Month: May 2024

Coco Sun and Jamie Kah dominate Group 1 SA Derby

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Coco Sun winning at Bendigo on April 13, 2024. (Photo by Scott Barbour/Racing Photos) Jockey Jamie Kah claimed her maiden Adelaide Group 1 success when steering Coco Sun to victory in the Group 1 SA Derby (2500m) at Morphettville. Trained by Tony & Calvin McEvoy, the three-year-old filly was on the quick seven-day backup after finishing third in the Group 1 Australasian Oaks (2000m) seven days prior. Having stepped cleanly from the barriers, Jamie Kah took her time to get Coco Sun (+400) towards the front of the field, and…

Kintyre lifts late to claim Queensland Guineas success

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Kintyre returns after taking out the Group 2 Queensland Guineas at Eagle Farm. Photo: Darren Winningham On the back of claiming Group 3 glory at Randwick in the stewards room last time out, there was no doubt about Kintyre’s win in the Group 2 Queensland Guineas (1600m) at Eagle Farm. The three-year-old gelding trained by Gary Portelli took his earnings to upwards of $700,000 with Saturday’s success, aided by a gun ride from young Cejay Graham. The pair jumped cleanly enough from the barriers to take advantage of barrier two…

The Map destroys rivals in Morphettville Group 3

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The Map winning on Melbourne Cup Day last year. (Photo by George Sal/Racing Photos) Favourite backers were happy with themselves a long way out from home as The Map (+100) made a mess of her rivals in the Group 3 Queen Elizabeth II Cup (2500m) at Morphettville. Having not been since finishing second in the Group 2 Adelaide Cup (3200m), Dan Clarken and Oopy MacGillivray opted to give their classy mare a seven-week fresh-up heading into the race. With eventual runner-up Crimson Vine (+1000) setting a moderate tempo over the…

Antino makes brilliant return in Victory Stakes

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Antino ridden by Vlad Duric takes out the Group 2 Victory Stakes at Eagle Farm. Photo: Darren Winningham New Zealand-bred star Antino put a frustrating spring campaign behind him with a superb first-up performance in Saturday’s A$300,000 Group 2 Victory Stakes (1200m) at Eagle Farm. The son of Redwood appeared to have the world at his feet at around this time last year, winning eight of his first nine races including the Listed Wayne Wilson (1600m) at Eagle Farm in June. But Antino’s raids on Melbourne and Sydney in the…

Deserved stakes reward for Discretion Rules at Riccarton

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Consistent galloper Discretion Rules cracked his maiden victory in fine style after a string of minor placings when taking out the Listed Berkley Stud Champagne Stakes (1200m) at Riccarton. The son of Alabama Express is prepared by Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson from their Riccarton base and had the misfortune of striking star stablemate Nucleozor at his first three starts, where he placed third then second in consecutive runs, before finding the top step of the podium at his fourth attempt. Bounced away nicely from barrier four by Niranjan Parmar,…

Harlech returns to winners circle after long absence

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Fan favourite Harlech has finally found his way to the winners’ enclosure following more than three and a half years since his last victory, racing away for a satisfying win in the Avon City Ford Easter Cup (1600m) at Riccarton.  The seven-year-old son of Darci Brahma has been in many elite level battles over the years, with a number of placings in races such as the Gr.1 Livamol Classic (2040m) and most recently runner-up in the Gr.3 Canterbury Gold Cup (2000m), since winning the Benalla Cup (1406m) back in October…

Super Photon shines in Te Rapa feature

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Super Photon’s growing reputation was put to the test in Saturday’s Listed Waikato Equine Veterinary Centre 2YO Stakes (1400m) at Te Rapa, and the exciting colt rose to the challenge in style. The black-type feature was the second win in an unblemished two-start career for the Super Seth colt, who had kicked off with a commanding three-length victory at Rotorua last month. That debut win came over 1150m against just five opponents, who had a total of six previous starts between them. The runner-up was the first-starter Magice, a trial-winning…

Repeat quinella for Pitman pair

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For the second time in three weekends, the Michael and Matthew Pitman-trained pair of Star Ballot and Tomyturbo have fought out a thrilling finish to a staying race at Riccarton – and for the second time in three weekends, Star Ballot has come out on top. Saturday’s Hornby Club Founders Cup (2600m) was the rematch of a Rating 75 race over the same course and distance on April 20, where Star Ballot finished over the top of Tomyturbo to win by half a length. The $40,000 Founders Cup followed a…

Hey Happy bolts in at Te Rapa

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Promising chaser Hey Happy showed he could be in for a prosperous winter after bolting away with the opening steeplechase of the season at Te Rapa on Saturday, the Ken & Roger Browne Memorial Steeplechase (3900m). Prepared by jumps maestro Kevin Myers the eight-year-old son of Rip Van Winkle never put a foot wrong in the hands of rider Dean Parker. Never far from the lead throughout the 3900m journey, Hey Happy took the race by the scruff of the neck with a powerful leap at the third last fence…

Mrs Chrissie back in winning groove at Caulfield

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Mrs Chrissie winning at Caulfield on Saturday. Photo: Bruno Cannatelli Caulfield has been a happy hunting ground for Mrs Chrissie, and the talented New Zealand-bred returned there on Saturday to score a stylish win in the A$80,000 MRC Plus Handicap (1100m). It was the fourth win of a 14-start career for the daughter of Per Incanto, and two of those wins have come from just four appearances at Caulfield. The five-year-old was ridden on Saturday by Carleen Hefel, whose six rides on the mare have produced three wins, two seconds…