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    • Wandering Eyes
      Motorious Seeks Repeat Victory in Joe Hernandez

      By Wandering Eyes · Posted

      Motorious, winner of the 2024 Joe Hernandez Stakes, will try to add a second victory in the race Dec. 29 at Santa Anita Park.View the full article
    • Wandering Eyes
      Japan's Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes Looks Up for Grabs

      By Wandering Eyes · Posted

      The Hopeful Stakes (G1) has been a reliable springboard to glory for Japan's 2-year-olds and usually has a favorite or two set to move ahead, but not this year.View the full article
    • Wandering Eyes
      SCMP Best Bets: Kid a Super Strong chance down the Sha Tin straight

      By Wandering Eyes · Posted

      Jay Rooney AURIO - R2 (2) Just missed when storming home last start and can break through here   Owen Goulding ALLCASH - R9 (13) Luckless when on the follow-up bid last start but can get the gaps this time   Trackwork Spy SUPER STRONG KID - R8 (4) Looks suited back to the straight 1,000m and has drawn ideally   Phillip Woo TOP PEAK - R6 (9) Comes off a nice second over this trip and can go one better   Shannon (Vincent Wong) SALON S - R1 (2) Talented youngster showed a good turn of foot to win...View the full article
    • Wandering Eyes
      Tavi’s Time again in Summer Cup

      By Wandering Eyes · Posted

      Kris Lees is happy to take a when however and whenever it comes and Tavi Time (NZ) (Tavistock) timing it well to win a second Gr.3 Summer Cup (2000m) to land a racecard double was just the Boxing Day fare he wanted.  A consistent performer but with a dearth of victories in 2025, the six-year-old gelding notched his first win since taking out the Listed Scone Cup (2000m) in May after winning the 2000-metre Summer Cup last year. “It has been frustrating this preparation,” Lees said. “He is more than capable on his day but he got the right pressure up front and Dylan (Gibbons) bided his time to get the runs when they appeared. Good win. “He’s a backmarker and you’ll have bad luck which happens in big races.” With 56-kilos on his back, Tavi Time ($4.80) denied Estadio Mestalla ($4.80) with a 61-kilo impost by 1¼-lengths with the latter notching his third-straight second placings following the The Gong (1600m) and The Ingham (1600m) over the past five weeks. “He’s got that electric turn-of-foot and I did say to Kris that he can be lethargic early,” Dylan Gibbons said. “He shot through and put a lengths on them but then wanted to reverse park and come back three-lengths. He’s a bit tricky but on his day he can be electric.” By the outstanding late sire Tavistock, Tavi Time is out of Group One winning Johar mare Guiseppina, who won the Gr.1 Telegraph (1200m) for Steven Ramsay and Julia Ritchie. Bred and sold by Pencarrow Stud, Tavi Time was initially sold as a yearling for $60,000 at New Zealand Bloodstock’s Book 1 Sale to Kiltannon Stables. He was later re-offered at the Sydney Ready To Race Sale where he was purchased by part-owner Adrian Pazman for $130,000. View the full article
    • Wandering Eyes
      Stakes targets in the offing for Maldini following Boxing Day win

      By Wandering Eyes · Posted

      Stakes targets are in the offing for consistent gelding Maldini after he scored the biggest win of his career when taking out the Dunstan Horsefeeds Stayers’ Championship Final (2400m) at Ellerslie on Boxing Day. From his ace barrier, Maldini settled three-back on the rail for apprentice jockey Sam McNab and the pair enjoyed an economical trip throughout. Turning for home, much of the field elected to search for better footing towards the middle of the track, but McNab continued to hug the rail, which proved a decisive move, with Maldini quickly finding the lead, and he was able to build on his momentum, eventually running out a 2-1/2 length victor over He’s Classic. Trainer Tony Pike has been in search of a win in the race for many years and he was delighted to tick it off the list on Friday. “It is a race I have been trying to win for a while, we have got a few placings but never actually won it, so it was great to get that result today,” he said. “He deserves this, he is not a big horse, and he has been really consistent right through this preparation. He just needs things to go his way with his size. “He was given an absolute peach (of a ride) by Sam today, he never left the fence, and he has won really well. “He is not an easy horse to ride, he can go quite keen. All the gaps opened up on the fence and he didn’t go too early either. It was a very patient ride and he is riding extremely well. “I am rapt for the owners, they have been really patient with the horse, he has been frustrating and he hasn’t won out of turn. It was a great race for him to win today.” Pike is now eyeing potential stakes targets with Maldini, with a likely return to Ellerslie next week to tackle black-type company for the first time in the Gr.3 Queen Elizabeth Cup (2400m) on New Year’s Day. “He is in career best form,” Pike said. “He has been up a very long time but just whether we keep him going this preparation we will wait and see. Probably off a win like that we will have to look at a City of Auckland Cup (Queen Elizabeth).” Bred by Westbury Stud principal Gerry Harvey, Maldini is by their resident stallion Tarzino and out of Testa Rossa mare Cristallo Rosso, a daughter of Group One winner Crystal Palace and a half-sister to Group One performer Palacio De Crista. Offered through Westbury Stud’s 2021 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 1 Yearling Sale draft, he was purchased by bloodstock agent Phill Cataldo for $55,000, and he has gone on to win four of his 30 starts, and more than $167,000 in prizemoney. View the full article

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