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Yana is in the 11-15 PM race India time. It is a race for fillies and mares and it is the Cape Verdi sponsored by Al Tayer Motors. It is over 1,600 metres on the grass and eleven go to post. Ryan Moore, the 2009 British riding champion, is aboard Yana. Our thoughts will be with Yana and Trainer Chenoy. Oasis Star is 12-1 in the British market and Yana is a 16-1 chance.
I looked at Mumbai’s Saturday card. Martin Dwyer is set to have a get-acquainted session on Saturday. Olivier Peslier has rides on Friday at the Meydan. I believe he’ll be at Mahalakshmi for Sunday’s action.
I will devote a piece to the Derby on Friday. Jacqueline will be the public choice and she is the one to beat. There are some who have more to offer and Jacqueline needs to have an error-free trip.
Two Group I races were run on Sunday at Sha Tin in Hong Kong. Fellowship, a 10-1 chance, won the Stewards’ Cup. Fellowship was third behind Good Ba Ba in the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Mile in December. Ridden by Zac Purton, Fellowship held Thumbs Up in the 1600-metre race and Good Ba Ba made up a lot of ground to take third. Paul Sullivan trains the seven year-old Fellowship who was winning the first Group I race in his career.
Jockey Zac Purton expressed his thoughts. “He (Fellowship) has been the bridesmaid in many G I races. It has been frustrating. It is terrific he has made a breakthrough because he is not getting any younger at seven.”
Collection, a John Moore runner, finished tenth. John Moore is one of Hong Kong’s leading trainers. Collection was second to Vision d’Etat in December. Winner of the HK Derby in 2009 and winner of the Hampton Court Stakes at Royal Ascot last year, Collection’s showing made the judges unhappy. They called the race unacceptable and asked trainer Moore to get Collection to race in a barrier trial and perform competitively before running again.
The other high profile race at Sha Tin on Sunday was the 1000-metre Centenary Sprint Cup. Sacred Kingdom, the six year-old speedball, handled the dropback to 1000 from 1200 and won with a measure of comfort. Brett Prebble rode Sacred Kingdom who is trained by Ricky Yiu.
Sacred Kingdom’s last win came in the HK Sprint in December. Sacred Kingdom was winning his fifth G I race. Ultra Fantasy, also hailing from Yiu’s yard, ran second.
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Here is news of a different kind from America. Michael Gill was the leading owner in terms of number of wins and prize money. He won 369 races and won 6.7 million dollars. The Pennsylvania Horse Racing Commission has banned Gill for poor and unethical treatment of his horses. Gill has been accused of treating his horses as ‘disposables’ and not paying enough attention to their well being.
On January 21, Melodeeman, a Gill-owned horse, fractured a cannon bone. Two days later, Laughing Moon, another Gill horse, collapsed and was put down. Jockeys started a boycott of Gill’s horses. In recent months, six of Gill’s horses suffered catastrophic breakdowns
Gill now says that he is leaving racing. “I’m worn out by this controversy and I am through with the racing business.” he said.
Let us look at positive news from the US. Rachel Alexandra had her first recorded workout on Sunday at the Fair Grounds in Louisiana. The 2009 Eclipse winner clocked 52 seconds for 800 metres. No specific target has been set. Rachel Alexandra went through 2009 unbeaten in eight starts.
Scott Blasi supervised Rachel Alexandra’s work. “I am happy with how manageable she is. She is happy with what she’s doing.”
Zenyatta’s first 2010 goal may be the Grade I $250,000 Santa Margarita at Santa Anita on March 13. It is a race over 1800 metres. Zenyatta is six. She did 1000 metres in 1 01.60 seconds on February 3 at Hollywood Park. Trainer John Shirreffs has said that the decision will rest on the weight assignment in the Santa Margarita.
Ahmed Zayat had a large stable. His Pioneerofthe Nile won the 2009 Santa Anita Derby and was one of the fancied runners in the Kentucky Derby. Fifth Third Bank has sued Zayat for non payment on a 34-million dollar loan. Zayat has field for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Chapter 11 lets you reorganize under court protection without serious disruptions to your business.
Gio Ponti heads a list of 288 horses nominated in the first stage to the Dubai Cup to be run on March 27. Lookin At Lucy, Eclipse-winning freshman, tops the list for the UAE Derby. There is a total of 1951 horses nominated.
I leave Chennai for Mumbai Saturday morning. Mahendra Mallya, Indiarace correspondent in Mumbai, provides the hospitality. Mallya is a perceptive racing reporter. He asks pointed questions. His writing is colourful. I enjoy reading his columns.
