Month: September 2019

No easy options for Flight in Brisbane

AAP

Constant Flight faces a big test when he takes on stakes performer Jonker at Doomben. David Vandyke admits he was stuck between a rock and a hard place trying to determine which race dual acceptor Constant Flight should contest at Doomben. Running in Saturday’s open handicap would have meant a clash with the smart Meet Mr Taylor, while tackling the Membership at BRC Class 6 Plate (1110m) involved taking on stakes-performed Jonker. In the end, a kinder barrier draw in the latter swayed Vandyke’s decision, but he admitted the five-year-old…

Alizee still in Everest mix with trial win

AAP

Star mare Alizee (l) has won a Randwick barrier trial to remain in the mix for an Everest slot. Classy mare Alizee remains high in calculations for Godolphin’s vacant Everest slot after scoring a strong barrier trial victory at Randwick, downing Doncaster Mile winner Brutal. Sheikh Mohammed’s team is keeping options open in regard to the Everest with Alizee, Osborne Bulls, Trekking and possibly three-year-old Bivouac all on the short list. Alizee did her chances no harm with her trial performance on Friday, racing close to the speed and getting…

Ryan pair on track for Group One targets

AAP

Trainer Nick Ryan is looking at Group One targets with Mahamedeis and Express Pass. Nick Ryan’s hopes of a first Group One win in the coming weeks will likely to become clearer after the Underwood Stakes meeting at Caulfield. The trainer has promising colt Express Pass in Sunday’s Group Three Caulfield Guineas Prelude on his home track while five-year-old Mahamedeis runs in a 1400m-handicap. Both are being targeted at Group One races 13 days later, with Express Pass heading to the $2 million Caulfield Guineas and Mahamedeis the Toorak Handicap.…

Thousand Guineas Prelude for Saone

Editor BOAY

The Lindsey Smith-trained Saone will have her second tilt at black-type when she lines-up in the Gr.2 Thousand Guineas Prelude (1400m) at Caulfield on Sunday. The New Zealand-bred filly finished fourth in the Listed Atlantic Jewel Stakes (1200m) last start and Smith is expecting a bold run from the three-year-old this weekend, whom he compares favourably with stablemates Adelaide Ace and Olympic Oath. “I knew she had class as soon as I first saw her,” Smith said. “Her runs have been good. I know she only won at Ballarat but…

Avantage to back-up in Shannon Stakes

Editor BOAY

Avantage winning the Gr.3 Birthday Card Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill earlier this year. Photo: bradleyphotos.com.au Avantage’s disappointing unplaced performance in the Gr.3 Bill Ritchie Handicap (1400m) at Randwick last Saturday has trainer Jamie Richards a little puzzled, however, he is hoping she can bounce back to form at Rosehill on Saturday. “I was pretty disappointed with her run on Saturday, it’s probably the worst she has ever gone,” Richards said. “I think perhaps I might have been a little bit soft on her. “She had never finished further back than…

Trisha Lea thriving over hurdles

Editor BOAY

Te Aroha has become a happy stomping ground for talented jumper Trisha Lea and she will be out to keep her unbeaten hurdles record on the Waikato track intact on Sunday. The daughter of Zed has just had the three hurdle starts, with both her wins coming at Te Aroha, while she was pulled up in the Great Northern Hurdle (4190m) last start after clipping heels. “She is pretty well, she had a week in the paddock after the Northern and she has bounced back really well,” Little said. “She…

Cooksley has good opinion of Blackrocksdetox

Editor BOAY

South Auckland trainer Grant Cooksley has little doubt that Blackrocksdetox can measure up to the best of his age but expects the Rip Van Winkle three-year-old to take improvement from his first-up run at Ellerslie on Saturday. Cooksley will produce Blackrocksdetox for the first time on raceday in Saturday’s Bill Sattler Memorial (1300m) having joined Bruce Wallace in partnership since the gelding’s most recent appearance, an eighth placing in last season’s Karaka Million 2YO (1200m) at Ellerslie. “He’s going along all right. He trialled up nicely and he’s improved since…

Blakemore happy with House team ahead of mile night

NZHarnessNews

By Garrick Knight A matter of weeks in to her new role, Kimberley Blakemore is enjoying life as forewoman for the Auckland arm of Michael House’s stable. With the guidance of Pukekohe trainer Steven Reid, Blakemore is managing the dozen or so horses House has in the north. “I’m absolutely loving it; it’s nice to be able to run the barn and sort of do my own thing,” Blakemore told HRNZ. “Reidy writes up the board every day and checks in with me on how the horses were that day…

Burgundy’s son strikes in HK

Editor BOAY

Telecom Puma made the perfect start to his new season at Happy Valley where the New Zealand Group winner gave weight and a beating to his sprint rivals. It was a breakthrough success in Hong Kong for the son of Cambridge Stud’s Burgundy. The five-year-old had finished in the money three times from a handful of starts in his first campaign for trainer Jimmy Ting. Under 60kg, Telecom Puma was ridden on Wednesday night by Chad Schofield and was coming off a trial success, which was required after he had…

Improvement expected from Princess Jenni

Editor BOAY

A more favourable weight scale for Princess Jenni has her trainer David Brideoake expecting an improvement on her first-up run. After being unplaced at Flemington, Princess Jenni goes to The Valley on Friday night to run in the Gr.2 Stocks Stakes (1600m), a weight-for-age race for fillies and mares. The last time Princess Jenni raced at the track she won the Gr.3 Alexandra Stakes (1600m) on March 22 before being controversially scratched from the Adrian Knox Stakes at Randwick on April 6. Princess Jenni returned to Melbourne for success at…