at Elwick, writes Darryl Sherer.
In what proved a rough race in the early stages, Brad Rawiller kept Growl out of trouble and although he was three wide, he was out of trouble and had crept closer as the field approached the turn for home.
Eased out into clear running room, seven-year-old Growl quickened up in good style to run to the front and then surge clear to eventually score by a widening four lengths. De Fine Lago (Delago Brom) and Dream Pedlar (West Quest) chased hard in the straight but were always only competing for the minor placings.
RACING NEWS
Rock, Baby Shinsore
Odds-on favourite We’re Gonna Rock returned shin-sore after his last place finish at Moonee Vally last Friday night. Racing Victoria Ltd stewards’ also report that the same fate befell Innocent Gamble, unplaced in the Blue Diamond prelude at Caulfield on Saturday.
Moonee Valley on Friday night:
We’re Gonna Rock (M Kavanagh)
– pulled up shin-sore. To be spelled
Tango’s Choice (M Price) – to be spelled
Caulfield on Saturday:
Innocent Gamble (M Riley)
– pulled up shin-sore. To be spelled
SALE NEWS
Record Breaking Festival Sale Concludes
Selling at New Zealand Bloodstock’s 84th National Yearling Sales concluded at Karaka on Monday, with the final day of the two-day Festival session rounding off an extremely successful Sales Series.
Three times on Monday the Festival Sale’s previous record price was surpassed, with the new record set by Lot 1397, bought for $NZ110,000 by New Zealand Bloodstock as agent for Cambridge clients.
The Elusive City (USA) colt offered by Haunui Farm is from the Sir Tristram mare Wishing Belle. Prior to this week, the previous Festival record was $NZ80,000 in 2008.
A few lots later another lot came close, when the King’s Chapel colt at Lot 1418 was knocked down for $NZ100,000 to Auckland bloodstock agent, Robt Dawe. Offered by Mark & Sarah Devcich’s Henley Park in Cambridge, the colt was from the winning Volksraad (GB) mare, Alleyrun.