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By Chief Stipe · Posted
'The people's champ': Tributes flow for superstar racehorse Lonhro www.racenet.com.au Hall Of Fame trainer John Hawkes has paid the ultimate accolade to champion Lonhro by describing him as the "complete thoroughbred". "Lonhro did it on the racetrack and did it at stud,'' Hawkes said. "There are not many horses that can do it on both sides of the fence like he did. "He was a champion racehorse and then a champion at stud. He did it all.'' The Hall Of Fame trainer was moved to pay tribute to Lonhro after learning of the great horse's passing on Friday. Lonhro wins the epic 2004 Australian Cup. Lonhro finishing second in his farewell race at Randwick. Hawkes said Lonhro took on and beat the best of his era including Sunline, Makybe Diva, Grand Armee, Defier, Private Steer and Shogun Lodge. "I define a champion by the quality of horses they beat during their career and Lonhro took on some outstanding horses and beat them all,'' Hawkes said. "In my opinion, his three greatest wins were in the Australian Cup, his second George Ryder Stakes win and the day he ran down Sunline in the Caulfield Stakes. "The Australian Cup was something I will never forget because he struck plenty of trouble in the straight and still got up to win. "The day he won the Ryder, I don't think a horse anywhere in the world could have beaten him. Grand Armee was in great form but Lonhro sprinted straight past him. "Then there was Lonhro's win over Sunline. It was a two-horse race and he had to really dig deep to win. "Lonhro's record speak for itself, he was one of the superstars. I would like to have one like him in the stable now.'' Godolphin Australia's Ross Cole confirmed Lonhro's passing on Friday afternoon. "It is with a heavy heart Godolphin Australia announces the passing of former Darley stallion, Lonhro,'' Cole said. "A wonderful contributor to the Australian racing and breeding worlds, and as ‘the people's champion' Lonhro will be forever remembered for what he was able to achieve on the racetrack. "Lonhro had a huge and well-earned following, and he earnt the admiration and respect of everyone within our Godolphin teams over his years as a Darley Stallion and in his retirement. "We were honoured to have him as part of our operation." Lonhro was a December foal when born at Woodlands in 1998. He was the son of another Hawkes-trained champion, Octagonal. During an outstanding 35-start career, Lonhro won 26 races, 11 at Group 1 level including the Caulfield Guineas, Caulfield Stakes (twice), Mackinnon Stakes, Chipping Norton Stakes (twice), George Ryder Stakes (twice), Queen Elizabeth Stakes, CF Orr Stakes and George Main Stakes. Darren Beadman gives Lonhro a hug after winning the 2004 Australian Cup. Darren Beadman was Lonhro's regular rider and made mention of the champion's incredible win in the Australian Cup 20 years ago as one of the highlight of the champion's career. "People still approach me in 2024 to discuss the Australian Cup, it's a testament to how he captured so many people's imagination, which speaks volumes about his career," Beadman said. "It's a very sad day. It was a shock when Ross (Cole) rang and told me. It brought a tear to my eye. He will be a horse that talks about for generations to come, remembered not just for his victories on the track but also for being the people's horse. "He was very dynamic in his racing career, his acceleration, and the way he won with superiority and toughness. He oozed class. He was class with a capital C.'' Lonhro beats Sunline in the Caulfield Stakes. Lonhro was voted Australian Horse of the Year in 2003-04 then at stud became Champion Sire in 2010-11. He was the first horse since the legendary Vain in 1984 to win both titles. At stud, Lonhro has sired 86 stakes winners of 168 stakes races including 12 individual Group 1 winners, including champion Pierro, Denman, Exosphere, Impending, Kementari, Beaded and Lindermann. Lonhro's best son, Pierro, was a five-time Group 1 winner and made a clean sweep of the 2012 juvenile triple crown comprising the Golden Slipper, ATC Sires Produce Stakes and Champagne Stakes. Coolmore Stud's Pierro is continuing the Lonhro legacy at stud and has already sired 34 individual stakeswinners including Pierata, Arcadia Queen, Levendi and Regal Power. Pierro is also the sire of the Winx yearling filly which sold for a world record $10 million at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sales earlier this month. LONHRO (Octagonal-Shadea) Born: December 10, 1998 Black-brown horse Race Record: 36 starts: 26-3-2 Prizemoney: $5,790,510 Group 1 wins: 11 MAJOR WINS Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Australian Cup, Caulfield Guineas, George Ryder Stakes (twice), Caulfield Stakes (twice). HONOURS Australian Horse of the Year – 2003-04, Australian Champion Sire – 2010-11. -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
Linebacker (NZ) (Super Seth) will forever be a significant horse in the story of his sire’s stud career, but the chance presents on Saturday for the chestnut colt to enhance his chapter. The John O’Shea-trained colt will be striving to become the son of Dundeel’s first Group One winner in the $750,000 Gr.1 Champagne Stakes (1600m) at Randwick. Linebacker was Super Seth’s first Australian winner, thanks to a debut Hawkesbury win on February 21, which he followed with victory in the Gr.3 Baillieu Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill on March 30, which was Super Seth’s first Stakes success. Those results have already justified the faith of O’Shea, who bought Linebacker in partnership with Suman Hedge for NZ$160,000 out of the Haunui Farm draft at last year’s Karaka Yearling Sale. “He was just a really nice sort and he had a beautiful, big female line and that’s a thing I really like to see,” O’Shea said. “He put his hand up very early on. You always hope, but he was a nice horse from day one.” Linebacker is one of five individual winners from 16 individual starters for the 2019 Caulfield Guineas winner, who stands for NZ$35,000, plus GST, at Waikato Stud in New Zealand. Super Seth’s other Australian winner, the Dom Sutton -trained Feroce (NZ), is also two-from-two, including a last-start win at Caulfield. Three of his winners have come in New Zealand, including Poetic Champion (NZ) and Diablo Blanco (NZ), who both won races sub-1000 metres in October. He had another debut winner on Wednesday when Mo’unga’s half-brother Super Photon (NZ) won by 3-1/4 lengths over 1150m at Rotorua. No one has followed Super Seth’s career, both on the track and off, more closely than Dean Hawthorne, who purchased Super Seth for $280,000 out of Book 2 at the 2018 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale on behalf of Jonathan Munz, who retains a share in the seven-year-old. “To be fair, we’ve been a little bit surprised with how early some of them have come on,” Hawthorne said. “A lot of them are quite big, rangy horses that needed time to fill out, but the one thing that all the trainers are saying is that they have great attitudes, they eat, they work, they sleep and that’s a sign of a good breed.” Munz’s GSA Bloodstock bred Linebacker, who is out of British mare Garden Of Swans, who Hawthorne bought for 160,000gns (about AU$320,000) at Tattersalls in December 2017. Linebacker is the third foal from the daughter of Oasis Dream, who did not race but is a half-sister to Gr.1 Eclipse Stakes winner Mukhadram (Shamardal). Super Seth is one of five first-season sires represented in the Champagne Stakes, alongside Pierata, Tassort, Too Darn Hot and Castelvecchio, the latter also being by Dundeel. Castelvecchio became the first Australian Group One winner for Dundeel when he won the 2019 Champagne Stakes, one of two wins in the race for Dundeel, who also sired last year’s champion Militarize (NZ). View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
Premiership-leading jockey Warren Kennedy was the first to crack the 100-win mark for the season at Matamata on Friday when guiding Lightning Dream to victory in the Auto Super Shoppe Matamata 1600. From her wide gate, Lightning Dream went back to settle towards the rear of the field for Kennedy before being asked to improve from the 400m and was presented wide at the turn where she continued to improve and ran out an eventual three-quarter length victor. “From the gate (9) she really struggled early, so I left her alone and let her find her feet,” Kennedy said. “She relaxed beautifully and finished strongly, and I think she’ll definitely get over more ground.” Trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson were pleased with the victory and were full of praise for Kennedy’s ride. “It was a good ride of Warren’s to get her into the action from that far back,” Walker said. “She’s made a really promising start to her racing career, been consistent before winning at her fourth start, and I think she’ll only improve with more maturity and strengthening as a four-year-old. “She has the potential to make into a nice staying handicapper as a four and five-year-old mare. “It was good to get the maiden win under her belt in the first campaign, and we’ll set her aside for a good spell now.” View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
Robbie Patterson has already won twice as many Group and Listed races in 2023-24 as any other season in his career, and the New Plymouth trainer has three chances to add to that tally at Riccarton on Saturday. Patterson’s 44 wins so far this season include six at black-type level. Puntura strung together victories in the Gr.1 Thorndon Mile (1600m), Gr.2 Manawatu Challenge Stakes (1400m) and Gr.3 Coupland’s Bakeries Mile (1600m), while Mary Louise won the Gr.3 Wellington Cup (3200m), One Bold Cat captured the Gr.3 Counties Cup (2100m) and Contribute won the Gr.3 Taranaki Cup (1800m). Patterson’s previous best black-type season was 2021-22 with three wins – all from former stable star Coventina Bay. The first of Patterson’s black-type chances at Riccarton on Saturday is in-form mare The Hottie, who the TAB rates a $4 favourite for the Listed Daphne Bannan Memorial Great Easter Stakes (1400m). The six-year-old daughter of Swiss Ace has been a five-time winner from her 14 career starts. In her three most recent appearances, she was a winner over 1400m at Otaki in late February, a close third in the Gr.3 Cuddle Stakes (1600m) at Trentham on March 16, and a dominant winner over 1200m at Riccarton last Saturday. “It was a really good win the other day,” Patterson said. “We went into that race treating it kind of like a trial for this weekend, but she got the chocolates. “She’s done well through the week and has tightened up from that run, which we expected she would. If she can bounce out of the gates and take up a similar handy position, there’s no reason why she can’t run another good race.” The Hottie has had five starts over Saturday’s 1400m distance for three wins and two placings. “I think 1400m is probably her pet distance,” Patterson said. “She’s got a good turn of foot over that trip, which she’ll hopefully show again on Saturday.” The Listed New Zealand Bloodstock Warstep Stakes (2000m) provides a shot at redemption for It’s Doris. The Telperion filly was an impressive winner at Otaki on April 1, and she lined up as a highly respected contender in last Saturday’s Listed NZB Insurance Stakes (1600m). However, she was never a factor and finished a well-beaten 12th. “She was drawn out and had a bit of a tough wide run, but I was still very disappointed with that performance,” Patterson said. “She’d won her previous start very well and seemed to be going into that race in the right order. “We just hope that we can put it down to the Heavy8 track last week. It’s going to be better ground this week. She’ll probably roll forward and sit up near the pace, and we’ll be looking for an improved performance if last week’s run was just down to track conditions.” Our Jumala heads into the Gr.3 Coca-Cola Canterbury Gold Cup (2000m) with second placings to her name from both of her last two starts, including behind Apostrophe in the Gr.3 Manawatu Breeders’ Stakes (2100m) at Trentham two weeks ago. “It was a good run at Trentham, but she’s drawn the outside gate here against a good field,” Patterson said. “That’s going to make it tricky for her. We’ll just drop back and hope that we can get on the back of the right horse to bring us into it. “She can certainly rattle home on her day, but she’s going to need all the luck from that draw.” As well as having a runner in each of Saturday’s black-type features at Riccarton, Patterson will also saddle another four horses throughout the supporting card. “I think Wisemen’s Diva should be a very nice chance in the maiden,” Patterson said. “She ran home really strongly for second over 1200m last Saturday. Going up to 1400m should suit her, big time. “Sinbin has been performing strongly around Trentham all through the summer and early autumn. It’s her first look around Riccarton, but I think she’ll be competitive as well if she brings some of that Trentham form.” View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
Local trainer Rosie Gibbs made a welcome return to the winner’s stall following Glimmer’s commanding debut performance in the Treadwell Gordon 1200 at Waverley on Thursday. The three-year-old filly jumped well from the ace barrier and was sent straight to the front by jockey Chris Dell where the pair dictated terms and ran out 2-1/4 length victors in front of a cheering home crowd. “I am absolutely thrilled,” said Gibbs, who was delighted to record her first victory in a decade. “She was only broken-in in August and then she had a bit of time off. She has done this all on one prep. “Glimmer is going out for a spell now. She is quite a tall filly and I think she now needs a bit of time. She is very easy and agreeable to do anything with, but I don’t think it would be the right thing to carry on. “We will plan to head towards the spring with her.” Gibbs, who bred and owns the filly with her partner George Kiihfuss, said Glimmer is a pleasure to have around the stable. “She is a strange horse because she is so placid that you are not ever quite sure where she is,” Gibbs said. “But she has got beautiful movement and does everything so easily. She eats her food and goes about her daily business. She is a dream to have around.” The victory was a bittersweet moment for Gibbs, who had to euthanise a sibling of Glimmer’s recently. “The unfortunate thing about it was that I had to put her sister down last week because she had tumours, so this was a bit of a silver lining to that,” she said. Gibbs has been training for the last 30 years and said she got the racing bug from her family, who have a long and successful history in racing. “The great Nukumai, he was my grandfather’s horse who did all those great things in the 1920s,” she said. “They are famous for doing the three days at Trentham, which was the Winter Oaks, The Parliamentary and the Wellington Chase all in one week. He also won the Waverley Gold Cup in 1924 and I have got the Cup. “My father also bred a lot of good horses, including one called Kalgoorlie. In 1953, the year I was born, Dad went to the yearling sales at Trentham and bought the mare that became Gold Planet, who was a granddaughter of Gold Trail. She was the dam of Kalgoorlie and my father sold him and he went on to win 28 races.” Gibbs said the best horse she has had anything to do with also hails from the same family. “The best one was probably one my father bred. He was called Kalm Day and he was by Open Day out of Kalgoorlie’s family. The mother died foaling, so I hand-reared him. He turned out to be a pretty good horse (and won five races).” While Gibbs enjoys training, she has also inherited her father’s passion for breeding and has enjoyed breeding from Glimmer’s dam, Ananiashvilli, who she purchased as a yearling out of Lyndhurst Farm’s 2015 New Zealand Bloodstock Select Yearling Sale draft for $5,000. “My partner and I went to the yearling sales and we had a whole lot of horses we wanted to buy and there was nothing we could afford, everything was too expensive,” Gibbs said. “Then George said to me ‘Dan Myers has got a horse coming in soon, we will look at that and then we will go home’. It was a Savabeel (filly) out of an Encosta de Lago mare, so I thought it would go for $200,000 and we couldn’t afford that. “She came into the ring and the bidding started at $1,000 and ended up at $4,000 and we bought her for $5,000 because she had turned out legs. That is how I got a Savabeel in my paddock.” While Ananiashvilli didn’t make it to the track, she is starting to leave her mark as a broodmare. “She got injured, so she never raced,” Gibbs said. “The first foal was Kazaderose and she had really good form (placing in four of her 12 starts) but broke down at Hastings. The second foal was a Mongolian Khan (Modernissimo) who has won three in Australia, and the third foal was an absolutely beautiful Redwood, but she broke a hind leg.” Gibbs hasn’t bred from Ananiashvilli in the last couple of years, but Thursday’s result has ensured she will head back to the breeding barn this spring. “I made myself a little rule that you can’t keep breeding horses without winning races,” she said. “The mare is only 10, so she will be going back to Staphanos this coming season.” Gibbs enjoys keeping her numbers low, with Ananiashvilli her only broodmare and Glimmer her only racehorse, and she is excited for the future with both. “I am a one mare band,” she said. “I just have the one horse in work and a hunter, and I love it.” View the full article
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