Superstar pacer Lochinvar Art will stand at stud later this year. But don’t panic, he’ll mix stud duties with his rehab as plans focus on a late-December or early January return to the racetrack. Trainer-driver David Moran is well-progressed in talks with Luke and Belinda McCarthy for Lochinvar Art to stand at Cobbity Equine and do his rehab there as well. “They’ve got a great set-up and they’ve successfully rehab-ed horses and bred with them at the same time in the past, most recently with Bling It On,” Moran said.…
Month: May 2021
‘Silk’ department in Sapphire Crown?
Champion trainer Jason Thompson is chasing his third Group 1 Sapphire Crown (515m) at Sandown Park on Thursday night. He won with Peggy May in 2012 and Black Opium in 2020. And now it’s 2020 runner-up, Aston Silk, who the Pearcedale-based Thompson hopes is the ‘silk department’ in her second tilt at the $100,000 to-the-winner final. Last year, Aston Silk ($9.30) attempted to lead from go to whoa but was collared by her megastar kennelmate Black Opium ($1.80F) entering the home straight, before going down by three-quarters of a length…
Sargent buoyant ahead of Doomben Cup
Sydney trainer John Sargent is full of confidence with Brandenburg (NZ) (Burgundy) ahead of the Gr.1 Doomben Cup (2000m) on Saturday. The son of Burgundy was victorious over 1600m at the Gold Coast and Sargent said the now gelding has his mind on racing. “I think he has taken a lot of confidence out of it (win). With his work since then I think he has gone up a level. I couldn’t be happier,” Sargent told SENTrack. “I think his mind is on the job now. Being a colt, it…
Young guns to renew acquaintances
Tonight’s Restricted Win Final (460m) at Warragul looks a beauty, with Sierra Foxtrot out to turn the tables on fellow young gun Aston Rupee after the latter proved too good in their heat last week. WATCH Aston Rupee, a winner of six from 12 who has only missed a place once in his career, was the fastest of the two heat winners when clocking 25.33sec (2.5L off Shima Shine’s track record), while Handsome Jack took out the other qualifier in 25.60sec. WATCH Check out The Watchdog’s comprehensive analysis of tonight’s…
Training no chore for passionate Cornege
If hernia surgery hadn’t forced Cambridge horseman Fred Cornege to stay at home on Saturday, he might not have ended the day as the trainer of a Group Three winner. Cornege said the surgery was nothing serious but enough to keep him at home for recovery while his wife and co-trainer Lindsay was at Rotorua to start their consistent mare Pop Star Princess (NZ) (Makfi) in the Gr.3 Rydges Rotorua Stakes (1400m). Pop Star Princess won by hugging the rail on the wet track for jockey Jonathan Riddell while the…
Phar Lap Raceway defies winter conditions
Southern trainers will be met by a bit of an anomaly at this time of year when they head to Phar Lap Raceway on Thursday – a Good track. The Timaru track was rated a Good2 on Tuesday morning, just a fortnight away from winter, and local trainer Bruce Tapper said the dry weather over the last 18 months has been the defining factor. “It is unbelievable when you are watching some of the racing at Rotorua (Heavy11) on Saturday and Invercargill (Heavy11) on Sunday,” he said. “It has been…
Stellar career drawing to a close
Tuesday morning began a series of lasts for 14-time Group One winner Melody Belle (NZ) (Commands). The six-year-old mare had her final gallop at the Gold Coast with regular rider Opie Bosson aboard ahead of her final raceday start in the Gr.1 Doomben Cup (2000m) on Saturday. “She worked well and in her customary style,” trainer Jamie Richards told SENTrack. “She worked on the course proper over 1200m and did some nice work on her own, and I was really happy with her.” Richards said she also got the tick…
Draws go against two of Friday’s favourites
By Michael Guerin Some of harness racing’s young guns are going to need to get even better to repeat their winning performances from last week at Addington’s massive premier meeting on Friday night. Few doubt Akuta (male pacer) and Highgrove (trotter) are the best two juveniles of their crop right now after their dominant victories at the first leg of Addington’s premier double header last Friday but their tasks look significantly tougher this week. Both have drawn the second line in their features on Friday, with Akuta facing a really…
Uncut Gems set to sparkle in a month
After being a Covid 19 casualty last year, the Uncut Gems are back this year – in fact they are exactly one month away. Three $40,000 races have been confirmed for Alexandra Park on June 18, with two first-time sponsors getting on board. The Empire Stallions (NZ) 4YO and older Mares race and the BetaVet Entires and Geldings race will be held over 2200m while the NZB Standardbred 4YO and older Trot is a handicap event over 2700m. Based in Victoria, Empire Stallions offer frozen semen for the likes of…
Vic has WA Derby ‘Answers’
After a high profile ‘swap’ of kennel stars, Victorian trainer Lyn Smith and prolific West Australian mentor David Hobby are chasing feature race success this week on both sides of the continent with each other’s greyhounds. In a quid pro quo scenario, Smith has sent Saturday night’s Group 2 WA Derby contender Earn The Answers to Hobby and received G1 Sandown Cup favourite Zack Monelli and star sprinter Sunset Spitfire in return. “Lyn came over and stayed here for the Oaks a few years ago with Evie’s Entity and I’ve…