Hockey

Queen Of The South Stakes winner Seonee. (Photo by Brett Holburt/Racing Photos) A perfect ride from Billy Egan has helped Seonee (+450) take out the Group 2 Queen Of The South Stakes to give Patrick Payne a training double at Morphettville on the first day of the Adelaide Racing Carnival. The Egan-Payne combination is a lethal one when going well and with an Egan peach from barrier one, the daughter of Winning Rupert stalked Legacies (+800), who led the field up to the home turn, before peeling off her back late to run away with a strong win. Although it appeared as though the winner would need some luck on the rail, a massive gap opened for Egan to push his mare through and when he asked for an effort, Seonee let down with a blistering turn of foot. Seonee would record a 1.5-length victory over Lady Jones (+700) and Silent Surrente (+2200), with Legacies holding on for fourth place as the leading division dominated the race from start to finish. 2024 Queen Of The South Stakes Replay – Seonee Joe O’Neill represented the Patrick Payne stable in the post-race interview. “We’re absolutely thrilled. We’ve got a heap of owners here,” O’Neill said. “She’s just a lovely mare. We didn’t pay much for her and she’s been fantastic. “Paddy Payne, what a training performance, and Billy Egan, what a ride.” “She’s a lot stronger now than what she was. “Who knows, next year the Coolmore Classic or races like that. She’s a much better mare when we can get a wet track, but we just haven’t had them. “She’s now won nine races and is the second most winning mare from the 2021 Magic Millions Sale on the Gold Coast behind Imperatriz. “She’s done a great job and Paddy has brought her along gently, let her develop, didn’t push and look what we have today. “I think there’s a race in Brisbane, a mile and then there’s the Tatt’s Tiara. “They’re probably her next two runs if we decide to go that far, otherwise we can put her away. We just don’t know how far she can take us.” Billy Egan has a great record aboard Seonee throughout his career and he spoke post-race. “I thought I only needed to come four to five horses off the fence. Everyone wanted to get away from the fence and I was always going to go up on the fence and come out to the middle,” Egan said. “One was always going to drop off and I would always get into the clear. “I was happy with how it panned out. Legacies was a good horse to use as a bunny and I knew it would take me a long way. “She’s got a terrific record. It’s good to see her win at the mile as well.” Horse racing news View the full article

Winner of the Group 2 Tobin Bronze Stakes, Skybird, pictured here after a previous win at Bendigo. (Photo by Brett Holburt/Racing Photos) Mitchell Freedman and Beau Mertens have combined with the ultra-impressive Skybird (+600) to take out the Group 2 Tobin Bronze Stakes, with the one time Thousand Guineas favourite proving way too good for her rivals over 1200m at Morphettville. After returning with an encouraging run at Bendigo first-up, Freedman sent his filly to Adelaide to claim another valuable Group level victory and with that in the rear-view mirror now, The Goodwood in two weeks time could be on the cards for Skybird. With several speed influences in the race, it was no surprise to see the race run at a good clip and set up for the runners with a good turn of foot finish off strong down the outside. Mertens followed the Pivot City (+600) around the home turn before peeling off his back at the top of the straight to let down with her customary blistering finish. As soon as Skybird took over with 250m to go, there was no way any of her rivals were going to catch her and she recorded an impressive 1.9-length victory over Moesha (+450) and Pivot City, who filled the placings. 2024 Tobin Bronze Stakes Replay – Skybird Mitchell Freedman was elated with the win and he spoke post-race. “We had a specific plan to come to this race or the Sangster, but we thought the Sangster was heating up with the prize money on offer,” Freedman said of the plan. “We’re still building our fitness in the three-year-old race and if she comes though it well enough, we might come back in two weeks time (to race in The Goodwood). “There is a chance on the way she won there. “I know she has a bit of improvement to come, so she could come and compete in that race and get the weight advantage, being a filly. “I think you’ll find 1400 metres will be her best distance, or 1300 maybe, that 1200 to 1400 will be right for her. I’m not sure she runs a mile. “She’s only tasted defeat two times and the other day at Bendigo, things were against her and in the Thousand Guineas. She’s a very good filly with plenty of upside. “We’ve got an ultimate goal of trying to get to the Golden Eagle, so that’s on our radar and we’ll see how we get there.” Beau Mertens has built a strong affiliation with Skybird and he spoke glowingly about the filly after the win. “She’s outstanding. Mitch has done a terrific job to get her to perform like she has today,” Mertens said. “She missed a trial leading up to her first-up and we both thought it was a good enough run to come here and give it a shot. “She gave me the feel last prep of a really nice filly. “She’s a filly that doesn’t get too clean away out of the machine but as time goes on she’s learning to get out and get herself amongst it which is going to make her life a lot easier. “I was able to have a really nice spot with a bit of cover three deep following Blake (Shinn) and it took me right into the race. “When I gave her squeeze at the top of the straight, I knew she would be there for me.” Horse racing news View the full article

John Hawkes Stakes winner Extremely Lucky. (Photo by Scott Barbour/Racing Photos) Extremely Lucky (+650) has broken through for his first win in nearly two years, as the five-year-old gelding recorded a nice victory on her return for the Will Clarken & Niki O’Shea stable in the inaugural running of the John Hawkes Stakes at Morphettville. After spending 12 months with Chris Waller in Sydney, the son of Extreme Choice returned to the South Australian trainers to take his place in the Adelaide Racing Carnival over the next few weeks, and the change of scenery has paid dividends instantly. Master Eight (+7000) made sure the race was run at a breakneck tempo as he took off mid-race to lead by three lengths over Celsius Star (+2000) and Sghirripa (+500) who settled behind the leader, and by the time they hit the top of the straight, those two took over to lead the field with 400m to go. However, it was easy to see that the swoopers were going to run over the top of them in the concluding stages as they launched down the outside with their runs. In a tight photo finish, Extremely Lucky just held on from a fast-finishing Sans Doute (+380), with What You Need (+360) and Grey River (+800) finishing in third and fourth place, respectively. 2024 John Hawkes Stakes Replay – Extremely Lucky Will Clarken was clearly emotional after the win of Extremely Lucky during his post-race interview. “He’s a horse that we spruiked and and our stable really believes in data and he’s the benchmark, the best horse we’ve trained in that sort of stuff, but has never got there,” Clarken said. “Whether he will is yet to come. This was a Listed race and it was the right circumstances. “There was good speed. Jamie rode him and I’ve been a believer that when you’re working with a horse and things aren’t going right, it’s very hard to correct at the time. “I got a bit of time when he went to Waller’s just to think about things that I would do differently. I corrected every mistake I made and I’m able to train the horse a lot better now. “He might have lost a bit of time there in his life for a life, but he’s back now well and we’ll give him a bit of time to see how he comes out of that. “Group 1 horses win Group 1’s. What he can do is quite astonishing and they have to do it race day. “We’re a long way from that, but he ticks a lot of boxes that a lot of horses can’t do. “It’s great to haves the Hawkes’ on course today. They’re a famous South Australian racing family and it’s great to see them back here.” Jamie Kah was also very happy with the win post-race. “It’s good to see him back. He was a very, very smart horse, but so much went wrong with him,” Kah said. “He was feeling the pinch near the line, but it was deserved. “At the 400 metres I thought he was really smoking and I thought he’d easily win. “He got to the 100 metres and had nearly had enough. Will told me he’d only had the one trial, but it’s good to win on him.” Horse racing news View the full article

Bold Soul on his way to winning the Group 3 Chairman’s Stakes (2000m) at Morphettville. Photo: Atkins Photography Patrick Payne has trained his first winner of the 2024 Adelaide Racing Carnival to kick off what could be a big day for the stable, with Jake Noonan piloting Bold Soul (+300) to victory in the Group 3 Chairman’s Stakes at Morphettville. With the likes of Seonee and Wings Of Song set to represent the stable in two of the feature races later in the program, Bold Soul will have settled the nerves for the Victorian trainer, as his three-year-old gelding turned the tables on Air Assault (+360) and Warmonger (+170) from the Port Adelaide Guineas last start. As expected, Air Assault jumped to the front and led the field at a solid tempo, while the other two favoured runners settled towards the rear of the field. However, when the leader turned into the home straight, it was clear that he was starting to take smaller steps and the swoopers were starting to gain on the leading division. Noonan allowed his mount to balance up and the son of Embellish let down with a strong finish to take over and claim victory in the final strides of the race, with Just Berrilliant (+10000) and Air Assault fighting out the placings and finishing in that order. 2024 Chairman’s Stakes Replay – Bold Soul Although Patrick Payne was unavailable for a post-race interview, Jake Noonan spoke about the win of Bold Soul. “I didn’t put enough trust in the horse last time when he hit that flat spot. Today I just trusted the horse and Paddy just instilled in me to do that,” Noonan said. “If he gets out of his ground, don’t worry about it and if he hits a flat spot, don’t worry about it. “It’s a nice track and he’s got time to balance up and hit the line if he’s good enough, he should close well. “The horse, when he hit that flat spot, I didn’t rush him through it, I gave him the chance to pick himself up and then from the 400, 500-metres out, I felt like the winner a long way out. “I had the stick in the left all the way and was ready for him to hang in, but for me he went pretty straight and flattened out in the last 100 metres and got there. “I wasn’t worried who I was following and I just wanted to ride my horse. “He rolled along the other day and I put the trust in him to get the first half right so he can finish off the second half. “I said to Paddy he looks great in the yard and he gave me a hip and shoulder as to say, ‘what are you trying to say’. “Paddy and his team have great credentials and his deeds speak for themselves. This horse looks in great order. “This horse has had a Tasmanian prep, but they don’t have a hard time in Tassie. “They get trained down at the beach with Adam Trinder and they’re in a good environment. “That allows three-year-olds like this to have that sort of preparation and to come here and be in good order.” Horse racing news View the full article

Blake Shinn is one of the most prolific winning jockeys in Australia. Blake Shinn subscribes to the theory that nothing is permanent in racing as he mounts the most serious challenge yet to the incredible Golden Sixty in the HK$22 million FWD Champions Mile (1600m) at Sha Tin on Sunday. Shinn will be aboard the Pierre Ng-trained Galaxy Patch, a young import who turned in an astonishing performance to come from last to finish a neck second to Massive Sovereign in the Hong Kong Derby (2000m) last month. The four-year-old was given a supplementary entry for the Classic after owner Yeung Kin Man made a late decision to switch him from sprinting to staying. Incredibly, he went 1000 metres, 1400 metres to 2000 metres in three bounds — an unconventional path to the coveted race, to say the least. The run convinced Australia-based Shinn that Galaxy Patch is exceptional. “He’s one of the most exciting horses in Hong Kong, for sure. He is definitely untapped.” The jockey continues: “It was remarkable what he did in the Derby, given his preparation into the race. Not many horses, I believe, could run like that with his ‘prep’. “Full credit to Pierre for having the belief in the horse that he could do that, and we almost won the race…testament to the horse and Pierre.” Coming off that outstanding run, Galaxy Patch now has Golden Sixty in his sights, with Shinn bullish about his prospects, especially with the champion returning after an injury setback that has prevented him running for four months. “Golden Sixty can’t stay at the top forever,” Shinn reckons. “So, hopefully, my bloke is the new kid on the block, who can step up and be the next horse to take the mantle as one of the best in Hong Kong. “He looks to have come on nicely, and I think that run in the Derby showed the horse’s ability, and that holds him in good stead to hopefully give the champion Golden Sixty a shake in this race at the weekend. “Galaxy Patch seemed to run the 2000 metres out pretty good but, realistically, anything from 1200 metres to a mile is going to be his strongest distance,” he points out. Shinn earned his stripes in Hong Kong during a stay that saw him produce some brilliant pieces of riding. One standout was his Hong Kong Gold Cup (2000m) win two years ago aboard Russian Emperor, seeing off Golden Sixty on a rain-affected track. With Zac Purton and Joao Moreira having the pick of the rides in most races during that period, the Melbourne Cup-winning jockey made the most of his opportunities. Once settled back home, Shinn excelled and was crowned Melbourne’s champion jockey last season, as well as picking up the Scobie Breasley medal for consistent all-round performance at the highest level. He currently trails Damian Lane by a significant margin in this season’s championship but hasn’t given up all hope of retaining his title. “Damian has a stranglehold on it at the moment. He’s 14 or 15 ahead, but I’ve managed to pull him back from 30 wins. So that lead has been halved in the last three months,” he explains. “It’s unlikely that I’m going to win it. But there’s still time and I’ll be fighting right to the end. We’ll see what the numbers are by mid-June.” The racing season ends in all Australia States and Territories on July 31. Shinn will be fully focussed on Sha Tin after flying overnight from Adelaide, via Melbourne, after riding at the important Morphettville meeting, featuring the Robert Sangster Stakes and the South Australian Oaks. On Sunday, he rides Mugen for Ng in the Group 1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m) as well as taking other mounts on the Champions Day card trained by David Hall and Caspar Fownes. “I love coming back to Hong Kong,” Shinn declares. “It’s exciting just to be in the place. I’ve got some great supporters there. Hong Kong has a special place in my heart.” Horse racing news View the full article