Lloyd OK for Houtzen
GOLD Coast jockey Jeff Lloyd is free to ride Houtzen in the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes at Flemington on Saturday despite a careless riding suspension.
Lloyd pleaded not guilty to the charge at Doomben on Saturday but was handed a 12meeting ban.
His penalty begins after the Flemington meeting where Houtzen will take on the best three-year-old sprinters in the land over 1200m.
Melbourne trainer Aaron Purcell has brilliant colts Merchant Navy and Jukebox nominated for the $1 million Coolmore Stud Stakes.
Fellow Victorian trainer David Hayes will run three top fillies, Catchy, Tulip and Formality.
Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott are likely to start Invincible Star, a last-start Group 3 winner at Caulfield.
The Toby Edmonds-trained Houtzen has beaten Invincible Star the two times they have met.
The first was in the Magic Millions 2YO Classic at the Gold Coast in January when Houtzen won and Invincible Star finished sixth.
The Gold Coast filly also won the Group 3 Scarborough Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on September 29 when the Waterhouse-Bott filly was seventh.
■ VEGA Magic is still on target for the Darley Classic at the Flemington carnival despite the disappointment of his Manikato Stakes run as the $2 favourite.
His fifth placing in the Group 1 sprint at Moonee Valley on Friday night was the first time the gelding had finished out of the placings for the Lindsay Park stable.
Sent out the $2 favourite, Vega Magic was buffeted during the race when eventual winner Hey Doc crossed to lead on the first turn.
Hey Doc’s jockey Luke Currie was subsequently suspended for 10 meetings.
Co-trainer Tom Dabernig said the former West Australian sprinter had a little nick on one of his hind legs that did not require stitching.
“I think in hindsight he stood in the gates for a fair while, stepped a bit slow than we wanted and then he got tightened up and lost his rhythm,” he said.
Dabernig said he and training partners David and Ben Hayes would monitor Vega Magive over the next few days.
The Group 1 Darley Classic (1200m) is on November 11 with Group 1-winning stablemate Redkirk Warrior to also run.
“I think we’ll probably press on towards the Darley with Vega Magic,” Dabernig said. “Obviously he’s never been down the straight before but at this stage I think that’s what we’ll do.”