A decision to turn down offers from Hong Kong paid dividends when Takedown stamped himself as a Champagne Stakes contender at Rosehill on Saturday. "There were plenty of offers after the Black Opal, but we are only starting out here [in Australia] and want to keep our good horses," trainer Gary Moore said after his group 3 The Schweppervescence win. "I spoke to [the] owners [and] said he is only two and there is plenty of time for him." Moore rated Takedown's win as satisfying as anything he achieved in the saddle, which included seven Hong Kong premierships and an Arc de Triomphe win in 1981, after scoring his first city victory since returning to Sydney. "When he walked in the front door the first day my staff said, 'oh no, not him'," Moore said of the hulking gelding. "But the first week he was light on his feet and I called [Widden Stud's] Antony Thompson and said, 'we've got a horse here. This horse can gallop'. I knew the blinkers were going to be the turning point for him." Moore was actually tossing up whether to head bush for the Wellington Boot on Sunday, but opted to remain in Sydney with an eye on the group 1 Champagne Stakes at the end of the carnival. "He gave me a bit of a kick today," jockey Kerrin McEvoy said. "He's not a first-gear to fourth-gear horse, he's more of a building type."
CALM MCDONALD GUIDES HAURAKI TO ROSEHILL WIN
Godolphin made a late play for Australian Derby honours after Hauraki capped a red-letter day for the international breeding and racing giant with a win in the group 2 Tulloch Stakes at Rosehill on Saturday. Under an ice-cool ride from retained rider James McDonald, Hauraki weaved his way through the field to post an ever-widening 2-length win from Omeros. "We always felt he could win a Derby and probably tried to be a bit greedy along the way and get an Australian Guineas as well," trainer John O'Shea said. "But we've got him back to Sydney and going well and hopefully next Saturday he will run well." John Sargent's Omeros also stamped himself a potential Derby threat with a pleasing run in second while Mike Moroney's Merion was third. The New Zealanders will have a large say in the Derby courtesy of Rosehill Guineas winner Volkstok'n'barrell and Mongolian Khan, both of which need to topple Chris Waller's Victoria Derby hero Preferment.
WINTER HOTSHOTS
Godolphin's next wave is starting to come through, with Rosehill first-up winners Medcaut and Generalife likely to focus on the Brisbane winter carnival. The early double for the boys in blue could be a good pointer towards the winter. Generalife had won twice at listed level last year but could be in for a big campaign after he added the group 3 Star Kingdom Stakes to his resume. He nosed out Target In Sight and Hot Snitzel in a blanket finish and Godolphin trainer John O'Shea believes he can continue to step up. "He is a very good sprinter and will progress to the Hall Mark Stakes and then there are races like the BTC Cup, Doomben 10,000 and Stradbroke for him in Brisbane," O'Shea said. "He is that sort of horse that is hitting his straps and we will just let him show us how far he can go." Medcaut had been impressive around the mile in the summer but sprinted well. "I think that summer form is going to be very good. He has been working well at home and we have him aimed at the Hawkesbury Cup," he said. "There are some nice races for him if he keeps stepping up."
HE'S YOUR MAN DIES
Chris Waller has provided stewards with data from E-Trakka for Epsom Handicap winner He's Your Man after the group 1 winner died suddenly after a routine trackwork gallop at Rosehill on Saturday. He's Your Man's trackwork rider eased the horse after he didn't feel right at the 300-metre mark of his gallop and it later collapsed. Waller will also hand over treatment records for the horse. "The only saving grace I've got it was very peaceful," Waller said. The six-year-old created a huge impression last spring when nosing out stablemate Royal Descent in the Epsom before running second in the Mackinnon Stakes. He was group 1-placed this campaign in the Chipping Norton Stakes.
