'Global Sprint Challenge' expands

The first leg of the 'Global Sprint Challenge' is likely to be an all Australian affair, with no international runners due to line up at Flemington on February 19.

Next year's Global Sprint Challenge now consists of nine Group 1 races across five countries with prizemoney of over $US10 million, after the series expanded to include the 'KrisFlyer sprint' in Singapore.

But the huge money on offer in Dubai is likely to entice both 'J J The Jet Plane' and 'Rocket Man' for either the $2 million Golden Shaheen or the $1 million Al Quoz Sprint, both run on the Dubai World Cup program on March 26, providing a clash with the premiere Australian sprint.

Leigh Jordan, Racing Victoria's international scout, said the big money on offer in Dubai and avoiding Australia's superstar mare 'Black Caviar' on her home turf were reasons cited by connections of both horses to miss the first leg of 'Global Sprint Challenge'.

Flemington Tips (11/12)

Race One

9.Hot Spin - 3.Shenanigans - 1.Grand Britannia - 2.The Counterfeiter

Race Two

10.Marcellus - 7.Morely - 4.Belgietto - 8.Take The Moment

Race Three

9.Noetic - 6.Red Belly Black - 7.Koonoomoo - 10.Flourishing

Race Four

7.Lakedro - 4.Aloha - 2.Sadalbari - 6.Riveted

Race Five

2.Orchestra Stalls - 4.Right Fong - 1.Fast Future - 9.Lucky Eighty Eight

Race Six

15.War Ends - 14.Voile Rouge - 13.Tough Future - 4.Itsamonty

Race Seven

5.Offenders - 4.Gold In Dubai - 3.Commanding Hope - 10.Fugitive

Race Eight

6.Devils Party - 10.Livia - 9.Absolute Joy - 4.Maquina

Best Bet:
Race 6 No 15 War Ends

Best Roughie:
Race 2 No 10 Macellus, Race 5 No 2 Orchestra Stalls

'Ortensia' draws well in Hong Kong

Australian sprinter 'Ortensia' has drawn well for her international debut in Sunday's Group 1 Hong Kong Sprint.


At Thursday's draw, Tony Noonan's star mare came up with barrier five, with Singapore sprinter 'Rocket Man' drawn directly on her outside in barrier six.

Locally trained two-time winner of the race, Sacred Kingdom, also drew well and will start from gate two.

Ortensia will be the only Australian representative at the meeting, with Craig Williams, who has ridden Ortensia throughout most of her career, in the saddle.

Sha Tin's famous 'International Day' also features the running of the Hong Kong Cup run over 2000m, the Hong Kong Mile (1600m) and the Hong Kong Vase (2400m).

The Vase will feature the Melbourne Cup winner 'Americain', who has drawn barrier nine in the field of 14.

The French-trained, Australian-owned stayer is the highest rated horse in the race with an international rating of 121.

Top jockey in hospital

Lisa Cropp, the champion New Zealand jockey, is in a New Zealand hospital with a fractured skull following a freak accident yesterday.

Cropp was trapped beneath a pony that she was educating for her teenage daughter, when it ran through a fence railing.

It's then believed that the pony landed on top of the Cropp.

Cropp, one of the leading jockeys in New Zealand, holds the national record for the most winners in a season and has ridden 12 in the past fortnight in Australia.

Cropp has recently moved to Australia, basing herself in Melbourne, and has quickly established herself, including riding a treble at Sandown on November 28.

Cropp was due to appeal to the Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board tomorrow against a careless riding charge incurred at Moonee Valley last Friday night.

The appeal has now been withdrawn.

Japanese plans for 'Al Garhood'

Ciaron Maher will target an invitation to compete against the best steeple chasers in the world with veteran 'Al Garhood' in next April's Nakayama Grand Jump.

He is extremely keen to get to Japan as he fears Al Garhood will be weighted out of the top races next year, after winning the 2010 Grand Annual Steeplechase at Warrnambool.

The 11 year old gelding also won the 2010 Von Doussa Steeplechase at Oakbank and has twice won the Brierly Steeplechase on his home track.

"He hasn't done all he can here, but he has probably done what they will allow him to do considering the weight he likely to get now", Maher said.

Al Garhood carried a massive 67kg in the Von Doussa and 66kg in the Grand Annual.

"I'm sure he will get a lot more weight in both those races if we stay home with him next year", Maher said.

Maher is planning to get Al Garhood fit for Japan with three flat runs in Victoria before the Pegasus Jump on April 9 as a lead up to the $1.75 million Grand Jump nine days later.

Al Garhood has raced 66 times for 13 wins and has earned more than $420,000 prizemoney.

'King Pulse' on comeback trail

Exciting young sprinter 'King Pulse' has returned to Mike Moroney's stables, after his Autumn and Spring were destroyed by the storm that lashed Flemington in early March.

After running a brilliant fourth behind 'Wanted' in the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap, King Pulse slipped on hailstones as he was returning to his stall, broke free, ran through the Flemington horse tunnel, and became wedged between two running rails.

Moroney remains uncertain what impact the scars from the storm will have on the lightly raced gelding.

Veterinarians and Moroney's staff were positive in all of their preliminary reports, but the acid would not be applied until King Pulse reached a trial.

"They say the shoulder injury has healed and just as long as that stays intact when the pressure goes on, but the dropped hip ... well, you just don't know until the pressure goes on", Moroney said.

Moroney will not nominate King Pulse for any race, until he can gauge how far the four year old has progressed.

'Squamosa' stars at Monday trials

Talented colt 'Squamosa' starred in a commanding barrier trial win on Monday, but still remains three weeks away from resuming racing.

Trainer Gai Waterhouse will wait until Boxing Day before starting the Golden Rose place getter's campaign towards the Magic Millions, despite dominating his 1050m heat at Randwick,

"It's not an ideal preparation but he's been in work a while now and he's a very powerful colt", Tulloch Lodge spokesman Mark Webbey said.

Squamosa is expected to resume his campaign against older horses in a 'benchmark 85' race over 1100 metres at Randwick.

Squamosa will then head to the Gold Coast where he is expected to renew acquaintances in the $1 million Magic Millions Guineas with Rick Hore-Lacy's stable star 'Toorak Toff'.

At their only previous clash, Toorak Toff narrowly beat Squamosa in the Group One Golden Rose at Rosehill earlier this year.

While Toorak Toff was basking in his Group 1 glory, it was Squamosa who earned the respect of the racing industry, after working at both ends of the race.

The Magic Millions carnival will be held on January 15.

Caulfield Cup expansion plans

Australia's richest 2400m handicap, the Caulfield Cup, may be increasing in field size beginning next year, in a bid to attract more international competition.

Subject to the approval of stewards, the Melbourne Racing Club will meet to consider increasing the field limit from 18 to 20.

The MRC is confident the Caulfield track can cope with 20 runners starting from the 2400m.

"If you can accommodate them (the 20 horses) you should try to increase the field size", said MRC chairman Mike Symons.

I969 was the last time 20 horses started in the Caulfield Cup, when 'Big Filou' won on protest from 'Nausori'.

In other Caulfield Cup developments planned by the MRC, prizemoney for the Mornington Cup will be doubled to $300,000 and the winner will receive a ballot exemption for the Caulfield Cup.

Racing's next champion?

New Zealand's Windsor Park Stud have successfully bred a full brother to Australian champion 'So You Think' late on Tuesday night.

Michael Moran, The mare's part-owner and marketing manager of Windsor Park, said the colt was very much like his famous brother.

"He's very similar to So You Think", Moran said.

"He's a lovely dark brown colour like So You Think and he has a white spot with a fine white stripe down the middle of his nose".

Costing just $110,000 as a yearling, So You Think raced in Australia 12 times for eight wins including two Cox Plates and winning prize money in excess of $5.6 million.

Irish racing giant Coolmore recently paid between $30-40 million for a half share in So You Think.

So You Think and his brother are both High Chaparral colts out of Triassic.

'Rocket Man' heading Down Under?

International sprint sensation 'Rocket Man' has been targeted by Racing Victoria for the two Australian legs of the Global Sprint Challenge early next year.


Leigh Jordon, Racing Victoria racing operations manager, has sent details of the Group 1 Lightning and Australia Stakes to the trainer of Rocket Man, Patrick Shaw.

Shaw has displayed a willingness to travel Rocket Man, a winner of 10 of his 13 starts.

Rocket Man finished second in the 1200m Golden Shaheen in Dubai in March and he's currently in Hong Kong preparing for the Hong Kong Sprint.

Jordon also mentioned that Hong Kong sprinter 'Little Bridge', a close third behind dead heat winners Rocket Man and 'One World' in the Cathay Pacific Jockey Club Sprint, was another horse of interest.

Little Bridge won his first five starts before finishing a half length second behind Rocket Man and One World.

The Australian legs of the Global Sprint Challenge have failed to attract any serious overseas interest since 'Cape Of Good Hope' won the 2005 Australia Stakes and ran third behind 'Takeover Target' in the 2006 Lightning Stakes.