Friday Racing Briefs: Jockeys flee Victorian lockdown
What a big week in racing it has been. We have had the great Might And Power honoured by the Melbourne Racing Club, and we have seen tons of cash splashed at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale on the Gold Coast. Throw in the latest COVID-19 outbreak, and there has been no shortage of drama. Thankfully, we are just 24 hours from a Group 1 day of racing with the Queensland Derby and BTC Cup set to be run and won at Eagle Farm on Saturday afternoon.
Might And Power given MRC honour
The only thing we found surprising about the Melbourne Racing Club renaming the Group 1 Caulfield Stakes the Might And Power Stakes is that it did not happen sooner. While this column’s chief scribe is a little too young to remember just how much the horse captured Australia’s imagination, the seven-time Group 1 winner’s record speaks for itself. The 1998 and 1999 Australian Horse of the Year died in April 2020 at 26 years of age. His trainer, Jack Denham, passed away in 2009.
Arcadia Queen passed in at $3.4m
The money in racing never ceases to amaze. Three-time Group 1 winner Arcadia Queen was passed in at $3.4 million this week at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale, with owner Bob Peters confirming he had set the reserve at $4 million. The final bid on Arcadia Queen was $800,000 more than the Melody Belle sale, which topped all sales at the Gold Coast event. Last year, Sunlight sold for $4.2 million at these same sales.
Zaaki zooms ahead in Cox Plate betting
Zaaki obliterated his rivals last Saturday in what was arguably the best Doomben Cup field ever assembled. Trainer Annabel Neasham and jockey James McDonald had been bullish about his chances leading into the race, but we are sure not even they could have imagined a win like that. Neasham was quick to declare her hand, saying the six-year-old gelding would be aimed towards the Cox Plate during the spring. Bookies and punters responded to that news emphatically, making Zaaki a $4.20 favourite to take out the best weight-for-age race in the country.
Rothfire returns to work with The Everest in sight
It was the news every racing fan wanted to hear: Rothfire is back and raring to go as he builds to another crack at The Everest. Rob Heathcote had his dreams shattered last year when his star sprinter went amiss in the Golden Rose, ruling him out of the richest sprint race on turf. The three-year-old gelding was a $6 all-in chance in The Everest betting markets before his injury and has not been seen at the races since. However, he was on full display at trackwork at Eagle Farm on Tuesday morning, with a very bullish Heathcote impressed by what he saw. Rothfire is a $21 chance in Everest future markets for this year’s event.
COVID outbreak forces Victorian jockeys to flee
Can you blame Victorian-based jockeys for wanting to get out of the state the week before winter begins? Several star hoops had their hand forced on Wednesday as the COVID-19 outbreak in Melbourne raised concerns regarding interstate travel. Since then, Victoria has gone into a seven-day lockdown, but the likes of Jamie Kah, Craig Williams, John Allen and Ben Allen will enjoy the warmer pastures of the Sunshine State ahead of a big day of Group 1 racing at Eagle Farm tomorrow. Must be nice…
Best bet for Friday, May 28
If you get a chance, go and watch Renouf and his last start win over the Sunny Coast 1200m on May 16, he genuinely pissed in that race. We expect him to do something similar later this afternoon and under James Orman they should keep the undefeated they boast when pairing up together at this, their third start together.