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Gundown ready to fire third-up
Former Kiwi galloper Gundown will have conditions in his favour when he contests the Ladbrokes Switch Handicap (2100m) at Sandown on Saturday, with the track currently rated a Soft7.
The five-year-old son of High Chaparral finished ninth behind impressive winner Rupture last Saturday at Flemington, but trainer Michael Moroney said the gelding has had excuses at both starts this campaign.
"His two runs have been good," Moroney said.
"He drew wide barriers and had to go back. He got caught three-wide taking the field up to them the other day and James Winks has hopped off him in both runs and said he thinks the horse is going terrific and it is just a matter of getting the right race, drawing better and things going his way. He gets that tomorrow.
"I've never stepped him up that quick before between races but he is the right sort of horse, he is pretty laid-back and a good eater and I can't see any reason why he wouldn't back up.
"Certainly track conditions and distance are in his favour."
Sporting the colours of prominent owner Lib Petagna, Gundown has won four races and is placed at Group Two and Group Three level, having commenced his career with Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman in New Zealand.
Gundown is rated a $20 chance in an open field that is headed by the Anthony Freedman-trained Starcaster ($4.60).
LA lowers stud fees in response to Covid-19
Little Avondale stud have reduced their 2020 service fees in response to the Covid-19 crisis.
Little Avondale's announcement of its service fees for 2020 was made prior to the onset of the pandemic.
Considering subsequent events and the economic implications for breeding horses and the economy in general, Little Avondale have lowered the service fees for all three of their stallions.
The roster is headed by Per Incanto (Street Cry) whose fee has been lowered from $17,500 + GST to $15,000 + GST while the fee for popular shuttler Time Test (Dubawi) has been reduced from $10,000 +GST to $6,000 + GST and Nadeem (Redoute's Choice) will now serve at a fee of $4,000 + GST, down from $5,000 + GST.
"Celebrating 80 years of breeding and proudly New Zealand's oldest family owned thoroughbred stud, Little Avondale recognises more than ever the importance of breeders in these unique times," Little Avondale proprietor Sam Williams said.
"Our focus is to assist breeders to breed their champion. These fees, for this year, with these stallions make that possible."
Wrote service fee unchanged
Highview Stud announced that Gr.1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (1600m) winner Wrote will stand for an unchanged fee of $5,000 + GST in 2020.
The first of Wrote's southern hemisphere yearlings went through the sales ring at the Karaka this year and were well received by buyers, averaging over $60,000 in Book 2.
Meanwhile in Florida, where the son of High Chaparall served a low number of mares of limited quality, Wrote has already produced an impressive 54 percent winners from starters on both dirt and turf over sprint distances.
Wrote's book will be limited to 100 mares in the coming season.
D B Pin retires
Darci Brahma's Group One winning son D B Pin is the latest Hong Kong retiree after last weekend's Champions Day.
The John Size-trained D B Pin has been officially deregistered by the Hong Kong Jockey Club, with his former stablemate and long-term foe Mr Stunning also set to be deregistered
in the coming days.
D B Pin worked his way through the grades, landing the 2018 Gr.1 Centenary Sprint Cup
(1200m) and finishing second twice to fellow Karaka graduate Mr Stunning in the Gr.1 Hong Kong International Sprint (1200m)
He retires having finished eighth behind the Frankie Lor-prepared Mr Stunning in the Gr.1 Chairman's Sprint Prize (1200m) last weekend.
Adept on both dirt and turf, the Darci Brahma gelding was bred by Willie and Karen Calder and attained the mantel of Hong Kong's equal top-rated horse after his Centenary Sprint Cup triumph but battled various injuries throughout the remainder of his career.
A $200,000 purchase by bloodstock agent John Foote out of The Oaks Stud's 2014 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling, D B Pin won six and placed in eight of his 22 career starts and accrued more than HK$21 million in stakes.