International chit chat

[NoChanceToDance]

For mmsc......

Maraahel set to return in 2008


Maraahel with Sir Michael Stoute after winning the Hardwicke Stakes

by David Milnes


MARAAHEL, who completed back-to-back wins in the Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot in June for Sir Michael Stoute, is expected to race on at the age of seven in 2008.

Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum's eight-time winner is on the market as a stallion prospect, but the owner has yet to receive a good enough offer to retire him.

Winner of nearly £1 million in win and place prize-money, Maraahel won three times last season, including his defeat of Scorpion at Royal Ascot.

The son of Alzao came close to ending his Group 1 losing sequence, which stands at 14, when beaten a short head by stablemate Notnowcato in the Juddmonte International at York in 2006.
Angus Gold, racing manager to Sheikh Hamdan, said: "As it stands we haven't had a good enough offer on Maraahel and it now looks probable that he will stay in training.

"He's wonderfully consistent and Sir Michael Stoute thinks that he would be up to winning again in Group company."

Maraahel would join a strong team of older horses at Freemason Lodge for 2008, as it is also set to include Ask, Distinction, Mountain High, Promising Lead, Hi Calypso and, possibly, Papal Bull.

[NoChanceToDance]

Munro faces panel in bid to be alllowed to ride again



by Lee Mottershead



ALAN MUNRO on Monday went before a panel of medical experts in the hope that they will recommend his return to the weighing room.

The Derby-winning rider, who has been forbidden from taking mounts since suffering convulsions on a flight to Deauville in August last year, appeared in front of the BHA's medical appeals panel, whose verdict will effectively determine his immediate future as a jockey.

Munro's agent Laura Way said: "Alan is fine and has been in China doing his karate while he's been off. He is fit and ready to go if, God willing, he is told that he will be allowed to ride again. There is nothing stopping him riding fitness-wise but we have not tempted fate by discussing when he would come back should he get the green light."

Munro, who admits to suffering "some sortof convulsion" twice in the past, was out of racing for four years before 2005, but returned to win 60 races that year, and another 49 in 2006 before he was stood down.

The rider's highest-profile win came on Generous in the 1991 Derby and, but for his illness, it is likely he would have been associated with this year's Derby winner Authorized.

[my miss storm cat]

THANK YOU for the Apache Cat and Maraahel news!!!!!

[my miss storm cat]

RP.....

Ahern given three-month disrepute ban

by Graham Green


EDDIE AHERN has been slapped with a three-month ban after becoming the first jockey in Britain to be found guilty of bringing racing into disrepute in relation to a riding offence – one described as “a shameful exhibition of riding” by the BHA's disciplinary panel.

The disciplinary panel decided Ahern deliberately flouted the whip rules at Southwell last Wednesday in order to trigger a suspension under the totting-up process with the aim of serving the resulting ban during a relatively quiet period, while also ensuring he begins the Flat turf season with a cleanrecord.

The suspension is likely to prove hugely costly for Ahern, the reigning all-weather champion, who is not only prevented from defending his title this winter but will also miss the potentially lucrative Dubai Carnival meetings. His punishment will serve as a warning to other riders tempted to manipulate the referral system to their advantage, although Ahern continued to deny having done so on Thursday night.

The severity of his ban was welcomed by the RSPCA's equine consultant David Muir, who contacted the ruling body following Ahern's riding of the Mick Quinlan-trained Marsam, who he hit up to 20 times in the last two furlongs at the Nottinghamshire track.

The racecourse stewards found Ahern guilty of using his whip with excessive force and frequency, in the wrong place and of marking the horse, before referring him to London as he had already been suspended for 33 days for misuse of the whip during the previous 12 months.

This incident came only a week after Ahern was strongly admonished about his future use of the whip by panel chair-man the Duke of Roxburghe when given an 11-day ban at Shaftesbury Avenue following his admission he had used it with excessive frequency aboard Storm Path at Kempton on November 28. On that occasion, the local stewards felt the offence merited more than the seven days they could give.

Emerging from Thursday's inquiry, Ahern appeared stunned, but after gathering his thoughts said he would not be appealing.

“I listened very carefully to what they had to say, and the way I rode the horse wasn't me,” said Ahern. “I apologised for the way I rode the horse.

“I'm just going to take a break now and I'll be back in April. Of course I didn't do it deliberately – no way did I want to be referred – I wasjust trying too hard to win. It's a big ban and I'm disappointed about it, but I'm not going to appeal. I want to move on, accept it, and make sure it never happens again.”

Muir, who plans to monitor Ahern's riding when he returns, said: “I believe the BHA has dealt with this matter appropriately in as much as the length of the suspension seems to be reasonable in the circumstances. My concern over the whole issue was that the racehorse had to be the subject of abuse.

“I think this sends a clear signal that this sort of behaviour will not be tolerated.”

The disciplinary panel noted that after winning the first race at Southwell, Ahern appeared at a stewards' inquiry at which he admitted using his whip with excessive force and “perhaps to his surprise was only given a caution”, which does not trigger the referral procedure. Marsam was his next mount, an hour later, and the panel rejected his explanation that he had been in the grip of “tunnel vision” for what they described as “a shameful exhibition of riding”.

Finding Ahern's conduct had been premeditated, and was a breach of rule 220 (iii), the panel “concluded that it was Ahern's real intention on December 12 to get all his suspensions out of the way as soon as possible. It was a ‘slate-cleaning' exercise on his part, to try to get all his ‘totting-up' penalty to run in January after his existing suspensions”.

Had this been an isolated whip offence, Ahern would have received a 24-day ban to which would have been added the totting-up penalty of 28 days. Now, the rider, already banned to January 3, faces a suspension running from January 4 to April 3 inclusive.

The panel added: “It is unacceptable that any jockey should commit an offence deliberately to trigger a ‘totting-up' penalty at a particular time, and no doubt the BHA will continue to monitor carefully the circumstances in which any jockey becomes liable to such a penalty.”

However, Noel Quinlan, the brother of Marsam's trainer, described the ban as “very harsh”, while John Hills, Ahern's biggest all-weather supporter this year in terms of rides, was also shocked at the length of the ban.

“I just can't believe it and it's very disappointing,” said Hills. “Not only would I have used Eddie on the all-weather, but I'm sending three nice horses to Dubai – Dark Islander, Pride Of Nation and Baby Princess – that he would also have ridden. To get a suspension that long is terrible, a real shame, and I feel very sorry for him, but Eddie is a very good jockey and I'm sure he'll bounce back.”

[NoChanceToDance]

From RP.....

Munro gets all-clear to ride again

by Bill Barber
.
ALAN MUNRO has been passed fit to try to resurrect his career in Britain for a second time after the medical review panel of the BHA informed him he could reapply for his jockey's licence.

Munro, who won the Derby aboard Generous in 1991 but was out of racing for four years before 2005, had been forced to sit on the sidelines since suffering convulsions on a flight to Deauville in August last year.

His agent Laura Way said on Friday that Munro was keen to return to the saddle as soon as possible, and hopes to begin race-riding at the end of the all-weather season in February or March.

Munro has admitted to having had "some form of convulsion" twice in the past but tests cleared him of epilepsy with last year's episode blamed on a "vasovagal syncope" - fainting caused by low blood pressure which can be corrected by non-pharmacological measures such as diet.

The jockey, who has spent much of his absence from the saddle in China practising martial arts, saw the medical review panel on Monday and said in a statement issued by Withy King solicitors: "It has been a long process, and although it has been frustrating not being able to ride for such a long time, it has allowed me to enjoy a great year living in Shanghai and in many respects it has been a positive and rewarding time.

"The results of all medical examinations clear me of any neurological problems. Happily this means I can now resume my racing life. I am very fit still and looking forward to the new season in 2008."

Munro's absence from the racecourse cost him dear during the last Flat season when he would have been trainer Peter Chapple-Hyam's first choice to ride Derby winner Authorized.

Trainer Rod Millman is another big fan of Munro - he credited him with finding the key to his star stayer Sergeant Cecil - and he said: "It's wonderful news. It will be great to have Alan back and obviously he'll come back and ride for me if he wants to."


* * *

I wish him a great deal of luck.

Alan Munro is a fantastic jockey and I hope these problems are now fully behind him.

Good Luck, Alan.

[_ed_]

He is a fantastic jockey, I saw that first-hand when he came and rode here for about 6 months when he was launching his comeback.

I wish him all the best too.

[NoChanceToDance]

Royal Ascot heroine Miss Andretti unlikely to defend King's Stand Crown


by Andrew O'Toole

AUSTRALIA MISS ANDRETTI seems unlikely to be on hand at Royal Ascot to defend her King's Stand Stakes title in 2008.

Lee Freedman, who trains the top-class sprinting mare, has indicated that Miss Andretti will not have a busy international schedule in future.

“I imagine it would beunlikely that she would do much travelling from now on,” said Freedman of Miss Andretti, who flopped last time out in the Hong Kong International Sprint behind Sacred Kingdom on December 9.

“We're a year down the track and it's a difficult and long undertaking to go to the UK. Going abroad may well rule out an early spring campaign for her in Melbourne, and that is her main aim at this stage.”

A proposed trip to Singapore in May was also unlikely, according to Freedman.
The trainer said that several factors contributed to Miss Andretti's out-of-character performance in Hong Kong.

He said: “The pre-departure quarantine at Sandown, coupled with two weeks at Sha Tin, did her no favours. Her demeanour altered somewhat and this added to the problemsshe had going right-handed.”

Flemington trainer Mark Kavanagh is hopeful of a British campaign for his multiple Group 1-winning mare Divine Madonna. She will “inevitably” be sold at auction at the end of her career said Kavanagh, who thinks this will be in either July or August next year.

“She has won four Group 1 races in Australia now, and we are just hopeful we can get her overseas somewhere and see what happens from there,” he said.

“I would rather go to England – they have got a straight mile race and races that are suitable for mares, so that would be a bit of fun I reckon.
I look all right in a top hat!”

“She is a well-known mare and they are a little bit keen to see her over there, so with a bit of luck we canget her there.”

Divine Madonna, a five-year-old by Hurricane Sky out of the Prego mare My Madonna, has raced 25 times, with eight wins and seven placings.

Her spring was highlighted by two excellent Group I wins in the Toorak Handicap (1600m) at Caulfield and the Meyer Classic (1600m) at Flemington.

[my miss storm cat]

Takeover Target wins in a photo...

Shocked Dance Hero was last.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDHHxsiwHfQ

[NoChanceToDance]

From Coolmore.......

First Australian Winner For Hawk Wing
15th December 2007

Young shuttle sire Hawk Wing posted his first Australian winner at Flemington on Saturday when the David Hayes trained colt Joyful Warrior (2c Hawk Wing - Southern Quest, by Rainbow Quest) took out the open juvenile event over 1100 metres.

Having his first race start, Joyful Warrior settled just off the pace for Craig Williams and then gradually wore down the favourite Minnesota Shark to score by the best part of a length.

Bred and offered for sale by Queensland based farm Canning Downs, Joyful Warrior was bought by Hong Kong trainer Almond Lee for $110,000 at the 2007 Magic Millions Yearling Sale and was the most expensive yearling sired by Hawk Wing sold in Australasia this year.

A tall strongly built brown colt very much in the mould of his Group One winning sire, Joyful Warrior is the second foal of the winning Rainbow Quest mare Southern Quest.

A half-sister to several stakes-placed horses, Southern Quest claims champion filly Northernette as her third dam, a dual Group One winner of 13 races and full sister to influential sire Storm Bird.

Hawk Wing shuttled to Coolmore Australia for two seasons in 2004 and 2005, standing at a fee of $22,000 and leaving 136 live foals in total, the second crop to be offered at sales in Australia in 2008.

In the Northern Hemisphere, Hawk Wing will stand the 2008 season in Ireland at a fee of 15,000 euros and has done very well with his first NH crop which includes 28 winners throughout the Northern Hemisphere led by the stakes-winning filly Triskel and stakes horses Feared in Flight, Barking Wolf and Lazy Afternoon.

A Group One winner at seven furlongs as a juvenile, Hawk Wing also won at Group One level as a three and four year-old so his progeny can be expected to train on and improve further with time.

[my miss storm cat]

Three pictures..... good for him for hanging on!

http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/s...-10389,00.html

[NoChanceToDance]

Scriptwriter due to make his debut over hurdles tomorrow at Wetherby.

7.35AM your time, mmsc. I expect you to be awake to see how he gets on

[my miss storm cat]

Originally Posted by NoChanceToDance

Scriptwriter due to make his debut over hurdles tomorrow at Wetherby.

7.35AM your time, mmsc. I expect you to be awake to see how he gets on

No I can't watch it... what if he falls???

Let me know how he does and that no one got hurt and will catch a replay.

I've never heard of a single other horse in that race. Duh.

COME HOME SAFE.

Why on earth did they get rid of him? He was good.

[NoChanceToDance]

He was fourth, but judging by his SP I reckon his new connections would have been disappointed.

[my miss storm cat]

Originally Posted by NoChanceToDance

He was fourth, but judging by his SP I reckon his new connections would have been disappointed.

Well screw them, they're lucky to have him.

THEY can go jump over those things and see how well they do!

4th on his first try... that's good isn't it?

[NoChanceToDance]

Originally Posted by my miss storm cat

Well screw them, they're lucky to have him.

THEY can go jump over those things and see how well they do!

4th on his first try... that's good isn't it?

Well, I must admit, I was expecting better from him. It wasn't a great race. I seriously thought he'd be in the first three at least.

He was beaten about 8 or 9 lengths, too.

I will give him the benefit of the doubt as it's his first run, but I was a bit disappointed.

[my miss storm cat]

Forgot all about this one..... Vermilion wins the Tokyo Daishoten.

Will look around for a replay later.

[NoChanceToDance]

From RP...

by Tony O'Hehir


KICKING KING remains on course to make his comeback this month but the 2005 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner is set to return in the Normans Grove Chase at Fairyhouse and not at Thurles as originally planned.

Tom Taaffe had nominated the Kinloch Brae Chase at Thurles on January 17 for Kicking King's return, but the ten-year-old, sidelined since winning his second King George VI Chase in December 2005, will now make his comeback over 2m at Fairyhouse three days later.

Taaffe said: “Everything has gone to plan, and if it continues to do so he will run in the Normans Grove. Fairyhouse is a bigger, more galloping track than Thurles and should suit him better.”

The opposition to Kicking King, who is 25-1 for the Gold Cup with sponsors Totesport, at Fairyhouse could include Nickname, who was having his first run of the season when he finished second to Mansony in the Paddy Power Dial-A-Bet Chase at Leopardstown on Thursday.
Nickname's trainer Martin Brassil said on Monday: “He came out of Leopardstown in good form. The ground will dictate where he runs, but we'll be looking at the Normans Grove or the Victor Chandler at Ascot. I might even go over to walk the course at Ascot before deciding.”

John Carrsaid on Monday he could take Champion Hurdle winner Sublimity to run on the all-weather at Dundalk before his repeat bid at Cheltenham.

The trainer said: “The plan is still to run in the AIG Europe Champion Hurdle – it might be a bit of a rush but that's where we want to take him.

“I heard Noel Meade mention he might take Harchibald to Dundalk, though, and it's certainly an option if we found a suitable race. The track doesn't open again until the end of February, so it would be after the AIG. If we needed to, we have the option of putting him spot-on for the Champion there.”

[NoChanceToDance]

Sakhee's Secret is set to have a global campaign this year, main targets including the Breeders' Cup sprint (if he goes, I'm going) and the Hong Kong sprint.

I think this horse will have a serious season this year.

[my miss storm cat]

Feel better, El Segundo.

[my miss storm cat]

Welcome back, Paratroopers!

http://www.racingandsports.com.au/ra...asp?NID=119242