Chief Stipe

The Queensland Derby on June 8 is likely to feature a number of the major players from yesterday’s Gr. 1 Vodafone New Zealand Derby. Twenty-four hours after the Stephen Marsh-trained Crown Prosecutor sprang a massive 104-to-one upset in the Ellerslie classic, three of the first five home in the race could be aimed at Brisbane’s equivalent at Eagle Farm. The connections of Crown Prosecutor, runner-up In A Twinkling and fifth-placed Surely Sacred have all indicated they are seriously considering the Queensland Derby as their next major target. Marsh, who also saddled the unplaced Vernanme in the race, outlined his thoughts for both horses this morning. “I think we are definitely looking at Brisbane with Crown Prosecutor,” he said. “He has been up a fair while, but he is one of those horses that you can’t let up on as he gets above himself. “We had him peaking for yesterday, but I will talk with the owners and I’m picking we will be on a Brisbane path at this stage. “Vernanme will have a light couple of days and if he is good in the next few days, I would like to go to the Rosehill Guineas and the Australian Derby with him. “I think you will see a different horse again and just forget about the run yesterday. He’s a high-class colt and we’re pushing on to the Derby.” Trainer Jamie Richards was left rueing a smidgeon of luck in running as he saw his charge In A Twinkling finish runner-up for the second time in two weeks after filling the same position in the Gr. 2 Avondale Guineas behind Surely Sacred. “He went a super race and probably just needed a little more cover during the run,” he said. “He’s very tough and kept up a good gallop in the run home. I thought he was going to get him (Crown Prosecutor) all the way down the straight, but he was just a little too tough for us on the day. “We’re going to see how he comes through the next couple of days, but if he pulls up well then I definitely think Brisbane is the best option for him. “He seemed well enough overnight, so once he’s had a couple of easy days in the paddock, we can decide on a path for him then. “I think what he did show is that he is a genuine stayer who could be a real Cups contender next season.” Cambridge trainer Tony Pike was also disappointed with the muddling tempo of the New Zealand Derby after favourite Surely Sacred was left with a herculean task to try and pick up the front-runners from near last at the 600-metre mark. “He just didn’t get any luck and when we wanted to be going forward, he got stuck in a real pickle,” Pike said. “He has had to come 20-wide on the corner, got bumped out again and had too much ground to make up on those front-runners. “I think he ran the second fastest last 600 metres in the race and he did that from out in the car park, so it was a massive effort to get as close as he did. “We had originally intended to push on to Sydney with him, but he has had a real gut-buster so he will need some time off now, which will mean that the Queensland Derby looks likely to be his target rather than the Australian Derby.” View the full article

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New Zealand pacer Spankem completed his ascension to the top of Australasia’s pacing ranks with a polished front-running win in the A$1 Million Miracle Mile in Sydney on Saturday night. His win was part of another memorable night for the All Stars stable of Mark Purdon and Natalie Rasmussen, who ran the quinella with Thefixer and also won the New South Wales Oaks and Ladyship Mile on the undercard. An aggressive Purdon drive early on in the race proved the telling factor as he sped to the lead, headed off his stablemate before burning home in 52.6 to get the win, the race time 1.47.7. Those back in the field, such as Tiger Tara, Chase Auckland and Poster Boy simply could not get in to the race, while last year’s winner My Field Marshal, was pulled up after suffering an atrial fibrillation shortly after the start. Purdon said he expected this season’s standout pacer, Tiger Tara, to come forward and give him the one-one, but when that didn’t eventuate, plans changed. “I went out of the gate thinking Tiger Tara would probably give me cover but when I realised I sort of had half a length on Thefixer, I thought I’d press on to the front and it worked out well from there on.” Spankem had won the final qualifying race for the Miracle Mile, the $100,000 G1 Canadian Club Sprint, seven days earlier, and Purdon said his confidence had sky-rocketed in the seven days since. “He’s just in a really good place. He just peaked on the night. “The week had gone great with him since his win in the heat and I couldn’t have been happier with him going in to it.” Purdon described the scintillating last half as “phenomenal”. One race earlier, Princess Tiffany set what is believed to be a world record for a three-year-old filly when destroying her opponents in the A$200,000 G1 New South Wales Oaks. She led for Rasmussen and simply beat them in to submission, winning by five lengths untouched, rating 1.53.4 for the mile-and-a-half trip. Any issues that bothered her in Auckland before Christmas are well and truly gone, judging by her winning effort. Rounding out a near-perfect night was All U Need Is Faith’s all-the-way win in the race on the night, an A$25,000 event, Ashley Locaz’s defeat in the A$100,000 Bohemia Crystal the only blot in the All Stars’ copy book. View the full article

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Jason Waddell has paid a heavy price for two careless riding charges stemming from his ride on Vernanme in the New Zealand Derby. On the first charge over interference to The Chosen One with 700 metres to run, Waddell was handed a 12-day suspension taking effect after next weekend, and on the second charge for interference to Nobu shortly afterwards, he received another 16-day suspension. On top of a five-day careless riding suspension from Matamata last weekend that commences today through to Saturday, the 28-day national riding day total from Ellerslie will rule Waddell out until April 19. He admitted the first charge but defended the second, and he and his agent Daryl Anderson will meet today to consider whether to lodge an appeal. Stewards and the JCA were kept busy yesterday, with Derby-winning jockey Craig Grylls, Jonathan Riddell and Rowena Smyth also receiving suspensions, and Matt Cameron a fine. Grylls was handed a seven -day suspension (March 10-20 inclusive) for careless riding on The Bandito in the fourth race. Riddell’s 13-day suspension for careless riding on Monarch Chines in the last race will rule him out from March 10 to 27 inclusive, while Smyth will be out for nine days from March 10 to 22 inclusive for her ride on Bingwa in the sixth race. Cameron was fined $500 for his whip use on race five winner Gundown. View the full article

Alassio has strengthened her claim as the most improved horse in Sydney with a third-straight Group win. The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained mare added yesterday’s Gr. 2 Guy Walter Stakes at Randwick to recent victories in the Gr. 2 Breeders’ Classic and Gr. 3 Triscay Stakes. More importantly, the Guy Walter over 1400 metres was her first attempt beyond 1200 metres and she handled it with ease. The win sets her up for a Group One tilt in the Coolmore Classic (1500m) at Rosehill in two weeks. “Running the distance is very important,” stable representative Neil Paine said. “She relaxed so well. Tim (Clark) just had her relaxed, bowling along and she kept giving and giving. She’s a gutsy mare. “She hit the lead at the 300 and kept going. They were chasing and she never gave in. She’s done a tough 1400 metres today so why couldn’t she run and win the Coolmore?” Alassio ($12) denied Dixie Blossoms ($5.50) a third win in the race named for the late Guy Walter, trainer of many great horses including Tie The Knot, the winner of four Chipping Norton Stakes, a feat that was equalled by Winx yesterday. “She is such an honest mare,” Clark said. “She’s got such an honest record. She was always a bit of a question mark at 1400 metres but Gai and Adrian’s horses, they find the line. “She’s in great order at the moment and she deserves everything that comes her way. In a couple of weeks’ time is the Coolmore and I would say they will definitely look at that. This race today is normally a good lead-up for that race.” View the full article

CHEVIOT RACE 1 ONE OVER DA SON (13) has the talent if he can put it together. At $12 FF I’d want something eachway on him to start the day. RACE 2 A three horse race with ARDEN ROANOKE (2) able to win second up, He has to beat FRANCO NIVEN (3) and DUKE (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

Winning jockey Josh Parr has labelled Nakeeta Jane the best filly in Australia after she scored an against-the-odds win in the Surround Stakes at Randwick to record her maiden Group One success. In a race that didn’t go to plan, Parr thought Nakeeta Jane had just missed when she dived at Fundamentalist on the line after enduring an awkward run throughout. “When I pulled up, if there was a cat around I would have kicked it,” Parr said. “What a great filly. It was really ugly how I rode her. It was a slowly run race and there was no spot for her; sheer tenacity and ability got her home. “She’s a freakish filly. She’s the best filly in the country.” Nakeeta Jane gave trainer Mark Newnham the second Group One win of his career after Maid Of Heaven’s Spring Champion Stakes success last year. Newnham gave up on Nakeeta Jane’s winning chances on the home turn when the filly was pushed wide and said the fact she had won at the highest level at just her fifth start today proved her quality. “She got shunted off on the corner and I’d sort of given up hope,” Newnham said. “But then she just kept extending and extending and to just get there on the line was fantastic. “She is very special. To do what she’s done in that number of starts, she’s top class and she proved it today.” Newnham will see how the So You Think filly comes through the Surround Stakes win, but is seriously considering backing her up against the colts and geldings in next weekend’s Randwick Guineas. That will mean a clash with top colt The Autumn Sun, a challenge Newnham isn’t shying away from. “Looking at the Australian Guineas today there wouldn’t be many back up from that,” he said. “I can see a small field here. Taking on The Autumn Sun is obviously not an easy assignment but it could actually be a good lead-up for her into the Vinery going week-to-week, going to a mile and then going to the 2000 three weeks later. “We’ll see how she pulls up but for her to be a Group One winner over 1400 when her best distance is still to come, it’s pretty exciting stuff.” Backed from $4.80 to start $3.60 favourite, Nakeeta Jane scored by a half-head over Fundamentalist, with El Dorado Dreaming doing her best work late another head away. View the full article

Star Tasmanian filly Mystic Journey has delivered on the big stage at Flemington to deliver a first-time Group One win for both her trainer and jockey in the Australian Guineas. The Adam Trinder-trained Mystic Journey was the $4 favourite in Saturday’s $1 million race for three-year-olds and after darting along the inside early in the straight under jockey Anthony Darmanin, strode clear for a convincing win. While other Tasmanian horses have won Group One races after being transferred to mainland stables, Mystic Journey is the first still trained in the Apple Isle to win at racing’s elite level since the introduction of the Group system in the late 1970s. Trinder hails from a famous Tasmanian racing family and was a champion jumps jockey before turning his hand to training about eight years ago. He said it was an honour to win a Group One at Flemington and the significance of the feat would probably only sink in over the coming days. “It’s a Group One, they don’t come any bigger,” he said. “She’s a fantastic filly which makes our assignment a lot easier. “The team at home do a fantastic job with these horses and it’s good to be able to showcase it on the main stage. “We didn’t think she was a Group One filly in the spring but we trusted come the autumn, once she strengthened up, she would be. Thankfully we were right.” Mystic Journey defeated Hawkshot by two and a quarter lengths, with a long neck to Amphitrite in third. The filly was bought for $11,000 as a yearling and has taken her earnings past $1 million with nine wins from 12 starts. “We bought her and thought she was a lovely cheap little filly that would go out and do a job for us,” Trinder said. “Not in our wildest dreams did we think that job would be a Group One.” Mystic Journey is now expected to gain a wild card into the $5 million All-Star Mile at Flemington in two weeks. Darmanin, 36, said it was an amazing feeling to win his first Group One and also repay the faith of the filly’s connections. He was later suspended for eight meetings for breaching the whip rules. Darmanin is based in Victoria but has been travelling to ride at the Tasmanian meetings for the past six seasons. “It’s just amazing,” he said. “I never thought I would ever ride in a Group One, let alone win one. “She was a bit timid in the field but once she went past the second horse she just found another gear and it was easy on the line.” View the full article

A gallant Happy Clapper has made Winx work for her latest record-setting feat in the Chipping Norton Stakes, but she has no peer and simply eased past him to claim a 23rd Group One win. The crowds lining the Randwick straight today gave her a reception befitting her status as the world’s best when Hugh Bowman shook her reins and told her the winning post was near. She is probably more aware than any other horse exactly where that is, having reached it first 35 times, the past 31 in a row. Her fourth Chipping Norton Stakes equals the run of Tie The Knot from 1999-2002 and she now stands alone at the top of the Group One tree after passing European jumper Hurricane Fly. “This horse is a, I say, once in a generation but maybe she’s a once in history,” Bowman said. “She’s really that special.” In another era, the popular Happy Clapper and his equally popular trainer Pat Webster, would be hailed as champions, especially over the Randwick mile. “Its probably one of his best runs ever outside of winning the Doncaster,” Webster said. “Hughie was just kidding. The only time at the 600 his elbows were going and then he was just kidding after that.” Blake Shinn took the gelding to the front and stretched his lead to six lengths coming to the turn, laying down the gauntlet to Winx who was moving up from midfield. She strode past majestically but Happy Clapper didn’t give up, finishing a length and three-quarters second with a gap of three and three-quarter lengths to third-placed Unforgotten. “It’s another race record here this afternoon,” Bowman said. “I know the race hasn’t been run at Randwick too often but I’ll be surprised if they go quicker than that (1:33.27) for a long time. “I must admit, if I was on any other horse I probably would have given up hope but she’s just an amazing athlete.” As Winx nears the end of her career, her trainer Chris Waller is just trying to enjoy the last moments but the nerves are still there. And Winx tested his nerves when she got a bit agitated in the barrier and then had to stand still while Libran was backed out and inspected. “I thought it would do her the world of good to tell you the truth. She can be like that at the start of a prep,” he said. “It did her good to stand there afterwards. No cotton wool treatment – we wouldn’t expect any.” Waller pad tribute to Happy Clapper who received a warm reception as he came back to the enclosure. “It was certainly no easy feat,” he said. “I thought Winx would either beat him if they go too slow or they go too fast. I’d say they almost got it right. Under pressure she is very good. “It was a good test for her and will bring her on nicely for the next couple of runs.” Winx will run next in the George Ryder Stakes at Rosehill in three weeks before her farewell in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick on April 13. Happy Clapper will head to Melbourne to run in the A$5 million All-Star Mile at Flemington on March 16. Shinn, who has won three Group One races on Happy Clapper, is among those in awe of Winx. “What can I say about my horse?” he said. “He put up a Group One-winning performance but there are no superlatives you can say about the winner. She just a freak and she had to put up a freakish performance to beat Happy Clapper.” View the full article

Godolphin’s team of youngsters for the Golden Slipper continues to grow with Microphone staking his claims with victory in the Skyline Stakes at Randwick. Microphone has tightened from $13 to $9 for the Golden Slipper on March 23 after today’s win over the 1200 metres of the A$3.5 million race. Ridden by James McDonald, Microphone ($2.40 favourite) settled midfield and asserted his authority in the straight to beat Cosmic Force by a length and a quarter. Castelvecchio finished another two lengths third after being a long last at the top of the straight. Godolphin head trainer James Cummings said Microphone rated among the best of the stable’s potential Slipper runners. “You’d have to rate him right there at the moment,” he said. “This horse came here today up from Melbourne not long ago but we’ve barely breathed on him since. “He’s going to tighten up as clean-winded as he is. Come Slipper day he’ll be like a young man with a new suit. The ability to switch off mid-race the way he did. “There was good acceleration from the colt. He will take a great deal of improvement for the sake of the experience. I’ve seen a little bit from the ones you have seen win and once was enough for me and we’ve allowed them to do it on race day and that is the beauty of it. They’ve been able to improve and get better with racing.” McDonald also regularly rides Slipper favourite Tassort, a stablemate of Microphone who impressed Sydney’s leading jockey. “He’s a beauty,” he said. “He’s got a big motor and he’s such a pleasure to ride. He jumps well, puts himself in the race, relaxes and he’s got a great turn of foot. “Obviously James (Cummings) has got a very strong hand in the Slipper. The way he is coming on and he acts, he is going to be a force to be reckoned with. “Some were suspect about him running a strong six furlongs (1200m) but he has just knocked that on the head.” View the full article

Another Vodafone New Zealand Derby, another narrow defeat for the Te Akau Racing team. Since winning the Ellerslie classic two years ago with Gingernuts, the Te Akau stable has come out on the wrong side of two thrilling photo finishes. Mongolianconqueror was edged out by a nose by Vin De Dance last year, and today In A Twinkling came up a head short of the $105 shock winner Crown Prosecutor. “It’s the second year in a row that’s happened to us in the Derby,” Te Akau principal David Ellis said. “But he ran a very big race and we’re proud of him.” In A Twinkling had produced a mammoth performance to run second in the Avondale Guineas two weeks ago, racing wide well back in the field around the first corner before working hard to sit outside the leader. His performance was full of merit again today, covering significantly more ground than the winner but never giving it away. Singapore-based Australian jockey Glen Boss, who has now picked up a New Zealand Derby placing to go with his runner-up finish on Booming in an Auckland Cup, was impressed by his mount’s performance. “He ran well,” he said. “He was a bit slow out and there was a lot of action going into that first turn. I was three-wide for most of the race and I started to edge forward at the half-mile (800m) as he’s that type of horse. “I felt like I had the winner beaten the whole length of the straight, but he kept fighting back and pulling out a little more, so full credit to him.” Making the occasion even more special for Te Akau, their retired star Gingernuts led out the field for today’s Derby. Third-placed Platinum Invador was another of the standout performers among beaten Derby runners. He was last as the field turned for home and had trouble obtaining clear running for the first half of the straight, then roared home to get within a length and three-quarters of the winner. “He got a long way back and stormed home – huge run,” jockey Chris Johnson said. Adding even more merit to the performance, the Lisa Latta-trained runner was racing for the third Saturday in a row. Luckless in the Avondale Guineas two weeks ago, he had to win at Otaki last weekend to earn his place in the Derby field. “It was a super performance,” co-owner Neville McAlister said. “Chris (Johnson) believed he could have got even closer with a better run. He had a lot of work to do turning for home. “We could look at Australia with this horse, although I’m not sure yet whether it’ll be Sydney or Queensland.” Arrogant also produced a big performance in finishing fourth, a neck away from third. “He worked hard from the start and he’s gone a bit keen,” jockey Cameron Lammas said. “Very big run.” Favourite Surely Sacred was shuffled back near the tail of the field coming down the side of the track. He found the line well to finish fifth, 2.4 lengths from the winner. “A funny run race,” six-time Derby-winning jockey Vinnie Colgan commented. “He got stuck in behind them and they kept going around. Top run.” Bobby Dee, Tolemac and Prise De Fer filled the next three placings, with the second favourite Vernanme in ninth. “It was disappointing on face value,” jockey Jason Waddell said. View the full article

In what could fairly be described as the biggest upset in New Zealand Derby history, Crown Prosecutor has won the Vodafone-sponsored classic at odds of $105. Nobody, not even those closest to the showy brown colt, rated him any sort of chance against a quality field of three-year-olds. The one exception might have been jockey Craig Grylls, who followed trainer Stephen Marsh’s pre-race instructions to the letter and delivered a perfect ride. For Marsh, a son of one of New Zealand’s most respected horsemen, now Singapore-based trainer Bruce Marsh, this was the ultimate result as he replicated his father’s New Zealand Derby victory with Hail 19 years ago. The irony for Marsh junior was that he also saddled up the well-fancied Levin Classic and Avondale Guineas placegetter Vernanme, who trailed home in ninth place, more than five lengths adrift of his stablemate. “We gave him a chance simply because he was in the field and he had a draw that would allow him to race on the pace,” Marsh said of Crown Prosecutor. “I told Craig to ride him forward and give him his chance. “We knew he was hard-fit and he would see out the trip, so that’s how it worked out. Craig gave him a lovely ride in behind the speed and didn’t cover any ground. “He’s a tough horse, nothing had gone his way since he won that race (the Wellington Stakes) before Christmas, but it all fell into place today. “This is the Derby, it’s New Zealand’s greatest race, and it feels fantastic to know we’ve won it.” Grylls, who returned from a three-year Singapore stint at the start of the year, counted himself lucky not just to be on a Derby runner but to be riding at all today. “I’ve been crook as a dog for the past three days,” he explained. “I managed to get through my rides on Wednesday and Thursday, then yesterday I spent the whole day in bed. “I woke up this morning feeling a lot better, so it’s great to get the job done. “I didn’t know a lot about him but Stephen told me he’d give me a good ride. He was actually a bit green up the straight the first time but once I got him in behind a couple he settled into a rhythm. “I had a handful of horse as we came round the bend and the gap was there when I angled him out. The other horse (Prise De Fer) got up alongside us but he was never going to get past, my bloke was just so determined.” At the line just a head separated Crown Prosecutor and Prise De Fer, the crucial difference being that while the winner had the most economical trip possible, the runner-up had nowhere near the same good fortune. Through the middle stages he was three-wide without cover and all things considered, put up a huge effort to push the winner so close. The other hard luck story came from third placegetter Platinum Invador, who settled in the rear and still had only a handful behind him at the top of the straight. He put in big strides over the final stages to come between the favourite Surely Sacred and Arrogant for third, a length and a half behind the runner-up. Crown Prosecutor is yet another success story for Wairarapa bloodstock agent Bruce Perry and his major client Lib Petagna. Perry selected the son of Medaglia D’Oro as a yearling in Melbourne on behalf of Wanganui couple Harvey and Linda Green. “We originally intended pinhooking him at the Ready to Run Sale, but as we got closer to the sale Bruce suggested that we keep him,” recalled Harvey Green. “He said he could bring Lib in for half, so that’s what happened. “At the start of the week we thought we would be just making up the numbers, and I have to confess we didn’t even back him. “But there had to be one horse that would see out the 2400 metres, and how lucky are we that the horse is ours!” View the full article

A trip north to contest the Gr. 2 Norwood Family Wellington Guineas at Trentham beckons for multiple stakes-winning filly Emily Margaret after a dominant on-speed victory at Wingatui in today’s Listed NZB Insurance Stakes. Central districts rider Robert Hannam took luck out of the equation, venturing straight to the front on Emily Margaret from barrier 14 and never looking like being beaten. The Kevin and Pam Hughes-trained galloper scored by two and a half lengths from Dreamtesta, with northern visitor Naval Fleet landing some black-type in finishing a long neck away in third. “I was very, very pleased with her and Robbie did a great job,” Hughes said “We thought we could just grind them all into the ground and that is what she did. She was very, very fit and was just too good on the day.” Hughes said he was not sure what the strength of the Wellington Guineas field would be, but he was keen to give his filly a chance at adding a Group Two to her record. “She seems to have come through the race very well and we will have a look at the Wellington Guineas. The travel doesn’t seem to worry her,” Hughes said. Emily Margaret has had an extensive three-year-old preparation, which started back in September with victory in the Listed Canterbury Belle Stakes, a leg of the NZB Southern Filly of the Year Series. Today’s contest was the second leg of the series, meaning the daughter of Pins has the maximum points, with the next leg being the Listed NZB Airfreight Stakes (1600m) at Riccarton on April 6. “I think 1400 metres is her pet distance,” Hughes said. “You might get away with a mile as a three-year-old. If she had someone like Robbie riding, she could steal a mile race, so we might do that third leg, we’ll just see what happens at Wellington.” View the full article

Princess Kereru broke through for a deserved black-type win in today’s Gr. 3 Waikato Stud Plate at Ellerslie, delivering a fitting result for the new sponsor. Waikato Stud has taken over the sponsorship of the $100,000 race this year from Darley, and Princess Kereru is a daughter of one of the stud’s former star stallions. “We were thrilled when the opportunity arose to sponsor this race and get involved with the Auckland Racing Club again,” Waikato Stud’s Mark Chittick said. “It’s very, very appropriate that the winner is a daughter of one of our stallions, Pins, who sadly isn’t with us anymore. It’s a great result.” Princess Kereru began this season as the winner of three of her 16 starts and just over $66,000 in prize-money. This campaign has been a remarkable breakthrough for the five-year-old. After two wins earlier in the season, she took on the country’s best in the Gr. 1 Sistema Railway and ran an outstanding race for second. Upset winner Santa Monica beat her by a mere neck. In the Gr. 3 Concorde Handicap in late January, Princess Kereru drew wide and had to drop out to the rear of the field. She produced an eye-catching run in the straight to finish a close seventh. Dropping from 56.5 to 53 kilograms under today’s set weights and penalties conditions, Princess Kereru claimed her biggest win. After a nice run in fifth behind the hard-running leader Ferrando, Princess Kereru was in danger of being luckless again as she struggled to find a way through early in the straight. But a gap finally opened at the 200-metre mark and she burst through, scoring by a head from the fast-finishing longshot Ronchi. The Railway winner Santa Monica was a similar margin away in third in an exciting finish. “She’s a little trooper,” Princess Kereru’s co-trainer Ken Kelso said fondly. “She really deserved this. She hasn’t had a lot of luck in some big races. It’s so important to get that big black type to go alongside her Group One placing. “She’s just fabulous. I’m very happy for her owners, our staff and everyone involved. “She was a scrawny little yearling when we first got her, but she’s really developed. Her owners are keen to race her again next year, which is very exciting. “We’d have to look for a Group One now. There aren’t many left this season, so it might have to be in her next campaign. “In the meantime we could look at the Lightning in Wellington (March 16), although that’s a handicap and she’d have a bit of weight now.” View the full article

Craig Grylls was quick to reaffirm his standing with the Baker-Forsman stable when he produced a skilful rails ride on Qiji Express in the Mufhasa FastTrack Strakes at Ellerslie today. Two races earlier Grylls had erred when riding another from the champion Cambridge stable, Artiste, on the way to finishing fourth in the Nathans Memorial. He learnt from his mistake, however, this time sticking to the fence from his inside draw and slicing through with 150 metres to run for an easy win. “That’s what I should have done before, stay on the fence,” he admitted. “But at least I got it right this time, the fence was the place to be.” Qiji Express was lining up today for the first time since finishing eighth behind his stablemate Madison County in the New Zealand 2000 Guineas in early November. The son of Shamexpress reappeared nearly four months later as a gelding and his comprehensive performance suggested a bright future in sprinting races. “After he just got beaten in the Sarten Memorial we thought we could stretch him another furlong in the 2000 Guineas, but it wasn’t to be, he’s not a miler,” co-trainer Andrew Forsman said. “We’ll stick to sprinting with him now. The Cambridge Breeders’ Stakes at the end of next month is a race that should suit him.” Second place in today’s Listed three-year-old race went to She’s A Thief, who trailed fourth and fought all the way to the line to just hold out Tiger Silk. View the full article

Pinmedown has played a starring role on two of Ellerslie’s biggest days of the season, adding the Gr. 3 McKee Family Sunline Vase on Derby day this afternoon to her victory in the Gr. 2 Eight Carat Classic on Boxing Day. The daughter of Pins burst out of relative anonymity with her Boxing Day performance, scoring a $33 upset victory over a highly rated field. She started to slip off the radar again over the subsequent two months, despite finding the line well to finish within three and a half lengths of the winner when sixth in the Gr. 2 Royal Stakes and ninth in the Karaka Million 3YO Classic. Pinmedown’s odds for the Gr. 1 New Zealand Oaks at Trentham later this month had drifted out to $18, but today’s performance has seen her slashed to $6 third favouritism behind Queen Of Diamonds ($3.20) and Imelda Mary ($4). Awkwardly drawn in gate 12 in a 15-horse field, Pinmedown was brilliantly ridden by Jake Bayliss to reach the rail as the field turned out of the home straight. She settled in seventh place as Misha’s Star set the pace. Misha’s Star drifted out at the top of the straight, leaving a big gap along the rail. Bayliss needed no second invitation, driving Pinmedown through as chances lined up across the track in the closing stages. Pinmedown’s finishing burst was too strong, scoring by three-quarters of a length from Clementina and Savy Yong Blonk. The Mike Moroney and Pam Gerard-trained filly was a $28,000 yearling purchase by Moroney’s brother Paul. She has now won more than $120,000 in prize-money for an excited group of owners. “We’ve always thought she’s a very good horse,” Gerard said. “She’s been a bit accident-prone and doesn’t always help herself, but she’s also one of the toughest horses I’ve trained. “A lot of her owners are here and they’re having a ball. That’s what racing’s all about. “The Oaks is the reason why Paul bought her, and it’s the target we’ve aimed at all the way through. I don’t have any worries about the 2400 metres at Trentham.” Gerard said it was especially satisfying to receive the trophy from the McKee family, although Trevor was unable attend today due to ill health. “It’s very special – Trevor’s been an idol of mine and has been so approachable and such a big help to me in my career,” she said. Today’s Sunline Vase placegetters also shortened in the Oaks market – Clementina from $14 to $12, and the strong-finishing Savy Yong Blonk from $18 to $10. The biggest disappointment in today’s race was the well-backed Elate. A winner of the Listed Oaks Prelude at her previous start, she was labouring at the top of the straight and was eased down by jockey Troy Harris to finish 30 lengths from the winner. She was found to have suffered atrial fibrillation. View the full article

Gundown threw his hat in the ring for next Saturday’s Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Cup with an impressive staying performance in the Headquarters Viaduct Nathans Memorial at Ellerslie today. In the familiar colours of Lib Petagna’s JML Bloodstock, Matt Cameron brought the four-year-old with a prodigious run down the outside to down his stablemate Zacada by a length and half. Despite that being just his third win from 17 starts, the High Chaparral gelding is now on the fourth line of betting for the Auckland Cup at $8 behind $3.50 favourite Charles Road, Glory Days at $4.50 and Five To Midnight at $6.50. “He’s always had the makings of a decent stayer and he’s getting it together now,” co-trainer Murray Baker said. “After that performance he deserves his chance next week. “He won off the minimum and under the conditions he’ll go up two kilograms in the Auckland Cup, so he’ll have to lift his game another notch, but I did like the way he rounded them up. “I don’t think the two miles will hold an fears for him,” said Baker, who added that Cameron will retain the ride. Baker was also happy with the effort by Zacada to finish second, backing up from his fresh-up sixth over 2000 metres at Matamata last week. Last year’s Sydney Cup runner-up burst between runners with what looked the winning run until Gundown appeared out wide, but it was still a very encouraging run ahead of another Sydney campaign. “We ran out of time to get him ready for the Auckland Cup, but that was good to see with Sydney coming up,” Baker said. “He’ll run next in a 2600-metre race at Rosehill, then there’s another race over the same distance at Randwick ahead of the Sydney Cup.” The Lisa Latta-trained Kamanda Lincoln shaped as a handy Auckland Cup second stringer behind his stablemate Five To Midnight, taking third place ahead of Artiste, a stablemate of the quinella pair. View the full article

An impressive win in the $50,000 Go Racing Syndications 1500 at Ellerslie this afternoon is likely to put promising mare Podravina on a black-type path in the autumn. The well-bred daughter of Bel Esprit had won four of her 14 starts before today, building up to a strong-finishing placing in the Listed Wairarapa Breeders’ Stakes over 1600 metres last start at Tauherenikau. She stepped back down to 1500 today with blinkers on for the first time, and rider Johnathan Parkes had her handily positioned in fourth place in the Rating 82 event. Front-runner The Mitigator still had plenty to offer in the straight and kicked away, but Podravina accelerated out of the pack and ran him down to win by three-quarters of a length. “It was a very good performance and what we were hoping to see with the blinkers on today,” co-trainer Andrew Forsman told www.theinformant.co.nz. “Johnathan gave her a nice trip and she finished it off strongly. “Now that she’s got this run and this win under her belt, we could start to think about some stakes races coming up – especially when we get her up over a middle-distance.” For Wanganui visitor Parkes, this was a 10th win from 106 rides at Ellerslie. He went winless in his first 30 rides at the Auckland track, but that is now a distant memory for the Gr. 1 Auckland Cup and Railway Stakes-winning rider. “It’s great coming up here to ride on these days – brilliant atmosphere, the weather’s turned it on today and it’s great racing,” he said. “The track’s a really nice Good3 with a good cushion of grass on it. “I was really happy to get the result on this mare today. She’s very progressive, and I think distances around 2000 metres will really be her go.” Bred and raced by Sir Peter Vela, Podravina is out of his Gr. 3 Lowland Stakes-winning mare Posavina. Podravina has now had 15 starts for five wins, five placings and more than $93,000 in prize-money. The Mitigator held on strongly for his second placing, three-quarters of a length ahead of King’s Cross, who stormed home from last at the home turn. The $3.60 favourite was Paisley Park, who was very slow to leave the gate and was bumped at the top of the straight. He made up ground in the last 200 metres to run fifth, 2.9 lengths from the winner. “He’s hit the line well,” rider Sam Collett said. “From a moderate speed early, he wanted to do a few things wrong. Any cut in the track will be right up his alley.” View the full article

The smile says it all as Opie Bosson returns on Danzdanzdance after her Ellerslie hitout. Danzdanzdance got the green light for a Sydney campaign when she galloped impressively between races at Ellerslie today. Next Saturday’s Bonecrusher Stakes was already off the grey’s programme and the Sydney trip hinged on connections being happy with how she galloped today, bearing in mind her disappointing last-start performance in the Herbie Dyke Stakes. A time of 58.25 seconds for 1000 metres and 34.55 for the final 600 told trainers Chris Gibbs and Michelle Bradley plenty, and that impression was backed by comments from regular rider Opie Bosson. “She felt very good, really comfortable,” Bosson told the Ruakaka trainers. “I can’t fault her.” Bosson had ridden Danzdanzdance in her Gr. 1 Captain Cook Stakes and Zabeel Classic wins, but was suspended for the Te Rapa race. “We’ve been working her mainly on the beach at home and she’s really thrived,” Gibbs commented. “She’s actually quite burly for her, which is good if we’re thinking of going to Sydney. From what Opie just told us, he’s keen to go across and ride her. “She’s booked to fly over on March 18 and her first race will be the Ranvet Stakes five days later. Provided she runs well in that we’ll head to the Queen Elizabeth Stakes. “I know that means coming up against Winx, but we won’t mind running second – it’s a $4 million race.” View the full article

Two sponsors of today’s Vodafone New Zealand Derby meeting at Ellerslie have joined forces to win the opening race with Maktoum. Prominent syndicators Go Racing sponsor the fourth race on the card, while trainer Stephen McKee shares in the sponsorship of the Gr. 3 McKee Family Sunline Vase. McKee trains the Go Racing-owned Maktoum, who picked up the fourth win of his career in an exciting head-bobbing finish to today’s $50,000 The Pond Premium Recruitment 1200. Given a perfect run just behind the speed by jockey Sam Spratt, Maktoum emerged outside the leaders soon after turning for home. He quickened well to hit the front halfway up the straight, then was strongly challenged by Santa Catarina along the inside. The pair fought out a desperate last 50 metres, with Maktoum claiming victory by a nose. McKee had some pre-race concerns over today’s 1200-metre distance, but the strong pace of the race (run in 1:09.80) allayed his fears. “The pace helped him, and he jumped well and was able to take a closer position than I had expected,” he said. “He possibly knocked up a little bit late in the race, but he really fought when he saw the other horse. “It’s great for Go Racing, who put a lot into racing through sponsorship and have a few horses running today. “We might find something better for this horse. We haven’t been scared to take on good races with this horse, especially over longer distances. He ran in the Derby on this day last year.” Maktoum has now had 12 starts for four wins, one placing and $88,350 in prize-money. He has shown a particular affinity with Ellerslie, winning three times and placing once in eight visits to the Auckland track. The Makfi entire was bred by Kevin Hickman, who co-bred and part-owns today’s New Zealand Derby second favourite Vernanme. The McKee-Go Racing combination has made a Derby day impact on more than one occasion in recent years, winning the Gr. 3 Mr Tiz Trophy with Passing Shot in 2015 and going within a whisker of New Zealand Derby glory with What’s The Story a year later. Today’s first-race win was the ideal start to 2019 Derby day for Spratt, who will partner The Chosen One in the classic later this afternoon. “It’s a great day and a perfect way to start it,” she said. “He’s an awesome little dude to ride.” Spratt was also full of praise for the Ellerslie track, which was rated Dead5 yesterday morning after irrigation but has come back to a Good3 this morning. “It’s spot-on, a beautiful track,” she said. View the full article

Spellbound will be a short-priced favourite for the time-honoured G3 Downbytheseaside Leonard Memorial Stakes for juvenile fillies at Addington on Sunday. But debutante Arden’s Sweetheart has made a good impression in her trials and is nicely placed to pounce if things happen to go her way. “She’s a late foal and still a bit immature but she has a good turn of speed and barrier two is a good one to work with,” said trainer Cran Dalgety. “She lacks a bit of ringcraft but I guess you could say that about all of them.” Arden’s Sweetheart has chased Amazing Dream home in her last two trials, the latest at Rangiora a few weeks ago when she led up and was beaten three-quarters of a length in a 2.02 mile rate, home in 27.5 A week later Amazing Dream chased home the top-rated juvenile filly Sweet On Me in Auckland. The latter is a Sweet Lou filly from Adore Me and Arden’s Sweetheart is another Sweet Lou and a half-sister to the top juvenile filly Arden’s Darlin. The sire’s first crop has already produced a dozen juveniles to qualify or race with the gelding Virgil also being a winner. Dalgety has also qualified the gelding Fabrizio, whom he co-owns after breeding him from the Christian Cullen mare Zagami. “I’ve got five two-year-olds by Sweet Lou and I like them all.” Dalgety went shopping for more of them at the yearling sales last month and was disappointed to take only one home. He bought the colt from Revere Me in Auckland for $100,000 after earlier missing out of the top priced Sweet Lou yearling from Pacing Delight, which sold for $140,000. “We had a good crack at that one and came out of it with a bloody nose, which is usually what happens when you get in the ring with Jean Feiss.” Arden’s Sweetheart is raced on lease by the Life’s A Beach Syndicate, which has 10 shareholders spread between Nelson and Tapanui and many of them will be at Addington. “The syndicate started out with a brother to Someardensomewhere, but he needed a throat operation which wasn’t successful and he is now a champion show horse in Canterbury,” said Tapanui breeder-owner John Stiven. “So I leased the filly to them as a replacement.” Arden’s Sweetheart is the last foal from Achieve A Dream, an In The Pockdet mare who has been getting progressively harder to breed from. Her first two foals were Arden’s Darlin ($246,000) and Arden Major ($43,000), but she has produced only four foals in the 13 years since and one of those in a Rock N Roll Heaven filly was lost as a weanling. “That filly got her halter hooked on a gate and she strangled herself and Achieve A Dream hasn’t had a lot of luck at all. “I wasn’t having much joy getting her in foal with frozen semen and in the end I went to Sweet Lou because he was a young and fertile horse with fresh semen. “I haven’t got Achieve A Dream in foal since either but at least Arden’s Darlin is going alright and now it looks like I’ve got another nice breeding prospect in Arden’s Sweetheart to go on with one day.” Dalgety and junior driver Nathan Purdon, who has been working for him for four months, have several good chances at Addington with probably the best of them being the maiden Arden Roanoke, the first foal from Stiven’s top mare Rocknroll Arden. View the full article

Jockey Michael McNab will miss Vodafone New Zealand Derby day at Ellerslie this afternoon due to a family issue. McNab, who rode Derby runner-up Mongolianconqueror 12 months ago, had been booked to ride Botti in this year’s running of the $1 million classic. That mount will now be taken by Trudy Thornton. Ryan Elliot will replace McNab on Duplicity in the Headquarters Viaduct Nathans Memorial and Misha’s Star in the McKee Family Sunline Vase. Daren Danis will ride Ja Ja Binks in the Waikato Stud Plate, while Opie Bosson will take the ride on Master Painton in today’s final race. View the full article

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It’s all systems go for star racemare Melody Belle towards next Saturday’s Gr. 1 Bonecrusher Stakes. A week after taking her fourth Group One scalp for the season in the Haunui Farm WFA Classic at Otaki, Melody Belle has passed a crucial morning trackwork test to the satisfaction of trainer Jamie Richards. “We didn’t ask a whole lot of her – she ran home at the end of striding work in 40 (for the final 600m) – but I’m happy with her,” Richards told www.theinformant.co.nz. “She’s been eating well through the week, everything about her at this stage is good, so as long as she ticks all the usual boxes I see no reason why she won’t be there.” The 2000-metre Bonecrusher Stakes, one of three Group One races on next Saturday’s Ellerslie cared, will be Melody Belle’s first start beyond 1600 metres. View the full article