Lightly raced galloper Martell (NZ) (El Roca) lived up to his trainer’s expectations when he downed a handy field of three-year-olds over 1100m at Te Rapa. Prepared at Matamata by Jim Collett, the son of Westbury Stud resident stallion El Roca had impressed winning first up on heavy ground in maiden company at Rotorua last November before failing to cope with a firm surface at the same venue a month later. Collett put him aside for a summer break and after finishing an unlucky fourth back at Rotorua again last…
Month: May 2023
2023 Doomben Cup Winner Huetor Goes Back-to-Back
The Peter & Paul Snowden-trained Huetor became just the fourth horse in history to win multiple editions of the Group 1 $1 million Doomben Cup (2000m) with his narrow victory in the 2023 edition on Saturday. The Snowden-trained Huetor (pictured in Sydney) made history in Brisbane on Saturday with a successful Doomben Cup title defence. Photo: Steve Hart. The now six-year-old is the first imported horse the Snowdens brought down under, and he is now a two-time Doomben Cup champion after fighting off the Annabel Neasham-trained Numerian to salute in…
Huetor captures back-to-back wins in Group 1 Doomben Cup
Huetor arrived in time to claim the Group 1 Doomben Cup. Photo: Darren Winningham The 2023 edition of the Group 1 Doomben Cup hasn’t disappointed with Huetor ($11) getting the nod in a grandstand finish on Saturday afternoon. With last year’s running of the race, it was Huetor finding success at Eagle Farm and has replicated his effort to score in back-to-back editions – the first time it’s been achieved at two different tracks. The Peter & Paul Snowden trained gelding got a perfectly timed ride by jockey Ryan Maloney,…
Mishani Sniper causes minor boilover in Chief De Beers
Mishani Sniper was a a narrow winner of the Listed Chief De Beers. Photo: Darren Winningham Mishani Sniper for Les Ross and Mark Du Plessis has caused a minor boilover in the Listed Chief De Beers at Doomben, with the bottom weight in the race sustaining a long run from the 600m to get the better of The Big Goodbye in the final strides. The four-year-old gelded son of Your Song was sent out as an $18 roughie with online bookmakers, however, with 200m to go, there only looked to…
Foxy Frida justifies short price in R A Lee Stakes romp
Foxy Frida ridden by Billy Egan claimed the Group 3 R A Lee Stakes. (Pat Scala/Racing Photos) It’s hard to believe Foxy Frida ($1.60) hadn’t won a Group level race heading into Saturday afternoon; however, that’s all changed as the five-year-old mare put away her rivals stylishly in the Group 3 R A Lee Stakes. The daughter of Foxwedge gave her opposition a galloping lesson, going on to score a dominant victory under a perfectly timed ride by newly crowned Group 1 winning jockey Billy Egan. It was the old…
Let’sbefrankbaby outstays rivals in SA Fillies Classic win
Let’sbefrankbaby was a nice winner of the Group 3 SA Fillies Classic. (Photo by George Sal/Racing Photos) A move by the Robbie Griffiths & Mathew de Kock barn to miss the Group 1 Australasian Oaks has paid dividends, as Let’sbefrankbaby ($3.10) took out the Group 3 SA Fillies Classic on Saturday afternoon. The three-year-old filly bypassed the Group 1 attempt after finding the minor money in the Group 3 Auraria Stakes, with the stable then electing to get a confidence building win last start at Cranbourne at BM70 level. In…
Frumos back to winning ways in Group 3 Pam O’Neill Stakes
James McDonald managed to get the best out of Frumos to claim the Group 3 Pam O’Niell Stakes. Photo: Darren Winningham The Chris Waller-trained Frumos has aggravated many a punter over her career, but if those same punters followed her into her first Group level contest of her career in the Pam O’Neill Stakes, they were rewarded for their loyalty. The four-year-old mare has been heavily backed at all bar one of her starts during her 10-start career, and it was no different at Doomben on Saturday, as she was…
Williamson keen for hot streak to continue
By Jonny Turner Matthew Williamson will be out to continue a golden recent run at Ascot Park on Saturday. The trainer has produced a winning double at the last two Invercargill meetings and he has three runners aiming to bring him a third. Jordan Anne has been among Williamson’s recent winners and she looks a big chance of taking home another victory on Saturday. “She has been going super – it was another good run last start,” Williamson said. “She is just drawn out a bit and with Miss Jessica…
Zia remains undefeated with impressive Bill Carter victory
Tim Clark lifted Zia to victory in the Listed Bill Carter Stakes at Doomben. Photo: Darren Winningham At her second career race start, Zia has given her trainers Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott their first ever Bill Carter Stakes winner at Doomben, after Time Clark gave the two-year-old filly a peach of a ride. The daughter of Zoustar won on debut at Canterbury before taking the trip across the border into the Sunshine State to take on the Listed Bill Carter, where she jumped as a $5 equal-second favourite with…
Avdulla eyes breakthrough success aboard quality rides
Brenton Avdulla has high hopes at Sha Tin this weekend. Undeterred by a string of near misses since arriving in Hong Kong, Brenton Avdulla is hopeful of claiming an elusive breakthrough victory when he pairs with a host of leading chances at Sha Tin on Sunday. With four thirds from 23 rides across five meetings this month, Avdulla has quickly absorbed the nuances of Hong Kong racing and is hopeful Sweet Encounter, Mighty Stride and Loriz can deliver landmark success. “I feel like the rides that I’ve got coming over…