Chief Stipe

Trainer Tony McEvoy will give Sunlight another look at The Valley before the filly runs in the William Reid Stakes. Sunlight is one of five potential runners in Friday night’s Group One sprint who will work at the track tomorrow morning. The Peter Gelagotis-trained Malaguerra, the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained pair Bons Away and Voodoo Lad and Embrace Me from the Danny O’Brien stable are also scheduled to work. A last-start winner of the Newmarket Handicap when she led all the way at Flemington on March 9, Sunlight has had one previous start at The Valley when an unlucky seventh in the Manikato Stakes last October. She came out eight days later to win the Coolmore Stud Stakes at Flemington on the opening day of the Melbourne Cup carnival. McEvoy’s Melbourne foreman Michael Shepherdson said the morning gallop was to get Sunlight reacquainted with the track. Shepherdson blamed the lights for her slow beginning in the Manikato Stakes and is hoping for a cleaner start on Friday night. “She doesn’t have too many chinks in her armour and that’s the only question mark on her, she’s got to jump under the lights again,” Shepherdson said. “She made a mistake at the start and was a little further back than anticipated, then she had traffic issues. “She probably has to jump a bit cleaner and she’ll make her own luck if she jumps clean.” Sunlight is Sydney bound for the Gr. 1 TJ Smith Stakes during The Championships at Randwick and Shepherdson said Friday night’s race fitted her programme. “She’s come out of the Newmarket in top shape,” Shepherdson added. “She’s probably at the stage of the prep now where she needs to run nearly every fortnight to keep the fitness up to her. “She’s such a really good doing filly, very sound and happy and thriving on her racing. She’s like a colt, with a great appetite and how she copes with the pressures of Group One racing.” View the full article

Merv Bryers was back in the winner’s circle with Monaro Maro at Motukarara on Sunday. Photo: Race Images. Blenheim’s Merv Bryers has driven a few winners over the years. The thing is though, before Sunday’s success with Monaro Maro at Motukarara, one has to go back to the spring of 1992 for his previous win with Jolter in Auckland. Bryers drove three winners around that time, but prior to that, one has to go back another 20-odd years to when he had five wins as a junior driver. “I was driving against the likes of Maurice Holmes and Wolfie (Peter Wolfenden) in the early 70s, but after I went to America they made me an open horseman and things got too tough so I got right out of the game for many years,” Bryers said. “But, then the kids flew the nest and I moved to Blenheim three years ago – I got a new wife and I started helping out Brent Weaver.” Trainer Graham Neill wasn’t far away either and one day he asked Bryers to drive Monaro Mia at the trials and also in a few races at the start of her career last season. “Maurice Wharton had bred her and the next thing I know he’s giving me Monaro Maro and a half share in a yearling colt which is a brother to her.” Merv Bryers was back in the winner’s circle at Motukarara on Sunday. Photo: Race Images. Manaro Mia and Monaro Maro along with that Superfast Stuart yearling brother in Monaro Mako are foals from Monaro Miss, a good mare for Wharton with seven wins and numerous placings under trainer Neill. Monaro Mia was her third foal and would go on to win last year’s Northern and Waikato Trotting Oaks while being second at the Jewels to Winterfell before a sale to Australia, where she won a G2 race at Albion Park in December. Monaro Maro began racing as a two-year-old at Bryers’ local Marlborough meeting last winter before reappearing in the spring. She was mostly over-racing and getting things wrong before getting things right and winning for driver John Dunn on the second day of the Westport meeting at Christmas, which gave the 66-year-old Bryers his very first training success. Monaro Maro then reverted to getting things wrong again in a few races when driven by Dunn and Tim Williams, but Bryers took to driving her again at the Coast meetings earlier this month. At Westport she went for a gallop late in the piece, but at Reefton when the rank outsider bar one, she was a certainty beaten, storming home late after being last at the 400m to be beaten a nose and a head. Monaro Maro and Bryers confirmed that performance when simply outclassing their rivals at Motukarara however. Bryers was happy to move from three fence to race in the open down the back and Monaro Mia put the leader in nine-time winner Soney Beatt away passing the 600m. They were never in danger from that point and only four-race winner B K Dawn was able to make up any ground, although she was still three lengths in arrears with over five lengths to the rest. It was a timely success as well as the win will ensure Monaro Maro of a start in Friday night’s G2 $50,000 NZ Trotting Oaks at Addington, where she won’t be without a chance for Bryers and his co-owner in partner Paulette O’Sullivan. Monaro Mia was third in the event last year behind Luby Lou and Girls On Film. Monaro Maro’s career is clearly on the upswing, but the career of Corena Lea came to an end of a winning note half an hour later when she took out the Waihora Rugby Club Pace for fillies and mares for breeder-owner-trainer Grant McStay and driver Gavin Smith. It was just the second win in 58 races for the six-year-old daughter of Changeover, the half-sister to Seel The Deal having gone in foal three months ago. View the full article

Speed machine Bolt From The Blue returned to his front-running best when showing his three-year-old rivals a clean pair of heels at Tauranga yesterday. The Tony Pike-trained galloper had indicated his readiness to resume from a four-month break with a hollow 1000-metre trial win at Avondale in late February. Successful on debut over 1000 metres at Taupo back in September, the Rip Van Winkle gelding was then narrowly defeated over 1200 at Tauranga at his second start by subsequent stakes winner Spirits Aubeer. A disappointing run at Rotorua saw him put aside before resuming yesterday, when he was sent out a warm favourite for the All Frocked Up Girls 1200. Rider Vinnie Colgan hunted him to the lead and he had his six rivals in trouble a long way from home. Colgan let the brakes go early in the run home and the stylish chestnut dashed away to win untouched by five and a half lengths. “He likes to run that way and the track on the dead side suited him,” Colgan said. “He did trial nicely at Avondale a couple of weeks back, so the writing was on the wall. “He had a real good kick at the 400, although he’s still a little big in condition, so he will improve with the race.” Pike stable representative Chris McNab said they had been expecting a good performance based on the improvement the horse had made during his summer break. “He’s come back way better and way stronger this time,” McNab said. Bolt From The Blue is owned by a large syndicate that includes the estate of the late Peter Mitchell and carries the colours made famous by the champion galloper Bonecrusher. From Flying Spur mare Miss Ottey, he was a $50,000 purchase from the Windsor Park Stud draft at the 2017 National Yearling Sale and hails from the family that includes two Gr. 1 Golden Slipper winners in Capitalist and Merlene. View the full article

Exciting two-year-old Probabeel remains on target for the Gr. 1 Sires’ Produce Stakes at Randwick next month following her commendable sixth in her Australian debut yesterday. The Savabeel filly was all at sea in the heavy conditions in the Gr. 3 Magic Night Stakes at Rosehill before putting in a solid finish from near last. Trainer Jamie Richards is confident the Savabeel filly will take plenty of benefit from the run, her first since winning the Karaka Million 2YO at Ellerslie in late January. “The track at Rosehill was very deep and testing and she didn’t handle it all that well,” he said. “She dipped and dived a fair bit and had to make a long, sustained run to get near them, which is never easy at that track. “I thought she kept coming nicely and I know she will be better for the run. I guess when you see a six in her formline it doesn’t look that great, but given the circumstances I think it was a satisfactory effort. “She has come through the run nicely, so it is all go for the Sires’ Produce in three weeks.” View the full article

Two wins apiece in earlier races in the NZB Filly of the Year series were enough for Imelda Mary and Queen Of Diamonds to retain their joint lead at the top of the table despite being unplaced in the Al Basti Equiworld New Zealand Oaks. The pair of classy fillies were tied on 18 points ahead of yesterday’s series-closing classic, leaving it to Awapuni filly Sentimental Miss to take the maximum points of 12 to go with the four she earned when second in the Sir Tristram Fillies’ Classic. In an unusually close contest for the sought-after trophy, her 16 points were a two-point margin over Pinmedown (14), followed in turn by Media Sensation on 12 and Secret Allure 10, each of whom also claimed one win in the series. View the full article

Manawatu jockey Rosie Myers faces nearly a month on the sideline as a result of the incident that unseated Sam O’Malley in the first race at Trentham yesterday. Myers pleaded guilty to careless riding on Sweepstake after an inward movement in the back straight caused the O’Malley-ridden Strolling Vagabond to clip heels and almost fall. O’Malley escaped injury, however Myers paid a high price, being suspended for 18 riding days from the close of racing today up to and including April 12. View the full article

Winx has tuned up for her penultimate start in the George Ryder Stakes with an exhibition gallop at Rosehill and trainer Chris Waller says she is ready to rumble. With regular jockey Hugh Bowman at Flemington for the All-Star Mile meeting, Kerrin McEvoy warmed the saddle on Winx as she sailed through the heavy conditions to clock 36.98 seconds for her final 600 metres. Waller described it as “perfect” work and said the raceday exercise was an important part of her conditioning programme. “We’ve always done it when she’s had three weeks between runs, we bring her here today for an exhibition gallop,” Waller said. “It just seems to fit in well, it brings her back down to earth. “And that’s Winx, she’s just ready to explode. It makes my job a lot easier.” McEvoy was rapt to have another sit aboard Winx, who will chase her 36th career win in the George Ryder, her final race at her home track of Rosehill. “It was good to get a sit on her again, she’s in good order,” McEvoy said. “She zipped around there in good style and it was pleasing to see her get through the work. “She’s got wet track form and she skipped across it like it was nice ground for her.” Waller could start two stablemates against Winx in the 1500-metre George Ryder Stakes next Saturday, Sandown Guineas winner Ringerdingding and Australian Cup runner-up Shillelagh. Winx is scheduled to have her final start in the A$4 million Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Randwick on April 13. View the full article

Godolphin trainer James Cummings has praised the efforts of his two placegetters in the inaugural running of the All-Star Mile at Flemington. Hartnell led home his more highly fancied stablemate Alizee in finishing second and third behind Mystic Journey in the A$5 million race. Only a nose separated the two Godolphin runners at the end of yesterday’s race, finishing a length and a quarter behind Mystic Journey. “They were set for the big race and they ran slashing placings, the pair of them,” Cummings said. “Hartnell savaged the line. “He was following a couple of capable horses at the top of the straight but had to switch inside and unfortunately he didn’t get the momentum when he wanted it. “Alizee, she ran terrific. I think that is probably right up there with her best runs but we’ve bumped into the best Tasmanian filly for 100 years.” Cummings said the All-Star Mile concept would continue to grow. “Look at first to sixth, it’s a serious race. If you got that result in the Doncaster you’d be saying it’s one of the best Doncasters of all time.” Cummings said Hartnell would return to Sydney to continue his preparation during the autumn carnival while he’ll need to consider Alizee’s immediate future. “Hartnell will enjoy going to the Doncaster in three weeks,” Cummings said. “Alizee I’m not sure. I’m wary of her on heavy tracks.” View the full article

Victorian Fifty Stars has given Jye McNeil his first Sydney winner and confirmed Doncaster Mile credentials with a last-gasp victory in the Gr. 2 Ajax Stakes at Rosehill. Tom Dabernig, who trains Fifty Stars in partnership with David and Ben Hayes, admitted he was concerned the $2.90 favourite might have too much to do when Mask Of Time and Dyslexic kicked clear at the top of the straight. But the promising four-year-old dug deep for McNeil and arrived in the nick of time to beat a courageous Mask Of Time ($14) by a neck, with Dyslexic ($6.50) another short neck away. “I must admit, at about the hundred metre mark he looked like he was labouring a little bit but he just needed to balance up and then he hit the line,” Dabernig said. “He’s a colt and he’s building a good record now, so we’ll probably head towards the Doncaster. We’ll see how he pulls up but at this stage it would be the logical plan. “I thought today he was there to be beaten and he won the race so it was a good effort.” The Victorian-based McNeil was thrilled to put a run on the board in Sydney and made no secret of the fact he would be keen to stick with Fifty Stars in the A$3 million Doncaster Mile at Randwick in three weeks. “My first winner in Sydney and no better way to do it,” McNeil said. “I think he stays in Sydney and goes on a Doncaster path with a light weight, and off that he has to be in the mix as a good lightweight chance. “I can ride the weight so I will definitely be putting my hand up.” While the Doncaster is shaping as the immediate aim for Fifty Stars, Dabernig says the stable hasn’t ruled out taking the four-year-old deeper into the carnival. If he can hold his form, a clash with Winx in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes is a possibility. View the full article

Ballarat resident Damien Murnane has never considered himself a big punter but he has landed the biggest win of his life at Flemington. Murnane pocketed A$250,000 courtesy of Mystic Journey’s victory in the A$5 million All-Star Mile at Flemington. The 59-year-old was one of 14 owner ambassadors chosen to represent each horse in yesterday’s inaugural running of the All-Star Mile. The public was given the chance to vote for their favourite horse, with the highest 10 gaining a start along with four wild card entries. Murnane voted for Moss ‘N’ Dale but with Mystic Journey gaining a berth into the race following her Australian Guineas win on March 2, voters were given a second chance. A change of lifestyle will see Murnane contemplate an early retirement. “I was a lab technician in the plastics industry for 20-odd years and I start a new job on Monday, a traffic controller, something completely different until I retire,” Murnane said. “I was meant to start last Tuesday but with the week leading up to the race they said I could start on Monday.” Murnane was always confident Mystic Journey would be hard to beat. “They said she loves travelling on the outside and she just cruised along,” he said. “She got in a lovely spot. It’s so exciting.” View the full article

BEST BET: RACE 10: OMAR SHARIF $5 Fixed odds Win BEST EACH WAY: RACE 2 #6 LORD SANTANNA $7 and $2.40 Fixed odds STAR TRIALIST: RACE […] 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

RACE 1: Many chances in this maiden trot, FEKITOA (4) went a good race 2 back on the grass, he is worth a risk at $17 and $5 on Fixed odds. RACE 2: LORD SANTANNA (6) freshened and now on the beach with the Hope’s, expect a form turn around, worth an interest at $7 […] 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

Race 2: Best bet DRATINI (Fixed odds $3.60) is much better than his fresh up effort suggests, he needed that run badly and over reacted badly when taken back from the start, he is looking for a confidence builder here, a form reversal can be expected. WINGS has needed both his runs back since returning […] 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

Woodville Race Scratchings R1: R2: R3: R4: R5: 1 R6: R7: 10 R8: TAB Meeting #6 with the first of 8 races starting at 12.35pm Doubles: 1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8 Trebles: 2-3-4, 6-7-8 Quaddies: 1-2-3-4, 5-6-7-8 Track conditions: Good 2 Weather: Overcast Rail: True Track: Left hand 1800m Length of straight: 375m Todays $50 Betting Strategy Race 2: #3 […] 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

Tasmanian filly Mystic Journey has beaten the might of global powerhouse Godolphin to win the inaugural A$5 million All-Star Mile in Melbourne. Bought for just A$11,000 as a yearling, Mystic Journey is taking her connections on the ride of a lifetime. The Adam Trinder-trained and Wayne Roser-owned three-year-old added today’s feature at Flemington two weeks after becoming the first Tasmanian-trained horse in the modern era to win a Group One race in the Australian Guineas at the same track. Ridden by her regular jockey Anthony Darmanin, Mystic Journey, the $3.60 favourite, defied a three-wide run to storm down the outside to win by a length and a quarter. The James Cummings-trained Godolphin-owned star Hartnell ($13) was second with his stablemate Alizee ($4.20) another nose away third after bursting through halfway down the straight to looking the winner. Group One winners Le Romain and Grunt filled the top five in the field of 14, which was made up of horses voted in by the public and also a selection of four wildcards of which Mystic Journey was one. “Every time we race her she raises the bar and goes to another level and we just witnessed that again today,” Trinder said. “It was a fantastic galloping performance. “I don’t know where the bottom of her is to be honest. She’s only a young filly and she’s on an upward spiral. “It’s very special. She was the first Tasmanian-trained Group One winner and she’s now won the richest mile race in the world.” Her All-Star Mile victory and the A$2.25 million first prize took her career earnings to A$3.26 million with 10 wins from 13 starts. Trinder will now spell the winner of her past six starts and target the Cox Plate this spring. The Cox Plate has been won the past four years by undisputed champion Winx, who is expected to be retired after the Sydney autumn carnival. “We’ll protect her and look after her and she might be able to take over the mantle of Winx,” Trinder said. An elated Darmanin said he was happy to be three-wide with galloping room to give Mystic Journey the opportunity to show her acceleration in the straight. And the filly was up to the task. “It’s just amazing. I just can’t describe it,” he said. “Her turn of foot again is just unbelievable. “She’s taken me on a journey I’ve never been on before. It’s unbelievable.” Hartnell’s jockey William Buick felt the eight-year-old was possibly unlucky not to get clear galloping room when he wanted but he hit the line with gusto. “It was a great run from a very courageous horse,” Buick said. View the full article

Sagwitch and driver Mark Hurrell beat Santanna’s Rocket and Brent Barclay to give trainer Syd Breen the quinella in the Wyndham Cup on Saturday. Photo: JONNY TURNER. Sagwitch helped continue trainer Syd Breen’s brilliant season and booked himself a trip to Alexandra Park when winning the Wyndham Cup on Saturday. The five-year-old produced a sweeping finish from last at the 800m to run past his stablemate Santanna’s Rocket and hand Breen the quinella in the 3200m feature. Breen, who is enjoying his best season as a trainer, was still coming to terms with what his pacers had produced in the moments after the race. “I got a bit choked up there before, just looking at some of the horses’ names on the trophy.” “It was unreal, it was unbelievable.” “It has got to be the top of the list, especially the Wyndham Cup.” After showing patchy form last season and at the beginning of this season, Sagwitch has hit his peak recently. Breen puts that down to the horse maturing and being a happy and healthy animal. “It has been a long slow road with him.” “He is just so happy, just a bit of maturity has really helped him.” “He is copping the racing now and he is copping distances now.” “This is a horse that a mile and a half (2400m) was as far as he could go and he has just gone out and run four minutes over two miles (3200m).” Sagwitch stopped the clock in 4.00.9 for driver Mark Hurrell. Trainer Syd Breen receives the Wyndham Cup from Wyndham Harness Racing Club officials. Photo: JONNY TURNER. Breen said he went in to Saturday’s feature with confidence after Sagwitch worked sensationally leading in to the race. “His work on Tuesday was amazing, horses just don’t work that good.” “And then Santanna’s Rocket went out and worked just about as good.” Sagwitch’s victory means he has the Southern Country Cup series sewn up, barring a major surprise. Breen has a long-range goal in mind for Sagwitch, that will see him follow in his big brother’s footsteps. Sagwitch’s half-brother, Washakie, raced in five Inter Dominion series from 2009-2013. Breen hopes to have his horse at this year’s series in Auckland. He planned see how the pacer would handle a trip north, and racing right-handed, with a winter campaign at Alexandra Park. The details of that trip would be finalised as the horse approached the Southern Country Cups Final at Ascot Park, next month. Saturday’s group 3 Kindergarten Stakes also produced a stable quinella. Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen trained pacer Flying Even Bettor ran down his stablemate, Copperfield, to take out the 1609m feature. Flying Even Bettor scored by a length and a quarter after receiving a perfect sit in the one-one from driver Blair Orange. Cassius Bromac produced an impressive debut effort to run third behind the All Stars pair. Flying Even Bettor and driver Blair Orange win the Kindergarten Stakes from Copperfield and Tim Williams. Photo: JONNY TURNER View the full article

Ron Quinton has a Cox Plate and four Golden Slippers among the trophies he collected as a jockey but none mean more than his fourth Coolmore Classic as a trainer. After withdrawing last year’s Coolmore winner Daysee Doom because of her wide barrier and a heavy Rosehill track today, Quinton relied on Dixie Blossoms to uphold the stable honour. And she did it with aplomb as Christian Reith steered her to a two-length win over El Dorado Dreaming with Princess Posh another lengty and a quarter third. “This is my proudest day on a racecourse,” Quinton said. “To win a Group One with my favourite horse is just unbelievable. “She’s been knocking on the door for a couple of years and she is such a doll. “She is one of the kindest horses you could ever have anything to do with and you could let her out on the street and she would find her way home. “I’ve just been dying for Dixie to win that Group One and she was like the Dixie of old.” Dixie Blossoms and Daysee Doom are both six years old and both will go to stud in the spring. They have been the mainstays of Quinton’s small stable at Randwick over the past few years and he admits he will miss them. “Daysee has her quirks but they are both so talented,” he said. “Maybe I can talk Alan (Osburg) into keeping Dixie going but I don’t think so.” Although Dixie Blossoms started at $21, her win was a popular one with rival trainers wearing a path to Quinton to congratulate him. Things fell into place for Reith, who originally planned to ride at Gosford today at the meeting featuring a heat of the provincial championship. That meeting was called off before a race had been run because of rain. “I was supposed to be going to Gosford today but thankfully a few owners allowed me to get off their horses to ride this mare and I couldn’t be happier,” Reith said. “She’s such a beautiful mare and just to be part of her career has been an absolute pleasure. “She deserves a Group One for the consistency that she has had. I couldn’t be prouder, not only to win it for Ron and the owners but also for the mare. “She was never going to get beaten I just had to pick the right way to go through and it all unfolded.” Both Daysee Doom and Dixie Blossoms are likely to head to the Gr. 2 Emancipation Stakes, a race named for the winner of the second of Quinton’s two Coolmore Classic wins as a jockey in 1984 with Miss Personality in 1973 the first. As a trainer he won his first in 2012 with Ofcourseican followed by Peeping in 2016 and Daysee Doom and Dixie Blossoms. View the full article

Fizzy filly Verry Elleegant has taken the next step to classic success with victory in the Gr. 2 Phar Lap Stakes at Rosehill, winning in spite of herself. The three-year-old dominated the finish of today’s 1500-metre race, leaving Group One winners Seabrook and Aristia in her wake. Verry Elleegant’s trainer Chris Waller fitted a nose roll to the filly but admitted that might not have worked while jockey James McDonald described her as awkward. Awkward or not, she is certainly talented, putting three and a half lengths on Champagne Stakes winner Seabrook with VRC Oaks winner another length and three-quarters away. The win came at her second start for Waller, who inherited the filly from the Darren Weir stable after she went to the now disqualified trainer as a dual winner in New Zealand. Waller said the Gr. 1 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) in two weeks would be the next step. “How far she gets this prep I’m not sure, but obviously we will go a bit higher,” Waller said. “There’s certainly room for improvement but she has got a lot of class. “The Vinery seems logical. She had a minor setback after her first-up run which was well documented so I guess she was a little bit fresh. “Certainly she has got the ability there. “She does race keenly and it’s not something you can change quickly,. “We’ve got a nose roll on, but it’s not helping so maybe we will take it off. “We won’t worry about it today. We’ll just enjoy the win.” McDonald said he thought a race run at a fast pace would suit the filly who had to contend with a heavy track on Saturday. “She needs to relax better. It’s hard to explain – she’s awkward rather than being fierce. “She just doesn’t give herself a rest. I think she just wants to go a bit quicker. Give her a fast-run race and you’d see something.” Michael Walker and Damian Lane who rode the respective placegetters said both were pleasing as they head to the Vinery and the Australian Oaks. View the full article

Cosmic Force was a dominant winner of the Pago Pago Stakes. Godolphin could have half the field in next week’s Golden Slipper after Kiamichi added her name to their bulging roster with an on-pace victory in the Magic Night Stakes at Rosehill today. Peter and Paul Snowden also strengthened their hand for the A$3.5 million race with Cosmic Force demolishing a smart field in the Pago Pago Stakes to secure the final place, joining stablemates Anaheed and Catch Me in the two-year-old feature. Between them, Godolphin and the Snowdens could have up to 11 of the 16 Golden Slipper runners. Peter Snowden has no doubt Cosmic Force won’t be out of place in the elite field after his seven-length win at Rosehill. “If the track is like this next weekend, he comes right into the race,” Snowden said.”If anything, today just settles him a bit better for next week. The quick back-up won’t worry him, he’s a great doer.” Godolphin’s Darren Beadman couldn’t wipe the smile from his face after Kiamichi joined stablemates Tenley, Microphone, Pin Sec and Exhilarates as certain Slipper starters. They have the option to pay a late entry fee for Athiri while the Anthony Freedman-trained Blue Diamond Stakes winner Lyre is also part of the Royal Blue army. Beadman said they were in a privileged position heading into next Saturday’s A$3.5 million race. “It’s just a dream to have so many nice colts and lovely fillies to be presented on Golden Slipper day,” Beadman said. Kiamichi was sent out a $21 at Rosehill but Beadman is adamant she won’t be out of place in the Slipper. The filly took up a position on the speed and sustained her run right to the line to win the Magic Night convincingly by a length and a quarter over the fast-finishing Crystal Falls with Athiri a nose away. “It was a very, very positive win the way she did it both ends,” Beadman said. “She ticked another box, she can handle the ground so, look, it’s a wonderful position to be in to have the selection of horses that we’ve got in the Slipper.” Star New Zealand filly Probabeel was last at the top of the straight but ran on well for sixth, which bodes well for upcoming assignments over longer distances. View the full article

After running third in the 2000 Guineas with Sir Nate, fourth in the 1000 Guineas with Secret Allure and third in the New Zealand Derby with Platinum Invador, Awapuni trainer Lisa Latta saved the best for last in today’s Gr. 1 Al Basti Equiworld New Zealand Oaks at Trentham. In Sentimental Miss, Latta had long believed she might have one of the strongest staying three-year-old fillies in New Zealand. The daughter of Reliable Man proved that point this afternoon with a relentless performance in the $400,000 fillies’ classic. Starting as a $21.10 outsider, Sentimental Miss was perfectly positioned by jockey Lisa Allpress, three back on the fence behind a suicidal early pace. By the end of the race the front-runners, Dare To Compare and Pullyoursocksup, were last and second-last and a long margin behind the rest. As the frenetic tempo began to take its toll on those ahead of her, Sentimental Miss surged through a big gap that opened approaching the home turn. She was quickly joined by the previously unbeaten Beyond The Fort, who followed her through that opening, while the $79 outsider Star Karen chimed in with a big performance out wide on the track. But all of the stamina and quality that Latta had seen in Sentimental Miss shone through in the last 200 metres and she edged clear of the other pair, scoring by a length and a quarter. It was vindication for Latta. While Sentimental Miss had shown promise in the season with a maiden win at Otaki and a close third in the Gr. 3 Wellington Stakes behind subsequent Derby winner Crown Prosecutor and a second in the Gr. 2 Sir Tristram Fillies’ Classic, she was going into today’s Oaks on the back of a dull ninth in the Gr. 2 Lowland Stakes two weeks ago. Latta put blinkers on for today’s grand final. “It’s a fantastic result,” Latta said. “We walked away from the Lowland thinking, ‘Should we press on to the Oaks?’ “We decided to try putting blinkers on today, and it’s made a huge difference. When she came through on the inside around the turn, I thought she was going well and she could run third or fourth and it would be a great performance. But she kept finding. She’s bred to stay and it was a fantastic performance today.” Sentimental Miss was a $40,000 yearling purchase at Karaka by syndicators Go Racing, who have now won a classic for the second season in a row, following Hasahalo in the New Zealand 1000 Guineas. “Group Ones are the ultimate, the top level, this is what we do it for,” manager Albert Bosma said. “This was actually the last horse we syndicated last year, it took us ages to get her fully syndicated. This is a great result for a wonderful group of owners.” With two wins and four placings from her 11 starts, Sentimental Miss has earned more than $273,000 in prize-money. Latta has not yet decided whether the grey will push on towards the Australian Oaks in Sydney on April 13. “We’ll get through today first,” she said. Sentimental Miss became Latta’s second Oaks winner, joining Wharite Princess back in 2004. This was a sixth Group One win for Allpress, and especially satisfying after spending a significant amount of time on the sidelines with injury in recent seasons. “We had a lovely run,” the premiership leader said. “The Baker-Forsman horses (Queen Of Diamonds and Rubira) dragged me into it nearing the corner, but they seemed to be under the bat a little bit. I wanted to be patient, but that patience went out the window at the top of the straight!” Sentimental Miss became the first Group One winner for Reliable Man, who shuttles to Westbury Stud. Beyond The Fort finished a gallant second, continuing a great week for Waverley trainer Bill Thurlow. He won last Saturday’s Auckland Cup with Glory Days, whose half-sister Nerve Not Verve was a close fourth in today’s Oaks, just behind the third-placed Star Karen. Favourite Queen Of Diamonds was eighth, five lengths from the winner. The other favoured runners, Pinmedown and Imelda Mary, finished 10th and 14th respectively. The Oaks result means the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year Series title is shared between Queen Of Diamonds and Imelda Mary. They went into today’s race tied on 18 points, and neither added to that tally. Oaks winner Sentimental Miss moved up to third with 16 points. View the full article

Two potential spring three-year-old fillies are likely to head in different directions after sharing the prize in a stakes race at Flemington today. Flit, trained by James Cummings, could be Sydney-bound for upcoming autumn features while the Mick Price-trained Ready Set Sail is off to the paddock after they dead-heated in the Gr. 3 Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes. Ridden by Dwayne Dunn, Flit ($8.50) fought back as the Damien Oliver-ridden Ready Set Sail ($26) loomed inside the final 50 metres, with the $2.70 favourite Talented three lengths away third. Cummings said Flit would have a few days at Godolphin’s Carbine Lodge at Flemington before deciding whether she heads to Sydney, where she’s entered for the ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes at Randwick on April 6 and the Percy Sykes Stakes the following week. “She’s in some Sydney features, but we’ll give her a few days at Carbine Lodge to wind down after that effort,” Cummings said. “She’s got a lot of scope, she’s got a big action and to Dwayne’s credit that’s what he was trying to make full use of. He just felt like if he waited too long they might have left her flat-footed and I suspect she might have caught him by surprise. She’ll come on from that for sure.” Price said Ready Set Sail, who he described as a beautiful scopey, clean-winded filly, would be set for the Thousand Guineas in the spring. “It’s better than running second and it goes in the book for these fillies that they’re a Group Three winner, which is all important for later on,” Price said. “It’s job done for now and well done to Ollie, but can I say he mistimed his run.” View the full article

In what could be her last two months in the Team Rogerson stable, the frequently unlucky sprinter Volks Lightning picked up a second stakes win in today’s Listed Gavelhouse.com Lightning Handicap at Trentham. The Volksraad mare had previously beaten Indecision and Julius for a deserved win in the Gr. 3 Sweynesse Stakes at Rotorua in the spring, and her CV also features black-type placings in the Gr. 1 Sistema Railway and the Gr. 3 Concorde Handicap, Darley Plate, Mr Tiz Trophy and Cambridge Breeders’ Stakes, along with countless other luckless and close-up performances in feature sprints. “I think the owners are looking to take her to the broodmare sale on the Gold Coast later this year (May 28 to 31),” co-trainer Bailey Rogerson said. “This Listed win will look good on the page and add to her value. She deserved this, she’s been consistent all the way through in these Group and Listed races. It’s really good to get the win today.” Volks Lightning was an unlucky fourth in the Gr. 3 Waikato Stud Plate at Ellerslie last start, held up for a run from the 300-metre mark until the last 100 metres. She still finished within 1.6 lengths of the impressive winner, Princess Kereru. Today Volks Lightning was well and truly up for the rematch. The weights were in her favour, going from 54 to 54.5 kilograms while Princess Kereru went from 53 to 56, and this time she turned the tables on her Ellerslie conqueror. The two mares emerged side by side early in the run down the home straight, sprinting up beside the front-running Ferrando. Princess Kereru produced another big-hearted performance in between the two Team Rogerson runners, but it was Volks Lightning’s day. She scored by a head, with the defending Lightning champion Ferrando another long head behind Princess Kereru in third. “She’s been scratching for one all season, so she really deserved to get this win,” jockey Ryan Elliot said. “I just had to hold her up for as long as I could during the race before letting her go. She’s quite electric with the blinkers on.” Bought for $60,000 as a yearling at Karaka, Volks Lightning is raced by former Black Caps captain Brendon McCullum’s Vermair Volks Lightning Syndicate. She has now had 34 starts for six wins, 10 placings and more than $228,000 in prize-money. “Her heart takes her a long way and the owners have had a lot of fun with her,” Rogerson said. The team was also happy with Ferrando, a Trentham specialist who added today’s Lightning placing to his win in last year’s race and his placings in the last two editions of the Gr. 1 Telegraph. “He was very good today,” Rogerson said. “He’ll head to the paddock for a spell now and come back next year.” View the full article

Emily Margaret (Robbie Hannam, outside) prevails in an exciting finish to the Wellington Guineas. Christchurch filly Emily Margaret took on the northern stars and won at Trentham today, delivering a special result for her city in the Gr. 2 Norwood Family Wellington Guineas. Emily Margaret is trained by Kevin and Pam Hughes at Riccarton, not far from the mosques involved in yesterday’s tragic attacks that left 49 dead. “It’s great to get this win for the South Island – we’ve had a terrible time down there,” Hughes said. Bought at Karaka for $55,000 as a yearling, Emily Margaret was a Listed winner in the Canterbury Belle Stakes in the spring, and again in the NZB Insurance Stakes at Wingatui earlier this month. In between times she ventured north for a shot at the Gr. 3 Desert Gold Stakes at Trentham, finishing ninth. But it was a very different result when she returned to Trentham this afternoon and landed a $13.60 upset. Robbie Hannam was aboard for the first time when Emily Margaret scored a dominant front-running win at Wingatui last start, and he kept the mount today. He found himself in a very different situation this time, sitting at the tail of the big and talented field after 200 metres. But Hannam didn’t panic and was happy to wait and make one big run at them out wide in the straight. Hot favourite Dawn Patrol loomed on the outside at the top of the straight, with the unbeaten Vigor Winner finding a gap closer in and surging through. It looked like they were the two, but Emily Margaret sprinted up on their outside and made it three. In a desperate battle to the line, Emily Margaret reached out and won by a half-head from Vigor Winner. Dawn Patrol was another short neck away in third. “My gosh,” Hannam said. “The plan was not to go back today – it was the opposite of that. But I got squeezed back in the early stages. Plan A and B went out the window, and Plans D and E came into effect. “I’d been through her form and I knew she’d won a race from the back once before, so I decided to sit back. I knew the outer part of the track would be better, so I waited and gave her one run at them out wide. She was so tough.” Raced by Rodger and Emily Finlay, Emily Margaret has now had 12 starts for four wins, five placings and $152,625. “That was unbelievable,” Hughes said. “When she missed the start, I thought, ‘Shit, oh dear.’ But she stormed home. It was huge. “It was a good field today, there were probably half a dozen horses in there that I thought could win it. Dawn Patrol is a very good horse and I thought he’d be hard to beat. But I did think we could run a place.” While Emily Margaret has now proven herself against some of the North Island’s best, any other northern missions will have to wait. The first priority lies closer to home. “We want to win the South Island Filly of the Year Series,” Hughes said. Emily Margaret has won the first two legs of the four-race series, the Canterbury Belle Stakes and NZB Insurance Stakes, for an imposing tally of 14 points. The remaining two races are the 1600-metre NZB Airfreight Stakes on April 6 and the 2000-metre Warstep Stakes a week later, both at Riccarton. “We’ll run in one more race in that series – the Airfreight Stakes, trying her over 1600,” Hughes said. View the full article

Today’s Gr. 3 Wentwood Grange Cuddle Stakes at Trentham was the toughest test yet for exciting mare Concert Hall, and she emphatically passed with a superb last-to-first performance. The Savabeel mare had won three of her five starts this season, including the last two in a row by a combined margin of almost eight lengths. Trainers Roger James and Robert Wellwood raised the bar today to black-type level, taking on a talented field of fillies and mares in the $70,000 feature. She responded with her most impressive performance yet. Having drawn gate 10 in the 11-horse field, jockey Matt Cameron took Concert Hall back to the tail of the field as La Bella Rosa, Igraine, Brimm and Livin’ On A Prayer put on a strong pace in the early stages. Cameron angled Concert Hall to the outside at the top of the big, wide Trentham straight and turned her loose. She changed gears and swept past her opposition, swiftly ending the brief resistance of Jessiegee and drawing clear to win by two and a half lengths. Jessiegee finished second, with Tinkalicious third. “Her draw was a bit awkward, and knowing the electric turn of foot she has, I didn’t want to go too hard early,” Cameron said. “I was happy to drop back. “The track (Dead6) is a bit off today, and it’s quite testing even out where I was. She was struggling through it a little bit, but she’s got a lot of upside to her and she really let down nicely.” James was thrilled with the four-year-old’s performance and has set his sights on the Gr. 1 Fiber Fresh New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes at Te Aroha on April 6. “She’s passed one acid test, so now we probably have to find another one – I think it’ll be the one at Te Aroha with ‘Group One’ next to its name,” he said. “That performance was a bit special. She was last for a lot of the race. The true pace helped us, but it was still a super effort. “It’s wonderful for Joan Egan (owner-breeder), who’s a passionate breeder. She’s had the family a long time, and I can’t imagine the thrill she’s getting.” Egan made the trip to Trentham for today’s race and revealed that she may have two runners in next month’s Te Aroha feature. “I think Debbie (Rogerson) is keen to have a go at that race with Sandrine, so they might race against each other there,” she said. “If Roger thinks she’s up to a race like that, I’ll go with him. He and Robert Wellwood are doing a great job of training this mare and I trust them implicitly. “I’m blown away by today’s win. I really am. To come from the back of the field the way she did is just fantastic, I’m so happy.” By Savabeel out of the four-race winner Classic Legacy (by Carnegie), Concert Hall has now had nine starts for five wins, a placing and $93,000 in prize-money. View the full article

Nine-year-old Sampson blew his younger rivals off the track in today’s Listed Yealands Family Wines New Zealand St Leger at Trentham, winning by eight and a quarter lengths under a firm hold from Johnathan Parkes. Restricted to three and four-year-olds until last season, the autumn staying feature was opened up to all ages this year and run under set weights and penalties conditions. That could not have been more perfect for Sampson, whose rating of 93 was almost 20 points ahead of his nearest rival but he carried only 55.5 kilograms. It allowed him to return to Trentham today for some form of consolation, having been scratched on the morning of the Wellington Cup in January due to a stone bruise. “He was just too good today,” Parkes said. “It’s a shame he missed out on the Wellington Cup, but who knows? Maybe he’ll be back for it next year.” Awkwardly positioned amongst horses in the back half of the field through the early stages, Parkes decided to slide forward on Sampson when the pace slackened in the back straight. It was a one-horse race from there as Parkes took several looks over his shoulder approaching the home turn, then let Sampson rip at the top of the straight. The old warrior roared clear, leaving his rivals in a different post code as the Trentham crowd broke into applause through the last 150 metres. “I wasn’t happy with the pace down the back of the straight, so I decided to just let him roll forward and he dominated the race from there,” Parkes said. “I had to keep looking back to see how far I was in front by.” Bought for just $20,000 as a yearling at Karaka, Sampson has now had 64 starts for 11 wins, 13 placings and more than $437,000 in prize-money. This was his fourth stakes win, having previously taken out the Gr. 3 Trentham Stakes and Gr. 2 Awapuni Gold Cup in 2017, along with this year’s Listed Marton Cup. He has placed in two Wellington Cups. He is trained by Howie Mathews, whose wife Lorraine shares ownership with good friend Janice Street. “It’s amazing,” Howie Mathews said. “He was in all sorts of trouble early and I was thinking, ‘What’s Parkesy doing?’ We wanted to go forward. “But he had a handful of horse and let him stride along down the back straight. He’s a good one-pacer and he showed that today. “We’re gobsmacked. We haven’t really had a winner as easy as that before. He’s a horse who’s close to our heart. He’s fantastic. He’s an everyday mate, he’s always there.” Lorraine Mathews, who rides Sampson in trackwork, had a feeling he was ready to run a big race. “He’d been feeling really well – he was being a bit of a bugger actually,” she said. “So I did expect him to go well, but that was absolutely wonderful. He blew me away.” Lucetta finished second, with Soleseifei in third position. View the full article