Month: August 2024

Medatsu shows spring potential with Rosehill victory

AAP

Medatsu was a gritty winner at Rosehill on Saturday. Photo: bradleyphotos.com.au The Chris Waller-trained Medatsu ran out a gritty winner at Rosehill on Saturday as the four-year-old gelding recorded his first Sydney metropolitan victory. Medatsu commenced his career in New Zealand under the tutelage of Clint Isdale for whom he had placed in three of four starts, including finishing third in the Listed Ryder Stakes (1200m). Transferred to Waller’s Sydney operation last spring, the Kiwi import was a good winner at Kembla Grange over 2000m before finishing down the track…

Rise At Dawn runs rivals ragged at Flemington

AAP

Rise At Dawn lead throughout to land the VRC Season Premiere Race Day Plate (1620m). Photo: Bruno Cannatelli Consistent galloper Rise At Dawn was in the winner’s circle at Flemington on Saturday when leading throughout to land the VRC Season Premiere Race Day Plate (1620m). Prepared by Ben, Will and JD Hayes, the son of Almanzor has raced well through the winter months and took on older rivals for the first time after turning four this week. The gelding has now won five of his 10 starts and been placed…

Horrifying continues purple patch of form at Flemington

AAP

Horrifying made it back to back victories at Flemington on Saturday. Photo: Bruno Cannatelli Talented stayer Horrifying caused a minor upset when defeating highly-regarded galloper Berkshire Breeze at Flemington on Saturday. The seven-year-old son of Shocking was having his third start for Warrnambool conditioner Lindsey Smith, having previously been trained by Mark and Levi Kavanagh. Beach life has given Horrifying a new lease on life as he made it back to back victories at Flemington after breaking a long run of outs a fortnight ago when successful over 2000m at…

Affluential wins Australian Grand National Hurdle

NZRacingDesk

It was an emotional John Leek after Affluential (NZ) (Zed) provided him with what he described as the best moment of his training career with his tough win in the Grand National Hurdle (4200m) at Sandown Lakeside. The win also gave former English jockey Will Gordon his first feature win as a jumps jockey in Australia. Gordon said it was an amazing effort by Affluential as he over-raced for most of the race and then had to fight in the closing stages to hold off a late challenge from runner-up…

Affluential wins Australian Grand National Hurdle

NZRacingDesk

It was an emotional John Leek after Affluential (NZ) (Zed) provided him with what he described as the best moment of his training career with his tough win in the Grand National Hurdle (4200m) at Sandown Lakeside. The win also gave former English jockey Will Gordon his first feature win as a jumps jockey in Australia. Gordon said it was an amazing effort by Affluential as he over-raced for most of the race and then had to fight in the closing stages to hold off a late challenge from runner-up…

Affluential wins Australian Grand National Hurdle

NZRacingDesk

It was an emotional John Leek after Affluential (NZ) (Zed) provided him with what he described as the best moment of his training career with his tough win in the Grand National Hurdle (4200m) at Sandown Lakeside. The win also gave former English jockey Will Gordon his first feature win as a jumps jockey in Australia. Gordon said it was an amazing effort by Affluential as he over-raced for most of the race and then had to fight in the closing stages to hold off a late challenge from runner-up…

Affluential wins Australian Grand National Hurdle

NZRacingDesk

It was an emotional John Leek after Affluential (NZ) (Zed) provided him with what he described as the best moment of his training career with his tough win in the Grand National Hurdle (4200m) at Sandown Lakeside. The win also gave former English jockey Will Gordon his first feature win as a jumps jockey in Australia. Gordon said it was an amazing effort by Affluential as he over-raced for most of the race and then had to fight in the closing stages to hold off a late challenge from runner-up…

New additions for Sharrock shine at Hawera

NZRacingDesk

Two promising additions to Allan Sharrock’s stable made a winning start to their campaigns at Hawera on Sunday, in the form of Street Gossip (So You Think) and Confetti (NZ) (Ocean Park). A five-year-old by So You Think, Street Gossip had raced in Australia for the duration of her 15-start career, winning the Listed Princess Stakes (1615m) and was third in the Listed Gold Coast Bracelet (1800m) in the care of Mark Newnham. The mare had her final start for her most-recent trainer Joe Pride for third in a Benchmark…

Cunning jumper shines

NZRacingDesk

The Cunning Fox (NZ) (Reliable Man) has stamped himself as a potential star jumper of the future winning Sunday’s BM120 Hurdle (3400m) at Sandown. The Patrick Payne-trained emerging jumper remained undefeated over the hurdles, making it two-from-two to start his jumping career after winning a 3200m maiden hurdle last start at Pakenham. Well-schooled in hurdle trials prior to his first jumps preparation, the eye-catching grey looked like a seasoned campaigner over the jumps in his handling of the majority of the obstacles. The six-year-old settled at the rear in the…

Spring stars to jumpout

NZRacingDesk

The return run of Pride Of Jenni (Pride Of Dubai) is now less than four weeks away and the mare is set to step up her program with another jump-out at Cranbourne. The Ciaron Maher-trained mare had a jump-out over 800m at Cranbourne on July 22 and will have the second of her preparation over 1000m at Cranbourne on Monday. Pride Of Jenni is being prepared for her return to racing at Caulfield on August 31 in the Gr.1 Memsie Stakes (1400m). The mare has not raced since winning the…