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Top jockey Glyn Schofield will face a second inquiry into a sale of a racehorse to Hong Kong interests as Racing NSW stewards prepare for an inquiry of their own to complement the ongoing Victorian investigation.
Schofield, Australia's joint leading group 1 rider this season, will be investigated over the sale of Lil Caesar, now registered under the name of Lucky Year, when an inquiry begins in Sydney on Monday week.
Racing NSW stewards are still gathering evidence on the matter. Under the rules of racing jockeys are not permitted to facilitate the sale of any racehorse.
Schofield, who is believed to have not been aware of the rule, and trainer Brent Stanley will face Victoria's Racing Appeals and Disciplinary Board over the sale of the previously unraced Equita, which was allegedly bought for $90,000 more than was disclosed to the horse's owners.
In an ironic twist, Schofield will return from a three-week suspension to ride the same horse at Hong Kong's Sha Tin program on Sunday.
THAT'S BIG MONEY
Big Money finally got his his first Sydney win coming over the top of Decision Time and Rich Enuff to take the group 3 Southern Cross Stakes at Randwick on Saturday. Robert Thompson ended up timing his winning charge perfectly.
"You don't have to win by more than that," Thompson said of the half-head margin. He added when asked if he was confident of running down the other two. "It was yes, no, yes no ... yes. He deserved that win."
Trainer Rod Northam said he would assess where next for Big Money in a couple of days. "I had troubles with his leg in the winter up in Brisbane, so I put him in the paddock and waited for them to get better," Northam said.
"I entered him in the Doncaster and I think he might be able to run mile, but there is the option of dropping back to the Galaxy."
WISE DECISION
Sultry Feeling was so close to the breeding barn she even had a stallion date pencilled in. But James Cummings' faith that she could enhance her value at stud paid the ultimate reward when the Gooree product stormed to victory in the group 3 Triscay Stakes at Randwick.
"She had a stallion lined up so we had to do a bit of talking," Cummings said.
"It's a team effort and everyone has to be on the same page. When they were happy enough and we had a bit of faith in her she could get across the line in one [she kept racing]. It's a great result."
Kerrin McEvoy never had cause for concern and downed Peeping by three-quarters-of-a-length. "She's developed so well and she's a stronger mare and worth her weight in gold now being a group winner," Cummings said.
WATERHOUSE COY
Gai Waterhouse did little at Randwick on Saturday to play down reports Tulloch Lodge is set to be sold to Hong Kong interests. "Nothing has been finalised yet," Waterhouse told Fairfax Media when asked about the deal.
It is believed Waterhouse's racing manager, Adrian Bott, is a key player in the deal and is understood an approach has been made to Racing NSW to have Bott and Waterhouse form a training partnership.
OFFER RETIRES
Former Sydney Cup winner and one-time Melbourne Cup favourite The Offer has been retired. The seven-year-old, which was eighth in last year's Melbourne Cup for Gai Waterhouse and second in the Sandown Cup at his last start, finished his career with almost $1.6 million in prizemoney.
EYE ON FLYER
Brenton Avdulla left stewards in no doubt he didn't want to be in the same seat as one of his rival riders - even if the circumstances and result were the same with Mr Steal.
"My instructions were try to lead and I didn't want to find myself in the same situation Hughie was a couple of weeks ago," Avdulla joked after Mr Steal, the centre of a controversial inquiry after Hugh Bowman did not lead on the horse last start at Canterbury, again finished third behind Springbok Flyer. "I actually tried to lead." To which chief stipe Ray Murrihy replied, noting the horse's slow start: "I would have been critical if you did."
The result was the same again as Springbok Flyer made all and fought off stablemate Defrost My Heart. "If they want to take us on that's good for them," trainer Chris Waller said of Mr Steal's much discussed tactics.
Majority owner Phillip Pollicina bought Springbok Flyer out of the Tattersalls Sale and he has now won two on the trot. "I fell in love with him and I had to have him [at that sale]," Pollicina said.
HIGHWAY HIT
Wendy Roche's once unruly colt Swivet landed some big bets to help the Goulburn trainer win her first Highway Handicap.
"He was by Excites and he was a lovely colt, but he always used to bite us all the time," Roche said.
"We just had to geld him and now he is two stone less." His manners might have gradually improved and now his record stands at two wins from 16 starts as he just nabbed Sirius Spy - even though Roche had plans for him to get over greater distance.
"He was getting ready for a 2700 [metre race], it was just a matter of whether today was going to be too short," Roche said. "It was an excellent ride [by Samantha Clenton] from a wide barrier."
