In-form jockey Lucy Fiore will be given her best chance of winning the Group 1 Railway Stakes (1600m) after she was confirmed to partner race favourite King Of Light for the November 21 feature at Ascot.
Fiore chalked up a treble on Saturday with King Of Light after earlier saluting with both Javelin Strike and Beatty.
William Pike had previously been the regular rider of the top four-year-old but with his Melbourne obligations, Fiore was in the hot seat for both wins this campaign.
“We committed to Lucy there, yesterday, BJ (Ryan, racing manager) pulled the trigger,” trainer Dan Morton told SEN.
“She’s getting a good handle on the horse and keen to keep her there.
“She’s riding great and she’s riding a lot of nice horses for us and getting the job done.
“She just keeps elevating herself, so she’ll take a bit of confidence into the next one.”
Morton says despite a fleet of interstate raiders expected to arrive next week, he fears no rival.
“It’d be pretty shallow if you’re just beating up on the locals and we don’t mind going over there and taking their money, so it’d be silly if we didn’t embrace them coming across and taking on the carnival,” he said.
Meanwhile, despite unrest about Perth’s Pinnacles flight leaving from Sydney instead of Melbourne, Racing and Wagering Western Australia have given reason why.
The flight which leaves Melbourne for the Western Trilogy in April can house only nine horses, while 27 horses can be accommodated on the exiting Sydney charter.
+ Racing at Scone was abandoned on Monday with the racing industry still concerned over the wellbeing of apprentice jockey Izzy Neale, who is fighting for her life after a horror fall at Warren on Sunday.
Riding in the Cotton Cup at the western NSW circuit on Sunday, Neale suffered head injuries when falling at the 400m mark of the mile-long race.
The 22-year-old was treated onsite before being airlifted to Dubbo Hospital where she remains in a critical condition.
Her mount, Marnoo, suffered a near foreleg injury and was euthanised.
Racing NSW announced it would postpone Monday’s Scone card following consultation with jockeys and trainers that were set to take part, demonstrating the profound effect Neale has had on the racing community in her short career.
+ WA reinsman Chris Voak has gained a slot in the Ultimate Driver Championship held at Queensland’s Albion Park circuit on February 19 and 20 next year.
He joins Angus Garrard, James Herbertson and fellow Sandgroper Gary Hall Jr with others still to be named.
+ Leap To Fame is the $1.75 favourite for the Group 1 New Zealand Trotting Cup (3200m) at Addington on Tuesday ahead of half-brother Swayzee ($5.50) and Marketplace ($6).
It runs at 12:48pm WA time.
+ James McDonald will travel to Sandown this week for the C F Orr Stakes (1400m), the final Melbourne Group 1 of the year.
He will ride Beiwacht for the first time and the horse’s trainer Chris Waller – who also prepares Angel Capital – is chasing a world record-equalling 28 Group 1 wins for the year, taking him level with Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien.
Aidan’s son Joseph had 12 starters between the Caulfield and Melbourne cups without a winner but will look to strike a final blow in the Group 2 Zipping Classic (2400m) this weekend.
Ironically, James J Braddock and Omni Man, who started for O’Brien, will remain in Australia and be transferred to Waller.
