Cambridge trainer Roger James has experienced a frustrating last few days at Karaka, so he was delighted to get the filly he wanted in the Book 2 session of New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale on Wednesday. He was underbidder on a number of the top lots in Book 1 and admitted it was a challenging experience. “I added it up this morning and we were underbidder on lots that brought $1.85 million, so I wasn’t a happy chappy last night,” he said. While despondent about missing out on a…
Month: January 2021
Rutten returns to Wairarapa well
Chris Rutten purchased Karaka Million 2YO (1200m) runner Avonallo out of Little Avondale Stud’s draft at Karaka last year, and he is hoping he has bought another candidate for the rich juvenile feature from the Wairarapa nursery. The Horowhenua bloodstock agent secured lot 626, the Time Test colt out of Rorippa, a half-sister to Group One performer Gorky Park, with a final bid of $115,000 and Rutten said he was a standout yearling amongst his sire’s yearlings at the sale. “He is one of the best Time Test’s I have…
Harding follows tested path with Per Incanto filly
Prominent owner Gary Harding is hoping that lightning can strike twice after he outlaid $170,000 for a Per Incanto filly on day one of the Book 2 session at the National Yearling sale. Harding took a fancy to the filly out of unraced Fusaichi Pegasus mare Bellerama that was consigned through the Little Avondale Stud draft and was keen to secure her. Harding was trading on past experience having purchased a Per Incanto filly in 2019 from Little Avondale for $160,000 that now races under the name Bonham from the…
Aegon ready to embark on familiar path
Aegon’s career looks set to mirror that of his sire Sacred Falls for a little while yet, with a trip to the Sydney autumn carnival on the way. Andrew Forsman, who trains the gelding in partnership with Murray Baker, said Aegon wouldn’t race in New Zealand again this season following his exciting victory over the top filly Amarelinha in the Karaka Million 3YO Classic (1600m). Aegon will leave New Zealand shores next month with an unbeaten record, as Sacred Falls did when he headed to Sydney in 2013. Though they…
Collett star resting up before Easter challenge
Promising miler Super Strike has another week to go on his summer holiday before trainer Richard Collett gets serious about a two-race campaign in the autumn that will culminate in a bid to win the Gr.2 Manco Easter Handicap (1600m) at Ellerslie. Collett wasn’t tempted to make a return visit to Trentham this weekend to tackle the Gr.1 Harcourts Thorndon Mile (1600m) after his four-year-old son of Super Easy scored impressively in the traditional lead up to the Thorndon, the Gr.3 Anniversary Handicap (1600m) at the venue a fortnight ago.…
Cup meeting holds fond memories for Elliot
The Wellington Cup meeting holds fond memories for jockey Ryan Elliot and he is hoping to create some more at Trentham on Saturday. Two years ago, Elliot rode the Bryce Newman-trained Gorbachev to victory in the Gr.3 Wellington Cup (3200m) and he said it was an instrumental moment in his riding career. “It was a really good win for me and my career. It helped kick me off,” he said. While Elliot doesn’t have a ride in the Cup this year as a result of the low weights, he is…
Tomlinson enjoying being boss
By Jonny Turner Kerryn Tomlinson hopes she can be the factor that gets Shards Fury a deserved win at Forbury Park on Wednesday. The five-year-old has been very consistent since joining Brad Williamson’s barn but so far has not been able to break through. Tomlinson has recently been at the helm of the Oamaru stable since Williamson left Australia to drive Majestic Man in his upcoming assignments. And she is enjoying the challenge. “It’s great, I have got Mitch Robertson here helping work the team and I get to boss…
Skymax Outstays Rivals To Land Stakes Win
A dashing ride by Robbie Dolan has helped to deliver Mark Newnham another Cup victory. Mark Newnham has continued his sparkling run of form in Sydney’s feature summer races, adding the Listed Australia Day Cup to his bulging haul. The in-form trainer won the Villiers Stakes with Greysful Glamour while Spirit Ridge delivered him the Summer Cup-January Cup double. It was import Skymax’s turn at Warwick Farm on Tuesday with the stable’s former champion apprentice Robbie Dolan making a bold mid-race move to take him to the front. Once in…
General’S Owners Face Diamond Decision
General Beau has taken out the colts and geldings’ division of the Blue Diamond Preview. Connections of General Beau are likely to give the colt another run before deciding whether to pay a late entry fee for the Group One Blue Diamond Stakes. The youngster emerged as a genuine contender for next month’s juvenile feature with a strong performance to win the colts and gelding’s division of the Blue Diamond Preview (1000m) on Tuesday. Ridden by leading jockey Jamie Kah, who brought up her 50th metropolitan win of the season,…
Happy Standout To Chase Second Expressway
Standout will head to Rosehill hoping to replicate his Expressway Stakes effort from 12 months ago. There are no soft targets in Sydney racing at this time of year and trainer Gerald Ryan knows Standout will have his work cut out to defend his Expressway Stakes title. The four-year-old will be striving to become the first horse in 15 years to claim consecutive editions of the 1200 metre race, the last being Court’s In Session in 2005 and 2006. But he will face a tough task against the likes of…