CHAMPION BROODMARE FOUND DEAD IN PADDOCK
TRAINER Gai Waterhouse has vowed to ‘put a smile back on the face’ of owner John Singleton after he found champion broodmare, Joie Denise, dead in her paddock on his Strawberry Hills property yesterday.
Waterhouse has the Singleton-owned More Joyous engaged in tomorrow’s (Saturday) Listed Sheraco Stakes at Rosehill, for which she has been heavily backed from $3.60 to $2.90 favoritism.
More Joyous, having her first start since failing on a heavy track in the Golden Slipper in April, was a recent trial winner but missed her planned comeback at Rosehill last weekend because of an elevated temperature.
Waterhouse, who broke the news of the death of Joie Denise on her web-site, said: “This morning John told me that yesterday he was doing his paddock rounds, using his stick as he is in rehabilitation from a hip replacement and the mare was found dead.”
Joie Denise, winner of the G1 Queensland Oaks, is the dam of G1 winners, Tuesday Joy and Sunday Joy. “I’ll put a smile back on your face on Saturday, Singo!” Waterhouse declared.
More Joyous and Fist of Fury (also $3.60 to $2.90 in Fixed Odds betting) are the two best goes on the eve of tomorrow’s feature racing in Sydney. The John O’Shea-trained Fist of Fury, engaged in the G3 Concorde Stakes, has not started since finishing sixth in the Newmarket at Flemington in March.
Golden Slipper winner, Phelan Ready ($6.50 to $5) has been best backed to beat the favorite, Denman ($2.60) in early moves on the $1 million Golden Rose. Last weekend’s Warwick Stakes winner, Trusting, has eased in Fixed Price betting from $4.40 to $5.
In the feature race at Caulfield, the G2 Memsie Stakes, El Segundo ($5.50 to $5) has been best backed to beat the $2.60 favorite, Mic Mac. Leading bookmaker, Mark Read, of IASbet.com, thinks Mic Mac is a good thing.
“The young star gets a very soft lead from a favorable draw and he has the acceleration to win handsomely,” Read said. “Most of the other chances will be four to five lengths away from him upon straightening, although I expect El Segundo to again race well.
“On the other hand, Whobegotyou ($5) gives me the indication that he wants a mile or further now and I am prepared to make him my greatest liability come race time.”
Read believes the in-form Denman has the G1 Golden Rose at his mercy at Rosehill. “The colt by Lonhro holds a significant form edge over the field and from the draw I expect his near flawless career to remain intact after an ideal run in transit.”
Although Mic Mac meets 2007 Cox Plate hero El Segundo 7.5kg worse at the weights for beating him a little over a length in the Aurie's Star at Flemington when both were resuming earlier this month, Eurell has no doubt his horse can make the transition to weight-for-age.
