Month: September 2020

The campaigns for Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman’s pair of Caulfield and Melbourne Cup hopes gets underway on Saturday, with Quick Thinker and The Chosen One set to kick off at Flemington. Gr.1 Australian Derby (2400m) winner Quick Thinker will contest the Gr.1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m), while year older stablemate The Chosen One steps out over 1700m in the Winning Edge Presentations Handicap. Ex-pat Kiwi Mick Dee will ride both horses and Baker is pleased with the reports from travelling foreperson Aleisha Legg, with the duo ensconced in the…

New Zealand-bred three-year-old Oceanography (NZ) (Ocean Park) has booked his ticket for the Victoria Derby Trial (1800m) at Flemington in a fortnight after breaking maiden ranks at Sandown on Wednesday. The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained colt jumped away well from barrier five and was pushed forward by jockey John Allen to sit outside early leader Politicalinfluence (Holy Roman Emperor). The son of Ocean Park took charge turning for home and ran away to win by three-quarters of a length over compatriot Salto Angel (NZ) (Sacred Falls) in the 1500m…

One of the more impressive winners on the program at Matamata on Wednesday was the Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott-trained filly Escudo. The daughter of El Roca had been placed once as a two-year-old when splitting Yourpoint and Vernazza and showed good progression from two to three when winning the GCM Feeds (1200m) maiden in good fashion. “It was pleasing how she settled well and quickened in what looked to be an even little field,” Scott said. “The way she quickened, she looks like she will get over further, which…

A trip to Taupo to bring on the fitness of talented mares Two Illicit (NZ) (Jimmy Choux) and Concert Hall (NZ) (Savabeel) has received a hearty tick of approval from Cambridge trainers Roger James and Robert Wellwood. The Kingsclere training partnership couldn’t have been happier with the gallop, or the hospitality, with the pair provided with “delicious” scones, topped with jam and cream. “The Taupo club excels. They’ve got a wonderful committee and they’re very fortunate that they are placed in an area that lets them provide good footing. But…

The Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) dream is still alive for Group One-winning stayer Glory Days (NZ) (Red Giant) and her connections. The pride of Waverley will be at odds greater than the Taranaki township’s favourite son, 1983 Melbourne Cup winner Kiwi, of making the race, but trainer Bill Thurlow has taken the ‘you have got to be in it to win it’ mentality. “The dream’s still alive, but only just,” he said. “The owners were pretty keen to nominate her, so we did. You would be kicking yourself if she…

Join Brighthill Farm’s Nick King as he and the team showcase the stud’s exciting 2020 sire line-up of Preferment, Eminent and Dalghar in this short video.

Haunui Farm shuttle stallion Belardo made a splash in the northern hemisphere this year with his first crop and now his southern progeny are turning heads. The son of Lope de Vega has had seven winners from just 33 starters in the northern hemisphere, including Gr.3 Prestige Stakes (1400m) winner Isabella Giles. Haunui Farm managing director Mark Chitty has been pleased with Belardo’s start at stud, particularly watching Isabella Giles’ dominant stakes victory. “The filly won a Group Three by seven lengths,” he said. “She was a very dominant winner.…

Group Two winning mare Aretha (NZ) (Charm Spirit) has been retired after trailing the field home in the Gr.2 Foxbridge Plate (1200m) last Saturday, with a stallion yet to be selected for the daughter of Charm Spirit. The winner of the Gr.2 Matamata Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) at two, Aretha was also placed at Group One level in the Sistema Stakes (1200m) and the Manawatu Sires’ Produce (1400m) as a juvenile. She returned to claim the Gr.3 Gold Trail Stakes (1200m) at three but failed to show her best thereafter. “We…

The weights for the A$5.15 million Gr.1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) and A$8 million Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) have been released by Racing Victoria, with the Kiwi contingent featuring prominently. Pre-weights Melbourne Cup favourite Surprise Baby has been handed 54.5kg in both races, 1kg more than he carried into fifth place in last year’s Cup, while four-time Group One winning mare Verry Elleegant has been allocated 55kg in each race. “There’s a challenge been set for talented local mare Verry Elleegant who has 55kg in both Cups,” Racing Victoria’s Executive General…