3 minute read
Wetter the better for Explosive Jack; Robusto smoking ahead of Livamol; Quick Thinker out of Caulfield Cup; Te Toki sale off the table
Wetter the better for Explosive Jack
Connections of last season's Derby hero Explosive Jack are hoping the rain continues to fall in Melbourne ahead of the Gr.1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) on Saturday.
"If the heavens opened up that would greatly improve his chances," Ciaron Maher, who trains in partnership with Daivd Eustace, told RSN927.
The son of Jakkalberry has had two lead-in races, finishing ninth first-up in the Gr.1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) and fifth in the Gr.1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m), and Maher said he is looking for more ground.
"You would think Caulfield might be a little bit sharp for him but his two runs this prep have been fantastic, he has really got through the line very strongly with both being far from his best distances," he said.
Explosive Jack has drawn gate two and will be ridden by John Allen.
"It is probably better than 20 for Jack. John Allen can give him a decent squeeze out and he can hopefully land midfield," Maher said.
"Outside of Incentivise, it looks a fairly open race. It will be interesting to see what the weather does.
"I think he will run a solid race again tomorrow and he should be spot on for the Melbourne Cup (Gr.1, 3200m)."
Explosive Jack was purchased out of Novara Park's 2019 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 1 Yearling Sale draft for $100,000 and the three-time Derby winner was part of a clean sweep of Derbys in Australia last season by New Zealand breds.
Robusto smoking ahead of Livamol
The Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman-trained Robusto will have just her second tilt at elite level when she lines-up in the Gr.1 Livamol Classic (2040m) at Hastings on Saturday.
The daughter of Zed ran 11th in the Gr.1 Auckland Cup (3200m) at Ellerslie earlier this year after winning the Gr.2 Avondale Cup (2400m) at the Auckland track a couple of weeks prior.
She has had two runs in the lead up to Saturday for two placings, including a third behind Saturday race rival Big Mike over 2000m a fortnight ago.
"She will be pretty well near peak fitness, she probably needed that run the other day at Hastings and she will be a big improver for it," Forsman said.
"She meets some of them better off at weight-for-age in this race, but the barrier draw (11) is going to be the awkward thing for her.
"It is wide open and we were going there hoping if we had drawn a soft draw that she could have got a good run in behind the pace and would have been a strong top three chance.
"I think she still is, she will just need a bit to go her way."
Stablemate Joy Alone will join Robusto on the trip south to Hastings on Saturday where she will contest the Dan D'Esposito Memorial Mile (1600m).
The daughter of Roc de Cambes had a pleasing three-year-old term, winning the Gr.3 Manawatu Classic (2000m) at Awapuni and runner-up in the Gr.2 Championship Stakes (2100m) at Ellerslie.
She will be first-up on Saturday after placing in her 950m trial at Cambridge last month and Forsman said the race will be a good starting point for her campaign.
"She needs to get going somewhere," he said.
"A mile first-up in a pretty handy looking line-up of horses, with a lot of them having had a bit of racing, it won't be easy but she has been working very well."
Quick Thinker out of Caulfield Cup
The Andrew Forsman and Murray Baker-trained Quick Thinker is out of the Gr.1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) after suffering a tendon issue.
Connections scratched the five-year-old on Friday morning after the issue was found during the morning check-up.
"Unfortunate news this morning, with Quick Thinker found with a tendon issue on morning check-up. He will be scratched from tomorrow's Caulfield Cup," owners OTI Racing tweeted.
"Most disappointing for all connections, including Andrew Forsman and Murray Baker."
The call gives Chris Waller-trained Great House a start in Saturday's Group One feature.
Te Toki sale off the table
The anticipated sale of unbeaten three-year-old Te Toki is off the table after negotiations with an Australian party fell through.
The Tarzino gelding passed the full battery of pre-sale tests, only for negotiations to break down at a crucial stage.
Te Toki, the impressive winner of his only two starts in recent weeks, had been entered for the Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) but is now in the spelling paddock.
"We had an offer that was in the too good to refuse category and he came through all the required examinations, but then the person at the end of the chain failed to come through," said Katrina Alexander, who trains Te Toki in partnership with her husband Simon.
The Matamata couple are also part-owners of the $45,000 Karaka Book 2 yearling purchase.
"Time was always going to be his friend and we had already made the decision to not proceed down the Guineas path," she said.
"We kept him ticking over while we were going through the sale process, and now we're very comfortable with giving him a break ahead of making plans for later in the season."
