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Covering the Goulburn and Murray valleys
FEBRUARY 16, 2012 4:57am

Stars step out at Seymour today

Americain, Sepoy and a pair of Blue Diamond hopefuls to gallop - while Zamorar is headed for Adelaide.

By Chalpat Sonti

A Thursday meeting at Seymour is usually where you look for stars of the future — but racegoers are in for a real treat today.

As reported last week, 2010 Melbourne Cup winner Americain will gallop about 30 minutes before the first race, itself scheduled to go about 2.52pm.

But the great stayer — part-owned by Gerry Ryan — isn’t the only superstar scheduled to be on track.

While Americain furthers his Australian Cup preparation under new trainer David Hayes, race fans will also get to see champion two-and three-year-old sprinter Sepoy strut his stuff.

Last season’s Blue Diamond and Golden Slipper winner added to his Group One tally in the spring when he took out the Coolmore Stud Stakes on Victoria Derby day.

The win took his record to 10 wins from 11 starts.

After a summer spell at his owner Sheik Mohammed’s Darley Stud, on Northwood Rd, the Elusive Quality colt is getting ready for a first-up tilt at the Group One Oakleigh Plate (1100m) at Caulfield on February 25.

Sepoy will gallop after the first race at Seymour.

But it doesn’t end there. Hayes will not only gallop Americain but two of his Blue Diamond hopefuls for this year, Mama’s Choice and Mrs Gray.

Mama’s Choice is well in the market for the February 25 event after beating Seymour-owned Formidable (see below) in the Chairman’s Stakes at Caulfield on debut, with maiden Mrs Gray somewhat of a forgotten runner after a luckless run in the Magic Millions Classic at the Gold Coast.

The pair is also scheduled to gallop about 30 minutes before the first race.Rivals left in Zamorar’s wake

Budding star Zamorar got his autumn campaign off on the right hoof with a convincing win at Moonee Valley on Friday night.

Resuming in a 0-82 1000m event, the Seymour-trained — and largely-owned — gelding gave his rivals a galloping lesson.

After jumping reasonably, jockey Steven Arnold took Zamorar to the front after 200m and it was clear on the home turn he had his rivals off the bit.

Under hands-and-heels riding, Zamorar coasted to the line almost four lengths ahead of his opposition.

It was the son of Scandal Keeper’s first run since a close fourth to Sepoy in the Coolmore Stud Stakes.

Bourne said he was now looking at lining up his charge in the $250000 Centrebet Classic, a 1200m Group Two eevnt for three-year-olds at Morphettville on Adelaide Cup day (March 12).

That would rule out Australia’s premier sprint, the $1million Newmarket Handicap at Flemington on March 10.

‘‘I’m happy to stay in three-year-old company between now and the end of the season,’’ Bourne said.

‘‘He can go around for those sorts of races (such as the Newmarket) as a four, five or six-year-old if we look after him.’’

Bourne has nominated handy maiden Toliman for Thursday’s Seymour meeting while recent Kilmore winner Adynata is having a break and will be brought back for the softer tracks later in the season.Formidable a Diamond chance

She’s not in Victoria’s premier race for juveniles — yet — but Seymour-owned filly Formidable showed she would be a big chance if she were to line up, with an excellent effort at Caulfield on Saturday.

The daughter of Strada, raced by prominent Northwood owners Barrie and Midge Griffiths, finished a meritorious second to new Blue Diamond Stakes favourite Samaready in the fillies’ prelude.

After getting away slowly, Formidable was being niggled at by Chris Symons before the home turn while Samaready was enjoying a trouble-free passage on her outer.

But Formidable has shown she’s nothing if not game in her short career, and kept coming to the line in great style to run second. It’s a racing style that would seem ideally suited to the high pressure of the Diamond.

While the extra 100m on February 25 would also appear to suit the tiny filly down to the ground, she is not nominated for the event, and the Griffithses would have to fork out a $55000 late entry fee for Formidable to take her place.

That appeared more likely in recent days with co-trainer Matthew Ellerton indicating it would happen if she came through Saturday’s race okay.

Zamorar wins at Moonee Valley on Friday night.


Formidable shown winning at Flemington last month. The Seymour-owned filly is a likely late nomination for the Blue Diamond Stakes.


Some of the winning connections celebrate Zamorar’s win. Trainer David Bourne is third from right.


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