New Zealand Bloodstock Memsie Stakes (Group 1)
THE seven-year-old Scales Of Justice struck a flag in the ground for Western Australian trainer Lindsey Smith, who recently established a Victorian stable, by winning Saturday’s A$1 million Group 1 Memsie Stakes over 1,400 metres at Caulfield.
Taking over Darren Weir’s Warrnambool stables in July, Smith claimed the ninth Group 1 of his career with the 2016 Railway Stakes winner, a son of Not A Single Doubt.
“He just had a superior run through the race today, I produced him early and let him rip and he just took off,” said jockey Dean Yendall.
“Maybe there is the Cox Plate there for him come late October.”
Winning by three-quarters of a length, Scales Of Justice defeated the So You Think gelding So Si Bon and the race favourite Alizee, who is by Sepoy.
Melody Belle
could tilt at triple crown
Tarzino Trophy (Group 1)
NEW Zealand Horse of the Year Melody Belle won Saturday’s opening Group 1 of the season at Hastings, in New Zealand, setting up a possible triple crown tilt.
Swooping late to overpower her 15 rivals, the Commands mare landed her seventh Group 1 win by three-quarters of a length.
“That was just awesome,” said trainer Jamie Richards.
“I’ve just been having a frustrating run of placings lately so to kick start the season with the first Group 1 is a massive thrill. The way she quickened was quite exciting and maybe tells us she has other racing patterns available to her rather than racing handy most of the time.”
Next up are Group 1 starts in the 1,600-metre Windsor Park Plate on September 21st and the 2,040-metre Livamol Classic on October 5th, after which, if all is well, a tilt at the A$5 million Cox Plate in Melbourne is likely.
SOMETIMES racing can be lopsided and at times the Chris Waller stable is scrutinised for stacking races with numerous entries. Saturday’s Premier’s Cup was one such example, though the stable can hardly be blamed for making such a success of winning middle-distance races. The Group 3 event over 1,900 metres at Rosehill drew 10 starters, seven from the Waller stable, two of theirs had been scratched due to the heavy conditions.
Wu Gok, by Sebring, won the race as with the Chris Waller stable filling the first five placings.
Tragedy strikes at the heart of racing with two deaths
TWO deaths in two days has brought into sharp focus the inherent dangers of horse racing. With great sadness the industry and wider public learnt of the death of 22-year-old apprentice jockey Mikaela Claridge in a trackwork accident at Cranbourne near Melbourne in the pre-dawn hours of Friday week.
Having returned to racing in 2017 after a lay-off with injury, Mikaela had ridden 29 winners and had just married in April.
Clipped heels
The following day, tragedy struck in the third race at Darwin’s Fannie Bay racecourse when the horse 32-year-old Melanie Tyndall was riding clipped the heels of the horse in front dislodging her from the saddle. She was inadvertently struck by other runners and later succumbed to those injuries at the Royal Darwin Hospital.
Melanie had her first ride in 2008 and had registered her 150th win aboard Princess Leah in the race prior to her fatal fall.
“Having spent three days with Mikaela’s family, they are finding it to the point of being hurtful that it is becoming a statistical analysis within 48 hours of their sister, daughter and wife’s passing,” said Australian Jockeys Association Chairman Des O’Keeffe.
“We just need to be very careful that our primary response and our primary level of care and respect need to be on those people, not on delving on a statistical analysis of any trends occurring or whatever.”
O’Keeffe highlighted that in due course a study may be required while highlighting that counselling services are available through race clubs and the jockeys’ associations across the country.