Michael Coleman has gained the mount on Imabayboy in the $2.2
million New Zealand Derby at Ellerslie on Saturday.
Coleman was disconsolate when he lost the ride on Corporal
Jones to the Hong Kong-based Australian jockey Zac Purton.
The mount on Imabayboy became available when Mark Du Plessis
chose to ride Handsome Zulu.
Du Plessis had ridden Imabayboy to a last-start win over
2100m at Ellerslie on February 20.
It was the fifth win for the son of San Luis, trained by
Trent Busuttin.
Coleman has won the Derby on Cut The Cake (2003) and Xcellent
(2004).
Zarzuela, the favourite for the Derby, pleased her
connections with her work at Matamata yesterday.
Zarzuela, with race rider James McDonald aboard, partnered
Minqar Qaim over 1200m in 1.17.1 and the final 600m in an
outstanding 35.6.
They worked right-handed 8m out on the course proper.
Her trainer, Mark Walker, said the light blow she had
afterwards was ideal three days out from the classic.
Trainers Mike and Paul Moroney were satisfied with Monaco
Consul, who ran 1.17.5 on his own, the last 600 in 36.2.
His rider, Reese Jones, described the work as at least equal
to his final gallop before he headed to Sydney and won the
Spring Champion Stakes in early October.
The Moroney brothers consider Monaco Consul has returned to
his best at the right time.
Monaco Consul will wear a pacifier with blinkers on Saturday.
Paul Moroney said he has worn a pacifier in all his races and
had blinkers fitted on one occasion.
The Derby on Saturday will be the first New Zealand race
available to bettors in Hong Kong.
The betting turnover per race on a per capita basis in Hong
Kong is the highest in the world. Bettors there wagered $HK67
million ($NZ12.39 million) on the Blue Diamond Stakes meeting
at Caulfield on February 20.
The New Zealand Racing Board receives a financial return on
overseas betting on New Zealand races.
The 2010 Invercargill Cup has been transferred to the
Southland meeting in December.
The cup was abandoned at the meeting at Ascot Park on
February 20 due to a problem with the track.
It was proposed that the cup be run at the Southland meeting
on March 21 but that meeting has been transferred to Gore.
"We did not want to risk a recurrence of a track problem,"
Doug Stuart, the Southland manager for Gallop South, said.
"The cup has been transferred as the March 21 meeting is an
industry day and the funding is not the same."
Hugh Bowman has opted to ride Solar Charged in the
Kindergarten Stakes at Warwick Farm on Saturday, AAP reports.
Bowman said it was a difficult decision to choose between
Solar Charged and Elimbari, who he rode to an impressive
first-up win in January.
The ride on Solar Charged became available when Corey Brown
chose to ride in Dubai this weekend.
"I would have loved to stay with Elimbari but I've chosen
Solar Charged because I feel she might be the better
2yr-old," Bowman said.
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