Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars) is much closer to the end of his career than he is the start, but Ben Hayes sees no reason why the Lindsay Park mainstay can’t land another Champions Mile at Flemington this Saturday. The eight-year-old heads to the $3 million Group 3 off a gutsy second placing in the Group 1 King Charles III Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on October 18, which has him primed for back-to-back Champions Mile wins. It is a return to the scene of his third-straight Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes…
Category: Gallops
Derryn filly gives Patterson déjà vu
Robbie Patterson unveiled a star three-year-old at Wednesday’s New Plymouth meeting last year, and 12 months down the track, another daughter of Derryn made a sparkling debut on his home track. That filly was Leica Lucy, who won six of her seven starts, five of those at Group level, for Patterson including the Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) before joining Chris Waller’s barn in Sydney. This spring she added placings in the Gr.1 Toorak Handicap (1600m) and Gr.1 Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) to her burgeoning record. This year, it was…
The Pearls to shine in VRC Oaks
Champion trainer Chris Waller will have a rare runner in the Gr.1 VRC Oaks (2500m) at Flemington on Thursday when he saddles second-favourite The Pearls (NZ) (Proisir) in the fillies feature. The daughter of Proisir brings strong Sydney form to Flemington after a game effort when third in the Gr.1 Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) behind Attica and Shangri La Boy, having previously been runner-up in the Gr.3 Gloaming Stakes (1800m). The Pearls will clash with hot favourite Getta Good Feeling, who took out the Gr.2 Wakeful Stakes (2000m) last Saturday…
Sweet filly in tip-top order for Group One test
Tony Pike couldn’t have wished for a smoother lead-up with Cream Tart (NZ) (Hello Youmzain) ahead of the filly’s sternest challenge at Riccarton. The Cambridge trainer can’t fault the daughter of Hello Youmzain’s condition or form going into Saturday’s Gr.1 Barneswood Farm New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m). “This is the race we targeted and her preparation couldn’t have worked out better, I think she’s peaking at the right time,” Pike said. She is one of a trio of runners the stable will line-up on the opening day of the New…
Jaarffi seeking breakthrough stakes win
Group One performer Jaarffi (NZ) (Iffraaj) will be seeking a breakthrough stakes victory at Pukekohe on Saturday when she contests the Listed Legacy Lodge Sprint (1200m). The six-year-old daughter of Iffraaj was in fine form earlier this year when runner-up in the Gr.2 Rich Hill Mile (1600m) at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day before returning to the Auckland track on Champion’s Day in March to fill the same position in the Gr.1 New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m). She returned this spring with a first-up seventh placing in the Gr.3…
German scores Steely victory at Ellerslie
Steely Man scored the second victory and the biggest cheque of his career when he took out the $75,000 NZB Ready To Run Sale Trainers Series 1600 (1600m) at Ellerslie on Tuesday. Owned by harness racing trainer John Dickie, the five-year-old races in his familiar silks and is trained by his partner Lynda German, who was rapt to see her grey gelding first past the post at the Melbourne Cup Day meeting. The son of Embellish showed plenty of promise last season when placing in his first three starts before…
Gringotts storms clear to defend Big Dance crown
Champion trainer Ciaron Maher prepared the Big Dance trifecta as Gringotts (NZ) (Per Incanto) showed there is no substitute for sheer class with his second successive win in the $3 million feature race at Royal Randwick on Tuesday. Gringotts made light of his 62kg impost under a brave but brilliant Nash Rawiller ride to beat Vivy Air in a repeat of the stable exacta from 12 months ago. But Maher, who was at Flemington for the Melbourne Cup, went one better with a memorable 1-2-3 podium finish for the stable as early leader Lugh held on for the minor placing.…
Big EV back on track with Balmerino victory
Cambridge trainer Stephen Marsh was a relieved man following El Vencedor’s (NZ) (Shocking) return to winning form in the Gr.3 Elsdon Park Balmerino Stakes (2000m) at Ellerslie on Tuesday. The reigning New Zealand Horse of the Year was a standout in autumn, winning four consecutive Group One races before heading to Hong Kong where he was unplaced in the Gr.1 FWD QEII Cup (2000m). He returned this season to finish fifth and seventh in the Gr.1 Proisir Plate (1400m) and Gr.1 Howden Insurance Mile (1600m) respectively before finishing runner-up in…
Cup Day a party for Andertons at Wingatui
A sharp front-running performance by headlined a dominant afternoon for trainers Brian and Shane Anderton at Wingatui on Melbourne Cup Day. The local father-and-son training partnership won three races through the card, all of which they quinellaed, including the feature Grand Casino Open Handicap (1400m) where they had a trio of runners engaged. Inflamed (NZ) (Ghibellines) had been slightly disappointing first-up but was still fancied in the market, closing third-favourite behind Bouyant and Martell, while her stablemates Mayor Of Norwood and Capo Dell Impero were the outsiders resuming over a…
Sister act score first win at Ellerslie
Sisters Sophia Nolan and Hanna Orting recorded the first win in their fledgling training partnership in impressive fashion at Ellerslie on Tuesday, courtesy of exciting gelding Golden Wings (NZ) (Super Seth). The four-year-old son of Super Seth and Group One-winning mare Xanadu had shown plenty of promise, undefeated in his three trials and was runner-up in both of his starts prior to Tuesday’s Yourride 1200. He rocketed out of the gates in the sprint for jockey George Rooke, who immediately pressed forward with his charge to take up the lead.…