Taumarunui Gold Cup next up for Indikator

While the Listed Taumarunui Gold Cup is the next major assignment for Rotorua Cup winner Indikator, the rising 10-yearold will be the star attraction at today’s jumping trials at Cambridge. Co-trainer Gavin Opie is delighted with the gelding’s general condition as he takes the final step to qualifying for a possible hurdle start later this winter. ‘‘He schooled well a few weeks ago when he went for the first part of his jumping ticket, so the trial is the second part of that process and we are hoping he can secure it with the minimum of fuss,’’ Opie said. ‘‘He is in great nick at present and loves the schooling work we give him, so I’d expect him to acquit himself well. He pulled up well after a tough run in the Kiwifruit Cup at Tauranga last time so this will keep him up to the mark for the Taumarunui Cup, which is his next target in three weeks time.’’ Despite showing real aptitude for the jumping game, Opie is in no hurry to send Indikator to the start for his first jumps race. ‘‘He does jump very well and with his pace on the flat you would expect him to be pretty competitive in a maiden hurdle, but just when that will be is undecided.’’ Craig Thornton rides Indikator at the trials today and will be aboard whenever he makes his jumps debut.

Al Kazeem wins Eclpise

Al Kazeem made it three Gr I wins in a row, beating runner-up Declaration of War by two lengths to win the Eclipse Stakes at Sandown yesterday (NZ time). The five-year-old horse, trained by Roger Charlton and ridden by James Doyle, backed up successes at the Curragh and Royal Ascot and has now won seven of his 12 races. In the latter stage of the race, Al Kazeem crossed the line of Paul Hanagan on Mukhadram but the result was not affected. Mukhadram finished third.

Mic Mac claims feature

Almost four years and three operations since his last victory, Mic Mac made it back to the winner’s stall at Rosehill. Under a confident ride from Christian Reith, Mic Mac strode to the front early and kept favourite Under The Sun at bay by a length, showing no discomfort under his 59kg topweight to win Saturday’s Listed Civic Stakes. The Paul Messara-trained seven-year-old’s problems have been a quartered hoof, an eye injury and a broken canon bone. He did his early racing under Victorian trainer Greg Eurell, performing at the highest level and winning the 2009 Hobartville and Memsie Stakes. In the intervening years, Mic Mac had been twice sidelined for more than a year to recover from his injuries. Foreman Barry Wintle stood in for Scone trainer Paul Messara at Rosehill and said the win was an emotional one for the stable. “It was a huge effort,” Wintle said. “It stirs up the emotions after what he’s been through. Christian took the race by the scruff of the neck and that was the key.” Reith, who was aboard Mic Mac when he broke his canon bone in the 2012 Galaxy, said he was thrilled with the result. “It was good to see him back,” he said. “He felt fantastic and was never going to get beaten.”

McFarlane faces jail

Trainer Greg McFarlane is facing serious penalties, including jail, after being caught trying to stomach tube a racehorse two hours before it was due to race at Rosehill on Saturday. After initially denying the horse was Ferocimo, McFarlane later admitted to stewards it was in fact the gelding which was scheduled to race. In May, northern NSW trainer Cody Morgan became the first licensed person charged after changes to the NSW Crimes Act, which states that those found guilty of fraudulent conduct or to have inside information that potentially could affect betting outcomes on an event, including a horse race, face penalties that could result in up to 10 years’ imprisonment. The NSW Rules of Racing now carry a minimum 12-month disqualification for anyone found guilty of attempting to or being present when a horse is treated with any substance within 24 hours of a scheduled race. Racing NSW detective Albert Gardiner went to McFarlane’s Rosehill stable at 1.10pm, where he found stablehand Carmen Hepburn and the trainer with the horse which had a tube inserted in its nostril. Gardiner and stewards took possession of a nasal tube, funnel, bucket and plastic zip lock bags containing a white powder. McFarlane is a former top cyclist, who just missed out on qualifying for the 2000 Sydney Olympics.