Chief Stipe

Roaring Lion has undergone surgery for colic. Roaring Lion has undergone surgery for colic in New Zealand where he was due to stand at Cambridge Stud this season. Henry Plumptre, chief executive of Cambridge Stud, said the horse had been admitted to Cambridge Equine Veterinary Hospital early on Saturday morning, just 15 minutes after leaving quarantine where he had been since he arrived from England. Roaring Lion underwent emergency surgery and on Sunday was reported to be doing well. “We want to act in the best interests of Sheikh Fahad and our shareholders,” Plumptre said. “Following major surgery, we feel it is appropriate to withdraw the horse from service with all shareholders being fully refunded. “Our best-case scenario is that Roaring Lion makes a full recovery and can be returned safely to the UK. “While everyone at Cambridge Stud is shattered, we feel the obligation to Sheikh Fahad, David Redvers and our shareholders is important. It is a massive blow to lose Roaring Lion like this, but his ongoing welfare is now our prime concern.” Europe’s Horse of the Year for 2018, Roaring Lion is the winner of four Group One races. He will be closely monitored over the next few days. – AAP View the full article

Seaway caps off another record-breaking season for Chris Waller. Godolphin’s James Cummings has trained more stakes winners than Chris Waller this season but Sydney’s premier trainer has come out on top in the final black-type race for the year. The Waller-trained Seaway (NZ) (Ocean Park) has given the stable its fifth win from seven runnings of the Listed Winter Challenge (1500m) at Rosehill on Saturday. Cummings has ended the season with 61 stakes wins to Waller’s 54 with the latter well ahead in the Group One count with 18. While Waller is internationally famous for the deeds of world champion Winx (Street Cry), horses like Seaway are the backbone of his Sydney stable. Syndicated by Denise Martin’s Star Thoroughbreds, Seaway may never reach Group One heights but Waller believes he can continue to reap rewards for his owners with wins at the next tier down. “He is a Group Two type of horse,” Waller said. “He could run in a race like the Shannon Stakes and maybe sneak into an Epsom Handicap as a rough chance but he is just below the top level. “We pulled him out of a race here a couple of weeks ago because of the heavy track so he was four weeks between runs. “But he has shown he goes well fresh.” Tommy Berry settled Seaway in a handy position and he strode to the front in the straight to hold off Goodfella (Snitzel) by a neck with $3.20 favourite Eckstein (I Am Invincible) another short neck third. “The part that won him the race was the breather he had in the middle stages,” Berry said. “He was the class horse in the race, especially back on top of the ground and he showed that.” –AAP View the full article

Louboutin winning at Wanganui earlier this month. Hastings trainer John Bary will take a trio of runners north to Taumarunui Racing Club’s meeting at Arawa Park on Saturday and he expects a bold showing from each of his runners. Three-year-old filly Louboutin will be looking to make it three wins on end when she lines up in the Taumarunui & Districts RSA 3YO (1400m). The Kevin Hickman-owned daughter of Jimmy Choux has thrived in the heavy going this winter, winning two of her three starts on the surface and placing in the other, and Bary said similar conditions will suit her tomorrow. “Obviously she can swim, they were pretty wet tracks,” he quipped. “She has found another foot in the wet conditions.” Bary is pleased with her ahead of Saturday, particularly after recovering from a stone bruise, and he is looking forward to testing her against an in-form field, which includes stakes winner Bobby Dazzler. “She had a bit of a stone bruise after Wanganui, but saying that, she is the same weight she was when she won,” he said. “She looks good and she is still holding her condition in her coat. “It is a better quality of horse there tomorrow, but it’s a nice test for her to see if she can take that next step up.” Louboutin is a $3.60 second favourite with TAB bookmakers for Saturday’s contest behind Bobby Dazzler at $3. Saturday will be Louboutin’s last race this preparation and Bary believes she is capable of a Gr.3 Winter Cup (1600m) campaign next year. “She has been up all season, she is handling it well, but win, lose or draw this will be her last start this season,” Bary said. “She will head home to the stud (Valachi Downs) for a well-deserved break. “She looks a really nice winter horse over the coming seasons. She’s a Valachi horse and they will put her aside and target some loftier goals like a Winter Cup potentially next season.” Meanwhile, stablemate Smokin Oak will contest the Bob & Colleen Donaldson Memorial 1215 and Bary said the four-year-old gelding can be forgiven for his unplaced performance at Wanganui earlier this month. “He’s another one who blew out a really bad stone bruise. I think that is why he was very angry in the running and going down in the prelims. “He has been good, his coat looks great and he can handle the wet track. He had a wind operation too, which we publicised in the late spring and that has helped him immensely. “I expect a run similar to two starts ago (when winning at Wanganui).” Raced by the Burger Boys Syndicate, Bary is hoping to get the son of Burgundy to the Hawke’s Bay Spring Carnival next month. “He will just keep going and we will race him sparingly and try and get him into one of the spring races here at Hastings for the syndicate,” he said. “I think he has got the ability. He is a little bit quirky and has got to do everything right, but we’ll get through tomorrow. If he runs well then we will target something in the spring carnival.” Bary’s last runner of the day, The Cossack, will return to flat racing on Saturday when he lines-up in the Golden Kiwi 2200m. The Mastercraftsman gelding’s two previous starts were over hurdles, for a fourth and a second, but Bary has elected to return to the flat with the lure of better prizemoney on Saturday. “We thought we may have had him sold as a jumper, but it didn’t eventuate,” he said. “He is a really happy horse. He is very well and is working great. I own him, I am holding the ticket on him. They are running on the flat for $22,500 as opposed to $10,000 (for hurdles), so I prefer to run for money.” While he will race on the flat this weekend, a return to jumps racing is still in the offing for the five-year-old. “We’ll maybe target a jumping race in the next two or three weeks,” Bary said. “But he has found a new lease on life with the jumping game. He just loves it and that has helped him in his flat work.” View the full article

Tavirun wins at Caulfield putting three in a row on the board. The impressive winter form of three-year-old Tavirun has continued at Caulfield, with the gelding taking a distance rise in his stride to claim his third-straight win at the track. After victories over 2000m at his previous two starts, Tavirun stepped up to 2400m for the first time in Saturday’s Mypunter.com Handicap and had a jockey change with apprentice Teo Nugent taking over from Nikita Beriman so that he could claim 3kg from the 59.5kg impost. Tavirun ($3.50) enjoyed a nice trail behind the leaders before Nugent got going on the gelding to take over the lead approaching the home turn. The Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young-trained Tavirun skipped clear and kept rallying to have a 1-1/4-length margin over runner-up Not A Single Cent ($7.50) on the line, with Wealthy Wolf ($9) another two lengths away third. “It’s pretty exciting,” Young said. “Teodore rode him a treat. “It worked out perfectly with the two leaders in front and he sat behind them. He got going at the right time in the right part of the track. “He’s a nice horse going forward.” Young said Tavirun would likely now have a short freshen-up before looking to some spring targets, with the Naturalism Stakes and Cranbourne Cup among the options. “Those sorts of races are going to be right up his alley and now having won at 2400 metres, the options open up even wider,” Young said. Longer term, next year’s Singapore Derby for four-year-olds is on the radar as Tavirun is part-owned by Singapore-based trainer Shane Baertschiger. Tavirun’s three-straight wins late in this season have taken his overall record to five wins from 15 starts. Young said Tavirun was holding his condition better than his previous campaign and said they had also varied his training, which was working. “We always thought earlier on he would be a Derby type and it didn’t pan out,” Young said. “But going forward there’s plenty of options.” -AAP View the full article

Art Deco and Hazel Schofer bound clear as they head to the finish line at Otaki. Capable wet track performer Art Deco put the first win on the board of her current campaign when she out-finished her rivals to take out the Courtesy Ford Handicap (1200m) at Otaki on Saturday. The Allan Sharrock-trained six-year-old had finished in the money in her first four outings this season including a runner-up finish in the Listed Tauranga Classic (1400m) at her last start back in June. Handled capably by apprentice rider Hazel Schofer, Art Deco enjoyed the 3kg weight reduction of her 60kg topweight provided by Schofer’s allowance as she maintained a solid home straight burst from last to down the evergreen Taurus with Deerfield battling on strongly for third. Sharrock admitted he was surprised to see the Road To Rock mare so far back during the running of the event but it may be the key to getting the best out of her. “That might be the key to her as she quite often gets to the front and buttons off,” Sharrock said. “So, I think the quieter we ride her the better she will finish.” Sharrock had resisted the temptation to line Art Deco up in last weekend’s Listed Opunake Cup (1400m) on her home track, preferring to wait a week as he gets set to test his charge over more ground in her coming starts. “I was going to run her in the Opunake Cup, but John Bell’s horse (Helena Baby) at that weight, you couldn’t beat him,” he said. “I said to Bill (co-owner, Bill Gleeson) let’s just wait and look for other races further along. “She’s a 2000m mare on better ground so we’re just going to plot a course and head towards 2000m. “There is one at Wanganui (September 7) that you can claim in, so we might just wait for that.” Bred and owned by Peter Gillespie and Bill Gleeson, Art Deco has now won eight of her 32 career starts and has been placed on a further 17 occasions including three at stakes level. View the full article

Sai Fah scores a decisive victory at Otaki. Successful in the first two-year-old race of the season back in September, Cambridge colt Sai Fah proved his durability when he took out the season’s final black-type feature, the Listed Courtesy Ford Ryder Stakes (1200m) at Otaki on Saturday. The Stephen Marsh-trained galloper had indicated he was in fine fettle for the late- season challenge when successful over 1100m at Te Rapa seven days ago. National Jockey’s premiership leader, Lisa Allpress took over in the saddle from Michael Coleman and produced a peach of a ride as she brought up her 1500th New Zealand career victory. Sent forward from an outside barrier, Sai Fah settled nicely, albeit four-wide on the speed, before issuing a challenge on the point of the home turn. Despite wanting to hang in badly the Rios colt proved too tough for his rivals in the run home as he held out a late burst from Te Rapa visitor Flaunting to score a deserved victory. Allpress was feeling suitably pleased with the result after bringing up her career milestone. Leading rider Lisa Allpress after bringing up her 1500th New Zealand riding success at Otaki on Saturday Race Images – Peter Rubery “That’s pretty special, although numbers are just a thing as I’m out there to win every race I go in, a stakes race is always a little bit more special,” Allpress said. “The plan was to sit outside the leader although I don’t think he (Marsh) meant five wide. “I was thinking there was going to be an interesting text when I got back in. Up the straight I was thinking I will have both Danielle (Johnson) and Stephen riding this one so it was just very pleasing to get him to the line. “He just tried so hard and you can see that the track conditions are really really bad and he was struggling, but he just kept giving. “I think he is going to be better on top of the ground so it’s a true testament to the horse as he’s very tough.” Sai Fah is the third foal of Fast ‘n’ Famous mare, Rongonui and was purchased for $6,000 by owners the Mission Downs Trust from Waikato Stud’s 2017 National Weanling Sale draft. The colt has now won three of his 8 career starts. The win also edged Marsh closer to the 100-win mark for the season as he now sits on 97 victories with just the Tauranga meeting next Wednesday to round out the 2018/19 racing season. View the full article

Dual Hong Kong Horse of The Year Beauty Generation was named the Horse of the Year at the Cathay Pacific Group One Awards Dinner in Hamilton on Friday night. Dual Hong Kong Horse of The Year Beauty Generation was named the Horse of the Year at the Cathay Pacific Group One Awards Dinner, hosted by the Waikato branch of the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association, at Sky City Hamilton on Friday night. The six-year-old son of Road to Rock was undefeated this season, recording a Hong Kong record of eight wins this term, four of those at Group One level. He also set a new all-time prizemoney record of HK$84.7 million (NZ$16.1 million) and earned the equal-highest rating (127) ever achieved by a Hong Kong horse in the LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings. Road to Rock was bred by Greg Tomlinson of Nearco Stud, who could not attend Friday’s Awards, and Beauty Generation’s existence came about by chance according to his breeder. As an investor in several stallions in New Zealand, he was on the lookout for a number of lease mares for one of those stallions, dual Group One winner Road to Rock. He happened across Stylish Bel, a Bel Esprit mare, who he thought would be an ideal mating for the stallion. “I was short of mares and Stylish Bel was a mare that we leased and on pedigree we felt that she was right for Road to Rock,” he said. “It’s great (to have bred such a good horse), we know how hard it is to do it and I’m just lucky enough to have been involved in the breeding of the horse. “He’s quite amazing and at the moment he could be one of the better horses to come out of New Zealand for some time, which is great for New Zealand and the breeding economy.” Tomlinson sold Beauty Generation through Highden Park’s 2014 New Zealand Bloodstock Select Yearling Sale draft for $60,000 to Kiwi supermodel Kylie Bax under her Hermes Syndications banner. The son of Road to Rock was initially trained in Australia by Anthony Cummings, where he raced as Montaigne, and was runner-up in the Gr.1 Rosehill Guineas (2000m) before he was sold to Hong Kong. He has thrived in the Asian racing jurisdiction, winning seven Group One races to date. Breeders from around New Zealand were honoured for the first time at the awards ceremony in Hamilton on Friday night where seventeen horses were acknowledged for their feats on the track this season. Brighthill Farm’s Benji King was the recipient of the Mary Lynne Ryan Young Achiever Award, while Joan Egan was awarded the Mills Reef Personality of the Year. Award Recipients Horse of the Year: Beauty Generation Mills Reef Personality of the Year: Joan Egan Mary Lynne Ryan Young Achiever of the year: Benji King Horse: Beauty Generation Breeder: Nearco Stud Limited Group Ones: Stewards’ Cup (1600m), Hong Kong Mile (1600m), Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1600m), Champions Mile (1600m). Horse: (The) Bostonian Breeder: David Archer (Archer Equine Investments Limited) Group Ones: Doomben 10,000 (1200m), Kingsford-Smith Cup (1300m). Horse: Danzdanzdance Breeder: Graham and Helen-Gaye Bax Group Ones: Captain Cook Stakes (1600m), Zabeel Classic (2000m). Horse: Debt Collector Breeder: Windsor Park Stud Limited (Singapore) Group Ones: Queen Elizabeth II Cup (1800m), Raffles Cup (1600m). Horse: Glory Days Breeder: J D Georgetti & Ms G E Kenny Group One: Auckland Cup (3200m) Horse: Grunt Breeder: Trelawney Thoroughbred Limited Group One: Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) Horse: Humidor Breeder: Jomara Bloodstock Limited Group One: Memsie Stakes (1400m) Horse: Madison County Breeder: GJ Chittick Group Ones: Levin Classic (1600m), NZ 2000 Guineas (1600m). Horse: Melody Belle Breeder: Mrs N M Leicester Group Ones: Tarzino Trophy (1400m), Windsor Park Plate (1600m), Waikato Sprint (1400m), Haunui Farm WFA Group One Classic (1600m), New Zealand Stakes (2000m). Horse: Nicoletta Breeder: Goodwood Stud Limited Group One: NZ Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m). Horse: Patrick Erin Breeder: P E Smith Group One: Metropolitan Handicap (2400m) Horse: Princess Jenni Breeders: The Sunlight Trust Group One: Schweppes Oaks (2500m) Horse: Santa Monica Breeders: Protech Design Trust Group One: Railway Stakes (1200m) Horse: Savvy Coup Breeder: Waikato Stud Limited Group One: Livamol Classic (2040m) Horse: Seabrook Breeder: W E Jeffries Limited Group One: 2018 Champagne Stakes (1600m) Horse: Shadows Cast Breeder: Miss C M Harris Group One: Thorndon Mile (1600m) Horse: Sentimental Miss Breeder: The Oaks Stud Group One: New Zealand Oaks (2400m) Horse: Verry Elleegant Breeder: J D Goodwin Group Ones: Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m), Australian Oaks (2400m) View the full article

London Bound is a $2.30 favourite for the Listed Courtesy Ford Ryder Stakes (1200m) at Otaki on Saturday. An excited Clayton Chipperfield is preparing for the biggest day of his training career with favourites in both New Zealand features on Saturday. Chipperfield will produce London Bound as a $2.50 favourite in the Listed Courtesy Ford Ryder Stakes (1200m) at Otaki, while Obsessive is a $3 favourite in the RSA Taumarunui Gold Cup (2200m) at Rotorua. “They are putting the pressure on me making both of them favourites,” Chipperfield quipped. “I’ve only had Our Sequoia in a Waikato Guineas (Gr.2, 2000m) run in a stakes race for me and that didn’t end well (finishing 11th) so we’re hoping for a lot better results this time around. It’s a nice position to be in, having two good chances in the day’s main races at two different venues.” While he won three stakes races in partnership with Robert Priscott, a period that produced 41 of Chipperfield’s 54 wins as a trainer, it’s clear a black-type win would be a special moment in the 39-year-old’s solo career. Bred and raced by one of the stable’s main supporters, Martin Dalgleish, London Bound proved she had the credentials to make the step up in grade with a seven-length debut win over previous-start Listed Castletown Stakes (1200m) winner Flaunting at Te Rapa. “It was a huge win. We’ve always held a high opinion of her – I’ve thought she’s on par with (promising stablemate) Catalyst – but to win like she did, I wasn’t really expecting that,” Chipperfield said. “To beat a stakes winner in that manner on debut was a pretty big statement from our filly and though the second horse didn’t get all favours the way the race was run, our horse was pretty impressive. “I said to Martin she was worthy of a crack at black-type after that. Her mum died last year so if we can get black-type on Saturday, she’s got it forever and we’re hoping she’s good enough to do that. “I’d be rapt if she could run in the first three so she can get that black-type but I wouldn’t be surprised if she won. She pulled up 100 percent from her Te Rapa win and I galloped her Tuesday morning on a sticky course proper and she loved it. “That was my concern going down to Otaki on a drying track but on the way she worked on Tuesday, I don’t think there’ll be any problem.” Chipperfield described London Bound as a “big, strong Proisir filly” capable of becoming a Classic performer at three. “She will have a quick break after Saturday, probably two or three weeks in the paddock, and then we’ll look towards the 1000 Guineas (Gr.1, 1600m). She’s got the class and I don’t think the extra distance will worry her at all,” said Chipperfield, adding that London Bound’s two-year-old half-brother by Showcasing was shaping well and would trial early next season as education for a Karaka Million preparation. Chipperfield was delighted with Obsessive ahead of the Taumarunui Cup as the Darci Brahma four-year-old looks to extend his winning sequence to three in his biggest test so far. “He’s never finished further back than fifth and he’s won his last two. While he’s only had 10 starts, he’s been around a while, in and out of the stable,” Chipperfield said. “He’s got bad legs and had a lot of growing issues so we kept giving him time out. While he didn’t race for 12 months, he was never injured and he did have a couple of preparations. “He’s pulled up super from his win at New Plymouth last weekend. He jumped out perfectly and it was just a crawl and sprint. The only concern is the step up to 2200m for the first time but he’s tough and the way he won at New Plymouth, I don’t think it should be any problem. He’s certainly not a horse to lie down.” View the full article

Write photo caption here by replacing this text. Without a win since November, Soldado (NZ) (Pins) came through a well strung-out field in the $50,000 Class 4 Division 1 race over 1100m to bounce back to the winner’s circle in style on Friday night. With Supersonicsurprise (Simon Kok Wei Hoong) and Qiji Commander (Benny Woodworth) going hell-for-leather upfront, Soldado (John Powell) was able to overcome his outermost alley to tack onto the leading bunch rather comfortably, albeit three wide. Rounding the home turn, Qiji Commander was already reaching for the oxygen mask, while Supersonicsurprise was not a spent force yet. But when Soldado ($16), which means soldier in Spanish, came swooping down on the outside, resistance was futile. The Pins six-year-old put his 10 rivals to the sword to go and salute for the fourth time at Kranji. Despite burning the candle at both ends, Supersonicsurprise battled on for a laudable second place one and a half lengths away with Star Knight (Marc Lerner) third another one and one quarter length away. The winning time was 1min 5.36secs for the $50,000 Class 4 Division 1 race over 1100m on Polytrack. Trainer Shane Baertschiger said that Soldado had had a mixed run since coming back from a bleeding attack, but a hot pace and a smart ride from Powell put him right back on track at his 38th start on Friday. “He bled after he won his last race at the end of last year. I gave him a spell and he came back good,” said the Australian handler who cements his fourth place on the leader’s log with that 34th win. “He got a terrible ride at his last start. Putting a senior jockey back on did the trick. “He also got back to a weight JP can ride him. There was good speed to the race, I thought they would break up and the broke up as they do. “It was a great ride from JP. Things are going great at the stable, I will be turning over a few horses and things will be quiet for a while, but we will be strong again at the end of the year.” Powell has now partnered the New Zealand-bred at three of his four wins, but the veteran rider said he was still not a conveyance that can give him 100% confidence when he gets legged up aboard. “He was drawn wide, but from the barrier, he got into a good position when the race split into two groups,” said the Australian jockey. “I was able to slot him in behind and in the straight I just let him sail home on the outside. “You can never have too much confidence with this type of horse, but he gave me a nice kick at the top of the straight tonight.” While Soldado’s haul now sits at four wins, his handy placing record of seven seconds and eight thirds have contributed a significant portion to his stakes earnings that have now hit around the $260,000 mark for the Soldado Stable. -STC View the full article

Write photo caption here by replacing this text. In-form jockey Benny Woodworth got onto the scoresheet thanks to a pick-up ride on Friday night. After Singapore Derby-winning jockey Joseph Azzopardi was stood down halfway through proceedings, the Malaysian rider got the call-up for both of the young Australian jockey’s remaining two rides – Qiji Commander and Safeer (NZ) (Savabeel). While the Donna Logan-trained Qiji Commander, a last-start all-the-way winner, faltered badly after trying to beat a wide alley to go forward again in the $50,000 Class 4 Division 1 race over 1100m won by Soldado (see earlier report), Woodworth enjoyed better luck with the second chance ride. Breaking fairly from his outside gate in the $70,000 Class 3 race over 1200m, Safeer dropped to the back in between runners while $11 favourite Lim’s Dream (Syahir Abdul) called the tune upfront. Into the straight, all eyes were on Lim’s Dream as he hung on to his slender lead in a bid to make it a third win in a row. Charger (Simon Kok Wei Hoong) and Federation (John Powell), the two regarded as his main threats, were chipping away at the margin, but Lim’s Dream was making a good fist of the job of staving them off. But all of a sudden, the realisation the real coup de grace could come from elsewhere dawned on everyone when a blue flash snuck up onto the rails – Safeer. That run had begun when Lucky Lincoln (Daniel Moor) improved at the 750m mark, leaving a gap on the rails which gave Woodworth a golden chance to hug them. Safeer again took the shortcuts home at the top of the straight after Woodworth momentarily switched his mount across before thinking better of it. Realising he would run into dead ends towards that end, he ducked back to the inside for the shortest way home. Just when Lim’s Dream thought he had his two challengers covered, Safeer surged from the inside to get his measure by half-a-length. Charger and Federation had to settle for the minors, third and fourth place, another length and half-length away respectively. A four-year-old by Savabeel, Safeer was bringing up his fifth win at his 20th start for prizemoney in excess of $210,000 for the Al-Arabiya Stable. It was his fourth success under Michael Clements’ care as the maiden win came at his second start in August 2017 for trainer Ricardo Le Grange. “He’s a horse with a lot of ability, but who has not had much luck with the barriers,” said Clements. “I think he’s drawn outside 10 at his last four runs. He scored his last win two starts ago (in a similar Class 3 race over 1200m) and he beat some good horses then. “He needs to draw closer on the rails. Things went his way tonight. “We may take the next step at the Merlion Trophy for him. The owner always had the confidence he would get there.” Woodworth was for one happy he was not returning home empty-handed on Friday night, even if it came at the expense of a fellow rider. “I was lucky to get two pick-up rides and I’m even luckier one of them won,” said Woodworth. “The horse jumped out well, travelled well and got a run on the inside. At one stage, I elected to go to the outside but the run didn’t come through. “He’s a talented horse, but if the pace is too slow, he pulls and that doesn’t suit him. When he gets the right run, he can then show he is a good horse.” -STC View the full article

Apprentice jockey Tanya Jonker secured an early treble at Phar Lap Raceway on Friday. She was victorious aboard the Michael and Matthew Pitman-trained Liam in the opening race before riding home Wynmore to a 2-1/2 length victory in the Equine Veterinary Services Sprint (1200m) and Bluey’s Chance in the McIntosh Catering Handicap (1200m) for Kenny Moore. Jonker was delighted to get a winning double for the Rangiora trainer and said the win aboard Wynmore was particularly special for an absent Moore, who had named the three-year-old filly after his mother. “Kenny is not here today, which is a bit sad for him. She was named after his Mum I think,” Jonker said. Jonker had ridden the daughter of Coats Choice in her previous two starts and said she has continued to improve with each run. “In her last start I went forward and she didn’t make the bend that well, so today it was nice to have the cutaway (rail), get a bit of guidance and see if she had something left. “She has really improved in the last few starts, she has always had the ability, it’s just putting the bits together.” View the full article

The weather forecasts played a big part in Grahame Begg’s decision to keep Romancer closer to home to run at Caulfield rather than travel him interstate. With rain forecast for Melbourne over the coming days Begg has opted to run Romancer in Saturday’s Catanach’s Jewellers Handicap (1400m) over the Listed Winter Challenge in Sydney. “The weather prediction was for the rain here and that’s what he relishes, getting soft ground,” Begg said. Romancer has had three starts since being transferred to Begg earlier this year and is trained out of the Pinecliff property on the Mornington peninsula. The five-year-old gelding won second-up for Begg in a heat of the Winter Championship Series Final over 1400m on a soft track at Flemington last month before finishing second in the Listed Winter Championship Series Final (1600m) at the same track last start on a track which got back to a good rating. “He is going well,” Begg said. “We’ve obviously changed his environment. He’s being trained out of Pinecliff and we don’t work him hard. “He does relish soft tracks, which is one thing, and I really believe a mile (1600m) is right at the top of his distance range. Given his belief Romancer is best-suited around 1400m, Begg is not concerned at all about dropping him back to that distance on Saturday. “He’s had three weeks break between runs,” he said. “We don’t have to do a lot of work with him. We just keep him ticking over.” -AAP View the full article

The weather forecasts played a big part in Grahame Begg’s decision to keep Romancer closer to home to run at Caulfield rather than travel him interstate. Begg had also nominated Romancer for Saturday’s Listed Winter Challenge (1500m) in Sydney at Rosehill, but a wet forecast in Melbourne he decided Saturday’s Catanach’s Jewellers Handicap (1400m) was the best option. “The weather prediction was for the rain here and that’s what he relishes, getting soft ground,” Begg said. Romancer has had three starts since being transferred to Begg earlier this year and is trained out of the Pinecliff property on the Mornington Peninsula. The five-year-old gelding won second-up for Begg in a heat of the Winter Championship Series Final over 1400m on a soft track at Flemington last month before finishing second in the Listed Winter Championship Series Final (1600m) at the same track last start on a track which got back to a good rating. “He is going well,” Begg said. “We’ve obviously changed his environment. He’s being trained out of Pinecliff and we don’t work him hard. “He does relish soft tracks, which is one thing, and I really believe a mile (1600m) is right at the top of his distance range. “He travelled very well in the run the other day and probably didn’t let down quite as well in comparison to the way he travelled in the race.” Given his belief Romancer is best-suited around 1400m, Begg is not concerned at all about dropping him back to that distance on Saturday. “He’s had three weeks break between runs,” he said. “We don’t have to do a lot of work with him. We just keep him ticking over.” View the full article

Waiuku trainers Grant and Tana Shaw have experienced a fair bit of success campaigning View the full article

Nicholas Bishara is looking forward to spring with dual Group One winner Verry Elleegant. This season will live long in the memory for Ardmore trainer Nicholas Bishara. Not only did he double his previous best tally of wins in a season, but he also experienced Group One glory as an owner through star three-year-old filly Verry Elleegant. “I’m extremely happy,” Bishara said. “I don’t have a big team, I have only got about seven or eight at the moment, so to get 10 wins from that pool of horses is great. “It has pretty much been a dream season. The team has fired on the homefront and as an owner I get to keep a tail hair in Verry Elleegant. It has been terrific.” The daughter of Zed began the season in Bishara’s South Auckland stable where she was undefeated in her two starts before her sale to Australia. A deal was brokered where Bishara was able to retain a share in the filly and she subsequently joined Darren Weir’s Victorian barn before linking with leading Sydney trainer Chris Waller. Trainer Nicholas Bishara has experienced a standout season this term. Trish Dunell Under the guidance of Waller, Verry Elleegant won the Gr.2 Phar Lap Stakes (1500m) before she went on to secure Group One glory in the Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) and Australian Oaks (2400m). Bishara was on course for her Oaks victory and said it was an unbelievable experience. “There were nearly 30,000 people on course the day she won the Oaks, the entrée for Winx (in her final race),” he said. “The crowd and the hype on race day, and just to be so dominant in a big Group One worth A$1 million, it’s just out of this world. There’s the promise of a lot more to come this spring.” Bishara is excited for what is to come with his talented filly, who trials at Warwick Farm on Friday, with the Gr.1 Cox Plate (2040m) being eyed as a possible spring target. “I believe they are leaning towards the Cox Plate, but he (Waller) has left the door wide open because things can change,” Bishara said. “I have never been to a Cox Plate in my life, so I probably won’t be missing out on any of her runs this spring because she is a once in a lifetime horse.” Bishara has received positive reports from Waller and he is looking forward to watching her first hit-out at Warwick Farm on Friday. “The stable has reported she has come back a lot stronger and a lot more relaxed in her work. That is great because she tended to get a bit excited and the team over there have done a terrific job. “She will trial up tomorrow and again on the 10th (of August) and then into the Winx Stakes (Gr.1, 1400m). “I know James (McDonald, jockey) is pumped to be riding her in the trial on Friday and for the rest of the spring.” Verry Flash (outside) will contest Saturday’s RSA Taumaranui Gold Cup (2200m). Trish Dunell While Bishara is looking forward to spring with his star filly, he is excited about his prospects at Rotorua on Saturday where he has two strong chances, including Verry Ellegant’s full-brother Verry Flash. The four-year-old gelding has drawn barrier seven in the RSA Taumaranui Gold Cup (2200m) and Bishara is confident with his charge heading into Saturday after his third-placing over 2200m at Te Rapa last start. “He was really stiff last week at Te Rapa,” he said. “The Shackler came right back in his face just when we wanted to get rolling. “He is a big striding horse so he got held up for about 100m, which was just enough to put him further back than we wanted him to be. “He came home really well. We would just like the rub of the green to go our way. “He has pulled up brilliantly, I gave him a quiet gallop yesterday (Wednesday) since he raced last week and his work was exceptional. “We are hoping for a big run from him on Saturday and then he will go to the spelling paddock for a month and freshen up for the spring.” Bishara will also line-up Cherry Lane in the Waikato/BOP Busy Bees 1560. The four-year-old daughter of Redwood has been in fine form this preparation, winning two of her four starts and was runner-up in another. “She has grown another leg,” Bishara said. “She has come back this preparation in great order and like all the Redwood’s she just keeps improving with age. “Andrew (Calder, jockey) hopped off her last week at Te Rapa (when finishing second over 1600m) and said she will go right through the grades.” View the full article

Lisa Allpress has achieved a major career goal with an invitation to ride in the World All-Stars Jockeys series in Japan. Allpress announced the invitation on social media this week, posting: “Smiling because I’m off to Japan! So happy to be invited to the world jockey series in Sapporo 24th and 25th August.” The now three-time national premiership-winning jockey said she had always envied the likes of David Walsh and Lance O’Sullivan getting to ride in the Japanese event and desperately wanted to participate herself. “It’s something I set my sights on from when Karl and I moved to Wanganui about seven years ago. I wanted to win a premiership so I could get that trip to Japan,” Allpress said. While she was gutted to miss out on an invitation to the series after her first two premiership wins, Allpress gets to fulfil her dream next month. “When I started riding, I remember David Walsh, Lance O’Sullivan and Jim Collett getting to go to Japan for that series, then Leith Innes and Opie Bosson later on, and I thought it would be so cool to win a premiership so I could compete on the world stage as an international rider,” she said. “It’s taken a while and there’s been a couple of disappointments but I’m rapt that I’ll actually get my chance now. This will be the fourth time I’ve ridden in Japan but the first time I’ve ridden at Sapporo.” Allpress, who has completed riding contracts in Singapore and Japan, rode in the Shergar Cup jockeys series at Ascot in 2013 and follows on from last season’s premiership winner Sam Collett, who finished 13th in the 2018 World All-Stars Jockeys won by Christophe Lemaire. Allpress will round off her premiership-winning season at Otaki on Saturday where she combines with the Stephen Marsh-trained Sai Fah in the Listed Courtesy Ford Ryder Stakes (1200m). The Rios colt is a $5.50 second favourite with TAB bookmakers behind London Bound at $2.50 after a strong win at Te Rapa last Saturday. “He’s shown a lot of form all the way through. To win the first two-year-old race of the season and go on to win in July takes some doing and that’s a credit to Stephen Marsh and his team. He’s a very good ride to have,” Allpress said. “It’s a strong field, with the likes of London Bound and Jager Bombed, but I’m quite happy to be riding my horse. I’m happy with the draw (barrier nine) too. A lot will depend on how the track is running but by then we’ll know the best part of the track and from there we won’t be stuck down on the inside anyway.” Allpress, who needs just three victories to bring up 1500 wins in New Zealand, held off her good mate Johnathan Parkes to win the premiership in a season where she has won 130 races, including the Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) at Trentham aboard the Lisa Latta-trained Sentimental Miss. She was especially delighted to secure the premiership after a horrific jumpout fall in 2017 left her with shoulder injuries that threatened her career. “It’s very satisfying, especially to come back from an injury that at some stages of my recovery I’d had thoughts that I might not even ride again. From not being able to dress myself to winning a premiership the next season, I really feel like I’ve achieved something.” View the full article

Last year’s Jumbo Jet Trophy winner Preditor (NZ) (Savabeel) will make a bold attempt to go back-to-back first-up from a break this Sunday. He will, however, be partnered in the S$175,000 race over 1400m by a jockey who does not boast the most flattering record on him – four rides for four unplaced finishes – Matthew Kellady. With the five-time winner (1400m to 1800m) weighted at 54.5kgs, his winningest partner (three wins), heavyweight jockey John Powell had to sit out the ride. Trainer Shane Baertschiger is fully aware of Kellady’s poor stats with the Savabeel six-year-old, and couldn’t resist giving his stable No 2 jockey a bit of a ribbing. “Matty has the worst record on Preditor – not even a placing in four rides!” said Baertschiger. “Matty better buck up this Sunday! But seriously, he’s the one who gallops the horse as he’s the only one who can hold him – Preditor’s always keen in his trackwork.” The Australian handler of course appreciates Kellady, a loyal worker who has stuck solid to the yard since his father Don’s training days and ridden countless winners for the family. The Malaysian rider has this year supplied Baertschiger with six of his 33 winners this season – and a seventh one on a horse he has yet to break his duck in a feature race to boot, could be in the offing on Sunday. “For some reason, our luck have not come together. I like to joke he’s the Predator and I’m the Alien!” said Kellady. “Early days when I rode him, he was running against better horses, like Jupiter Gold, and then Cliff Brown’s horses like Elite Excalibur and of course Debt Collector. “But Shane always puts me on in his gallops because he’s a hard-going type of horse. During his races, he is a lot more relaxed. “He galloped on his own on the Polytrack this morning and I was happy with his condition. Obviously, I got the ride because JP can’t make the weight, and I think he’s got a good chance on Sunday. “Hopefully, I can win my first race on him.” Preditor is ready for his return, even if it was not really by design to pick the feature race he annexed last year as the race for his comeback. “He was supposed to run first-up in a Class 1 race over 1400m on June 21, but it was scrapped,” said Baertschiger. “I gave him two more weeks off and brought him back. He’s been working well, but didn’t get to trial as the one he was supposed to run in was cancelled last Thursday. “Anyway, he’s jumped off the backstraight the other day, that’ll do. He’s fit and well and has been a solid stalwart to the stable. “He’s had a good freshen-up, he goes well fresh and has got a good first-up record.” -STC View the full article

Two-year-old filly Gumpert was able to clear maiden company at the second time of asking at Matamata on Wednesday, winning The Meat Co, Robow’s, Two Tones 1200 by 3-1/2 lengths. She finished eighth on debut at Counties last month and trainer Trevor Da Cruz said a slight gear change has helped his filly. “I was quite happy with how she raced today,” he said. “Unfortunately in her first start I encountered a little issue. After watching the replay of her first race I noticed that she hung in a bit. After that I went back to the drawing board and we made a slight gear change and did a little bit of work on her body. “We got the result today. This is what she was supposed to do in her first race, so I am glad she ran to form today.” Da Cruz was pleased with the win and is looking forward to the future with the daughter of Roc De Cambes. “She is bred to stay a bit, so it’s quite handy that she has got speed,” he said. “I will discuss it with her owner, Mr Kwok, and we will make a plan. I think at the moment we will run her through her grades and slowly step her up in trip and see how she handles it.” View the full article

New Zealand-bred galloper Sansom made it three wins in a row at Sandown on Wednesday when victorious over 1300m. The son of Charm Spirit jumped away well from gate six to take the early lead for jockey Ben Allen where he was able to dictate terms throughout and go on to win by nearly two lengths. “It wasn’t how I really mapped out the race, I would have liked to have had something to follow, but he was the first one out of the gate, so I thought I may as well take up the lead while he could,” Allen said. “He relaxed beautifully and each time he is stepping out he is improving. It’s quite noticeable in his racing.” Trainer Phillip Stokes was pleased with the victory and said Sansom is starting to develop into a nice racehorse. “We have had to do a lot of work with him. He had been doing things upside down,” he said. “We have been trying to really restrain him, but you just have to let him go out and get his rhythm and he seems happy. “The track conditions didn’t worry him and he put paid to them well. “I’m in two minds now. I was going to tip him out, I still might, and just see if he can go to something a little bit better down the track.” View the full article

Group One winner Mighty Boss has died after a bout of colic. The Mick Price-trained entire won two of his 17 career starts, including the Gr.1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m). “Terribly sad for Mr Yaseen and everyone at the stable to lose Mighty Boss to colic,” Price said on Twitter. “(He was) a magnificent colt with most unique personality – he will be sorely missed.” The son of Not A Single Doubt was purchased by his trainer out of Curraghmore’s 2016 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale draft for $180,000. View the full article

True Excelsior is scheduled to make her return on Bletchingly Stakes day at Caulfield but co-trainer Troy Corstens plans to kick off the stakes-placed mare’s campaign in a race against her own sex rather than in the feature event. Rising five-year-old True Excelsior is nominated for Saturday’s Gr.3 Bletchingly Stakes (1200m) but Corstens said the mare will resume in the 1100m handicap for fillies and mares on the same program with a view to stepping back up to stakes level at her next start on the straight course at Flemington. True Excelsior campaigned in New Zealand during the summer, finishing 10th in the Gr.1 Telegraph (1200m) at Trentham in January before running fifth in the Gr.1 BCD Sprint (1400m), won by Melody Belle, at Te Rapa on February 9 at her most recent start. “I’ll run her in the 1100 on Saturday and then it’s two weeks into the Aurie’s Star (Gr.3, 1200m),” Corstens said. “She’ll run really well and that will top her right off for the Aurie’s Star at Flemington. She goes very well down the straight.” True Excelsior was third in the Gr.3 Standish Handicap (1200m) over the straight 1200m at Flemington on January 1 this year before she travelled to New Zealand. Corstens said True Excelsior was a valuable broodmare and she could head off to the breeding barn this spring but her next couple of runs would be telling as to whether she pressed on for another season of racing. View the full article

Staphanos has arrived at Novara Park ahead of the 2019 breeding season A son of Deep Impact set a new standard at the JRHA Select Sale earlier this month. The yearling colt, out of multiple Group winner Musical Way, was knocked down to the ¥360 million (NZ$4.9 million) bid of Riichi Kondo. Kondo was once again active in the foal session, going to ¥470 million (NZ$6.5 million) to secure a Deep Impact colt out of Titan Queen, the dam of Grade Two winner Renee’s Titan and Grade Three winners Fashion Alert and Strong Titan. Sons of Deep Impact are also making a splash in the stallion ranks in Japan, making up the top three ranked first season sires in the Asian racing jurisdiction. New Zealand breeders will have access to two sons of the leading Japanese stallion this coming breeding season. Multiple Group One performer Staphanos will stand his first season at Novara Park Stud for a fee of NZ$7,000+GST, while Group One winner Satono Aladdin will stand his second season at Rich Hill Stud for a fee of NZ$12,500+GST. Satono Aladdin will stand his second season at Rich Hill Stud this year Supplied View the full article

Vibrato winning at Rotorua last month. Murray Baker is pleased with last start winner Vibrato heading into Saturday’s Listed Courtesy Ford Ryder Stakes (1200m) at the Levin Racing Club’s race meeting at Otaki. The two-year-old son of Sacred Falls followed two trial wins and a luckless debut with a classy win over 1230m at Rotorua on June 26, leading from start to finish. “He hasn’t raced for a month but we’re happy with him and we think he’s probably improved a bit,” said Baker, who trains in partnership with Andrew Forsman. “He had a bit of time off after he won and we’ve just got him going again. It’s a stakes race, so we thought we’d have go.” Vibrato will be ridden by Matthew Cameron and the pair will jump from barrier seven. “He should go well,” Baker said. “He’s a genuine horse and he’d shown good trial form before winning at Rotorua.” The final black-type race of the 2018-19 racing season has attracted a field of eleven rising three-year-olds with impressive last start winner London Bound the early favourite, followed by stakes-winning filly Flaunting. The Baker-Forsman team will also be represented by consistent mare Elle Eye Are at Otaki on Saturday, in the McMahon Livestock Handicap (1600m). “She’s ready to go, she’s always thereabouts and I think she will go quite a good race,” Baker said. The premiership leading stable’s only other two runners on Saturday are Rippin and Red Beach, both of which are set to contest the Waikato/BOP Busy Bees (1650m) at Rotorua. Baker said he was hard-pressed to pick between the two mares. “They’re both in form and I think they should run honestly,” he said. “They’re both working well so we’re just hoping for a good run.” View the full article

Few people in Queensland racing circles are surprised New Zealand-bred gelding Victory Eight has been the quiet achiever of the winter carnival. After all, his trainer Trevor Miller has been a a key player in the state’s racing industry with no fuss for decades. Victory Eight, who has won his past two starts in impressive fashion, steps up to open company in the TAB Handicap (1800m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday. The gelding is the latest in a long line of smart horses to come out of Miller’s Caloundra stables. Miller originally trained at Cunnamulla in western Queensland before moving to a Caloundra base in 1986. He has since trained about 1200 winners with at least 800 of them at the Sunshine Coast track where he has been premier trainer 12 times. Along the way Miller has had a long list of stakes winners including Heavenly Knight, Whale Of A Knight, King Latarmiss, Baal Yabba, Seek Glory, Gilded Queen and Waterford Road. Miller, now 76, has retained his laconic country style of humour and also kept his eye for a good horse. He has been adamant for some time Victory Eight would win in at least open company. Victory Eight, who was purchased as a Ready To Run 2YO out of the draft of Esker Lodge, did his early racing in Victoria for the Ciaron Maher-David Eustace training partnership and won at Bairnsdale before heading north to Miller. View the full article

Talented jumper Max. . Wanganui conditioner Raymond Connors will take a five-strong team to Awapuni on Thursday and the future paths for a number of his runners will be dictated by their performance at the Palmerston North track. Talented jumper Max will contest the LJ Hooker Hurdle (2750m) in preparation for a likely tilt at the Civil & Landfill Construction LTD Pakuranga Hunt Cup (4900m) at Ellerslie next month. The nine-year-old son of Gallant Guru has been in fine form of late, winning the McGregor Grant Steeplechase (4150m) at Ellerslie last month, followed by a pleasing runner-up performance behind Gallante in the Awapuni Hurdles (2900m). “I was really pleased with him,” Connors said. “It wasn’t planned to go to the hurdles last time, but we decided to when there weren’t many in the field. “He is probably more of a steeplechaser really, it’s (the hurdles) just keeping him fit.” Connors is confident with his charge heading into Thursday and believes he should be able to account for his four other competitors in the small field. “It’s not a big field, so he is definitely a good chance,” he said. “He’s definitely fit enough and should run well.” One of his competitors on Thursday will be stablemate Mesmerize, who is being tested ahead of a potential trip south to Riccarton next weekend. Mesmerize was victorious in a maiden hurdle at Awapuni last month, but disappointed when tailing the field home in open grade at Te Aroha earlier this month and Connors believes his future could be over the bigger fences. “He goes well at Palmerston North, he won there last time,” Connors said. “He was a little bit disappointing last start going up to open grade, whether he’s not up to them, he’s more of a steeplechaser I think. “We hope to take him down south for a maiden chase next Saturday.” Awapuni will also be a testing ground for reigning New Zealand Champion Jumper Wise Men Say. View the full article