MORE THAN READY might be marking time at Melbourne’s quarantine station but his progeny are on a relentless roll around the globe.
The legendary shuttler sired a Group 1 double with Catholic Boy and Funtastic earlier this month and there’s more Group 1 action this weekend in the USA and South Africa.
His 2017 Eclipse Award winner Roy H will reappear in the Bing Crosby Stakes Gr.1 at Del Mar on Saturday following a trip to the Dubai World Cup meeting in March when he was placed in the Golden Shaheen Gr.1.
Roy H was dead-set stiff in last year’s Bing Crosby for owners Rockingham Ranch and David Bernsen. He was fanned off the track by a riderless horse while the eventual winner Ransom the Moon saw a massive inside lane open up in the straight.
“We felt we had the best horse but that’s racing,” Rockingham Ranch racing manager Brian Trump recalled. “It would mean a lot to us to win on Saturday because it was the one chink in our armour last year.”
Roy H rebounded off that loss to launch an award-winning season in the Group 1 Santa Anita Sprint Championship and G1 Breeders’ Cup Sprint.
He returned this term for a sensational first-up victory in the Palos Verdes Stakes Gr.2 at Santa Anita but wasn’t himself in Dubai. “He didn’t handle the travel that well,” Trump added. “I could tell something wasn’t right that night when I saw him looking around a lot and hesitating to get into the gate. That’s not him.
“But he will be on his game at Del Mar. He loves that track.”
Roy H is the $3 morning line favourite for the Bing Crosby which is timed for Sunday 11am (AEST).
In South Africa, Lloyd’s Legacy accepted for the Mercury Sprint Gr.1 at Greyville on Saturday, however, he will struggle to get a start as third emergency. He missed the main draw after an unplaced effort in the Pinnacle Stakes LR on the Durban July undercard.
Lloyd’s Legacy (4c More Than Ready – Oh Goodness Me by Galileo) was bred by Bob Scarborough and is from a British-bred winner of the Park Express Stakes Gr.3 at the Curragh. He also holds a nomination for the Umngeni Hcp LR as a fall-back option for trainer Louis Goosen.
More Than Ready will be back at Vinery in time for the Stud’s stallion parades on Saturday & Sunday, August 25 & 26.
Breakfast begins on both days at 8:30am with the parades commencing at 9am. The stallion barns will then be opened for inspections with refreshments available.
RSVP: vinery.com.au/news/2018-vinery-open-days
CASINO PRINCE has sired 104 individual winners this season to equal his best-ever score in Australia and he can break new ground with a new winner this weekend.
Mighty Lucky has opened at $21 to make a belated breakthrough in the Winter Challenge LR at Rosehill on Saturday. He has earned $852,000 during a wonderful career for connections but hasn’t saluted since the Lord Mayors Cup Gr.3 at Doomben in May 2017.
Casino Prince has numerous up-and-comers racing around the country and we’re betting his record-breaker will greet the judge at Gosford or Beaudesert this Saturday.
ALL TOO HARD sired another new 3yo winner at Canterbury on Wednesday when Resonare was successful in the TAB Rewards Hcp (1550m). He’s from a sister to the dam of Reset and trainer Gary Portelli bought him for $90,000 from Vinery (as agent) at the 2016 Gold Coast Magic Millions
Laurel Oak manager Louis Mihalyka claimed a Group 1 with Portelli when Rebel Dane won the 2016 Manikato Stakes at Moonee Valley and he has All Too Hard 2yo Galahad’s Quest nominated for Gosford on Saturday.
Trainer Joe Pride sends out Galahad’s Quest in Race 4 on the Central Coast following a debut fourth at Wyong earlier this month. His dam Galizani (Galileo) won two stakes races in Sydney up to 2400m which suggests he will be running on strongly under Mitch Bell.
All Too Hard also has Roy’s Riviera running in the Gold Bracelet Gr.2 at Greyville on Saturday. She is dropping back from an encouraging Group 1 fourth last time out in the Garden Province Stakes.
