International Round-up

[my miss storm cat]

Sorry Brockguy... Gentlewave is injured and out for the year.

[my miss storm cat]

Rajeem to the Prix d'Astarte, Best Alibi to the Skybet York Stakes.....

YEATS HEADS CUP CONTENDERS
By Nick Robson, PA Sport

Needless to say Fallon will not be riding the horse at Goodwood if he runs. It is a G2 race and he would have to carry more weight as he is a G1 winner.

Ascot Gold Cup winner Yeats heads 21 entries for Thursday's ABN Amro Goodwood Cup at the Sussex venue.

Aidan O'Brien's one-time Derby favourite was an impressive winner at the Royal meeting and will clash again with a number of his Ascot rivals.

Runner-up Reefscape, High Action (fourth), Sergeant Cecil (fifth) and Guadalajara (sixth) could all reoppose along with eighth-placed Tungsten Strike and ninth Winged D'Argent.

Mick Channon's dual Royal Ascot winner Baddam and Hughie Morrison's 11-year-old Alcazar are also entered.

Mark Johnston has a fantastic record in the race after the exploits of Double Trigger, Royal Rebel and Darasim in recent years and he has earmarked the contest as a possible return for last year's runner-up Golden Quest.

Other interesting contenders include John Gosden's four-year-old Signatory, Sir Michael Stoute's Cover Up and Sir Mark Prescott's Foreign Affairs.

[my miss storm cat]

Johannesburg! You're here!!!!!

Must go and jump up and down.

Thanks again for the Ace info. Like I said, baaaad feeling about tomorrow so very happy he's withdrawn. Whew!

[my miss storm cat]

Hey Johannesburg.....

Any idea why Peeress is skipping Goodwood? A shame....

Thanks!

[my miss storm cat]

Sad, sad, sad.

Cup favourite breaks down
By Christian Nicolussi
August 1, 2006

LEICA Falcon, the early favourite for this year's Melbourne Cup, was yesterday rubbed out of the spring carnival after breaking down.

Some of the heartbroken connections of the Corowa-trained gelding were last night drowning their sorrows at a local pub in Albury after being informed by trainer Richard Freyer the horse had bowed a tendon.

Freyer was last night unavailable for comment with daughter Kylie pointing out her father was too upset to speak.

"He's devastated when any of his horses break down," Kylie said.

Vet Jim Vasey, who will operate on Leica Falcon today - using stem cells to replace the damaged tissue in the tendon - said depending on the recovery, the horse could miss the 2007 Cup.

The shock news forced Michael Eskander's betting house to reshuffle its Cup market with AJC Australian Derby winner Headturner elevated to an outright $8 favourite.

Nominations for the $5.1million race on the first Tuesday in November close today.

Eskander's spokesman Damian Ryan said the John Hawkes-trained Headturner was crunched from $11 into $8, followed by fellow Sydney galloper Eremein, in from $13 to $11; AJC Australian Oaks winner Serenade Rose ($15 to $13); and another Hawkes' runner, Railings ($17 into $15).

"It's a bummer Leica Falcon is out because we laid the second, third and fourth favourites," Ryan said.

"Leica Falcon was definitely the most popular horse with punters, with doubles and as a stand-alone. Headturner now looks the best stayer while Eremein is the best weight-for-age horse."

Leica Falcon thundered home to grab fourth in last year's Cup. Jockey Steven King was expected to make the trek to Wodonga next week to ride the horse in a trial with an option to stick with the gelding throughout the carnival.

Owner Margaret Eaton, the principal of a behavioural school in Albury, said she was holding back the tears from fellow teachers when receiving the news after lunch.

"It was pretty tough trying to hold it together all day," said Eaton, who along with partner Alan bred Leica Falcon.

"I told the teachers at the end of the day what had happened and they all understood.

"We were really looking forward to the Cup this year. I knew if he could avoid injury and get there on the day, he'd be hard to beat. I even bought a dress and new hat for the Cup a few weeks ago while attending a behavioural schools' conference in Terrigal."

Originally Posted by my miss storm cat

Hey Johannesburg.....

Any idea why Peeress is skipping Goodwood? A shame....

Thanks!

Ground is too firm.

She needs a little cut in the ground.

[my miss storm cat]

No problem, Irishtrekker.

Johannesburg... does this mean she doesn't run till the Matron Stakes or the QE II? Disappointing..... I love that girl.

[Hwjb]

Hear hear.
Fondmort is a wonderfully consistent, genuine and tough high-class chaser who jumps wonderfully and has been an exceptional servant to connections.