Chief Stipe

Grahame Begg and the connections of Our Libretto have had a change of plans, with the mare to remain in Victoria for her next couple of starts. Our Libretto was originally going to head to Sydney for the Gr. 1 Coolmore Legacy at Randwick on April 13 after her first-up run at Moonee Valley on March 22. The New Zealand-bred mare ran below expectations when ninth to Consensus in the Sunline Stakes, her first outing since the spring. Begg said the mare looked a bit dour and instead of an immediate trip to Sydney and then further north to Brisbane, she will instead be aimed at the Gr. 3 Easter Cup at Caulfield. “We’ve had a change of plan with her,” Begg said. “She was a bit dour the other night at Moonee Valley, so we’ve turned things around with her. “We’re going to keep her here and have another look at her so at this stage she’ll run next Saturday in a 2000-metre handicap at Caulfield and then we’ll aim her up for the Easter Cup at Caulfield. After that, we’ll work out what we do.” Begg had been planning to run the mare in the Coolmore Legacy before heading to Brisbane for the Hollindale Cup at the Gold Coast on May 4 and the Doomben Cup two weeks later. After two unplaced runs in New Zealand during 2017, Our Libretto joined Begg’s stable last year, winning four races on end before an unlucky seventh in the Matriarch Stakes at Flemington on November 10. She closed out her spring campaign with a third to The Taj Mahal in the Sandown Classic a week later. View the full article

I'm not sure in Verry Ellegant's case she lacks confidence.

But only if it works in a track gallop. I would say the majority of horses that I've had involvement with that have had blinkers applied haven't responded that well. Veery Ellegant's racing style has been somewhat idiosyncratic since it first graced the race track. MacDonald reckoned blinkers would stop it from switching off and veering to one side at the end of a race and putting in to the end. Well in my opinion that could conflict with the need for it to settle for the rest of the Oaks journey. The horse is a bit of a goon with loads and loads of natural ability. Sometimes when you start messing with the head gear of those types of horses you have a negative reaction. They're the type that likes to see what they are racing and with their ability have the time to do it.

Keep chipping away Hesi.

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In my opinion she didn't race much different to how she always races.

Trainer Toby Edmonds is pleased with the news he is getting about his star mare Houtzen, who is at Newmarket in England preparing for the Royal Ascot meeting. Houtzen was accompanied by Edmonds’ son and stable foreman Trent, who has told his father everything went to plan for the long trip. “Both Houtzen and Trent have settled in well, but she has probably done better – he is a bit cold,” Edmonds said. “Houtzen is at Abington Place and has been for a stroll on the Heath. We will step up her efforts in coming weeks.” The 2017 Magic Millions Classic winner, Houtzen is being aimed at the King’s Stand Stakes at Ascot on June 18. “I intend to fly over after the Stradbroke in Brisbane,” Edmonds said. View the full article

Star three-year-old Sunlight is set to gallop at Randwick ahead of her next attempt to add to her Group One record, but her trainer Tony McEvoy is wary about the weather. Already a three-time Group One winner, Sunlight is being aimed at Saturday’s TJ Smith Stakes. But a start in the race is dependant on the weather, as McEvoy does not want to risk the filly on significantly wet ground. Sunlight was sent to Sydney last week and did some striding work at Warwick Farm yesterday, having pleased the stable since her latest Group One victory in the William Reid Stakes at Moonee Valley on March 22. “I’ll head up to Sydney on Monday and we’ll take her to Breakfast With The Stars at Randwick on Tuesday morning and then make a decision on what we do,” McEvoy said. “I think we’ll accept, because it can change so quickly and you have to accept so far out. “I’m keen to run her, but I’ve got to watch the weather. I don’t want to run her on bottomless ground when there’s a million-dollar race (Arrowfield 3YO Sprint) a week later.” The past three feature Saturday meetings at Rosehill have run on heavy tracks with rain forecast late in the week. McEvoy said there were other races in Sydney during The Championships with the Gr. 2 Arrowfield Sprint against her own age a suitable option. Sunlight would carry 54 kilograms in the set-weights race and McEvoy has not ruled out running the filly in Adelaide before giving her a spell. “We don’t have to run in the TJ, even though it’s the race we want, as there are other options,” McEvoy said. “We’ll see what happens in Sydney because I can take her back to Adelaide for the Sangster Stakes (May 4) on the way home for a spell.” Sunlight is currently rated an $11 chance in the TJ Smith with Osborne Bulls and Trapeze Artist sharing favouritism at $5 ahead of Pierata, Redzel and Santa Ana Lane at $8. View the full article

Dual Group One-winning New Zealand three-year-old Madison County is set to run in next Saturday’s Gr. 1 Australian Derby at Randwick. The Pins gelding had also been nominated for the Gr. 1 Doncaster Mile on the same programme, but trainers Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman have elected to keep him to his own age group and step up to 2400 metres. Forsman was at Rosehill for Madison County’s strong-finishing second in yesterday’s Gr. 2 Tulloch Stakes. “We have always thought, providing he ran an honest race in the Tulloch and looked like he’d stay, that’s (the Derby) what he’d do,” Forsman told Racing NSW. “I know some people would like to see him in the Doncaster, but I’m just not convinced he is that sort of horse, and I know Tommy (Berry, jockey) shares the same opinion.” The winner of the New Zealand 2000 Guineas at Riccarton in November and the Levin Classic at Trentham in January, Madison County has made a strong impression in two Sydney starts to date. He stormed home for fourth in the Gr. 1 Randwick Guineas, then recorded the fastest sectionals from the last 800 to 200 metres of yesterday’s Tulloch Stakes. “I think I’ve probably cost myself the win there,” Berry said after the Tulloch. “At the 600, I had a chance to follow the fence and would have ended up behind Corey (Brown, riding the eventual winner Angel Of Truth) on the corner. I just didn’t think he was the right horse to be following. If I follow the fence, we probably win.” Australian bookmakers rate Madison County a $13 chance in Derby markets, with the Mike Moroney-trained pair of Chapada ($5) and the formerly New Zealand-based Arrogant ($5.50) vying for favouritism following their placings in last weekend’s Rosehill Guineas. Madison County’s stablemate The Chosen One, an impressive winner of yesterday’s Gr. 3 Manawatu Classic, is also likely to line up in the Australian Derby and is rated a $15 chance. View the full article

It was hard to take the smile off Shaune Ritchie’s face after his gutsy filly Bella Mente picked up a placing at Group One level in yesterday’s Courtesy Ford Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes at Awapuni. The daughter of El Roca was one of the outsiders in yesterday’s field despite a tidy form line that included a fourth in the Gr. 2 Matamata Breeders’ Stakes at her most recent start. Ritchie and Bella Mente’s large group of owners bypassed the Gr. 1 Sistema Stakes at Ellerslie in favour of yesterday’s event, and they were rewarded with an outstanding performance to finish within half-a length of eventual winner Yourdeel. Ritchie admitted he was starting to get more than a little excited at the 150-metre mark when Bella Mente briefly hit the front. “She looked like the winner momentarily, so the excitement levels were right up there,” he said. “She was really kicking strongly at that point, but I looked across and saw the good horse (Yourdeel) coming and I knew we were in trouble then. “She didn’t give it away at any stage, so to pick up a Group One placing at just her fourth start is fantastic for everyone involved in her.” Ritchie believed the $37 odds didn’t reflect the true chances of his charge. “I think she might have been overlooked by many and we thought she was a much better chance than what the tote was saying,” he said. “She went a terrific race at Matamata as she was wide most of the way while the first two home got inside runs. “We missed Ellerslie and the heavy track that day, so she was the fresh horse on the scene and we knew she was at her peak for this one. “She certainly did us proud and I can’t wait to see how good she can be for her three-year-old campaign. She will go out for a good spell now and we will bring her back with the intention of getting her to the 1000 Guineas at Riccarton.” Ritchie was also pleased to see talented stayer Excalibur make a solid return at Ellerslie yesterday, running on nicely over 1400 metres. “He didn’t really come up as well as we would have liked and wasn’t finishing his races off that well, so we tipped him out for a freshen-up,” he said. “I thought he went quite a cheeky race, so, if he can make some progress from there, we will have some nice options with him including some races over in Australia over the next few months.” View the full article

Maximum Security extended his unbeaten record to four out of four in today’s Gr. 1 Florida Derby at Gulfstream Park, the first major lead-up race towards the Kentucky Derby on May 5. Starting in a lowly maiden claiming race on December 20, Maximum Security won his first three starts by a combined margin of more than 24 lengths. He stepped up to stakes level for the first time today and delivered another dominant performance. Ridden by Luis Saez for trainer Jason Servis, Maximum Security went straight to the lead and never looked back. He opened up by five lengths at the top of the straight, and he still had a margin of three and a half lengths up his sleeve at the finish line. “I guess I’ll have to postpone my fishing trip in May,” Servis said. “He wasn’t beating anything (in his previous starts), he really wasn’t, but he was three-for-three at the track. I was like, ‘What’s the downside (running in the Florida Derby)?’” Maximum Security is raced by his breeders, Gary and Mary West, who also have last season’s champion two-year-old Game Winner pointing towards the Kentucky Derby. “I’ll leave it to Team West,” Servis said. “They’ve got some really good managers and we’ll see what they think they want to do. They’ve got that horse Game Winner, so I don’t know what we’ll decide.” Maximum Security is by the Street Cry stallion New Year’s Day, who won the Gr. 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile for the Wests before his career was cut short by injury. After beginning his career in Kentucky on a US$12,500 service fee, he relocated to Brazil in 2018. The colt’s dam, Lil Indy, is a half-sister to the multiple Grade One winner Flat Out. The Florida Derby has the strongest record of any Kentucky Derby lead-up race, with no fewer than 24 winners going on to win at Churchill Downs. There have been six in the last 18 years alone, most recently Always Dreaming in 2017. View the full article

Thunder Snow (left) edges out the American-trained Gronkowski in a tight finish to the Dubai World Cup. Godolphin’s Thunder Snow has become the first two-time winner of the Dubai World Cup in a fighting finish to the Meydan showpiece. The five-year-old gave trainer Saeed bin Suroor a record eighth World Cup success last season, dominating proceedings from the front in the hands of Belgian superstar jockey Christophe Soumillon. With Soumillon again in the saddle overnight, Thunder Snow was settled on the heels of the leaders and tracked the strong-travelling North America and Gronkowski into the home straight. As North America dropped away, it turned into a straight shootout between Thunder Snow and Gronkowski and while the latter did not go down without a fight, Thunder Snow claimed an historic victory by the narrowest of margins. “Last year I went to the lead and won by five or six lengths. Today I had to fight hard as when I came to the turn, the two horses in front were going better than me,” Soumillon said. “It was very hard and I was looking more like a Cheltenham jumps jockey than an American-style (flat) jockey in the end! “I want to say a big thank you to Saeed bin Suroor and also Sheikh Mohammed as they gave me confidence before the race. And thanks to Thunder Snow because without him I would not be able to do these kinds of things.” Bin Suroor said Soumillon was a big part of Thunder Snow’s success. “The Dubai World Cup has been extremely kind to me and to have the pleasure of training a horse like Thunder Snow is something that’s hard to describe,” he said. “I have always dreamed that he could win one World Cup, but to become the first horse to win two is something I am finding hard to believe. “Christophe needs to take a lot of the credit, as he has formed such a wonderful relationship with him. The two of them get on so well and from his stall on the outside (12), Christophe knew the only way he could win the race was to become competitive straight away.” Thunder Snow is by dual hemisphere stallion Helmet, a triple Group One winner in Australia. View the full article

You've NEVER picked anything BEFORE a race. I suggest you take up horoscope writing.

Superstar Japanese filly Almond Eye has maintained her unbeaten record in the Gr. 1 Dubai Turf at Meydan. The Sakae Kunieda-trained four-year-old was unbeaten in five previous starts in her homeland, including top-level triumphs in the Japanese 1000 Guineas and Japanese Oaks before beating the males in November’s Japan Cup. Making her first appearance on foreign soil overnight, Almond Eye was the 6-5 favourite under regular partner Christophe Lemaire and she lived up to the billing with a dominant display. Lemaire buried his mount midfield for much of the nine-furlong (1800m) contest before switching her wide rounding the home turn. While her rivals began to toil, Almond Eye was still full of running at the top of the straight under her ultra-confident rider, she quickly sealed the deal to score with plenty in hand. “I always had those in front of me covered and I knew we were going to win from quite a long way out,” Lemaire said. Almond Eye’s connections have already nominated the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp in October as a likely long-term target. View the full article

This season’s Melbourne Cup winner Cross Counter has made a winning return, beating Godolphin stablemate Ispolini in the Gr. 2 Dubai Gold Cup at Meydan overnight. Cross Counter became the first British-trained horse to win the Flemington showpiece last November, and despite having been off the track since, he was the 7-4 favourite for his Dubai debut in the hands of William Buick. The four-year-old travelled powerfully behind the pacesetters for much of the two miles (3200m) but had a fight on his hands when Ispolini came along the rail under Brett Doyle. The Charlie Appleby-trained pair settled down to fight it out and after a pulsating battle, it was Cross Counter who eventually came out on top by a length and a quarter. “Obviously there was a little bit of pressure bringing the winner of a Melbourne Cup back from a break, but I’ve been very happy with all my team and I always felt whatever Cross Counter did tonight, there would be more improvement to come into the season,” Appleby said. “I see no reason why the Ascot Gold Cup won’t be on his agenda and I’m also delighted with Ispolini, who is also improving.” View the full article

Viddora has fared best of three Australian horses in the Gr. 1 Al Quoz Sprint in Dubai overnight, finishing fourth behind Godolphin’s Blue Point. The Charlie Appleby-trained Blue Point had to be withdrawn at the start before the 1200-metre race last year, but set the record straight with what was ultimately an assured victory in the hands of William Buick. Following the disappointment of 12 months ago, the five-year-old went on to win the King’s Stand at Royal Ascot and lined up for this year’s Al Quoz after successive wins at Meydan. Blue Point was a little keen during the early stages and took a while to engage top gear once asked to go about his business. The 4-6 favourite eventually reeled in 66-1 shot Belvoir Bay and was well on top at the line. “He had to dig a little bit deeper tonight, but he did it,” Buick said. “When he stretches out, he eats up the ground.” Appleby said Blue Point would be given a break and be prepared for a defence of the King’s Stand. The Kris Lees-trained Brave Smash finished eighth while the Peter Gelagotis-trained Illustrious Lad was 12th of the 13 runners in the Al Quoz. Viddora’s trainer Lloyd Kennewell has indicated the mare will now head to Hong Kong for the Chairman’s Sprint and then Royal Ascot. View the full article

RACE 1: Visiting driver McKendry might drive a winner first up, SUPERFAST LAD really good at the Coast and capable of winning this in a weak lot. FEKITOA and APPEARANCE the threats. (14,11,7,10) RACE 2: Looks obvious foursome here, LOTTIE MOON and MORNINGSTAR GOLD matched with THUNDERFROMTHETHRONE and ALREADY GONE. Which one wins unsure, work […] Want to read this content? For free user content sign up here Free Online Content View our subscription options and get behind The Informant paywall Already a member? Login here View the full article

Invercargill Race Scratchings R1: R2: R3: R4: R5: R6: R7: R8: R9: Track conditions: Slow 9 Weather: Fine Rail: Out 4m 1700m – 220, True in the straight Track: Left hand 1800m Length of straight: 215m TAB Meeting # 6 with the first of 9 races starting at 12:15pm DBL 2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9 TRB 1-2-3, 4-5-6, 7-8-9 QAD 2-3-4-5, […] Want to read this content? For free user content sign up here Free Online Content View our subscription options and get behind The Informant paywall Already a member? Login here View the full article

Stewards handed down two suspensions, a fine and a warning for breaches of the whip rule at Ellerslie yesterday. Nik Bakar, who is reportedly bound for Singapore in the coming week, was fined $600 for excessive use of the whip on the runner-up Griffin in the third race. Two races later, Bakar admitted another breach of the same rule in his winning ride on Kingsguard in the $35,000 Electrolux Sprint. He was handed a six-day suspension from the completion of yesterday’s meeting up to and including April 10. In the same race, in-form jockey Donovan Mansour admitted a charge of excessive whip use on the fifth-placed Yearn. His six-day suspension begins at the end of next Saturday’s meeting and will run until April 14. Cameron Lammas was warned over his use of the whip on The Buzz in the seventh race on the card. Meanwhile, the Auckland Racing Club was questioned regarding the times provided for the last 600 metres of yesterday’s races. Course manager Jason Fulford will investigate the matter. View the full article

If yesterday’s Group One clean sweep wasn’t enough, James McDonald has put the icing on the cake to a brilliant afternoon with a well-judged Doncaster Prelude victory aboard tough gelding Mister Sea Wolf. McDonald earlier claimed the Vinery Stud Stakes aboard Verry Elleegant and added the Tancred Stakes on Avilius, a ride he picked up at the expense of Kerrin McEvoy who had a prior commitment to the unplaced Red Cardinal. “I’ll take that,” McDonald said. “Hopefully I’ll continue it. It’s only going to get harder from here on in.” McDonald just missed making it a four-timer when Zourkhan was narrowly beaten by his Chris Waller-trained stablemate Star Of The Seas in the final race. The only sour note to McDonald’s day was a six-day suspension and A$1000 fine incurred for over-using the whip on Star Kingdom Stakes third placegetter Ardrossan. He begins the suspension immediately and will not miss a Saturday meeting, returning in time to ride on Doncaster Mile day. Mister Sea Wolf was resuming off a summer carnival campaign in Perth and was specked from $11 into $8 before staving off the late challenge of stablemate Abdon by a head. It was a Waller trifecta with Tom Melbourne ($4.80) running third. “I went a little bit early, but he was good enough to get away with it,” McDonald said. “He’s improved since last prep. He’s come back with great enthusiasm and a good will to win.” The winner of the Doncaster Prelude earns an automatic start in next Saturday’s Group One mile, but Waller will resist the temptation to run Mister Sea Wolf and instead focus on the Brisbane winter carnival. The trainer believes the Doncaster would be too tough second-up and says races like the Hollindale Cup will be more to the horse’s liking. “Realistically, second-up after a heavy track run on a seven-day back-up is pretty hard,” Waller said. Stewards, meanwhile, have adjourned an inquiry into Blake Shinn’s ride on Spring Charlie in the final race until they can speak to the horse’s trainer Kim Waugh. View the full article

Love The Blues and trainer-driver Robin Swain get the best of The Great Buzz and Ellie Barron at Ascot Park on Sunday. Photo: Jonny Turner. Patience paid off when Love The Blues broke his maiden at Ascot Park on Saturday. The Robin Swain trained pacer scored his first victory as a late four-year-old when running down the leader, The Great Buzz, to win. Love The Blues was a $8000 purchase at the national yearling sales in 2016. Between the time he arrived at Swain’s stable and when he won on Saturday, the horse had tested Swain’s patience to nearly breaking point. “He has been a real handful right the way through.” “He has got the ability there but it has been a job trying to get him to show it.” “He had raced in some good fields so, he deserved a win.” Love The Blues’ win was an all Eastern Southland affair. The Auckland Reactor gelding gave his owners Trevor and Dawn McPherson their first victory as owners. “I have always been interested,” Trevor McPherson said. “I sold my farm to Kenny Baynes about five years ago and I thought if I don’t get a horse now I never will.” “We have been friends with Robin for quite a few years.” It is not just Love The Blues’ quirky temperament that has forced his owners and trainer to be patient with him. “He is very hard to put condition on, that is why we are racing him every two weeks and it seems to be working.” A different kind of patience paid off when Triple VC headed a Murray Brown trained quinella on Saturday. The five-year-old scored a deserved win when winning by two-lengths over his stablemate, Dallas Grimes. Brown said Triple VC had run in to plenty of bad luck recently. “He deserved that, he had run in to all sorts of bad luck lately.” Please Shuddup wins the feature pace at Ascot Park on Saturday. Photo: Jonny Turner. Brown doubled up when Please Shuddup won Saturday’s feature pace. After being caught parked early in the race, driver Brad Williamson pressed the horse on to the lead at the 1500m and the four-year-old could not be caught. Please Shuddup has the Southern Country Cups Final at Ascot Park in his sights, next month. A late driver change saw Williamson get behind the pacer after flight delays meant Sheree Tomlinson could not attend Saturday’s meeting. Tomlinson, John Morrison and Nathan Williamson were stranded in Christchurch because flights could not land in Invercargill. The situation gave two young Southland horsemen the opportunity to start their careers in the sulky. Trials drivers, James Forbes and Tristan Larsen, were granted temporary junior drivers licences to fill in for Tomlinson and Morrison in Saturday’s junior drivers event. Forbes registered his first placing when he finished third with Our Foxy Lady. Larsen was behind Spurred By Success, who faded in to sixth placing. Triple VC scored a deserved win at Ascot Park for driver Brent Barclay. Photo: Jonny Turner. View the full article

Avilius has completed Sydney’s weight-for-age middle-distance double in style with a facile win in the Tancred Stakes at Rosehill today, a week after his victory in the Ranvet. Stepping up from 2000 to 2400 metres within seven days held no fears for Godolphin trainer James Cummings, with Avilius doing too well during the week not to run. In an effort his trainer described as imperious, the odds-on favourite surged forward rounding the turn in a race where the lead was disputed by default with no jockey committed to the forward position. Avilius’ two-and-a-quarter-length victory over Big Duke gave his rider James McDonald a Group One double after his win on an equally impressive Verry Elleegant in the Vinery Stud Stakes. Cummings said he was as confident as he could be heading to the A$1.5 million race. “As careful as a trainer has to be about being arrogant coming into a big race meeting, his effort today was imperious,” Cummings said. “He’s a serious horse and fully fit. “His last two starts he’s proven his weight-for-age capabilities. He’s had a $1.5 million canter around Rosehill. “Regardless of the great week he’s had, I looked at the horse this morning and I just felt like he was stronger, he was better than last week and it was going to take horrible bias or some sort of tragedy to happen to pull him up.” None of those things happened with Avilius ($1.60) oblivious to the chopping and changing up front and running his own race. Big Duke ($12) and New Zealand mare Rondinella ($20), who ran third, both firmed for the Sydney Cup (3200m) in two weeks, as did Red Cardinal who ran seventh in the Tancred. Avilius has now proven himself at weight-for-age, with the imminent retirement of Winx opening up the ranks. “This race has toughened him up for even greater weight-for-age targets later on,” Cummings said as he all but ruled out a tilt at Winx in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes. McDonald was having his first ride on Avilius, a Listed winner in France and successful in three starts in Melbourne and five in Sydney where he is unbeaten. “I shouldn’t get paid for that one I don’t reckon,” he said. “I know what all the fuss is about with him now. What a super horse, push-button. He’s a pleasure to ride.” Rondinella is co-trained by Roger James, who prepared the last horse to claim the Ranvet-Tancred double before Avilius, Silent Achiever in 2014. He was pleased with his charge’s effort on a wet surface not to her liking. “I was confident she’d run a big race, but when the rain came this morning that really flattened me,” he said. “I think she’s done it in spite of the conditions.” Red Cardinal and Yogi were among the unplaced brigade today but pleased their riders from a Sydney Cup viewpoint. Kerrin McEvoy said Red Cardinal was not comfortable on the ground while Craig Williams said Yogi would appreciate a return to a handicap. View the full article

Chris Waller was quick to quash any thought of Verry Elleegant backing up against the males in the Australian Derby after the New Zealand filly gave him his first Gr. 1 Vinery Stud Stakes win at Rosehill today. Starting the well-backed $2.05 favourite, Verry Elleegant was allowed to find her feet early and, significantly, she settled well for jockey James McDonald before storming down the outside for a dominant length-and-three-quarter win over the fast-finishing Frankely Awesome ($26). Waller confirmed Verry Elleegant would press on to the Australian Oaks in two weeks and said he would not entertain an Australian Derby start. “No. I don’t think she likes the seven-day back-up, hence the reason why she didn’t run in the Australian Guineas,” Waller said. “The Oaks will do.” Waller inherited the former New Zealand-bred and part-owned filly this campaign following the disqualification of Darren Weir, and he was happy to see her produce her best after tinkering with her gear. Verry Elleegant has an unusually high head carriage and has at times brought herself undone by over-racing. She still wasn’t perfect in scoring a last-start Phar Lap Stakes win, so Waller removed her nose roll and added ear muffs to her racing gear and it paid dividends. “She’s very smart, she obviously just needed a bit of working out,” Waller said. “Having the confidence to take gear off and put extra gear on is easy when you’re training winners.” Very Elleegant was the first of two Group One winners for McDonald, who also claimed the Tancred Stakes on Godolphin’s Avilius. The jockey had no doubt the gear changes made a difference to Verry Elleegant but felt the addition of blinkers could take her to another level again. “It was a masterstroke putting the ear muffs on, incredible,” McDonald said. “I could have had her anywhere, she relaxed so well. But she might need blinkers now. She hits the front and goes left, right – she thinks the job is done.” While Verry Elleegant won’t go to the Derby, trainer Kris Lees hasn’t ruled out tackling the race with Frankely Awesome but will make a final decision when he returns from Dubai early in the week. View the full article

Siren’s Fury has come from behind to take out the Star Kingdom Stakes in a photo finish. The five-year-old mare faced a depleted but speedy field in the 1200 metres race at Rosehill today, overtaking Manuel at the final moment to win. “Mid-race when she wasn’t really travelling that strong, she was sort of only just keeping in contact (and) I guess the positive thoughts were slowly going away, but she’s always strong late and it was good to see her charging at the line,” trainer Jason Coyle said. “Tim (Clark, jockey) said before the race a lot of these races were very much tempo-related, so if the tempo was on here she was going to be the horse to run over the top of them.” Coyle was hopeful the mare could go up another level on the heels of her success. “Obviously the plan is to go up to a mile but we might just sort of back off her now and go to Hawkesbury and Scone.” Coming off the gutsy ride, Clark said the outcome came back to the speed of the race. “She was off the bridle a long way from home, she was always going to be strong late with that 1400 under her belt and that was the key,” he said. “Big finish on her, got conditions that suit, speed on – had to come back to the speed they were going.” The Stephen Marsh-trained Ardrossan raced close to the strong pace and stuck on gamely for third. “He’s a really nice horse,” jockey James McDonald said. “He will improve a lot off that. Get him on a decent surface.” Last year’s Golden Slipper winner Estijaab led but fell back to finish last with jockey Brenton Avdulla telling stewards she struggled on the heavy track. View the full article

Two years on from a tendon injury that almost ended his career, Jacksstar scored a special home-track victory in today’s Gr. 2 City Of Palmerston North Awapuni Gold Cup. The Gary Vile-trained gelding suffered the injury in the closing stages of the 2017 Auckland Cup, in which he finished a gallant third. He had previously won the Gr. 3 Manawatu Cup and placed in the Wellington Cup and Marton Cup. With a huge amount of time and effort, Vile and his team nursed Jacksstar back to health and brought him back to racing in November. He has shown plenty of promise in his comeback campaign, headed by a strong-finishing sixth in the Manawatu Cup, third in the Marton Cup and fifth in the Avondale Cup, but has been thwarted by further setbacks. “He pulled a shoe and pulled up sore when he was unplaced in the Wellington Cup, and then he had a bit of a knee complaint after his terrific run in the Avondale Cup,” Vile said. “It’s been a great effort by my vets and staff to get him here today.” Jacksstar was back at the peak of his powers today. After sitting in midfield behind a keenly contested early pace, he surged into contention in the straight and fought off the quality galloper Sampson by a short neck. Outstanding veteran Authentic Paddy was another three-quarters of a length away in third. “To get this horse back from where he was two years ago, and to do this, it’s unbelievable,” Vile said. “This is as good as it comes. I’m rapt – I really am. “He’s a hard horse to train, but he’s one of the better ones. His work had been good leading into this, although Rock On’s had been better. But he’s just a true-blue stayer and loves a good track, and he got that today. “He’ll carry on to the Hawke’s Bay Cup (April 13) and that’ll be it for him this season.” Jacksstar completed a home-track Cup double for the season, having won the Gr. 3 Manawatu Cup in December with Rock On. That son of Road To Rock finished a close fifth in today’s race. View the full article