Jimmy ready to rock in red-hot Memsie
Triple Group One winner Jimmysstar (NZ) (Per Incanto) will have his first start in Melbourne this Saturday since his unplaced effort in the Gr.1 William Reid Stakes (1200m) in the autumn.
Following that, the Ciaron Maher-trained gelding ran well without winning in both Sydney and Brisbane.
Jimmysstar will kick off his spring campaign in the Gr.1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield, and Maher is confident the seven-year-old gelded son of Per Incanto will “make his presence felt”.
“He worked at Warwick Farm yesterday (Monday) on the course proper. His work was very sharp. His two jumpouts have been very sharp, this prep, and I’m just rapt with the way he’s come up,” said Maher, who won the Memsie in 2022 with Snapdancer (in partnership with David Eustace).
“His couple of runs in the autumn, he might not have been at his best, but he seems to have come back really well, and he’s in a good spot.
“I’m very much looking forward to him kicking off in the Memsie – 1400 metres is arguably his best trip, at the moment, and he’s got a great record at Caulfield.
“He’s full of running and zinging up in pretty slick times, and he hasn’t been asked to do anything, either.
“I’m sure he’ll make his presence felt.”
Maher and connections elected to bypass June’s Gr.1 Stradbroke Handicap at Eagle Farm, instead opting to send him for a break to ensure he would be up and going for the Memsie Stakes.
The trainer believes that decision will pay dividends in the coming weeks.
“Yeah, definitely,” he said.
“He was always going to carry a lot of weight in the Stradbroke.
“Like I said, he was going well, but probably just didn’t have that little bit of x-factor that he has shown in previous preps.” - Racing.com
Fast Network Japan-bound for Group One mission
New Zealand-bred sprinter Fast Network (NZ) (Wrote) departed Hong Kong for Japan on Tuesday as the talented five-year-old prepares for a two-race campaign culminating in the Gr.1 Sprinters Stakes (1200m) at Nakayama.
The Dennis Yip-trained gelding will have his first start in Japan in the Gr.2 Centaur Stakes (1200m) at Hanshin on September 6 before heading to Nakayama for the Sprinters Stakes on September 27.
Fast Network completed his final serious piece of work in Hong Kong with a 1200m trial at Sha Tin on Friday, August 21, where he was deliberately restrained at the rear by Matthew Poon before making good ground in the straight to finish fourth in 1:12.44.
Yip was pleased with the hit-out ahead of the gelding's departure.
“He trialled very well. He had a very good reaction, and because the track condition wasn't very good, I just told the jockey to take him back and let him finish off in the straight. Everything is fine,” Yip said.
Fast Network has established himself among Hong Kong's leading sprinters, winning seven of his 20 starts and placing twice at Group One level behind champion sprinter Ka Ying Rising.
His biggest victory came in last year's Gr.3 National Day Cup Handicap (1000m) at Sha Tin.
Fast Network will attempt to become the first Hong Kong-trained winner of the Centaur Stakes. Green Birdie (NZ) went close for trainer Caspar Fownes when runner-up in 2010, while stablemate Lucky Nine filled the same placing the following year.
Fast Network was bred by Highview Stud and was purchased by Wexford Stables for $30,000 from Highview's draft at the 2022 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 2 Yearling Sale. - NZ Racing Desk
Cole successful in appeal against disqualification
Trainer Cody Cole has successfully appealed his conviction for a Serious Racing Offence, with his 12-month disqualification quashed by an Appeals Tribunal.
Cole had been found guilty of wilfully failing to provide a drug test at Matamata on July 24 last year and was subsequently disqualified for 12 months in April.
However, an Appeals Tribunal comprising Alan Harper and James Rapley KC ruled on Monday that the Racing Integrity Board had not proved to the necessary standard that Cole had acted wilfully.
Cole had been given permission to leave Matamata Racecourse before providing a urine sample, on the proviso he returned before the 10.30am testing deadline.
On returning to his Tirau stable, Cole encountered an injured and exceptionally volatile horse which required veterinary attention. He maintained he was the only person capable of safely handling the horse and remained with it until it could be sedated.
The Tribunal found Cole had established a reasonable excuse for failing to return in time and noted the RIB had presented no evidence to counter his explanation.
“Given what is at stake in finding a serious racing offence proven, when such evidence of reasonable excuse is provided to the Respondent, it is incumbent upon the Respondent, if it wishes to submit the evidence should not be accepted, to investigate it,” the Tribunal said.
The Tribunal was critical of Cole for failing to contact investigator Richard Carr after the horse had been attended to or attempting to arrange another test that day, noting he had “got his priorities wrong”.
Cole subsequently returned a negative drug test eight days later, although that was outside the detection window for some substances.
The Tribunal stressed its decision did not diminish the importance of racing’s drug-testing regime, describing the circumstances as “exceptional”.
The finding of guilt and 12-month disqualification were both quashed. - NZ Racing Desk
NZ Racing Desk
Joshua Smith
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