NEXTANIX IN AT WAGGA:

Jinbo Zhu Racing's Nextanix will resume his career in the Inglis 2YO at the Wagga Cup carnival on Thursday. He will run in the 1200 metres event with Blake Shinn in the saddle. I spoke to trainer Kerry Parker this morning and Kerry said he was concerned that the horse had a cold last week but he had received a blood test back (taken yesterday) which said the horse's white cells were almost back to normal anmd "heading in the right direction".

Kerry has quite an opinion of the horse, but it is no give me as Unanimously goes pretty good and the Ron Quinton-trained Liechtenstein also goes okay and finished in front of Nextanix on their debuts at Randwick.

Nextanix has since won a trial and Kerry tells me the horse is going really well so he should be competitive on Thursday.

BIG RED CAT TO RACE NEXT WEEK:

Big Red Cat finished third in a trial at Randwick last Monday behind Gai Waterhouse's smart galloper, Rockwood. I did not go to the trials but spoke to trainer David Payne on the morning of the trial and David was pleased with how we went.

I have not spoken to David since but received an SMS off him today to say that he is nominating the horse next week - I would think that is probably at Randwick next Wednesday when there is a suitable benchmark race for him on the Kensington track.

STEVE'S GOLD PROGRESSING OKAY:

Despite his club foot, David Payne tells me that Steve's Gold is a "nice mover" and he just has to "be careful of that foot". The horse will trial shortly before being cut and spelled.

CENTABEEL PROGRESSING:

Colbey Hill tells me she is pleased with the progress of Centabeel and he is now up to the pacework stage. I spoke to Colbey last week and she tells me that the horse "loves the water" and is putting on a lot of condition and thriving.

I would expect he would be ready to race in four weeks.

BRAD DRAPER ON BOARD IN ORANGE:

Brad Draper has agreed to train a string of horses for us in Orange. I have, to date, been disappointed with the way things have gone in Orange to date, and for this reason I am going to restrict the number of horses there and will be looking to spread Platinum further afield in the future with a much less emphasis on Orange.

Big Red Cat will trial in the first trial at Randwick tomorrow over 1200 metres.

David Payne has reported to me that the horse is going along nicely and we will see how he trials tomorrow before David selects where he will commence this campaign.

NEXTANIX AND AFFRETANDO:

I spoke to trainer Kerry Parker yesterday morning and he told me that Nextanix (another of the Jonbo Zhu Syndicate horses) is working along very nicely and will resume racing at either Wagga on Thursday week (Town Plate day) or at Rosehill on Saturday week in a 1300 metres two year old race.

Kerry makes no bones about the fact that he thinks "Zim" is a very nice horse and he says the horse is pleasing him immensely.

He also told me that Affretando (also woned by Jonbo Zhu and managed by Platinum) has his first gallop the other morning and did everything right.

KHARMIC WHEEL A DUFFER:

Trainer Colbey Hill reported to me that Kharmic Wheel was "lost" at his first race start at Nowra on Friday. We have always thought he will be better when the races get longer and we also feel he will benefit from blinkers and a wet track.

For now, the jury is out, and we will see how he shapes at his next couple of starts.

Big Red Cat trialled at Canterbury on Friday.

Trainer David Payne called me after the trial and told me he was pleased with the horse's effort, saying he was caught deep throughout and waqs only about three lengths off them winner at the finish.

David said the trial will do wonders for his fitness. It is unlikely the horse will trial again as David said he would now look for a race for the horse in the next couple of weeks.

Nextanix was, according to his trainer, Kerry Parker, very impressive in winning a jump out at Kembla Grange on Tuesday - but again the horse showed little or no gatespeed, like most of the Domesdays, coming from last on the turn to win "softly".

The horse has only had the one start and that was in the Inglis Bonus race at Randwick where he came from tailed off to beat a few home and ran the second fastest last 400 (apart from the winner Chance Bye).

There are several Inglis bonus races coming up at Wagga, Hawkesbury and Scone so he will probably find his way into one or more than them.

BIG RED CAT TRIALLING:

David Payne told me the other day that Big Red Cat is going along nicely and will have a trial towards the end of the month in preparation for resuming his racing career.

The horse spelled fabulously at Limitless Lodge and Eden Harrington and the guys did a great job with the horse so I am hopeful he will put another city win on the board this campaign.