Trainer Pat Keegan was a happy man after pulling the right rein with his gritty gelding Flaneur (NZ) (Highly Recommended) at New Plymouth on Saturday. Keegan, who prepares the five-year-old son of Highly Recommended as one of his three-strong team at Hawera, had pretty much convinced himself to scratch his charge with rain pouring down before the first event on the card making the track extremely heavy for racing. Having second-guessed himself in the past he took the plunge and left the horse in the race, which proved a masterstroke…
Month: September 2024
Australian stakes success for Fortuna filly
Bellatrix Star (Star Witness) was among the leading two-year-old fillies in New Zealand last season, and she showed in Saturday’s A$175,000 Listed Cap D’Antibes Stakes (1100m) at Flemington that she has the class to compete on Melbourne’s spring carnival stage. The Cap D’Antibes Stakes was only the second Victorian start for Bellatrix Star, who had kicked off with a late-finishing fifth in the Gr.3 Quezette Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield on August 17. As a two-year-old, she won on debut at Wanganui and later added the Gr.2 Eclipse Stakes (1200m) at…
Jon Ol Rocco back in winning groove
Local trainer Andrew Carston was both relieved and excited for the rest of the spring after Jon Ol Rocco (NZ) (Time Test) returned to winning form in Saturday’s Martin Collins New Zealand Cup Trial (1800m) at Riccarton Park. The Time Test gelding was one of the brightest prospects in the South Island around this time last year, winning three of his first six starts last season including a dead-heat for first in the Timaru Cup (1600m) in December. Carston took a shot at big money in the North Island in…
Unusual Legacy takes big step towards Metropolitan
Next month’s Gr.1 Metropolitan Handicap (2400m) is looming large on the horizon for Unusual Legacy (NZ) (Unusual Suspect), who enhanced his growing reputation with an outstanding last-to-first performance in Saturday’s A$160,000 Chandon Handicap (1800m) at Rosehill. The Benchmark 88 handicap was the fifth win from only an eight-start career for Unusual Legacy, who has earned A$252,945. Trainer Chris Waller shares ownership with his wife Stephanie, along with long-term stable clients the Muollo family. Unusual Legacy kicked off his five-year-old season with a strong finish for third over 1500m at Rosehill…
Sunshine In Paris goes back-to-back in Sheraco Stakes
Sunshine In Paris winning the Group 2 Sheraco Stakes. Photo: bradleyphotos.com.au The Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald-trained Sunshine In Paris ($3.90) has made it back-to-back wins in the Group 2 Sheraco Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill on Saturday afternoon, all but assuring herself a slot in the $20 million Everest (1200m). The daughter of Invader returned first-up after a 147-day spell on Saturday, and although she was giving race-day fitness away to most of her rivals, including the short-priced favourite Joliestar ($1.80), it simply didn’t matter. The classy five-year-old was dragged…
Seymour top racing tips & quaddie | Sunday, September 15, 2024
What Seymour Races Where Seymour Racing Club – 55 Kobyboyn Rd, Seymour VIC 3660 When Sunday, September 14, 2024 First Race 1:40pm AEST Visit Dabble The Seymour Racing Club is the destination for a competitive eight-race meeting on Sunday afternoon. Clear skies are forecast throughout the day, and with the track already a Good 4, it should be in pristine condition. The rail comes out 7m for the entire circuit, with the action commencing at 1:40pm AEST. Best Bet at Seymour: Tochka Tochka was a class above when saluting on…
Point King secures Melbourne Cup start with tough Archer win
Point King (inside) ridden by Jamie Kah, wins the Archer Stakes at Flemington. (Photo by George Sal/Racing Photos) The famous colours of Team Williams will be represented on at least one runner in the 2024 Melbourne Cup, thanks to Point King’s tough victory in the Group 3 Archer Stakes (2500m) at Flemington on Saturday. The Anthony & Sam Freedman-trained gelding returned with a dominant victory over 2040m at Moonee Valley first-up, and even though he won again, this victory was nothing like the last. Jamie Kah, who piloted the son…
Jon Ol Rocco impresses in New Zealand Cup trial
Jon Ol Rocco fighting to win Saturday’s New Zealand Cup Trial (1800m). Photo: Ajay Berry Local trainer Andrew Carston was both relieved and excited for the rest of the spring after Jon Ol Rocco returned to winning form in Saturday’s New Zealand Cup Trial (1800m) at Riccarton Park. The Time Test gelding was one of the brightest prospects in the South Island around this time last year, winning three of his first six starts last season including a dead-heat for first in the Timaru Cup (1600m) in December. Carston took…
Sharp ‘N’ Smart to ramp up Melbourne preparation
Multiple Group One winner Sharp ‘N’ Smart. Photo: Trish Dunell Co-trainer Graeme Rogerson is looking forward to stable star Sharp N Smart taking the second step on a journey to the Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) in November when he steps out at Te Rapa on Sunday. Rogerson, who prepares the son of Redwood in partnership with wife Debbie, has found it hard to keep his enthusiasm in check this season as the former Group 1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) winner has provided plenty of signals that he is back…
Republican Party primed for Sunday’s Hannon Memorial
By Jonny Turner Cran Dalgety wants to see a new version of Republican Party when he returns to the Placemakers Hannon Memorial on Sunday. The five-year-old will be out to go one better in the traditional New Zealand Cup lead up following his gritty second placing in the Group 3 feature last year. The runner-up effort was the first in a string of top-level tilts Republican Party made in what was his first full season of racing New Zealand’s best older pacers. With that year of open class grind behind…