Golden Slipper Stakes (Group 1)

HE only took two rides at Rosehill but that was enough for Ryan Moore to land a Group 1 double in 90 minutes.

Having steered Dubai Honour to his first win in nearly a year-and-a-half in the Ranvet Stakes, Moore then landed one of Coolmore’s finest wins in Australia, taking out the A$5 million Golden Slipper Stakes for juveniles with the Snitzel colt Shinzo, trained by Chris Waller.

First run in 1957, and coinciding with the influence of the Irish-bred Star Kingdom, who sired the first five winners of the race, the Golden Slipper has become, for better or worse, the holy grail for breeders and colts Australia, the race heralding the shift of focus from classic breeding lines to speed, ensuring a weighty value of a winning colt.

“He is a most exciting horse and the most exciting stallion prospect in the world,” said Tom Magnier.

“Ryan Moore said to me after he sat on him on Thursday morning, he is very special. I don’t think it will be a problem to get Ryan down here to ride him in any race because he was that impressed with him.”

The Moore ride should be bookmarked by any apprentice. Out of the gates, he got onto the back of the race favourite, Godolphin’s Cylinder.

Perfect position

“I’m sure he’s not just an out and out six-furlong sprinter,” said Moore. “I’m sure he’s going to be more comfortable when he gets over more ground. It feels like he’s improving and he’ll continue to improve.”

It wasn’t all flowers for Coolmore though their other runner Learning To Fly appeared to clip heels nearing the bend and dislodged her rider.

“It’s hard to enjoy the moment,’’ Magnier said after the win. “I’m just hoping Learning To Fly and Chad Schofield are okay. I feel for Annabel (Neasham, her trainer), but Golden Slippers are so hard to win.

“This is the race we wanted to win more than any other this year. Thank God for Ryan Moore, he is on another level, he is so patient. I have to make mention of Chris Waller, he has had so much faith in this colt. He kept us believing. We have finally won the Golden Slipper.”

Shinzo was foaled and raised at Coolmore, Magnier having bought his dam Samaready for A$1.8 million at the Inglis Chairman’s Sale when she was carrying Shinzo in utero.

Finally a hat tip to Ryan Moore, he gifted his Slipper trophy, a Longines watch, to Shinzo’s groom Harry (Harmandeep) Singh.

Running the feed-room at Chris Waller Racing, Harry with his co-worker Rocky make up 150 feeds a day.

Dubai takes the honours

Ranvet Stakes (Group 1)

WILLLIAM Haggis continued his brilliant autumn start in Sydney with the Irish-bred Dubai Honour claiming a facile win in the 2,000 metres Ranvet Stakes, the Pride Of Dubai gelding’s first Group 1 win.

Clearing the field by over four lengths, Dubai Honour, with Ryan Moore up defeated the Kermadec mare Montefilia and the Savabeel horse Mo’unga, both Group 1 winners themselves.

His trajectory now is the A$5 million Queen Elizabeth Stakes and he strives to complete the same winning double as the Irish-bred Addeybb in 2020.

And Anamoe does

what Anamoe does

George Ryder Stakes (Group 1)

IN the red over Rosehill’s 1,500 metres and made to chase down from six-wide - all in a day’s work for Anamoe.

Group 1 win number nine in the George Ryder Stakes, though not academic, again proved that few can live in that rare air.

A length covered the first six across the line as the Street Cry horse defeated the Sebring filly Fangirl and the Frankel gelding Converge. “To get through this and to go undefeated this preparation in the lead-up to the Queen Elizabeth is ideal,” said James Cummings of Anamoe. “He’s had that tough run now at the 1,500 metres, which is a race we deliberately kept him a little bit sharper for. But now he can step up to a mile and a quarter (Queen Elizabeth Stakes) and look great in three weeks when we step him up in distance.”

Less than a length away in fourth was Artorius in what was his last race in Australia before he prepares for a return trip to Royal Ascot.

Brightside is an All Star

All Star Mile

THE Ben and JD Hayes-trained Mr Brightside came four wide on the bend at Moonee Valley to overpower the trio to his inside and win Saturday’s A$5 million All Star Mile.

With enough in reserve, the Bullbars gelding, fourth in the same race last year, had a half-length to spare from the widest finishers, Godolphin’s New Approach gelding Cascadian and the Dundeel gelding The Inevitable.

“He’s been a life-changing horse for Ben and I and Lindsay Park. He really did arrive at a time when we needed him,” said JD Hayes. “We’ve helped to build our brand around him, and he’s shown with the facilities we’ve got and the people who work for us, we can get the best out of a horse.

“Condolences go out to Craig (Williams) too. He did such a good effort getting this horse ready, and unfortunately, one thing led to another, but that was a 10 out 10 steer from Luke Currie,” added Hayes in reference to Williams losing the ride due to his fall last week.

Falls three weeks in a row

FOR the third consecutive week, at the height of the autumn carnival in Melbourne, a rider has been taken to the hospital following a fall.

Following falls at consecutive meetings at Flemington, Saturday’s All Star Mile meeting at Moonee Valley was marred by the fall of jockey Teo Nugent from Florescent Star in the Listed Abell Stakes. Unfortunately his mount was later euthanised and Nugent is facing a lengthy recovery period having fractured his C1 vertebra.

While bad luck plays a role, the spate of falls is a worrying trend prompting jockey Ben Melham, the partner of Jamie Kah (who fell the preceding Saturday), to tweet; “Race riding requires mental clarity for split second decisions. Wed twilight, Thurs night, Fri night. Track work and trials 4-5 days a week. Racing 24/7 365 days of the year. It’s not sustainable.”

Inquiries

The response has been intermittent with Racing Victoria deferring to stewards’ inquiries and not making full use of their media channels to address the situation.

In response to Melham, the Victorian Jockeys’ Association has been more vocal.

“I respect what Ben’s got to say, but I think that the important thing to think about is that it’s certainly not a one-size-fits-all issue,” said VJA head Mathew Hyland.

“A number of the points being raised around the fatigue issue are sort of relevant points that he can make, but I think the responsibility is for jockeys to manage their own working week.

“The stewards will run their inquiries in regards to those incidents and whatever the outcomes are, they will be what they are. But inside the bubble, I think the riders just accept the fact that that’s part and parcel of the role of being a jockey.”

Lindermann lands Guineas

Rosehill Guineas (Group 1)

NASH Rawiller took the Lonhro colt Lindermann to the front and never looked back in Saturday’s Group 1 Rosehill Guineas over 2,000 metres.

Free flowing around the final bend, Lindermann stuck to his task, getting a break on his pursuers before having to dig deep to hold out the Street Boss gelding Pericles, winning by a half-head as the Snitzel colt Williamsburg took third.

“He’s a real gentle giant, a big boy,” said Chris Waller of the second of his three winners for the day. “He has really learned to fight and, at the same time, matured as a man.

“He showed us a glimpse of ability at Flemington back during Cup week at 1,800 (metres), and from that point on, we said, ‘we’ll set him for this race’. It doesn’t always come off, but it has today.”

Foaled and raised at Coolmore’s Jerry Plains base, Lindermann was bred by Debbie Kepitis, a part-owner of Winx, the daughter of Bob Ingham who along with his brother Jack established Woodlands Stud which is now Godolphin’s Hunter Valley base.

Alcohol Free is

nearing her return

WITH James MacDonald up Yulong’s 5.4million gns purchase Alcohol Free was given an easy time in winning her trial over 1,200 metres at Randwick on Tuesday. Now trained by Gai Waterhouse and Anthony Bott, the No Nay Never filly holds four Group 1 entries over The Championships at Randwick including the Group I TJ Smith Stakes (1,200 metres) and the Group 1 Queen of the Turf Stakes (1,600 metres).