Time for a Japan boom
TOM Dabernig isn’t surprised that Caulfield Cup winner Boom Time has settled in well in the lead-up to Sunday’s Japan Cup.
“He’s known for his toughness and that’s what he’ll bring to the table on Sunday,” Dabernig said.
Yesterday David Hayes and jockey Cory Parish flew to Japan. Hayes has trained Australia’s only winner of the Japan Cup in Better Loosen Up who won in 1990.
Dabernig said they hadn’t had to do much to keep Boom Time fit as they had trained him to run 3200m in the Melbourne Cup.
“He couldn’t run the trip but he’ll be more at home over the Japan Cup distance of 2400m. He’ll put himself in a good position. He’s hard and tough and he’ll do his best,” Dabernig said.
“He’s clearly a longshot taking on top Japan and European horses but I don’t think he’ll disgrace himself.”
Dabernig said Boom Time walked strongly over his last 600m at Tokyo on Tuesday and yesterday he did two laps of light work on the dirt track.
Robbie Griffiths has announced the retirement of the horse which gave him his first Group One winner The Quarterback who won the 2016 Newmarket Handicap.
■ NOT knowing how to manage the internal bleeds suffered by Group 1-winning sprinter The Quarterback has forced the gelding into retirement.
Trainer Robbie Griffiths says it was an easy call for the owners after the seven-yearold had tests to determine the cause of the exercise- induced pulmonary haemorrhage (EIPH).
But the tests provided no answers so vets were unable to come up with a plan to combat the problem.
The Quarterback finished last at his two recent starts at Flemington, beaten more than 30 lengths, being eased down by Matthew Allen. The most recent race was at Flemington on November 9.
“After he ran so poorly on Oaks day he had an EIPH grade three, which was of a high level,” Griffiths said.
“Knowing that had happened with minimal pressure because Matthew Allen eased him out, we did a series of tests on his heart and lungs.”