Month: October 2020

Expat New Zealand trainer John Sargent is rubbing his hands together as rain descends on Sydney. He will be vying to take home the lion’s share of the A$7.5 million Golden Eagle (1500m) with Group One performer Brandenburg (NZ) (Burgundy). The son of ill-fated Cambridge Stud stallion Burgundy finished eighth last start in the Gr.1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) at Randwick earlier this month, but he has subsequently finished runner-up in a 1000m trial and his trainer is pleased with him ahead of his weekend assignment. “You would give him a…

Lightly raced New Zealand-bred Young Werther (NZ) (Tavistock) has had his Group One chances enhanced with a favourable barrier draw for Saturday’s Gr.1 Victoria Derby (2500m). The son of Tavistock will start from gate four with Damien Oliver onboard in the A$2m Flemington feature. Young Werther, who is a current $3.50 favourite for the three-year-old feature, won on debut in September before finishing runner-up in the Listed Super Impose Stakes (1800m) earlier this month. The Danny O’Brien-trained gelding was purchased by Aquis Farm and O’Brien for $140,000 out of Cambridge…

Windsor Park Stud stallion Turn Me Loose recorded his first trial victory as a sire when his two-year-old colt out of Group Three performer Angel del Dinero (NZ) won his 800m heat at Taupo on Tuesday. Trainers David and Emma-Lee Browne were pleased with his first hit-out on the track and said he will take a lot of benefit from the day out. “We were really happy with him,” Emma-Lee Browne said. “He has always shown a bit at home, but it was his first time away from the farm…

While Flying Start Syndications Director Cameron Bennett is disappointed he won’t be able to be on course to watch Let’s Karaka Deel (NZ) (Dundeel) in the Gr.1 Victoria Derby (2500m) at Flemington on Saturday, he is over the moon to have a strong contender in the race. The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained colt is one of the form horses of the field, having won and placed twice in his four career starts, including a last-start runner-up performance in the Gr.3 Neds Classic (2000m) at Caulfield. “It was a good…

Getting Sam Spratt to sit still for more than a few minutes is a tough task at the best of times but the bubbly 35-year-old is having to take a few deep breaths and slow herself down thanks to a broken collarbone that she suffered at the Avondale trials two weeks ago. Spratt took an awkward tumble out of the back of the barriers when her mount took fright after the horse next to it began playing up, resulting in a double fracture of her right collarbone. Spratt initially thought…

Last season’s Gr.1 VRC Oaks (2500m) winner Miami Bound has avoided a handicap penalty for Tuesday week’s Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) after racing away with Saturday’s Gr.2 Moonee Valley Gold Cup (2600m). The New Zealand bred daughter of Reliable Man has 51kg in the Melbourne Cup and was assured of a start prior to the Moonee Valley Gold Cup win where she sat at 22nd in the order of entry. “Miami Bound was a strong winner of the Moonee Valley Gold Cup, however she was well weighted under the set…

Quality mare Probabeel (NZ) (Savabeel) will be coming home to New Zealand to take a well-earned break in some lush New Zealand pasture after a gritty effort in Saturday’s Gr.1 Cox Plate (2040m). The Savabeel four-year-old’s Cox Plate bid was ultimately undone by the fickle Melbourne weather that saw the Moonee Valley track rated a Soft 7 on the day after heavy overnight rain. Ridden close to the pace off an inside barrier draw, Probabeel struggled to make ground in the final 400m on the testing surface, eventually finishing a…

Less than nine weeks after undergoing major surgery, leading jockey Lisa Allpress was back in business at Trentham on Sunday riding winners. The effervescent fourty-five-year-old had a full replacement procedure carried out on her right hip back in August to correct a nagging problem that saw her suffer severe pain when trying to get on her raceday mounts and when completing everyday tasks such as driving a motor vehicle. Allpress gained a medical clearance from her surgeon on Friday and was back in action with five rides on Sunday including…

Progressive three-year-old Hold The Press (Press Statement) maintained her unbeaten raceday record with a slick front-running performance at Trentham on Sunday. In the hands of runaway Jockeys’ premiership leader Danielle Johnson, the Press Statement filly began quickly from an inside barrier and never really looked like being headed as she cut out the 1200m journey in a bold 1.10.37 on the Dead5 rated surface. Originally in the care of Terri Rae at Riccarton, where she trialled on several occasions, Hold The Press is now trained at Otaki by Johno Benner…