Promising stayer She’s A Hustler (NZ) (Ace High) could be another galloper who could make a cameo appearance at the Sydney Autumn Carnival. Just as Tony and Calvin McEvoy are considering a return to racing for Caulfield and Melbourne Cups champion Half Yours in the All Aged Stakes, She’s A Hustler’s trainer Grahame Begg is pondering bringing her back at Randwick. Begg said he is looking at the Gr.1 Queen Of The Turf (1600m) for fillies and mares at Randwick on April 11 for his last-start winner of the Gr.2…
Category: Gallops
Telegraph locked in for First Five
The Gr.1 TAB Telegraph (1200m) at Trentham in a fortnight has been locked in for First Five (NZ) (Almanzor). The five-year-old gelding was impressive when taking out last Saturday’s Gr.3 J Swap Sprint (1400m) at Te Rapa, and after some contemplation, trainer David Greene believes he deserves a crack at elite-level. “It was a pretty decent field on Saturday, so it was good to see him step-up on the big occasion,” he said. “He has done really well. He cleaned up all of his feed on Saturday night and it…
Sears gunning for more Grand Prix success
Gold Coast trainers Tony and Maddy Sears will be hoping talented filly Nightline (NZ) (Redwood) can provide them with back-to-back winners of the Gr.3 Grand Prix Stakes (1800m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday. The father-daughter training combination won last year’s Grand Prix Stakes with Beau Dazzler (NZ) ( Ardrossan), who went on to win the Eagle Way (2100m) and returned to place in the Gr.2 Queensland Guineas (1600m) before an unplaced tilt at the Gr.1 Queensland Derby (2400m). Like Beau Dazzler, Nightline was sourced from the Karaka Sales. The New…
War Princess to answer mile query
A tilt at next month’s $1.5 million TAB Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m) hangs in the balance for talented filly War Princess (NZ)(U S Navy Flag). The daughter of U S Navy Flag has yet to be tested over a mile in her seven starts to date, but has shown plenty of ability over sprint distances, winning four races between 1000m and 1200m, and was runner-up to Circus Dancer in last month’s Listed The O’Learys Fillies Stakes (1340m) at Wanganui. Peter Didham, who trains War Princess in partnership with his son…
Trav seeking Cups redemption
Group Two-winning stayer Trav’s (NZ) (Almanzor) Melbourne Cup preparation may not have gone to plan, but trainer Raymond Connors has swiftly turned his attention to another Cup target. Following his heroics in the Gr.2 Auckland Cup (3200m) earlier this year, Connors set his sights on Australasia’s most coveted prize but just came up short in making the final field for last month’s Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) following three unplaced runs in Victoria over spring. While disappointed in Trav’s performances, Connors said he still enjoyed the experience. “It would have been…
In-form pairing on track after rocky start
Young talent Lara Antipova (Russian Revolution) will be heavily in credit with Craig Grylls if she can carry him to victory in Saturday’s Gr.2 Wakefield Challenge Stakes (1100m) at Trentham. They will team up again in the Windsor Park Stud-sponsored two-year-old feature following the daughter of Russian Revolution’s runaway debut victory at Te Aroha in the high-flying jockey’s hands. The Te Akau-prepared Lara Antipova repaid a debt they owed Grylls after a previous incident which resulted in the champion rider requiring time out. “Early on, she could get a bit…
The remarkable rise of Zambardo
Exciting four-year-old Zambardo (NZ) (Belardo) was one of the stories of the spring, progressing from relative obscurity to Group One company in a matter of months. Originally prepared in Ashburton in New Zealand’s South Island, the son of Belardo came from modest beginnings. Sold as a weanling for just $3100 via gavelhouse.com to trainer Emma Wyatt, Zambardo, who raced as Our Martian in New Zealand, was a trial winner and twice placed at Ashburton before he was identified by astute bloodstock agent Phill Cataldo and traded to the stable of…
APC steps in to take control of Australian pattern
The Asian Pattern Committee (APC) has moved to take ownership of the decision-making over the status of black type races in Australia. Coming under the umbrella of the Asian Racing Federation (ARF), the APC has declared it has assumed responsibility from Racing Australia for any decisions on the upgrading or downgrading of all Group and Listed races in Australian due to dissatisfaction with the current system. The country’s national racing body, Racing Australia has been dogged by infighting amongst the principal racing authorities about the Pattern and its organisation for…
Derby winner Dee Ellerslie-bound again
Expat jockey Mick Dee is set to return to one of his happiest hunting grounds, Ellerslie, with a full book of rides on Boxing Day headed by El Vencedor (NZ) (Shocking) in the Gr. 1 Cambridge Stud Zabeel Classic (2000m). Melbourne-based Dee may not have the profile of New Zealand’s most famous jockey export, James McDonald, but there’s no denying his success since relocating to Victoria a decade ago. The 29-year-old’s 15 Group One wins include the Caulfield Cup, the Victoria Derby and two editions of the Australian Guineas including…
Focus shifts in Hong Kong as Ka Ying Rising goes for short break
The Hong Kong International Races are officially in the rear-view mirror, and now the focus switches to the coming months when the three-race Four-Year-Old Classic Series, Triple Crown and Hong Kong Speed Series all commence. Following Ka Ying Rising’s (NZ) (Shamexpress) HK$28 million Gr.1 LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) blitz, David Hayes was beaming at Sha Tin on Tuesday, indicating the world’s best sprinter will now take a short break before the HK$13 million Gr.1 Centenary Sprint Cup (1200m) – the first leg of the Hong Kong Speed Series –…