Month: February 2021

Outstanding Kiwi mare Probabeel (NZ) (Savabeel) has rocketed to equal favouritism for the $A5 million All-Star Mile (1600m) with a resounding victory in the Gr.1 Futurity Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on Saturday. Despite travelling wide throughout, Probabeel swept down the middle of the track and proved too good for another top mare in Perth star Arcadia Queen (Pierro), who also came from well back to finish second. The pair are now joint $4 favourites for the All-Star Mile at Moonee Valley in three weeks, in what shapes as another mouth-watering…

Rugged stayer Robusto (NZ) (Zed) upset the applecart when she produced a well-timed finish to deny Aussie raider Sound a victory in Saturday’s Gr.2 Wallen Concreting Avondale Cup (2400m). The Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman-trained six-year-old shrugged off a disappointing run in the Gr.3 Wellington Cup (3200m) at her last start to thrust her name into Gr.1 Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Cup (3200m) contention as she overcame traffic problems in the home straight to claim her biggest career victory. Given a perfect run in the trail by rider Sam Collett,…

Chris Waller went into the Gr.2 Millie Fox Stakes (1400m) wary about the prospects of his two runners on a rain-affected track and he was pleasantly surprised to come away with the quinella. Rosehill was posted as a heavy eight to start Saturday’s meeting and neither Subpoenaed (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle) nor Madam Rouge (Zourstar) had run a place in the conditions. Even when it improved into the soft range before the Millie Fox Stakes, Waller was unsure if it would be dry enough for his pair. But he need not have worried with Subpoenaed letting loose down…

Well fancied Gr.1 Vodafone New Zealand Derby (2400m) candidate Rocket Spade threw down the gauntlet to his three-year-old rivals when he produced a strong staying performance to capture the Gr.2 AJC Avondale Guineas (2100m) at Ellerslie. The Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott-trained colt had entered Saturday’s vital Derby lead-up as the $4.50 second favourite for the blue riband event in a fortnight and strengthened his claims as he overcame a rocky run in midfield to storm home out wide and claim the major spoils from a number of his potential…

A brave front-running effort paid dividends for Timaru visitor Chokito as she captured her first stakes victory in the Listed ILT Ascot Park Hotel Southland Guineas (1600m) at Invercargill. The Mel and Warwick Coles-trained filly has been a model of consistency throughout her career, finishing out of the top three on only two occasions in nine starts before Saturday’s contest. The daughter of Valachi Downs Stud-based stallion Vespa had been in the firing line in all three starts this campaign without registering a victory. All that changed courtesy of a…

Patrick Payne will consider raising the stakes for Defibrillate (NZ) (Shocking) after he recorded his fourth successive win in the Mornington Cup Prelude. Defibrillate took the front early in the straight and proved too strong for his rivals to take out the 2000 metre opening event at Caulfield. Payne said Defibrillate was nominated for the Gr.1 Australian Cup (2000m) at Flemington on March 6 but he would examine the strength of the race before committing to a start. “With horses like Arcadia Queen and others not going to that race, it might be an opportunity,” Payne said.…