A gear change for Winx, a Japanese rider that will be based in Sydney for the rest of the year and an update on the Golden Slipper winner She Will Reign headline this week's around the track column from Rosehill.
GEAR CHANGE FOR WINX IN CHELMSFORD STAKES
Chris Waller has announced that Winx will run in the ear muffs for the first time when she contests the Group II Chelmsford Stakes (1600m) at Randwick next week.
Earlier this week Winx did some barrier work at Rosehill with a barrier blanket on as the trainer looks for ways to curb her "enthusiasm" in the barriers which saw her give rivals a four length start in the Warwick Stakes.
Waller has elected not to use the barrier blanket in the Chelmsford Stakes but says the mare will race in her ear muffs for the first time.
"We had the barrier blanket on her earlier in the week and was fine but Hugh said 'that's her' she's not a dangerous horse, she just gets a bit of fright from time to time," Waller said.
"That's her general nature, she's a very explosive horse and all the punters would have seen her wearing the ear muffs in her trackwork, she works every day in them from the day she comes in from the spelling farm to the day she goes out.
"It just helps block out the background noise.
"We are doing something different. We're leaving the ear muffs on during the race."
Waller said Winx's ear muffs are "made of wet suit material" and block out "about 20 percent of the noise". He hopes they will have a positive effect on the mare in the barriers.
How did she do that!?
— TAB (@tabcomau) August 19, 2017
After missing the start Winx fights through the pack and makes it 18 straight wins in the Warwick Stakes.#GoWinxpic.twitter.com/K4x31h2k5d
GOLDEN SLIPPER WINNER ALL GOOD AFTER TRIAL
Trainer Gary Portelli says Golden Slipper heroine She Will Reign bounced out of her first three-year-old trial at Warwick Farm on Friday.
Portelli said the filly was "straight into her tucker" last night and "had a swim" on Saturday morning.
"She's come through it great," Portelli said. "She's a tough little thing and thrives when I start to put her under a bit of pressure."
Portelli said it's his intention to trial the filly again on September 19 at Rosehill before she heads to Melbourne for her first-up assignment in the Group I Moir Stakes (1000m) on September 29.
Meanwhile stablemate Single Bullet, who beat She Will Reign in the Warwick Farm trial on Friday will resume in three weeks in the Heritage Stakes (1100m) at Randwick.
"I think he races best on the fresh side," Portelli said. "He's come back really well.
"His long-term target in the Magic Millions three-year-old race in January."
Chautauqua and She Will Reign begin their climb toward #TheEverest with impressive trials at #WarwickFarm. pic.twitter.com/B3Wo3cBvpA
— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) August 24, 2017
JAPANESE JOCKEY JOINS THE WALLER TEAM
A Japanese apprentice who's ridden more than 80 winners has joined the Chris Waller stable for the next four months.
Ryoya Kozaki will spend the remainder of the year with the powerful Sydney stable.
"He's a pretty good rider," Waller said. "We watched a few of videos when we were considering to bring him over and he is quite impressive.
"To ride more than 80 winners in the JRA shows how good a rider he is. It's a serious level of competition over there."
Waller said Kozaki will kick off on the provincial circuit.
Here's a couple of replays of some of Kozaki's recent rides in Japan.
Hakodate – July 9, Condition Race (1200m) -green cap, green colours
Hakodate – June 24, Listed Onuma Stakes (1700m) - red cap, white/red colours
Niigata - May 21, Maiden (1200m) - green cap, light blue/black stripe colours
CLARK GIVEN THE ALL-CLEAR BY STEWARDS
Stewards took no further action against jockey Tim Clark when they concluded an inquiry into his ride aboard Washington Heights at Rosehill two weeks ago.
Washington Heights was held up for much of the straight after Clark stayed to the inside of the track from the home turn. The Gerald Ryan-trained galloper finished fourth.
Stewards found there were "no integrity issues" on the race after reviewing the betting action as well as looking at trainer Gerald Ryan's contact with the horse's owners prior to the race.
"Our view was the best option was to come out because that would have, in our opinion, given him clear running but what he did at the top of the straight, staying to the inside and attempting a run behind the second favourite Tom Melbourne wasn't unreasonable, not captured by the rules," chief steward Marc Van Gestel said.
FORD FIRING ON ALL CYLINDERS
In 2016/17 Jay Ford rode 17 metropolitan winners in Sydney but he's charged out of the blocks this season.
Over the past two weeks Ford has booted home four city winners – Kingsguard, The Pharoah, Heartlings and, on Saturday Mossman Gorge.
"It's been a good couple of weeks," Ford said.
"You have to have the horse underneath you and lately I've been lucky enough to get some good rides and we've been getting the job done."
The lightweight rider's form has been noticed by plenty of trainers including Sydney's best Chris Waller and Godolphin trainer James Cummings, both of whom have been utilising Ford of late.
Mossman Gorge shows plenty of speed and holds off Nic's Vendetta and Lifesaver to win the TAB Highway Handicap at #Rosehill. pic.twitter.com/TbA0P3mRgp
— Sky Racing (@SkyRacingAU) August 26, 2017
PERFECT NEW START FOR FORMER VICTORIAN APPRENTICE
Victorian apprentice Thomas Sadler made a winning debut for his new stable when guiding the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Social Element to an easy maiden win at Newcastle on Saturday.
Sadler, the son of trainer John Sadler, joined the Tulloch Lodge team in recent weeks "for an indefinite period".
The 23-year-old, has had more than his share of ups-and-downs in recent times but has "plenty of potential" according to Waterhouse who in recent years brought the likes of Nash Rawiller, Blake Shinn and Brenton Avdulla to Sydney from Melbourne.
