Month: September 2024

In-form galloper Rise At Dawn (NZ) (Almanzor) got off the canvas to score an unlikely victory in the Listed Heatherlie Stakes (1700m) at Caulfield on Saturday as he made it three wins in succession.  The son of Almanzor is prepared by Ben, Will and JD Hayes and has raced well through the winter months and may yet snare some spring riches after his tenacious win on Saturday. Ridden in his customary positive manner by Michael Dee, Rise At Dawn looked to be under siege deep into the home straight but…

An explosive second-up win by Gr.1 Australian Derby (2400m) runner-up Ceolwulf (NZ) (Tavistock) at Rosehill has put trainer Joe Pride in two-minds about the best path to pursue this spring. Pride had identified the Gr.1 Metropolitan (2400m) as a target but said the turn of foot Ceolwulf demonstrated in Saturday’s Bankstown Sports Handicap (1500m) had all but forced him to entertain the Gr.1 Epsom Handicap (1600m). “To see him do something like that so early in the spring, it is hard not to get excited,” Pride said. “I was a…

Winter warhorse Verry Flash (NZ) (Zed) recorded the 14th win of his career in Saturday’s Wanganui Insurance Brokers (2060m), and in the process he provided an unforgettable moment for his 22-year-old jockey Amber Riddell. The Wanganui open handicap was the first win as an apprentice jockey for Riddell, who had previously recorded four wins as an amateur. “I’m just so happy to get this win, because it’s taken a couple of weeks,” said Riddell, a daughter of Group One-winning jockey Jonathan Riddell and former jockey and trainer Trina Marshall. “I’m…

Group One winner Quintessa (NZ) (Shamus Award) returned with a bang when running out a resounding winner of the Gr.3 Cockram Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on Saturday. The Mark Walker-trained mare lumped 60kg topweight under Daniel Stackhouse and looks set to contest races over sprint-mile distances this campaign after getting out to 2400m when fourth in the Gr.1 Australian Oaks last autumn. Coming from midfield, Quintessa forged away from her rivals to record a three-quarter length victory from Extratwo (Tornonado) and La Danseuse Rouge (Manhattan Rain). Although racing out of…

Exciting three-year-old prospect Read About It made all the headlines in the feature event at Wanganui, the Listed HS Dyke Wanganui Guineas (1200m). The Robbie Patterson-prepared galloper was having just his third start on Saturday but had created plenty of buzz around his chances and future prospects after closing off his two-year-old campaign with a scintillating victory in the Listed Ryder Stakes (1200m) at Otaki. Patterson was keen on his chances prior to the contest and despite settling towards the rear in the seven-horse field, Read About It never gave…