SNIPER'S BULLET returned to Mudgee trainer Tracey Bartley's stable this week and will be aimed at group 1 races in Perth.
Last year's Stradbroke winner enjoyed eight weeks in the paddock and is likely to have two runs in Melbourne late this spring before heading west.
"He looks great and I'll probably trial him in Sydney before going to Melbourne," Bartley said.
"I might have him ready for The Emirates on the last day of the Melbourne Cup carnival, but the Railway Stakes and Kingston Town Classic are the races we're after … the opposition over there [Perth] won't be as strong and it's good money."
The $1 million Railway is scheduled for November 22 and the $500,000 Kingston Town Classic is on December 6. Bartley said he expected Sniper's Bullet to return a stronger horse, mentally and physically, this preparation.
"To be honest, the group 1 that got away from us was [his third in] the Chipping Norton. He was too soft, I should have worked him harder on the Tuesday before the race … he needed a tough campaign last time. It will make the horse, and I'm looking forward to having him back." Ryan's triple treble CHAMPION bush jockey Greg Ryan has bounced into the bridle in dashing form this season, scoring a hat-trick of trebles.
The Dubbo-based rider, chasing his 12th straight country jockeys' premiership, began his haul at Louth last Saturday when he scored aboard Hiding Place for Bill Dwyer, Abra Ka Dabra (Steve Beattie), and Intheway (Gary Popp) beat 2006 Grafton Cup winner Rocking On and Beltana in the feature $16,000 Creswell Louth Cup (2000 metres).
Before a crowd of 6000, up 1500 on last year, the "village that loves a drink, a punt and a party" as Henry Lawson once wrote, celebrated its 50th anniversary.
Trainer Paul Banks travelled from Bendigo to finish runner-up with Merry Spinster in the Louth Handicap but was victorious with $13 chance Armani Black in the Louth Maiden. Ken Dunbar rode both.
At Muswellbrook on Sunday, Ryan won on Brahmsian Spark for Greg Bennett, Juste A Miss (Jeff Brasch) and Buckets And Spades (Robert Davies).
The Paul Perry-trained Amboise (Allan Robinson) won the feature $20,000 Community Cup. Next day at Cowra, Ryan completed the triple treble aboard Dane's Jewel for Peter Stanley, Magic Watch (Michael Lynch) and Monaro Magic (Andrew Molloy). Media men in money MEDIA types Ray Hadley and Graeme White enjoyed success with horses they part-own this week, both at succulent odds.
Hadley (radio 2GB) has a stake in Ratings Winner, which won a rating 62 handicap at Murwillumbah on Monday. The gelding, trained by Ballina's Danny Bowen, started at $10.
White (WIN TV) part-owns Telesto Spy, which started at $7 but paid double on the tote when winning at Wagga Wagga on Sunday. Trainer Gary Colvin, recovering from a major knee operation, listened to the race from his hospital bed.
Jockey Andrew Bloomfield and trainer Tim Donnelly scored doubles at Wagga with Inside Fifty and Davos. Rings on cup mission HUNTER & North West Racing Association horse of the year contender Newton's Rings is being aimed at the $100,000 Premier's Cup (1800m) at Rosehill on August 30.
The Jeff Englebrecht-trained eight-year-old gelding, winner of this year's Scone Cup, has won 20 of his 60 starts and $713,380 in prizemoney. He hasn't raced since finishing seventh to Xavier over 1500m at Rosehill on August 2.
Last season's horse of the year, The Jackal, has just returned from a 10-day spell. Trainer Paul St Vincent is preparing the big chestnut for the Bobby Lewis and Salinger stakes in Melbourne.
The Jackal, which won his second Ramornie Handicap at Grafton in July, is the title danger to Newton's Rings. Bush does its bit COUNTRY racing contributed 33.6 per cent ($271 million) to TAB turnover during the 2007-08 season. The figure was down on the previous season's $325.7 million but was an increase on country's usual share of about 30 per cent.
That percentage increase can be attributed to the equine influenza (EI) epidemic, when country racing, despite losing numerous meetings, conducted 58 per cent of all NSW TAB gallop meetings.
From January to June, 69 races were also divided providing extra prizemoney to participants and catering for the extra pool of horses during that period. It is also worth noting that despite a 4 per cent drop in TAB sales, minimum prizemoney levels increased by $2000 per race. Great Sunday cards TWO top cup meetings are planned for Casino and Narromine today.
The $25,000 Casino Cup (1400m) has attracted a good line-up, as has the $26,000 Narromine Cup (1600m).
Ballina trainers Danny Bowen, with Special Voyage and Cedar Manor, and Gary Nielsen, with Trick On Track, have strong hands at Casino. Trainer Leo Clapham (Pay Day Lass) will carry the local hopes. They're racing TAB meetings: today - Casino, Narromine; tomorrow - Muswellbrook, Queanbeyan; Tuesday - Wagga Wagga; Friday - Canberra, Taree.
Non-TAB meetings: Saturday - Parkes. Stable secrets EASY SILENCE: Start cheering.
PREDATORY PRICER: A killer.
BY JEEVES: He can gallop.
tony_white3@bigpond.com