WITH Moonee Valley's night season over, Crossley trainer Quinton Scott has indicated his speedy galloper Plateau Gold may again be headed for the retirement paddock due to a lack of suitable races for the 10-year-old.
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Plateau Gold ran third behind Desert Lashes and Belwazi in a 955 metre race under lights at the Valley last Friday, on the back of a win and two minor placings over the same distance and track at his previous starts.
"It looks like Plateau Gold will be retired again," Scott said. "The problem is there's no short distance races on the calendar. Moonee Valley holds 955 metre races under lights, which suit him down to the ground, but the night season is finished.
"The 955 metres is his pet distance. The sad thing is Plateau Gold is as sound as a bell and racing really well. He's won over $56,000 in stakemoney from his last four starts.
"I'm sending him back up to Coffs Harbour where his owner Jim Jarvis lives and ideally he'll be retired, but the horse hates being in the paddock. He just loves racing and frets in the paddock."
Plateau Gold has won 13 of 55 starts and collected more then $445,000 in prizemoney.
Meanwhile, Lonruse made the long trip to Naracoorte worthwhile for Scott on Sunday, scoring an impressive victory in a restricted flat race over 1200 metres.
"It was a good win," the veteran trainer said.
"He's only had the three runs for me. He's got a bit of ability. It was a suitable race for him. We'll just potter around with him at home before making any plans for his next run."
Lonruse was formerly trained by Paul Presuker.
CHASE START
ORFORD trainer Anne McGrath hopes to kick off Mannertone's 2019 jumping campaign in the Eulong Steeplechase at Hamilton on Monday, April 1.
Mannertone won the feature jumping race in 2015 and 2018, and McGrath has her fingers crossed the 10-year-old can win again this year. "He's had one flat run and I was going to run him in a restricted hurdle at Terang last Friday but I scratched him," she said.
"Mannertone had a minor issue and I knew Killarney Kid would be too hard to beat. He's had a good strong steeplechase school and I've done a lot of work in the bush around the farm to build up his fitness. He's in good shape.
"The break in weather will help his chances in the upcoming steeplechase races."
From his 94 starts, Mannertone has won more than $325,000 in stakemoney.
Hamilton has programmed three jumping races for its meeting next week.
VALE MARTY
SAD to report the passing of former jockey Marty Burke.
Burke, who rode with plenty of success for the Meggs Elkington and Mark Young stables in the 1980s, won numerous races in the western district including some minor cups.
Deepest sympathy is extended to his family.
CUP TOUR
EACH year, the Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour celebrates the heroes and stories intrinsically linked to the 158-year-old race and its contribution to the nation's heritage.
The 18-carat gold Lexus Melbourne Cup trophy visits various destinations in an effort to unite communities by engaging councils, schools, hospitals, aged-care homes and racing groups in events to raise funds for local causes.
For the first time as part of the Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour, the iconic trophy travelled to the UK and Ireland in 2018.
The European journey included seven of 37 destinations that joined racing history when they hosted the 16th annual tour. The tour also travelled to Seoul for the first time, where it celebrated the Korean Cup.
Australian roots were also celebrated; the cup travelling across the nation to some of our most famous locations including the Birdsville Cup; the sandy shores of Mission Beach and, for the first time, across the Nullarbor Plain by train.
Groups wishing to have the 2019 trophy visit towns or organisations have until Friday, April 5 to put in a tender. The VRC will announce the winning tenders in late May.
BIG SALE
MORE than 600 entries have been received for the Australian Broodmare and Weanling Sale by William Inglis to book-end the chairman's sale in Sydney on May 2.
The sale comprises 257 weanlings and 361 broodmares.
Weanlings include those by leading sires such as I Am Invincible, Zoustar, Fastnet Rock, Written Tycoon, Medaglia d'Oro, Lonhro, Hinchinbrook, So You Think, Pierro, Sebring, Dundeel, Nicconi, Brazen Beau, Deep Field and Better Than Ready, as well as first crop offerings for the likes of Capitalist, American Pharoah, Astern, Extreme Choice, Flying Artie, Shalaa, Maurice, Star Turn, Divine Prophet, Winning Rupert, Xtravagant, Territories, Mikki Isle, Sooboog, Stratum Star and Odyssey Moon.
The sale will begin with weanlings being offered on Thursday, May 2.
Part of the broodmare section of the catalogue shows mares in foal to the likes of I Am Invincible, Sebring, Lonhro, So You Think, Dundeel, Brazen Beau, Deep Field, Nicconi, Capitalist, Better Than Ready and Rubick, as well as first season sires like Russian Revolution, Merchant Navy, Hellbent, Invader, Caravaggio, Churchill, Ribchester, Pariah, Impending, Highland Reel, Jukebox, Menari, Spieth and Tosen Stardom.
Fillies and broodmares will be offered on May 5 and 6.