News

Time Thief earmarked for European glory

26th Jan 2009

Sydney Morning Herald - By Andrew Eddy and John Schell - Tuesday, 27 January 2009

OUTSTANDING colt Time Thief may be headed for the world stage after a classy effort to win the listed Zeditave Stakes at Caulfield yesterday.

Time Thief, a $2 million yearling buy by Sheik Mohammed's Darley Australia at the 2007 Sydney Easter yearling sales, might be among the first Australian racehorses owned by the sheik to travel to his main base at Dubai to race in Europe next year.

"We are looking at getting a small team together to take back to Europe to race, and he's right at the top of the list," Darley Australia's managing director, Henry Plumptre, said. "He's a first-class racehorse with a great future."

After an initial spring campaign which netted one win and three seconds, Time Thief ($2.20 favourite) had been earmarked as one of racing's rising stars, and he did not disappoint yesterday, winning by three-quarters of a length over Fravashi ($5.50). Fernandina ($6.50) was third.

A group 1 win in Europe would turn Time Thief into a valuable dual hemisphere stallion and give his sire, Redoute's Choice, a chance to establish himself in the northern hemisphere.

Trainer Lee Freedman said Time Thief was nowhere near his peak for his first run back. "That [win] was pleasing because he's 80 per cent, maybe 85 per cent fit but was still able to win," he said. "We took a big risk running him here today but there weren't that many options for us."

The $1 million Blue Diamond Stakes is still four weeks away but filly Rostova proved she was a worthy favourite for the race after resuming with a breath-taking win at Caulfield. The Testa Rossa filly was being eased down on the line to win by 2½ lengths.

Trainer Steve Richards said after the race that he considered Rostova was vulnerable yesterday as he had not fully wound up the horse for her much-awaited return. "But deep down, I knew that she would be too good with any sort of luck," he said.

Punters were also concerned that Rostova, which had been beaten in a recent trial, was not at her fittest, and she eased alarmingly from $1.90 to start the $2.60 favourite before blitzing Irish Lights ($5.50).

Jockey Dwayne Dunn believes Reward For Effort, which won the colt's division of the Blue Diamond Previews yesterday, is a contender. Dunn, who has won the Blue Diamond for the past four years, said the Exceed And Excel colt had the ability to impose himself in better races. "I'm sure he'll run top five in the Blue Diamond but whether he can win it is another thing," he said.

Reward For Effort ($6) came from off the speed to record a 1¼-length win over $3.70 favourite Rarefied. The slick Bombay Sling ($5.50) was third.

Meanwhile, Brisbane trainer Liam Birchley atoned for the defeat of Sarge In Charge in the Karaka Millions in New Zealand on Sunday by producing Fear No Other to win yesterday's $250,000 Inglis Classic at Randwick.

Fear No Other ($3.30 favourite) was ridden by Corey Brown, who came under the scrutiny of Racing NSW stewards for causing interference in the event.

"He's done a good job, this horse," said Birchley, who also had short-priced favourite Paprika finish second in the Magic Millions Classic earlier this month. "I'll put him in the paddock now and bring him back for the winter carnival in Brisbane."

Anthony Cummings carted off the other Randwick feature when Zavite ($5) turned around his form to win the Australia Day Cup with Nash Rawiller up. Zavite defeated Come On Cugat ($8.50) and Macknuckle ($3.30 favourite).