Here is The Spring Brief, your daily wrap of the racing headlines:
Australia has three new Group 1 races. The Australian Pattern Committee (APC) has approved the upgrading of the Memsie Stakes (1400m, Caulfield, August/September), the Moir Stakes (1200m, Moonee Valley, September) and the Canterbury Stakes (1300m, Rosehill, March) to Group 1 status, bringing the total number of elite races in Australia to 71. Three more races – the Makybe Diva Stakes, the Schillaci Stakes and the Apollo Stakes – will be considered for upgrade at the APC’s December meeting.
A late entry fee will be paid for Shamexpress today for Saturday’s Group 1 Golden Rose (1400m) at Rosehill. The barrier draw will be conducted at 11am at Sydney casino The Star, with speculation rife that one-time favourite All Too Hard will miss the race. He has been entered for Friday’s trials at Warwick Farm, although he has been entered for trials prior to his previous races.
First acceptances close today for the Caulfield Cup and the Cox Plate, making the spring picture somewhat clearer. Racing Victoria will release an initial order of entry for the Caulfield Cup following first acceptances, making it easier to understand what a horse needs to do to make it into the race.
Embattled jockey Danny Nikolic has been charged by Racing Victoria with two counts of allegedly threatening chief steward Terry Bailey, as well as his family, at a Seymour race meeting last week. He will face a Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board hearing tomorrow morning. If he is found guilty, he could face a substantial penalty, effectively ending his career.
Stewards apologised to apprentice jockey Katelyn Mallyon yesterday after she was kicked out of the female jockeys room at Bendigo on Sunday. Chief steward Terry Bailey said there had been a breakdown in communication, with Mallyon indicating the matter was now resolved.
Shoot Out won a trial at Randwick yesterday in impressive fashion, recording a four length margin. He is on track to head to the Group 1 George Main Stakes (1600m) first up on September 22. Other trial winners included Mahisara, Landing, Combat Kitty, Hurtle Myrtle, Renewed Vitality and Altar. The first two year old trials of the year were won by Mr Jackman (Northern Meteor x Miss Broadway) and Sugar Rush (More Than Ready x Sugar Babe).
The biggest news in world racing this week will be the attempt by Aidan O’Brien’s Camelot to win the English Triple Crown. That takes in the 2000 Guineas (1m/a1600m), the Epsom Derby (1m 4f/a2400m) and the English St Leger (1m 6f 132y/a2900m). It has not been won, and hasn’t even been attempted, since the immortal Nijinsky won all three races in 1970, and no Epsom Derby winner has run in the St Leger since Reference Point in 1987, so there is quite a bit of history on the line. The race will be run at 12:40am AEST on Sunday morning.
