Guests on the Ontrack Racing Hunter Valley Horse and Wine Tour got some inside information on spring plans for Australia’s most famous sprinter during the week. The 31 strong Ontrack tour party visited six of the Hunter Valley’s leading studs during the tour and while at Yarraman Park during the week co-owner Harry Mitchell announced that unbeaten champion Black Caviar was due at the farm for an appointment with their champion stallion I Am Invincible. Black Caviar was unbeaten in 25 career starts and Harry Mitchell described the decision to send the mare to “Vinnie” as a major achievement for the stallion. “I guess it shows what a tremendous job he’s doing at stud when the connections of such a great mare select him for this spring’s covering,” said Harry. Black Caviar has had one foal to race. That was Oscietra, a filly by Exceed and Excel who has won once, and has since produced a Sebring colt and fillies by Snitzel and More Than Ready. Ontrack Thoroughbreds heads the I Am Invincible fan club thanks mainly to our purchasing champion sprinting colt Brazen Beau from his first crop. Ontrack Thoroughbreds Managing Director Grant Morgan said the Hunter Valley tour was once again an outstanding success. “The tours side of our business began with the Hunter Valley trip and it remains an extremely popular event and we were fully booked for 2017. “Giving people the chance to see Newgate Farm, Darley Stud, Arrowfield, Yarraman Park, Coolmore and Vinery Stud over three days is always an amazing experience and people heading the Hunter for their first visit are always amazed at the scale and majesty of these magnificent properties. “Once again, we started with a group of strangers and over the tour they became friends and enjoyed three marvellous days together,” said Grant Morgan. Ontrack will set off in November for the New Zealand Horse and Wine Tour and in December it’s the Hong Kong International Tour. Both events are booked out but brochures for the 2018 Hunter Valley, New Zealand and Hong Kong Tours will be out shortly. Work in progress galloper Zoff Of The World came through his first staying race with an emphatic victory at the Gold Coast on Saturday. The son of Zoffany has been identified as a horse that will stretch out to a staying trip for some time but as often lacked the racing manners that are required to get a middle distance. Ontrack Thoroughbreds Managing Director Grant Morgan said trainers Chris and John Meagher have tinkered with training and race day gear on the horse and he is now behaving better before and during his races. “It is true to say that Zoff Of The World has been his own worst enemy at times, becoming agitated in pre-race parades and then tending to over-race so he has required a lot of attention to get him settled. “On Saturday we stretched him out to 1800 metres for the first time and he was actually quite dominant in the end, in spite of over-racing in the early stages of the race. “Rider Matt McGuren did the right thing by letting the horse stride along and when another runner came around him and took up the lead, our horse settled much better and ran out the journey very strongly. “We have thought the horse would get to a middle distance, but they still have to come out and do that under race conditions. Zoff was very strong at the finish so we can now plan his future with confidence that he can stay. “It’s one thing to think that a horse can stay, but until you actually try test them over ground you can never be entirely certain,” said Grant Morgan. “Our biggest concern on Saturday was that the race would be called off due to the heavy rain that arrived just before his race. The track was downgraded but the track was not badly affected but there were fears that visibility would be reduced by the weather.” Trainer Chris Meagher said Zoff Of The World was quite keen in the early stages of the Gold Coast race but did settle once he was able to trail another horse. “Once that horse came around him he settled nicely for Matt and did prove pretty strong over the concluding stages and looked to have the race in safe keeping once he ran to the lead turning for home. “He came through the race in good order and we will give him an easy couple of days before sitting down and planning the next run for him, but the good thing is that we can look forward to him running out 2000 metres with a fair degree of confidence,” said Chris Meagher. Rider Matt McGuren said he’s got no doubts that Zoff Of The World will run 2000 metres and beyond. “He was keen early but did settle for me once that horse came around. I think there’s still improvement going to come in his racing manners once he has a few more runs over ground and eventually I reckon he will be able to settle mid-field in his races and finish off strongly,” said Matt McGuren. Congratulations to our owners in Zoff Of The World: Ontrack Thoroughbreds No I Syndicate, FFoz Syndicate (Neil George Manager), Anne Wade and Jean Weston, Kathryn Adams, Erin Barclay, Christine Chapman, David Dawson, We’re The One Percenters (Manager Adam Engels), Sharon Harris, Steve Kirkham, Mark Lowe, Allan and Brenda Satchell, Len Stone, Stewart Taylor, Alan Jackson, Ken Stocks, Prof Terry Walsh, Babu No 2 Syndicate (Manager Prof James Dale). |
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