READ TODAY'S ISSUENEW GR 1 FOR REDOUTE’S CHOICE
Musir (2 c Redoute’s Choice – Dizzy de Lago, by Encosta de Lago) looked most impressive in running away with yesterday’s Golden Horseshoe (Gr 1) over 1400m at Greyville. Exclaim’nexclude (2 c Exceed And Excel) took third place. Big City Life (3 c Casey Tibbs) upset the older horses in the July Handicap (Gr 1). A full report on both races will appear in Monday’s issue.
LE HAVRE INJURED
This year’s Prix du Jockey-Club (Gr 1) winner Le Havre (Noverre) has suffered a career ending tendon injury and will not race again.
Le Havre was a €100,000 purchase from the 2007 Arqana Deauville August Yearling Sale by his trainer Jean-Claude Rouget. The plan was for the colt to run in the Prix Jacques Le Marois (Gr 1) in Deauville next month. Le Havre will stand at stud next year, however, his owner has said that it is too early to mention any names.
GOLD SALUTE LANDS WINTER CHAMPIONSHIP
Heffernan homebred 23rd SW for Testa Rossa
Popular Melbourne owner Kevin Heffernan has bred and raced a host of good horses over the past 30 years, nearly all of them carrying ‘Gold’ in their name. Yesterday his homebred Gold salute landed the valuable Winter Championship (Listed) at Flemington in good style to give Heffernan a welcome boost, writes Darryl Sherer. The octogenarian listened to the race on radio from hospital where he is being treated for a blood disorder.
Damian Oliver rode a canny race on Gold Salute, who started from a wide barrier. Oliver was trapped out three-wide most of the way but he did not panic and was happy to allow Gold Salute find his feet without pushing forward looking for cover. Well back and spotting the leaders some 12 lengths into the straight, Oliver asked the five-year-old for an effort and the response was decisive.
Gold Salute let down powerfully and he finished best of all to go on and score by a length from Benelli (I Conquer) with Famous Roman (Danetime) a further length and a quarter back in third.
An emotional Riley said it was a special win and said his association with Heffernan dated back to his days as a jockey when he won the Geelong Oaks Trial in 1980 for him on the Geoff Murphy-trained Pretty Fleur.