Mike Breslin is at a crossroads with his filly Intention, with her performance in Sunday’s Upper Hutt Car Sales LTD Three-Year-Old 1400 at Trentham dictating which path she takes. All roads lead to Riccarton next month for the daughter of Bivouac, with Breslin weighing up between the Gr.1 Barneswood Farm New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) on November 8 or the Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) a week later. “We haven’t decided which one she will run in yet. She will only run in one of…
Category: Gallops
Badel bullish on Fast Network’s Premier Bowl prospects as weights fall kindly
Alexis Badel believes the improving Fast Network has the credentials to compete in elevated Group 2 company on Sunday (26 October) when he steps out in HK$5.35 million G2 Premier Bowl (1200m) at Sha Tin, with the handicapper lending a helping hand. The Frenchman partnered the Dennis Yip-trained five-year-old to a thrilling G3 National Day Cup Handicap (1000m) victory three weeks ago, and said he can continue his impressive form on the 1200m course at Sha Tin, where he has won two of four outings. For that win, Fast Network…
Geelong Cup hero Torranzino snares Golden Ticket
Trainer Paul Preusker will get another tilt at a Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) after Torranzino (NZ) (Tarzino) ran out a strong winner of the Gr.3 Geelong Cup (2400m) on Thursday. Connections of the son of Tarzino roared as their charge raced past hot-favourite Gilded Water (Fastnet Rock), which is raced by His Majesty The King. Perfectly ridden by Celine Gaudray, Torranzino applied pressure to Gilded Water rounding the home turn and went on to score by half a length to claim the golden ticket into the Melbourne Cup on Tuesday…
Azazel enters Derby picture
Talented staying three-year-old Azazel (NZ) (Shocking) has booked his passage for the Gr.1 VRC Derby (2500m) on Saturday week after a tough victory in the Listed Roderick Insurance Brokers 3YO Geelong Classic (2200m) at Geelong on Thursday. Prepared by Mark Walker and ridden by Mick Dee, the son of Shocking was put into the race early when the pace slackened and despite racing wide over the concluding 600m, had a narrow advantage at the line from Highvol and Savisanta. Sporting the colours of OTI Racing, Azazel was purchased at last…
Globe ruled out of Cox Plate
Group 1-winner Globe (NZ) (Charm Spirit) has been ruled out of Saturday’s Cox Plate. Racing Victoria stewards confirmed on Thursday morning that the Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained galloper had been withdrawn on vet’s advice. “The horse was found to be lame in its off fore upon inspection by RV veterinarians this morning,” RV stewards tweeted. Speaking on SEN’s Giddy Up with Gareth Hall, Price backed the decision of RV’s vets. “I know the horse. We weren’t happy Saturday morning. We have done everything to get him through,” Price…
Champions to the fore in Cox Plate
Blake Shinn says you need a champion to win the Cox Plate and is hoping Antino (NZ) (Redwood) is that horse. The Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley on Saturday has long been regarded as Australia’s weight-for-age championship and Shinn believes he is on the right horse to give him his first win in the race, which will be run for the final time on the current Moonee Valley circuit. Shinn came close in 2017 aboard Humidor (NZ) (Teofilo), almost upsetting the fairytale fourth Cox Plate victory of the champion Winx (Street Cry). “This race really has everything year…
Speedy youngster blessed with ideal gate
Speed Demon (NZ) (Yes Yes Yes) will be given every opportunity to live up to his name when he makes his debut at Ellerslie. The youngster has drawn the ace in Saturday’s Eagle Technology 2YO (1100m) and tyro trainer Nick Kneebone is hoping the son of Yes Yes Yes can take full advantage of the coveted rails barrier. “He’s better out in front so he’ll jump and see if we can give him some clear running,” he said. To be ridden by Masa Hashizume, Speed Demon finished in behind the…
Rae pair spot on in TAB Mile campaigns
Terri Rae’s topliners Spot On Time (NZ) (Time Test) and Sir Albert (NZ) (Savabeel) are firing at the right time of the spring, with key assignments on their home track on Saturday setting the scene for next month’s Gr.3 TAB Mile (1600m). The local pair haven’t put a foot wrong in their preparations so far, earning a winning double for Rae in the Open 1200m (Spot On Time) and Sir Albert in the Ashburton Cup (1600m) at Ashburton a fortnight ago. A winner at six of just 11 starts, Spot…
Adlington building towards Boxing Day with History Maker
Paul Adlington is pleased he ignored the advice of his track rider several years ago not to purchase progeny of Mongolian Khan, with that decision leading to victory with his son History Maker (NZ) (Mongolian Khan) at Te Aroha on Wednesday. “I was leading a horse through, that one of my track riders was riding, to the tie-ups at Cambridge and this horse was going off in the tie-ups,” Adlington said. “He said to me ‘don’t you ever buy a Mongolian Khan, they are all mad’. “I went on to…
Cup spot on the line for Trav at The Valley
Bulls stayer Trav will vie for a hotly-contested automatic spot into next month’s A$10 million Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) at The Valley on Friday night in the Gr.2 Moonee Valley Gold Cup (2500m). After winning the Gr.2 Auckland Cup (3200m) in autumn, his trainer Raymond Connors made the time-honoured feature a long-term goal, having two starts on home soil this spring before heading across the Tasman. Trav and regular rider Masa Hashizume finished 11th of 16 in the Gr.3 The Bart Cummings (2500m) in their Australian debut earlier this month,…