STANDISH Handicap winner Odyssey Moon will head to New Zealand in pursuit of group 1 success.
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Caulfield/Ballarat trainer Robert Smerdon has confirmed the four-year-old as a late entry for the Telegraph Handicap, 1200m, at Trentham on Saturday, January 21.
"He flies out on Wednesday night and Noel Callow is going to ride him," Smerdon said.
Odyssey Moon, who began his racing career with trainer Rod Northam at Scone before joining Smerdon's team last autumn, has won four of his 21 starts.
He was group 1-placed as a 2yo in the 2015 ATC Sires' Produce Stakes in Sydney.
He has also been placed in another seven stakes races and broke through for his first black-type victory in the group 3 Standish Handicap at Flemington on January 1.
A group 1 win would obviously enhance the entire's stud prospects.
"That's the motivation, for sure," Smerdon said.
DARREN Weir had a major breakthrough at the Magic Millions Carnival on the Gold Coast last year.
He landed a double with Mahuta in the $1.9m Guineas and Lucky Hussler in the $1m Gold Coast Cup.
Weir is chasing more magic moments with a quartet of runners at this year’s carnival on Saturday.
Lucky Hussler will attempt to defend his title in the Gold Coast Cup, 1400m, which will also feature stablemate Kenjorwood.
Stratum Star is to run in the Magic Million Trophy, 2200m, and Hijack Hussy in the fillies’ and mares’ feature over 1300m.
Stratum Star is one of the most travelled members of Weir’s Ballarat stable in the past year, having raced in Queensland, NSW and Western Australia as well extensively in Victoria.
He has not raced since winning the group 1 $1m Kingston Town in Perth a month ago.
CARDIGAN trainer Anton Golino is building an impressive record for the international breeding and racing operation Haras des Trotteurs.
Golino has moved into the top 10 in the Victorian trainers’ premiership after a quinella at Melton trots on Monday night.
Lightly raced 3yo filly Kinvara ($3.10 favourite) made it back-to-back wins to give him his 13th win of the season.
This Ballarat three trainers in the top 10.
Defending titleholder Emma Stewart is making the pace with 49 winners, while Michael Stanley also has 13.
Golino is sixth in the metropolitan premiership.