PRIME DISPATCH

Edition 88 – 21/10/2015 Compiled by Joe O’Neill

Annaman, he was a solid winner at Ipswich on Friday. He now heads to Doomben on Melbourne Cup Day.

Annaman’s 3rd win at Ipswich on Friday topped of a very good week for the Prime team.  I wrote a couple of weeks ago we are in a transitional phase where quite a number of our older horses which have served us so well have moved on and we are now we are starting to step out some of the younger horses we have in our team and in the main they look to have plenty of ability which is what we want.  In many ways I see myself as a talent scout at a football club, moving around trying to get the best possible players within our salary cap.  I’m confident we have done a pretty good job during the past few years.

On Wednesday at Warwick Farm Miss De Vega had her first run and she looked very good coming home from last on the turn to run 4th.  She is a beautifully bred filly being out by Lope de Vega out of the very well related mare Blonde Mafia.

On Saturday Isthmian had her first run at Randwick finishing 4th after setting the pace in a race where the winner broke Sweet Idea’s race record.  Isthmian drew poorly and had to be used up early causing her to over race.  If she drew a decent marble our feeling is she would have gone close to winning the race. She looks to have a great future.  Her run follows the debut of Flying Jess in the MRC Debutante Stakes at Caulfield where she started favourite but jarred up during the race.  Both Flying Jess and Isthmian have gone to the paddock. 

WE MOVE TO MOONEE VALLEY AND THEN FLEMINGTON

The Melbourne Spring Carnival moves to Moonee Valley for two great days racing starting on Friday night.  The shape of the Moonee Valley circuit provides a natural amphitheatre where the patrons feel they are right on top of the race.  I have some great memories of the Cox Plate with Makybe Diva’s win in 2005 being very special.  She was an outstanding mare and while I won’t compare horses of years gone by she was as good a mare as I have been lucky enough to watch race.

This year’s Cox Plate is very open and very difficult to line up.  It will probably be a high pressure race which could well suit Happy Trails, so unlucky last year.  Hugh Bowman has given us all a ‘leg’ up choosing Winx over Chris Waller’s other runner Preferment.  Good luck to all the participants in the great race.

I spoke with an official of the VRC and ticket sales for Flemington’s big week are up 10% on last year which is great.  This year the racing has been very strong and this will continue into the four days at Flemington.  If you are planning to go to any of the days at Flemington I recommend you get your tickets earlier rather than later.  

ON THE TRACK

We have a quiet week ahead with Shining Brooke our only runner on Friday. We are continuing to build up our racing stocks with a host of horses ready to trial in NSW, Victoria and Tasmania.   I’m really looking forward to our horses racing through the next few months.  Some of the horses not far off racing include Husson Eagle, Atalanta Miss, Raido, Unique, Savoureux, Bella Venus, Awasita Lomazzo, Bridie’s Brook and Stimuli.  On top of these we have some of the best credentialed two year olds we have ever had on our books.

TASMANIA ON FIRE

Tasmanian bred Mongolian Khan’s win in the Caulfield Cup continues the great run horses on from the Apple Isle have experienced over the past 12 months.  Other notable performers include The Cleaner, Banca Mo, Iggimacool and Valiant Warrior.  

The economy in Tasmania seems to be really picking up with the Tasmanian Racing Club hosting the best racing function I have attended in Tasmania in the 15 years I have been racing in the state on Caulfield Cup Day.  Well done to all concerned.