Nearly 12 months to the day, last season’s Listed Hareeba Stakes (1200m) winner Not An Option (Not A Single Doubt) was back in the winner’s circle when scoring an easy win in the A$150,000 Choices Flooring Handicap (1400m) at Flemington. The Mike Moroney-trained five-year-old has raced solidly in stakes company since joining the Flemington trainer’s stable, and relished the drop back to a handicap as he notched his fifth win from 23 lifetime starts. Originally prepared by Tony Pike in New Zealand, Not An Option was a high-class two-year-old who…
Month: March 2023
Prowess purrs in Vinery romp
New Zealand-trained three-year-old Prowess (NZ) (Proisir) demolished her rivals when winning the Gr.1 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill on Saturday. The Roger James and Robert Wellwood-trained daughter of Proisir has been in imperious form in her homeland and that form more than translated when crossing the Tasman Sea. With Mark Zahra in the saddle, Prowess was sent out a $2.15 favourite with Gr.1 VRC Oaks runner-up Pavitra (American Pharoah) ($3.40) considered her only genuine rival. However, Prowess made the Vinery Stud Stakes a one-act affair, unleashing a powerful turn…
Goldman earns golden Melbourne Cup ticket
Untapped former New Zealand galloper Goldman (NZ) (Verdi) has earned himself a start in the Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) with a dominant all-the-way win at Flemington. Success in the Listed Roy Higgins (2600m) on Saturday has provided the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained galloper with a ballot exemption into November’s great race. After four starts in New Zealand, Goldman made his way to the Waterhouse and Bott stable at the start of this campaign with Saturday’s victory following wins at Kembla Grange and Warwick Farm. Sent out the $3 favourite…
Rookie trainer shocked with Shepparton Cup win
Young trainer Jake Loverso was in disbelief as his star chaser Lektra Heckler took out the $74,335 Group 2 CKH Painting Shepparton Cup (450m) on Saturday night. This was 27-year-old Loverso’s first runner in a group final and it was a night he will never forget as Lektra Heckler blitzed a star-studded line-up from the moment the lids opened, leading all the way in 24.952sec. Lektra Heckler is unbeaten in eight starts for Loverso, who leveraged on his close relationship with breeder/owner Phil Lenehan to get hold of the rising…
Start key for Homebush Lad
by Jonny Turner What happens in the split seconds after the tapes fly could decide whether Homebush Lad adds the Waimate Cup to his outstanding grass track resume. The Greg and Nina Hope trained veteran starts from the back mark of 45m in the 3000m grass track feature at Oamaru. Clearly the kind of beginning Homebush Lad can make from his handicap will have a huge impact on his chances. Settling in front of key rivals, who also start from handicap marks, will be the key to whether Homebush Lad…
No drama for leading southern mare
Live Drama and Kavish Chowdhoory land the Group 3 South Island Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m). Photo: Race Images CHCH (Ajay Berry) Live Drama gave a flawless performance on the main stage at Riccarton on Saturday to post the second black type victory of her career. With 55.5kg, the mare was ideally suited to the set weights and penalties conditions of the Group 3 South Island Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m) and duly added the feature to her Listed Great Easter Stakes (1400m) title. Rider Kavish Chowdhoory kept the leaders within his…
Roots takes out the Emancipation Stakes in a Waller Trifecta
Roots was a smart winner in the Group 2 Emancipation Stakes. If you boxed up the three Chris Waller runners in this year’s Emancipation Stakes you would’ve seen a nice collect. Roots has proven too good for stablemates, Atishu and Finepoint as Chris Waller has trained the first three runners home in the Group 2 Emancipation Stakes for the fillies and mares. It was a much improved effort from what we saw in the Group 3 Aspiration Quality as the short-priced commodity, Roots, went down by a half-length behind Thalassophile.…
Three year olds impress at Addington
by Jonny TurnerThree-Year-Olds Cormac Leo and Coney Island Lou both called on their big motors to run to impressive wins at Addington on Friday night. Trainer-driver Craig Ferguson unleashed Cormac Leo who could not have been more impressive in his debut victory in race 3. Being caught wide early mattered little to the pacer who also shrugged off plenty of pressure inside the final 800m when scoring like a horse with a big future. Cormac Leo was sent south to Ferguson by owners Bruce Barnett and Ricki Herbert after former…
What You Need protects his unblemished record in Sunlight Classic
What You Need ridden by Ben Melham wins the Sunlight Classic at Flemington Racecourse. (Photo by Pat Scala/Racing Photos) With the race set up to be a race between two gun three-year-olds in the Sunlight Classic, and the colt What You Need from the Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr yard got the better of the filly Benedetta as she could only manage a third-place finish, with the Godolphin gelding Renosu splitting the two favourites in the betting. Coming into the Sunlight Classic, What You Need was the favourite with…
Brando in the spotlight at Tauranga
Good-looking gelding Brando (NZ) (Savabeel) notched his eighth career victory when proving a class above his rivals in the Gr.2 Ultimate Mazda Japan Trophy (1600m) at Tauranga on Saturday The five-year-old son of Savabeel has previously competed at the highest level, placing in the Gr.1 Levin Classic (1600m) at three and the Gr.1 Otaki WFA last year. Ridden perfectly by Wiremu Pinn, Brando tracked up nicely behind the leaders rounding the bend and once a gap presented he dashed away to an easy two-length victory over Marroni (NZ) (Makfi) with…