McGruddy ban means Utopia for Turner
Trainer Steve Wolfe has booked Troy Turner to take his first ride on Mr Utopia in Saturday's Amelia Park York Stakes (1600m).
Mr Utopia was first past the post in the Grandstand Cup (1500m) last Saturday week, but relegated to second following a successful protest by Amorino's rider William Pike over inter- ference at the 200m.
Mr Utopia's regular jockey Shaun McGruddy copped a 12-day ban for careless riding for shifting in on Amorino.
Amorino is absent from Saturday's $100,000 Listed feature, but the field of nine includes last-start Ascot winners Bombora and Full Steam Ahead and last Saturday's Listed Matchmaker Classic runner-up Red Hot Sax, who drops from 59kg to 55.5kg.
Mr Utopia rises 1½kg to 56kg.
"I've lost three protests in Listed races which is unbelievable," Wolfe said. "You can't get those races back.
"He was as well as he was going to be at his last start, but he has continued to do well."
·Trainer Ben Wright has been disqualified for two years after an investigation into galloper Amber's Express being put down without the consent of owners Craig and Wendy Hampton.
Amber's Express was found dead by stewards who visited Wright's Stakehill Road stables on February 27. She was one of five malnourished thoroughbreds, two of which were put down by stewards.
Wright admitted failing to provide proper and sufficient nutrition to the horses and was found guilty of euthanising Amber's Express without consent.
He was disqualified for two years on each charge, with the bans to be served concurrently.
·Trainer Aaron Morton has been fined $2500 after clenbuterol was detected in a swab taken from Sustantivo after a barrier trial win at Belmont in January.
