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Impact Felt Greater Than Ever
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Whitmore Faces Large Cast in Keeneland Sprint
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Guarana Outduels Mia Mischief to Capture Madison
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Star Catcher Will Resurface in Yorkshire Oaks
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Limited Spectators Allowed at French Racecourses
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I think you are being a bit premature until we see the full report and what Kantar make of the poor response level. Obviously, to get any real answers we need to find out what a decent chunk of the other 90% think. -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
Awapuni visitors enjoyed back-to-back success at Tauranga when Omega Boy (NZ) (Time Test) claimed the feature race on the card, the Gr.2 Ultimate Mazda Japan Trophy (1600m), just one race after Platinum Pantheon (Hanseatic) defeated a handy field of three-year-olds over 1200m. Omega Boy has always appealed as a galloper with plenty of quality and has come of age in his current campaign where he had won two of his last four starts while also running a strong fifth in the Gr.3 Phar Lap Trophy (1600m) followed by an eye-catching sixth in the Gr.2 Thorndon Mile (1600m). Trainers Peter and Trent Didham placed their faith in apprentice Sam McNab to get the job done on the five-year-old son of Time Test and he handled the task with aplomb as he positioned his mount one off the fence in midfield during the early running which was set up by noted pacemaker Leroy Brown. McNab didn’t panic when runners swooped around on his outside at the 600m, moving Omega Boy into a gap entering the home straight as he set out after race favourite Sterling Express (NZ) (Shamexpress) who had assumed command inside the 250m. McNab got the best out of Omega Boy in the closing stages as he charged late to snatch victory from Sterling Express in the shadows of the post while Khafre held out Qali Al Farrasha (NZ) (Almanzor) for third. McNab was delighted to secure the victory. “That was awesome as I’ve been getting great support lately and to get these wins after working so hard is quite rewarding,” McNab said. “The plan was to settle behind the speed somewhere and he jumped well so I elected to hold him up a little and we got into a nice spot. “I went to the fence and when Michael (McNab aboard Qali Al Farrasha) got going I got a nice track into the race and just had to run down the leader which he did. “That last little bit Sterling Express just folded up a little and my horse was tough and got through the ground.” Peter Didham was also thrilled with the result and especially for owners Ian and Dave Scott who race the horse under their Homeview Bloodstock banner. “We thought it was a good race for him as he has just kept on improving and he only finished three lengths off them in the Thorndon Mile where he was down in the worst part of the track,” he said. “I’m just really happy for Ian and Dave (Scott) who bred and own him as he is a horse going places and is doing a really good job for them. “We do think he will run 2000m as he relaxes beautifully and while he is still learning he is just the coolest horse to have around as he is so professional, carries weight well and doesn’t’ know when to give in.” As the trainers of the winning horse of the Japan Trophy, the Didhams will receive a trip for two to Japan, and Didham senior is preparing to argue his case against son Trent for the trip. “If the story is true about the Japan trip, I may have to let my wife adjudicate on who gets to go,” he said. “I think the main thing for us is that the win is a great advertisement for our stable as we only have 25 in work and we need wins in races like these to raise our profile and attract new owners.” Omega Boy is out of the Duke Of Marmalade mare Bit of Crumpet (NZ) and comes from an extended family that includes Australian stakes winners Sir Luminar (Choisor) and Luminia (Semipalatinsk). He has now won $215,640 in prizemoney from five wins and six placings from his 22 starts. View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
Cambridge Stud stallion Sword Of State has a major Gr.1 Golden Slipper (1200m) contender in his first crop after Warwoven took out Saturday’s Gr.3 Pago Pago Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill. Warwoven wasted little time in stamping himself as a highly talented two-year-old, winning his first two starts in December and January to earn favouritism for the Magic Millions 2YO Classic (1200m) on the Gold Coast. However, he was scratched on the morning of the race on vets’ advice. Ever since then, expat New Zealand trainer Bjorn Baker has been playing catch-up in the countdown to the A$5 million Golden Slipper next Saturday. Warwoven returned to the races with a fourth in the Gr.2 Skyline Stakes (1200m) on February 28, after which his career earnings of A$156,750 left him in 18th in the Golden Slipper order of entry and unlikely to make the field. Baker had no choice but to line up Warwoven again in the Pago Pago, where a top-three finish would likely secure him a spot. The exciting colt did that and more. Warwoven was ridden by Rachel King, who took up a handy position in second behind the front-running Star Of Jamaica. Warwoven effortlessly cruised up alongside the leader coming up to the turn, then hit the front early in the run home. He shook free of Star Of Jamaica at the 200m mark, and his strong kick put him out of the reach of the late-finishing Outspan and Central Europe. Warwoven crossed the finish line a length in front, improving his career record to three wins from four starts and A$297,750 in stakes. He is now guaranteed a start in the Golden Slipper next week, for which the TAB rates him an $8 chance. “He’s qualified now, and so he should be,” King said. “We would have been devastated if he wasn’t there, because as he’s proven today he deserves his spot. “We knew he was going to be slightly underdone last start. We were hoping class would get us though, and probably the track brought us undone a touch. But he’s come out today and showed us what he can do. “He’s still got improvement to come, he’s still very casual. He was very casual mid-race, very casual when he got to the front. But I love a colt like that, he’s got a fantastic attitude, nothing worries him. “He improved massively from the other day, but I still think there’s a good 10% more there. I think there’s more under the bonnet, and I think if he gets challenged, there’s even more under the bonnet than today. He’s very exciting.” Baker now has a powerful hand for the Golden Slipper next Saturday, with last-start Gr.2 Todman Stakes (1200m) winner Paradoxium also among the favourites. “We’re not counting our chickens, but it’s exciting to have two in the Slipper,” he said. “It was great to see him do that, he’s a promising horse. He had to do a bit of work early today, so hopefully he can peak next week. We’ve got to first and foremost see how he’s come through. “The little setback he had might even have helped him in the long run – I’ll tell you in about seven days and three hours whether it did or not. It could well be. Things have a funny way of working in this game. You can be down and out, and it only takes one runner to get back on track. “He’ll be able to have a very easy week now, rest and relax, unlike his trainer and connections.” Warwoven is the first foal of the Makfi mare Needle And Thread, who was the winner of the Gr.2 Royal Stakes (2000m) and placed at Group Two level in the Sir Tristram Fillies’ Classic (2000m) and Eight Carat Classic (1600m). Warwoven was sourced by Baker’s bloodstock agent Jim Clarke at the Gold Coast Yearling Sale, where he was offered by breeder Kia Ora Stud and knocked down for A$380,000. Himself a Group One winner as a juvenile and New Zealand’s champion two-year-old in the 2020-21 season, Sword Of State has sired three winners from his first crop of two-year-olds. Warwoven’s black-type success has followed on from Torture, who won the Listed Debutant Stakes (1000m) at Caulfield in the spring and placed in the Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) in January. Another of Sword Of State’s progeny, State Of Valour, ran third in last Saturday’s Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m) on Champions Day at Ellerslie, while winning filly State The Obvious also finished fourth in the Gr.2 Matamata Breeders’ Stakes (1200m). View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
Speedy mare Churchillian (NZ)(Churchill) showed what she is capable of when given her own terms in front when she bolted home in the open sprint at Tauranga, the Triton Pacific Owens Plate (1200m). The Tony Pike-prepared daughter of Churchill has always shown she can be tough to catch when she gets to dictate the pace and that worked out well on Saturday as she dominated proceedings in the hands of Sam Collett. In a race expected to be run at high speed, Collett was able to cast a spell over her rivals as she bounced the six-year-old mare straight to the front from barrier rise and set up a tempo that saw her travelling easily approaching the home bend with plenty of petrol still in the tank. Race favourite December (NZ) (Shamexpress), who had trailed throughout, issued his challenge shortly after straightening but when Collett asked Churchillian to go, she dashed away to win easing down by more than five lengths from the favourite who just held out the late closing Florin (NZ) (Vanbrugh) and Mad Max (NZ) (Savabeel) for second. Pike had harboured some doubts before the race about his charge handling the Heavy8 track conditions, however, those fears proved unfounded as she dashed home in her first start since Boxing Day last year. “She has always been a promising mare all along, who has had a few injury niggles,” Pike said. “But when she is good, she is very good. “It was a beautiful ride by Sam as there looked to be a lot of speed in the race, which everyone read the same, but they went at a real modest tempo and the way the track was playing (favouring on pace runners) she was dominant. “She has never really performed on soft track conditions, so that was a concern, but obviously hard up against the rail was the place to be. “We were using this race as a lead-up to Trentham in two weeks where she is going to a 1400m Listed race.” That race is the Listed Bramco Granite & Marble Flying Handicap (1400m) to be run on 28 March. High Country returns victorious at Tauranga. Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images) The victory provided Pike with a winning double after High Country (NZ) (Mongolian Khan) had backed up an impressive win at Ellerslie on 21 February with another in the hands of Joe Doyle as he romped away with a Rating 75 2100m contest, winning by more than nine lengths. The victory was achieved in the same manner as Churchillian, as the son of Mongolian Khan was sent straight to the lead by Doyle and simply ran his rivals ragged. Given a soft lead, High Country was bolting with 800m to run as Doyle increased the tempo approaching the home bend where his mount went six lengths clear and with a full head of steam up. High Country never looked like flinching as he relished the testing underfoot conditions to stride away and win in a hand canter at the post from Perfectmanz (NZ) (Almanzor) and Apex (NZ) (Puccini). “He has been a frustrating horse as he has run well in some big races but just struggled to win consistently,” Pike said. “Obviously he gained confidence from that good win at Ellerslie and today he was dominant. “We will see what is coming up at Ellerslie as he has a good record there and it looks like there are a couple of races for him. “He is a nice progressive stayer, we have been patient with him, and he is developing into a nice horse going forward.” The win was the third from 25 starts for the son of dual stakes winner Chaparella (NZ), who has now won over $186,000 in prizemoney. The win by Churchillian was her ninth from just 22 starts, where she has pocketed more than $278,000 in stakes earnings for her connections. View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
Hawke’s Bay mare Bedtime Story (NZ) (Per Incanto )has earned another crack at elite-level following her victory in the Shane Stone Builders Open (1340m) at Wanganui on Saturday. The Per Incanto mare settled in the trail behind Cooper (NZ) (Tivaci), and while jockey Bruno Queiroz elected to stick to the rail aboard the frontrunner when turning for home, the remainder of the pack, including Kelly Myers on Bedtime Story, veered to the outside of the track for better footing. Cooper looked to have stolen the race on the inside, but Bedtime Story just got her nose in front on the line to record her fifth career triumph. The five-year-old, who carries the colours of breeder Henrietta, the Dowager Duchess of Bedford, was freshened following her last start at Trentham in early January and made a winning return in her 1000m trial at Foxton earlier this month, giving trainers Guy Lowry and Leah Zydenbos plenty of confidence ahead of her fresh-up run. “It was a terrific trial the other day so I was just hoping that she would back that up and she has,” Lowry said. “Today was a good effort under a good weight (60kg). “I think she is better in the autumn this mare, she has got good ability, and she is really coming into her age.” Bedtime Story is now set to return to elite-level in the Gr.1 New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m) at Trentham in a fortnight. “She is going really well so we will (go to the Breeders’ Stakes),” Lowry said. Bedtime Story will bid to improve on her half-sister Dragon Queen’s (NZ) (Sweynesse) fourth placed run in the race four years ago, with the daughter of Sweynesse having also won the Gr.2 Westbury Classic (1400m) and placed in another edition of the Westbury Classic as well as the Gr.3 Sunline Vase (2100m), and two editions of the Gr.2 Rich Hill Mile (1600m). Their second dam Snap (NZ) was a standout on the track, winning 11 races, including the Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m), Gr.1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m), Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m), and Gr.1 Waikato Draught Sprint (1400m), and was crowned Joint Champion Three-Year-Old and Champion Three-Year-Old Filly of her year. Bedtime Story has inherited the family talent and has posted five wins from 21 starts and has placed in the Listed ANZAC Mile (1600m) and Gr.3 Rotorua Stakes (1400m), and has earned nearly $200,000 in prizemoney. View the full article
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