CHAMPION trainer Ciaron Maher may saddle up three of his top jumpers in the $100,000 Thackeray Steeplechase at Warrnambool on July 7.
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Maher is contemplating running Stern Idol, Rockstar Ronnie and Wil John in the quality steeplechase over 3450 metres.
"We'll wait and see how things plan out but there's a chance we could have Stern Idol, Rockstar Ronnie and Wil John running," he said.
"The conditions of the quality steeplechase mean the top-weight would carry 72 kilograms which makes the race really attractive for Stern Idol. He carried 73 kilograms to win the Brierly and the most weight he can get in the Thackeray is 72 kilograms.
"It makes running Stern Idol in the Thackeray a serious option.
"We trialled Rockstar Ronnie and Wil John over jumps at Warrnambool last Friday. I was very happy with their work. It was just a matter of giving them a look around the tricky steeplechase course."
Chains Of Honour, who won the Galleywood Hurdle at the Warrnambool May Racing Carnival, may line up for Maher in the $100,000 Lafferty Hurdle - the other feature jumps race on Thackeray day.
Maher revealed Joffrey, who won a benchmark race over 3600 metres at Bendigo on Saturday which sees him as a likely runner in the rich Jericho Cup later in the year, had some shares for sale.
"I was very happy how Joffrey won at Bendigo on Saturday," he said.
"Joffrey looks a likely Jericho runner. He's picked up enough points to get him into the Jericho field.
"The long term future for Joffrey is a career over the jumps. I really think he could be an ideal Grand Annual Steeplechase horse. He's a strong type of stayer who has shown a liking for the jumps.
"We've got a couple of small shares still in Joffrey for anyone who is looking to get involved in a progressive horse on the way up."
From his eight starts Joffrey has won two races and finished in the minor place-getters stall on three occasions.
Final campaign
TOP Warrnambool trainer Symon Wilde will give his star mare Sirileo Miss one more campaign in the spring before she heads to the breeding barn.
Sirileo Miss put in three lack-lustre performances in the autumn after resuming from a year away from the track.
"We decided to give Sirileo Miss one last preparation," Wilde said.
"Her three runs in the autumn were uncharacteristic but we've put them back to her long break from racing. She failed to run up to her best but we thought if she had a short break we would get her ready for some nice races in the spring.
"Sirileo Miss is a valuable broodmare, if she shows at any stage in the spring she's not enjoying her racing she'll be retired.
"She's been a great mare for her owners. She's given them a lot of enjoyment racing at the top level."
From her 27 start's, Sirileo Miss has won nine races and collected more than $970,000 in stakemoney for her owners.
Galloper rewarded
WARRNAMBOOL-trained galloper Miso won his fourth race when he saluted in a benchmark race at Mount Gambier on Thursday, June 13.
Trainer Daniel Bowman said Miso has been unlucky in some of his races.
"Miso has been a good, consistent horse," Bowman said.
"I was quietly confident he would run well. I thought it was a good ride by Jack Hill. He had Miso well-placed in the run.
"We may look at giving Miso his next start in a race at Morphettville in a couple of weeks."
The lightly-raced five-year-old took his stake earnings to $91,000 with the victory.
Miso's win was the second leg of a double for Hill.
He was also successful on Imposing Suspect for Peter Hardacre.
Record sale
THE Great Southern sale produced the highest-priced weanling colt sold this year to cap off a huge Inglis Breeding Stock Sales Series which ended as the second best in history.
A Snitzel colt out of Members Joy sold to an astute pinhooker for a sale-topping $575,000, making him the highest-priced weanling colt ever sold at the Great Southern Sale.
The Inglis weanling sales series grossed a record $28,186,000 - a 23% year-on-year increase and ensuring its place as the market-leading weanling sales series in Australia for the third consecutive year.
The Great Southern Weanling Sale gross of $11,906,000 is a 19% year-on-year increase and the second-best ever, just $200,000 shy of the record year of 2022.
A total of 34 weanlings realised $100,000 or more at the Great Southern Sale up from 22 last year.
Penalised
FORMER Warrnambool-based jockey Jackie Beriman was outed for eight meetings following her winning ride on Timbolton at Bendigo on Saturday, June 15.
Beriman's suspension related to a whip infringement.
Stewards found she used the whip five more times than permitted prior to the 100-metre mark.
Her suspension commences at midnight on June 20 and ends June 27.
Beriman was also fined $500 for the indiscretion.
Underrated jockey Paul Gatt will spend ten meetings on the sidelines after pleading guilty to a careless riding charge at Moe on Sunday.
Gatt allowed his mount Shravas to shift in near the winning post. His time on the sidelines starts at midnight on June 18 and he can resume riding on June 28.
Stewards deemed the incident to be in the mid-range and took into account his guilty plea before handing down the penalty.
WHO TO FOLLOW
CAREFUL: Punters should tread warily with the form from Sandown on Saturday. Many of the races were won by on-pace runners which made it tough for backmarkers to get the money. The big exception was Cadmus who came from well back in the field to win the last race.
JAMES McDONALD: Stating the obvious here. He's a world-class jockey who keeps on racking up the winners. Punters must include his rides in their multiple selections.
KERRIN McEVOY: Underrated jockey who was back in the winner's stall at Rosehill on Saturday. McEvoy has spent time on the sidelines with injuries but he's back and will come under notice in coming weeks.
