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    • New Zealand-bred three-year-old Public Attention will continue his racing career in Hong Kong following his recent sale. The grey son of Written Tycoon was bred by the late Sir Patrick Hogan and Lady Justine Hogan out of Legramor, a daughter of their dual Group One winner Katie Lee, and he was offered through Carlaw Park’s 2023 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 1 Yearling Sale draft where he was purchased by Coolmore’s Tom Magnier for $160,000. Public Attention was raced by Coolmore, in association with several partners, including Sir Peter Vela, and won two of his eight starts to date carrying Coolmore’s iconic silks, including the Gr.3 Eskimo Prince Stakes (1200m) at Randwick in February. His talent was spotted by $3.5 million NZB Kiwi (1500m) slot holder Aziz “Ozzie” Kheir, and a deal was brokered for the Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained colt to contest the southern hemisphere’s richest three-year-old race in March. He finished eighth in the inaugural running of the NZB Kiwi before placing in the Gr.2 Arrowfield 3YO Sprint (1200m) in April. That proved to be his last race in Australia and his former trainers believe he will acquit himself well in Hong Kong. “He was quite lucky for our stable,” Kent Jnr told Racing.com. “I still think he’s on the up and up and he’ll make a lovely horse in the Hong Kong environment. “He’s got the absolute best temperament, he’s an extremely sound horse and above all, he’s got smart ability. “He’s got a turn of foot, and he got to a good level here without us ever really seeing the best of him. I think the best of him was still to come. “I think he’s got a very good chance to be very successful up there in Hong Kong.” View the full article
    • Memories of a former high-class performer were revived when Peter Fitzgerald recently made a return to the winner’s circle. The Otaki horseman celebrated his first success in three decades when Revo broke his maiden on the polytrack at Awapuni last Friday. Fitzgerald enjoyed top-flight success in the early 1990s with the free-going chestnut Captain Cook, who won six races including the Gr.1 International Stakes (2000m) at Te Rapa where he beat Fun On The Run. He subsequently took a lengthy break from training before returning and now has Revo and multiple placegetter Just A Drop in work at Otaki. “In the 1990s we found it too hard financially, so I tried something else and got paid by someone else,” Fitzgerald said. “I worked in a few stables in Australia, including Gai Waterhouse, which was really interesting and I learned a lot. “I never lost the interest and have always been a punter and followed the form and breeding.” Fitzgerald also spent time outside of the industry when he moved into real estate. “I became a house flipper and gave up the horses and didn’t want to go back into it until I could afford it,” he said. “I got a property company going and made a bit of money, so I thought it was time to have a crack with the horses. I enjoy training them and the ones I’ve got have got issues, so I potter around with them.” Fitzgerald has always been a follower of interval training, an approach he took with Captain Cook. “He was the second or third horse I trained and got away with the mistakes I made because he was so good,” he said. Interval training involves the use of multiple workouts on the same day separated by short rest periods to challenge and condition the cardiovascular system. “Theoretically, you’re encouraging the muscles and the mind of the horse to adapt to extra speed and it sends more blood and oxygen around the system and will become more efficient,” Fitzgerald said. “You can improve heart and muscle performance by up to 15 percent, but the horse has to be very sound to undertake it.” Under that training regime, Captain Cook also won the Listed Pegasus Stakes (1000m) as a three-year-old before he finished runner-up in the Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) and third in the Gr.1 Levin Classic (1600m), both times behind Veandercross. He also ran third in Rough Habit’s Gr.1 Doomben Cup (2020m), ran second to Naturalism in the Gr.2 Alister Clark Stakes (2040m), was runner-up in the Gr.3 Tattersall’s Cup (2200m) and Gr.3 Thames Valley Stakes (1600m) behind Surfer’s Paradise and third in the Listed Craven Plate (2000m). “He still holds the New Zealand 2000m record and that suggests interval training does work, it was at weight-for-age (International Stakes), so it was no pretend race, and ran 1m.58.8s,” Fitzgerald said. “These two horses I’ve got now, one of them is sound enough physically but not mentally and the other is sound enough mentally but not physically, so I haven’t used interval training yet. “I would like to, but the horses aren’t in a position to do it yet. I certainly believe in it and it’s a great tool to condition horses.” View the full article
    • Te Akau’s Cranbourne barn has welcomed some exciting reinforcements ahead of spring racing, headlined by $3.5 million NZB Kiwi (1500m) heroine Damask Rose. The rising four-year-old mare was a standout for trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson in her three-year-old term, winning three of her five starts in her homeland, including the $1.5 million Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m) and NZB Kiwi, accruing more than $2 million in earnings. Having taken out two of New Zealand’s richest races, her connections have now set their sights on securing the lion’s share of one of Australia’s biggest prizes – the A$10 million Golden Eagle (1500m) at Rosehill on November 1. The daughter of Savabeel, who was purchased by Te Akau principal David Ellis out of Milan Park’s 2023 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 1 Yearling Sale draft for $200,000, gained an automatic entry into the rich feature through her NZB Kiwi triumph. Damask Rose landed in Melbourne last month, and Walker said she has settled in well to her new environment. “She has settled in really well to out Cranbourne barn, we are really happy with her. She hasn’t missed a beat,” he said. “She is still lightly raced and she has got a bright future.” While the Golden Eagle remains her key spring target, Walker has outlined a potentially lucrative pathway to the Syndey feature. “She will kick-off in the Cockram Stakes (Gr.3, 1200m) on the 30th of August and she will have a couple of jumpouts before then,” he said. “From the Cockram it is three weeks to the Sir Rupert Clarke (Gr.1, 1400m) and then three weeks after that is the Toorak, a Group One mile handicap, and it is three weeks from there to the Golden Eagle.” Te Akau’s Group One-winning two-year-old Return To Conquer has also crossed the Tasman, with his major spring target also set to take place on November 1. The son of Snitzel was an unstoppable force in New Zealand, winning all four of his starts, including the Listed Counties Challenge Stakes (1100m), Gr.3 Colin Jillings 2YO Classic (1200m), Gr.3 Matamata Slipper (1200m), and Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m). With an eye to his future at stud, Walker is gearing his campaign towards the stallion-making A$2 million Gr.1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) at Flemington on Victoria Derby Day. “He is jumping out next Monday and he will be aimed towards the Coolmore Stud Stakes and see if he measures up to the sprinting three-year-olds over here,” Walker said. “He’s an exciting prospect.” Te Akau’s Cranbourne barn is set to gain another exciting addition from their New Zealand operation next week when they welcome Group One-winning filly La Dorada. The daughter of Super Seth has been bested in only one of her five starts to date, when runner-up in the Gr.2 Eclipse Stakes (1200m) to Too Sweet at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day, but subsequently went on to win the $1 million Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m), Gr.2 Matamata Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) and Gr.1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m). “La Dorada is over next week and she will be aimed towards the Thousand Guineas (Gr.1, 1600m) here,” Walker said. “She is just coming for the spring and then she will head back home for the Karaka Millions 3YO and NZB Kiwi.” View the full article
    • Have you been in touch with them?
    • The world’s best sprinter Ka Ying Rising will return straight home to Hong Kong after his tilt in the Group One The Everest (1,200m) with his owner keen to show his commitment to Hong Kong racing. On a winning run of 12 races which includes four Group Ones, the David Hayes-trained superstar was imperious last season - rising up to a rating of 132 from 111. He dismantled his sprinting rivals by going faultless in the Hong Kong Speed Series, winning the Group One Centenary Sprint Cup (1,200m) and...View the full article
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