Month: April 2022

Cherry Tortoni wins Bendigo Golden Mile for Dee and Payne

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Cherry Tortoni ridden by Michael Dee wins the bet365 Golden Mile at Bendigo Racecourse on April 02, 2022 in Bendigo, Australia. (Brett Holburt/Racing Photos) Jockey-trainer combination Michael Dee and Patrick Payne continued their fine Victorian season when Dee steered Cherry Tortoni to victory in the $200,000 Golden Mile (1600m) at Bendigo. The four-year-old gelding took the lead inside the 200m and went on the prevail by three quarters of a length over Shane Fliedner’s Hi Stranger (jockey Damien Thornton). Cherry Tortoni after winning the bet365 Golden Mile at Bendigo Racecourse…

Gundec takes out 2022 Bendigo Guineas

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Gundec ridden by Joe Bowditch wins the Mitchelton Wines Bendigo Guineas at Bendigo Racecourse on April 02, 2022 in Bendigo, Australia. (Pat Scala/Racing Photos) Symon Wilde’s Gundec has fired late to take out the $200,000 Mitchelton Wines Bendigo Guineas (1400m). The $5 starter with horse betting sites, and Joe Bowditch aboard, left behind favourties Asymmetrical ($2.15 for Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young, jockey Jordan Childs) and Sharp Response ($1.90 for Julius Sandhu, jockey Beau Mertens) with 100m to go. Gundec ridden by Joe Bowditch returns to the mounting yard after…

The Championships kick off in style on day one at Royal Randwick

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Black and white day on Day 1 of The Championships 2022 at Royal Randwick. (Photo: Facebook) Saturday afternoon’s opening day of The Championships delivered some outstanding racing action with the weather finally clearing before a sizeable crowd at Royal Randwick. “The Championships is now into its eighth year and continually provides some of the nation’s finest racing,” said Racing NSW’s CEO, Peter V’landys AM. “Today’s Day 1 of The Championships demonstrated that racing has rebounded from a tough couple of years, and it was terrific to see such a big…

Mr Brightside shines in Kiwi-bred Doncaster trifecta

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Ben and JD Hayes have claimed their first Group One victory since taking the helm at Lindsay Park when Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars) headed home a New Zealand-bred 1-2-3 in the A$3 million Gr.1 Doncaster Mile (1600m) when finishing over the top of I’m Thunderstruck (NZ) (Shocking), with consistent mare Icebath (NZ) (Sacred Falls) finishing third. The son of Bullbars has been a model of consistency since joining the Hayes stable from New Zealand, winning seven of his 12 starts for the young trainers while placing on a further two…

The Cunning Fox St Leger bound

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Reliable Man gelding The Cunning Fox (NZ) has reiterated his staying credentials when taking out the A$200,000 Bendigo St Leger Trial (2200m) on Saturday. The Patrick Payne-trained three-year-old has now won three of his six starts and will be set for the Listed VRC St Leger (2800m) on April 25. Despite being ridden just behind the leaders, jockey Billy Egan was patient before he pushed the button on the $3.90 favourite who fought off Ashy Boy (Star Witness) by a half length. Sporting the colours of Joe O’Neill’s Prime Thoroughbreds,…

Moroney mare shows Verve in Chairman’s victory

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The Michael Moroney-trained mare Nerve Not Verve (NZ) (Shocking) scored her biggest success to date when landing the Gr.2 Chairman’s Quality (2600m) on Day One of The Championships at Royal Randwick. Ridden by Regan Bayliss, the six-year-old daughter of Shocking sat handy to a sedate tempo set by Knights Order (So You Think) and shortly after straightening the pair cleared out from their rivals with Nerve Not Verve going to the post a short neck in front. Luncies (NZ) (Iffraaj) was a further 3¼ lengths away in third. A winner…

Heresy leads home a Godolphin first four in P J Bell Stakes

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Heresy claims the P J Bell Stakes. Photo: Steve Hart At $6 the field with online betting sites, the punters didn’t know which way to look in The Group 3 P J Bell Stakes for the three year old fillies over the 1200m at Randwick worth $200,000. Godolphin pair Heresy and Zapateo were joint favourites at $6, with Mark Newnham’s A Very Fine Red at $6.50 and Me Me Lagarde at $8. It was a Godolphin first four past the post in the last at Randwick, with Heresy running down…

2022 Doncaster Mile Winner: Destiny Comes Calling for Mr Brightside

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A historic day at Randwick came to a close on Saturday with brothers turned co-trainers Ben and JD Hayes claiming their first Group 1 together in the $3 million Doncaster Mile. The young duo combined with Mr Brightside in the final feature on the program, an upset that caught plenty off guard as the $21 pop drew clear out wide over the final stages to beat I’m Thunderstruck and Icebath right on the line. The Kiwi galloper was having his fourth run back after running fourth in the All-Star Mile…

2022 T.J. Smith Stakes Winner: Nature Strips Joins Elite Company with Third Consecutive Win

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Nature’s Strip’s dominance in the T.J. Smith Stakes continued at Randwick on Saturday as the ‘World’s Best Sprinter’ equaled the mighty grey Chautauqua’s record with his third straight win. It was an easy watch for punters that took the short $2.30 quote as James McDonald put paid to the rest of the field in a win reminiscent of last year’s victory in the VRC Classic at Flemington. As expected, the well-backed Eduardo rolled forward and set the tempo before J-Mac dug his heels in at the 600m mark to take…