Month: March 2024

Another Wil storms clear in Group 3 Doncaster Prelude

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Another Wil was a class above in the Group 3 Doncaster Prelude (1500m). Photo: RacingNSW Another Wil (-125) has made a mess of his rivals in the Group 3 Doncaster Prelude (1500m) at Rosehill on Saturday afternoon, booking his ticket to the Group 1 Doncaster Mile (1600m) next weekend. The Ciaron Maher-trained gelding put the writing on the wall with a hat-trick of wins to begin the campaign, stamping himself as a possible star on the rise heading into Saturday’s Doncaster Prelude as an odds-on commodity. The win was never…

Mark Twain secures Melbourne Cup start with Roy Higgins win

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Michael Dee returns to scale on Mark Twain after winning the Roy Higgins at Flemington. (Photo by Ross Holburt/Racing Photos) Roger James & Robert Welwood have topped off their outstanding day with Mark Twain (+850) earning a start in the 2024 Melbourne Cup after a barnstorming finish in the final 400m to claim victory in the Roy Higgins at Flemington. After finishing third in the Group 2 Auckland Cup (3200m), the son of Shocking made the trip across the ditch to try and earn his spot in the Cup and…

Cascadian goes back-to-back in Group 1 Australian Cup

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Cascadian (left) claiming Pride Of Jenni to win the Group 1 Australian Cup (2000m). Photo: Racing Photos Cascadian (+650) has become the second horse since 2000 to win back-to-back Australian Cups, after getting a peach of a ride from Ben Melham to finish over the top of the brave Pride Of Jenni (+270) in the concluding stages at Flemington. The James Cummings-trained gelding put the writing on the wall with a strong finish in the All-Star Mile last start over 1600m when he finished third, and he has produced a…

Kalapour claims Group 1 Tancred Stakes

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Kalapour holds out More Felons to claim Group 1 Tancred Stakes (2400m) glory. Photo: RacingNSW Kalapour (+3300) has caused a major upset in the Group 1 Tancred Stakes (2400m) at Rosehill on Saturday afternoon, giving Dylan Gibbons his second career Group 1 victory as a jockey. The Kris Lees-trained seven-year-old was considered one of the outside chances leading into Saturday, with the son of War Command unwanted in the market as a +3300 chance with online betting sites prior to the jump. He was third-up into the campaign on Saturday…

Orchestral hits the right note to claim Vinery Stud Stakes

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Orchestral arrived in time to claim the Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes. Photo: RacingNSW The journey across the Tasman has paid immediate dividends for the Roger James & Robert Wellwood barn, with New Zealand raider Orchestral (-166.67) justifying the short quote in the Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill on Saturday. James McDonald partnered the daughter of Savabeel three starts back at Ellerslie in the Listed Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m) on January 27, and always suggested a trip to Australia would be ideal for the three-year-old filly. The…

Bandi’s Boy causes minor upset in Group 3 Star Kingdom Stakes

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Bandi’s Boy claimed the Group 3 Star Kingdom Stakes. Photo: RacingNSW The Danny Williams-trained Bandi’s Boy (+1400) has launched late to claim victory in the Group 3 Star Kingdom Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill on Saturday afternoon. The son of The Brothers War may have been the forgotten horse early by online betting sites, with punters firming the four-year-old gelding from $34.00 at the open to as short as +1400 prior to the jump. Many would have thought the Country Championship Final (1400m) next Saturday at Randwick would be the grand…

Wymark stakes Derby claim in Tulloch

NZRacingDesk

Wymark’s (NZ) (Savabeel) connections are likely to pay a late nomination fee for next week’s Gr.1 Australian Derby (2400m) after the rapidly improving three-year-old collected his fourth win in a row in Saturday’s Gr.2 Toyota Forklifts Tulloch Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill. The Randwick classic was not originally on the radar for the Savabeel gelding, who began his career with six consecutive top-four finishes over distances ranging from 1200m to 1500m. But the step up over ground has lifted the talented New Zealand-bred to another level, beginning with a maiden victory…

Super Seth colt stars in Baillieu

NZRacingDesk

Linebacker (NZ) (Super Seth) became the first stakes winner for freshman Waikato Stud stallion Super Seth with a classy and tenacious victory in Saturday’s Gr.3 Hyland Race Colours Baillieu (1400m) at Rosehill – a performance that also earned him a shot at next month’s Gr.1 Champagne Stakes (1600m) at Randwick. Held in high regard by trainer John O’Shea, Linebacker made a perfect start to his career with a four-length win on debut at Hawkesbury in late February. The Bailleu was a big step up for his second start on Saturday,…

Belclare signs off in Group One style

NZRacingDesk

Perennially under-rated mare Belclare (NZ) (Per Incanto) had a richly deserved day in the Ellerslie sun on Saturday, bringing her high-class New Zealand racing career to a close with a successful defence of her title in the Gr.1 NZEA New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m). The Lisa Latta-trained mare has spent most of her career under the radar and has defied double-digit odds for many of her previous successes – including a $22 upset in last year’s Breeders’ Stakes at Pukekohe and a $21 boilover in the Gr.2 Westbury Classic…

Options aplenty for Ellerslie winner

NZRacingDesk

A drop back in distance paid dividends for progressive filly Nepheti (NZ) (Charm Spirit) when she bounced back to winning form at Ellerslie in a three-year-old 1400m contest. Prepared by Shaune Ritchie and Colm Murray at Cambridge the pair had given the daughter of Charm Spirit her chance to stretch out to a middle distance when she took on the Gr.3 Sunline Vase (2100m) at the venue at the beginning of the month. That experiment didn’t pay off as she faded to a midfield position after a tough trip early…