Winx tunes up in Rosehill workout

WITH an eye to starting in next Saturday’s Group 1 George Main Stakes over 1,600 metres at Randwick, Winx and three stablemates trialled before the first at Rosehill last Saturday. It’s a departure from last year’s programme that saw her have two starts leading into the George Main.

“A trial like today simulates a very easy race and she’ll be back in two weeks’ time ready to go,” rationalised Waller. “I’m looking at her body language every day and that’s so positive. She’s wanting to do it, enjoying her job. She’s a pretty happy horse in a good frame of mind.”

$100m Cup deal

THE Victoria Racing Club has struck a record television deal for the Melbourne Cup Carnival, selling the rights to Network 10 on a A$100 million deal over five years, starting in 2019.

The deal including free to air TV, internet, social media, mobile, OTT (Over-The-Top) and HbbTV (Hybrid Broadcast Broadband TV) within Australia. Presently those rights are held by Channel Seven.

Strangles strikes Ballarat stable

YOUNG trainer Archie Alexander has had his Ballarat stables quarantined after self-reporting a suspected case of strangles. The highly contagious bacterial infection that can cause upper respiratory tract disease, was subsequently confirmed and found in two horses.

“At best it will be two to three weeks, that’s what I’m hoping for but at worst it could be two to three months,” said Alexander.

“There’s never an ideal time but this is the worst time. It’s really disappointing to have it discovered on the first day of September when I’ve got the best team I’ve ever had in work. It’s a real blow.”

The case comes almost two years after the neighbouring stables of Matt Cumani had a similar outbreak.

Thomas Carberry trains first winners

THOMAS Carberry, a member of that famous Co Meath racing family, is now training racehorses in Australia and he saddled his first two winners at Ballarat on Wednesday.

The 45-year-old, who trains just 500 metres from the track, spent the last two years learning the trade with Darren Weir and had his first runners in January, Carberry rode successfully as an amateur in Ireland and was based with Robbie Osborne. He also worked for Martin Pipe and German trainer Bruno Schutz.

Carberry moved to Australia in 2012. This year he set up Carberry Roche Racing with Monique Roche, who also worked for Darren Weir.Their farm is just an hour’s drive from Melbourne’s metropolitan tracks.