Veteran Orford-trained jumper Mannertone has been retired after failing to finish the course in a $20,000 steeplechase at Mt Gambier last Sunday.
“The day had to come when we retired Mannertone but it’s a tough pill to swallow,” said trainer Anne McGrath. 
“He knocked his near-front tendon in the run and (jockey) Nathan (Newton) decided to pull him out of the race. 
“The good thing is we’ve still got a horse to take home after he’s run in 62 jumps races. 
“He’s pulled up well. He’s got a paddock at home for the rest of his life for what he’s done on the racetrack for my family and the owners. 
“He gave a lot of joy to so many people. He had a cult following — I suppose they loved him because he was the underdog against the top jumpers.”
McGrath said Mannertone’s five-year jumping career had included plenty of highlights.
“His longevity in jumps racing is amazing. There’s not many that compete for five years,” she said. 
“For me his best run was when he ran second behind Bashboy in the 2015 Thackeray Steeplechase at Warrnambool. 
“Bashboy was a champion jumper and for Mannertone to run second to the champ was an amazing effort. 
“He raced against all the top-line ’chasers including Zed Em, Wells, Regina Coeli, No Song No Supper and Gold Medals. 
“Mannertone wasn’t a brilliant jumper. He was just an honest ’chaser who gave 100% in his races. 
“I look around our home and all I see is photos of Mannertone on the walls. He goes out as a star in our eyes.”
Mannertone’s 62 jumps starts yielded eight wins and 17 minor placings. He won only one of 43 races on the flat.
Ciaron’s got a cup hope
Ciaron Maher rates Southern France a genuine Melbourne Cup hope following his third placing in the Irish St Leger at the Curragh last Sunday.
Southern France, purchased recently by stable clients of Maher, was beaten home by Search for a Song and Kew Gardens in the weight-for-age Irish St Leger over 2800 metres.
Maher, who trains in partnership with David Eustace, was trackside at the Curragh to witness Southern France’s run.
“Southern France is a seriously good horse,” he said. 
“I’m glad I came over to gain a greater insight into the horse. I’ve kept a close eye on him since arriving in Ireland on Friday. 
“It was a very big run considering it was a weight-for-age race against some of the best stayers in the world. 
“I think he’s the right type of international for the Melbourne Cup — a big, strong type who should run out a solid 3200 metres. 
“Aidan O’Brien has done a marvellous job training Southern France over here and now it’s my task to get him back to Australia and prepare him for the Melbourne Cup. 
“He’ll go into quarantine here in Ireland within the next few days for a couple of weeks before he goes to Australia, where he’ll spend time in quarantine at Werribee.”
The exciting Irish-bred stayer has been handicapped to carry 55.5kg in the Melbourne Cup on November 5.
Tarquin to go bush
Country cups are on the agenda for Warrnambool galloper Tarquin, according to trainer Simon Ryan.
At his second run from a spell, Tarquin was unplaced at Flemington last Saturday. Ryan says the seven-year-old will line up in this Sunday’s Coleraine Cup before running in the Murtoa and Hamilton Cups.
“It’s a bit hard running in Melbourne at this time of the year,” the jumps jockey turned trainer said. 
“There’ll be some very good horses down in Melbourne over the next few weeks. It’s a bit easier to set horses like Tarquin for the country cups. They offer great prizemoney and in the case of Coleraine, Murtoa and Hamilton they all have VOBIS Gold bonuses for owners, which is a wonderful initiative. 
“I was happy enough with the run at Flemington — he finished the race off pretty well — and it’ll be a bit easier running at Coleraine.”
In other stable news, Ryan has plans to set his mare Eliabella for a jumps career after her maiden win on the flat over 2400 metres at Bendigo last week.
“I was very happy with the win,” he said. “Eliabella was having only her second start for us and she’s still got some improvement in her. 
“We’ll try to get her qualified for the Jericho Cup. She’s shown she can stay, which is a real bonus. 
“Her long-term goal is jumping races. She’s not really big but she’s nimble on her feet and I think she might develop into a handy type of jumper.”
From her 10 starts Eliabella has won $58,310.
Hip woes force Nikita out
Ex-Warrnambool jockey Nikita Beriman has called it quits.
Beriman has battled chronic hip problems for the last couple of years and would have had to have operations to fix them if she was to continue riding. 
She rode nearly 700 winners including Tears I Cry in the 2007 Group 1 Emirates Stakes at Flemington, at $101.