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I'm surprized the Sydney media haven't highlighted the connection of the Belclare colours defeating two great champions i.e. Phar Lap and Gloaming. Belclares owner is a great grand son of Limericks owner who preceded Phar Lap as champion on the Sydney scene. The half brother Ballymena defeated Gloaming and not many horses did that. Limerick won the Manawatu Sires Prod stakes before going to Australia. Belclare is just north of LImerick in Ireland. https://www.downunderpunter.com/limerick 

By Adam Hamilton  Addington, here we come. Leap To Fame locked in his first trip across the ditch for the $1m IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup with a dominant win at Menangle last night. It was everything trainer-driver Grant Dixon and owner Kevin Seymour hoped for after his recent health scare. “You couldn’t ask for more. He won well, did it easily, ran a quick time and came through it really well,” Seymour said. “We’re off the NZ Cup now and can’t wait to get there. “It’s race we’ve been excited about for a long time and now we can get excited again because he’s going. “He’s booked on the flight next Sunday and, all going well, it means he can run in the Cup Trial at Addington the week before. “That’s the plan, but plans can change. It’s up to Grant. If he thinks he’s travelled and settled well and thinks another hit out like that would help, then he’ll go to the Cup trial.” Leap To Fame’s win last night was his first start since winning the Group 3 Smoken Up Sprint at Melton on October 5. Six days later, on the eve of the Group 1 Victoria Cup, Leap To Fame was scratched from the race with a virus. It cast grave doubts on the planned NZ trip, but a speedy recovery turned things around. “There were a few days there when I didn’t think we’d go, I’ll be honest,” Seymour said. “You think to yourself how hard a race it (NZ Cup) is to win. How gruelling a race it is. “And, in those days after the Victoria Cup, we wondered whether any setback at all would make it hard to have him exactly where we want him, where we need him, for a race like the NZ Cup. “But Grant’s been so happy with him in Sydney and we had this race to test him out. “He’s back right where we want him. He’s good to go.” Leap To Fame’s win was his 44th from just 55 starts and he’s banked $3,248,810. Following his win last night, the five-year-old firmed from $1.80 to $1.55 to win the NZ Cup. He is trying to become just the third Aussie-trained winner of the NZ Cup since My Lightning Blue way back in 1987. The others were Kerryn Manning’s Arden Rooney in 2015 and Swayzee for Jason Grimson last year.   View the full article

Breeders' Cup Notebook: works and activity reports from across the country.View the full article

The Jason Manning-trained Bon’s Pride, posted yet another impressive victory at Fannie Bay on Saturday. Picture: Darwin Turf Club Darwin trainer Jason Manning is enjoying a wonderful period with five-year-old gelding Bon’s Pride. The son of Bon Aurum continued his good form when he outclassed BM76 opposition over 1200m at Fannie Bay on Saturday. That made it two wins and three seconds from his past five starts, which included victory in the $50,000 Magic Millions Top End Classic (1300m) on Darwin Cup Day in early August with 62.5kg. With Noir De Rue, whom Manning regarded as the best horse he has ever trained, recently retiring, it hasn’t taken Bon’s Pride long to fill the void as the stable star. Noir De Rue, who carried the big weights due to a high rating, had his last start as a 10-year-old when 10th in the Darwin Cup (2050m). The son of Blackfriars finished third in the 2021 Darwin Cup and his win in last year’s Chief Minister’s Cup (1600m) during Cup Carnival was spectacular. Ridden by Manning’s partner Vanessa Arnott and starting as the $3.30 favourite with online bookmakers, Bon’s Pride missed the start on Saturday, but recovered and only three lengths separated the six-horse field passing the 900m. Gary Clarke’s Mr Cashman – returning after 11 months – held a narrow lead over stablemates Doc O’Connor and Siakam. Bon’s Pride and Phil Cole’s Tubthumper were close by approaching the final bend. Turning for home, Bon’s Pride again produced good finishing speed to sit outside Mr Cashman and Siakam at the 200m before saluting by 1.2 lengths. Siakam, victorious in an open 1200m handicap six weeks ago, was second, while former Darwin Guineas winner Tubthumper pipped Mr Cashman for third. For Bon’s Pride to be considered a serious contender for next year’s Palmerston Sprint (1200m) has merit. Purchased by Manning and the On Fire Racing syndicate at the 2023 Darwin Magic Millions Select Tried Horse Sale, Bon’s Pride boasts five wins and five seconds from 12 Fannie Bay starts. Horse racing news
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The team around record-breaking Cox Plate heroine Via Sistina will spend the next few days weighing up options for the mare including next week’s Melbourne Cup. View the full article