Standardbred Breeding

It's been like that for decades. How the hell do we change it?

Newitt humbled by Jenni journey www.racing.com With 33 Group 1s already on his CV, the hunger remains for jockey Craig Newitt as he looks to add to that tally aboard star mare Pride Of Jenni. It may have been a few years since his most recent top-level success, but heading into Saturday's G1 Australian Cup at Flemington, Newitt is confident Pride Of Jenni will be the horse to give him more. "It's been about nine years since my last Group 1 winner, so I'm starting to get very excited because I've got no doubt that she's going to deliver me another one," he said. "This is what we get out of bed for every morning at 4am, to find these sorts of horses and race at the elite level. "She's basically the banner horse for Victorian racing at the moment … to be associated with a champion mare like her, I'm very grateful and I don't take that for granted." A father of five, Newitt married partner Breaana in January, with his happiness off the track reflecting in his work. "We're in a very good place at the moment, I truly believe I'm probably riding as good as I ever have," he said. "One thing I was always taught, you never lose your ability, it's just in this game it's the opportunities that you get." WATCH: Hear from Newitt   Newitt acknowledges Pride Of Jenni could be the one to bring further G1 chances his way. "If more doors open, (that's) more than welcome," Newitt said. As a parent, Newitt also recognises the sentimental importance the Pride Of Jenni journey holds for the Ottobre family, who lost their daughter Jennifer to a brain tumour in 2015. "To have five boys of my own, I couldn't imagine what they went through, so to be able to live the Jenni legacy with them, I'm sure with years and years down the track, we're still going to be talking about Pride Of Jenni," he said. The mare has also inspired his own boys to follow the sport more closely. "Not many of them were interested in it before Jenni came along, but my eldest one is starting to get a bit of Jenni fever, which is good and my seven-year-old is mad anything!" Newitt said. "It's very exciting and very humbling." Family also provides an important outlet away from the track. "I think every jockey needs a hobby, most of my days off it's either driving to basketball or football training," he said. "Even this Saturday, Jenni's not in until (Race) 8, so I'll be at my under-10s semi-final for basketball this week. It'll be a nice getaway for a while then, come lunchtime, we'll then tighten the screws down and hopefully get Jenni home." Newitt has already won two Australian Cups - in 2006 with Roman Arch and 2007 with Pompeii Ruler - but Saturday's edition holds a unique test, given Pride Of Jenni's running style. "She's one that you ride her, not the race," he explained. "A lot of times you've got to ride the race as well as your horse. I think you've just got to get her into her comfort zone, she cruises along at sectionals most horses can't travel at and sustain it." WATCH: Pride Of Jenni's Peter Young Stakes win

War Princess will contest Saturday’s Gr.1 Courtesy Ford Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m). Photo: Jack McKenzie (Race Images Palmerston North) Peter Didham and his owners can take a good deal of satisfaction from their dual representation in Saturday’s feature event at Trentham, regardless of the outcome. The Awapuni trainer and connections have the unbeaten War Princess and the promising Shameless Star to do battle in the Group 1 Courtesy Ford Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m). The stablemates were purchased as early prospects, and for both to be competing at the elite level this weekend is a sound reflection on the selection process. “I’ve got a great bunch of owners, and we got together and identified that Entain had put some decent stake money up,” Didham said. “We went and bought a couple of horses that we hoped would make two- and three-year-olds, and now we’ve got two runners in the Sires’ Produce, so we’re really excited.” The fillies are raced by Ian Middleton’s Exempt Bloodstock and Chelsea Connections Ltd, also Auckland-based, with Palmerston North couple Brendon and Debbie Hart. A daughter of U S Navy Flag, War Princess was secured for $77,500 out of Haunui Farm’s draft at New Zealand Bloodstocks National Yearling Sale while Shameless Star was offered by Woburn Farm and bought for $55,000. War Princess goes into the Sires’ Produce with the form on the board following two comfortable front-running victories. “I’m really happy with her and she galloped 1000m here (on Tuesday) on the new grass track and I thought she was excellent,” Didham said. “It’s a huge jump from winning at Tauherenikau and Wanganui to taking on a big 1400m at Wellington. “It’s only her third run and there’s a question whether she’s seasoned enough, but she deserves a go. War Princess is a half-sister to juvenile winner and Karaka Millions placegetter Appellant. “She’s a funny horse, she’s not brilliant on the track but she won a jump-out, a trial and a race and then a trial and another race,” Didham said. “She has just kept finding each time, so we haven’t really tested her too much to know what we’ve got. She is an easy-going filly and good to train, she’s lovely.” Shamexpress youngster Shameless Star, from the family of Group 1 Otaki Maori WFA Stakes (1400m) winner Star Satire, has finished fourth in both of her outings. “She’s my favourite horse in the stable, but she’s probably a year away, and I think you will see her running around in some nice three-year-old fillies’ races,” Didham said. “She is just a bit lighter, and the experience will do her good. “I don’t think she will be far away, but I think her time will come next season.” Didham will also be represented in the Group 2 Awapuni Gold Cup (2100m) by the enigmatic Savabeel mare Manifique. “She is a frustrating horse and seems to go a ripper of a race and then a very average one and then another ripper,” Didham said. “I’ve just been battling this year to get on top of why she’s not performing like she can, she’s not far off it and her work has been great. “The vet has been over her two or three times and we can’t find anything, she’s had everything x-rayed and her teeth done, so hopefully we will have the real Manifique on Saturday.” Horse racing news View the full article

La Dorada will contest Saturday’s Gr.1 Courtesy Ford Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) at Trentham. Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images) Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson will present nearly a third of the field in Saturday’s Group 1 Courtesy Ford Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m), vying for a seventh title in the last eight years with their all-conquering juveniles. Te Akau’s glamour girl Melody Belle commenced their string of dominance in the $550,000 feature back in 2017, with the likes of Avantage and On The Bubbles taking the crown in the following years. Each of that trio also was victorious in the $1 million Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m), a feat completed this year by Sires’ Produce favourite La Dorada. The Super Seth filly backed up her Millions performance swiftly when taking out the Group 2 Matamata Breeders’ Stakes (1200m), and as a leading hope in the Group 1 Sistema Stakes (1200m) earlier this month, she was ruled out on race morning with a spiked temperature. On the back foot, Walker and Bergerson have taken an alternative route with La Dorada but are confident she is ready to take on the elite-level feature at Trentham. “We’re playing a bit of catch up now, she’s had two exhibition gallops at Tauranga and again at Matamata last Sunday to keep her up to the mark,” Bergerson said. “She’s had a bit of time between runs and up to 1400m is the query, but she’s very bright and well at home now. Thankfully, she bounced through that spiked temperature after a couple of days and we think we’ve got her on track.” La Dorada is the current market leader at $2.50, with her less-experienced stablemate Hostility next at $10. Hostility, a $1.65 million son of I Am Invincible, narrowly missed winning his debut, going down to Tajana at Matamata. “I was proud of his effort… the winner is a pretty nice horse and it’s a good form line heading into Saturday,” said Bergerson. He’s improved from the raceday experience and worked well at Matamata with Born To Be Royal. “He’s obviously got the least experience of the field, but we think he’s talented enough to be a strong each-way chance.” Born To Be Royal, third behind La Dorada at Matamata, is considered a promising filly. “She doesn’t carry a lot of condition… but she’s a real horse for the future and we think the big, roomy track at Trentham will really suit her, as well as the step up to 1400m.” To Bravery Born, who placed third in the Matamata Slipper, completes the Te Akau quartet. “He was very fresh without a lead-up before the Karaka Million… we’ve kept him fresh for Saturday. He’s done very well at home… He probably needs to improve off the Slipper effort, but he’s very bright at home.” Walker and Bergerson tailor each horse’s prep individually. “They’re all coming from different form-lines… we think they are going there in tip-top order.” Horse racing news View the full article

Leading into the 2025 breeding season we reflect on the volume of mares covered by a stallion with 10+ mares in 2024. View the full article