Trainer Peter Moody is contemplating the prospect of black type after New Zealand-bred mare Life Lessons completed a hat-trick of wins in Saturday’s A$130,000 Ladbrokes Market Control Handicap (1400m) at Sandown. The four-year-old daughter of Tavistock had won at Moe and a midweek Sandown meeting in her two previous appearances, and on Saturday she graduated to city class in impressive fashion. Produced in the straight by rider Daniel Stackhouse, she quickened smartly to score by a length and a quarter. Life Lessons has now had five starts for three wins…
Year: 2022
Kirwan’s Lane beats stablemate in minor boilover in The Ingham
Kirwan’s Lane held off his stablemate Lion’s Roar to claim The Ingham. Photo: Steve Hart John O’Shea has capped off a brilliant day at Randwick, with his two horses, Kirwan’s Lane and Lion’s Roar running the quinella in the Group 2 The Ingham producing a minor upset in the feature event of the day. After winning the Inglis Nursery with Saltaire earlier in the day, O’Shea and his team have taken out both feature events on The Ingham Day. There was plenty of speed in The Ingham, with the market…
Detonator Jack delivers at Sandown
Sent out as one of the day’s hottest favourites right across Australasia, Kiwi-bred gelding Detonator Jack (NZ) (Jakkalberry) lived up to those lofty expectations in style at Sandown on Saturday. The Group One performer went into the A$150,000 Tile Importer Handicap (1600m) as a winner of four of his six starts, and he had been narrowly beaten by Green Fly (Frankel) in his last-start appearance at Ballarat on November 19. Saturday’s rematch with that rival was a very different story as Detonator Jack unleashed an irresistible finish from second last…
Veteran raises the roof with Cup victory
Hardy veteran Viktor Vegas (NZ) (Tavistock) struck a blow for the older generation when he plowed through the wet underfoot conditions at Te Rapa to blitz his rivals in the Gr.3 SKYCITY Hamilton Waikato Cup (2400m). The nine-year-old son of Tavistock has been reinvigorated under the guidance of trainer Casey Lock and belied his advanced age as he backed up the form that saw him run close up in third in the Gr.3 Counties Cup (2100m) at his most recent start. Rider Kozzi Asano allowed his charge to find his…
Racing abandoned at Awapuni
Racing at Awapuni on Saturday was abandoned after the first race due to the unsafe nature of the track. Rain on the day created a slippery patch on the surface that saw several horses slip during the running of the first race. An inspection by jockeys, trainers and track officials resulted in the meeting, which featured the Gr.3 Lawnmaster Eulogy Stakes (1600m), officially abandoned. A decision on the location for the Gr.3 Manawatu Cup (2300m) raceday, scheduled for Awapuni on 17 December, along with the running of the Eulogy Stakes…
Sinarahma superior in Te Rapa feature
Warm favourite Sinarahma (NZ) (Darci Brahma) provided a further example of her undoubted class when she cruised to victory in one of the feature events at Te Rapa on Saturday, the Gr.2 Cal Isuzu Stakes (1600m). The Allan Sharrock-trained mare thrived on the Soft7 track conditions, which had been downgraded from earlier in the day due to several heavy showers, as rider Craig Grylls gave her an armchair trip throughout. Settled in behind a steady pace set up by Express Princess (NZ) (Shamexpress) and Silverina (NZ) (Contributer), the eight-year-old daughter…
Flying mare rewards the faithful
Flying mare Faithful Feat (NZ) (Per Incanto) showed all her fighting qualities when she overcame a wide barrier, a hefty 58.5kg impost and a heavy downpour that created vision problems for all horses and riders to claim her first black type victory when taking out the Gr.3 J Swap Sprint (1400m) at Te Rapa. The daughter of Per Incanto had won her previous start on the track last month carrying just 54kgs but jumped up a further 4.5kgs for Saturday’s contest against a quality field of sprinters. Rider Sam Spratt…
Saltaire takes out hot edition of Inglis Nursery
Saltaire managed to cause an upset in the Listed Inglis Nursery. Photo: Steve Hart In a very quick edition of the Inglis Nursery, Saltaire has beaten the odds-on favourite, Facile, in a ding-dong battle in the last 200m, with the former getting her head down on the line to take out the $500,000 two-year-old feature. John O’Shea has won his second Inglis Nursery in six years after winning his first with Hong Kong Bet in 2017, while star hoop, Kerrin McEvoy has also won his second Nursery. At they usually…
Japan targets fourth Hong Kong Cup in a row
Jack d’Or is one of Japan’s leading chances. The Japanese have undoubtedly had some of the best success of any international contingent participating each year in Hong Kong. Still, the Group 1 Hong Kong Cup (2000m) is the most substantial connection by far. This year, they are primed to make a big statement with five live runners going into the starting gate this Sunday. The Japanese have been participating in the Hong Kong Cup since the seventh running in 1993. They have sent over 39 runners that participated in 22…
Piechulek hoping for special things from Mendocino in Vase
Mendocino at trackwork. René Piechulek is aspiring to another ‘incredible’ Sunday to match that of events of 3 October, 2021 when he partners German-trained colt Mendocino in Sunday’s HK$22 million Group 1 Hong Kong Vase (2400m). On YouTube the other day Piechulek watched his now famous winning surge aboard 72/1 Torquator Tasso and said: “It still seems incredible, and it still gives me goosebumps watching it,” referring to that shock 2021 Group 1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (2400m) victory at Longchamp. Piechulek arrived hand in hand with his partner,…