Don’t discard country form entirely, that message was loud and clear after the all way win of Just Wonderful at Sandown yesterday.

The gelding was well beaten at Ararat, his one and only start; there was plenty of money to say he could win as he started at odds.

Times have changed, no longer are maiden races taken for granted, they are well patronised by leading trainers at present.

Colours Easy To Pick

There was no mistaking the colours carried by Sandown winner, Bel Seal, whilst it was some years ago they are still fresh in the mind of those that saw Light Fingers defeat her stable mate Ziema in 1965, wearing white blue spots and cap.

The following year Light Fingers finished second to Galilee, she had to give him 1kg in weight, however, it made little difference as he was the best horse that Bart Cummings trained.

Royal Glance Remains Unbeaten

Royal Glance kept her unbeaten record intact when she accounted for her opposition in the Mistable Handicap at Sandown yesterday.

No one is complaining, least of all not Mitchell Freedman, a young man who has joined the ranks of trainers; he is enjoying his immediate success.

He is preparing his horses out of Warrnambool, a great racing town that has always been a popular training centre way back since Gerry Moloney won the Grand National Steeplechase with Belar.

Royal Glance is by King Of Roses out of David Haines’s most successful families.

“I’ll be back!” that was the comment made by Paul Richards after the win of Natuzzi in the Pink Ribbon Cup at Caulfield.

Horse and trainer have been currently staying in Cranbourne for the past few weeks, waiting for the right race to come along.

It all came to fruition when the gelding won the Pink Ribbon Cup, and he only needs to keep licking the feed bin clean throughout the week to be back at Caulfield next Saturday.

Natuzzi winning the Pink Ribbon Cup

Richards was not complaining about the stakes money either, as it was much better than a Group race back in his native New Zealand.

In winning, Natuzzi had to come across from a wide gate and never saw much of the inside rail, if any, he was forced to race midfield for the majority of the trip.

The gelding had quite a bit of form in New Zealand, he was a last start winner at Trentham over 1200 metres and had been placed in the Group1 Telegraph Handicap to Irish Fling.

Bookmakers were taking no risks with him; he drifted slightly from his opening quote but was still kept safe.

The five year old gelding was ridden by Chris Johnson, he had his one and only ride at Caulfield back in around 1990, but the name of the horse escapes him.

Chris Johnson and Paul Richards

Racing lost a popular and well known identify with the passing of farrier, Graeme McKnight.

He was employed as the race day farrier, when he failed to arrive at Sandown races last week there was concern for his welfare.

Sadly his body was discovered in a horse arena on his property at Nar Nar Goon North, by a neighbour.

Graeme was the official race day farrier at Flemington, Caulfield and Moonee Valley, plus courses in the previous Port Philip Association Pakenham, Cranbourne, Mornington and Yarra Glen.

As well as being a respected member of the race day team he was a gentleman and a popular figure, we will miss him

Mick Price Training Treble

A two state training double is not uncommon; however, a three state treble is another story.

Caulfield trainer, Mick Price, achieved that on Saturday, an occasion he is never likely to forget, an amazing feat.

The successful treble opened up early when the unraced Pressing put paid to those that opposed him in the Minty Green Plate at Caulfield.

He came from behind to win, aided by a run along the rails he gives the impression he will get further.

Stable foreman, the ever reliable Mick Nolan, liked what he saw saying, “the colt travelled well in running, while the leader, Petrology, might have been stopping a bit, our colt was finishing on.”

Whether Pressing will go on and have another run this time in is yet to be announced, he could be put away and come back for the spring.

Halle Rock provided Price with his double at Caulfield when she came from near last to swamp the leaders in the concluding stages of the Cath White Memorial Handicap.

The race proved a skinner for bookmakers as she was almost friendless in the ring, starting at $21.00.

Punters sent Tango’s Daughter out, a warm favourite at Morphettville, there was no need for concern, she had quite a bit on her rivals in winning the Listed H C Nitschke Stakes.

The icing on the cake was Lankan Rupee, he dazzled his rivals with pace, from gate one he was never in any danger of defeat at any stage of the race.

Oakleigh Plate, Newmarket Handicap, T J Smith, toss in the Rubiton Stakes what do you have? The best sprinter in the world.

Lancan Rupee has won nine of his 15 starts, earning $2.781 million in prize money.

Racing Victoria has advised that all Flemington and Caulfield based trainers complied yesterday with R V stewards with unimpeded access to their stables.

The provision of keys, pin codes and swipe cards, to facilitate entry into these stables have been afforded in accordance, R V’s stable inspection strategy which has, and will continue to require trainers to provide unimpeded access to stables during training hours and on race days.

Access to the stables of licensed persons is granted to the stewards under the provisions of Australian Rule of Racing 8B.

Whilst the request or the provision of keys, pin codes and swipe cards has been made of Flemington and Caulfield based trainers, only at this time this policy will apply throughout Victoria where stewards identify difficulties in accessing the stables of licensed persons.

The keys, pin codes and swipe cards supplied by trainers will be secured in a safe in a restricted area within Racing Victoria’s Integrity Department, which is under 24 hour security surveillance.

The colours, red, blue cap, carried by Platinum Spin in his maiden jumping win at Sandown, have a long and successful history.

They are the silks that were prominent in the Riverina more than fifty years ago, worn by the late Roy Higgins when riding for Jack Freyer.

They proved a formidable team, when Higgins was still a claiming apprentice it was Freyer that discovered Higgins, he was responsible for giving the young rider his first winning ride on Tauri at Flemington.

City trainers would never go out of their way to engage a little known country based apprentice that nobody had heard of, even city apprentices were soon forgotten once they out rode their claim.

In most instances apprentices in those times were nothing more than cheap labour, mucking out boxes, grooming horses for a dollar a week and your keep, if you were lucky.

That is where Higgins was lucky; he was with the right man in Jack Freyer, he gave him the opportunity to become a success, Roy’s career blossomed thereafter.

Sires Winner For Sires

Zululand, winner of V R C Sire’s Produce Stakes, will be out to emulate Tulloch when he runs in the AT C Sire’ Produce Stakes at Randwick on Saturday.

Tulloch was the last dual Sire’winner at Flemington and Randwick when he defeated Todman who had won the Golden Slipper Stakes at his previous start.

Zululand went into the Sires as a maiden at Flemington; it will be quite unique if he can repeat the win at Randwick.

Zululand wins the Sires at Flemington

Zoustar Doubt If Track Is Slow

Zoustar is unlikely to run in the $2.5 million T J Smith Stakes at Randwick on Saturday if the track is on the slow side.

No chances will be taken with the expensive colt who is destined for stud duties in the coming spring.

Whether he is bomb proof or not is another question, he didn’t show up for long in the Galaxy, in fact he was disappointing.

If he does not run on Saturday there is nothing much left for him, Brisbane may be an option, and if its Royal Ascot there will need to be some quick decisions.