Xtravagant withdrawn from Telegraph
Wellington Cup Day fans will miss out on a chance of seeing star colt Xtravagant in the Group I Telegraph, but a late nomination has given the race a fresh look.
Xtravagant was the fixed odds favourite for the Telegraph, but was taken out after he failed to gallop up to expectations at Matamata yesterday morning.
While he was a withdrawal, the high class filly Luna Rossa was a late nomination and adds to the puzzle of what is an even line-up of sprinters.
‘‘He worked OK without being great,’’ said Jamie Richards, who trains in partnership with Stephen Autridge, of Xtravagant.
Opie Bosson was in the saddle as Xtravagant and stablemate Gingernuts cut out 1000m on the plough in 1:02.2 and 35.2.
‘‘We had a team talk afterwards and we decided that his work wasn’t good enough to be going to Wellington so he will miss the race,’’ Richards said. ‘‘It’s unfortunate that we’re not going to be seeing him, but that’s racing and a decision on what we do now has yet to be made.’’
While Xtravagant has been given a red light, it’s all green for the Murray Baker and Andrew Forsmantrained Luna Rossa to resume in the Telegraph.
‘‘She won on the course and at the distance as a two-year-old and it’s a race we’ve been thinking about for her for a while,’’ Baker said.
‘‘She’s a good filly with plenty of speed and she’s really come up well. With only 52.5kg on her back she’ll be ready to go.’’
Matthew Cameron has been booked to ride last season’s Group 1 Manawatu winner.
‘‘She won a trial well here at Cambridge and she’s by Written Tycoon and they’re flying,’’ Baker said.
Luna Rossa also galloped in good style at Cambridge yesterday morning in company with her temporary stablemate, the Victoria sprinter Odyssey Moon. He won the Group III Standish Handicap at Flemington last time out for trainer Robert Smerdon. Sires’ Produce Stakes
‘‘They both went well in a working gallop over a 1000 metres,’’ Baker said.
While a decision has yet to made on Xtravagant’s future, Te Akau principal David Ellis told Trackside Radio earlier this week that several studs had expressed interest in standing the entire.
At that stage the Telegraph was still on the radar, with the Group I NRM Sprint at Te Rapa to follow.
Railway winner Start Wondering ($4) is now the Telegraph favourite ahead of Railway runner-up Perfect Fit ($5), southerner First Serve ($6) and Odyssey Moon ($7). Luna Rossa is a $12 quote.
Two Australian jockeys will ride on Cup Day, with Noel Callow on Odyssey Moon and veteran Robert Thompson on Pop ‘N’ Scotch in the $250,000 Wellington Cup.
The latter is trained by Queenslander Liam Birchley and has finished second in the last three runnings of the Queensland Cup, which is run over the same 3200m distance of the Wellington Cup.
Meanwhile, Te Akau stables say Opie Bosson will ride Zambezi Warrior in the cup, with Danielle Johnson on their other runner, Echezeaux.