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By Wandering Eyes · Posted
The Joe Pride-trained Ceolwulf (NZ) (Tavistock) landed the Gr.1 Champions Mile (1600m) at Flemington after a stirring 400m battle with runner-up Pericles with a nose margin in his favour. The five-year-old son of Tavistock was well and truly headed by Pericles (Street Boss) inside the final furlong but relished the fight when galvanised under rider Chad Schofield on a testing Heavy 9 track. The last start winner of the Gr.1 King Charles III Stakes (1609m) is now a four-time Group One winner at a mile and proved he had no issue with interstate travel when racing outside of Sydney for the first time. “That was fantastic, really special. I love winning races here,” Pride said. “This horse has really turned it on in the second half of the preparation and has strung a couple of very good wins together. “I thought at the 200m that he wasn’t enjoying it. He was wandering around a little bit but as soon as Pericles challenged him he rallied and then it was a really good go to the line with two good horses. “I’ve thought for a long time he’s the best horse I’ve trained and with his last two wins, he’s certainly cemented his spot there. It’s great work from the team at home and it’s a big effort to get these horses here on the big days. He’s never travelled away before, but he’s handled it really well and we’ll be back. “I’d love to be back here for the Cox Plate (Gr.1, 2040m). Whether or not he is as good at 2000m as he is at a mile, we’ll find out in the autumn (and) probably in the Queen Elizabeth. “I normally travel my horses at some stage of their career but through circumstance he hadn’t had a trip away, but it’s nice to see him do that today as some horses don’t like it, don’t enjoy it, but he’s relished it.” Winning rider Chad Schofield said the win was gutsy. “He jumped really well today and he took the most out of that good jump and put himself in a more forward position and when the race heated up around the 600m, I was still going really well,” he said. “Mr Brightside was gone and I had to get off his back and get going. He ambled into it and then he had a good look when he hit the big Flemington straight for the first time and he got a bit lost for a while until Pericles got in front of him and then he could see him with his blinkers and he was the stronger horse late. “If you had asked me how I was feeling at the 400, I’d have said it was race over. He ambled up and came into it but in the Flemington straight he put his head up and baulked. That allowed Pericles to get a margin on me, and when he saw him he went again.” Ceolwulf was bred by Cambridge Stud owners Sir Brendan and Lady Jo Lindsay and is a son of the Shamardal mare Las Brisas. The gelding is a graduate of the 2022 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale, where Pride and part-owner Leighton Howl went to $170,000 to secure him from Riversley Park’s draft. Ceolwulf has now had 25 starts for seven wins and seven placings to advance his career earnings to A$10,936,795. View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
Stephen Marsh had to wait until the 24th season of his career to win his first Gr.1 Barneswood Farm New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m), but an emerging superstar gave the Cambridge trainer his missing piece at Riccarton on Saturday with a performance that was worth every moment of that wait. Well Written (Well Written) joined Legarto (NZ) (Proisir) (2022) and Seachange (NZ) (Cape Cross) (2005) as only the third unbeaten winner of the 1000 Guineas in the last 20 years, and her three scintillating victories have come by a combined margin of more than 12 lengths. It has been a dizzying rise to the top of the three-year-old crop for Well Written, who began her career with a three-length debut victory over 1200m at Ellerslie less than two months ago on September 20. She then stepped into stakes company for the Gr.2 Soliloquy Stakes (1400m) at the same venue on October 18 and blew her rivals away by six and three-quarter lengths. Those two breathtaking performances made Well Written one of the highest-profile runners of the entire New Zealand Cup Carnival in Christchurch this year, and she jumped as a red-hot favourite for Saturday’s 1000 Guineas at $1.50. In the end, the only nerves she provided for her connections and supporters came before the race even started. She got stirred up behind the gates and kicked and reared and had to be loaded into the starting gates riderless. But from that point on, the race could hardly have gone better. Well Written was given a perfect run by regular rider Matt Cartwright and settled in fourth on the outside of Cream Tart (NZ) (Hello Youmzain) as Cool Aza Rene (Cool Aza Beel) and Origin Of Love (Snitzel) set a moderate pace out in front. The Te Akau Racing pair still led the field rounding the turn into the home straight, but Well Written cruised up alongside them without Cartwright having to make a move. When Cartwright finally pushed the button, the race was immediately over as a contest. Well Written exploded away with a turn of foot that stamped her as one of New Zealand racing’s most exciting prospects. Cartwright began to ease Well Written down in the final 50m, then stood up in the saddle in a celebratory salute as the favourite crossed the finish line two and a half lengths in front of Lollapalooza (NZ) (El Roca) and Belle Cheval (NZ) (Savabeel). “There’s a lot of relief,” Marsh said. “I was nervous today with the expectations there, and it wasn’t good for the heart when she wouldn’t load. “But I’d just told Matt to ride her like the best horse and don’t panic. I wanted him to pretend it’s just another race, put her there and put her to sleep. I was happy when he didn’t peel off at the top of the straight. He just sat in the slipstream for a bit longer and then came out. “From that point on, it was something else to watch. It was pretty special. It’s the first 1000 Guineas we’ve won, and she’s just a special filly. She’s got that bit of freakishness about her. It’s exciting to have horses like that in your stable and makes the job so much easier.” Marsh and his bloodstock agent Dylan Johnson paid a sale-topping $80,000 to buy Well Written from Brighthill Farm’s draft in the 2024 NZB National Online Yearling Sale on Gavelhouse Plus. Her flawless three-start, three-win career has now earned $462,875 in stakes. Marsh’s large syndicate of owners that originally raced Well Written all sold down their share after the Soliloquy Stakes, with major international player Yulong Investments coming into the ownership. Saturday’s blistering performance came carrying their familiar emerald green and white colours. “This is a great result for the Yulong team, we’re delighted to have them involved, and it’s also great for all of our previous owners that sold down – a lot of them are here today,” Marsh said. “I want to make mention of a special lady, Jane Henderson, an owner who’s very sick and had to late-scratch from coming down here today. I hope this is a real tonic for her, and we’re all thinking of her.” Well Written became the second Group One winner for Cartwright, who won last season’s Tarzino Trophy (1400m) aboard Grail Seeker. “She’s a very, very good horse,” Cartwright said. “The only concern she gave me was when she got a bit hot behind the gates, but as soon as they opened, she knew the job was on. She travelled beautifully. I tried to count to ten in the straight before letting her go, but I probably only got to six. “Gee, she’s exciting. She was a bit green out in front, she was going that fast that her legs couldn’t really keep up. I don’t know where her ceiling is, but she’s one of the best horses I’ve sat on.” Well Written’s victories in the Soliloquy Stakes and 1000 Guineas have carried her to the top of the table in the NZB Filly of the Year Series with 20 points. Lollapalooza sits in second place with 16 points. Saturday’s big win was also a Bonus Eligible race for the NZB Kiwi (1500m) at Ellerslie on March 7, meaning Well Written could compete for the $1 million bonus pool on offer alongside the slot race’s $4 million stake. The winner of any of those races is eligible for a share of the lucrative bonus pool if they go on to finish in the top three in the NZB Kiwi at Ellerslie on March 7. View the full article -
By Chief Stipe · Posted
There wasn't any music that interfered with the Racing. The sound wasn't turned up until the end of the day. As for not wanting music some of the big race day events in OZ are now tacking name bands onto the end of the day. Aiming at the younger crowd and it seems to be working. -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
Canada’s James MacDonald has just a nine point lead heading into Sunday’s four heats of the World Driving Championship at Winton. After 15 of a total 20 heats, he has 130 points, with Australia’s Gary Hall junior next on 121. New Zealand’s Blair Orange is fourth on 107 and still very much in contention. Strong southern connection for Gary Hall junior at Winton By Jonny Turner Southland trainers will have a foot in two camps when the World Driving Championship comes to Winton on Sunday. The southern harness racing fraternity would love to see Blair Orange score plenty of points in the four heats in Southland, especially considering the important impact the star New Zealand reinsman makes in the region. But at the same time, seeing Australian Gary Hall Jnr in the winner’s circle will also be a welcome sight. Southern-bred horses have been an important part of Hall’s incredible success in Australia, none more so than the champion pacer Im Themightyquinn. Hall will be out to add to his long list of wins with southern performers when he links up with a strong book of championship drives including the Brett Gray trained Jaccka Evan. The reinsman is no stranger to driving horses developed by Gray, with the Hall camp purchasing and racing one of the trainer’s best performers in You’re So Fine. Jaccka Evan looks well placed with the early toe he has to take advantage of a nice draw in barrier 3. “It looks quite a suitable race for him, he likes to go forward and he’s won over the mile before,” Gray said. “His run last week was good fresh up and he has definitely improved with it.” Durrant looks another key hope for Hall on Sunday. The pacer has been racing honestly without luck and now drops back into what looks like a very winnable grade. Hall also links up with veteran trotter Andy Hall at Winton. The nine-year-old rematches with Jordan Anne after their one-two finish at the same track last week. Barrier 8 is no help to the Lyndon Bond trained square-gaiter, but it hardly extinguishes his chances. Rakero Lightning looks one of Hall’s rougher chances in Sunday’s heats. After a series of consistent efforts, the mare looks well capable of filling a top-four spot. WDC leader James MacDonald back to mile racing at Winton By Jonny Turner Winton could turn out to be one of the most important places on earth for Canadian reinsman James McDonald. The star driver admits he hadn’t heard of the Southland town or its Central Southland Raceway before he was confirmed to compete in the 2025 World Driving Championship. But he is eager to get there and maintain the lead he has established over a star-studded line-up of international horsemen. “I am really looking forward to seeing more of this beautiful country and another of its racetracks,” McDonald said. “I don’t know a lot about the horses I am driving but I have seen some replays and they are at pretty good odds.” “Hopefully I can put them in good spots and they can race as well as possible.” “I will be doing my best because there are a lot of great drivers right on my heels.” McDonald should feel right at home at Winton – compared to previous tracks like Cambridge and Kaikoura – with the championship heats run over a mile on the bigger circuit, just like back home in Canada. “The mile racing should be really good,” McDonald said. “I have raced in Australia once before.” “It is a little bit different here, but also in the series you have guys from all over the world bringing their styles to the races.” “So the heats are not like the normal New Zealand races.” “It has been great so far, the racing is close and you are competing with a great bunch of guys.” “Probably the one thing that is different from back home is the circling they do here before the start.” McDonald links up with Trendy Van Gogh, Sherwood Maggie, Xerion and Insarchatwist at Winton on Sunday. None of his charges have drawn inside barrier 6, which means the Canadian may have to decide whether to press forward and attack early to find a handy position. Sherwood Maggie hinted she was ready to return to form with a solid last-start third at Winton. The mare has plenty of gate speed, which McDonald could call on. The reinsman’s phone has been running hot during his New Zealand trip, and if he is able to keep his winning momentum going, he is sure to get plenty more messages. “I have been getting lots of messages. We are racing during the night over there, so when I am sleeping they are messaging, and when they’re sleeping I am messaging them back.” Jonny Turner’s four runners to watch at Winton Side Hustle – Race 2 (1.15pm) This youngster lines up for start number two after an excellent debut at Oamaru last month. After sitting parked in what looked a slightly stronger field, Side Hustle fought on bravely for fourth. The winner, Utah Blaze, will go on to compete in the Group One Sires Stakes Final on New Zealand Cup Day at Addington. Keeping pace with a quality rival like that looks like outstanding form for Side Hustle to bring to his Winton assignment. From a workable draw in barrier 5, he should get his winning shot. Markthewarrior – WDC Heat No 18 – Race 7 (4.08pm) He’s a little risky and by no means a standout, but Markthewarrior looks a potential value option on Sunday. The trotter has made mistakes in his past two starts, but he gets the key benefit of starting behind the mobile this time. Before his recent mistakes, Markthewarrior ran some tidy races in stronger grades than he takes on this Sunday. From barrier 4 over a mile, don’t be surprised if the five-year-old rolls forward and runs a cheeky race. Jaccka Evan – WDC Heat No 19 – Race 9 (5.02pm) This bold-striding pacer looks to have all of the attributes needed to take out his heat of the World Driving Championship. Jaccka Evan has gate speed, a nice draw, and also has the services of Gary Hall Jnr, who looks set for a big day at Winton. The four-year-old chased home Step It Up A Notch in his last start at Winton, running into second. The key factor is that he’d had two months between runs, and he should strip fitter for this week’s assignment. Drawing inside his key rivals, expect Jaccka Evan to take some catching. Axel Rose – Race 4 2.24pm It is probably fair to say Axel Rose is the best horse in Sunday’s Gold Chip Final. Whether he shows that or not is questionable. His last start at Winton was marred by an early gallop, but he still managed to run a nice fourth. Complicating things, the trotter appeared to hit a flat spot on the home turn before powering home late. He’ll be at short odds which won’t be enticing considering he’s a little bit risky, but Axel Rose still rates a clear top pick. View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
David Eustace will wheel out the three highest-rated horses in his stable this weekend and the trainer hopes at least a couple of them can give him reason to think big as the season progresses. Still searching for his first victory since his 2024 Hong Kong Derby (2,000m) success, Massive Sovereign is second up in the Group Three Sa Sa Ladies’ Purse (1,800m) after a strong fourth in last month’s Class Two Panasonic Cup (1,600m). That was only the galloper’s second run since undergoing fetlock...View the full article
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