Jimmysstar (NZ) (Per Incanto) would most likely still have launched his campaign in the Gr.1 William Reid Stakes (2000m) had it been at its home track, Moonee Valley, but the Ciaron Maher stable are not complaining about its home for this year. The A$1 million sprint will be run at Caulfield this Saturday with The Valley out of action while under renovation. Jimmysstar has had six starts at Caulfield for five wins, including the Gr.1 Oakleigh Plate (1100m) and Gr.1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m). The six-year-old has won two trials in preparation for his return and Maher’s assistant…
Category: Featured
Weight to determine Galaxy jockey for Jedibeel
Brad Widdup has two riders on standby to partner Jedibeel (NZ) (Savabeel) in this Saturday’s Gr.1 The Galaxy (1100m) depending on what weight the sprinter is allotted. Handicaps for the 1100 metre feature at Rosehill will be released on Tuesday and once Widdup knows what impost Jedibeel will carry, he will lock in a jockey. “Depending on the weight, we’ve got Tommy (Berry) booked, or Alysha (Collett), so we’ve got two bites at the cherry there with jockeys,” Widdup said. “Hopefully he can draw a gate, and we’ll go from there.” Jedibeel is among 25…
Group One history beckons for James McDonald
James McDonald once again takes Australian racing’s centre stage at Rosehill on Saturday with the world’s No. 1 rider seemingly destined to establishing a new record for career Group One winners. If McDonald can claim two Group One wins from the five on the Rosehill program this Saturday, he will not only overtake Damien Oliver as the most successful Group One rider in Australian racing history, he will also register his 100th Group One win in Australia. Currently, McDonald has 98 Australian Group One wins, 16 in Hong Kong, 11…
Butterfield belies his years for McCarten
Racehorses competing into their double-digit years are common in jumping ranks, but those in the mould of weekend winner Butterfield (NZ) (Niagara) are by far the exception. At Tauranga on Saturday, 10-year-old Butterfield belied his age when he outsprinted his rivals in the Rating 75 1400m, working to the lead from a wide gate for regular rider Tayla Mitchell to establish a clear lead and clinging to victory by a short half-head from Oppenheimer (NZ) (Belardo). That took the Niagara gelding’s record from 52 starts to six wins, six seconds…
Talk centred on Breeders’ Stakes for progressive mare
Girl Talk’s (NZ) (Zed) hot run of form has earned her an early crack at a black-type feature at the scene of her latest triumph. She was successful on Saturday in Rating 75 company at Wanganui and a return to the River City for the Gr.3 Windsor Park Manawatu Breeders’ Stakes (2000m) on April 6 is now firmly in the sights of the four-year-old. Younger stablemate Iffigive (NZ) (Contributer) will also remain on target for a return to stakes racing if she performs up to expectations at Waverley on Wednesday.…
Baker sweating on good barrier draws for Slipper pair
In an open Golden Slipper, trainer Bjorn Baker knows Tuesday’s barrier draw will be key to the chances of his two hopefuls. Bjorn Baker’s two Golden Slipper contenders will have different build ups to the $5 million feature, with Paradoxium (Extreme Choice) set to be given a serious hit-out on Tuesday and Warwoven (Sword Of State) a quiet week. Sword Of State colt Warwoven raced his way into the two-year-old showpiece with an emphatic win in Saturday’s Pago Pago Stakes (1200m) and will go into the March 21…
Inflamed takes out home feature
Local trainers Shane and Brian Anderton are looking north to Christchurch with their mare Inflamed (NZ) (Ghibellines) after she proved too tough for her rivals in the Mosgiel Tavern Beaumont Publican’s Cup (1500m) at Wingatui on Sunday. The intention was to take a sit with the daughter of Ghibellines, however, she jumped away well and was in the thick end of the action early on. Apprentice jockey Jack Taplin had no option but to press forward for the lead with the mare, and the pair quickly took control of the…
Platinum Pantheon on top at Tauranga
Awapuni visitor Platinum Pantheon (Hanseatic) enhanced his reputation as a horse going places when he ran down pacemaker Lucy In The Sky to win the J Swap Contractors 3YO (1200m) at Tauranga on Saturday. The Lisa Latta-trained gelding carried the clear topweight of 58.5kgs with Opie Bosson in the saddle but made light of the impost as he cruised along three back against the fence for most of the 1200m journey before improving to be on the heels of the pacemakers Lucy In The Sky and Chatelle Rose rounding the…
Blinkers prove the difference for well-related three-year-old
It may have taken a little longer than trainers Kevin and Stephen Gray had hoped, but well-related gelding So We Go (NZ) (Embellish) finally broke through for his maiden victory at Wanganui on Saturday. A son of Cambridge Stud resident stallion Embellish, So We Go is a full brother to their Group One performed mare Luberon, who placed in last year’s Gr.1 Railway (1200m) after winning the Gr.3 Sweynesse Stakes (1215m) and Gr.3 Counties Bowl (1100m). So We Go also carries the gold and black silks of Cambridge Stud principals…
Omega Boy takes out Tauranga feature
Awapuni visitors enjoyed back-to-back success at Tauranga when Omega Boy (NZ) (Time Test) claimed the feature race on the card, the Gr.2 Ultimate Mazda Japan Trophy (1600m), just one race after Platinum Pantheon (Hanseatic) defeated a handy field of three-year-olds over 1200m. Omega Boy has always appealed as a galloper with plenty of quality and has come of age in his current campaign where he had won two of his last four starts while also running a strong fifth in the Gr.3 Phar Lap Trophy (1600m) followed by an eye-catching…