Briefs for 10th November 2014

3 minute read

Chambord comes through surgery well; Captain Cook on Group One winner’s programme; Way In for Tauranga; Kiwi to chase Zipping honours.

Chambord comes through surgery well

Chambord faces a lengthy period of recovery from the injury that halted his preparation for Wednesday’s Gr.2 Coupland’s Bakeries Mile.

The Zabeel four-year-old suffered a cannon bone fracture in his final gallop at Matamata on Saturday morning and has undergone surgery at the Hamilton Veterinary Services clinic.

“It went very well, no complications, and he’s had three screws inserted,” trainer Jason Bridgman said. “The surgeon Greg Quinn was very happy with the ways things went.”

Runner-up in last season’s Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas, Chambord was the pre-post Coupland’s favourite following his second placing in the Listed Matamata Cup.

Captain Cook on Group One winner’s programme

Pure Champion is preparing for a tilt at another major Central Districts prize.

Winner of the Gr.1 Windsor Park Plate and third in the Gr.1 Makfi Challenge Stakes, the well-travelled galloper is on target for next month’s Gr.1 Captain Cook Stakes at Trentham.

“He’s coming along really well and feels amazing,” said his Matamata co-trainer Andrew Scott, who rides Pure Champion in much of his work.

The Irish-bred Pure Champion had a week off after he was unplaced in the Gr.1 Spring Classic, in which he over-raced when caught three wide in the open from a wide gate.

Way In for Tauranga

Stakes performer Way In will be back in action at Tauranga on Saturday.

“That should be a good guide and then we’ll look at the Listed race at Ellerslie on November 29,” trainer Shaune Ritchie said, referring to the Listed Trevor Eagle Memorial.

“She hasn’t had a lot of luck this time around and she’s a very good second tier type of filly. We avoided going to Riccarton – she couldn’t have beaten O’Marilyn down there anyway.”

Way In has won twice from 11 starts with has Listed placings in the Karaka Million and the Murdoch Newell Stakes also on her record.

Kiwi to chase Zipping honours

New Zealand-bred stayer Prince Of Penzance is a likely $A350,000 Gr.2 Zipping Classic (2400m) contender.

Trainer Darren Weir favours a quick back-up this weekend for the Pentire gelding, who finished runner-up in the Gr.3 Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Flemington last Saturday.

"I’d say this bloke will go to Sandown and I wouldn’t mind just a little bit of chop in the ground,” he said.

"He’s Kiwi-bred and most of them seem to like racing on the back-up. I guess there’s only one way to find out.”