Smart filly for Eulogy; Allpress seeking Trentham clearance; McDonald close up in title race

Smart filly for Eulogy

Serena Miss will return to racing at Awapuni on Saturday week on the opening day of the Manawatu Christmas meeting.

The Graeme and Debbie Rogerson-trained three-year-old will start in the Gr.3 Lawn Master Eulogy Stakes.

Serena Miss won the Gr.2 Sarten Memorial before she finished third in the Gr.1 NZ 2000 Guineas and was then blocked for room twice when unplaced in the Gr.1 NZ 1000 Guineas.

Allpress seeking Trentham clearance

Wanganui jockey Lisa Allpress will ride at Trentham on Saturday, subject to gaining a medical clearance later this week.

The premiership leader suffered a broken nose when she parted company with The Duke’s Secret at Otaki last Friday.

Allpress’ mounts at the Wellington meeting include the promising stayer Pentathlon (race two) and Mash (race one), Catalina De Lago (race seven) and Guarantor (race nine).

McDonald close up in title race

New Zealand’s international star jockey James McDonald has finished sixth behind Frankie Dettori in the race for the 2015 Longines World’s Best Jockey crown.

Dettori’s outstanding association with Golden Horn netted him Group One victories in the Epsom Derby, Eclipse Stakes, Irish Champion Stakes and the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe.

He amassed 100 points in the series with Ryan Moore and Victor Espinoza tied for second on 90 and McDonald finishing with 82.