Day: 17 February 2024

Asterix winning the Group 2 Avondale Cup (2400m). Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images) Talented stayer Asterix returned to the scene of his greatest triumph when he stormed home to take out the Group 2 Avondale Cup (2400m) at Ellerslie. The injury-plagued son of Tavistock took out the 2022 edition of the Group 1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) but a string issues had hampered his progress since then. Trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott and his ownership group, that includes former New Zealand cricketer Mark Greatbatch, have shown infinite patience with…

Gary Portelli‘s progressive filly Kimochi finally shed her bridesmaid’s tag with a thrilling nose victory in the 2024 Light Fingers Stakes at Randwick, kicking off a potentially lucrative Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival campaign. Kimochi wins 2024 Light Fingers Stakes first-up for breakthrough Black-Type success. Photo: Steve Hart. The talented daughter of Brave Smash, ridden by Jason Collett, edged out the promising Learning To Fly in a heart-stopping finish, avenging frustrating placements in last year’s Princess Series. “That gate was a huge help,” said Collett. “She only had a short let-up…

Imperatriz, Mark Walker‘s champion mare, silenced critics with a powerful victory in the Black Caviar Lightning 2024, silencing doubts after a lacklustre trial. Imperatriz wins the 2024 Black Caviar Lightning as the odds-on favourite first-up at Flemington. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos. This dominant win marks her ninth Group 1 victory and extends her winning streak to six races. Despite a fifth-place finish in a recent Cranbourne trial, Imperatriz remained the clear favourite at $1.60 to kick off her autumn campaign down under with a win for the punters. Trainer Walker…

Pericles winning the Listed Uncle Remus Stakes (1200m) at Ellerslie on Saturday. Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images) The Pam Gerard and Mike Moroney stable have been enjoying considerable success of late including with class three-year-old Pendragon, however, it was his stablemate of the same age in Pericles who stole the limelight on Saturday with an eye-catching victory in the Listed Horizon Uncle Remus Stakes (1200m) at Ellerslie. Fresh off a victory over 1400m at Pukekohe last month, the strapping son of Rubick was overlooked by punters who allowed him to…

Aberlour winning the Listed Southland Guineas (1600m). Photo: Monica Toretto Emerging talent Aberlour extended her winning sequence to three and completed a southern Guineas double with a tour de force in Saturday’s Listed Southland Guineas (1600m) at Ascot Park. The Riverton filly had begun her career with a fourth and two thirds, including a third placing during the New Zealand Cup Carnival at Riccarton in November. She broke through with a six-length maiden win on her home track on New Year’s Day, then stepped up to stakes level with a…

Grinzinger Belle scores a bold victory in the $200,000 Group 3 The Vanity (1400m). Photo: Bruno Cannatelli A decade after saddling New Zealand-bred sprinter Shamexpress for a second placing in the Group 1 Lightning Stakes (1000m) at Flemington, Danny O’Brien returned to the same meeting on Saturday and landed a black-type prize with a daughter of the Windsor Park Stud stallion. Grinzinger Belle overcame a wide gate and double-figure odds to score a bold victory in the $200,000 Group 3 The Vanity (1400m), bringing back some fond memories for her…

Imperatriz gets the better of Private Eye to win the Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning (1000m). Photo: Bruno Cannatelli An unimpressive trial created a touch of uncertainty around Imperatriz ahead of her first-up run in Saturday’s $1 million Group 1 Black Caviar Lightning (1000m) at Flemington, but the Te Akau Racing wonder-mare blew all those doubts away and carried on her winning way. The Lightning was the sixth major Melbourne sprint win in succession for Imperatriz, who won the Group 1 William Reid Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley last March…

Kimochi (inside) digs deep to claim Group 2 Light Fingers Stakes. Photo: RacingNSW Kimochi (+550) has finally returned to the winners’ enclosure after getting the head down in a photo finish to claim the Group 2 Light Fingers Stakes at Randwick on Saturday. The daughter of Brave Smash had remained winless since March 2023, heading into the weekend, but found the minor money on all seven occasions since that victory before being tipped out for a spell. The Gary Portelli-trained filly had trailed exceptionally well alongside the eventual runner-up, Learning…

Fangirl was breathtaking when claiming the Group 2 Apollo Stakes. Photo: RacingNSW Fangirl (+100) has produced a breathtaking display on Saturday to secure victory in the Group 2 Apollo Stakes (1400m) at Randwick. It was a one-act affair for the returning Chris Waller-trained mare, as the five-year-old torched her rivals in what can only be described as a galloping lesson. James McDonald allowed her to roll towards the back of the field, only leaving one behind her as Cascadian (+1400) missed the start, sitting on the outside of a drifting…

Chris Waller‘s champion mare Fangirl cemented her dominance with a commanding victory in the 2024 Apollo Stakes, leaving rivals in her dust at Sydney’s Randwick Racecourse. Fangirl wins the 2024 Apollo Stakes first-up ahead of the Group 1 autumn majors. Photo: Steve Hart. The multiple Group 1 winner showcased her brilliance, easily conquering the field in a scintillating performance fresh off her latest break. This dominant win marks Waller’s sixth Apollo Stakes victory, rekindling memories of his 2019 triumph with the legendary Winx. After finishing third in last year’s race,…