CARONDELET FARM

By AAP

(SYNDNEY, AUSTRALIA) – Chris Waller has opted to bypass Saturday’s Ranvet Stakes with Honor In War to concentrate on a Doncaster Handicap assault.

The Rosehill trainer said he was yet to decide what path the nine-year-old would take to the Randwick feature mile, run on April 26, but confirmed it would not include Saturday’s 1900m race.

“We’re going to leave the Ranvet and have a crack at the Doncaster,” Waller said.

“With Racing To Win definitely not running it opens the race right up.

“Now we just have to hope they don’t pay up for Weekend Hussler.”

Racing To Win was not among first declarations for the Doncaster last week as his trainer John O’Shea was unhappy with his 60.5kg topweight.

Ross McDonald, trainer of Saturday’s Randwick Guineas winner Weekend Hussler is yet to decide whether his star three-year-old will line up.

Weekend Hussler’s last gasp victory denied Waller his first Group One with Triple Honour who went down in a photo finish that had many fooled.

Honor In War is a Group One winner in South America but his most significant victory since coming to Australia almost 18 months ago has been his Group Two Villiers Hcp triumph in January.

That came in the stewards room after Takeover Target was first past the post before losing the race on protest.

Honor In War was unlucky in the Chipping Norton Stakes last start when he was pole-axed entering the home straight, although Waller said he had taken no harm from the incident.

“Darren Beadman thought he was on the winner on the corner,” Waller said.

“But you can’t dwell on these things. He pulled up well and he’s as good as gold.”

Waller’s team of runners have been in stellar form of late and the news only got better for him last week when he was appointed as the new trainer for Bob Ingham.

Just days earlier, Ingham stunned the racing world by announcing he was selling his entire Woodlands Stud breeding and racing operation to Darley for a reported $500 million.

As part of the deal, Ingham’s retained trainer Peter Snowden will continue to prepare the Crown Lodge team at Warwick Farm for Darley which is owned by Dubai’s ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

However, Ingham isn’t getting out of the industry all together and will continue to race a small team of horses which Waller will train.

From Racing & Sports

(SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA) – Saturday, Nash Rawiller will miss two major autumn carnival meetings after being suspended at Randwick today for an incident in which Honor In War almost fell in the Chipping Norton Stakes.
 
It was a horror day for Rawiller who was aboard Bentley Biscuit in the Group One Galaxy when that horse suffered a bad bleeding attack and failed to finish the race.

Rawiller was found guilty of shifting out on eventual Chipping Norton runner-up Tuesday Joy on the home turn, causing Honor In War to lose his footing.

The jockey will consider appealing the penalty which will keep him out of the Ranvet Stakes meeting on April 5 and the Rosehill Guineas fixture the following weekend.

From Racing & Sports 

(SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA) – Regardless of the result of today’s Group 2 Villiers Stakes at Randwick, Takeover Target proved he has a champion heart.

Takover Target beaten in Protest Photo by Racing and Sports

The top sprinter, carting 61kg in the rain, yet again fought tooth and nail to hold off a lightweight challenge and prevailed when his hopes looked forlorn to score.

But unlike last start where he also won by the barest of margins in the Lazer Sharp Quality, this race went to the stewards room and was stripped from him and handed to Honor In War.

In the run Takeover Target settled outside the leader Pasikatera but took over early in the straight. Jockey Jay Ford cuddled him for as long as possible and stole a break when asked to go, but drifted out in the straight just as Honor In War was making his run.

The former American galloper, ridden by Hugh Bowman, had to push out into the clear again around Takeover Targets heels and hit the line hard, lunging late but losing by a nose in a tight photo.

Bowman successfully argued to stewards that he had established a line to come at the favourite who had drifted out and caused him to lose momentum.

The win of Honor In War was lost in the chaos of the people’s favourite, whose “boos” were loud and clear upon hearing the result.

But it was a terrific training performance by Rosehill trainer Chris Waller with Honor In War, scoring his first win since arriving in Australia to continue his racing career.

In the United Stakes he was regarded as a top turf galloper and was a Group 1 winner but in his eight seasons there, where he racked up eight wins and 12 minors, had never won at under a mile..

Now a nine-year-old stallion, today’s Group 2 success was a triumph for his new trainer and took the chestnut’s career earnings to over $2 million.

Waller praised the champion qualities of Takeover Target but believed the stewards made the right decision.

“It’s a great race to win,” Waller said. “Our horse had the rightful running and deserved to win the race.”

Bowman also praised the runner-up.

“I was entitled to my chance to beat him,” Bowman said. “When you’re chasing those horses you don’t want anything to go against you. He’s still a champion but it was the right result.

Alverta worked home solidly again in the straight but could manage only this time, while Miss Pageantry held fourth.

By Racing & Sports

(MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA) – Imported horse Honor In War has been withdrawn from the Cox Plate after tests showed he had traces of an illegal substance in his system.

Racing Victoria chief steward Des Gleeson said the substance was administered in the United States about eight weeks ago where it is permitted, but tests this week showed it was still present.

Gleeson said connections had taken the opportunity to have the elective testing done and had acted responsibly.

Honor In War, who was the outsider of the field, was set to become the first American horse to run in Australia’s weight-for-age championship.

The Moonee Valley track was rated dead on Saturday morning after it received just three millimetres of rain overnight despite many other suburbs being drenched.

(MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA) – The money keeps coming for American wildcard Honor In War to win Saturday’s $3 million Tattersall’s W.S. Cox Plate.

Sportingbet Australia took a string of bets on the US import today as his price tumbled from $101 to $51.

Bets placed on Honor In War included $500 each way and $400 each way at $101, which will net his supporters $62,500 and $50,000 if the horse salutes.

Sportingbet also accepted a wager of $1000 each way @$61 for a net win of $75,000.

Sportingbet CEO Michael Sullivan said punters were holding back from supporting the favourites El Segundo and Racing To Win in the Cox Plate.

“Interest has slackened in the favourites and punters are holding back with one eye to the skies,” Sullivan said.

“If it rains it may favour Racing To Win and Lad Of The Manor.”

“Apart from some good pre-post money, we haven’t seen much action in Cox Plate betting yet.

“There are too many question marks over too many runners and punters are playing wait and see – it’s a wide open race and very hard to pick.”

TAB Sportsbet have also been hit with the long priced move for Honor In War with punters backing him to win more than $300,000 at odds between $101 and $71.

Racing To Win and El Segundo have attracted consistent support with TAB Sportsbet with bets s of $6000, $5000, $4000 and $2,500 on Racing To Win at $3.50 and $4000, $2500 and a number of $1000 bets on El Segundo at the same price.

SPORTIINGBET COX PLATE ODDS

3.50 Racing to Win, El Segundo

9.00 Miss Finland

11.0 Lad of the Manor, Grey Swallow

15.0 Our Smoking Joe

17.0 Fields of Omagh, Red Dazzler, Pompeii Ruler

26.0 Casual Pass, Aqua D’Amore

31.0 Apache Cat

51.0 Honor in War

(MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA) – A strong performance at Werribee has former American galloper Honor In War at his best and with no excuses heading in to Saturday’s Cox Plate.

Trainer Danny O’Brien said he could not have the eight-year-old any better for Australasia’s premier weight-for-age race and he would not have another fast gallop before the race.

Stablemate Aznavour led off the 1400m workout with Honor In War quickening brilliantly over the last 600m impressing jockey Steven Arnold.

“Steven was very pleased with him,” O’Brien said.

“He gave him a nice feel and quickened up nicely at the end of his work.”

“The horse came out of it really well and recovered well so his fitness levels are right where we would like to have them.

“I think that is about all the (fast work) he wants and we will just keep him ticking over between now and Saturday.”

Honor In War was formerly trained by Paul McGee and has been quarantined at Werribee racecourse since he arrived from America last Saturday week.

O’Brien said the horse exuded a presence consistent with his high class performances highlighted by 10 wins and 12 placings in 36 starts and nearly $1.9 million in stakes.

His best win was the $790,000 Group One Turf Classic (1800m) at Churchill Downs in May 2003 but he has since been a regular big race performer.

He has twice finished second in the Group One Shadwell Mile (1600m) at Keeneland (2003 and 2004), finished third in the Group Two Mervin Muniz (1800m) in March last year and won the Listed Lauderdale Stakes (1700m) in January this year.

Honor In War has had one start back from a spell, finishing fourth when beaten five lengths in the Group Three Champion Stakes (1600m) on September 9.

“His work at Werribee has been spot-on and he’s competed in Group races all his life and it won’t be new to him on Saturday,” O’Brien said.

“Obviously we have got no idea how he will measure up form-wise against the Australian horses but he’s in good order and he’s going to go to the races with no excuses.”

“He’s got a nice turn of foot and in all the tapes of his races in America he tracks into a race from back in the field and can really sprint home towards the finish.

O’Brien said the tight Moonee Valley track would not be an issue for Honor In War who has competed on turf all his life and is used to racing on inside tracks in America.

TAB Sportsbet has Honor In War at $101 for the Cox Plate.

Meanwhile Jim Cassidy has been confirmed to ride Red Dazzler in the Cox Plate.

Cassidy won the Group One Toorak Hcp (1600m) on the Mick Price-trained galloper who joins stablemate Pompeii Ruler in the Cox Plate.

Pompeii Ruler was narrowly beaten last start when second to Casual Pass in the Group One Yalumba Stakes (2000m) at Caulfield.

Pompeii Ruler is $13 for the Cox Plate and Red Dazzler at $15.

Both horses will gallop at Moonee Valley’s “Breakfast with the Best” on Tuesday morning.

By AAP

(MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA) – Top US turf horse Honor In War is targeting the $3 million Cox Plate with Danny O’Brien to take over his training after a 50 per cent share was sold to a consortium mainly comprised of Australians.

The eight-year-old multiple Group winner and proven weight-for-age performer will become the first US horse to race at a Melbourne spring carnival.

He has won 10 races from 36 starts and has amassed a total of $1.8 million in prizemoney, his biggest wins being the 2003 Group One Breeder’s Cup Turf Classic (1800m) at Churchill Downs and the Group Three Arlington Hcp (2000m).

“He went into quarantine today at Arlington Park in Chicago for two weeks and when that’s up he’ll be flown out and spend two weeks in quarantine at Sandown before fronting up at Moonee Valley for the Cox Plate,” said O’Brien, who hasn’t had a Cox Plate runner before.

“It’s something different. It’s probably a big essay but he’s a high-quality horse and should acquit himself well.”

The original owner, Will Wolford’s 3rd Turn Stables, will race Honor In War with the consortium led by led by Bill Benson of Emerald Thoroughbreds along with David Bernsden, CEO of letitride.com and owner of Carondelet Farm in the US who O’Brien said contacted him to train the horse.

Dean Watt‘s Dynamic Syndications, which syndicated 2004 Cox Plate winner Savabeel, is also involved.

Honor In War is currently trained in the US by Paul McGee and has an international rating of 110.

His most recent performance was a fourth in the Group Three Fall Championship (1600m) at Turfway Park on September 9.

The horse is expected to go on to the Hong Kong international meeting in December and race in Australia next autumn before going to stud here next season.