Top Trainers, Top Breeding: Add These Smokies To The Growing List Of Slipper Hopefuls
Sydney Morning Herald
Friday February 28, 2003
A week ago I wrote about a possible Golden Slipper smoky in the shape of the Danehill colt prepared by Blue Diamond-winning trainer Mick Price named Kempinsky, which is just three weeks away from having his first start.
This week I've done further research regarding several other Golden Slipper second acceptors which, like Kempinsky, would hardly cause a ripple to the rank-and-file punter thinking of investing on the Slipper, which is seven weeks away.
Trained by Tony McEvoy, Gai Waterhouse, Bob Thomsen and former South African David Payne, these entries will either help or confuse the already difficult Slipper lottery.
McEvoy has 10 of his juveniles still in the Slipper and gave a big rap to two of them, Chosen Light and San Simeon. McEvoy intends having a strong group of two-year-olds in Sydney for the autumn, despite not having a runner in last Saturday's Blue Diamond.
``Chosen Flight runs at Caulfield [on Saturday]... and I'm expecting a bold run from him," McEvoy said. ``We took him to Ballarat on February8 for his first run and he won easily as we anticipated. He's a lovely colt by Danehill from Star Of Light and cost $350,000 at the 2001 Easter Sales. I have high hopes he'll be in the Slipper."
San Simeon is by King Of Kings from La Lucre and was a $110,000 buy at the same sale as Chosen Flight. For several months there had been rumours that McEvoy had a colt by King Of Kings which could fly and this was the case at Cheltenham last Saturday he bolted in by more than five lengths.
He will face his moment of truth when he races next in either Melbourne or Sydney, but again McEvoy rates him highly.
Waterhouse has two unraced two-year-olds which are making belated bids to qualify for the Slipper the Marscay colt Freeze and the Danehill colt Untouchable. Both are contesting barrier trials at Randwick on Friday to get them fitter for their debuts.
Freeze, a $400,000 brother to Snowland, has had three earlier barrier trials and has won the lot, two at Randwick and one at Rosehill. He suffered a minor setback which put him out of training but he seems to have fully recovered.
Untouchable is owned by Darley Stud and it paid $950,000 for the brother to group1-winning mare Camarena. He has had one trial for Waterhouse which he won comfortably and expectations are high for his appearance in the trials.
The colt was originally registered as Dubai Fox but Darley's Australian manager Oliver Tait said it was decided to re-name him to Untouchable (at a cost of $300).
Thomsen's two-year-old is a Danehill colt called Resistor and his only public appearance resulted in a barrier trial win at Warwick Farm last Friday. He's scheduled to have his first start at next Thursday's Canterbury night meeting.
Resistor is raced by the Newhaven Park syndicate which passed him in at last year's Easter Sales when he failed to reach his $300,000 reserve.
Newhaven's Slipper record is sensational with three wins in the race courtesy of Marauding, Prowl and Burst.
The last of the six smokies is the Payne-trained Red Hot Pepper which takes on Freeze in the Randwick trials. He's by Grand Lodge from Bridget's Daughter and cost $140,000 at last year's Sydney Easter Sales.
There are strong vibes about Red Hot Pepper and Payne is a trainer to reckon with, having made a powerful impact in his short period since being licensed in Sydney.
The Golden Slipper odds about the above two-year-olds in Bill Hurley's markets are: $25 Untouchable, $41 Freeze, $51 Chosen Light and San Simeon, $81 Resistor and $201 Red Hot Pepper. Incidentally, last week's topic, Kempinsky, is $101.
I'm not suggesting for one second that you make an early investment.
However, keep them in mind because they are all bred to be above the norm and they do have the right people preparing them. ONE-HORSE WONDER: After the Cox Plate last year I suggested there was serious doubt about Danehill continuing his dominance in Australia's leading sire award in the 2002-03 racing season, all because of one horse Northerly.
After Northerly's St George Stakes win last Saturday, his sire, the former WA-based Serheed, sails along out in the lead with earnings of $4,741,079 made up of 67 individual runners, 23 of which have won a total of 43 races.
Danehill is a clear-cut second but is well behind with his earnings totalling $3,633,754 from 160 runners, including 77 individual winners of 116 races.
When you look at the races on Northerly's agenda the $1.25million Australian Cup, the $2m The BMW and the $400,000 Ranvet Stakes it will mean that Danehill will have to have one of his breed win the Golden Slipper, at least, to keep in the hunt.
After his win last weekend, Northerly's earnings have galloped past $8million bringing Sunline's Australasian record of $11,690,679 within sight. OCKY'S OFFSPRING: Octagonal has started to make an impact in Hong Kong, producing his first winners in the former colony there last week. The John Size-trained Sir Octavious, a gelding from Show of Force bred by 2SM racing commentator Mark Shean, was his first winner at Happy Valley and then last Sunday Octa Lucky Star won over 1000metres at Sha Tin at his first race start. The two cost $130,000 and $NZ48,000 ($44,700) respectively.
MOVEMENT AT THE STATION: A couple of stallion movements to Queensland for the 2003 season: Success Express returns to Noble Park Stud following two seasons at Chatswood Stud in Victoria and Springsteen, which has stood at Attunga Stud in Scone for his first two seasons, moves to Royston Stud.
hollowayracingservices@optushome.com.au
© 2003 Sydney Morning Herald