NZTN+May+9

8 NZTM News FRIDAY 9 MAY 2014moreNEWS IN BRIEFStud eyes Australia with SkysoblueConnections of Skysoblue (NZ) (CapeCross) are considering Australian optionsto cash in on the Group performer’sreturn to form.The Oaks Stud-bred and ownedmare is a dud on heavily rain-affectedgoing and the Cambridge farm’s generalmanager Rick Williams is looking furtherafield for suitable opportunities for her.“She’s useless on the slow and heavytracks so the Rotorua Cup is out and I’llhave a look at the New South Wales andVictorian programmes to see what thereis for her,” he said.“She’s right at the top of her gameand we could do a hit and run raid onSaturday week if there’s something thereor maybe stay for a couple of races.” Fullstory here.Innovation set to add to recordImproving Cambridge mareInnovation (NZ) (Keeper) is on target toadd to her collection of black type titles.In her second appearance on hercurrent preparation, the Keeper five-yearoldfinished a last-start sixth in the ListedAnzac Mile when caught in the worst ofthe ground.Trainer Ralph Manning will sendher back to Awapuni on May 17 for hernext assignment, the Listed James BullRangitikei Gold Cup, a race she finishedthird in last season.Innovation has won seven races,including at Listed level the TaurangaClassic, the Ag Challenge Stakes and theMatamata Cup.Atlante (Fastnet Rock)Atlante in the Hawkes campNew Zealand 2000 Guineas winnerAtlante (Fastnet Rock) will do his futureracing in Australia under the TeamHawkes banner.The Fastnet Rock colt is currently ona break after a Sydney carnival campaignfor Cambridge trainers Murray Baker andAndrew Forsman that was thwarted byrain-affected going.“He’s spelling at Wild Oaks nearHawkesbury and he’s now under theguidance of the Hawkes operation,” saidMasterton-based bloodstock agent BrucePerry, who oversees the New Zealandbloodstock interests of Atlante’s partownerLib Petagna.“He will target the good spring mileraces and it’s too difficult to get him backhere and then get him ready because heneeds good ground.” Full story here.Search Squad has no luck finding gooddrawTrainer Doug Harrison’s frustrationwith wide barrier draws has continuedwith Search Squad (NZ) (Falkirk)allocated another difficult gate forSaturday’s Flemington assignment.Since he won his maiden at Bairnsdalein March from barrier two, Search Squadhas started from gates 14, 10, 16 and ninein four subsequent runs.He again faces a tough task atFlemington where he has drawn barrier17 for the Secondbite Fresh Food RescueHandicap.Harrison expressed frustration atthe three-year-old’s tough sequence ofdraws, especially given his belief that thegelding was in prime condition for hisfirst attempt at 1400m.“They must just put him in theoutside stall and work the others inaround him,” Harrison said.“It’s a shame because he’s workedreally well since his win at Sandown.”A forecast for rain has providedHarrison with some small consolation asthe trainer has no concerns about SearchSquad handling wet ground despite anunplaced run at his only outing on a slowtrack.“I think he’ll handle a wet track andmost of the Falkirk’s do handle that sortof ground,” Harrison said.“I thought the 1400 (metres) wouldbe ideal for him as well.”AAP TURFJames’ Guineas hopes fadeRoger James has all but given up hisGr.2 Queensland Guineas aspirations forprogressive Zabeel filly Katie’s Cove (NZ),who ran second in last weekend’s Gr.3Hawkesbury Guineas.“I thought the run was enormous andwithout a great deal of luck really,” Jamessaid.“Unfortunately, I took her there toamass some more money to try andget her into the Queensland Guineasfield … and she needed to win and thatwould have given her enough to get intothe Guineas, but now it’s looking verydoubtful she will.”James said Katie’s Cove could contestthe Gr.3 A$125,000 Fred Best Classic(1350m) for three-year-old fillies atDoomben on Saturday week in order toattempt to secure crucial stakes money toseal a spot in the A$350,000 QueenslandGuineas (1600m) at Eagle Farm on May31, but he believed it wasn’t an ideallead-up.“I’m looking at all alternatives andprobably the best one is just to go to athree-year-old 1400m in Sydney in threeweeks’ time worth $A85,000 and thenbring her home and that might set her upfor Melbourne in the spring.”Listen to Roger James hereOrbity out for the winterInjury will prevent the dual stakeswinning filly Orbity (NZ) (Magic Albert)from making the most of her favouritetime of the year.After two preparatory runs, she hasbeen sidelined by a leg problem and willgo to the paddock for a lengthy break.“Unfortunately, she’s gone amiss andwe’ve had to turn her out for the winter,”co-trainer Andrew Forsman said.“She’d had a couple of runs to get herready and she was coming up the rightway. She struck herself quite badly andwe’ve x-rayed the joints and it wasn’tlooking that flash so she’ll have a decentbreak before we reassess what we do.”Full story here.Ruud Awakening (Bernardini)Railway ideal target for RuudAwakeningChampion filly Ruud Awakening(Bernardini) will be a notable absenteefrom next season’s early weight-for-ageevents.Continued on next pageProudly promoting the New Zealand thoroughbred to the worldwww.nztm.co.nz