Bowman On Fire in UK
AUSSIE JOCKEY Hugh Bowman is on fire in the UK with his last three mounts all being winners.
Bowman has again linked up with British trainer Mick Channon, with whom he had a lot of success during his last stint in the UK. He won on Shamrocked for Channon at Salisbury on Sunday and the previous day at Doncaster he landed a winning double on board Stella Point for Channon and New Leyf for Aussie expt Jeremy Gask, who now trains in the UK.
EIGHT ACCEPT FOR ECLIPSE:
Eight horses have accepted for Saturday's Gr 1 Coral Eclipse Stakes at Sandown in the UK. The big three have paid up - Workforce, So You Think and Snow Fairy. There is a good deal of speculation as to who will ride So You Think in the race, with Ryan Moore now being required to Arc winner Workforce. Ironically Moore also won the Japan Cup and the International race in Hong Kong on Snow Fairy so a new jockey will have to be found for her also.
It is said that Dato Tan Chin Nam favours Aussie jockey Stephen Arnold returning to the UK to ride the horse, after the criticism that was (justifiably in my view) aimed at Ryan Moore after he was narrowly beaten on the horse at Royal Ascot.
It would appear that the only other jockey that could be seriously considered is Seamie Heffernan, who won on the horse first up at The Curragh.
Whoever rides the horse - it promises to be a corker of a race.
IRONIC!
Saturday was Provincial Plate day at Flemington. Up until a few years back the race was called the Eugene Gorman Provincial Plate - named after the late Eugene Gorman - a prolific horse owner and former chairman of the Southern Districts Racing Association in NSW.
In his many decades as an owner Mr Gorman had many great horses and right up there among the best of them weas aq wonderful racemare by Blue Booklet, called Honoured.
She won many Melbourne races under the care of legendary Berrigan trainer Bert Honeychurch. OPn Saturday a horse by the same name was successful at the Roma meeting in Queensland for trainer Craig Smith and jockey Paul Spry.
HOW "CUMMINGSESQUE"?
Ballydoyle's Aiden O'Brien won a staggering sixth consecutive Gr 1 Irish Derby at The Curragh on Sunday when Treasure Beach, ridden by Colm O'Donoghue, atoned for being run down close home by Pour Moi in the Epsom Derby.
Treasure Beach headed home an O'Brien trifecta - the fourth time the trainer has led in all three placegetters in the classic.
It was his ninth Irish Derby winner overall - a simply staggering performance.
The Queen's horse, Carlisle House, started favourite and finished fourth.
HOMETOWN WIN IN ROCKY CUP:
Former top jockey Lyle "Sammy" Rowe trained his hometown cup winner when Cannyclimb won the 100K Rockhampton Cup (1600m) on Saturday.
Bought by Rowe as a yearling for just 18K at the Magic Millions, Cannyclimb started at big odds and gave jockey David Simmons his first Rockhampton Cup win.
The 150K 2YO race at the meeting was won by Rocket To Glory ridden by Chris Whitely and trained by John Manzelman.
Rocket To Glory was also a MM graduate, being bought by Manzelman as a yearling for 20K.
$100M BARRIER CRASHED BY MOORE:
Aussie expat John Moore crashed through the $100m prizemoney barrier for the season at yesterday's Shatin meeting. Moore cannot win the premiership - he trails Tony Cruz at the moment - but he has won the "majors" and has banked $20m more than the leading trainer.
The day was one Moore will remember fondly as the HKJC put on a presentation ceremony to farewell Viva Pataca - Hong Kong's greatest ever prizemoney earner and the horse that Moore describes as "easily the best I have trained."
This outstanding galloper won $HK65.5m in a glittering career and the crowd gave him a huge send off. He will now be flown to Australia where he will be retired at Bob and Wendy Lappointe's Muskoka Farm at Wiseman's Ferry.
ANOTHER CHAMP BOWS OUT:
It was announced on Friday that Good Ba Ba has also run his last race. The three times HK International Mile winner has had his outstanding racetrack achievements overshadowed at times by the erratic behaviour of his owner, but he was a great racehorse at his best - especially considering the number of different trainers he had throughout his career.