Prizemoney for NSW returns to pre COVID-19 levels
Runners in NSW will receive a big boost in prizemoney from this week as the industry emerges from the COVID-19 crisis. But things aren’t so clear in Victoria. Plus why Kerrin McEvoy still isn’t satisfied.
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The NSW thoroughbred industry’s minimum race prizemoney levels will return to the pre-pandemic period starting with the Kensington meeting on Wednesday.
Each race on the midweek program will have stakes of $50,000 – an increase from $45,000 per race at the Sydney midweeks.
Racing NSW is also raising minimum race prizemoney levels for Saturday metropolitan, provincial and country meetings from the start of July.
This is a boost for NSW owners, trainers and jockeys who have needed to absorb prizemoney cuts introduced in April because of the coronavirus outbreak.
But with the easing of some pandemic protocols from Wednesday, Racing NSW has confirmed minimum race prizemoney will be restored including:
Sydney Saturdays — from $100,000 to $125,000 per race
Sydney midweeks — from $45,000 to $50,000
TAB Highways — from $67,500 to $75,000
Provincial races — from $31,500 to $35,000
Country Showcase races — from $27,000 to $30,000
Country TAB races — from $20,000 to $22,000
Racing NSW chairman Russell Balding said that wagering turnover, which is the main source of funding for prizemoney, was not as adversely impacted as initially feared, allowing prizemoney levels to be restored sooner than expected.
The Form: Complete NSW Racing thoroughbred form, including video replays and all you need to know about every horse, jockey and trainer. Find a winner here!
“It is important that the thoroughbred racing industry is able to move forward with confidence,’’ Balding said recently.
“Restoration of prizemoney levels to their pre-COVID-19 levels, to be distributed to the industry participants who continued to put on racing during COVID-19, enables those participants to plan their future with confidence.’’
Balding has also confirmed feature race prizemoney for the Sydney spring carnival remains as advertised including the $15 million The TAB Everest and $7.5 million Golden Eagle.
Racing Victoria is due to meet this week to discuss whether to follow Racing NSW’s move and restore minimum race prizemoney levels.
A decision is also expected soon about whether feature race prizemoney will be retained or reduced for the Melbourne spring carnival.
51 WINNERS NOT ENOUGH FOR McEVOY
Champion jockey Kerrin McEvoy is regarded as one of the best distance riders in the world and he proved that again with a tactically brilliant ride to win on Sweet Thomas in the Stayer’s Cup (3200m) at Rosehill last Saturday.
McEvoy rode his 51st Sydney winner for the season on Sweet Thomas and has secured another top-10 finish in the jockey premiership, while nationally his mounts have won more than $10 million prizemoney.
But McEvoy showed his competitive streak remains as fierce as ever because he is not entirely satisfied with his 2019-20 season.
“I was a little bit quiet with Group 1 winners, that is something I need to turn around in the new season,’’ he said.
McEvoy’s only major was with Avilius in the George Main Stakes last spring, taking his career tally to 76 Group 1 winners.
Classique Legend, who McEvoy rode to win the Bob Charley Stakes earlier this month, is one horse McEvoy is looking forward to riding in the spring with the grey sprinter being aimed at The TAB Everest, a race the jockey won twice previously on Redelva (2017-18).
“I had a little canter on him at trackwork last week, he was ‘full of himself’ and feeling well,’’ McEvoy said.
But whether McEvoy gets a chance to win a record-equalling fourth Melbourne Cup later this year is uncertain with growing concerns about the potential impact on major sporting events in Victoria due to the spike in coronavirus infections in Melbourne in recent days.
Glen Boss, also a three-time Melbourne Cup winner, has admitted he is not sure of being able to ride in Melbourne this spring given the way the pandemic is going in Victoria.
It was not a coincidence that McEvoy and Boss (Loveseat) ran the quinella in the Stayer’s Cup given their expertise in staying races.
NO DOUBTING THOMAS COULE HANDLE CUP
Matthew Smith trained his first 3200m winner with German import Sweet Thomas, who shouldered 60kg to an impressive win.
Smith admits he is unsure of immediate race plans for Sweet Thomas as the gelding needs every bit of 3200m to show his best and there are few suitable options over winter, but why wouldn’t he consider setting the stayer for the Melbourne Cup?
With the international travel restrictions likely to result in fewer overseas horses being sent down under this spring, Sweet Thomas could be competitive in what is likely to be an old-fashioned Melbourne Cup made up of predominantly Australasian stayers. Sweet Thomas did run fourth in the Sydney Cup earlier this year.
Smith also revealed his dual Group 1 winner Fierce Impact is in training ahead of a spring carnival campaign where he is likely to be set for the Cox Plate.
“I’m convinced he is at his best around 2000m,’’ Smith said. “But we will get him back and ready to race in the Winx Stakes and then probably the Chelmsford Stakes in Sydney early in the spring.’’
COOKING UP WINNERS
Popular Sydney racing identities Francis and Christine Cook shared in the ownership of six winners across three venues including Sweet Thomas and Listed Civic Stakes winner Trumbull.
Trainer Kim Waugh deserves credit for persevering with the mistake-prone Trumbull, who finally did everything right and rewarded connections with a career-best stakes win.
Waugh said Trumbull has pulled up well after the Civic Stakes and is likely to start the talented sprinter in either the Ramornie Handicap at Grafton on July 8 or the Winter Stakes at Rosehill three days later.
SUPER STALLION HITS $16.6 MILLION
Super stallion Snitzel was represented by four metropolitan winners last Saturday as he closes in on a historic fourth Australian Sires Premiership.
The champion Arrowfield Stud-based stallion had his 103rd individual stakes winner when Sure Knee took out the Group 3 Sapphire Stakes at Doomben. He also had winners with Fulmina (Rosehill), Morrissy (Caulfield) and Starla (Doomben).
Snitzel’s season earnings is now at $16.6 million, more than $1.5 million ahead of nearest rival Pierro, and he seems certain to claim the premiership for the fourth successive year.
Since Star Kingdom achieved the feat in 1958-59, the only other stallion to win four premierships in a row was Snitzel’s grandsire, the legendary Danehill who was champion sire for six successive seasons until 2004-05.
O’BRIEN SCORES ANOTHER DERBY SUCCESS
Aidan O’Brien prepared his 14th Irish Derby winner – and the 20th for Coolmore’s Magnier family - when Santiago scored at The Curragh on Sunday.
The Magnier family also had six Irish Derby winners with Vincent O’Brien (no relation) including the great champion Nijinsky.
BOY, THIS IS SOME RECORD
The “Riverina iron-horse” Benno’s Boy won’t go down in the annals of the all-time greats, but his enduring race career is truly remarkable.
A rising nine-year-old, Benno’s Boy, trained by Trevor Sutherland, had his 163rd race start at Gundagai last Saturday – and scored his 17th win (plus 51 placings) to take his earnings to nearly $250,000.
HOW TRAVEL BAN HELPED J-MAC
Champion jockey James McDonald put behind him a tumultuous week by breaking the century of city wins for the season with a treble at Rosehill Gardens.
McDonald had to wait for the final race to bring up his historic “ton” as Kordia unleashed a powerful surge to win the Hyland EOFY Sale Handicap (1200m).
Kordia complemented McDonald’s earlier wins on Rothenburg and Roheryn to take his tally of Sydney winners to 100.5 for the 2019-20 season.
McDonald rode 104 winners to claim the Sydney jockeys’ premiership last year and becomes the first jockey to ride at least 100 metropolitan winners in successive seasons since Hall of Famer Darren Beadman achieved the feat in 2007.
His Rosehill hat-trick has given McDonald what to be an unassailable lead in the Sydney premiership with his Rosehill hat-trick opening up a 20.5-win lead over nearest rival Nash Rawiller (80 wins).
“At least I’m not stuck in the nervous nineties,’’ McDonald said.
That's 100 winners in town this season for @mcacajamez as he pilots Kordia to victory in the last at Rosehill for @godolphin pic.twitter.com/VHriyCs8uR
— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 27, 2020
“It’s great to get the treble today and it’s been a really good season, I’m very proud of it. We set out a goal and we have achieved it, so I’m really thrilled.’’
McDonald showed his professionalism to ride his Rosehill treble as a day earlier he was given a three-week suspension by stewards for his losing ride on Threeood at Randwick on June 20. His penalty period begins on July 5 and ends on July 26.
Godolphin’s Kordia ($3.50 favourite), trained by James Cummings, ended a memorable day for McDonald when he let down with an impressive finishing sprint down the centre of the track to forge clear of Ghostly ($19) to win by a widening one-and-a-quarter lengths with Malea Magic ($5) nearly a length away third.
McDonald revealed riding 100 Sydney winners became a target once the coronavirus pandemic ruled out any overseas travel this winter.
“It was the goal once I couldn’t go overseas because I was planning to be in Portugal lying on my back right now,” McDonald said. “But the premiership has been really good fun, obviously fighting it out with Nash (Rawiller), we were going to go toe-to-toe for a while.
“I have been lucky enough with the support I have had the whole season, not just the last few months but the whole season.’’
McDonald had an immediate reply when asked if he could ever challenge Beadman’s all-time record of 164 wins set in 2006-07.
“No!’’ he said. “I’m a fair way off Darren Beadman, he was riding 160 winners a season and I’ve worked my butt off and just got to 100 wins. It’s hard in this environment with so many top quality riders around, you can’t have a day off, simple as that.’’
Beadman, representing the Godolphin stable, has become like a mentor to McDonald and was thrilled to see the jockey bring up the milestone.
“I’m a huge fan of ‘JMac’, he’s the complete package,’’ Beadman said. “He has a real affinity with the horse, the way he gets them to stretch out. He is a great rider.’’
J-MAC BANNED FOR HALF-HEARTED’ RIDE
Sydney’s leading jockey James McDonald has been suspended for three weeks over his ride on beaten favourite Threeood at Royal Randwick last Saturday.
Racing NSW stewards found McDonald guilty of “failing to take all reasonable and permissible measures” on Threeood to ensure the mare was given every opportunity to win or obtain the best possible place in the field.
Threeood, the $2.90 favourite, ran ninth, beaten just over three lengths behind Stella Sea Sun.
Before issuing the penalty, Racing NSW chief steward Marc Van Gestel noted this was the first time in McDonald’s celebrated 13-year riding career that he had been found guilty of this offence before announcing the three-week suspension, beginning July 5 and ending on July 26.
After Threeood’s unplaced run last Saturday, McDonald was questioned at length by stewards with Van Gestel even describing the ride as “half-hearted”.
Stewards then issued a charge against McDonald during the week before a hearing was convened on Friday where the jockey provided a not guilty plea.
The main areas of concern for stewards was McDonald’s “insufficient purpose and vigour” to shift to the outside on Threeood between the 300m and 100m of the race and again over the final 100m after obtaining clear running.
McDonald, who was assisted by solicitor Paul O’Sullivan at the hearing, had supporting evidence provided by Hall of Fame jockey Ron Quinton.
After a hearing lasting more than two hours stewards found McDonald guilty of the charge and issued the three-week penalty. He will be able to return to the saddle for the final Sydney meeting of the 2019-20 season at Warwick Farm on July 29.
STAR STABLE’S TRUE STAYING POWER
Team Hawkes has some tough but welcome decisions to make with boom stayers Master Of Wine and Mount Popa this spring.
The conundrum with Master Of Wine is what feature races to miss and for Mount Popa, an impressive winner at Royal Randwick last Saturday, will this spring carnival come around too soon?
Either way, they are two exciting staying talents who are drawing inevitable comparisons as both have the same sire, began their race careers in Europe, their talent was identified and recruited by Hall of Famer John Hawkes and his sons, Wayne and Michael, and they share a similar ownership group.
Master Of Wine, who is among the favourites for the Caulfield Cup, Cox Plate and Melbourne Cup this spring, is back in work at the Hawkes stable’s Rosehill base.
Co-trainer Michael Hawkes said Master of Wine has “spelled well and looks magnificent’’ but he is unsure what the stayer’s race program will be in spring with a choice likely to be made between the Caulfield Cup and Cox Plate.
“You just can’t say I am going to run them in a Cox Plate or Caulfield Cup because things happen and change,’’ Hawkes said. “You can have an end grand final but it’s about how you get there.”
Hawkes said he could see merit in the argument to switch the dates of the Caulfield Cup and Cox Plate.
Favourite Mount Popa looks to be a promising horse for @HawkesRacing as he puts them away in R4 and makes a great first impression for his @royalrandwick debut @TommyBerry21 pic.twitter.com/pyDVeLN6Hj
— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 20, 2020
“Looking at it from a stayers point of view you would probably rather go from 2000m (Cox Plate) to 2400m (Caulfield Cup) into a Melbourne Cup (3200m), that’s ideal,’’ he said.
“Sometimes if it ain’t broke don’t fix it, either – but sometimes change is good.’’
Mount Popa was having just his second Australian start when he romped away at Randwick, albeit in a restricted grade race and Hawkes indicated the stayer might have a short break now before consideration is given to a spring carnival campaign.
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Star jockey Tommy Berry, who rode four winners at the Randwick meeting, believes Mount Popa showed he is a stayer of real potential.
“Mount Popa has all the right attributes, he’s a really nice type with a lovely action and covers the ground well for a horse that gets over ground,’’ Berry said.
“He had to do it with a big weight of 60kg, second-up over 2000m on a heavy 9 so to see him pull away from them late it was a massive effort.’’
Berry also won on Partners, Poetic Charmer and Agassi before narrowly missing a career-best five-win haul when Bandersnatch was beaten narrowly in the last race.
His ride on Partners was a brilliant frontrunning effort but no better than Hugh Bowman’s decision to let Witherspoon use her stunning speed in the 1000m dash.
Bowman’s brace – he also won on Viridine – came as the Hall of Fame jockey starts a month’s break from riding over winter to spend time with his young family.
But Bowman is already planning his schedule to be ready for important barrier trial sessions later next month when many of the potential spring carnival hopefuls including Team Snowden’s top colt King’s Legacy will be due to compete.
King’s Legacy won the ATC Sires Produce Stakes-Champagne Stakes Group 1 juvenile double under Bowman at Randwick during the autumn carnival.
“There is some nice, young horses coming through and it will be interesting to see how this season’s two-year-olds develop as three-year-olds,’’ Bowman said.
“But I’m sure King’s Legacy will be a headline act in the spring.’’
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Sydney’s racing media is still coming to terms with the passing of our respected colleague, AAP’s long-time racing editor Caryl Williamson, last month.
Williamson’s legacy as a trailblazing female racing journalist will be acknowledged by the Australian Turf Club at a race meeting later this year.
I also believe there is real merit in renaming the NSW Racing Writers’ Personality of the Year, which is decided by the Sydney racing media and presented at the annual NSW Racehorse Owners Association “Night of Champions”, as the “Caryl Williamson Award”.
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Stradivarius has earned the right to be ranked among the greatest European stayers after winning his third Ascot Gold Cup at Royal Ascot last week by a massive 10 lengths – but what weight would he get if entered for the Melbourne Cup this year?
I asked Racing Victoria’s Greg Carpenter for a handicap assessment if in the unlikely event Stradivarius is nominated for the Flemington two-miler this spring and he said: “No doubt it would start with a 6!”
If Stradivarius was given at least 60kg – he would almost certainly be allotted more – it is worth nothing carried that weight or more to win a Melbourne Cup since Rain Lover had 60.5kg when he won the race for a second time in 1969.
Think Big had 58.5kg when he won a second Melbourne Cup in 1975 and the great Makybe Diva completed her unprecedented Cup three-peat in 2005 under 58kg.
Carpenter pointed out that Stradivarius has won at least one Group 1 race every year since 2017 and has been the dominant stayer in Europe during this period, so the champion English stayer would probably get around 62kg in a Melbourne Cup.
The last horse to carry that more than 61kg (Dalray, 1952) to win a Melbourne Cup was the legendary Phar Lap with 62.5kg in 1930.
However, the chances of Stradivarius coming down under are remote with connections considering a start in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe in October while their long-term aim is to try and equal Yeats’s record of four successive Ascot Gold Cups next year.
Viridine delights Hall of Famers
Viridine earned a resounding endorsement from Hall of Famers Hugh Bowman and Darren Beadman after a classy win at Royal Randwick.
The heavy track and a 61kg impost wasn’t enough to prevent Viridine from racing away with the Winter Dash (1200m).
Bowman, who completed a brace of wins after an earlier success on Witherspoon, said Viridine has the ability to be competing at the highest level.
“You could put him in a Group 1 and if he gets into the right position, he won’t disappoint,’’ Bowman said.
“I know it is a long way from that level here today but that is the type of horse he is.’’
Beadman, representing Godolphin trainer James Cummings, admitted he has a soft spot for Viridine.
Viridine gets the edge on Handle The Truth in the Winter Dash for @HugeBowman and @godolphin at @royalrandwick
— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 20, 2020
And our star Mounting Yard expert @LizzieJelfs tipped him as her Pick Of The Yard pic.twitter.com/A0q06BW96C
“When I was training, Viridine won his first two starts for me,’’ Beadman said. “Hughie is right, if everything goes his way he can be competitive in those good races.
“The horse has always shown ability but has probably been his own worst enemy. He often wants to be two lengths ahead of where you want him to be in the run but today it worked out well for him.’’
Beadman and Bowman, two of the all-time great jockeys with nearly 200 Group 1 wins between them, discussed tactics pre-race and determined that Viridine would be served best by a conservative ride.
“Early in the race, Hughie could have pushed up to hold his spot but with the horse having 61kg, he decided to bide his time instead,’’ Beadman said.
“Hughie knew he had the whole straight to reel them in and kept the horse happy and with momentum. It was a very good ride and the horse enjoyed being ridden in that matter.’’
The Winter Dash only had six runners but it proved a compelling tactical race to watch with Bowman getting it right on Viridine ($6) who pounced on his rivals halfway down the straight to win by a widening 1¼ lengths from Handle The Truth ($6) with Southern Lad ($2.20 favourite) weakening in the run home to finish more than two lengths away third.
Invictus Prince, who once ran second to the mighty Winx at Group 1 level, didn’t seem interested in competing on Saturday and finished at the rear of the field, more than 13 lengths behind the winner.
Viridine had missed a place in all three starts this campaign but Bowman went out for the Winter Dash with a quiet confidence he was on the right horse.
“I thought he was very good last start when he came from well back and made up significant ground,’’ Bowman said. “But he still had to come out and do it as it has been awhile since he has won.
“There was no question he wanted to do it today as once I got off the heels of the favourite (Southern Lad) he put them to ‘bed’ in a couple of strides. The small field and the good draw helped so he had a few favours today but he still got the job done quite impressively.’’
Viridine’s win ended a sad week on a more upbeat note for Cummings and his wife, Monica, after the passing of her grandfather, Eduardo Cojuangco, a few days ago.
Understandably, Cummings wasn’t on track but Beadman said Viridine has responded to the trainer’s patient resolve which has also helped older sprinters like Coruscate and Esperance find winning form again this winter.
“James is very kind to his horses and the older they get, they seem to appreciate it,’’ Beadman said. “A little bit of kindness goes a long way.’’
Cummings is considering starting Viridine in the Listed $200,000 Ramornie Handicap (1200m) at Grafton on July 8 – provided the Godolphin sprinter is not weighted out of the feature race.
“But little fish are sweet at the moment and it was good to get a win on the board with him,’’ Beadman said. “Hopefully he will get some confidence back, he should take a lot out of that. It is amazing what a win can do to give a horse that feeling that this is what it is all about.’’
Roche plans surprise attack with Doncaster champ
Trainer Wendy Roche is planning an audacious attempt at an Epsom Handicap-Cox Plate with her Doncaster Mile heroine, Nettoyer.
Roche said Nettoyer is due to return to her Warwick Farm stables next week to be prepared for a spring carnival campaign where the mare will be first-up in the Epsom Handicap.
“I know the Epsom is a big ask to go straight there first-up but I will give Nettoyer two trials and she will be ready,’’ Roche said.
“It is pointless running her first-up at 1400m or less because it is just too short for her.
“She is always flying home in those sprint races, she is the eye-catcher, she runs time, but it’s a waste of a run.
“So, I’m thinking Epsom first-up then into the Cox Plate and she will probably stay in Melbourne for the 1600m Group 1 mares race.’’
Nettoyer, Roche and jockey James Innes were the feel-good story of The Championships at Royal Randwick last autumn. It was the bonny mare Nettoyer who charged home to beat Star Of The Seas and Brandenburg in a famous Doncaster Mile finish.
Roche and Innes celebrated the first Group 1 win of their careers while Nettoyer created national headlines for her unusual diet of pizza, champagne and beer.
“Nettoyer has had a good spell and she looks great,’’ Roche said. “Just the other night, I gave her some pizza and champagne – she loves it.’’
When Nettoyer won the Doncaster, the mare was a $41 outsider.