Briefs for 16th December 2014

All’s well with Fay Fay; Vale Ross McDonald; Another cup on Surpass’ agenda; Tweedie to make classic start.

All’s well with Fay Fay

Fay Fay has come through his winning New Zealand debut performance without a problem and is set to reappear on Boxing Day.

“He pulled up pretty well and everything is on track for the Zabeel Classic,” said Trevor Cruz, who prepares the seven-year-old with his brother Martin at Cambridge.

The former Hong Kong Derby winner came off an 18-month break to down Julinsky prince and I Do in the Gr.2 Tauranga Stakes.

“He is a race at a time horse, he’s had a lot of wear and tear and we have to manage him very carefully,” he said.

Vale Ross McDonald

Multiple Group One-winning trainer Ross McDonald has died in Melbourne after a long illness.

An accomplished equestrian and horse breaker before turning his hand to training, his accomplishments included two Caulfield Cups with Tristarc in 1985 and Imposera in 1988.

McDonald, who underwent multiple heart bypass surgery earlier this year, also trained Courtza to win the 1989 Blue Diamond-Golden Slipper double.

More recently, he prepared the 2007-08 Australian Horse of the Year Weekend Hussler to win six Group One races.

Another cup on Surpass’ agenda

Surpass will be given the opportunity to complete back-to-back Group Three wins and is then likely to be sent for a break.

The stayer returned from Australia to run away with the Waikato Gold Cup and is a confirmed starter in the Gr.3 Scot Thrust City of Auckland Cup at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day.

“He came back in great order and Chad (Ormsby) applied the polish,” Ballymore Stables’ New Zealand racing manager Nick Fairweather said.

“Only two runs were planned so he might go for a bit of a break after the City of Auckland Cup.”

Tweedie to make classic start

Prior commitments will prevent Linda Ballentyne and Bruce Herd from backing up in the final leg of the classic jockeys’ series at Te Rapa on Saturday with Alwyn Tweedie added to the line-up.

Tweedie, 68, will take over as the oldest rider in the field from the 60-year-old Kevin Morton.

Unlike the first leg, which was confined to maiden gallopers and run over 1000 metres, this championship final will be for Rating 65 horses over 1400 metres with a minimum weight of 57kg.

“It’ll be a bit more of a test of stamina,” series organiser Earl Harrison said. “But they should be up to it. They had a good blowout in the first one and Tweeds rides a lot of work so he should be fit enough.”

Lee Tiley won the first leg of the Cambridge Stud- sponsored series on The Show, who raced on the day as Interval.