Admire Rakti bound for Flemington; Big names engaged for Breakfast with the Best; Zanbagh tunes up for Cup at Geelong; Internationals head Valley support cards.
Admire Rakti bound for Flemington
Japanese hero Admire Rakti will officially be given the opportunity to become the 12th horse to complete the Crown Golden Ale Caulfield Cup and Emirates Melbourne Cup double.
Representatives of owner Richii Kondo, who is in transit back to Japan, have advised Racing Victoria late this afternoon that the horse will remain in Australia to contest the $6.2 million Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on 4 November.
Japanese hero given Cup penalty
Admire Rakti will have to carry 58.5kg to claim Japan’s second victory in the Emirates Melbourne Cup (3200m) after today being handed a 0.5kg weight penalty in the 4 November feature.
The Tomoyuki Umeda-trained stayer has been penalized for his stylish victory in Saturday’s $3 million Crown Golden Ale Caulfield Cup (2400m) ' the first by a Japanese horse.
Racing Victoria (RV) Executive General Manager ' Racing, Greg Carpenter, said the seven-year-old could not escape penalty despite being the topweight for the $6.2 million Melbourne Cup.
Big names engaged for Breakfast with the Best
Some of the biggest names set to race at Moonee Valley this weekend will gallop at Tuesday’s Breakfast with the Best.
The annual tradition, where the Moonee Valley Racing Club opens its doors to the public to enjoy a barbeque breakfast while watching horses engaged in the two-day Cox Plate Carnival go through their paces, has attracted an impressive line-up.
Zanbagh tunes up for Cup at Geelong
Zanbagh continues her build-up towards next month’s $6.2 million Emirates Melbourne Cup (3200m) in Wednesday’s $300,000 Group 3 Sportingbet Powered By William Hill Geelong Cup (2400m).
Coming off a third placing in the Benalla Cup (2046m), trainer Patrick Payne said he thought the Geelong Cup was a better Melbourne Cup lead-in for the four-year-old than last Saturday’s $3 million Crown Golden Ale Caulfield Cup (2400m).
Manikato for Not Listenin'tome
Untapped sprinter Not Listenin'tome is a late addition to Friday night’s $1 million Manikato Stakes (1200m), with trainer Gary Moore to use the run as a measuring stick in his bid to get the gelding to Hong Kong.
Moore said he and his brother John, who owns the four-year-old, had paid-up the $50,000 late fee after an 11th-hour decision to run the galloper in the Group 1 race.
Internationals head Valley support cards
Group 1 action heads to Moonee Valley this weekend with the Sportingbet Manikato Stakes on Friday night and the Sportingbet Cox Plate on Saturday, and while the feature races are headed by some of our racing superstars, the support cards are similarly strong.
The Group 2 Racing.com Cup (2500m) will have an international flavour, with UK stayer Lord Van Percy and French galloper Au Revoir both nominated for the $261,000 race.
Chautauqua decision to come Tuesday
Team Hawkes will make a decision on whether exciting sprinter Chautauqua lines up in Friday night’s $1 million Group 1 Sportingbet Manikato Stakes (1200m) following track work on Tuesday.
A stunning first-up victor in last month’s Group 3 Bobbie Lewis Quality (1200m) at Flemington, the four-year-old was arguably even more impressive winning over the same course and distance in the Group 2 Gilgai Stakes (1200m) three weeks later.
Mackinnon preferred option for Big Memory
Tony McEvoy will press on towards next month’s $6.2 million Emirates Melbourne Cup (3200m) with Big Memory after the import finished 10th in Saturday’s $3 million Crown Golden Ale Caulfield Cup (2400m).
Sitting 37th in the most recent Melbourne Cup order of entry, the son of Duke Of Marmalade may need to rely on a win in the Group 3 Lexus Stakes (2500m) at Flemington on Derby Day to secure his spot in the final field.
Flemington tune-up for Slade Power
Eddie Lynam plans to give Slade Power a bit of Flemington experience before his valuable target of the Darley Classic (1200m) on 8 November.
The accomplished five-year-old has been settled in to the Werribee quarantine centre for more than a week now, having served an earlier fortnight in Newmarket.
Bande scratched from Melbourne Cup
Japanese galloper Bande has been officially scratched from next month’s $6.2 million Emirates Melbourne Cup (3200m).
Racing Victoria stewards confirmed on Monday that the five-year-old had been officially withdrawn.
Chris Caserta injured in Cranbourne fall
Apprentice jockey Chris Caserta will undergo surgery to repair a broken leg sustained in a fall at Cranbourne trials on Monday.
The 19-year-old was taken to Dandenong hospital after he was dislodged from his mount, the John McCardle-trained Neat Feat, in trial nine.
RAD Board Appeal Hearing - Hugh Bowman
The Racing Appeals and Disciplinary (RAD) Board will hear an appeal by jockey Hugh Bowman at 12.30pm on Tuesday, 21 October 2014.
Mr Bowman has appealed against the severity of the penalty imposed by stewards when he was found guilty of a charge of improper riding on his mount Light Up Manhattan in Race 4, the Racing.com Caulfield Classic (2000m), at Caulfield on Saturday, 18 October 2014.
