The Spring Brief (10/09/2012) – Shamexpress, More Joyous, Strawberry Boy

Here is The Spring Brief, your daily wrap of the racing headlines:

• Shamexpress, who rocketed home for third first up in the Group 3 McNeil Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield, will be the only late entry for Saturday’s Group 1 Golden Rose (1400m). The barrier draw is at 11am tomorrow at Sydney’s The Star, with Nechita the $2.70 favourite. She will be ridden by underrated jockey Christian Reith. Other confirmed runners include All Too Hard, Epaulette, Albrecht, Kabayan, Your Song, Ninth Legion and Ashokan. Amorino is also a likely runner.
• More Joyous is set to meet a small field when she resumes in Saturday’s Listed Sheraco Stakes (1200m). Already, Chris Waller has elected to steer clear with last start winner Dystopia, who instead runs in the Group 2 Theo Marks Stakes (1300m). Waller may also run Shoot Out in the Theo Marks, but he may head first up to the Group 1 George Main Stakes (1600m). The Theo Marks is also expected to feature the likes of Pinwheel.
• Strawberry Boy will now head to Saturday’s Group 3 Kingston Town Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill instead of the following week’s Group 3 Naturalism Stakes (2000m) at Caulfield. Trainer Gai Waterhouse is concerned that he will not make the Naturalism field, so has opted to play it safe. Waterhouse plans to send him to the Turnbull Stakes provided he win the Kingston Town. He will be Waterhouse’s only runner, with Glencadam Gold heading to Thursday week’s Group 3 Newcastle Gold Cup (2300m) and Julienas set to use the Group 3 Colin Stephen Quality (2400m) as his Metropolitan lead up.
• Saturday’s Group 2 Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley will see Green Moon have a look at Moonee Valley prior to a possible Cox Plate tilt. He may be joined by stablemates Midas Touch and Tanby. Other likely runners include Rekindled Interest, Linton, Happy Trails and Sneak a Peek.

• French raider Brigantin is a confirmed runner in both Cups, with young gun Mickael Barzalona to take the ride. Barzalona’s only just turned 21 but his resume is very impressive – he won last year’s Epsom Derby on Pour Moi, before taking out this year’s Dubai World Cup on Monterosso. The horse enters quarantine on Thursday night, along with all horses on the first shipment. There are expected to be 16-18 horses in the first batch, including the likes of Dunaden, Americain, Red Cadeaux, Jakkalberry, Mount Athos, Quest For Peace, Afsare, Ibicenco, Prairie Star, Gatewood, Tac de Boistron and Galileo’s Choice. Gerald Mosse has been confirmed as the rider for Americain in Melbourne.
• Victorian jockeys are threatening to go on strike after injured jockey Katelyn Mallyon was kicked out of the female jockey rooms on two occasions in the past week. Victorian Jockeys Association chief Des O’Keeffe has given Racing Victoria until the close of business today to apologise to Mallyon and allow her to enter the jockey rooms or else strike action will be considered.
• Rick Hore-Lacy’s Chase The Rainbow is out of the spring after he pulled up lame at trackwork on Friday. He had returned with a brilliant victory at Caulfield a week and a half ago, and was being aimed at the Caulfield Cup.