Speaker 1join the conversation text us on 0 4 9 7 3 6 7 3 6 live across australia this is giddy up with gareth hall yes good
Speaker 2morning this is giddy up with gareth hall on this tuesday it's the 27th of october it's a big hello to you listening on your local se and track and rsn 927 dials wherever you may be listening on the scn and rsn apps of course watching us on racing.com and listening to us a little later on on the podcast it is a massive show coming your way we'll send out paulie sebastiani to flemington on this tuesday morning for a big morning of gallops there at flemington um some of the the biggest stars in racing are at flemington we saw tempted gallop this morning chris waller kiramar also there we'll catch up with craig williams later on as well so it is a big show coming your way regarding all the information that paul sebastiani has been able to gather from flemington's track work um this morning so looking forward to that lee moddershead will join us shortly the senior writer for the racing post over the uk to get an update on these international runners that have arrived in melbourne ready to go um most of them will have their ct scans today some had them yesterday and then they'll get the tick of approval to be at flemington on that first tuesday in november i'm looking forward to catching up with saffy osborne she'll be riding in the golden eagle on saturday amazing journey will be representing kiramar and obviously um amazing journey was trained by saffy's father jamie osborne before it was sold to kiramar stable and um they reckon they can beat she's alibi the amazing journey team so looking forward to catching up with saffy we'll get an update there with pride of jenny with tony ottobre how bad is this injury what is going on um she's missed two now of her target races the king charles and also the empire rose on saturday will she go around in the champions mile and take on autumn glow i reckon that race might need pride of jenny now otherwise it'll just be autumn glow um and sepals at the moment there'll be a few more that will go in that race because um the prize money is too good but yeah it'd be great if we could get jenny there on the final day she's definitely going to perth i understand so we'll catch up with tony we'll have our midweek masterclass team anthony thompson from wind and stud will join us um we'll catch up with all of the major players today with bag of tips austin galati will have a chat to us after he had his biggest day in the saddle there on saturday with smooth chino winning the mckeown stakes and then it's a big facing the breeze towards the back end of the show giddy up always brought to you by bet 365 it's never ordinary when it's brought to you by bet 365 what's gambling really costing you for free and confidential support visit gamblinghelponline.org.au um oh four double nine seven three six seven three six is the number to send us a text on on the garage source and our text line and uh this sunday november one you can tickets for just 25 for the mornington um peninsula cup meeting and those tickets are at ticket tech it's three minutes past eight let's get stuck into the show lee monashead's been at flemington this morning he is the senior writer for the racing post he wouldn't miss this carnival never the americans try and get him for the breeders cup and he says no way am i going to america i'd rather come to the greatest country of all um and he's here once again and he'll be covering our great carnival for the racing post and he is ready to go he's not far away he's about to join us in just a moment so looking forward to catching up with uh lee um the melbourne cup's interesting now regarding the top 24 so at the moment hopewell rock is at 24 but he will need well he needs solcombe not to finish in the top three but he needs to finish in the top three but he needs solcombe not to finish in the top three but he needs solcombe not to finish in the top three but he needs solcombe not to finish in the top three but he needs solcombe not to finish in the top three he needs solcombe not to finish in the top three in the bendigo cup and if he does finish in the top three in the bendigo cup then he is out of the melbourne cup hopewell rock who many thought would nearly be the best chance from a uk perspective um the winner of the bendigo cup would need a stiff penalty to go past him i was looking at that today and talking to a few it's probably more unlikely than likely they would get an enough weight or enough of a penalty to jump over hopewell rock but solcombe's not going to be the best chance to go past him the one if he finishes third in the bendigo cup he will replace hopewell rock in the melbourne cup and of course we're going to learn about these ct scans and each and every year since we've had these ct scans there's usually a horse that hasn't been able to pass it um but yeah we'll see what happens this time around um with the bendigo cup and and and hopewell rock it'd be devastating if he doesn't make it i think he's a great chance watham racing have sent him this is their first run of watham racing we'll have in this country obviously they're a big power in world racing now you've probably got cool walker dolphin and then watham wouldn't be far off them they've had a really good european season and hopewell rock's been a horse that they've identified for a long time for the lexus melbourne cup and you would think most years that he would be getting into the race um but this year's just a little bit different so yeah it'll be interesting to see how that bendigo cup plays out um we were meant to be getting lean on his head i don't think he is far away so we just got trouble with his reception at the moment um so we'll get him in in a tick hopefully adam blanco will join us from racing and sports.com you can ask him a question no 499-736-736 i was talking to a few friends there yesterday about cosmic crusader i don't think i've seen a horse in my time in my generation really like him i don't know if you can help me out oh four double nine seven three six seven three six but he'll turn up on champions stakes day that'll be his eighth run this preparation and there is a strong possibility and i reckon he'll be going to perth now after talking to bob peters yesterday so he'll be in he'll get too much weight in a railway but he'll go to the northerly and you know what i wouldn't be surprised if bob goes all right since he's since he's there we'll go to the northerly and then we'll back him up a week later in the gold rush um the race that he was second in last year behind overpass so what a horse he is and it'd be great to have the champ back in perth their peak during their carnival lee modder's head now joins us live from flemington the racing post senior rider here on giddy up lee hello to you mate welcome back to australia um i was just telling everyone before you probably as a senior rider for the racing post they probably want you in america from time to time but you refuse to go to that country because our carnival's too good oh yeah we're just having some trouble there with the reception there with lee modder's head do you know what i'm going to do i'm going to take a break we'll regroup and we'll see if we can get him on the line this is giddy up on this tuesday morning all thanks to bet 365 it's great to have your company join the conversation text
Speaker 1us on 0 4 9 7 3 6 7 3 6 live across australia this is giddy up with
Speaker 2gareth hall welcome back to giddy up gareth hall with your thanks to bet 365 take three here with the racing post senior rider lee modder's head i think he's ready to go now g'day lee it wasn't
Speaker 3worth waiting for i'd have given up i'd
Speaker 2have given up after one or two i tell you what i was just saying before for the third time that um as a senior rider for the racing post i know that they probably want you at the breeders cup from time to time but i love it how you refuse that and say i'm the boss and i'm only going to australia at this time of the year this is my second anger
Speaker 3i've done breeders cups i've done a few i was there for zen yat although but you know once you've done a melbourne cup carnival there's no
Speaker 2going back no no and um what was it like this morning there probably
Speaker 3quieter than in some years i don't think we've had any big dramas this year you know the the track work morning or the breakfast morning i remember here most of all was here when vauban went around like black caviar yeah um and we've had nothing since like that since then hopewell rock was probably the most interesting one from a melbourne cup perspective he went around here at 6 a.m. looked really happy on the track but he was the only international to come out here this morning we saw tempted go down the straight for the first time um she looked really happy but um yeah i think in terms of with the cup perspective it was it was pretty quiet the calm before the storm it should
Speaker 2be there's always been a little bit of controversy and also a lot of whispers around the racetrack there's a couple that stand out for me one of them i forgot the aussie curse german galloper james mcdonald wrote it um i think he went 22 and change or something like that like a burn around the the track it was the german galloper and then it broke down i reckon mcdonald went too quick on it um and and thought it was the melbourne cup on that tuesday morning i forgot its name i i'll i'll remember it in just a moment and then the other big story was um when the coolmore horse was didn't pass the ct scan on tuesday morning yarn bruegel was the favorite as well i reckon he told us that was the case so there's been a bit of drama on that tuesday morning in recent history but not so much today at the moment okay we just lost him once again um it's 11 minutes past eight yeah i reckon yarn bruegel was scratched there on that tuesday morning um when they learned that the scans didn't go their way coolmore and that was basically i think that aiden o'brien thought that horse was a good thing the week later on that tuesday um i think he's ready to go now league take three what's going on i hope the connections the internet is fixed by the time we get to Derby Day there at Flemington.
Speaker 3Doesn't bode well, does it? It's like the old days of dial-up connection. Do you remember those days, guys? Yeah, I do.
Speaker 2No, actually, they were a little bit before my time, but I've heard about them. I've heard about them.
Speaker 3Obviously, they were before my time as well. A long, long way before my
Speaker 2time, but I've heard about it. Yeah. What about from an international perspective? Hopewell Rock, he's right on the verge. I was just talking about that before. Like, he's 24 at the moment. If Solcombe runs in the top three in the Melbourne Cup and every horse in the top 24 passes their CT scan, then he doesn't get a start.
Speaker 3He doesn't. It's sweaty palm slime, isn't it? But you'd think with the law of averages that something between now and Saturday afternoon, something is going to happen with one horse to take them out of the field. So, I don't know. You're right. If Solcombe finishes in the top three tomorrow, then they're in a bit of trouble. But I'd just be surprised if nothing, between now and Saturday, once the 5pm comes out of the race.
Speaker 2Yeah. Loft was the horse I was thinking of. Loft? The listeners, yeah, texting that through. And then Young Bruegel, I remember, was scratched there on this day, the Tuesday morning. The news came through that he didn't pass the scans. And it was fair to say, Coolmore, I'd love to have been Todd Magney talking to Aidan O'Brien on the phone or the Victorian vet that morning or that night. Yeah. I guess. They were erosible, I reckon.
Speaker 3Yeah. And I guess, if you, wouldn't have wanted it to happen to any set of connections, given their history with the race, it would probably have been loads. But I've been here for a few. I remember being stood in the Stables area at Werribee when Huey Morrison was talking to press after Marmello got scratched. And we've had some pretty, pretty dramatic days on that front. But I do sense, Gareth, that certainly among the international trade and certainly the European trainers, that the relationship with, with RV and the protocols is now much healthier than it might once have been. I think we're definitely over the worst when it comes out. Now, that's not to say nothing will happen between now and the scan results coming through. But I think the tension has gone out of that relationship.
Speaker 2Even Kevin Blake was praising RV in a way as well. So that's a positive sign for everybody. The great Kevin Blake. There you go, you see. Yeah, there you go.
Speaker 3You see. It's just a great big love in now.
Speaker 2It's as it should be. He's become, Australia's his second home. He won't be, he won't be going back to the Breeders' Cup. Don't worry about that. Breeders' Cup or what's that? Yeah, yes. So Hopewell Rock, he should get a start. But it's a nervous time because Salkum's, he's a live chance to finish in the top three. The handicapper would have to give the winner of the Bendigo Cup probably two to three kilos to surpass him in the all-time. Yeah. If they win the cup, one of those horses. So they'll be watching Salkum very, very closely because if he does finish in the top three, he's out and they've come a long way for nothing.
Speaker 3Yeah. He'll be out on Wednesday afternoon, but it's what happens on Saturday afternoon when the final field comes through that matters, I guess. Now I still think they'll be expecting to get in the race. And you know, right back to when he finished second in the eBall, you know, straight away, they were, they were set. They're setting out their stall for Melbourne. You know, this, I always think with, with a horse like him, who, you know, it's not an afterthought, they're the ones that really get you interested. And they, they've been thinking about this for a, for a long time. Whereas a horse like Enfajar, for example, we know when he won the, the winning year in race for the Caulfield Cup, that race hadn't even been on their radar going into, into Goodwood. It was a pleasant surprise more than anything that he could go for that race. So, and I mean, he ran a cracking race at Caulfield. But you know, with Hopewell-Rott, this has been the plan. He's got a really great profile in that he's lightly raced and he had 10 runs so far, low to scope for improvement, low scope to improve over two miles as well. He's, he's definitely a player with Zach Lloyd on board as well.
Speaker 2Yep. So Point of Law is the favourite with Bet365 after his sensational victory there in the Geelong Cup. He's lightly raced, the King sold him to Kira Maher. In fact, Eileen Maher at the end of the day during that launch. And now it's the favourite at $7. Trust your instinct at nine. I reckon he might be favourite by the time they jump. This is my gut feel, especially after JP McManus has 2 million on him or a million at the call of the card. Defiantly at 11, James J Braddock at 11, Chocolates at 11, St George 12, and then Envejar at 15, Juju Cabot at 15, Stinger Glass, the Japanese horse at 15. And then you go to Hopewell-Rott at 17 and Goody Two Shoes at $21. He won the Geelong Cup and he won it well. Are you surprised he's favourite after that, Lee?
Speaker 3Not surprised, I don't think, because he was pretty impressive in a deep running of the Cup. He's trained by one of the sport's super power trainers. He's got a great back story and he's got loads of potential to improve having had so few runs. I'm not surprised he's favourite, but he's favourite now, but as you say, I wouldn't necessarily be surprised if he wasn't favourite on the day. I think they'll come for one of the internationals. Probably trust your instinct. But I think on what we know now, what we've seen so far, I think Point of Law is a worthy favourite and he's got a lot of upside to him. If you're going to back him, though, I'd be waiting. I wouldn't be backing him now. Who's the best of the internationals in your eyes at the moment? Well, the one that's interesting me most, the two that are interesting me most, are two of Joseph's. One is trust your instinct. I fancied him to win a Melbourne Cup for 18 months, you know. When they entered him for the race last year, and even before they entered him last year, I thought he was a really obvious Melbourne Cup type. I was disappointed they didn't travel him last year. I'm really pleased they have this year. I think that's partly because JP McManus' son and daughter had such an amazing time here last year. They got the bug for it and the fact that JP is coming this year underlines how important it is for him. When he sets out his stall to do something, he inverses. I think he's got the bug for it and the fact that JP is coming this year underlines how important it is for him. does it and i think his two horses have both got big chances goody two shoes we know what she did last year she improved massively in what she'd done before i think she'll improve again on what she's done this year but trusher instinct he just seems to me he's a horse with he's got a lot of class about him he's got a turn of foot which is which is so important he's got the potential to improve over two miles as well so although he's he's an older horse who's got plenty of miles on the board i think there's still some potential for him to be better than we've seen so far the j-map booking is a massive bonus as well so i think he's got a a huge shout i think of joseph well james j braddock um who is a horse who again has had very little racing yeah definitely potential to improve over two miles run a massively eye-catching trial at leopardstown in september he was third in a in a really substandard derby but it was still it was still the derby and he's that northern hemisphere three-year-old profile that we so like in a in a melbourne company got craig williams on board as well and he was locked into the ride you know weeks ago months ago so i think the two the two aussies they're the ones i'm keenest on yeah sorry the two internationals are the
Speaker 2ones i'm keenest on so james j braddock and trust your instinct nine and eleven dollars defiantly is the interesting horse isn't he like he's come a long way since they put the blinkers on him um he probably needs a wide gate because if he draws low and gets crossed he can't win so and it's going to be interesting to see how he does go because if he does find the lead um it's going to be a fun cup to watch because he's not going to stop
Speaker 3galloping if he gets the lead then and it's i think it's a not not a massive it but it's it's a definite it but if he gets the lead it becomes a completely different melbourne cop you know because this is a horse who when he went at goodwood at the glorious meeting uh which you know well obviously back in end of july start of august everyone was saying there including aussies that there was no way he was quick enough for melbourne cup um henry dwyer was over there he was concurring he wasn't fast enough from melbourne cup there were there were lots of aussies that felt the same at one point they thought he was too slow to be bought to go over hurdles um and yet he's been transformed by a genius trainer massive win in the pre-curriculum last time he cannot win the race for a turn of foot he can only win if he goes out hard and makes it a proper two mile test he needs to make it into a different sort of melbourne cup now if he can do that and i think they want to be drawn middle to outer to ensure he's got a chance of getting to the front but if he can get to the front he's a really interesting horse my worry for him is that his credentials are almost entirely based on one race in a small field group race and he's got a race in france where he was able to dominate harder to do in a in a melbourne cup um so i i would not be as keen on him as i am some of the other joseph brian train horses and i think his price is too short but again he has the potential to completely blow up the conventional way a melbourne
Speaker 2cup is run are you surprised that um dylan's not riding trust your instinct as joe because he's jose's number one rider i would imagine he would have got the choice out of the joseph o'brien runners
Speaker 3i think he did have the choice that's really the way that they they've led us to to be thinking but i also think that defiantly is a more complicated ride than trust your instinct i think they were probably bitten by what happened last year when the the owners replaced dylan with mark zara on al rifa i don't think that played well um i think al rifa was a complicated horse he's a complicated horse he took some knowing and i think his chance would have been better if dylan had ridden the horse on the day but i think defiantly is sort of in that mold um i think he's a horse who takes a bit of knowing and i think it would have been easier to get a new jockey on trust your instinct than it would have been defiantly particularly if that new jockey is jay
Speaker 2mack yeah dylan brown mcgonigal there's the jockey we're talking about he got injured during the european season but he's now back and um he's had great success there with joseph and we had a chat to james mcdonald there the other day and he reckons he's the new well there's ryan moore and this kid could be the the next superstar and waiting really um especially on the world stage i think he impressed a lot when he was in hong kong so he rides defiantly trust your instinct at nine dollars why would ryan moore arrive in melbourne to ride sons and lovers at 21 if he didn't believe it
Speaker 3could win yeah it's a good question i mean he does get a few rides for joseph particularly on horses have got some sort of cool more connection but i thought it it raised my eyebrows too as well because of joseph's horses he looks like one who's maybe more exposed than a james j braddock or even a trusher instinct um so it wasn't an obvious booking for me either so it would suggest that they they think he's got a chance the we know how much the owners love the melbourne cup they've they've been involved in the race plenty of times before they'd love to win it um and he also has got form at a at a very high level i just didn't think he had the wiggle room with the handicapper that two or three of the other internationals might have yeah would
Speaker 2you forgive wine dad c for one bad run at
Speaker 3caulfield i'd forget it i'd forgive any horse for one bad run but it was a really bad run yeah wasn't it yeah that'd be my concern with him it wasn't you know it wasn't just a disappointing run i thought he ran a poor race in in the caulfield cup he's in he's an interesting one because remember when he won the jeffrey freer stakes yes um at that point all the talk was it was the melbourne cup horse and they probably wouldn't have a run beforehand then they changed they went with the the caulfield cup and that seemed to be his sort of number one target just to come back from that i think it requires a leap of faith you know he could do it but i couldn't be backing him now based on what he did
Speaker 2last time hey mate we'll catch up with you right throughout um the build up now to the melbourne cup and obviously derby day so at the moment if you had to have a selection what would you do you're gonna force you to have one horse no well if i gave you a hundred dollars how would you do it
Speaker 3play it right now right now i'd stick sixty dollars on trust your instinct yes i would stick uh thirty dollars on uh james j braddock and i would stick i'd stick nine dollars on um on goody two shoes and just because gareth yes i'm i'm still in therapy yeah i'm having the last three years i'd have to stick a dollar on him just because you never know i can't see him doing it but if he won the melbourne cup and i've not had anything on him i'd be back into therapy but i think something on very
Speaker 2bad if they race the melbourne cup downhill he still wouldn't be able to get two two miles per old vorband um so there you go but we wish you the best of luck there's always hope gareth there's always hope you can buy a share of him there you can there's a share online at the moment i think on vorband so try your luck there it's not a good sign that is it no that's not a good sign that's not a good sign it's not a good sign but if you if you wanted to sell us a share in him before the melbourne cup's probably not a bad idea yeah you make a fair point good on you lee thanks for joining us mate welcome back to australia as well thanks gareth lee monner's had the racing post senior rider we'll take a break we'll come back with a few of the interviews that paulie sebastiani was able to get done there at flemington this morning talking to a few of the major players ahead of the carnival kicking off on saturday join the conversation text
Speaker 1us on 0 4 double 9 7 3 6 7 3 6 live across australia this is giddy up with gareth hall back to giddy
Speaker 2up gareth hall with you plenty of text messages coming through would dylan get the weight of trust your instinct i think he would have hi gareth any thoughts on every runner in the melbourne cup now being given a minimum of 100k surely this is paid for the overseas horses expenses it means there'll be more coming over well that's what it's basically designed for it's a travel subsidy that's why they put it in place it costs more than a hundred thousand dollars however to get a horse from europe to melbourne for the cup and it's about 80 000 around that anyway to pay for the nominations for the melbourne cup so yeah personally i wouldn't do it but i can understand why they have done it morning gareth is there any scenario that king's valley or pinholes scrape into the cup i don't think so kyle unfortunately well king's valley can win the bendigo cup but he would need a big penalty he would have to win really really well and whether he can win a melbourne cup if he does go to the melbourne cup if he wins the bendigo cup it would be it'd be some horse because he's gone corfield cup mooney valley cup and then he's backing up this wednesday into a bendigo cup and then a six-day break to the melbourne cup so what a campaign he's had and pinhole no next year's his race pinhole he's been a really good horse he had no luck in that mooney valley gold cup there on saturday um good morning gareth king's king's valley wins the bendigo cup tomorrow will he get into the melbourne cup there's still 101 available um we've bet 365 as i said it's probably unlikely unlikely um there's a few more text messages coming through gee listen to your interview with kylie ross rogers she made it sound things were going gangbusters at the vrc all the while she was charging 15 for a can of beer for ga patrons no wonder she was talking about the profit they made um i had a chat to her about that i think it's just throughout the carnival then it goes back to the 9.50 or 12.50 what the beers were before the carnival that's my understanding um so there you go um what else have we got here morning gary talk about longevity and big preps not quite the same level but don't forget the people's champion pounding i'm sure moods gave him 22 starts in a prep that's rick from the sunshine coast he was a superstar pounding i love him he nearly qualified for a melbourne cup and then obviously he went to queensland had a really good campaign and he's been pretty good this time around as well pounding i don't know what moods has got in mind for him maybe a queen elizabeth or something like that on the final day of the carnival it's 31 minutes past eight um gary's been out of town he's been out of town for a while he's been out of town for a while he's been out of town for a while he's been out of town for a while he's been out of town for a while he's been out of town and this is what she had to say about her runners um ahead of saturday's big race meeting there at flemington um so here's the media conference with gabe
Speaker 4waterhouse your new faces gabe
Speaker 2before we get
Speaker 5stuck into yours how are you doing ahead of another flemington
Speaker 4carnival remarkably well one very little sleep we're somehow just hanging in there
Speaker 5fantastic and cold shower how's he ahead of uh ahead of the derby looks a real good day i think it's going to be a good day i think it's going a real big staying type into this three-year-old
Speaker 4event you hit the nail on the head i think he's a cracking horse it really is he's a gelding and he's uh cruises under the radar i love that sort of horse he went to geelong uh that he got a bit lost bottled up it was a very muddling run race it won't be on saturday uh and jets had a kick in the bum since then and uh he's firing on all fours he won the first didn't he on saturday so he's right there ready to go um we're talking about the euphrates as well gabe is um running tomorrow uh what's the plan there not well the plan is to get him into the car yeah but he seems to be borderline caulfield cup and that look it's just he's a bit of a softer horse and often these european horses come over and they are a bit softer you know in australia they've got to be tough and and also the conditions we we train on much firmer tracks you know we do a lot more with our horses and the europeans come here and sometimes they fall a little bit apart you know in australia they've got to be tough and and also the conditions we we train on much firmer tracks you know we do a lot more with our horses and the europeans come here and sometimes they fall a little bit apart he was off the scene for two years so this is a big big step for him so tomorrow is a vital vital race for him and if he can you know run really well or win it then we're in it he's a lovely type of horse very good looking and got a great stride very light on his feet he's got terrific cruising speed you know he'll be 25 to one so you know why wouldn't you want him to be all right after july all fine after july people up all right after july it took him a day or two to get over it you know he pulled a shoe off and the dummy came out of his mouth and oh i don't know and just on vauban as well he's a remarkable horse to keep coming back though then this will be his fourth cup i love this gelding i really do and he's got a real fan club you know he's traveled all over the world he's been a champion jumper champion racehorse in england now he's come down to oz and he he probably never seen the best of him but he's really really going super and he's happy and i'm just letting him do pace work i'm not asking him to put in super gallops that will Tuesday so he just goes around but he's you know he'll be going in with only one run under his belt which is a bit unorthodox but you know why not roll the dice a different way
Speaker 5okay in the Empire Rose surfing bird will she back up after her nice win on the weekend
Speaker 4well if I'm happy with her when we accept yes because she looks good I love backup horses I'm married to a bookmaker and over all the years we've been married he always says back the backup horse and she's a backup horse and she's she's tough she you know once again she's not an oil painting but she's
Speaker 6very tough he's really
Speaker 4came back he licked the click the beam he went out on Sunday and worked and he was happy as it came out this morning I can't fault him I absolutely can't fault him and you know he's just he's been running really well he's a year older maybe the races haven't been quite the way that the tempo in the race was enormously fast on Saturday the first few furlongs first you know all I know is it's funny my son Tom rings me that night and he says oh my gosh he said that's it so Delius ran a cracker he said where are you running him you're running him in the Melbourne Cup I said no we're not but so isn't it interesting someone who's from the sort of different side of the racing didn't ring and say
Speaker 6that we saw some beautiful shots of him down the beach the other day is he not likely to win? well you can't
Speaker 4swim at Altona you can only walk them in the water you know Botany Bay it drops down very low quickly so you can swim them right out there so it's not that he doesn't like the water he's not being prissy you know but he will he go
Speaker 5to their champion stakes on Saturday is there a consideration for for a gear change with him or or is it is it just going to be a natural run into the race.
Speaker 4I won't have a gear change but he won't.
Speaker 1Now you said a cut field. I think it's as tough a Melbourne Cup
Speaker 4as we've come across in years I think the weight in the and the depth and the meat in the race is unbelievable you know you what do you got Joseph brought seven horses over Kieran's on fire Chris is always a force to be reckoned with you know there's so much and they're all so many of them all European horses it's such a good race it's a best group of horses I've seen in a long long time if we knock them off they'll have to get it in some sort of reward
Speaker 7okay in terms of the Derby in your experience what sort of three-year-old does it take because for many of them it's stepping up to the journey for the first time what do you look for in a horse behind the scenes that says yeah they will be able to get the trip well
Speaker 4you look for the precocious three-year-old the three-year-old that's got natural you know staying talent because that's what the Derby is all about it's a precocious it's for precocious three-year-olds Danny O'Brien's an expert because he's won several Derby's he's good horse on Saturday was very impressive you know that it doesn't maybe have the depth of some of the other races but everyone loves it we've called the day Derby day and people walk out in morning suits you know if we have the 2,000 meter race what are they going to wear shorts and shirt
Speaker 6nowadays you see Joseph O'Brien with a huge contingent obviously Kieran Marr with a huge contingent Chris Waller possibly with a huge can a battler still win the Melbourne Cup yes
Speaker 4you see it time and time again that's the lovely thing about the race yes how about the wonderful race when Sheila brings out the horse only the other two years ago it was bred down I'll tell you where it was bred her horse it was first of all let me go it was forced by a stallion that's a sprinting horse it was bred in like scone but he was where he was brought up the horse was down in Jinukah Bean which is where my father was born and five Melbourne Cup runners have come from that but no one expected him with his breeding but he's born in the right place and Sheila knows how to do it that was a second Melbourne Cup so yes that's the lovely thing about the stories and what about the young you know what's his name Robbie Dolan riding it yeah that's what makes it so magical there you go Gaia the
Speaker 2best at a media conference always great with the media obviously there's a big group of the Melbourne media there today a lot of the free-to-air networks I'm having a chat to all of our biggest participants basically ahead of Derby Derby day so at the moment Gaia's best chance on Saturday along with Adrian Bott will be surfing Bert she's a clear second favorite behind Lady Shenandoah at four dollars and 33 cents there for the Empire Rose she's got Vorbennett and um she's got Vorbennett in the Melbourne Cup he probably needs a miracle I know Gaia says he's well but um yeah I can't really see him finishing in the top 10 really in the Melbourne Cup but the Euphrates who was disappointing in the Geelong Cup if he wins the Bendigo Cup he only needs a half a kilo penalty to get into the Melbourne Cup so he would probably get that if he won the Bendigo Cup and he would jump in front of Hopewell Rock and if Salkin finishes in the top three then Hopewell Rock doesn't get into the to the Melbourne Cup um well unless something happens with the CT scan so it's going to be a really interesting Bendigo Cup tomorrow it's 8 39 or 39 minutes past eight we're going to take a break on the other side of it Craig Williams had a chat to the media there at Flemington this morning and we'll play you that interview
Speaker 1join the conversation text us on 736 736 live across Australia this is giddy up with Gareth Hall
Speaker 2welcome back to giddy up Craig Williams he'll play a major part throughout the Flemington carnival he's riding James J Braddock in the Melbourne Cup um and he's a big chance in the Melbourne Cup as well and he caught up um with a host of the media representatives there at Flemington this morning at his media conference is what he had to say this morning Craig Williams can
Speaker 6we start with James it just seems every time someone's talking about
Speaker 8the Melbourne
Speaker 5Cup this is Tony Jones asking about James
Speaker 8J Braddock well it's um it's now the world targeted race again and it's fantastic but these European horses that we've never seen before for James J Braddock it's going to be the first time that we see see him here on race day so it's one of those interesting parts he's a great three-year-old with excellent form from Europe he's obviously had the ultimate gear change and um I know that the the trainer and all everyone involved him is very happy with the way that he's flown out here because he has to come a world away to come to to Melbourne he's just taking all those boxes at the moment I hope so yeah is that the feel you get when you've been on I haven't been on him and I won't be on him until race day so no no we spoke to Joseph yesterday and he said he's got it under control and looks like I'll see him in the mounting yard on the first Tuesday in
Speaker 6November so so what do you do I do I do every time
Speaker 8you know there's many horses that I ride that it's part and parcel of the first time you ride them is on the race day so that's not unusual for us these days we can fly into different parts of the world and ride horses the first time and that's part and parcel of the job it's pretty exciting but he's uh he's definitely well credentialed horse for this year's Melbourne car how do you see the field so far like obviously a bit to play out but it's a it's pretty even sort of a field at the moment well there's no field yet so let's wait until they come out yeah it's relatively even there's not not a standout in your mind that you need to take on a beat well you're going to beat them all but the most important how I look at it is from my perspective that the international horses that have come out of here and been they're either one or being very competitive so I'm well I haven't won yet but they've been very competitive so it shows you that the time of European form line is standing up so far and because I'm riding European horse it bides well of my horse
Speaker 5Concord Connie in the the group one uh how did you get the ride on on her because you haven't heard before what's um how did all that come about with uh with the stable
Speaker 8and Charlotte well I do a lot of writing for Charlotte and um offers our services and I was delighted to pick up the ride she's a horse that's got untapped ability she's she brings the x factor to what isn't still going to be a great Empire Rose and it'll be you know it's great to win group one races and Charlotte Littlefield's knocking on the door we ran second to Jimmy Star one time so let's hope we go one better with Concord Connie on
Speaker 5Saturday and the step up to the mile any query about about that or did she go strong enough through the line to to really show that that she's going to handle that trip up up to that that distance
Speaker 8well Concord Connie's last run was one of the few horses on the day that defied the way that the track played on the day made ground from back and was wide and so she looked like the 1600 would benefit benefit her but um look it's a great race it's a wait for age it's here they're not easy to win but she feels like the horse with that x factor
Speaker 5going into Saturday and it pertains to Saturday week but sir Dilius uh what's the news out of the cap have you heard anything moving into next week Champions Day after he's running the Cox plate he
Speaker 8just spoke to Gay and and Adrian to train the horse and they're really happy spoke to Will who rides him when I'm not there and I'll be sitting on him later this week but they're really happy the way he's come through the run and we've got to win this group one with him through this this preparation just on Pembury as well your feelings for the weekend as well yeah look she's great she's not very big but she's um very athletic she covers the ground you know they love doing all the data now and I'd like to get her stride length and she gave me a really nice feel was wasn't asked to do much out there but it was quite electric in her response and you know whether or not she's going to be big enough and strong enough against you know this really good cool more lineup then we will find out but she's she uses class and she's very fast i see
Speaker 5you in the in the derby uh craig what are your thoughts on him progressing up to 2500
Speaker 8well icu icu stays really well you know the furthest these three-year-olds have gone if they're not been in maidens would be the 2200 from the geelong classic so he ticks that box i think you'll find he might even have a slight gear change going into saturday as well but it's really shaping up this race is to be a very open race what was what gear change can you give us any insight into what you'll have to speak to
Speaker 5this this might open up a little debate but the derby distance have you got any opinion on whether or not it should stay at 2500 or should go back to my opinions don't count so i'll get into myself
Speaker 1different buzz running this time of year
Speaker 8different buzz yeah it's a buzz like it's great you get out of bed and you know melbourne last week was hot and beautiful and this week it's cold and i've got like 14 layers of clothes on just to try and keep warm but it's fantastic we get you guys out of bed which is nice you know usually they start wearing white shoes but you've learned over the time but it's a great time you've got you know people fly in from around the world you know people up the street you know it's all geared towards thoroughbred horse racing and i love you know where i'm in in the entertainment industry as my wife keeps reminding me and there's to see the people that are lining you know the crowds of the races you know in sydney in melbourne and a lot of young people they're all dressing up they're really getting involved and when we go up the street we can see how many people are engaged to thoroughbred racing at this time and it's it's fantastic so you know racing is strong people want to be a part of it and there's no better time than to be a part of it because we have the best horses racing the best jockeys competing we have the you know we have the best trainers the owners the color and the flair and it's the right time to be in melbourne and to love horse racing on james day brady how soon did you jump on the opportunity to ride and how competitive is it to get a ride like that while looking at an international well aussie did bully me into riding him pretty early to committing to riding him early the only time i committed this early was i got married committed to my wife nick williams told me that many years ago he never commits early until he got married so but i just felt that he was on our short list anyway james j brady and we've all everyone's got a list and he was right up the top of our short list when i had a conversation with aussie it was a bit like you've only got like the next eight hours to make a decision otherwise they will move and have to lock someone in they felt that committed that far out so i spoke to my manager jason breen who we worked closely with and we thought well if he's on our list if we wait any longer until he arrives here until we sit on him or see a bit more he won't be on our list so we decided to take uh to take the the plunge and um let's hopefully after the first tuesday at 3 15 in the afternoon that it's the right plunge to do but you know it's it's great and so far he's got over here he's got the right form reference and how he turns up on race day how he quits himself and how good he is we'll you know everyone will know it i think 3 18. hindsight's obviously a wonderful thing but are you sitting there now looking at you know the 24 they're in the order and what might come and going have i made the right call i've learned over my 30 something years of race riding that you don't worry about that stuff you made you've made your commitment you've got to stick with it all the way through there is no changing but we do get excited the markets change everyone changed because we we change to what we see so if they're sitting in their boxes at home you're not seeing them they start dropping off the the radar and the mindset and i remembered i i thought i had the right horse in bound to clear and then all of a sudden after corfield cup he didn't get a penalty it was the right form reference had to be the japanese horse then we were wondering oh my god are we going to get a run in the race so then we spent all that the next four days trying to work it out and it was danny o'brien said look you're either going to get a run or you're not going to get a run and we can't control it so you start to learn to relax and just control the controllables there's so many people in in sport and in allergies like to use and there's no greater um of seeing that when you're part of it so we're going to sell all these horses and then every time a horse now gets a penalty it's not mine i thought great more weight the better because we're not invested in it so but it is great you know all the different form lines they all come into this and then everyone becomes an expert and says well this is going to win because x y and z and then after the race then we all become geniuses because we can see what the right form is but you know he's a we chose him because of the right form reference but they have to come out here they have to handle it they have to be at their best to win the melbourne cup these days so there's
Speaker 2craig williams talking about his ride james j braddock it's interesting really ozzy kerr gave him an ultimatum basically uh maybe six weeks ago that if you want to ride this horse i'm going to give you eight hours do your homework and then come up with the answer and he committed to james j braddock obviously um he's a european three-year-old they've got a great record in this race he gets 53 and a half he looks to be the horse to me that's waited to win this race i'm james j braddock so he's 11 and he's on the equal third line of betting with his stablemate defiantly trust your instinct at nine and then point of law we've seen him craig makes a good point um the market reacted big time to his victory in the geelong cup which earned him a start in the melbourne cup after he missed out on a caulfield cup start and he won so impressively he's the solid favorite at seven dollars but craig's got some great rides throughout the carnival looking forward to seeing what icu can do in the derby um and pembrey's an interesting runner tony golden's just freshened her up she races best fresh and she'll go down the straight taking on some big-name cults in the cool mall there on saturday afternoon we'll take a break adam blenko from racing and sports.com not far away
Speaker 1join the conversation text us on oh four double nine seven three six seven three six live across australia this is giddy up with gareth hall
Speaker 2welcome back to giddy up gareth hall with you the sports bet potential the cup at the mornington race course sunday november one tickets are just 25 dollars at ticket tech so make sure you get your tickets for a big day at mornington adam blenko from racing and sports.com joins me now g'day adam gareth how are you this morning i'm very happy to be here with you today we're going to talk a little bit more about the race track and the race track and the race track and the race track and the race track and the race track very well great time of the year of course as we always as we all know um but what'd you make of cosmic crusader from last to first to win a ws cox plate and his seventh
Speaker 9run his seventh run just like his old mate northerly um no i thought it was definitive and i think he stamped himself i mean he's probably been the horse that's made the melbourne springs so far i don't think that would be going too far to say that he was up and going early and obviously he was corfield cup favorite off a turnbull win and now he's got the trophy that sort of i think we could say we say it all the time horses deserve that one i think he deserved a big trophy after the the spring that he's had and he's he's got it and as i said it was decisive he's he sat back off a strong pace he's rounded them up he's gone past aliana he's left elias who was the the big qe winner in in the rearview mirror and he's he's beaten yeah a field that basically featured the winner of every middle distance race in australia this year so far and he beat them you know fair and square on level terms so um yeah he is i think it would be fair to say the best middle distance horse in australia now and and the uh the great cox played it might have been in a new location but it's served its purpose it's played its role which is to you know it claims to be the wait for age championship of australia and it's um it's delivered its champion and i
Speaker 2loved how braid pike was like he could have gone forward and try and look for a spot but he understood that the horse's strength is to leave him alone at the start so he went all the way back to last and um he he rode that horse to his strengths and i thought it was a brave ride by the little master from the west
Speaker 9yeah he um he wrote it how they ride good horses in perth we always joke in the office that the better they are in perth the faster they are the slower they go early um although he wasn't going slowly early here because the pace was strong but um yeah the the perth boys in the office as well were very quick to point out that pike had this one they can read william they can read him pretty well and they reckon pike thought he had this one a long long way out from home so um yeah he's going to be a great rider he's going to be a great rider yeah he was confident in he was confident in the horse he knew what he had underneath him and he's um probably another reason why i think cosmic crusader has been the horse and maybe the story of the spring so far is that he's brought william pike to melbourne yeah every second week or just about every saturday and that's added a huge element to the carnival as well and pike he just
Speaker 2didn't need to listen to anyone he knew how to ride this horse and um in the end he got it to he got it perfect there on saturday so well under pikey well under bob peters as well and andrea leak but um as bob pointed out to me yesterday he's different no one no one would do what he's been able to do or would do with his horse like he has with cosmic crusader
Speaker 9yeah well he's been rewarded for for racing him and i've you know he's been rewarded for being sporting and you'll never hear me not um not cheering for that so uh even though i probably got off the cosmic crusader express a couple of starts too soon um when he lost the underwood to birdman i thought that was a fast high rating race and and he you know i thought that was decisive um and i thought birdman at that point had sort of put him in his place but um he's won a turnbull and a cox plate since then and put birdman back in his place so turned it around so he has gone to another level with racing as well i think it's um it's worth noting he's got better and better as the campaign's gone on so um another peak for him albeit narrowly it's only slightly better than his turnbull win but achieved slightly differently and as i said with um so many deep form references back through the race i think it's a it is a crowning moment stay
Speaker 2with us adam i'm going to take a break there's a host of questions coming through for you as well especially about that melbourne cup so more from adam blanco from racing and sports.com next year on giddyup join the conversation
Speaker 1text us on 0 4 9 7 3 6 7 3 6 live across australia this is giddy up with gareth hall welcome back to
Speaker 2giddy up all thanks to bet 365 gareth hall with you we're still going to hear from a few of the other major players ahead of the famous flemington carnival i think kira ma's not far away and also chris waller at their media conferences this morning but adam polenko from racing and sports.com is my special guest we're talking about that cox platen um he was superb cosmic crusader i've got a question for you have we
Speaker 9overrated eliana um well i think i've correctly rated her but then again i would think that wouldn't i go yes yes yes i still think with eliana that there is a bigger run in her i suppose technically by the numbers i actually think we've underrated eliana my view is that she's better than her underlying numbers um which is strong but i think that she is over a mile and a half still untapped and her finish at the end of the tankard and we all saw her she just tonked them in a derby but her finish at the end of the tankard and even the way she runs her 2000 meter races i think she is a mile and a half philly down there um so have we under have we overrated eliana no i'd probably go the other way and say we might have even underrated her but we're just not getting a chance to see her fully flex that muscle and unfortunately we won't see her in in the cups or the cup this
Speaker 2year who would you be backing in the champion stakes then is it cosmic crusader does he i think he deserves to be favorite doesn't he yeah
Speaker 9as i said i think the the cox plate the way it was run and the result itself is can be taken at face value so i um i think that was a fair reflection of where things were on the day now we know that delius can run a bigger race than that but i think we were entitled to expect that was his moment on saturday to step up and he stepped up third up at 2000 meters in the past so we that was a good spot for delius and he basically offered us up more of the same um so i'm not sure that you could really you'd be leap of faith stuff with with sir delius now um i'd still be very tempted to back birdman again and to go in again off that underwood figure but as i said this was a true result and a true reflection of things on the day so yeah i would agree with you the cosmic crusader would be the right favorite going to a champion stakes and i would be as is my want desperate to try and beat him
Speaker 2yes so birdman's on the third line of betting he still hasn't been confirmed whether he pushes on to the champion stakes and that's the same failure chris wall i don't know if he's said anything to the media this morning but i reckon he won't make that decision until later on in the week but i tell you he's going to be hard to beat the northerly stakes cosmic crusader he's at 350 at the moment and it looks like that he's going back to wa um unbelievable really this will never happen again unless bob owns them that you'll have a horse that wins a cox plate and then will travel back to wa to compete in a northerly
Speaker 9stakes yeah great um i'm trying to think now whether who might have done that northerly did he go to a
Speaker 2railway or not after
Speaker 9he won a cox yeah i think he got beat he ran in a railway yeah he ran in a railway as an established star um with a big weight and got beaten under a big weight in a railway so maybe that was after i don't know whether that was after the 2002 campaign though um i'd have to go check check the record books on that one gareth but um yes oh it's fantastic the race is there it's a it's a valuable race it's on his home patch um people would love yeah we
Speaker 2just lost him there we might try and get him back there adam blanco but it will be great for wr racing if cosmic crusader does head back to wa no pressure on mickey grantham as well with the campaign that he's had for andrew leak that obviously keep him going and cosmic crusader will return home in a way where he started off his career or the majority of his career when he was trained by mickey grantham and he still had a wonderful campaign last summer in wa like he he didn't get a great ride in the rjpters which mean meant that he missed out on the railway stakes he won the car buying on railway stakes day so impressively over the 1400 meters then two weeks two weeks later he stepped up to the 1800 meters and won nicely and then of course the week later he went to the gold rush over the 1400 meters and was just beaten by overpass ray mcnero was third so he split those two handy sprinters over the seven furlong so um he's a star there's no doubt about that and um yeah he's the 350 favorite for the northerly stakes but he's still the second favorite behind aliana in the champion stakes he's ready to go again adam plinko from racing and sports.com welcome back adam that would be great for perth um to see their star cosmic crusader back at the races um but we get to look forward to derby day now i can't wait for it um what race are you looking forward to most well it must
Speaker 9be the derby itself i suppose it's the uh it's the pin-up race on the day but it is a it's probably well not probably it absolutely has changed shape and face over over modern times and it's conceded a lot to um to other days the carnival's sort of been flattened out over the four days but it's probably going to be the pin-up race which is going to be the pin-up race but it is a it's probably well not probably it absolutely has changed shape and face over over modern times and it's conceded a lot to um to other days the carnival's sort of been flattened out days so it's not as front-loaded as it is it perhaps once was um but it's still a great race day and i think the the sort of three-year-old setup where we see the best sprinters and the best day is on the same card and get that big sort of three-year-old day if you like is it still you know makes it a meaningful day and a great way to start the carnival
Speaker 2um we've had that debate i'm not going to go down that path again because i'm sick of it but 2500 meters in 2000 those horses that wanted to compete in the 2000 have made a group one they they did last saturday in sydney in the spring champion um and there's a few of them a few of them rocking up to flemington on saturday um stormy marco and call me are you with the sydney three-year-olds or the melbourne three-year-olds
Speaker 9uh the spring champion was faster than any of the the main derby lead-ups have been so i think the sydney three-year-olds would be the way to go they're out on their feet at the end of the bars which i think is yeah you can look at it as it's a good hard toughen up race before the derby or you can look at it and think gee they were but they were slow at the finish there um and that is a concern the winner's not really bred so very quick to make that point danny o'brien made that point himself that the winner is not bred for the derby trip at all um but seems to seems to stay and has stamina so he has that going for him so that'll be the the different pace setups and the different figures that those horses have run going to a mile and a half will be interesting it's part of what makes the derby great off the track um is figuring that sort of stuff out but yeah the sydney colts will come down with um with pretty good profiles and i won't wade on into the derby distance debate because i know that you'll need to go to commercial soon and i'll be here for i'll be here for hours
Speaker 2yeah i'll just on that you make the best point racing can become too boring if we have another 2000 meter um classic after seeing what happened there in sydney in the spring champion stakes what's the point just like it you've got to challenge everyone from time to time including the equine athlete and the trainer and it adds a something a little bit different it's it's a derby that is um a race with a more of a history than the melbourne cup um it is a classic over the 2500 meters and like leave it be and um
Speaker 9yeah well it's it's unique and it's also playing a role and that role is to help to find the best staying three-year-old and if it drops to two thousand meters it'll go from being one of the defining points in that category to being just another version of the 2000 meter race as you say it'll be no more defining for the best middle distance three-year-old than the rose hill guineas or the you know drag horses potentially out of the cox plate it'll ruin not ruin but it'll change the face and shape of the corfield guineas as well because the corfield guineas will no longer be a destination so much as a stepping stone um and also of all the races that you want to change one that's in the top five i think races for betting turnover of the year is probably not one of the races we need to go investigating i think
Speaker 2that's working yeah and the pattern give me a spell like it doesn't at the end of the day i know we weren't going to go down this path yeah let's do it yeah at the end of the day like um oh what are these horses done after the derby like if you win the victoria derby who cares what you do you're a derby champion you're a classic champion like um that's what you've done that's that's what you were put on this earth to do go and win that derby is a three-year-old staying prospect um but
Speaker 9you it defines something doesn't it
Speaker 2yes you define as a classic winner um and so is the trainer and so is the jockey so like i don't that argument or that no one goes on and does anything after the um what
Speaker 9about the golden
Speaker 2slipper and all those i know that's different but i know
Speaker 9yeah but what about one thing that that needs to be considered with that is we often hear about okay so the victoria derby's impact on the following spring relative to the australian derby's impact on the following spring or other races on you know races that are three months away from the form and the other races that are three months away from the form and the other races that are three months away from the form and the other races that are three months away from the form and the other races that are three months away from the form and the other races that are three months away from the form and the other races that are three months away from the form and the other races that are three months away from the form and the other races that are three The same as saying sort of the Queen Elizabeth will have less of an impact on the following year's Queen Elizabeth than the Cox Plate because its proximity is closer to the next Queen Elizabeth. I don't know if that makes sense what I'm saying there, but it makes sense in my head. And it's sort of one of those things where the Victoria Derby is being unfairly measured. And the measurement thing, don't get me started on that, where we get told that it's under threat. It needs to change because it's under threat from the Asian Patent Committee because of how they're measuring it. but who's measuring the ruler no one actually they don't actually come out and put their workings out on the table so we're told that they are measuring the derby but we need to measure how they're measuring it and i would like that to be out in the public sphere so we can pick it to pieces and see if the assumptions that they're making behind their spreadsheets make any sense whatsoever before we rip apart the foundations of the sport just to please these models because the sport shouldn't massage itself and ruin itself to fit their models they should get their models to fit reality and to fit the sport um so we've got that completely the wrong way around um and yeah i just think if we're going to go and ruin the sport and everyone's going to put their hands up and say yeah well no one actually wants to do this but we have to do it because of a committee that no one knows who is uh and no one knows how they go about what they do um i just think that's insane is that
Speaker 2not insane yeah i agree with you it's just common sense at the end of the day but anyway um just make every race two thousand meters then or sixteen hundred whatever well it's a bit selecting
Speaker 9as well when they do this thing where they say it's about form coming out of that race and form in other races is that therefore selects for races that are lead-up races because they are the races that provide the form for other races and then you get to these destination races and it's not just the derby it'll be true of races at the championships it'll be true of the melbourne cup those are the destination races so horses don't go to those races to then go to others and improve and run good form in other races they go to those races for their big day to peak so if you use horses subsequent form a strict measure of how good these races are you are just going to select for lead-up races and we are just going to have nothing but the winx and the apollo and the memsie as group ones and those races are good and they are full of really good horses but they are not true group ones in the sense that they are not defining any segment of the racing population so yeah we said we weren't going to get into i agree we need to go to
Speaker 2an ad now who are you tipping in the derby by the way
Speaker 9um i think i'll probably end up leaning towards the sydney form over the melbourne form although i will say i think when i did have a little look at that early market that i don't make a lot between they'll run very differently but i don't know very differently in fact but i don't make a lot between the vase and the corfield classic and the corfield classic was to be dismissed relative to the vase a little bit so that'll be one angle that i'm looking at but as i said the spring champion was a higher rating race than the melbourne lead-ups what
Speaker 2do you make of the cool more is it getting you more excited as we get close to the race yeah
Speaker 9yeah i suppose it's very competitive this year um although i do think the win is the right favorite but not necessarily with any great ratings edge it's the fact that he's got there and you know returned with with a rating that's as good as or if not a little bit better than what everyone else has done in in the market there and he's done it first up you know shedding off the uh the bad juju from the trials that that he had so um it's very easy to envisage that he improves sharply again on what he's done there as he has more and more time to to distance himself from those trials so he's the he is the right favorite pembury is interesting to me i say because she did run a blitzing figure way back when and she's been off the scene for a little bit so is that a negative or a positive she's with a good stable um and i think yeah she's probably she's been as fast as those other good fillies in there including fotono glow pembury so i do wonder whether she might be a little bit the forgotten horse dare i say it gareth yes there's
Speaker 2always a forgotten horse on this particular day anyway
Speaker 9there is though there's forgotten horses in every race they're great fun to find they're great fun to remember yeah well
Speaker 2we're going to take a break on the other side of it we're going to have a chat about the melbourne cup and we're going to have um 10 take your picks for you today looking forward to that join the conversation text
Speaker 1us on 0 4 9 7 3 6 7 3 6 live across australia this is giddy up with gareth hall welcome
Speaker 2back to giddy up gareth hall with you it's 15 minutes past nine adam blanco is my special guest um adam what about this melbourne cup it's not far away now it's going to be interesting this bendigo cup hopewell rock so i've just been doing some sums all right um hopewell rock he's got um he is 24 so he's in the field at the moment if solcombe if solcombe finishes in the top three and if the euphrates wins he probably gets a half a kilo that means he goes in front of hopewell rock now if so you are or any of those other horses even king's valley they would need to that they would need to win by 15 lengths basically to get in front of hopewell rock um they would need a three kilo penalty or two and a half kilo penalty so there's there's two scenarios that can happen for hopewell rock to miss out um solcombe finishes top three and well saran's in trouble solcombe finishes top three and the euphrates leads all of the way so there you go the bendigo cup all i balls will be on that race tomorrow yeah it
Speaker 9adds some great theater to the to the whole event doesn't it so george bowie will be down there at uh at bendigo tomorrow throwing tomatoes over the fence at a couple yes
Speaker 2or or wathan racing will be on the phone trying to work out how we can get into the field you know like
Speaker 9i mean i'm sure they could um they could make some things move well if you if you own like if
Speaker 2you owned um i don't know one smooth operator and they offered you 300 to come out you'd probably think about it wouldn't you oh you would
Speaker 9um i don't know if you can do
Speaker 2that by the way but no i'd
Speaker 9never even thought of it so i'm so um morally upstanding gareth it never even crossed my mind but yeah down in the gutter with you and yeah now that i think about it yeah you could do that i wonder i suppose what's stopping you and if you were one smooth operator you probably would um book yourself a nice restaurant you'd go out and you'd have a very long discussion and think about that i think
Speaker 2yeah well tickets to rule ask it they've probably got they probably own a football club as well so there's something you probably could get a good deal um i don't know if you've got a good deal um i don't know if you've got a good deal um i don't know it would be inducement yes yes um plenty of questions coming through as well so what do you make of the melbourne cup at the moment have you changed your mind i think you would trust your instinct um and then you were looking for a little bit of value but are you with trust your instinct still no
Speaker 9i think single figures it's remarkably my first thought is that it lacks a standout and in fact i don't think i think defiantly might be the only horse in here or maybe vauban in another life but defiantly would be the only horse in here rated over 120 yeah um but at the same time that doesn't necessarily mean that it's weak because the number of horses rated between 116 and 19 is incredible um so a real cluster of horses at the same level i think at geelong we saw the favorite um so as i said i was probably a little bit leany trust your instinct but i think point of law after geelong that's your melbourne cup favorite um and i think he is around the traps and just about everywhere now i think that's we've settled on that and i think he'll jump a good favorite in in the melbourne cup um i think hope will rock is a fantastic chance i like his form in the uk but the other one is stinger glass who's um yeah the japanese horse flying under the radar there hasn't been a lot of um there hasn't been a lot of stinger glass chat has there gareth i mean you you've probably got your ear to the ground better than
Speaker 2me well uh mark from berrydale hasn't forgot he says g'day gareth nothing much has been said about seeing a glass in the lead up to the cup so far does adam still think he has a good chance to win and does he need the track to be good to firm that and was going to dig dive into stinger glass for us last time um i was yes so here we go i have
Speaker 9since firmed up my views on stinger glass and they they haven't weakened um yeah and i think he's a i think he's a terrific gamble yeah he's um probably a little bit behind say a fame game but i think he's a little bit better than the ones we've seen come out here like warp speed and breakup in in recent years and certainly chevalier rose he's been manhandled when he stepped outside of his lane in japan but when he's been in his lane when he won in sapporo he ran a good figure finishing strong and then when he won that diamond stakes over 3400 so an extended two miles um he put up again a really warm figure but hinting at more and perhaps more than any horse from japan since same game he comes down here looking like he might run new peaks as opposed to hanging on old form um so yeah i think his chances is terrific um and i think he fits into this cluster of horses that are all rated about the same and trust your instinct is in there as well so when i look at that and i say i don't know what is it 16 to 1 or something stinger glass versus eight to one maybe trust your instinct um yeah i know where my money would would rather go so i think there's a you probably as i said it's it's not as simple as hanging on to past ratings here because they're also very evenly matched and that includes the australian ones as well like juja and st george has run a terrific trial there the other day and run to 119 so um they're all in this in this mix so i'm really looking for one that i think might be untapped and do something different and stinger glass would certainly fit that bill basically no
Speaker 2it's a it's not a guessing game but you're going to do what you've just mentioned you've got to try and predict the future and see if these horses will jump up in their ratings over two miles in a melbourne cup or go backwards point of law is progressive um who knows how good he is he's only lightly raced trust your instinct he looks like he is a horse for a melbourne cup with a sit sprint type of style and he gets mcdonald and jp mcmanus is is is coming to back him which is exciting in itself um yeah it's a good angle and james j braddock's got some x factor about him as well he's untapped
Speaker 9he can go either one way or
Speaker 2another yeah he's the
Speaker 9sort of profile horse if you like so joseph's big army here probably have different things going for them trust your instinct looks as you say like a melbourne cup horse and to me he looks like he spent two years i mean i'm sure this isn't entirely the case but it does look to me like he spent two years foxing about getting ready for this um being held back from longer distances and then just trying at the right time and landing it. So it looks like it'll be a well-executed long-term. plan with trust your instinct to me but defiantly who was the camel who the blinkers have switched on and then yeah he's got james j braddock who's um probably behind a few of these ratings wise he's at the base of that bubble if you like but it's got to do with exposure doesn't it he hasn't had many chances to to show himself off and then you've got sons and lovers for him as well who i think is potentially a little bit underrated because i liked what he did in france um and he has form around good horses sons and lovers i think he's probably being spat out there of the of those sort of joseph chances but i i really don't think there is a great deal between a lot of them and that's true of the the broader melbourne cup field as well
Speaker 2plenty of questions coming through blinker was brilliant we'll start with that that's a state but not a question but i think you agree with that hey adam from a derby perspective machete was strong over 2200 meters in the geelong classic how do you rate his chances that's from winkers
Speaker 9yeah it's it's easier to be strong when the time figure is in the 70s um um um "So yeah he stays it well but whether he you know i'm sure he'll run the 2500 meters out but he might be 10 lengths behind them that's probably unfair i'm being unfair with 10 lengths but um that form is measurably slower than say the spring champion form so he will have to um he'll have to thrive on it although the stable he's running for at the moment is showing no signs of cooling at the moment and they are hitting the target and he's clearly been targeted there so um yeah i would be as a speed figure nerd i'm going to say no but as someone who knows i could end up looking stupid by being a speed figure nerd i would i will say no but with a caveat that i i could be very wrong
Speaker 2i like mogo matt's question here boys thoughts on stormy marco being overplayed in the derby the last 200 on saturday wasn't flattering to suggest the derby trip will suit breeding doesn't scream stay either likely that school want a solid tempo to take the ping out of those with the greater turn of foot it's a lay for me your thoughts there
Speaker 9yeah i think that's an angle and i don't hate it he was actually fairly decent at the end of as i said a stronger run 2 000 meters and a truer 2 000 meters than we've seen so far in in the corfu classic or at geelong um so i actually think he stayed the 2 000 meters well enough to think that if this was running within the normal bounds of you know a pace that we would expect um that he should see it out about as well as anyone else or at least he has the credentials he's as well equipped on paper and he's as well equipped on paper and he's as well equipped on paper to see it out as any of the others at the moment can you ask satan what he
Speaker 2thinks about the penalty for juji kabo for mooney valley cup now total of three and a half kilos after he's winning the metrop a bit excessive versus the rest do you think he can still win with that weight yeah it
Speaker 9probably takes if you think about it in a multiple world type scenario it probably takes a few wins off the table like a simulation sort of thing so but it's not going to be the defining point in in every running of the race the the weight thing is we talk about and it can be but it's very rarely actually maybe more so in a melbourne cup than other races but it's still fairly rare that it is the defining variable or not masked by other variables anyway um and that's why i think they should be absolutely running eliana it's not that 58 doesn't make it harder it absolutely does but um you can carry 50 you know okay we'll give you 56 and a half and then she draws outside and they sneak and concede six lengths and you think well you know what were you worried about the length and a half back there for if you were going to just give up six with another variable um so yeah i mean juji kibo is getting penalized but he has run two really good races in a row he's thriving and has improved this preparation not probably by as much as the handicapper has there he's probably caught caught on the hop a little bit by juji probably had him a little bit undersold and that's because the way we handicap in australia as well is um it's not so much on form as it is penalties we penalize winners rather than handicapping form down here and there are pros and cons to that but he had run about this well for a while but he hadn't won anything now he's won some things so we're whacking him for it um yeah i it's not a huge huge concern there are other concerns like staying the trip peaking again probably having to run a better rating regardless of the weight to win the melbourne cup but um it's a factor louis we've
Speaker 2got about 100 questions coming through how long have i got without him three to five make it make it five minutes all right i've picked out the best 10 um leave the derby alone it's a test of the best staying three-year-old for true stamina getting through the pain barrier like the oaks which in itself is remarkable achievement that some horses just can't do give credit to the horses that can the melbourne cup has the same effect some horses do not always return after that but who cares if they won a classic rather than a young horse going to stud that has just been modern some people and trainers may love the stay and the challenge given um it's all about the pain barrier and about the sprinters also some are talking about our staying bloodlines disappearing going overseas to get them that's from linda i agree with you there linda does adam have a view on any horses in the cup um that won't stay well vorban won't stay so we know that much other horses that you don't think won't stay poor
Speaker 9old vorban he just he gets a little wound up there in uh in a big crowd i don't know whether he's chilled out in old age but i remember he gets really wound up and then all of a sudden he's when he was running for ireland i don't know if you i don't know if he comes out from behind the glass gareth i know where you watch the races but if you ever go down onto the front lawn there at flemington and i went down to watch the melbourne cup down amongst the masses on the front lawn there and the irish are all hanging over the fence singing and yelling at him i was like guys you are doing him no or
Speaker 2when willie melons speaks to the media before the race after he gets off the plane from being at a breeders cup and he tells us well i i can't do an irish accent but he goes if it's over 25 degrees you can't win because you just melt horses i said well it's 31 degrees on on tuesday willie but anyway they
Speaker 9melted on the grass as well it wasn't just the equines um two miles is a concern for me just rolodex in my mind one horse that i think i will be down playing form wise because of the trip will be mp jar yeah um i think he was a corfu cup horse as you know and i think rock and ray gave him a beautiful steer in the corfu cup and he was beaten on merits he ran really well um only just off his peak um i would personally query whether that peak's coming into melbourne cup and i think they were the original plan i think was to duck back to the champion stakes and i think it was probably a well was it a better plan the standard tire there but i think i would be down playing him at two miles
Speaker 2all right then um what else have we got for you find the field from last year 2500 meter derby and see where all the horses are are now that's from jared kingston town backed up winning the group one perth race after winning the cox plate and running second in the melbourne cup that's from louis telling me he finished 11th behind old comrade in the railway northerly after winning the cox plate he went on to beat old comrade in the australian cup later in the next in the autumn after um what else have we got here well great to hear you supporting the derby gareth previously you were leading the charge on there must be a debate on changing the derby distance the way i listen to you well gee sometimes you got to listen properly you you might have misunderstood what i was saying um marissa says excuse me but the horses make the jockeys look good all they have to do is sit and look pretty that's a very good point you make marissa some will disagree with you there i walk
Speaker 9through the jockeys room and not many of them are looking
Speaker 2pretty what about if the vrc offered a golden ticket to the connection slash trainer of the winner of the derby into next year's melbourne cup it could be transferable golden ticket to another horse assuming they meet a certain ballot clause if the winner of the derby doesn't go to the cup it would create a lot more a lot of ice trainers and connections to target the derby if a golden ticket is offered up i think they do similar thing for this drab broken queensland um that's something to think about yeah ideas like
Speaker 9that are always i mean i don't know whether that's the exact idea but ideas like that are always interesting actually yeah craig
Speaker 2williams interview his wife reminds him he's in the entertainment business what can punters identify with that he's in the entertainment business he's very good craig williams interesting comment yes yesterday by wayne that the three-year-olds should go to the derby 2000 rather than the cox plate something to ponder i would hate that because even though it's difficult for a three-year-old to win a cox plate they add so much intrigue and x factor to our great race it would be one
Speaker 9thing is the cox plate is now lacking potentially going to lack four-year-olds because of the golden gumboot yes the last thing it wants to do is concede
Speaker 2its three-year-old angle as well um and cammy says kingston town won the 82 cox play went on to perth and won the western male classic i think it was 1800 meters that's right that's from cammy now let's play take your pick we're ready to go adam blanco from racing and sports.com take your pick on giddy up on the tuesday before the derby we'll start off with the most obvious one cosmic crusader northerly northerly please yeah cosmic crusader will just keep on winning and then you'll change your mind i love northerly i'm only joking fred uh lady shenandoah surf and bird lady
Speaker 9shenandoah the um the
Speaker 2cool more the colts for the phillies the phillies as
Speaker 9a group but the cult he can just go one out i think has a has a cult the next
Speaker 2episode all right then kira ma's best melbourne cup chance his
Speaker 9point of law she's
Speaker 2alibi the amazing journey she's
Speaker 9alibi james by
Speaker 2a long way by a long way um ah but amazing journeys now trained by kira ma um james jay braddock v point of law
Speaker 9point of law now
Speaker 2Trust your instinct to fight, Link?
Speaker 9Trust your instinct, I think. Surely those blinkers can't continue to weave magic.
Speaker 2Well, you never know. Jimmy Star Headball?
Speaker 9Where are they going? Are they both going to go to the. To Russell Baldy. Yeah. Maybe Jimmy. Okay. Uninspiring. Jimmy.
Speaker 2Yeah. Then we go to. Your Colour or Thorwa in the Oaks?
Speaker 9That'd be Tharwa, which is actually.
Speaker 2Tharwa, sorry, sorry.
Speaker 9Just south of Canberra, Tharwa.
Speaker 2Tharwa, there you go.
Speaker 9There you go. That's a good question, actually. I'll go Tharwa, just to be different.
Speaker 2Jolly Star Tempted. Tempted. And then the big one, Smoochino Basset Hound.
Speaker 9Oh, what a great question that is. I reckon even there was a slight cooling, even though things went well, there was a slight cooling of the heels on the Hound on Saturday. So Smoochino and I'll stick with the Galati Party.
Speaker 2We'll see you next week. You might be in the studio. Are you coming to Melbourne for Cup Week?
Speaker 9I will be in Melbourne for Cup Week, yeah. We'll talk to my people and we'll see how we're going.
Speaker 2Yeah, that's Tuesday morning. Obviously, that's Melbourne Cup Day next week. And then, of course, since you're sponsored by the Rising Sun Hotel South Melbourne, we'll see you there on Cup Eve.
Speaker 9I did say that you're the host extraordinaire on Monday night.
Speaker 2Well, if you're going to be there, maybe you can do it.
Speaker 9We'll swap. I don't think I'll be doing any hosting. I've got a long lunch in the Yarra Valley on Monday with a bunch of preamblers, which will be a good laugh.
Speaker 2All right, then. We wish you the best of luck. Thanks for that, Adam.
Speaker 9Speak to you next week.
Speaker 2There's Adam Blenko from RacingInSports.com. Safi Osmond. She's the history-making jockey over in the UK, of course. She was the first female jockey to win a St. Leger and she's arriving in Australia. Well, she's arrived in Australia to ride Amazing Journey in Saturday's Golden Eagles. She'll join me next.
Speaker 1Join the conversation. Text us on 0499 736 736. Live across Australia, this is Giddy Up with Gareth Hall.
Speaker 10so that was
Speaker 2Highwayman Winning this year's classic or the St. Ledger, England's famous classic. And Safi Osborne became the first female jockey to win that race. And it was for Joseph O'Brien. And now she's in Australia, of course, trying to win a Golden Eagle. And she'll be doing that for the InForm Kira Marr camp aboard Amazing Journey. And she joins us here on Giddy Up. Hello to you, Safi. Welcome back to your second home.
Speaker 11Hi, Gareth. How are you?
Speaker 2I am very well. How's things with you? Yeah, very good. landed in yesterday and yeah looking forward to it how was the trip not you're not jet lagged or anything like that
Speaker 11no i'm not too bad actually it was uh yeah pretty comfortable but um yeah no uh hopefully you're gonna ride out in the next couple of days and uh yeah looking forward to saturday
Speaker 2stupid question gareth i suppose that when you're the first female jockey to win a classic you do fly first class these days so um you would have slept beautifully i would imagine and then and then you i was actually i
Speaker 11was actually sat next to the volk on the plane which was quite Oh, did you? How was that? I was kind of too scared to speak to him. I did say congratulations and that was about it.
Speaker 2Obviously, the Vought was in Saudi Arabia, wasn't he? I think he was in Dubai, yeah. Dubai, yes. So he won another title or retained his title anyway. But what a legend he is. I think he likes his racing. I've seen him at the races on a few occasions. I think he's an ambassador for Sportsbet as well. So there you go. Anyone else that was famous on your plane there? saffy no no
Speaker 11one else um what about
Speaker 2um riding amazing journey on saturday so um you know this horse really well it was formerly trained by your father now with kira mar do you give him any hope of defeating she's alibi on on saturday afternoon in a golden eagle
Speaker 11obviously it's a it's a pretty deep race but um no he's a very good horse like i've known him sort of i think i sat him when he was a yearling even so I've ridden him in most of his career starts I know him extremely well and like he was he was on the verge of sort of unfortunately Kieran sort of stole him away from us before he got to be a stakes performer in England but he was definitely on his way to being that he won a very competitive handicap on King George Day and I think there's been two stakes winners come out of that race since that finished behind him and he definitely won that with plenty in hand. He looked like he was going to be a proper stakes horse in England, so hopefully that gives him a great shot on Saturday.
Speaker 2What's his greatest strength?
Speaker 11He's just a very versatile horse. He can come from anywhere. Through his two-year-old career, he spent a lot of time, he was a bit keen. We used to drop him in further back in the field, And I think when he won at Ascot the last day, it really proved how much he'd sort of grown up and what a top-class racehorse he was going to be because they went very slow that day. It didn't necessarily, it didn't look like it was going to play to his strengths. And I was able to ride him closer to the pace and he still showed a pretty wicked turn of foot to win. So, yeah, he's just turned into a very versatile horse and hopefully that will stand him in good stead in Australian racing.
Speaker 2So he's been at Canterbury. I think he's now at Crown Lodge. So he did his quarantine at Canterbury alongside Carling Rising and then went to Crown Lodge, which is Kiramar's base now in Sydney. Point of Law, did you see him in a Geelong Cup? Hopefully he's travelled as well as Point of Law has.
Speaker 11Yeah, I hope so. He won nicely. I think he's favourite now, isn't he? Yeah, he's favourite for the Melbourne Cup. Do you think the King would be upset?
Speaker 2Sorry? Do you think the King would be upset that he sold the Melbourne Cup favourites?
Speaker 11Hopefully he got well paid. It's not that he needs it. No, no. But, no, Kieran's got an incredible record, especially with the international imports, especially coming from England. So, yeah, hopefully he's in the same form. But I was quite pleased to wake up, I think it was last Tuesday morning, to watch his trial, and I thought he was very impressive that day. Sort of just going through the motions, it all looked fairly effortless for him. So, yeah, that made me even more excited.
Speaker 2Will you jump on him before the Golden Eagle?
Speaker 11I don't know. I'll ask Kieran, hopefully. I don't really need to sort of get to know him. I know him pretty well, but yeah, obviously it'd be nice to have a sit on him, but yeah, no, very excited.
Speaker 2It's a little different. You can take us, you'd know better than us here, but interesting talking to McDonald and Craig Williams that, so Joseph O'Brien has his Melbourne Cup horses here and Joseph said, no, don't bother turning up boys. I've got my team to make sure that they get the job done. He doesn't want the race day jockeys on his Melbourne Cup chances before race day. Is that the usual practice back home?
Speaker 11Yeah, it's quite sort of like a lot of the better horses that I've ridden, sort of horses like Heart of Honour, who's multiple sort of stakes winner and been placed in plenty of grade ones in Dubai. Like I wouldn't sit on him. He has his regular rider every day. And I think sometimes horses can be so different from race day to in the mornings and sometimes it's best to get to know them on race day because sometimes when you just want to leave the same person that knows them really well, it's probably better.
Speaker 2I think some of the jockeys want to feel just to see how they're going. You might go too quick from time to time. So I can understand. I can understand.
Speaker 11Dad always says, I'm not going to let you on it and ruin it. Yes, yes, yes. I don't want you pressing any buttons.
Speaker 2No. And this is your second stint riding in Australia. um are you looking forward to because obviously it's a challenge a new challenge when you when you ride in different jurisdictions and you've been able to go to different parts of the world now and have success but what makes australia different to the other jurisdictions that you've competed in um i spend
Speaker 11a lot of time in dubai and obviously when we go over there it's a lot of european horses and a lot of european jockeys so it's it's it's not that different but i suppose coming over here, it's completely new, although I wouldn't call it a stint. I'm here for one day. I'm off to Hong Kong next week, so that's going to be completely different again. So I think it's just adapting quickly. I was fairly jet lagged last night and I spent my sort of between 2am and 3am watching previous runnings of the Golden Eagles. Okay, there you go. Sam, did you get any
Speaker 2sleep he
Speaker 11was passed out yeah um so so
Speaker 2um yeah i think sam your your wonderful partner was looking forward to having you in australia a little longer but you've been given an opportunity to compete in hong kong um against against some of the world's best it's always a great challenge over there but you must be proud to get that contract for three months
Speaker 11yeah it's so exciting i think hong kong somewhere that every jockey dreams to go and ride and um it's i obviously Like, obviously, that opportunity has presented itself sort of halfway through our summer in about July off the back of what's been an incredible season for me in England. And it's nice. I feel like I'm going there off the back of a real high. It's been sort of the momentum's managed to sustain the whole way from sort of March all the way to Champions Day a couple of weeks ago. So it's been brilliant and it's an opportunity that I'm really looking forward to. And it's completely different, even sort of like the jockey bookings and stuff like that. That's sort of my rides have been booked for the last couple of weeks for the first meeting, my first meeting there. So that's been slightly different. And yeah, I feel like it's also different because when you're going to ride internationally, normally you're going to ride for a specific stable or a trainer. And this is completely different because you're kind of just getting chucked in the deep end and seeing if you sink or swim. So hopefully I have some armbands with me.
Speaker 2Yeah, just take Zach Burton out for lunch and dinner and maybe lunch again. And whatever ride he doesn't take, you can take, which will probably start second.
Speaker 11I wouldn't mind taking his second choice.
Speaker 2Yeah, his second choice will start second favourite anyway, Saffy. So I think it's a pretty easy game, really, when you think about it. Hey, we wish you the best of luck. So Sam couldn't get you a ride in a Melbourne Cup or was it because you had to go to Hong Kong?
Speaker 11He's not a jockeys agent.
Speaker 2Well, he's riding the biggest stable in the country that will have 10 runners in it. So poor old Sam.
Speaker 11Poor old Sam. Yeah, all the seats look fairly full in the Melbourne Cup, but no, I'll be off to Hong Kong.
Speaker 2Well, there you go. So he's got a day to propose. So look forward to that. Let us know when it happens and make sure you say yes, Saffy, anyway.
Speaker 11If I win the Golden Eagle, I might.
Speaker 2Good on you, Saffy. Great to have you back in this country. You're a history-making jockey now. So well done and good luck in that Golden Eagle. Thank you so much. There we go. She's a star, Saffy Ellsman. Hey, let's take a break. We'll come back with Tony Otterbrae with an update on Pride of Jenny next.
Speaker 1Live across Australia. This is Giddy Up with Gareth Hall.
Speaker 2Welcome back to Giddy Up. Gareth, could you please give me anything on sons and lovers in the Cup? I haven't heard one thing about it on any program. Well, Kevin Blake gave us a good push for sons and lovers. He told us. He's probably nearly the forgotten horse of the Joseph O'Brien string that'll be competing in the Cup. But the best push I could give you for sons and lovers is that the world's best jockey, along with James McDonald, Ryan Moore, is making the trip to Melbourne to ride him. And I think if you like him, that says it all. 9.48 or 48 minutes past nine, we'll take a break. Tony Otterbrae isn't far away to give us an update on Pride of Jenny to see where she is at after she wasn't nominated for Saturday's Empire Rose. Unfortunately, we heard the news that Pride of Jenny won't be going around the Empire Rose. So that's the second time she's been taken out of a race this spring after missing out on the Cup. King Charles and then the Empire Rose. And we'll get an update now on how she's tracking this spring. And if we'll see her again. And her owner, Tony Otterbrae, is with us now. Tony, hello to you, mate. Hey, Gareth. How you going, buddy? Good, thanks, mate. How is your superstar mare? Will she be okay maybe for Champions Day?
Speaker 12Oh, it's all in the hands of God, I suppose. You know, we were supposed to get her back early. They said the infection. The infection was, you know, minimal and got on top of it. But the antibiotics wasn't strong enough to cope with it. And now she's on a different lot of antibiotics and that seems to be working. And her bloods are much better now than they were last week. So she's definitely on the improve. She's over it. But, you know, she's carrying a bit of swelling on her hoof. And that's where our problem is at the moment. It's like you try running with a swollen ankle. And see how you go. So the swelling is the problem. The bacteria seems to be on its way out. She's on top of that. So that's the only thing. And the thing with horses, it's like, you know, they don't know that they're supposed to rest it, especially someone like her. And she'll just keep moving it. And, of course, it will keep swelling. So we've got a hell of a job just trying to get that swelling down. And unless it's down, she won't race. It's very important.
Speaker 2And I guess the other part to all of this is trying to get enough work into her because we all know how fit that she needs to be because of her racing pattern when she heads out to the races.
Speaker 12Yeah, well, that's right. Well, the only thing that we're doing, the MART team is taking her down to the beach every day. And she's being led, not being ridden. And she goes, of course, on the sand and in the water. So she walks up and down the beach a few times. She gets led around. She was led around by St. George the other day. And so that's the only thing that we can do with her and just keep her walking. So you've still got to keep her, that particular area active, but not go over. So walking is going to be fine. And even fighting may be OK. But if she starts to feel just that little bit of pain, well, then you'll need to back her off. Otherwise, the swelling will get more, will get worse. And she's her own worst enemy at times. Yeah. That's right. Because, you know, she's just got no fear and she just, you know, just keeps going. She'll just battle through whatever she has to do to just keep going. She's an amazing animal.
Speaker 2So the champion's day, she'll go around in a champion's mile, I would imagine, if she's ready to go. Will that come around too quickly now?
Speaker 12I don't know. Look, this is in the hands of the bats. All we can do is, you know, make sure she's comfortable, keeping that leg completely clean. You know, we've got to make sure she's comfortable. We disinfect it every day after she's been out, making sure her box is nice and clean. So any kind of crap that gets on her legs or anything, we have to clean off straight away so it doesn't reinfect. So the infection is the main thing that we need to tackle, right? And the swelling is secondary, but the swelling is what's stopping her from, you know, from running. The vets, you know, like they were hoping for an easier, quicker recovery. But it hasn't happened. And, you know, like, I'm hoping that she'll be fine by next week. But if she's not, she won't be racing.
Speaker 2No. But Perth's still on the agenda?
Speaker 12Absolutely. Absolutely. You know, it may be a case where, you know, we'll have a look at it and say, you know what? She's 95%. No, I'm not going to race her. You know, you're in the champion's mile. I mean, you've got the best horses in Australia traveling over a mile, and you don't want to go into it 95%. Right? And, yeah, she'll battle through it. She'll go well. But this is when times where, you know, she'll run, you know, maybe a ninth or tenth or eleventh if she's not 100% correct. Because you're at that level and at that speed that you can't afford to have the minutest of issues going into the race. So we're just hoping. We'll know, you know, it's a day-by-day proposition now. So as long as the swelling goes down. We're winning. If not, you know, we'll be stuck until she's right.
Speaker 2Gary, can you thank Tony for giving us the tip on King's Knits? I only paid $20, and I don't think everyone was listening. He was the only horse in that race that had won over 2,000 meters. That's from one of our listeners there, Tony. Do we get on for the Derby now?
Speaker 12100%. Yeah. He went around this morning, and Jacko sent me the update on that. On it, not only him going around the track on the course proper, which he was just going really smooth. He had a beautiful stride. It looked like he'd go all day. Yeah. So I can guarantee the listeners that he'll stay the distance, and I'm pretty sure he'll be right in at the end. So he has improved from his last gallop. So the jockey has come back and said that he's improved from the last win. And she'd ridden him prior to that win, and she stated that he's even better now than he was before. So he's done well. He's improved, and we expect him to be right in the finish. I think it's about. $17 with Bet365. Yeah. Well, he was $17 in the TRB until I got on. So yeah, go for the Bet365 and the others. I think he's down to about $13 or $12 now. Yeah. But yeah, look, at his. Great each way bet for that day. Okay. He's so happy. He's at Warrnambool. He's down the beach. He's been doing a bit of swimming. So he's a very, very happy horse. And as you can see, what he did in that 2,000-meter race, he just kept fighting. Look out. He's a real warrior for a young horse, and he's the first foal out of my.
Speaker 2I've just got to go there. Just wait a sec, Tony. I've got to go have a break, and I'll come back, and I'll talk about King Snits next. ♪
Speaker 1♪ join the conversation text us on 0 4 double 9 7 3 6 7 3 6 live across australia this is giddy up with gareth hall
Speaker 2welcome back to giddy up it's right on 10 o'clock tony otterbrae is my special guest after we just had a chat about pride of jetting so she's a day-to-day proposition whether she'll get to champions day to take on autumn glow on that champions mile but um hopefully she can recover by the time that that flight leaves for the pinnacles the wa and we get to see her in a northerly but tony we're just talking about king snits before the break so you're a believer that if you've got the horse that can win this classic on saturday
Speaker 12oh absolutely 100 percent um from what he as i said from what he did um in that race at caulfield where he just he just kept on fighting and he's improved since then um coming uh from the uh stable um um you know i think that's what they're saying so uh yeah i think there's not going to be too many horses that can go 2500 and you know i've got uh shane jackson who's um who's training him and uh um you know these um ex jumps jockeys they seem to be going extremely well at the moment um with their horses so um i think he just uh they train he trains probably a bit different he trains i think stairs because uh you know if you're doing uh jumps uh jockey and uh cross-country jumps and all that you know you need a horse that can have the stamina yeah um and of course they build up the stamina so i think that's where jacko's um going really really well he's able to get the horse to go distance and have stamina throughout so yeah i'm very very proud very very happy with uh the way shane's going about it with shane with uh with king snips
Speaker 2now tony if i gave you a hundred dollars all right um if i gave you a hundred bucks what would you do with it in race number five the benchmark 70 at bendigo tomorrow look at that you got 70 who's that
Speaker 12is that jenny that's
Speaker 2the muffin man jenny you think and kiwi jenny all in the same race
Speaker 12yeah there's three of them there
Speaker 2yes
Speaker 12which one would i back i would probably put my money on jenny you think jenny
Speaker 2you think for kiramar and damien lane so that's race five number 12. um how many more have you got in there tomorrow just those three i reckon
Speaker 12um yeah just those three um where i've got another one the pilot man going around somewhere oh he's going around today the pilot man yep can he win he's going to show yeah he's going to show the promise but um they've dropped the race down to 1200 so i don't think he's uh that's ideal for him he's a more mile or plus so uh yeah just those three on uh on wednesday so hopefully uh we'll see how we go but um yeah um looking forward to it and i've got jenny the fox running in on saturday as well so um she should go pretty good too so keep an eye on that one
Speaker 2so we'll back jenny you think um king snits we'll have something on jenny the fox and we'll just cross our fingers and toes um that we'll see pride of jenny there on champions day at flagstaff if not we've already booked our trip to perth for the
Speaker 12northerly tony yeah yep well you haven't but i haven't but i certainly hope to that uh yeah look we're we're trying really hard to get it right but uh as i said you know the horse comes first if she's not 100 we're not going anywhere and we'll bring her back um even in the autumn because she's happy what she's doing so uh we're in a hurry unfortunately these things do happen and um you know very very disappointed but also you know you've got a little bit of a chance to win so i'm looking forward to it and i'll see you look at it you just sort of pick yourself up and you keep going and um i've got i've got a horse he's got a real live chance in the derby so yeah i'm lucky that's happening i mean it hasn't ruined completely my spring carnival so yeah looking forward to it mate thank you good on you tony
Speaker 2there's tony ottobre there the owner of pride of jenny he's also got some he's got a heap of horses but king snits will be representing him in the derby as well it's four minutes past 10 it's an interesting text message i don't know if louis see if this is true or not just read on the bbc sports app that sedgenfield race club in durham durham was fined 6 500 sterling for sending a jockey to hospital in a horse box how about that that's for me well um a lot like we've been we've been injured playing football a few times and there's been a few interesting um cars or utes that has been um i've seen that football players have been transported to hospital with but um i find that really staggering and if that is true but it is true well well louis print out the article and you can come back and you can read the story out for us all right after we finish the midweek masterclass because it's time now to find you some winners on this wednesday afternoon all thanks to robot building supplies helping you get the right products for the job at a better price we've got warwick farm tomorrow hello to you mark rodent oh hello gareth how are you good thank you mate um what do you think about that um i think it's a good thing to be making this program there at warwick farm on a wednesday
Speaker 13afternoon uh only six races but the quality is not bad at all um as you'd expect this time of year where
Speaker 2do we start with your
Speaker 13place uh starting in a race four actually this isn't a bad race uh i've landed on the 11 ballet delight i suppose the knock on her might be that she on the boo at rose hill um got control of the race and uh letting got the job done on a day in which leading was it was a plus so you might want to get that against that she did run comparable time to the benchmark 72 on the day which is the class of this race so she's clearly going to make it in this grade and uh compared to her um main rivals in this she's getting a very nice weight pool she's getting you know up to five kilos off uh the two and the three ellipses and scenic point she did lead at roseville that day but it wasn't a breakneck pace i think if the likes of scenic point and hella bella want to go to the front she can just sit off them i think she's going places mcdonald's sticks uh you can get around 420 i think that's uh that's back a little bit if you want to go to the front she can just sit off them i think she's going places mcdonald's sticks uh you can get around 420 i think that's uh that's back a little bit so
Speaker 2race four number 11 there what else have you
Speaker 13got for us uh onto the last of six um race six this is a very good race for a wednesday um i've actually been on she's an artist her last two and she she's back to a wednesday race and she gets a huge uh tick with zach lloyd on and i'm going around her because i think number six hillier is a pretty good bet at around six dollars his first up record is outstanding he's been they had three runs first up he ran second in the first up he won a pretty good race at gosford on a saturday meeting there first up last time he gets mcdonald's like the other one he uh just jumped straight to the front in the trial he generally gets back in his races but he was just you know straight straight into the bridle there and the trial led all the way and that ran good time as well i think he's trying to go all first up again and we're getting a great price at around six dollars she's an artist in this grade i mean sexual wednesday benchmark 88 she's probably hard to beat and 13 cantiamo i'd put in exotics if you're taking them but i think tilly is a very good win better at around six dollars she's a lot
Speaker 2like the confidence there we've been talking to you for a while now and usually can read you but i like the way that you've really pushed for that horse with mcdonald riding that is a good push for hillier um and cantiamo the 13 we'll put that into our same race multis there at warwick farm that final race mate love it yep thanks for that no
Speaker 13worries no worries there we go
Speaker 2there's mark rodent there um check out racing queensland.com.au where for where queensland is racing today chris nelson joins us good morning gareth how you going good thank you mate where do we start with your place
Speaker 14well a heavy nine at this stage uh following on from all the rain last week uh look it should improve a little today but there is a chance of a storm later on so any improvement might be nullified by that storm so i will definitely update tomorrow morning but we'll certainly be on a wet track of some sort uh race three horse number eight budabar i like the debut run that was a second behind graphitude who's gone on and placed in saturday company i like the way the horse number eight budabar stuck on there and then he went around at uh doombin on the 5th of october and if you look at that replay you'll see he was coming into the race nicely but he hit a brick wall got badly checked got going again late but he was beaten 2.8 lengths he should have finished a lot closer to a stern effort don't know that he would have won we will never know but he should have finished closer so we'll stick with him race three number eight budabar and just one other for the moment this one's at big odds uh race five horse number 12 techna uh one for the months team last started eagle farm i'm sure she had something to offer there and she was another one that ran into a lot of trouble and when she got to the outside at the about 300 meter mark or so but i love the way she picked up again she ended up running the second fastest final 200 meters of the race so it was a very good effort under the circumstances she placed two of three on heavy and she's won two of seven on soft and she's well over 20 in the early market so might be worth a couple of dollars each way number 12 tech nut but as i said i'll i'll update in the next couple of weeks but i'll update in the next couple of weeks but i'll update in the next couple of weeks
Speaker 2so budabar and techna race three number eight race five number 12. they're
Speaker 14the two at this stage yep
Speaker 2love your work thanks for that mate thanks gareth cheers miles fitzer joins us now i reckon he had one of his biggest days on the punt at bendigo if i could recall i reckon he backed jimmy star when he was first up in this country um on bendigo cup day i reckon backed another one of johnny o'neill's on bendigo cup day i mean he joins us now the magic man hello to you miles
Speaker 15hello g yeah it's been a uh fruitful meeting bendigo normally is uh this time of the spring and also with the bendigo circuit being so fair so yeah starting about four or five years ago since we've been here in melbourne it's been very uh very good to us that interpretation was the other one that day uh that we had so i think we've had um four out of the last five i think have been pretty good to us all
Speaker 2right then where do we start with your plays
Speaker 15we're going to start in race number two uh number five a horse called sun bliss for the price kent junior team and ethan brown just uh ethan brown at the moment his last hundred at 25 if you don't mind um he's absolutely flying if you go back through this horse's runs um last start you can be forgiven there at caulfield he's five lengths off over the bridge and i am aria that was in the scarborough and that was a reasonably hot race but the one before he's gone under the tails of time in a very similar affair to this and tales of time i've got a fair bit of time for it comes up here in a three-year-old 64 race over 1300 um i think waiting to get to this sort of trip ethan brown informed draws low uh and in this sort of field can get it done so i think we're still getting around 320 330 with bet 365 so i think we can kick off the day nice and
Speaker 2early beautiful race two number five sun bliss what else have you got
Speaker 15there's a couple of shorties through race four and race six but i'll go to the end of the card uh now race nine number 10 i'm going to go with a horse called belmizan now uh this is for jerome hunter and daniel stackhouse i've been waiting for this horse to return for a while uh i know that the price that came up is not uh completely and utterly ideal but i still think we're better than even money as a goat here draws low in gate four and this is a horse that i reckon um after that little caulfield jump out if it can continue to form with the sting out of the ground like it did towards the end of last prep it can get it done only likely race has placed here before back on a good three behind gold coast bell if you don't mind on the second of may uh in a listed race after that went to caulfield running behind clever trevor and it's also got form in behind durnas deer as well and i think again you're finding a 78 here over 1400 to qualify for the mcc series so race for half a million on oaks day i reckon um belmizan that the 11 in uh the last should be getting it done so um race nine number 11 belmizan anything else
Speaker 2for us milo or that will do i've
Speaker 15had a i've had a bit of a look i'll finalize through the card races four and race six i'm i've been through the cup twice i'm doing it again sulcan and litsteel at the moment still look over for me as does barkley square um in uh especially after that race last year i know these horses are trying to line up i'm prepared to take on king's valley and take a bit of a risk so hopefully tomorrow on your show i should have one more in race four one in race six and we'll decide on one or two in the cup for you
Speaker 2yeah um ethan brown rides king's valley goes around again staff it was disappointing in a caulfield cup your phrases needs to win this to get into a melbourne cup so you are probably going to have to do a little bit of a look at the race there's a few horses that if they win they still probably don't get into a melbourne cup but sulcan with nash aboard just needs to finish in the top three to sneak into the cup so there is plenty on the line for a few of those horses there ahead of the the great race on that first tuesday november milo anything for us at belmont yeah
Speaker 15in bat belmont we'll go through a couple race one number one official business looking for three on the trot after chris parham and neville parham just keep an eye or a saver on the three one last race resort we go to race three now there's a horse here number six called gentle touch first up second up should i say for simon miller and chris parham first up was sort of nearly four lengths behind big red zoom and a fire of gidgy coals and we know how good that form line is moving forward so a little class one here for gentle touch race three number six and then go to race six number five at jackpot bingo uh this is william pike and for the casey yard this is another horse that has had a little tickle up he went to run at ascot where he wasn't far off western miss and you know my opinion of that horse i think that form will stack up so when markets come out belmont one one saving three three six at the moment and race six number five good on you
Speaker 2milo we'll catch up with you tomorrow mate thanks for that as always no worries mate there's miles fitzner lincoln moore at murray bridge tomorrow likes race three number 13 pocket pyro and race four number three um we we miss sherry i think that's how you pronounce it i'm race four number three robot building supplies robots got it and deliver robot building supplies.com.au anthony thompson from wind and stud will be my special guest next here on giddy up join the
Speaker 1conversation text us on 0499 736 736 live across australia this is giddy up with gareth hall welcome
Speaker 2back to giddy up anthony thompson not far away from wind and stud but louis clifton the superstar producer joined us now he's been able to get hold of this story for us so it's a weird old story they're coming out of england
Speaker 16gareth thanks for having me yes um i'll read the article there from bbc sport so it says a race course has been fined six and a half thousand pounds after a jockey was taken to hospital in a horse box instead of an ambulance the incident took place in march at sedgefield race course in county durham a discipline a discipline and veterinary panel found that the race course had failed to comply with fought with five general instructions within its rules of racing the injured jockey's identity was kept private but it was reported that he suffered a left clavicle injury and shoulder injury after the fall and was examined by a doctor at the course he was cleared to race again but he was still in pain which resulted in a doctor advising him to go to a and e by then all the ambulance crews had left the venue he was taken in a horse box with the medical staff following behind the general instructions require proper transfer to hospital with an accompaniment from qualified medical staff not as here being followed in a car it is also out of the jockey was in too much pain to get into the following car the other failings at the venue included a telephone line not working and tired worn rooms and not conveying a clean clinical area okay the race course has acknowledged the errors and shortcomings and an inspection took place in april which revealed significant progress
Speaker 2so he's broken his collarbone basically and his shoulder um it was too painful for him to get into a car yeah so they put him on
Speaker 16a horse float well he's kept going through the meeting and he's raced on yeah so he's jumped back and he's gone at the end of the meeting going i'm no good here so shouldn't the doctor be fine well yes and the well that's the problem the ambulance has taken off because the meeting's finished so i think so they just put him in
Speaker 2the back of the float yeah yeah and so
Speaker 16because he couldn't get in the car tough old jockey who do you reckon who is the jockey still unnamed wouldn't be me i'm not that brave wouldn't be you wouldn't be you either no well you
Speaker 2you struggle if you get an hour's sleep these days you're becoming grumpy all right then mate um any tips today for us uh
Speaker 16i've actually done the boost horse today yes swan hill uh let me get it sorry race three swan hill number race three number 11 gram uh sorry wrong uh what have i done i don't know
Speaker 2what you've done
Speaker 16race two sorry gareth race two number six magnus centenia okay uh johnny allen ride tage weir trains very good first up should win today
Speaker 2i've got one for you on saturday what do you got um this is like a gamble responsibly chips in type of situation here on darby so either makes or break your week i think um i don't know if you can get gambling tips for me or not but i think that this is the way i play you just have one big crack okay at the start of the day and if it wins geez you're hard to beat because you get your tail up if you lose you lose you lose you lose you lose you lose it's a long week regular ambition in the vanity yeah who's riding um i don't know i don't think it matters mcd wrote it last yeah yeah were you saying should be replaced well i was on the horse last started it was a bit unfair the way that
Speaker 16the track played considering how the track played it ran very well making ground on a day where you couldn't
Speaker 2i think it'll win the vanity if far in pinup sheila or it's dangerous um yeah i think regular ambition will win do we still like skewer in the derby um i reckon we played skewer and we also played skewer in the derby um i reckon we played the favorite yeah stormy mark yeah you're very keen stormy mark i'm not very keen but i think it was over at 13 when we mentioned him yesterday i'm sticking fat
Speaker 16with skewer i think they've worked
Speaker 2out how to ride him well flat out he went too slow the other day because they kept on coming back at
Speaker 16him yeah maybe rock hard fit i think he'll be hard to beat good price even kira mark could get you to
Speaker 2run at least five four hundreds i'd beat you now the way i'm going no you wouldn't like i did some running with him once upon a time and i'm about 15 years older than you i reckon we went hot we went half of 400 he goes but he's up here i thought come on louis no wonder batty burns paying you too much yeah that's um i caught up with your housemate there on saturday yes sammy
Speaker 16walsh he said he had a great day yep um he didn't let you up into the box that he was no he said i'll get you up in the box and we're still waiting to be told we can come out in the box but he did announce at dinner that he's in another horse he's in james j braddock with yourself you've got no idea that he's got the third or fourth favorite in the
Speaker 2melbourne cup no well i can't sleep no so he's not excited as me well
Speaker 16i don't know i think i'm gonna have to tell him how big a deal it is it is a big deal yeah
Speaker 2like i think he enjoyed it the other day like i know patrick crips was there and yeah um i think chris judd was also there with aussie they they enjoy they're passionate racing people um but while she was like he said he was more nervous watching birdman in a cox plate than he was playing football yeah yeah i think it's a
Speaker 16great excuse for them to stay in touch too and yeah he loves it he loves it he asks a lot of questions he just uh he's just getting the hang of it and
Speaker 2that surprised me because he's one of the best big time finals footballers going around he's a gary airs winner what'd you think of his hair um i thought it was interesting but i didn't mind it yeah yeah yeah yeah so very good yeah i like the way that he like and obviously Obviously, he's found love as well, won't she? Yep. Georgia. Yeah. So Lucy and Georgia family holidays soon. Yeah, that's it. Yeah. That's it. Anyway, anything else for us? No. We're about to play you a few interviews from this morning. Yep. Paulie Sebastiani. Yep. We've got one. I thought he was very good on the questions.
Speaker 16He was good. He's come back in to ask us how he went as well. No, I thought he was exceptional.
Speaker 2I got a lot of feedback as well. Yep. They go, your man, Gareth, absolutely shone at the media conferences. No, very good. Probably, he's probably, like, leave those media scrums to TJ and all that. He's probably now, say, I'm Paulie Sebastiani. Yeah. Come and have a word with me by ourselves, Chris.
Speaker 16Yep. No, he's done a great job.
Speaker 2Yeah. Very good. All right. Because Tony Jones was asking about Sir Dillius, if he's a good swimmer or not. Yeah. Come on, TJ.
Speaker 16I don't think he knew that James J. Braddock had a pronounced J.J. Braddock as a TJ. Oh, good on you.
Speaker 2Hey, good on you. Thank you, Louie. Thanks, Gareth. 22 minutes past 10, Anthony Thompson to join me next. It's time for Breeding and Bloodstock. Thanks to OzSource, your guide to Australia's world-class thoroughbred industry. Visit OzSource.com.au. Always great to catch up with Anthony Thompson. He's one of the biggest breeders in Australia. One of the biggest names in the bloodstock game in this country. He does a wonderful job, of course, as the principal of Widden Stud. He's the seventh generation of the Thompson family to run the famous stud in the Hunter Valley. Obviously, they've got a Victoria base as well, Widden. But now he's also the president of the Thoroughbred Breeders Australia. And also, of course, OzSource. So that's a very important role as well. He puts in a lot of work to make this industry better. And he joins us now. Anthony, hello to you.
Speaker 17How are you, Gareth?
Speaker 2How are you enjoying both roles, mate? Is it what you expected it would be? You've been in the role now for a little while.
Speaker 17It's something I've always been fairly passionate about is just the health of the industry and what we can contribute and give back to the industry. So hopefully, you know, there's some good changes at board level at OzSource and TBA as we look to merge the two organisations. We'll bring them together into work. One, and I think under that new structure and that new board, it'll probably be my time then to step away and hand on, you know, to the next lot. But at the moment, we're just looking at setting the organisation up for the future. And we're really excited about some things in the pipeline at TBA level and OzSource level.
Speaker 2To me, when I talk to breeders, Anthony, it seems like the top end's flying at the moment. You're like, if you've got a good horse that you can sell it, or if you've got a good stallion, it's pretty easy to get the bookings for the stallions at the top end. But it's the middle part where it seems to be challenging for some breeders and even the smaller breeders coming through as well, whether they can compete with the bigger farms in this country. What would you say to that particular statement that I just said regarding the middle breeders or even the smaller breeders? How challenging is it for them at the moment?
Speaker 17Yeah. I think that's a fair statement, but it's always really been the case. And it's certainly the case in our industry. If you're a big trainer or a high profile jockey or a big breeder, it seems that, you know, it is easier, but it's just as tough for everyone. I think we, you know, the racetrack is a level playing field, and certainly the breeding industry is a very level playing field. Small breeders are incredibly important because you know, big farms certainly Wittenstadt relies heavily on small breeders across our two farms, as do all the other major breeders. So without small breeders, there are no big breeders. You know, they're the backbone of the industry. They're what we're built on, as we are, you know, right around the grounds with the smaller trainers and owners and all those things. You know, it's a very inclusive industry in Australia. You know, there's no restrictions on entry or no barriers to entry. It's like other parts of the world. You can't get the best jockeys to ride your horse or you can't have a horse with the top trainer. There's no real private situation in Australia at the moment. So it's open to everyone. And I think as an industry, you know, we're really focused on the health of the industry right across the board, and that's certainly, you know, the top does drag it up, but certainly the bottom is really important. And I think, yes, the bottom at the moment is challenging, and that's factors outside our control, but we're really looking at ways we can do more to broaden the spread and, you know, encourage or, you know, increase the market from the bottom up as well.
Speaker 2And how is the industry going then, in your eyes, as a whole?
Speaker 17I guess, yeah, there's always challenges, but what we have seen in the last month, you know, it's just been so exciting across the racetracks. The engagement, you know, the industry is having the cut through the crowds. Some of the, you know, the great racing we've seen, I mean, Everest was just phenomenal scenes. So many young people so engaged with the sport and, you know, building up to the Flemington Carnival after the back of a great Cox Plate and the races we've got in front of us, you know, with She's an Alibi and Autumn Glow and so much to look forward to this weekend. So, yeah, I think, yeah, we're not sort of saying anything new when we say times are tough in Australia around a lot of places. But there's certainly some wonderful things happening in racing and a lot of things to really look forward to.
Speaker 2I like the way that you've answered that question because, yeah, I reckon you make some really good points. Sometimes in this racing industry, we can be a little bit too negative, but you turn up to Randwick and you get 50-odd thousand, Cox Plate was a pretty good day with 30-odd thousand. You'll get 80,000 on Derby Day. You're going to get 80,000 on Champion Day. 50,000 on Champions Day. Probably a little bit more on Melbourne Cup Day. That suggests to me, and they're all invested too, and they're from all different age groups, that suggests to me anyway that racing's in a pretty good place when it comes to the interest of the sport that we love here, Anthony.
Speaker 17Yeah, I mean, they're not just going to the races, but they're going to see R-Ying Rising and, you know, the scenes to see Godolphin winning their first Everest with Tempted. and, you know, all the talk about Autumn Glow and Chisholm Alibi and Pride of Jenny. The horses are the stars. The horses are the headlines. And everyone's incredibly passionate about them, particularly the breeders who are behind every good horse. There is a breeder who's invested a lot of time, energy, money, and they're incredibly passionate and we're seeing um uh you know a lot of the success of of those breeders and that passion really come to the fore these big days and that's something that you know we really we really enjoy and really revel in and
Speaker 2i know tba and hoss horse are big on this and when i talk to a few of the trainers i think this is a good thing as well that um there's a lot of people that want to get into this industry but it's trying to work out the best pathways to do just that anthony and it's not just the breeding industry but a lot of the stables are crying out for staff and staff that know what they're doing in a way so they don't have to teach them on the spot. Do you think we can get better as an industry with that to have different pathways for different people from all different age groups as well to get into the thoroughbred industry?
Speaker 17Well, yeah, there's over 33,000 people involved across breeding operation and a lot of those people are part-timers there's strong participation from women young people there's people changing careers pathways so there is you know enormous opportunities for employment in this industry and if if you're worried I always going to take your job come and work on a horse stud because as much as I might make your life a bit easy it'll never take your job so we're there we're you know in a beautiful environment a lot of regional most employment and some wonderful people dedicated to horses every day and it is their passion um more than it is their job but but it's certainly a great
Speaker 2job as well um obviously win and stud you've got a one hell of a roster but hot as hell is an interesting stallion that is um started off the the new season at your farm um he's a son of two down hot he was a very good printer in ireland what's been the response from the australian breeders to this galloper hot as hell to you um since you've been able to stand him at winning
Speaker 17you're a year too early there gareth he's next time he's coming yeah next season a big uh week in in front of us for hot as hell yeah and certainly for with um lost um you know there's a lot happening here in australia he's running in the breeders cup he's in a five million dollar u.s race in america on sunday morning um our time so uh hot as hell yeah he's a um leading or the highest rated uh two-year-old in ireland he's a group one winner at two which is very important for us by two down hot um you know he won four of his five starts as a two-year-old and um as i said including that group one in england His last two starts, he's won two group ones, including the Irish Champion Stakes. So he goes into the Breeders' Cup Turf, the championship race, the final race of Breeders' Cup Day as a really good chance for us to say we own half of a three-time group winning son of Tudor and Holt with international credentials like that. It's a really important thing for an Australian farm. So we'll look forward to welcoming him to Wieden next year and he'll be a shuttle stay in between Wieden and Harris-Bertram in France where Wooden Basset started his career. So that's a really big new partnership for Wieden and a really important horse for Wieden. So a big day in America and also a very big day at Flemington, obviously, for Wieden as well with the next episode going around in the Cornwall.
Speaker 2How did you get that deal done then with a horse like that? That is a great get for your farm.
Speaker 17Yeah, yeah. Obviously, Hot As Hell was a horse that everyone tried to buy as a two-year-old. It was very wealthy American owners and they wanted to enjoy racing the horse. We kept in contact with them and kept talking to them and then were able to lock him away prior to his win in the Irish Champion Stakes. So we were very lucky to be able to secure a two-time group winning son of Tudor and Holt who's now a three-time group winning son of Tudor and Holt and hopefully he can make it number four in a Breeders' Cup.
Speaker 2So are you going to the Breeders' Cup of Flemington on Saturday?
Speaker 17Well, Flemington moves the needle a little more for us. Hot As Hell is locked in. As I said, he's already won three group ones, but if next episode could win the Cornwall, that would really be a game-changer for us. So I've sent Matty Comerford to Kentucky and I'm heading to Flemington.
Speaker 2So he's a $2.7 million colt. He was so dominant there in the early part of the year. He won the Gold Coast and then he was slow to start his campaign this time around with some pretty interesting trials in Sydney. I think even Kieran was concerned, but since he's come to Melbourne, he seems to be, he's woken up a little bit and he's been really good and he's trialled the house down, they tell me, after his good victory there down the straight at Flemington the other day. If he wins, if he wins the, if he wins the Cornwall on Saturday, I think. Kieran told me, well, he was worth $10 million before the preparation. After those two trials, he was worth a million dollars in Sydney. Now he's probably worth $12 million. If he wins the Cornwall, how much is he worth? You have little faith, Gareth. He was never worth a billion dollars. No, I'm not, it's not my faith. I was just quoting your trainer, really.
Speaker 17Well, I don't think our trainer, he's got to share anyone and I don't think he'd sell out. No. Yeah, he's, he's. Kieran was given the brief by Phil Cunningham to, to, who was down here on holidays, interestingly enough, with his, his wife, Emory, his son, Aidan, to buy me the best horse, the Magic Millions. And to Kieran's credit, he found the next episode and Phil Cunningham bought half. So that's a really good story in itself about what the, what the industry brings to Australia in tourism and in investment. But even better part of the story is watching this horse live up to that lofty price tag, and he's a very special Colton Dees. So who knows what he's worth, but from a service point, view, point of view, he's at the moment, he's a sort of 20, $25,000 stallion. If he goes to start today, if he wins the cool more, you know, he can be a sort of Tentaris level or a Switzerland level, you know, those horses are between 60 and 80,000. And, um, so yeah, that is a game changer. Um, it's a sign making race, uh, at his price, obviously it was like Zeus stars one at, um, and we know what, what he's done for us. So, um, uh, days like that, um, really can, can change the course of history for a farm. And so for us, Flemington, he's really our focus on Saturday.
Speaker 2Yeah. Which is exciting. Um, and obviously you bred him as well. And then was it easy to keep a share in him? Because he went for it. He went, yeah, he wasn't cheap. It was easy to sell him, but it
Speaker 17was, it'd be very hard to part with him. I know he was, he was a horse that was really dear to us and really special to the farm from the day he was born. Uh, he was always that star horse. And when Kieran came to us afterwards and said, would you, would you keep a part? We were really happy to be involved and stay involved. And, um, I know from the family's point of view and from the farm's point of view, uh, there's nothing better than being involved in, in a, in a really exciting comp like that. And, um, yeah, it's, it's, it's been, um, been a long term. Um, target the cool more, it's been, been the plan from Kieran and the team all the way through. And, uh, yeah, getting closer now that you're getting less and less every night, but it's that great, um, uh, excitement and the, you know, it's the nerves build up in the big races. There's nothing else like it. You know, you just can't compare it to anything else you've done.
Speaker 2Well, it's going to be one of the great races, um, throughout that Flemington carnival. It always is the cool more, but there's so much added interest because it is a stowy making race. Um, so yeah, and the Phillies are pretty good. This year, there's some nice Colts going around as well. So it is going to be a beauty. Anthony, we wish you the best of luck, mate. We appreciate you joining us here on giddy up, but it will be some result if the next episode and then hot as hell, um, can get the chocolates done in America at the breeders cup meeting. So it could be one of the biggest ever weekends for Witten.
Speaker 17Yeah, a bit, a bit going on. Um, and yeah, it's just great to be, um, you know, to, to be a part of this great game and, and, you know, have, have live chances in those big races. I certainly, from our point of view, um, a breeders cup is a dream and, you know, the, the cool more, as I said, I'd say it's the most valuable race, uh, run at Flemington, um, um, all year, uh, not just this week, you know, certainly, um, for the breeding industry, there's no more valuable race than the cool.
Speaker 2Good on you, Anthony. Thanks very much for your time. Thanks guys. There's the principal of Witten stud there, Anthony Thompson, joining us on giddy up 10 40. We'll take a break. We'll come back with plenty more straight after this, including an interview with, um, Kevin Blake, Paul Sebastiani caught up with him at Flemington this morning.
Speaker 1Text us on 0 4 double nine 7 3 6 7 3 6 live across Australia.
Speaker 2We're about to have a chat to Luke Cairn, the CEO of the Warrnambool Racing Club, because the Jericho Cup 2020. 2026 isn't far away. It's the end of November. Um, so that'll come around pretty quickly. Um, and it's always been a race that has been a huge success in the early part. Um, in the early part of the time it's been going for the Jericho cup, and it's going to be a beauty. I reckon later on in the year always is so many terrific narratives that, um, that come up with the running of the Jericho cup. A lot of people now are finding horses. People are trying to find horses to win the Jericho cup and it's going to be, um, another terrific race. Always a great spectacle on the 29th of September. And Luke Cairn, the CEO of the Warrnambool Racing Club joins us now. G'day Luke. Thanks very much for your time here on giddy up. No worries, Gareth.
Speaker 18How are you?
Speaker 2Good. Thank you, mate. Jeez. It's been a great race, hasn't it?
Speaker 18For your race club? Yeah, it certainly has. Um, yeah, it's an event that we love and look, it's coming around pretty quick. Now. Time flies, but, uh, we can't wait for Jericho Cup Day this year, uh, nights running the event too. So, um, time certainly flies.
Speaker 2Yeah. Um, it does come around pretty quickly. Like, uh, this year it's the, at the end of November. Um, so before you know it, um, it'll be Jericho time.
Speaker 18Yeah, exactly. And you know what it's like over the next little bit, so time flies, we get through some pretty quality racing over the next sort of couple of weeks and then, uh, all of a sudden, uh, at the end of November. Jericho is on us. So, uh, ticket sales are looking really good and, and, you know, we're sort of hoping, uh, this year's sort of addition is going to be one for the ages.
Speaker 2Yeah. And, um, we lost Bill Gibbons around Jericho time last year, I reckon, the late Bill Gibbons. And he was the man that was behind the Jericho Cup, um, with his respect and love for the history of this great country. Um, he put together the, the Jericho Cup and he was a man that poured a lot of money into it as well. He, he backed it in and, uh, um, and I remember talking to him on a few occasions, like, he'd be so proud with the way that this race and how far it's come.
Speaker 18Yeah, absolutely. Gareth. And look, it's gotta be a little bittersweet this year, isn't it? So the first time that we're doing it without the input of, of the great man and, and as you well know, you know, he, he unfortunately lost his courageous battle sort of late last year. Um, but yeah, he'll certainly be in our thoughts. And we, we're going to welcome Yolanda and the Gibbons family on the day as well. So, you know, it's going to be, like I said, bittersweet, but hopefully, uh, you know, we, we can put on a cracking event and sort of pay tribute to, to one of the great people from our racing industry. That's for sure.
Speaker 2Cause I reckon he funded like around a million dollars of his own money for the first four runnings of the Jericho Cup because he believed in this race so much and he believed in what it would mean to the racing industry and the people. Yeah. people of this country to have a race in New Zealand for that matter, with the significance of the inspiration behind the Jericho Cup.
Speaker 18Yeah, he certainly did. And as you know, you know, Billy was a great historian, you know, amongst many other skill sets that he had, that's for sure. But obviously, you know, after reading the book Build the Bastard and working on, you know, the story behind the first initial Jericho Cup, he had that fantastic vision of bringing that to life, you know, 100 years after the original running of that, which he did, you know, here in Warrnambool. And he always had an affinity with Warrnambool and saw it as being the perfect location. Obviously, you know, the event's pretty grueling. It's 4,600 metres. We've got the paddock, so it's that little point of difference. And it's been a match made in heaven, really. I mean, it's the perfect venue for the perfect race and it's truly an event that's got a lot of history behind it already, you know, before it even started. I'd like to think over the last of the eight runnings and into the ninth running this year, we sort of continue that legacy for him.
Speaker 2Is it your second biggest day now of the year outside of the, obviously, there's the carnival, outside of the carnival days, is it your biggest day now?
Speaker 18Yeah, it is. We've been whacked with the weather, actually, the last couple of years. So, you know, that's had an adverse effect on the crowd. But, you know, all things being equal this year, we would be expecting between sort of 4,000 and 5,000 people on course for the day. So it's a significant day, that's for sure, within terms of country racing. And you're 100% spot on, Gareth. It's our second biggest event outside of the carnival.
Speaker 2Bring it on, mate. We get to see a few of these horses already starting their preparations, heading towards the Jericho. How many Kiwis will be coming across this time around?
Speaker 18Mate, so we've got two Kiwis that have, you know, they've obviously won those guaranteed start races. So I think. There's four guaranteed start race winners already. There's a couple to go as well. In fact, I think there's three to go. And obviously, Mark Gregg won the consolation last year. So he's got an exemption from the points as well. So really looking forward to a quality field assembling for the running of this year's Jericho.
Speaker 2All right then, mate. We appreciate your time. We can still get tickets if we want to go to the Jericho Cup this year.
Speaker 18Yeah, absolutely. So Warrnambool Racing Club's website, for ticketing information. Some of our packages are almost sold out. So numbers are looking really good. Pre-sales are really healthy. But get online or give us a call here at the club if anyone's interested. Sort of certainly one of those bucket list events, that's for sure.
Speaker 2Good on you, mate. We appreciate your time, Luke. Thanks for that.
Speaker 18Thanks, Gareth. Appreciate it.
Speaker 2There's Luke Cairn, the CEO of the Warrnambool Racing Club. Time for a break. We're going to find you some winners with bag of tips next.
Speaker 1The Giddy Up Bag of Tips for Oz Equipment Rentals. Supplying equipment to the construction, mining and roadworks industries.
Speaker 2ozequipment.com Welcome back to Giddy Up. We'll find you a few winners today across the three codes, but especially at those thoroughbred meetings. We're heading to Bet365 Swinehill today. I'm the Murray. Looking forward to that program. Eight races. The first race is over the 975 metres and that's at 1.30. We've also got racing at Hawkesbury and Rockhampton. There's some handy enough trots and dog meetings today around the country as well. Dave Strelaw joins us to the Salts to kick off the Bet365 Bag of Tips today. G'day to you, Salts. Gareth, good morning. How are things? Good, thank you. Where do we start?
Speaker 19Where do we start with your best bets, please? We're waiting until later in the program today, mate. So there's a good chance we'll be in a good four by the time we get to races seven and eight with Swinehill improving to a soft five this morning. But race seven is my best value of the program. A roughy that I'm keen to back each way. There's been some good money for Habitual this morning, who I think he's clearly the one to beat. But on an each way basis, I want to back a mare that's deep into her preparation. No overtaking. I thought her work to the line at Kyneton last start was quite good. She made a long, wide, sustained run and worked through the line quite well. And so first go beyond sort of 1,480 metres, she gets to 1,600 for the first time. But draws in and I think her fitness is going to peak. I wouldn't be surprised if this happens to be her best rating performance of the preparation. And I think it should be good enough to at least sneak into the placings.
Speaker 2Geez, I like that push in the first of your selections there around $19 with bet $365. That'll do us nicely. That'll pay for it. That'll pay for the Flemington Cup week. What about race number? I think your best bet comes up in race number eight or one of those anyway.
Speaker 19It is, mate. Yeah, the last race on the program, Naziah. She looks a filly that's just quite progressive and looks like she can win her way through the grades this preparation. Her debut at Geelong a little while back was outstanding in a red hot form race that was won by Shystar. And then she went around short price favourite at start two in a race that had some depth at Donald. And she cruised home. She only had one run last preparation. So there must have been some sort of issue. They've given her a little bit of time. And the way that she won on the Pakenham Synthetics first up was quite stylish, but also sectionally it said that she peaked on the run a bit late. She beat one of her main dangers home fair square and by a significant margin. I think there's a lot of improvement to come with this filly. And I was sort of going to be a bit worried if they got heaps of rain and we're on a genuinely soft rated track. But a soft rated track. Soft five this morning and clear conditions race day. I think she should be getting her chance. And I've stood her out in the quarter.
Speaker 2Beautiful. That's all we need to know. That's number nine in the final leg of the quaddie, which is leg four. What about the early part of the quaddie? What are you doing there, Salts?
Speaker 19Yeah. So I've obviously tightened up that last leg. So a little bit wider in the first few legs. Race five, first leg of the quaddie, two, three, four, six. Race six, one, seven, nine, twelve. Race seven, one, seven, eight, eleven. And bring it home with just the favourite, the nine in the last.
Speaker 2Beautiful. So two, three, four, six, one, seven, nine, twelve, one, seven, eight, eleven. And the nine went out in the final leg. Good on you, mate. Thanks for your time as always, Salts. That's the one.
Speaker 19Good luck. No problem, mate.
Speaker 2Catch up. There we go. There is the Salts, Dave Shrelaw, with a look at that meeting at Swan Hill today. You can watch him on. Racing.com today. I think Matty Hill might be there as well. He was walking the corridors of SEN just before. Luke Overness in Hawkesbury likes race four, number seven, Gold Cup. Race five, number ten, Dairy City, Felix. And race eight, number two, Angel Hair. So four, seven, five, ten, eight, two. Chris Nelson of Rockhampton. Best bet comes up in race six. Horse number two, Limbs Tied. And race one, number six, Fancy G1. So race six, number two, race one, number six. Head to thetrots.com.au. For expert harness racing tips and in-depth analysis for all major Victorian meetings. Darren Carroll likes race seven, number seven, Riddle Me This at Kilmore. And Better Left Alone, race nine, number four. And Harness Racing New South Wales, the home of the Carnival of Cups, where Australian music rules. He meets quality harness racing action. Amanda Rando likes race three, number one, Madam Sass. And race five, number nine, a special occasion. So three, one, and five, nine. Glen Moore at Gloucester Park tonight likes, Where's Me Dad, race one, number one. And race three, number 11, Half Moon Bay. So it's race one, number one, race three, number 11. And Georgie Ferugia at Q1 Lakeside likes race eight, number seven, Can You Let Loose, race eight, number seven. He likes race 10, number eight, Serenine Tiger. And race 12, number two, Harrah's Dolly. So race eight, number seven, race 10, number eight. And also race 12, number two. So that is bag of tips today. A boost horse comes up there. At Swan Hill today, the Bet365 boost horse. And it's race two, number six, Magnus and Nensha. Oh, it's a Tensha, I should say, at $3.80. So that's race two, number six. That is bag of tips, all thanks to Bet365. The Ultima Hotel on the heart of the Mallee, just down the road from Swan Hill. Swing by for a cold beer. Oz Equipment Rentals, supplying equipment to the construction, mining, and roadworks industries, ozequipment.com. It's a busy final hour coming your way, straight after 11 o'clock. We're going to play an interesting game. We're going to play an interview from this morning at Flemington with Pauli Sebastiani. Looking forward to that. He caught up with a few of the major players at Breakfast with the Stars. And we're going to face the breeze and talk some harness racing. Will Rickson and Paddy Lee will be joining me. So looking forward to that. We've got the Ultimate Drivers Championship announcement as well. So we've got a couple of announcements there. Ryan Spice and Angus Garrod will be joining us. So it's a busy final hour coming your way. On this Tuesday morning, this is Giddy Up. All thanks to Garrod's, I should say. All thanks to Bet365. Garrod's Horse and Hand will be bringing you, of course, Facing the Breeze. And that was Bag of Tips. All thanks to the Ultima Hotel in the heart of the Mallee. Just down the road from Swan Hill. And Oz Equipment Rentals, supplying equipment to the construction, mining, and roadworks industries, ozequipment.com. Time for a break. Plenty more to come next.
Speaker 1Text us on 0449 736 736.
Speaker 2It is right on 11 o'clock. Gareth Hall with you. Paul Sebastiani was up and about today. He went to all of the media conferences there. We've heard already from Gabe Waterhouse and Craig Williams, but the champion trainer, Chris Waller, he had a chat to the media, and this is what he had to say about his chances heading towards the Flemington Carnival.
Speaker 20That was St. Gothard this morning. Chris? Yes, St. Gothard was very good. James McDonald was aboard, and he'll ride him on Saturday in the Cornwall Stud Stakes. He's a very talented colt. He's a brother of Switzerland who won the race impressively. So he's the younger sibling that's ready to make a name for himself. Have you had. like, comparisons with the two? It's probably hard not to when you go through and have a horse from a young age. What are the similarities between the two? They're just talented horses. So, yeah, they're actually different types. Both got great natures, which is a big thing with a racehorse. You need to be able to work with them and them enjoy their work, and they both certainly do that. And interestingly, we've got another horse in the race, Steel Will, and his sister won the race as well. So that's probably something quite unique. September run, she won the race, and her brother, Steel Will's in. So hopefully they've got genetics and could cornella the race.
Speaker 5What was your take on how they handled the surroundings of Flemington this morning with their track worth, both Steel Will and St.
Speaker 20Gothard? They handled it really well. Just a beautiful track. Most horses love Flemington. It's just a big open space, lovely surface. It's world class, and that's what we'll see on Saturday. World class racing here at Flemington. And, yeah, the horses adapt well, and they love racing here. Does it get any easier dealing with the pressure of having a horse like St. Gothard, who is well-related and cost a lot of money?
Speaker 5Chris Waller talking about handling the pressure of St.
Speaker 20Gothard. Yeah, it does get a little bit easier when you've had a bit more experience. You learn not to worry about price tags and not to worry about the pressure of it. I guess it's like a footy coach. Once you've been to a couple of grand finals or been in the final season a few years in a row, it does help. So we've also got a great team, and that team's been with me for a long time. We continue to build our team. And, yeah, the horses, they all get looked after the same regardless of the price tags. Chris, can you just explain the importance of the Coolmore? I mean, you know, and just what it means beyond the race itself? Yeah, well, the horse that wins the Coolmore on Saturday is probably going to be the most lucrative or expensive horse at the end of the carnival. So Melbourne Cup winners, everybody wants it. They've become a household name. But in terms of a stallion or a filly, it passes that value on to the siblings. And if you're a stallion, you can cover mares. And, obviously, that turns into a very lucrative scenario as well, too. So, yeah, the winner of the Coolmore will be worth sort of upwards of $30 million. So it really is a big, big price.
Speaker 5Does Sequin go to the Coolmore, Chris? And how's she gone since her last run as a dominant there at Caulfield last start?
Speaker 20Yes, Sequin's entered for the Coolmore. We run her there, or run her against her own sex. It's a decision we've still got to make. There's a race for her on Oaks Day, and that's the beauty of Cup Week. There's races for everything. And to have a filly racing against two colts, three in the one race, probably isn't ideal. So I'll actually have a chat to James McDonald. He'll help me make a decision on Sequin, because if she didn't run in the Coolmore, she would certainly run on Oaks Day, and he would ride her there. Stormy Marko in the Derby, when was the decision made to back him up? The decision was made Sunday morning that if he pulls up well, that we would certainly look towards getting him down here. So the run in Sydney was good in the Spring Champion, also Group 1 race. And then, providing we're happy with him on Wednesday, he'll travel down Wednesday night. So they have to be very fit to run the 2,500 metres in the Howdens Victorian Derby. So he'll certainly have that on his side. Has he always given you the feel of a horse that would appreciate 2,500 metres of a derby? Well, it's by Witton Bassett. He's an international sire who continues to make headlines on the Northern Hemisphere and also down here. So from that aspect, yes. From the dam side, there's enough there to suggest that the distance shouldn't be a problem.
Speaker 5Are you shaping up for the Melbourne Cup?
Speaker 20We're okay for the Melbourne Cup. It wouldn't be our strongest year, but we're still making up the numbers. There's a couple there that are racing. They're racing in the next few days, or one in particular, Solcombe, runs in the Bendigo Cup. He needs to run Top 3. We'll have Asterix in the race. Sol of Spain, he ran second in the Sydney Cup. And also Pinhole. We're hoping he can make the cut-off point.
Speaker 5Just back on the derby, Chris. Jean Georges and True Tone, how do you rate their chances heading up to the 2,500 metres?
Speaker 20True Tone will run. The other one won't. True Tone ran a place in the Geelong Classic, the 2,200 metre race. I think that's a good test for him. That was his first run beyond a mile, so a big step up. It was a pass mark, and he'll be ready to run 2,500 metres on Saturday. Either of those two give you similarities with any of the other horses you've had that have run well in the derby? Well, True Tone is similar to Preferment. Preferment came through the Geelong Classic and won his maiden in the Victorian Derby and went on to win a number of Group 1 races afterwards. So there's a small similarity there. How much is the race on? You've had a couple of cracks trying to get Sultcombe into the field. Are you confident he can get it done tonight? Yeah, Sultcombe's been coming off the injured list and just taking a while to find his best form and I guess his fitness and gradually stepping up in distances. He ran really well in the Geelong Cup, but got a long way back, so hopefully we can be a little bit handier to the lead in the Bendigo Cup. So, Nastrawilla rides. He's a really cool boy and a race that means a lot too, so I'm sure Nash will do everything he can to get him home or at least run top three for us to get him into the Melbourne Cup.
Speaker 5Did you have a little grit on the face when Pride of Jenny was out of the Empire rows? Lady Shenandoah, she was brilliant in the Touareg Handicap and it seems a little easier for her with all due respect now because Pride of Jenny, we know what type of tempo she'd set in that mile.
Speaker 20Yeah, yes and no. Pride of Jenny's great for racing. The crowd love her and she's a big act. It's a shame that she's not there on Derby day. And with Lady Shenandoah, she's deep into her prep, so we were ready for a tough mile. So I guess it does change it a little bit, but there'll be other horses there that might have similar tactics, so it's sad that Pride of Jenny's not there, but yeah, Lady Shenandoah, it certainly accelerates your chances.
Speaker 5Just on Lady Shenandoah, what was the thought process behind her training regime this time around because we've seen her over the short course and now she's seemed prolific over the mile. What was your thought process with her coming into this preparation?
Speaker 20She was just not having luck in the sprint races. It was time and time again and just happening too often. Over 1,200 metres, a bad barrier would bring her undone or luck in running. So stepping her back up in distance, I think luck comes out of the equation a little bit and the class rises. She's won four Group 1 races, all 1,400 and above, and a win in the Touareg was certainly an announcement that's been to say she's still there, she's still very good, and carrying that big weight was pretty special. That's some good chances in the carbine. Chris, how many do you think you'll end up having and are you shuffling around some thoughts about what you might do with some of them? Yeah, still a little bit of shuffling with the younger horses. The Carbine Club's been a great race for us with getting horses up to their elite level. So yeah, we're bringing a couple of unknown horses down, a horse called the Roaring Sun is very talented. She'll go all the way. We've got another one called Glen Orkey. So yeah, they're two horses that are still maidens looking to come down. Plus a few others there, Unhinged, he's a brother to Hinged who is a good Group 1 horse. He was an impressive winner at Rose Hill in Sydney last start and there could be a couple of others as well. Chris, Autumn Glow on the last day, how excited to bring her down? Yeah, it's exciting to have a horse like Autumn Glow in the stable and everywhere she goes she creates headlines She's a real star. The owners are very keen to bring her down to Victoria, which is great. And when she gets down there, you'll all fall in love with her. She's just a lovely placid filly or mare now and she's got so much presence about her and she's amazing on the track as well as off the track. So yeah, she really is a headline act and we're proud to be training her and proud to be bringing her to Victoria. Your relationship with James McDonald, he set a record of 11 wins over the car. How many do you want to see him win in this country?
Speaker 5You're chatting about the relationship with James McDonald?
Speaker 20James is just a great person to work with and it's just one run at a time, one win at a time. But what James brings to you is professionalism, he's just a great ambassador for racing, he's a great sportsman, he's got respect for the sport, respect for the animals and yeah, great to work with. So we don't set goals or targets, we just do the best we can on each of the days of Cup Week and yeah certainly great to have them on our side.
Speaker 5Chris there's a pretty good racing up in Randwick called the Golden Eagle worth a couple of million. Byback, Autumn Boy and Mr Miller. Does Mr Miller go to the Golden Eagle or does he remain at Flemington?
Speaker 20No, all three of those horses will run on the Golden Eagle providing they get in. Mr Miller would just be down the bottom of the ratings, but if he gets in, he'll certainly run. Yeah, it's been an intriguing race and we've got a good hand. Autumn Boy, a very talented horse. Baybark, he's already been a Group 1 winner down here in the Carnival already. So yeah, it's becoming a very significant race in the Australian calendar. Shame they can't be at both, but maybe they could come down for the last day. What Wakefield stakes? You look like you've got a strong hand there. Who would be represented by that race? We've got Tharwa in the Wakefield stakes and also York Cullar. Both two very talented fillies and possibly Diamus. She's already Group 1 placed. So Tharwa and York Cullar will most likely proceed through the Oaks. Diamus, we might pull up after Saturday. So yeah, they're both talented horses heading towards an Oaks and ran very well on their first Victorian starts at Caulfield last start. You hadn't had a BRC Oaks runner until last year. Did you learn something about that in terms of identifying the right filly for Oaks? Chris Waller talking about what
Speaker 5he's
Speaker 20learnt in the Oaks. Not really. I think we ran second or third. And we brought the right filly. I think that's the right horse. I think that's the right, the key. These two fillies are well prepared. We're not rushing into the race. They've had the run in the Ethereal over 2,000 metres. I think that's important. They've got pedigrees to suggest they can get 2,500 metres on Oaks day. So just being well prepared and having a well-seasoned horse.
Speaker 2So that was Chris Waller. It was great listening to him just then. And he spoke a lot about his runners coming up this week. St. Gothard. I love the report with him. He's going to be hard to beat with the blinkers on. The full brother to Switzerland. So, yeah, looking forward to seeing what he can do. Lady Shenandoah. I reckon it is great for racing. Pride of Jenny is there. But it'll be interesting. And obviously it's a lot easier now for Lady Shenandoah to win that Empire Rose. She's a solid favourite with Bet365. I think the wakeful fillies are interesting. He's got some nice chances heading towards the VRC Oaks. And Tharwa and your colour. Both going around in the wakeful in preparation for the Oaks. So it'll be interesting to see how they measure up. I think McDonald's riding Tharwa over your colour. So despite your colour being a short price Tharwa, shorter in the market, in that Oaks market. So, yeah, he's going to play a major part as always. Stormy Marco is the equal favourite in the derby with True Rebel. He's going to get 2,500 metres like all of these three-year-olds. But he's definitely got the class. I don't think much has gone his way this time around, Stormy Marco. It's 13 minutes past 11. We're going to take a break. We're going to come back with Austin Galati next.
Speaker 21Galactic splashback. Ray Magnerio trying to wind up. It's the wildcard. It's the wildcard. The widest in Lafrakka is last. Mazu, 300 metres to go. Putting in some short ones now. Jigsaw about two lengths away. And then came Smooth Chino. And back behind them, Extra Galactic. It's Mazu with 150 to go. Smooth Chino is attacking it with Extra Galactic. It's Mazu with Smooth Chino over the top. Smooth Chino takes the Lord. Kicking Mazu. This is really close.
Speaker 2It was one of the stories of the day there in Cox's Plate Day. Obviously, Cosmic Crusader winning at Cox's Plate. But I love the. The Smooth Chino story is one of our listeners has just texted through. If you want a party, back Galactic. And Austin Galactic had his biggest day on Saturday on a racetrack anyway with Smooth Chino winning the McEwen Stakes for Indy Wynette. They've been a wonderful combination. And Austin joins us here on Giddy Up. Austin, hello to you.
Speaker 22Congratulations, mate. Hey, thank you very much. Yeah, how good?
Speaker 2Yeah, how bloody good was it? Has it sunk in yet?
Speaker 22No, it actually hasn't. Yeah. It's unreal.
Speaker 2Yeah. So talk us through the race. Like, how confident were you going into this contest? Because it was down the straight once again. He was pretty good first up down the straight there at his previous start. But you were taking on horses that Smooth Chino has seen before in a quokka, like a Jigsaw and also a Ray McNeario. So what were your confident levels going into the race?
Speaker 22Yeah, well, to be honest, when the field had come out, I was a bit worried. I was like, shit, that's a pretty hot, handy field. Yeah. But at the same time, I was still very confident, especially after I spent the week in Adelaide. And when I saw him, I was like, whoa, he's got to improve off looks in itself. Like, he just fully evolved after that. Yeah. Yeah, the first and second up kind of run. And yeah, no, I actually went in pretty confident. Confident, more confident than I thought I would be.
Speaker 2Yeah. How are you feeling going back to Flemington? Obviously, there was a lot of talk what happened at the finish. Line there when he was first up down that Flemington straight and you were behind Skybird. I think you were fined $1,000 for not riding him out. So what were you, how did you feel going into Saturday's race?
Speaker 22Yeah, the pressure was there. But the closer I got to the race, I actually, for some reason, normally I'd get a bit, you know, like anyone, you'd get a bit nervous and stuff. But I was just, I was just more, more anxious. And just really wanted the horse to go. Well, I wasn't nervous myself. I was going in as confident as I could be. And yeah, I didn't really actually feel a whole lot of pressure. I was just like, you know what, just, just ride the horse. And I was just so relieved when we, when we got off in the last ride.
Speaker 2Were you confident in the run?
Speaker 22Yeah. Well, it was, yeah, it was really on his toes in the yard and in the gates. He was going off, but when he was a little bit slower, he recovered really well. And yeah, we actually ended up. We ended up getting a gun run and yeah, I was pretty confident once we run down Jigsaw. I was just like, I thought I was home at that point. To be fair, that, the leader hung on really well.
Speaker 2Yeah, Manzu, it took you a little while to get past him. But what was the feeling like after you passed that winning post and you realized that you had won?
Speaker 22Oh, you couldn't explain it. Hey, it was the best feeling in the world. I was just so shocked. So, so shocked.
Speaker 2Yeah. And, um, and then Indy Wynette, the job that she's done with him has been remarkable as well. Do you think he's a better horse now than what he was last time you sat on him, say in the, um, in the autumn there in WA?
Speaker 22Yeah, I think he's got to be like, um, he's always been a bit immature in that, but, um, he's a big, big horse and I think he's really, really figured out how to gallop now. And, and yeah, he loves his job and yeah, just proving him, proving that he can just keep creeping up the ladder.
Speaker 2Yeah. And you've had success in South Australia as well. Obviously you, you go there on a part-time basis there to, to ride Smoochino, um, but Indy's kicking plenty of goals at Gawler. Would you consider moving if she asked you to?
Speaker 22Um, yeah, she's definitely asked me to, um, yeah, it's a thought, but, um, yeah, it'll be hard to leave WA, but, um, yeah, I've only just started to kind of get going. I'm going to go on here and establish myself here, but it is definitely an opportunity to get involved more in amongst the East heading towards Melbourne and that, but yeah, I've got a whole life here. So yeah, it's just a thought process, but yeah, I'll just do some thinking.
Speaker 2Yeah. Um, what was it like watching Pikey, um, your fellow WA jockey win a Cox Plate?
Speaker 22Oh, unreal. So good. The atmosphere at Flemington itself, like, yeah, it was just crazy. Such a good day for WA racing.
Speaker 2Yeah, it was terrific. And do you know? Do you know where Spoonchino's going next? I think Indy was thinking maybe to Cranbourne for the slot race. Yeah, Meteorite. Yeah, the Meteorite. There is the champion sprint, but she might bypass that and you can head to Cranbourne, mate, for the Meteorite.
Speaker 22Yeah, no, she's pretty keen about heading that way. And then, um, she said he'll go for a little spell after that and get, um, take, bring him back for the quokka.
Speaker 2Yeah, but you couldn't talk her into sending him to WA for the winter bottom?
Speaker 22Um, uh, I think that's a good question.
Speaker 2I've got a whole lot of talking about. You would have tried, surely, Austin. In your backyard, you don't have to fly to ride him.
Speaker 22Yeah, but the quokka, too. I thought that'd be pretty cool, too.
Speaker 2Yeah, you'll be on. I don't think you'll be getting taken off this time around. I think you'll be locked in for the quokka.
Speaker 22Yeah, hopefully not. Yeah. Well, hopefully locked in, yes.
Speaker 2Yeah, but everything you've been through with this horse, mate, I guess it would have been so satisfying to, you know, win that race on Saturday, to prove a few people wrong.
Speaker 22Oh, yeah, 100%. I mean. And, yeah, it all adds up to that, and, yeah, I was just so relieved. Yeah. Yeah, we obviously have a very good connection, me and the horse, and, yeah, I was just actually so happy for the horse, too. Like, I actually love that horse so much.
Speaker 2Yeah. And why do you, why do you get on well with him so well there, Austin?
Speaker 22Um, I don't know. I suppose I try and get along with most horses. I'm just extra nice to them all. Yeah. Yeah, try to. with them as much as i can say yeah just keep them happy i never really like to and fight a horse or, you know, get angry at it.
Speaker 2So what's his staple name, Smoochino?
Speaker 22Indy calls him Michael Jackson. Okay, what do you call him? We also call him Chino, most of the time, so yeah.
Speaker 2Yeah, and do you have a word to him on the way to the gates?
Speaker 22I talk to him all the time. I mean, the other day he was really on one from the moment I got on him, so I was just telling him to settle down. But, yeah, he was full steam ahead. Does he listen to you? No, not really.
Speaker 2But he knows who you are.
Speaker 22Yeah. Well, yeah, I'd like to think he does. He's a big horse. He's such a dude.
Speaker 2Can you get a winner at Belmont tomorrow? You've got Fast Break, Broder and King of the Town. Well, that's probably the only bet, because when you walk into Perth, I know Pikey's won the Cox Plate, but I reckon that in the jockey's room, you might get the bigger roar after winning there on Saturday.
Speaker 22Yeah, that would be an omen bet. Yeah, I feel like I'm on top of the world at the moment. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, hopefully we can get a winner. I mean, Summer Dixon's a massive supporter of me, too, so, yeah, it's always such a good thrill riding a winner for her team. She does such a good job.
Speaker 2What's your best chance?
Speaker 22Yeah, I can't declare any, but, yeah, I think they'll all be right there. Best chance, oh, King of the Town's obviously a big drop back. Yeah, probably King of the Town, and Kieran Regan looks like it goes pretty good.
Speaker 2Yeah. All right, then, mate. Well, what a week it was. So, you won on Smichino, you won on Champagne Jenny at Gawler, win to retire at Gawler, so you had a double there. Yurik Kobe was placed at Strathalby as well, so no wonder Indy wants you in South Australia when you've got a strike rate like that. Yeah. So, you've had a wonderful time of it of late, and you won the feature sprint race there during the Kalgoorlie Carnival, so it's been one hell of a couple of months for you, Austin, so congratulations, mate. Well done with it all, and, yeah, we'll see you at Cranbourne for the Meteorite. For sure. Thanks so much. Get on your Austin Galati there, the rider of Smichino. It was a terrific story. He's a young man that's had to do it the hard way to get to the top of the world, and the rides in WA and the respect from a few of the owners and the trainers and Smichino's been the horse that has put him on the map, and they've got a wonderful association. It was great to see him do what he did there on Saturday in the McEwen Stakes. We'll take a break. We'll come back with plenty more straight after this. This is Giddy Up on this Tuesday morning. 736. It's 27 minutes past 11. The 2027 Ultimate Driver Championship is returning to the creek, Albion Park, on Friday, February 19, and Saturday, February 20. And the defending champions are Ryan Spice Syndicate, the superstar pro punter in Queensland that's a great ambassador for the sport of harness racing. They had to go. With the Victorian to get the job done last year with James Herbertson, they call their slot the Herb Factor. And because they're defending champions, they get their slot once again. And Ryan Spice joins us. G'day, Ryan. Thanks for your time.
Speaker 23Morning, Gareth. How are you, mate?
Speaker 2It was a no-brainer, really, to go with you guys once again. The Herb Factor, you've got to get the defending champ back.
Speaker 23Yes, mate. The Herb Factor is back for 2027, and I'm pleased to announce that Master James Herbertson will once again be at the range.
Speaker 2So when you do the negotiations, does he want a better deal this time around?
Speaker 23Mate, I had to twist his arm and make him take less this year. I think that's the way it needed to work.
Speaker 2Oh, so he actually took less? It's all in confidential, mate. I can't steal the beans. Well, we've got to ask the tough questions here on Giddy Up. So obviously, he's such an amazing driver, James Herbertson. He just gets horses like all the great drivers do, but he gets horses to run for him. And even the horses that you didn't think had that in them, he gets the best out of them. So obviously, you had him in the sulky, but what do you think the success or the key to your success was last year?
Speaker 23Yeah, great question, Gareth. I think a lot of things have to go right to be successful in this wonderful series, the Lad Breaks Ultimate Driver. I think obviously you have to draft really well, so you need to be across your form. You need the right driver with the right hunger and passion to basically be up for 20 races, but also to, mate, as we both know, luck and running and just the rub of the green. It's really important as well. So those three factors, I think, come together that you need to be successful for what's pretty much, in my opinion, the best four or five days in harness racing in Australia.
Speaker 2Did you get your strategy right at the draft? Did you change the way that you went about it?
Speaker 23No, I kept things pretty simple, Gareth. I felt that. The draft we did in year one was pretty strong and I felt the same second time around that we got things pretty much right again. I think looking back and doing some analysis, we've jumped favourite in eight or nine of the 40 races that have been run over the two years. So, yeah, I didn't change too many things, but I certainly. Year two, I sat down with the driver pre-meeting and we discussed tactics and likely tactics and our opponents in depth, and I think that was something that was a little bit of a thing to do that served us in good stead.
Speaker 2Yeah, you got lucky a little bit, but you did get a lot right. So hats off to you guys, and you're going to be very hard to beat once again. Very hard to beat. You've probably got an unfair advantage with all of the work that you do for Queensland Harness Racing and know these horses back the front. And it'll be interesting to see who your competitors are this time around. That will be interesting.
Speaker 23You think we need to come off a handicap for 2027, Gareth?
Speaker 2I reckon maybe. Maybe. I don't know how you do handicap that. Maybe give you the last pick. But it's interesting. It doesn't. What do you think the best place in the draft is? Because the draft, for people who don't know, with this Ultimate Drivers' Championship, you actually have to pick your horses on the Wednesday before the Friday and the Saturday, and then obviously that works out. The fields are picked, and then you've got to pick the draws or pick the horses. So the fields are picked, and then you've got to pick your horses. And it's a bit like the NFL draft in a way. So if you're the first pick on the way back the second time, you're the last pick. So there is a lot of strategy involved. You need a little bit of luck. But you have to make some decisions pretty quickly, Spicy. So you need to be well organised.
Speaker 23Yeah, you really do, Gareth. Year one, we were picked two, and I felt that with that little gap between picks coming to, the middle part of each round was a bit of a disadvantage. So year two, we were picked 10, and we had back-to-back picks. So we were picked 10 and 11, 20 and 21. I really loved having those back-to-back picks. You didn't have to fret about a horse not being available when it came back around. So yeah, back-to-back for me.
Speaker 2All right, then. Well, I can't wait for us to beat you. I think we're going to get a slot, because I just looked at our next guest. I didn't know this, but Angus Garrett's about to join us. So he's not far away. It looks like we've got, we've got another slot. We were second or third last year. I reckon we're definitely on the podium, but I don't remember if we don't win, of course, Spicy. So we're going to take you on. So I'm looking forward to it once again. And I don't think we'll be giving Herbie a sulky or take him out for dinner like we looked after him last year. So we'll see how we go.
Speaker 23Yeah, bigger and better this year, Gareth. Hopefully we will have up to 100 people in our slot. So we're going to, we're going to be making some noise on track and it is certainly two wonderful nights. And then we back it up on the Sunday with the Sunshine Stars Yearling Sale.
Speaker 2Are you hearing any other rumours about some other drivers that'll be rocking up?
Speaker 23Oh, plenty of rumours floating around out there, Gareth, but none that'll be right to bring the air into publicly.
Speaker 2All right then, there we go. Thank you, Ryan. I appreciate you as always. Good luck next year. That's Ryan Spice. We'll take a break. We'll announce that we've got our slot for the Ultimate Drivers' Championship as well. So SEN is teaming up with Garrard's once again as we try and win our second Ultimate Drivers' Championship. And Angus Garrard is the man that will be representing us and we'll have a chat to Angus next. This is Basing the Breeze. Thanks to Garrard's Horse and Hound. We're about to have a catch up with Angus Garrard. He's about to join us. He will be representing the Giddy Up slot along with Garrard's Horse and Hound for the 2027 Ultimate Driver Championship, which is back at Albion Park on Friday, February 19, and Saturday, February 20. We just had Ryan Spice. They've got the Herb Factor once again, their syndicate called, so James Herb. Robertson is representing them once again. So I'm looking forward to it. I think it's nearly one of my favourite harness racing events all year, the Ultimate Drivers' Championship. So looking forward to catching up with Angus. Is he ready to go, Angus? No Angus, Garrett. So we'll go to Will Rickson and Paddy Lee. I think they're ready to go. Hello to you, Will. How's things, mate? Morning, G-Man. How was your weekend? Yeah, pretty good. Had a pretty good night Saturday night and looking forward to this weekend. All right, then. Paddy Lee joins us. He's not far away. We'll catch up with Paddy in just a moment. So it's a great time of the year for harness racing because before you know it, we get into the New Zealand Cup week, Will, and then we're off to all of the carnivals. We'll go to Victoria and then we head to New South Wales after that. And in between, you've got WA.
Speaker 24Yeah, absolutely. There's. You know, great racing across the board. There's all the good horses seeming to be racing this time of year. And everywhere you look, there's, you know, some exciting racing on. So, yeah, it's definitely good for the sport.
Speaker 2All right, then. What did you make of the WA Derby there on Saturday? Friday night, I should say.
Speaker 24Yeah, it's a really strong field, Gareth. Like, I think some of those three-year-olds in Perth are really going to make, you know, future Grand Circuit horses. So the draw is going to be all important. And I look forward to being a part of it.
Speaker 2Yeah, it's. They've always got some nice horses, haven't they, WA? And the Derby's been a race that, like, they obviously identify some of those New Zealand three-year-olds. And this Friday's going to be a beauty.
Speaker 24Yeah, even, like, sometimes you have to wait for the draw to see what way it works out. But I think there's that many good ones. It doesn't really matter what way the draw is. Yeah. Bonsai got a huge hand. Gary Horsene has got a huge hand. So I think no matter what, there's going to be. You know, a very tactical race and going to be some fireworks at some stage.
Speaker 2What do you make of Mad Monday? Could he measure up in a Eureka later on in the year?
Speaker 24I mean, it's always hard to tell, but I think so. Like, if anyone knows it, it will be the Bonds and Denny because they've just got so many good horses and they've obviously travelled across to the east before and done really well. So, you know, if they think he's good enough, well, they wouldn't be coming for nothing. So I. Yeah, it would be really interesting to see if he gets a slot or not because it's really hard to work out what way the slot holders are going to go at the moment.
Speaker 2I'm hearing that he will. I don't know if Robert Watson, obviously with the Soho horses, might go down that path. Paddy Lee, as I say hello to you. How's things, mate? Good morning, Jake. Going well, thank you. Do you reckon Mad Monday will get a slot? I think he might. That's what I'm hearing anyway on the grapevine.
Speaker 25It's a really interesting one, Gareth. It would be nice to see him over here. I'd like to see how he lined up against some of the horses over here that have already been taken. And yeah, it's a difficult one, but I think what he's done over there so far, he's looked like he's a proven performer. And yeah, I think that, yeah, he could be a good chance of getting one as well.
Speaker 2What do you make of the Eureka this year, Will?
Speaker 24Yeah, I'd vote for him to come or add another aspect to the race, but it's probably different to previous years, Gareth, obviously later in this season makes it a bit more interesting. I think at this time, last time, like last year, sorry, more than half the field were locked away and I think there's only two or three so far. So I think it's the right way of doing it. If I was a slot holder, I'd be waiting as long as I could and leaving all the options open. And yeah, I think it's interesting. Lacasso adds a lot of interest and I just think it's hard to really come up with a field which can only be probably good for the race.
Speaker 2What are you going to do with your slot, Paddy?
Speaker 25Like Will said, gee, we're sort of just holding off a little bit to work out which way we're going to go and making sure we're looking at all aspects of the horses over the last two or three weeks. But I really like Cigano. Yeah, he's got your slot, Paddy.
Speaker 2Just don't lie to us. Jason Lee's driving and you've locked him in. Can you give us something on this show?
Speaker 25I can't guarantee that to you, G, but. Who won't? He's the one I really like, so Clayton Tonkin.
Speaker 2Oh, there you go. So you're teaming up with the archenemy.
Speaker 25Yeah, he's the archenemy, but he's the number one man. Him and Emma do a fantastic job, so they're hard to beat. So you can't really go past him if that's the way we, you know, the uncles and the team choose to go.
Speaker 2Okay. So Lacasso's got. I'll beat him and join him. Yeah, 100%. That's what Nick Harvey's doing, isn't it? Well, I don't know. I don't know. He hasn't talked to me about anything. Oh, you don't know now. Oh, like I don't. He hasn't talked to me about that. I reckon we could find some other. I'll be finding a few other horses. Lacasso at 250. Can he win, Will? Who's your number one, G? Who's your number one for you to take right now? Well, if I had a choice to pick a horse right now, I would pick. I wouldn't have a clue, really. I don't know. Come on, G. No, you know what? There's not too much to choose from, really. What about Arksea and Better Beach? Three-year-old fillies to draw. Well. Yeah, I'd probably choose Arksea, I reckon. Better Beach, I don't know. I'd choose Better Beach. But it's not. I'm all for promoting the game. What's the point of going with an Emma Stewart also? They talk to the media. So what's the point? The Eureka's about to get new people into the game. 1.4 million is probably the point, G, man. Well, Mickey Harvey doesn't need that much money, I don't think. I don't know. I think he is going with Better Beach, isn't he, Mick Harvey? I'm pretty sure. You'd know more than I. Yeah, I'm pretty sure she'd be. What about the last trip? Why wouldn't you pick it? Has it got a slot yet?
Speaker 25It looked pretty impressive on Saturday night.
Speaker 2It was sensational. Do you know what I would actually do? I would talk to Aidan DeCampo, and I'd say, Aidan, why don't we. Why don't you come to Sydney with the horse that finished second? It's a Kiwi, I think. Oh, it's a Kiwi. There you go. So that won't work. They've got to change the rules there with the Kiwis. Nice horse, that one. It is a very good horse. I reckon it's a star. I don't know. Which way would you go then, Will, if you had a choice?
Speaker 24Well, I'm hoping Arcee gets a slot. She'll have to. She broke the three-off Dilley's record on Saturday night, and she's in the final this week, and, you know, would have to be impressive and probably win again to get a slot. But I think with the draw, and she's followed a car show as a two-year-old and got to his wheel and, you know, ridiculous times. So I think with, you know, the barrier advantage, I'm personally hoping that she gets a slot. But, yeah, I think it's interesting. I'm surprised to see how un-sort Picasso is in the market, though, personally. I think it's a different ballgame, 2,300 against the older horses, and, jeez, he seems to be peaking pretty early for it. It's going to be hard to have him, you know, go just as well on final night as he did Saturday night. So, look, Picasso.
Speaker 25So, any apparent win, Will?
Speaker 24Yeah. Oh, well, I don't want to end up with egg on my face, Paddy, but I wouldn't be. Yeah, I don't know. I wouldn't be saying that he definitely can't win, but I don't think he's as good as a chance as everyone's making out.
Speaker 2The last trip, I don't think he gets a slot. Sagana gets a slot. Double Lou's got a slot. Better Beach will probably get a slot. Would you go Better Beach or the last trip, Paddy?
Speaker 25Better Beach, just because of the barrier drop.
Speaker 2Yeah. Hesitate will definitely get a slot. I might go with him. He'll get a slot for sure. He's with Jason Grimson now. Mick wouldn't give him. So, he'll have one of Mick Harvey's slots. I forgot about that. He's not even in the Bet365 market, Hesitate. He's got two slots, though, doesn't he? Yeah, he's got two slots. So, I reckon he'll use. I reckon Mick will do a deal with Hesitate, and he'll do a deal with. Who owns Better Beach? Bruce Edwards. Oh, okay, and Emma Stewart trains. Yeah. All right, then. I reckon you'll have to team up with Emma Stewart, then. I don't think you've got too much of a choice, have you, Paddy, at the end of the day?
Speaker 25Well, like Will said, gee, you better to be with them than against them.
Speaker 2Yep. I'd probably go Hark C, $21. Will, will you drive?
Speaker 24Yeah, if she gets in, I'd hope so. Yeah, but. I mean, this week's all important, Gareth. It's hard to say too much before this Saturday night. After this week, with all the British Challenge finals, I think you'll get a bigger picture, because you've got Alert Bay and Yachty and a couple of other good three-offs taken on the car, so it's drawn inside him this week. Yeah. Rightly, they've been letting him go. I can't see that happening this week. So, if something parks him and beats him, well, the next minute, they're probably going to get a slot.
Speaker 2All right, we're going to take a break. This is Giddy Up and Facing the Breeze, all thanks to Gareth's horse and ham. We've got plenty more to discuss straight after this. Welcome back to Giddy Up, Gareth Hall with you. This is Facing the Breeze, all thanks to Gareth's horse and ham, Paddy Lee with you, and also Will Rickson. Were you happy with Swayze there? Do you reckon they'll go to New Zealand with Swayze after watching him to victory, like he needed to win that race? Well, I think they'll go to New Zealand with Swayze. I think they'll go to New Zealand with Swayze. Will? We just lost Will. Have we got him back?
Speaker 24Had you on mute like Paddy last week. 100%, I'll take him. He went awesome, went 48, come first over. Yeah, he'll be there. He's in again this Saturday night. He'll be hard to beat again, 2300. And then, you know, I wouldn't be ruling him out to go three in a row. He's always drawn the back row when he's won these two New Zealand Cups. So if he draws the front, Larry off the back, race on.
Speaker 2But look out. And Kingman. Don't forget Kingman. He'll be ready. He'll be ready. He drew bad when he won, too. He drew pretty bad and still won. So good race. Hey, Paddy, probably Keegan Sahara was the best trotter in the land, but I just watched Gus. I hope Chantel Turpin's listening. What about that performance there on Saturday night, Paddy?
Speaker 25Yeah, terrific, G. He looks like he's going to go back-to-back, Gus. Terrific. They've handled him well, and he looks like he's in tip-top form to take it on again. Are you taking. Taking anything over to New Zealand? No. We've sort of probably had three horses that we were looking to go, but mainly just if Keegan Sahara was going. So with her injury set back, we'll stay home with the other ones.
Speaker 2And Leap to Fame was impressive on Saturday night. He just did what he needed to do. He beat Dashing in full real life. But I hope he wins a New Zealand Cup, Will. It would be fitting that the champion and his record and what he's been able to do for the sport that he has a New Zealand Cup in his trophy cabinet.
Speaker 24Yeah, it seems as though it's the one they really want, doesn't it, Gareth? So, yeah, I mean, it would. I think the Kiwis would really enjoy it as well. So, but it's always good to see him have a race on his hand too. So, yeah, it looks as though it's going to be another terrific race. It's one of the best race days, isn't it?
Speaker 2Have you had a chat to Grant Dixon? It's Inter-Dominion night when he unfairly criticised you there on that night. Has he apologised to you yet, Will? No, he hasn't. Might be far away. I reckon when he sees you at the races, he'll say, sorry, Will.
Speaker 24Yeah, I haven't seen him. But, yeah, he hasn't got my number to reach out. So, anyway, you've got to move on from these things.
Speaker 2Yes, we do, don't we, Paddy? Like, people apologise to you all the time, Patrick, don't they?
Speaker 25Oh, yeah, they do, G. I hope I don't upset too many. But that's the way the game goes, isn't it? I like, you'd love to see Will and Grant, you know, sit down over a cup of tea and dissect the race again, wouldn't you?
Speaker 24Yes, yes. I think Paddy always apologised for Jason. So, Gareth, when he doesn't go to the races that often. But, you know, it's the way Jason can get stirred up in races. I think when he does go to the races, he's got to apologise for him.
Speaker 2Yes, yes. Just with the WA Derby, I'm stealthy 250. Have time for Mickey 350. D-Max $6. I reckon Soho Trump 7. And any of those horses I mentioned that are drawn to lead, they're probably nearly the horses to beat. Is that fair, Will?
Speaker 24I think if I'm stealthy or have time that Mickey drew to lead, they'd be favourite and the ones to beat. But I do think have time to Mickey and I'm stealthy can probably still overcome a bad draw. And I think, yeah, have time that Mickey's the one to beat for me. His run the other night was huge. Nearly broke the track record and I think Greg Bond's come out to say he thinks he's his next minstrel. So it's a pretty big wrap.
Speaker 2That is a big wrap from the great trainer, G Bond. And Sky Bond does a mighty job as well. Now, there's some news breaking. And I like you. You're a very powerful man, Will Rickson. But you've actually got the whip changed. The whip rule changed. So Australian Harness Racing Rule 156 whip rule amendments. Harness Racing Victoria wishes to advise participants of recent amendments to the. The Australian Harness Racing Rule AHR 156 regarding whip use as outlined in the HRA industry notice whip rule amendments. The amended rule will come into effect nationally from the 1st of January. And the rule changes are a driver shall only apply the whip and or the rein in the wrist only flicking motion whilst holding a rein in each hand with the tip of the whip pointed forward for the purposes of a set paragraph wrist only flicking motion. So what does that all mean? What does that all mean then, Will?
Speaker 24Well, I was talking to the stewards the other night and they sort of said it's going to be exactly like New Zealand. New Zealand are a little bit stricter than us at the moment with their whip rules. So yeah, it's just wrist really. You can't use your arm. Okay. From the 1st of January, it's Australia wide. So yeah, I don't think I had anything to do with that at all. So I don't know where that comes from, but don't believe everything you hear.
Speaker 2Yeah, well, it looks like. that Jason Grimson won't be able to drive in New Zealand then if those are the whip rules because he'll get suspended for sure, really.
Speaker 24Yeah, he drove yesterday and I don't know if he got fined or not. So yeah, he'll have to be careful there.
Speaker 2Did you notice yesterday's race at Ashburton? What a great performance by Marketplace in getting beaten. I must say that if it was the mid-80s at Harold Park, the joint would have been burnt down, gave up the death, gave up a chance to get a trail and park five back on the fence after being second to jump. That was staggering. I missed that, Mark. Did you see that, Paddy?
Speaker 25Yeah, I did watch that race, G. But interesting early because he had to pull back past about four to five horses to get back behind where he wanted to. But up the straight, geez, he rattled home. I would have loved to have seen his last quarter. Did you happen to get that, Gareth?
Speaker 2No, was it a bad. So was it a bad drive? I missed it yesterday.
Speaker 25Well, I don't really know whether, you know, their tactics are to make sure that they've got the horse in, you know, A1 class for Cup Day, and they're just making sure they weren't wanting to get caught first over as he does have that high sheer speed and, you know, maybe tending to dragging back and find the rails. But it was just, you know, sort of a funny one to sort of work out. You know, you drag so far back and sort of take your chances away of winning the race nearly.
Speaker 2I'm just watching the replay now, Paddy. It was a disgraceful drive. Like, what was he doing, really? Obviously, he just treaded it like a trial wheel.
Speaker 24Well, I think the owners would have been more than happy, but the punters possibly not.
Speaker 2Well, in that situation, the stewards need to do something there. You can't. Like, I know what you. I know you're trying to look after your horse, but don't race it. Trial it. Don't go to the races if you're going to drive it like that.
Speaker 24It was only a neck away from pulling it off. Would have been the best drive of all time.
Speaker 2I know, but it was a disgraceful drive, really. He just needed to drive it and put in a race. But anyway, I can't. It was a big effort. Like, he's nearly going to be the horse to beat, doesn't he, in the New Zealand Cup after watching that. He sprinted like I'm the mighty Quinn Patrick.
Speaker 25Yeah, he did, Jay. He was just moving his head around a little bit funny, too, when he sprinted. So, it'll be interesting to see. I know he's always sort of had the tax to move his head around a little bit and that when he runs, but if they could saw that out a little bit as well, I think he'd even go faster. But, yeah. It was a funny one to sort of dissect, Jay, but I can see both sides of it and it's a hard one when you're a trainer and owner of a horse as well. But, yeah, maybe it's a hard one for the punters to take.
Speaker 2Yeah, it is a very hard one. I can understand your pain. There's about 10 messages coming through regarding. At least, that's good for harness race. At least people are watching Ashburton in New Zealand. But, yeah, if you backed him, you'd be dirty. There's no doubt about that. Luke McCarthy might get the drive for the New Zealand Cup. Get off Kingman, really? You reckon he'll get moved off Kingman, Jay? Well, you probably. Depending if he puts some. Marketplace has to go into different. Like Todd's name. Yeah, yeah. Oh, we won't go there anyway. You had a good week, Paddy. Your team's flying. Have you got a winner for us?
Speaker 25Yeah, back to a bit of better form where we needed to be, Jay. I think we'll maybe just follow Keyang Viper in no certainties this week. She's back in again on Saturday night. She's had a really good. Good, solid month of racing. So, yeah, she's going really well.
Speaker 2All right. And the dadly wrap, thanks to the Lillydale Instant Lawn, Australian family-owned quality turf delivered on time, every time. Our roots run deep. What's your special this weekend? Or this week there? Come on, Rick. You've got a lift.
Speaker 24Will Rickson. I'm not going to tip any of mine on Saturday night, Gareth, because I really want to win. And my tips have been terrible.
Speaker 2Because you've got to lose his attitude.
Speaker 24You've got to have a winner's attitude. Say, I will win.
Speaker 2I will tip him a winner.
Speaker 24All right. We'll go with Gunner Reload then, Saturday night. She's short, but she's drawn well. And she'll be very hard to beat.
Speaker 2Yeah. Gunner Reload's short, but we're going to lead. I'm going to drive it aggressively. It's the best horse in the race. I'm the best driver, and I'll win. That's how you say it. Way to go.
Speaker 24Hopefully, Cam Hart's not in the race.
Speaker 2No, stuff Cam Hart. Hopefully, Craig Ferguson's in the race for your sake. You'd be home. Good God, you will. Thank you, Paddy. Don't play second fiddle, Will. Just launch. Yes, yes. Thank you. Thank you, Paddy Lee. Thank you, Will Rickson. And that is facing the breeze. Thanks to Garrett's Horse and Hound. If you miss any of our segments, including our breeding bloodstock segment, thanks to Pride's Easy Feed, which delivers balanced nutrition, supporting performance, recovery, condition, and overall horse well-being every day, all you need to do is subscribe to Giddy Up with Garrett Hall, with your local podcast subscriber. That is it for Giddy Up. Have a great day. We'll catch you again tomorrow.
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