Month: July 2020

A breakout season could get even better for Bjorn Baker when the trainer heads to Randwick with a team of well-credentialled horses. Baker is enjoying his best term, this month bringing up a milestone 50 metropolitan winners, smashing his previous season best tally of 38. A Group One Winx Stakes victory by Samadoubt was a clear highlight, but with that horse going amiss shortly after, the bulk of Baker’s success has come on the back of bread-and-butter horses. “It has probably been a little bit of luck and most of…

Regally-bred filly Grand De Flora recorded back-to-back wins at Sandown on Wednesday when taking out her 1600m contest. The Danny O’Brien-trained filly powered home late from the rear of the field to grab the lead at the 200m mark and was able to hold off the late challenge of Mrs O’Malley to win by three-quarters of a length. “It worked out perfectly,” stable representative Ben Gleeson said. “They went a good tempo out in front and as Craig (Williams, jockey) and I discussed before the race, you have just got…

Cambridge Stud, in partnership with CatWalk Trust, are running a competition to name the Brazen Beau – Stepanova filly purchased at the New Zealand Bloodstock Yearling Sale earlier this year. The filly was consigned by Valachi Downs Stud with all proceeds from the sale going to the CatWalk Trust, who fund spinal cord injury research. The winner will receive a night’s accommodation in Cambridge and a personal tour of Cambridge Stud courtesy of principals Jo and Brendan Lindsay. The winning name will be chosen by the judges panel consisting of…

Trainer Paul Preusker has joked about needing a few better sprinters in his yard to push his stable star Surprise Baby (NZ) (Shocking) in trackwork. Surprise Baby is currently second favourite for the Gr.1 Melbourne Cup at $13, but is at $34 for the Gr.1 WS Cox Plate. “It’s a matter of whether he’s a genuine Cox Plate contender,” Preusker told racing.com. “I feel like he is – he’s got this turn of foot. “He’s probably the best sprinter I’ve got too. He’s unique. Even this morning, I just thought…

Well-bred filly Le Gai Soleil (NZ) (Tavistock) made it three wins in succession when scoring a comfortably victory on the Kensington track at Randwick on Wednesday over 1550m under leading jockey James McDonald. Prepared by John O’Shea, Le Gai Soleil is a half-sister to triple Group One winner Danzdanzdance and Kiwi breeders Graham and Helen-Gaye Bax of Blandford Lodge remain in the ownership. A well-supported $1.95 favourite, Le Gai Soleil was ridden like the best horse in the field, coming from last to loop the field and win by three…

Mark Buckley was simply part of the Whanganui racecourse.The man who was known as Buckles died this week, ending an association with the Whanganui track that lasted for more than 40 years. Buckles, who began his career in racing as an amateur rider, was a full-time member of the track staff at Whanganui for 39 years, beginning as the groundsman, and ending as the track manager, a role he filled from 2012 till retiring last year.He married his wife, Gay, at the racecourse, on his 50th birthday, celebrated his 70th…

New Zealand-bred galloper Columbus County (NZ) (Redwood) struck a blow for Zac Purton and this year’s BMW Hong Kong Derby crop with a victory full of promise in the Class 2 Hong Kong Reunification Cup Handicap (1800m) at Sha Tin on Wednesday. Purton saw title rival Joao Moreira bag a brace that ate into his championship lead in the first half of the card, but hit back in the feature to hold an end-of-day advantage of 138 wins to the Brazilian’s 133. “Zac and Joao both ride a lot of…

The training partnership of Keith and Gavin Opie will officially come to an end at the end of the month with Gavin taking over the reins come the new season. The father and son team have been in partnership for the last decade and Keith decided it was time to take a step back and let his son lead the operation. “He (Keith) has let me take the reins and he will still be fully involved,” Gavin Opie said. “He reckons there only needs to be one name in the…

Trainer Colin Little is banking on Vassilator’s (NZ) (Zacinto) liking for Flemington as a key factor as the gelding chases a second stakes victory. The Listed VRC-CRV Winter Championship Series Final on Saturday is the culmination of a series of races of which Vassilator won a heat of on June 6. Already the winner of a Listed race as a two-year-old, Vassilator’s three victories have all come at Flemington, over 1400m, but the trainer does not see Saturday’s 1600m as a problem. But what Little does not want is Vassilator…