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    • Group One-winning sprinter Crocetti is back on track for a tilt at the Gr.1 TAB Telegraph (1200m) at Trentham in a fortnight following a setback earlier this month. The five-year-old gelding, who last raced in the A$5 million The Quokka (1200m) in Perth in April, was making pleasing progress in his build-up over spring, winning his 1100m trial at Te Rapa in September before he was set to head to Pukekohe to tackle the Gr.3 Concorde Stakes (1200m) a fortnight ago. However, the son of Zacinto’s temperature spiked earlier in the week, forcing trainers Danny Walker and Arron Tata to withdraw their charge from his intended first-up assignment. Crocetti quickly recovered and his trainers shifted their sights to the Group and Listed trials at Matamata on Friday to help ready him for Trentham’s feature sprint. In his 1100m heat, he jumped away well under jockey Warren Kennedy and settled in the coveted one-one position. At the 400m mark, Kennedy asked his charge to improve three-wide and he quickly loomed up alongside pacemaker Merchant Queen and Discretion Rules before bounding away to an effortless one length victory under a motionless Kennedy. Owner-breeder Daniel Nakhle was rapt to see his pride and joy in full fettle and ready to tackle next month’s Telegraph. “It is really good to have him back on track,” Nakhle said. “It has been nine months between races, so we are looking forward to Telegraph Day. “He had a nice trial today, he had a little bit of a blow, which he needed. “It was good to have that pipe opener and hopefully have him spot on for the third (of January).” While Nakhle said Crocetti’s withdrawal from his intended first-up run in the Concorde was unfortunate, his gelding’s welfare will always come first, and he is now excited to be marching on towards a feature target. “It was bad timing unfortunately, but that is racing and what is meant to happen is going to happen,” he said. “The main thing is that the horse is alright – you look after the horse and the horse will look after you.” With Crocetti back on track, Nakhle is now hoping the weather can play its part over the coming weeks. “Hopefully we don’t have too much rain between now and then,” he said. View the full article
    • The Chris Waller-trained John Dory contests the Gr.3 Grand Prix Stakes (1800m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday, with the progressive galloper installed a $3 favourite for the three-year-old contest. The son of Ace High broke maiden ranks in November when winning at Canterbury over 1550m and was a game runner-up in the City To Surf 3YO (1600m) at Doomben at his most recent outing, when giving four kilos to winner Nightline whom he meets again on Saturday at set weights. “He is a really nice progressive horse,” Waller said. “I pick out one horse each year to target this race with the view of the horse having a break and then going back up to Queensland for the Derby (Gr.1, 2400m).” The Grand Prix Stakes switched to a December date in 2019 and has proved to be a pointer towards subsequent Queensland Winter Carnival success. In 2021, David Vandyke’s filly Gypsy Goddess won the Grand Prix before going onto claim the 2022 Queensland Oaks, while Waller produced Kovalica to win in 2022 before going on to win the 2023 Queensland Derby. Waller also used the race as a stepping stone for Queensland Derby placegetter Caboche in 2022. “It has worked with good success in the past,” Waller said. “John Dory is a nice middle-distance bred horse. He is a typical New Zealand product that keeps improving and now is the time that you back the New Zealand bred horses to equal up with the Australians and often go ahead. “At his last start, he had a big weight to carry as topweight and had a gap between runs. He will be better for that experience from a fitness perspective and race experience. “Winkers go on on Saturday, just to sharpen him up a little bit. They went very slow last start, so hopefully he will get a more genuine speed, which would be a big help. “We expect him to be fighting out the finish and not just that, come back a better horse in the late autumn.” John Dory is bred and raced by ex-pat Kiwis Cam and Chas Stewart, who are now based on the North Queensland coast at Noosa where they run a successful seafood business. The Stewarts have previously won the Grand Prix Stakes with venerable galloper Order Again. By Rich Hill Stud stallion Ace High, John Dory is out of the winning Pins mare Hirtshals and stems from the family of champion South African filly Petrava. View the full article
    • Latrelle and Old Bill Bone may not be ideally suited by the conditions of the Gr.2 Manawatu Challenge Stakes (1400m) at Trentham, but there’s belief they can rise to the occasion. They will give trainer Cody Cole a decent hand in Saturday’s Bramco Granite & Marble-sponsored feature sprint at Trentham where he also has black-type contenders Atmospheric and Silhouette. Latrelle and Old Bill Bone will be tested at weight-for-age company, earning the step up after performing well at handicap level. “They’re obviously not that well suited, but I had a feeling the race may lack a bit of depth and it’s come up that way,” Cole said. “It was a really good run at Wanganui last start by Latrelle and she was taking ground off two better performed horses (Spencer, Bedtime Story).” The Redwood mare came from the back to finish third and will be ridden by Samantha Collett while Vinnie Colgan will guide the fortunes of her stablemate. “Old Bill Bone is the improver, he’s still on the way up and always seems to find a way to get in the finish,” Cole said. The son of Swiss Ace is a three-time winner from seven appearances and most recently got home well from a wide gate for third when resuming at Pukekohe. “You never get a good line on him from trackwork, he’s so laid back whereas Latrelle has been working particularly well so they are hard to split.” Atmospheric will fly the stable flag in the Gr.3 Humphries Construction Manawatu Cup (2300m) with Craig Grylls to retain the ride after they overcame a slow start at Pukekohe to finish runner-up. “He’s in on the minimum and a bit shorter in the market ($4.50 favourite) than I thought, but the numbers were good from him at Counties last start,” Cole said. “He can’t afford to give them a head start like that on Saturday, he’s been to the jump-outs since then and got away cleanly. “He’s got a nice, cosy gate and as long as he gets away with them, I think he’s got to be a very nice chance. He’s had the benefit of a run over ground, so he’s spot on.” Silhouette will return to Trentham for the Gr.2 Windsor Park Stud Wakefield Challenge Stakes (1100m) following the Armory filly’s runaway victory on the course in October. “That was the drawcard to have a crack, it’s a nice option for her having been down the chute before,” Cole said. “The margin was bigger than expected but we thought she would run a top race. She had worked well with an older horse leading into it. “The Karaka Millions is a goal along the way, but first and foremost I’d like to get some black type on her page.” Of Cole’s Te Rapa runners, the Matamata trainer nominated his last-start Otaki winner Renovations as his best chance when she steps out in the Cantec Services Handicap (1400m) with Sam Weatherley to ride Ardossan’s daughter. “She can back up with another good performance and I think she’s capable of going on and getting some more black type this season,” he said. View the full article
    • David Eustace is excited to test Dazzling Fit against “the stand-out” Classic Series contender Invincible Ibis in what shapes as a crucial clash in Saturday’s Class Three Poinsettia Handicap (1,600m) at Sha Tin. Bound for the first leg of the four-year-old series, the Classic Mile on February 1, the Mark Newnham-trained Invincible Ibis chases a third straight victory while Dazzling Fit continued his upward spiral with an incredibly tough win last start. Trapped wide throughout without cover from...View the full article
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