Briefs for 13th July 2015

Black type winner retired; Eyes only for Grand National; Twin features on radar; Quechua spoils Kiwi-bred’s party.

Black type winner retired

The curtain has come down on the racing career of a stakes winner on both sides of the Tasman.

Trainer Shaun Ritchie has confirmed the retirement of the Sir Peter Vela-owned five-year-old Atacama.

The Pentire mare won seven of her 23 starts, including last year’s Listed Matamata Cup before she was sent to Melbourne where she triumphed in the Listed Cup Day Plate at Flemington.

Atacama finished fourth in both the Gr.1 NZ Breeders’ Stakes and the Gr.2 Travis Stakes at her two most recent starts.

“She’s had feet problems and she wasn’t quite finishing her races off so the decision was made to retire her,” Ritchie said.

Eyes only for Grand National

Winter star Mr Mor may not be seen out again until the Grand National Steeplechase.

Co-trainer JJ Rayner said the in-form jumper was unlikely to contest the NZI Koral Steeplechase ahead of the Racecourse Hotel & Motor Lodge-sponsored feature at Riccarton on August 8.

"We're going to give the Koral a miss," Rayner said. "He doesn't really need to have that run and he can go straight into the Grand National.

"He hit his leg on Saturday where he had a scar and there is a slight tear in the wound. It's not bad, but we don't want to risk anything before the Grand National."

A decision on a start for Mr Mor in September’s Great Northern Steeplechase at Ellerslie will be made after his Christchurch venture.

Twin features on radar

Hardy mare Wee Biskit will have two further chances during her current preparation to add to her record at the prestige jumping level.

The Ken Duncan-trained six-year-old will run next in the Hospitality NZ Grand National Hurdles at Riccarton on August 5 before she defends her Great Northern Hurdles title at Ellerslie.

Wee Biskit revelled in the testing conditions at Trentham at the weekend to claim the Wellington Hurdles under rider Matthew Cropp, who is now based at Waverley where he is huntsman for the Egmont Hunt.

Quechua spoils Kiwi-bred’s party

Quechua has ended the clean sweep hopes of a New Zealand-bred in the Singapore Four-Year-Old Challenge.

The Patrick Shaw-trained gelding gained the upper hand over War Affair in a close finish to Sunday’s Gr.1 Singapore Derby.

A brave War Affair, who had previously won the Stewards’ Cup and the Patron’s Bowl, raced four and five deep from a wide alley and failed by only a neck to reel in Quechua.

The Laurie Laxon-trained Daniel took out the Gr.3 Paititi Gold Trophy in impressive fashion later on the card. A son of Guillotine, it was the first raceday appearance for Daniel in eight months after he bled in a barrier trial.