Here’s to horse names, the Annabel Neasham onslaught, the new J-Mac, and Melbourne following the Sydney race glut with 10 events.
Official race broadcaster Darren Flindell is scheduled to get his tongue around Asgoodassobergets and Manbehindthemoney from the Neasham stable in the Racing For Good Handicap at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.
Trainer Annabel Neasham has a strong hand in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne.Credit: Nick Moir
Neasham promises to be an impact player not only at Rosehill but Ipswich, where she features in the major events on the eastern seaboard: the Ipswich Cup, the Eyeliner and the Gai Waterhouse Classic.
Imports As-good-as-sober-gets and Man-behind-the-money (spaced here for the reader’s convenience) adhere to the Australian limit of 18 characters (including spaces and apostrophes) for registering names. Often the breeding influences nomenclature, and jumbling is allowed.
Apart from representatives in most Rosehill events, Neasham, who has 148 winners so far this season – only her third – looks set to be productive at up north with the easier to pronounce Numerion and Regal Lion (Ipswich Cup), Holyfield (Eyeliner Stakes), and Fashchanel (Gai Waterhouse).
Down south, New Zealand apprentice Wiremu Pinn is booked for every Flemington event – now nine but going to an unappetising extra in the new season due to revenue shortfalls that will necessitate prizemoney cuts.
Wiremu Pinn returns to scale on Born Hustler. Credit: Getty
Few racing people like 10 races – particularly punters – but the double figure appeases the turnover god; thus Melbourne is forced to follow Sydney.
Racing in the Emerald City is riding high on the talent of apprentices Zac Lloyd, Dylan Gibbons and Tyler Schiller. They trail only James McDonald in the local premiership, whereas in Melbourne the up-and-coming saddle talent looks less stimulating.
Pinn arrived recently on a three-month loan from across the ditch with a three-kilo claim that was an official mistake concerning his winners.
He kicked home a successful Sandown treble last Saturday with the aplomb of fellow Kiwi J-Mac before the claim was corrected to two kilograms. Pinn made light of losing the kilo by scoring on Born Hustler (out of Joint Aspiration) at Sandown on Wednesday.
Pinn will handle Dolphin Skin against the unbeaten Steparty (by Artie Schiller out of Watch Your Step) in the Rod Johnson Handicap, which is named after one of Victoria’s foremost racing administrators. Steparty downed Dolphin Skin by three lengths ;last start but meets her four kilos worse this time – plus the Pinn factor and a possible claim.
Pinn’s leverage could also come into play in the Murray Cox Handicap against Neasham’s Hopeful, which is burdened with 60kg against his mount Le Baol on the 54kg limit. Le Baol has been turned with jumps trials.
Neasham scratched Manbehindthemoney in the Tab Handicap to rely on Naval College, Claim The Crown and Fawkner Park, thus presenting a Chris Waller-type conundrum of which is the better stablemate.
Waller, who is set to network at Royal Ascot advocating the prosperity of Australian racing and Sydney in particular, will oppose her with Tony Be and Estadio Mestalla.
The leading trainer has the weight and gate horse, Bold Mac, in the McKell Cup – the feature event at Rosehill – where Neasham’s Bois D’Argent (Great Britain) is strongly fancied following a last-start triumph.
Neasham has made her name with imports and has accepted with the promising Space Tracker and Vintage Choice, both from Ireland, in the Furphy Handicap, where the local African Daisy is easy on the ear and possibly pleasant of the eye.
On the flexibility of modern monikers, Bun In The Oven recently rang loud in a Victorian race call. She is by Reward For Effort out of Joyous Lady. Yes, names have become longer and more risque.
