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Tiptronic to spell in Queensland

The Graham Richardson and Rogan Norvall-trained Tiptronic has gone for a spell in sunny Queensland after trailing the field home in the Gr.3 Lord Mayor's Cup at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

The seven-year-old weakened in the home straight and a post-race veterinary examination revealed the gelding to be suffering from atrial fibrillation.

"He didn't pull up flash. He fibrillated and it wasn't anybody's fault, it just happens, and they can do that occasionally," Richardson said.

"It was quite disappointing because his work last Tuesday was outstanding, but he is good now which is the main thing.

"He is going to spell over there for six to eight weeks and it will do him the world of good.

"He is not a great spring horse. I will bring him up slowly when he is back in New Zealand."

Richardson had been quietly confident heading into the Lord Mayor's Cup and was pleased with his first-up run in the Gr.2 Hollindale Stakes (1800m) when beaten just over six lengths by in-form galloper Zaaki.

"His run first up in the Hollindale was very good. He was the first Kiwi home, he went well and the track wasn't 100 percent," Richardson said.

"He is a lot better now than what he was on Saturday night, that is for sure."

Richardson and Norvall, like many Kiwi trainers, will tick over through the winter with a number of young horses coming through the stable doing their early education.

Sky Darci snares Lion Rock Trophy

Hong Kong Derby (2000m) hero Sky Darci picked up where he left off at Sha Tin on Sunday when winning the Gr.3 Lion Rock Trophy (1600m).

Ten weeks following his Derby triumph, Sky Darci recorded a short-head victory over fellow four-year-old Health Happy, with Not Usual Talent a further 1-3/4 lengths back in third.

"On paper it looked a nice comeback race for him, 115 (pounds) on his back and a nice soft draw (barrier three)," trainer Caspar Fownes said.

"He landed in the spot we thought he would be, just relaxed and came out and you can see what he's got.

"Obviously the second horse (Healthy Happy) is a horse we respected coming into the race because we didn't think there was much pace and obviously he gave us quite a scare the last 100m. He's a nice horse, the second horse. He's probably one that's going to go on with it.

"At the end of the day, we're very happy to bring him back from the Derby. There's always pressure on you to get these horses to come back and perform."

Sky Darci's latest triumph leaves Fownes with a host of long-range options beyond a possible start in the Gr.3 Premier Cup Handicap (1400m) – including a potential tilt at the Gr.1 Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) in December.

"It looks like we've got something to work with going forward to December," he said. "He's a good horse and he's probably still got another length and a half to two lengths in him over the next 12 months. If he can do that, all of sudden he's a serious and proper horse.

"He's a sprinter-miler in my mind and he's showing us that, so we'll just try to pick the best possible options and avoid the champions.

"He'll come back to have a 1200m run early in the (2021/22) season, so we'll just see what he does there. He's versatile and he should be a bigger and better horse with a couple of months of the summer break under his belt."

Sky Darci was purchased out of Highden Park's 2018 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 1 Yearling Sale draft for $160,000.