Important Gallops Point To Flemington
Story By Chris Scholtz
Sunday, 26 October 2008:  | | Takeover Target |
One gallop took place in the early hours before a handful of track regulars at Sandown while the other in the afternoon brought applause from more than 34,000 racegoers attending the Cox Plate meeting on the other side of the city at Moonee Valley.
At Sandown the Irish mare Profound Beauty enhanced her Melbourne Cup prospects with an impressive 1600m workout with French mare Varevees.
At Moonee Valley the big crowd was treated to a guest appearance by champion sprinter Takeover Target, who delighted his fans with a sharp exhibition gallop between races to prime him for his return to racing in the Group One Patinack Classic at Flemington on November 8.
The public hitout by Takeover Target was backed up by a declaration from his confident trainer Joe Janiak that there is still plenty of racing left in the nine-year-old despite recent injury concerns.
Janiak said he was not considering retirement for the veteran gelding and plans to race him well into 2009 after he competes in Melbourne and Perth in the next six weeks.
Janiak said the 2009 Melbourne and Sydney autumn carnivals could be followed by yet another overseas campaign for the remarkable gelding, who suffered a tendon strain in England in June.
"He might head to Singapore again and possibly back to England, who knows," Janiak said.
"He as good as ever and scans show there is nothing to be worried about.”
Vlad Duric rode Takoever Target in Saturday's gallop but regular jockey Jay Ford will return from Singapore for the ride at Flemington.
Glen Boss made a special trip to Sandown on Saturday morning to ride his Melbourne Cup mount Profound Beauty in her most serious track test since arriving in Australia.
The big Danehill mare gave Vareeves three lengths start from the 1600m and picked her up easily at the finish, running her last 600m in 37 seconds and sprinting keenly up the last 400m in 23.5 seconds.
Regulars who have been clocking the international horses at Sandown for several years rated it one of the best gallops they have seen from an overseas contender before a Melbourne Cup.
Within minutes of the gallop Boss was on the phone to trainer Dermot Weld in Ireland to report that he was highly impressed by Profound Beauty's work and her relaxed attitude.
Dual Melbourne Cup winner Weld will arrive in Melbourne later this week to take charge of Profound Beauty's preparation.
In another important Melbourne Cup development the Australian owners of Geelong Cup winner Bauer have booked Corey Brown to ride the Luca Cumani-trained stayer.
Leading riders had been scrambling for the Bauer ride in the Melbourne Cup as Damien Oliver, his rider in last Wednesday's Geelong Cup, is committed to his stablemate Mad Rush.
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