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Headwater; Big Bets; Hugh Bowman; Damien Oliver; Kiwi Rivals: First Seal; Disposition

HEADWATER IN SLIPPER LIMBO

THERE will be no decision on a Golden Slipper Stakes start for deposed favourite Headwater until hours before the final field is declared next Tuesday.

Headwater’s Golden Slipper status is in limbo following his disappointing third at Randwick last Saturday behind Vancouver and Furnaces, even allowing the three wide run he endured in the small field.

Stewards have been advised that a veterinary examination cleared Headwater of any issues after the race, but whether he is an acceptor for the Golden Slipper will not be resolved until he gallops at Rosehill next Tuesday morning.

Co-trainer Michael Hawkes advised that immediate plans for Headwater, a big winner of his first two starts at Moonee Valley and Rosehill, will be determined by the workout.

The final field for the Golden Slipper will be declared at 9am on Tuesday with the barrier draw to be conducted trackside at Rosehill after 11am.

BIG BETS

WHEN the big races roll round you can bet it will stir the big punters into action.

On Wednesday TAB Fixed Odds took two $50,000 bets on coming feature races.

The first was $50,000 on the Godolphin colt Exosphere to win Saturday week’s Golden Slipper at odds of $6, forcing his price down to $4.80.

The second was another $50,000 bet at $1.80 on top filly First Seal to win Saturday’s Coolmore Classic at Rosehill.

It’s a sure sign there will be plenty of big betting action over the next month.

BOWMAN FORCED TO CHOOSE

SUGGESTIONS that Hugh Bowman has been dumped as the rider of Criterion in his Sydney races are wide of the mark.

Bowman made an early call to stick with outstanding colt Hallowed Crown in the $1 million George Ryder Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill on Saturday week and that left the connections of Criterion to engage a new rider now that race is on his agenda.

Michael Walker will replace Bowman as Criterion’s rider in the George Ryder and the $4 million Longines Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Randwick on April 11.

Bowman rode Criterion when he resumed with a fine third in last Saturday’s Canterbury Stakes (1300m) at Randwick just 40 minutes after he had ridden Hallowed Crown to victory in the G1 Randwick Guineas.

It was then that Bowman was advised that the George Ryder - not the Ranvet Stakes at Rosehill on March 21 as the jockey originally believed - would be the next start for Criterion,

It left Bowman having to make a tough choice as he has ridden Criterion in seven of his last nine races including wins in the Rosehill Guineas and Australian Derby as well as his grand third in the Hong Hong Cup at Sha Tin in December.

Walker’s booking for Criterion strengthens the strong ties he now holds with to the David Hayes/Tom Dabernig stable after riding more than 60 winners for the Lindsay Park team this season.

Hayes and Dabernig have all but finalised their Golden Slipper plans with Stephen Baster booked to ride last start Adelaide winner Haybah and Kerrin McEvoy for Blue Diamond runner-up Reemah

OLIVER ON SACRED FALLS.

DUAL Doncaster winner Sacred Falls will also have a new rider in the George Ryder Stakes on March 21.

A new jockey was needed as Hong Kong-based Zac Purton, the regular rider of Sacred Falls in G1 races over the last two seasons, will not be riding in Sydney on Saturday week.

His replacement in the George Ryder will be Damien Oliver but expect Purton to be back on board is Sacred Falls goes for an historic third win in The Star Doncaster on April 4 on his way to the Longines Queen Elizabeth Stakes on April 11.

KIWI RIVALS MEET IN SYDNEY

NEW Zealand’s top three-year-olds Mongolian Khan and Volkstok’n’barrell are to continue their rivalry in Sydney.

The Sydney classics have been boosted by trainer Donna Logan’s the late decision to send Volkstok’n’barrell to Sydney for the Rosehill Guineas and BMW Australian Derby double.

Mongolian Khan, who ended a sequence of five straight wins by Volkstok’n’barrell when he beat that gelding in the Avondale Guineas and again in the NZ Derby at Ellerslie on February 28, is already in Sydney preparing for the double.

Volkstok'n'barrell is booked to be flown to Sydney next Wednesday ahead of the Guineas at Rosehill on Saturday week.

He is a valuable addition to the Kiwi team for The Championships after confirmation that last start Ellerslie G1 winners Rock Diva (Auckland Cup) and Sakhee’s Soldier (NZ Stakes) have been spelled and will not be coming to Sydney this autumn.

However top Kiwi mare Rising Romance, beaten a nose by Sakhee’s Soldier in the NZ Stakes last weekend, will arrive with Volkstok’n’barrell next Wednesday.

She will contest the Epona Stakes (1900m) for her own sex at Rosehill on Saturday week as her lead-up to the $$1.5 million BMW (2400m) on March 28.

Last year’s NZ Derby winner Puccini will head to Sydney for the Longines Queen Elizabeth Stakes if he pleases in Saturday’s Australian Cup at Flemington where he will be ridden by Craig Newitt.

HISTORY WEIGHS AGAINST FIRST SEAL

ANY weight advantage over outstanding filly First Seal should be a welcome advantage for her rivals in Saturday’s $600,000 Coolmore Classic at Rosehill.

So it comes as a surprise to see the connections of Mahara and Adrift prepared to let their jockeys ride overweight in the Group One feature for fillies and mares.

Stewards have approved applications for Jason Collett to ride Mahara half a kilo overweight at 52.5kg while Tommy Berry will be riding Adrift a full 1kg over her allotted weight at 53kg.

Let’s hope they are not beaten in a photo finish for the big prize.

First Seal’s rivals can take heart that the odds on favourite faces an historic bogy to win the Coolmore Classic following her last start win in the Surround Stakes.

Over the years only four of 20 Surround Stakes winners to run in the Coolmore Classic (Regal Cheer, Bollinger, Skating, Avon Angel) have completed the double – and each had considerably less weight than First Seal’s 55.5kg.

Since the Coolmore was first run in 1973, the only three-year-old filly to win carrying more than First Seal’s 55.5kg was Tommy Smith’s champion Bounding Away with 57.5kg in 1986 while Gai Waterhouse’s Assertive Lass won with 55.5kg in 1997.

2015 Sydney Carnival Short Takes

DISPOSITION RECOVERS

DISPOSITION, the classy Perth three-year-old who was forced to miss last Saturday’s Australian Guineas after a late setback, is to continue with his autumn campaign.

Now trained at Mornington in Victoria by Wez Hunter, Disposition has the G3 Victoria Handicap at Caulfield on April 4 as his immediate aim.

Disposition was narrowly beaten by subsequent Australian Guineas winner Wandjina at Flemington when having his first Melbourne start last month and would have been a serious rival for the Sydney colt last Saturday.

If he comes up after his setback Disposition could be an ideal prospect for some of the big G1 races in Brisbane in May and June.

It would seem Wandjina is heading that way as he will be freshened for the G1 All-Aged Stakes (1400m) on the last day of the Sydney carnival at Randwick on April 18, a plan that indicates trainer Gai Waterhouse already has her sights on Brisbane for the 3YO.

And why not with the Stradbroke Handicap now worth $2 million!