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NZ Briefs for 29th June 2020

3 minute read

Charm Spirit
Charm Spirit  Picture: Pat Healy Photography

Eighth stakes winner for Charm Spirit

Windsor Park Stud shuttle stallion Charm Spirit  sired his eighth stakes winner when Time Scale proved a cut above her rivals to run out a ready winner of the Listed Betway Empress Fillies' Stakes (1200m) at Newmarket in the UK on Sunday.

The Ralph Beckett-trained two-year-old continued her climb through the ranks when backing up her comfortable success at Chepstow last time.

A step up to Group race company is next on the agenda for Time Scale, who was installed as a 25-1 for next year's Gr.1 1000 Guineas (1600m), with Beckett earmarking potential targets both at home and abroad.

"She will have an entry in the Robert Papin (Gr.2, 1100m)," Beckett said.

"There is also the Princess Margaret (Gr.3, 1200m) at Ascot and it is just as likely that she could go there. Hopefully we can then look at the Lowther Stakes (Gr.2, 1200m) and Cheveley Park Stakes (Gr.1, 1200m) later on in the season."

Multiple Group One winner Charm Spirit will return to Windsor Park Stud ahead of the forthcoming breeding season, where his fee is listed as private.

McDonald to appeal three-week riding ban

Kiwi jockey James McDonald has confirmed he will appeal a three-week suspension over a running and handling charge.

McDonald was found guilty of failing to take all reasonable and permissible measures to win or obtain the best possible placing on Threeood in a race at Randwick on June 20.

Threeood started favourite and finished second last and McDonald fronted a Racing NSW stewards' hearing on Friday.

Twenty-four hours later, the former New Zealand rider landed a Rosehill treble to give him a century of winners in consecutive seasons on Sydney tracks.

"I'll be appealing for sure and hopefully get that heard as soon as possible," McDonald told radio station RSN927.

McDonald said the "harshness" of the penalty had prompted his decision to appeal.

The ban will rule McDonald out of racing for most of the final month of the 2019-20 season.

But with a fourth Sydney premiership all but sewn up, McDonald said he was planning to have a break from the saddle after riding at Randwick on Saturday.

McDonald has a 20-1/2 win lead over his nearest rival Nash Rawiller in this season's jockeys' title heading into Wednesday's meeting at Randwick.

His ban is due to start on Sunday and end on July 26.

Rodd positive on Mystery Shot

Jockey Michael Rodd got his first city win on the board since returning to Australia from Singapore a couple of months ago, partnering Kiwi import Mystery Shot to victory at Caulfield on Saturday.

"It was great to get that first city winner back, especially for Lindsey Smith and Brad Spicer," Rodd said.

"Brad gave me my first winner back out at Hamilton a bit over a month ago, but it was nice to get that first winner on a Saturday as well."

Rodd said the Inglewood Stud bred son of Shooting To Win had a bright future, although he revealed that international interest had come for the horse, who is undefeated in three starts for Smith, after being identified by Spicer and bloodstock agent Gary Carvell in New Zealand.

"He is really progressive," Rodd said.

"He has been really well placed but he has improved each start and the win on Saturday was very solid considering he was second-up and I had to use him early.

"He is going through his grades well and I am not sure where it might end. I think his distance is probably a mile and he is a real classy galloper.

"There have been offers from Hong Kong but I hope I get another steer of him."


NZ Racing News

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