Pride pair ready to fire in Expressway Stakes
SATURDAY’S Expressway Stakes is currently being dominated by Music Magnate, but trainer Joe Pride believes his pair has the fitness advantage.
Last start winner Kuro and capable sprinter Ball Of Muscle have had plenty of racing this campaign and Pride said if they’re going to beat Music Magnate, now is their chance.
“If we can’t beat him (Music Magnate) here, we are going to struggle later on,” Pride said. “He is a very good horse, Music Magnate, but we have horses that have improvement off each of their runs.
“They are rock hard fit.”
Kuro ($5 at Palmerbet) was a stylish last start winner at Gosford and with a placing in the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes under its belt, it’s not lacking in the class department.
After a period of poor form with Lee and Anthony Freedman, Kuro returned to Pride’s stable where it has had immediate success.
“He just put them away so quickly last time,” Pride said. “It was the sort of win that gives you a lot of confidence that he is up to much better things.
“We will get through Saturday and then decide what we are going to do with him because he has always been a good horse.”
Ball of Muscle ($6 at Sportsbet) gets a significant gear change with blinkers ahead of the Expressway Stakes after running third as the favourite in the Takeover Target Stakes last start.
“He is going well enough and we know he can be competitive in a race like this one,” Pride said.
Music Magnate hasn’t raced in seven months, but after some pleasing trial efforts, the $1.90 favourite looks well-placed at Rosehill on Saturday.
“We just wanted to get him back to the track and see what he can do,” trainer Bjorn Baker said. “He just got a virus in the spring and we decided to give him time.
“Starting this early means we open options and we’ll see what he does and then decide where to go.
“I have said that I think there are more group one wins in him and I want to get the advantage of race fitness on my side for his next run.”
Xtravagant retired to stud
New Zealand colt Xtravagant has been retired to stud and will stand at Newhaven Park Stud in New South Wales for a fee of $15,000.
The Group 1 2000 Guineas winner showed brilliance in New Zealand, but failed to fire since winning the Group 1 Waikato Sprint last season.
It finished 12th in the Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes before returning to New Zealand, but it clearly wasn’t thinking about racing so the decision to retire the four-year-old was made.
“Stephen (Autridge) and I were so lucky to train such a gifted and talented horse, he was incredibly fast, had a wonderful turn of foot and everything you look for in a racehorse,” co-trainer Jamie Richards said.
“To be involved in such a horse this early in my career was a privilege and we wish the team at Newhaven all the very best with a truly wonderful racehorse.”
Godolphin confident with resuming Chetwood
Chetwood has been touted as a potential group one-winning gelding and its campaign kicks off in Friday night’s Group 2 Australia Stakes.
The John O’Shea-trained runner comes into the race with a winning streak and according to O’Shea, it has been set for the Australia Stakes where it’s currently a $4.40 chance at CrownBet.com.au.
“He’s been set for this and he’s shown us with what he’s done at home that he’s ready,” O’Shea said.
“All I wanted was to draw out a bit and he’s come up with barrier eight which should suit him nicely.
“He’s trialled very well and this looks an ideal lead up for him to the Orr Stakes in a couple of weeks.”
Godolphin also lines up talented three-year-old Peacock in the Australia Stakes, which is good enough to spring a surprise result at $26.
“He has similar form lines to Holler and they proved pretty good this time last year,” O’Shea said.
“He’s had a nice spell and made good improvement, which he needs to do because there’s a pretty strong group of three-year-old sprinters coming through.”
Moore hoping luck changes for Helene Paragon
Top Hong Kong runner Helene Paragon didn’t get much luck in the Group 1 Hong Kong Mile in December, but trainer John Moore is hoping for a better fortune in Monday’s Group 1 Stewards’ Cup.
“I thought he was unlucky that he didn’t make his run at the same time as Beauty Only in the Hong Kong Mile,” Moore said.
“If he’d made the run at the same time, and not got interrupted and lost a length or so by having to divert inside Romantic Touch, he might have won.”
Helene Paragon finished second behind Beauty Only, but ran a quicker final 400m after only getting clear-air late in the race.
“He was only beaten half a length, so he was a little unlucky not win,” Moore said. “On closing times alone, he should have won, but that wasn’t to be. That’s racing.”
The son of Polan amassed a good record in Hong Kong last season and it worked impressively alongside stablemate and Group 1 Derby contender Booming Delight earlier in the week.
“He galloped the place down with a horse that’s on the move up the ratings, Booming Delight,” Moore said.
“They both pulled up really well. Booming Delight will run on Monday, too, we’re trying to get some more points on the board to get him into the Derby.
“They both impressed me in their work, so I’m delighted.”
Helene Paragon could be off to Dubai if it runs well on Monday where champion jockey Joao Moreira has been booked to ride.
“I’ve engaged Moreira to ride him in Dubai in the 1800m group one race, the Dubai Turf,” Moore said.
“I hope the horse is accepted for it, that’s the race I want there. The 1800m on turf will be right up his alley, so barring no setbacks, that’s where I want to take him.”
Helene Paragon is currently $6 at Bet365.com to win the Stewards’ Cup.