Wandering Eyes

Voyage Bubble showed the heart of a champion to defend his Group One Longines Hong Kong Mile crown in another ding-dong scrap with Japan’s Soul Rush at Sha Tin on Sunday. The Ricky Yiu Poon-fai-trained Triple Crown hero won the race 12 months ago when defeating Soul Rush by a length and a quarter and there was a sense of deja vu with a mirror result – though it did not always look likely. Sent off the $3.6 second favourite behind My Wish, Voyage Bubble gradually made ground down the back...View the full article

James McDonald was speechless and Danny Shum Chap-shing felt great relief as champion galloper Romantic Warrior created history again with a fourth straight Group One Hong Kong Cup (2,000m) triumph. Romantic Warrior became the first galloper to win four features at the Longines Hong Kong International Races (HKIR) when he cruised to victory over Japan’s Bellagio Opera at Sha Tin on Sunday. “He’s so special. He’s just a freak,” McDonald said after guiding Romantic Warrior to an 11th Group One...View the full article

Ka Ying Rising (NZ) (Shamexpress), the world’s best sprinter, stretched his consecutive winning streak to 16 with an imperious victory in the HK$28 million Gr.1 Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) at Sha Tin on Sunday. The gelding secured his sixth Group One victory to match the mighty Golden Sixty’s feat of posting 16 straight wins to be now only one short of Hong Kong’s record of 17, held by Silent Witness, and enhanced his own record to 17 wins and two seconds from 19 starts with prize money of HK$122.5 million. In a powerhouse display after drawing barrier one for the first time in his career, the Shamexpress gelding produced one of his best victories with another masterful ride from Zac Purton, who steered the champion into the middle of the home straight in search of the best ground. Ka Ying Rising surged away to beat Raging Blizzard (NZ) (Per Incanto) by three-and-three-quarter lengths, with Fast Network (NZ) (Wrote) third for a New Zealand bred trifecta in 1m 07.7s after being eased down by Purton over the closing 150 metres. Purton said Ka Ying Rising’s performance was what everyone wanted to see. “His last run showed us that it was on the cards today,” he said. “He drew the right gate, and when the barrier came out, they said, ‘What do you think?’ And I said he would win by further. “He is just in a league of his own now. And not having to do that extra work into the first corner from a wide gate to try and get forward, probably helped him. Purton said Ka Ying Rising travelled beautifully throughout the race, and he just made sure he gave him his chance. Declaring Ka Ying Rising the best horse he has trained, David Hayes said he was relieved the five-year-old gelding didn’t let the stable or the public’s expectations down. “He was just superb today,” he said. “The messages he was sending the week of the race suggested he’d do something like that. We are not running fast times today but he did – (running) a lot faster than the other races.” Hayes said he hoped the six-time Group 1 winner had another 20 races in him. Hayes said there were horses in the race with Royal Ascot, Dubai and Breeders’ Cup form and they were probably the best sprinters around, and while Ka Ying Rising was making them look ordinary, he said they certainly weren’t. He said every time Ka Ying Rising races, there was something significant he had to do, including his next two starts when he aims to equal and then break Silent Witness’ winning streak. “He is a lot heavier and stronger now, so physically he is really improving and it is showing on the track,” Hayes said. “The great thing about him is that he doesn’t have to lead. Today Zac wanted to take all of the risk out of it so he could get off the fence and that is another string to his bow.” Hayes said Ka Ying Rising would be again set for Hong Kong’s Speed Series, and it would be fun to see him stretch out to 1400m like last year. “It will then be the big international sprint here and then he’ll be going to The Everest,” he said. “Let’s just hope he is sound and well and if he is in the form he was today, we’d love to take those Aussies on again.” Hayes predicted Ka Ying Rising will soon beat his Sha Tin 1200m track record of 1m 07.20. “Zac has been easing him down in his past couple of races,” he said. “He probably ran about 20 lengths quicker than the Class 3 and the Class 4 (1200m), which he probably should.” View the full article

Helene Supafeeling overcame inexperience and a wide barrier to barge himself into Classic Series contention after a sparkling local debut in the Class Three Snow Fairy Handicap (1,200m) at Sha Tin on Sunday. The David Eustace-trained galloper was a dual winner on the all-weather in Britain for Archie Watson pre-import and had shown potential in his trials ahead of his local debut. Sent off $7.8 under James McDonald, Helene Supafeeling only had two behind turning wide into the straight. Despite...View the full article

Ka Ying Rising moved to within one win of champion Silent Witness’ Hong Kong record with a showstopping blitz in Sunday’s Group One Longines Hong Kong Sprint (1,200m) at Sha Tin on Sunday. Twelve months after claiming his first elite-level success in the same race but only narrowly, the world’s best sprinter delivered the performance everyone expected when coasting to his 16th straight victory. “That’s what everyone wanted. Obviously after last year they were a bit flat, but this year we showed...View the full article

Jockey Maxime Guyon, trainer Andre Fabre and owners Wertheimer & Frere snared the Group One Longines Hong Kong Vase (2,400m) for the second time in three years when Sosie stormed to victory at Sha Tin on Sunday. By joining stablemate Junko on the honour roll, Sosie ensured Fabre became the most successful trainer in Vase history with four victories, while Guyon won the HK$26 million contest for the third time. “It’s good for all the team to win the Group One in Hong Kong. All the trainers and...View the full article

Sunday's Longines Hong Kong International Races meeting at Sha Tin Racecourse attracted each of its four defending champions from 2024, and when the dust had settled on the event, three of those four–Romantic Warrior (Acclamation), Ka Ying Rising (Shamexpress) and Voyage Bubble (Deep Field)–successfully repeated, each spectacularly in their own way, while the fourth of them, Giavellotto (Mastercraftsman), was forced to settle for a gallant second to G1 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe third Sosie (Sea The Stars). The very well-backed Sosie became the 12th French-based galloper to salute in the traditional opening race of the HKIR, the G1 Longines Hong Kong Vase over 2400 metres, as he sat handy enough to a very slow tempo, then outsprinted Giavellotto to his outside and a rail-skimming Goliath (Adlerflug) to give the legendary Andre Fabre a fourth victory in the race, three of them with Maxime Guyon, including Sunday's renewal. Al Riffa (Wootton Bassett) was not far away in fourth. The Wertheimer Brothers' Junko (Intello) was victorious here just two years ago. Ka Ying Rising won his 16th straight race on Sunday, making extremely light work of the field in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint. Put right into play by Zac Purton, the two-back winner of the G1 The Everest showed the way and when champion jockey Zac Purton shook the reins at the 5-year-old–who was purposely kept well off the inside–he lengthened away under tender urging, as fellow New Zealand-breds Raging Blizzard (Per Incanto) and Fast Network (Wrote) finished up well without troubling the winner. Purton's only other ride in the four feature races was aboard Voyage Bubble in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Mile, and the one-time Hong Kong Derby winner (Romantic Warrior also won the domestic centrepiece) looked destined for a runner-up effort as the swan-songing Japanese raider Soul Rush (Rulership) pressed past to his outside, but Voyage Bubble got a second wind and was narrowly best on the line. Romantic Warrior was sent off at $11 (1-10) in the G1 Longines Hong Kong Cup, Hong Kong's richest race at HK$40 million. Able to sit a soft trip behind another slow pace, the 300,000gns Tattersalls October yearling was asked to kick in upper stretch by James McDonald, pinched a winning break into the final 150 metres and easily held Japan's Bellagio Opera (Lord Kanaloa) to win the race for an unprecedented fourth consecutive score in the race. Quisisana (Le Havre) was a second HKIR placegetter for Francis Graffard on the afternoon. Romantic Warrior joins the likes of Winx and Goldikova to win the same Group 1 contest in four straight campaigns. Now a winner of $30.5 million, he is a candidate to return to Saudi Arabia for a potential date with Forever Young (Real Steel) in the G1 Saudi Cup on Feb. 14. This space will be updated with full reports later Sunday Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong LONGINES HONG KONG CUP-G1, HK$40,000,000, Sha Tin, 12-14, 3yo/up, 2000mT, 2:02.29, gd. 1–ROMANTIC WARRIOR (IRE), 126, g, 7, by Acclamation (GB) 1st Dam: Folk Melody (Ire), by Street Cry (Ire) 2nd Dam: Folk Opera (Ire), by Singspiel (Ire) 3rd Dam: Skiphall (GB), by Halling (300,000gns Ylg '19 TATOCT; HK$4,800,000 HRA '21 HKIS). O-Peter Lau Pak Fai; B-Corduff Stud & T J Rooney; T-Danny C S Shum; J-James McDonald; HK$22,000,000. Lifetime Record: Horse of the Year, Ch. 4yo & 3x Ch. Middle Distance Horse-HK, G1SW-Aus, Jpn & UAE, G1SP-KSA, 27-20-5-0, $30,561,874. Werk Nick Rating: C+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. 2–Bellagio Opera (Jpn), 126, h, 5, Lord Kanaloa (Jpn)–Air Routine (Jpn), by Harbinger (GB). O-Bellagio Racing; B-Tsunebumi Yoshihara; T-Hiroyuki Uemura; J-Kazuo Yokoyama; HK$8,400,000. 3–Quisisana (Fr), 122, m, 5, Le Havre (Ire)–Quamoclit (GB), by Sea The Stars (Ire). O/B-Haras de la Perelle; T-Francis-Henri Graffard; J-Christophe Soumillon; HK$4,600,000. Margins: 1 3/4, 3HF, NK. Odds: 1-10, 42-5, 9-1. Also Ran: Galen (GB), Rousham Park (Jpn), Chancheng Glory, Straight Arron (Aus). Click for the HKJC chart, PPs and sectional timing. VIDEO Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong LONGINES HONG KONG MILE-G1, HK$36,000,000, Sha Tin, 12-14, 3yo/up, 1600mT, 1:33.47, gd. 1–VOYAGE BUBBLE (AUS), 126, g, 7, by Deep Field (Aus) 1st Dam: Raheights (Aus), by Rahy 2nd Dam: Laoub, by Red Ransom 3rd Dam: Lisieux, by Steady Growth (A$300,000 Ylg '20 INGFEB). O-Sunshine and Moonlight Syndicate; B-Torryburn Stud (NSW); T-Ricky P F Yiu; J-Zac Purton; HK$20,160,000. Lifetime Record: 29-12-8-3, $15,093,174. *1/2 to Diddums (Aus) (Snitzel {Aus}), GSW-Aus, $164.688. Werk Nick Rating: B. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. 2–Soul Rush (Jpn), 126, h, 7, Rulership (Jpn)–Eternal Bouquet (Jpn), by Manhattan Cafe (Jpn). O-Tatsue Ishikawa; B-Shimokobe Farm; T-Yasutoshi Ikee; J-Cristian Demuro; HK$7,560,000. 3–Red Lion (Ire), 126, g, 6, Belardo (Ire)–Crystal Idea (Ire), by Namid (GB). (€7,000 Ylg '20 TATDEC; £240,000 RNA HRA '22 GOFLON). O-The Hon Ronald Arculli GBM GBS JP & Johanna K J Arculli BBS; B-P Harney; T-John Size; J-Hugh Bowman; HK$4,140,000. Margins: HF, 1 3/4, NK. Odds: 13-5, 61-10, 51-1. Also Ran: Docklands (GB), Galaxy Patch (Aus), My Wish (Aus), Patch of Theta (Aus), Beauty Joy (Aus), Pray For Mir (Aus), Beauvatier (Fr), Embroidery (Jpn), The Lion In Winter (Ire), Sunlight Power (Aus), Copartner Prance (Aus). Scratched: Happy Together (Ire). Click for the HKJC chart, PPs and sectional timing. VIDEO. Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong LONGINES HONG KONG SPRINT-G1, HK$28,000,000, Sha Tin, 12-14, 3yo/up, 1200mT, 1:07.70, gd. 1–KA YING RISING (NZ), 126, g, 5, by Shamexpress (NZ) 1st Dam: Missy Moo (NZ), by Per Incanto 2nd Dam: Royal Rhythm (NZ), by Rhythm 3rd Dam: Her Dynasty (NZ), by Sir Tristram (Ire) O-Ka Ying Syndicate; B-Grandmoral Lodge Racing; T-David Hayes; J-Zac Purton; HK$15,680,000. Lifetime Record: Horse of the Year & Ch. Sprinter-HK, G1SW-Aus, 19-17-2-0, $15,009,168. Werk Nick Rating: A++. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. 2–Raging Blizzard (NZ), 126, g, 6, Per Incanto–Perfect Beat (Aus), by Magnus (Aus). (A$225,000 Ylg '21 INGFEB). O-Hayden Pong Hei Ting; B-Jamieson Park Ltd; T-John Size; J-Brenton Avdulla; HK$5,880,000. 3–Fast Network (NZ), 126, g, 5, Wrote (Ire)–Alberta (NZ), by Magic Albert (Aus). (NZ$30,000 Ylg '22 NZBMAR). O-Ng Hung Yau; B-K A Gillovic; T-Dennis C Y Yip; J-James McDonald; HK$3,220,000. Margins: 3 3/4, 3/4, NO. Odds: 1-20, 112-1, 39-1. Also Ran: Lucky Sweynesse (NZ), Helios Express (Aus), Tomodachi Kokoroe (Aus), Lucky With You (Aus), Wunderbar (Aus), Satono Reve (Jpn), Beauty Waves (Ire), Win Carnelian (Jpn), Khaadem (Ire), Divano (Aus). Click for the HKJC chart, PPs and sectional timing. VIDEO. Sunday, Sha Tin, Hong Kong LONGINES HONG KONG VASE-G1, HK$26,000,000, Sha Tin, 12-14, 3yo/up, 2400mT, 2:28.05, gd. 1–SOSIE (IRE), 126, c, 4, by Sea The Stars (Ire) 1st Dam: Sosia (Ger) (SP-Fr), by Shamardal 2nd Dam: Sahel (Ger), by Monsun (Ger) 3rd Dam: Sacarina (GB), by Old Vic (GB) O/B-Wertheimer et Frere; T-Andre Fabre; J-Maxime Guyon; HK$14,560,000. Lifetime Record: MG1SW-Fr, 13-7-2-2, $3,952,959. *1/2 to Anasia (GB) (Intello {Ger}), SW & MGSP-Fr, $147,779; Copie (GB) (Iffraaj {GB}), SW-Ger; Sosino (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}), GSP-Fr; and Uther (GB) (Camelot {GB}), GSW-Fr, $135,730. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. 2–Giavellotto (Ire), 126, h, 6, Mastercraftsman (Ire)–Gerika (Fr), by Galileo (Ire). O-Scuderia La Tesa Ltd & Vaibhav Smith; B-Societa Agricola La Tesa SRL; T-Marco Botti; J-Andrea Atzeni; HK$5,460,000. 3–Goliath (Ger), 126, g, 5, Adlerflug (Ger)–Gouache (Ger), by Shamardal. O-Resolute Racing & Baron Philip Von Ullmann; B-Gestut Schlenderhan; T-Francis-Henri Graffard; J-Christophe Soumillon; HK$2,990,000. Margins: 3/4, HF, NK. Odds: 17-10, 16-5, 19-1. Also Ran: Al Riffa (Fr), Los Angeles (Ire), Bundle Award (Aus), Moments In Time (Chi), Ka Ying Generation (Ire), Ensued, Urban Chic (Jpn), Eydon (Ire). Click for the HKJC chart, PPs and sectional timing. VIDEO. The post Local Superstars, Fabre’s Sosie Shine at Longines HKIR appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Taranaki gelding Tisse (NZ) (Belardo) took an impressive step forward to his major summer target in a couple of weeks when dominating the Bill Tito Book Repair Specialist 2100 at Trentham on Sunday. The Allan Sharrock-trained five-year-old has been in a purple patch of form, winning one and finishing runner-up in three of his last five starts, and he was duly backed into $1.70 favouritism for his weekend assignment. From his outside barrier in the eight-horse field, Tisse was taken back to settle at the rear of the field by jockey Kelly Myers, who was happy to bide her time off the pace. Off a slow tempo, the Taranaki hoop asked her charge to slowly improve from the 800m mark before launching him three-wide close to the turn, and he quickly bounded to the lead. Opawa Jack was brave in trying to stick with the talented gelding, but Tisse’s quality shone through and he ran away to a 2-1/4 length victory. Myers was impressed with Tisse’s performance and is excited for what the future has instore for the gelding. “I don’t think it would have mattered how I rode that horse today, he was just a class above,” she said. “He is a grouse horse because he drops the bridle and when you ask him to go, he goes. He picked them up and spat them out like that. “He got to them too quickly, I should have probably sat and waited a little bit longer, but he was genuine to the line. He probably did wait a bit and then he really knuckled down. “It’s onwards and upwards, he is a very exciting horse.” Sharrock was pleased with what he saw in Tisse’s final hit-out before heading to Ellerslie on New Year’s Day to have his first tilt at black-type in the Gr.3 Queen Elizabeth II Cup (2400m). “She (Myers) took off at the right time and he did it on his ear basically,” Sharrock said. “It was a good lead-up to the race (Queen Elizabeth) we want to try and win. He goes better right-handed, as you saw with Opie (Bosson, jockey) on (when victorious at Ellerslie over 2100m in October), so that has always been his target race.” Sharrock said Tisse will have a quiet time in the interim, with the gelding not requiring a lot of work to maintain his fitness. “He doesn’t do a lot of work because anaerobically he is clean-winded,” he said. “Lucky for a stayer we don’t have to put too much work into him, and he is so relaxed in a race, it won’t worry him.” View the full article

Join Pip Morris, Jayne Ivil and Aidan Rodley as they break down the action from Waikato Cup Day and Ascot Park, plus the latest news ahead of the NZB Kiwi and Karaka Million. Weigh In, December 14 View the full article

Taranaki gelding Tisse (NZ) (Belardo) took an impressive step forward to his major summer target in a couple of weeks when dominating the Bill Tito Book Repair Specialist 2100 at Trentham on Sunday. The Allan Sharrock-trained five-year-old has been in a purple patch of form, winning one and finishing runner-up in three of his last five starts, and he was duly backed into $1.70 favouritism for his weekend assignment. From his outside barrier in the eight-horse field, Tisse was taken back to settle at the rear of the field by jockey Kelly Myers, who was happy to bide her time off the pace. Off a slow tempo, the Taranaki hoop asked her charge to slowly improve from the 800m mark before launching him three-wide close to the turn, and he quickly bounded to the lead. Opawa Jack was brave in trying to stick with the talented gelding, but Tisse’s quality shone through and he ran away to a 2-1/4 length victory. Myers was impressed with Tisse’s performance and is excited for what the future has instore for the gelding. “I don’t think it would have mattered how I rode that horse today, he was just a class above,” she said. “He is a grouse horse because he drops the bridle and when you ask him to go, he goes. He picked them up and spat them out like that. “He got to them too quickly, I should have probably sat and waited a little bit longer, but he was genuine to the line. He probably did wait a bit and then he really knuckled down. “It’s onwards and upwards, he is a very exciting horse.” Sharrock was pleased with what he saw in Tisse’s final hit-out before heading to Ellerslie on New Year’s Day to have his first tilt at black-type in the Gr.3 Queen Elizabeth II Cup (2400m). “She (Myers) took off at the right time and he did it on his ear basically,” Sharrock said. “It was a good lead-up to the race (Queen Elizabeth) we want to try and win. He goes better right-handed, as you saw with Opie (Bosson, jockey) on (when victorious at Ellerslie over 2100m in October), so that has always been his target race.” Sharrock said Tisse will have a quiet time in the interim, with the gelding not requiring a lot of work to maintain his fitness. “He doesn’t do a lot of work because anaerobically he is clean-winded,” he said. “Lucky for a stayer we don’t have to put too much work into him, and he is so relaxed in a race, it won’t worry him.” View the full article

Join Pip Morris, Jayne Ivil and Aidan Rodley as they break down the action from Waikato Cup Day and Ascot Park, plus the latest news ahead of the NZB Kiwi and Karaka Million. Weigh In, December 14 View the full article

Trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson now have their sights set on the Gr.3 Cambridge Stud Almanzor Trophy (1400m) at Ellerslie for To Bravery Born (NZ) (Snitzel) on Karaka Millions night following his eye-catching first-up win at Te Rapa on Saturday. The three-year-old gelding has a strong first-up record, having won on debut as an early two-year-old before repeating the result when fresh-up at Ellerslie in January. He then resumed as a three-year-old with victory over 1100m at Taupo in August before continuing his strong fresh sequence on Saturday. Despite initially jumping away with the rest of the field, To Bravery Born was beaten for early speed and was several lengths of the pace in the first 100m. But under a cool ride from seasoned jockey Opie Bosson, To Bravery Born was able to quickly make up the deficit and enjoyed a quiet passage at the rear of the field. Turning for home, he still had all before him, but Bosson was able to find a gap out wide and To Bravery Born stormed over the top of his rivals to win by half a length over To Cap It All, with a further 1-1/2 lengths back to Places To Be in third. “Coming to the turn he started coming up underneath me,” Bosson said. “I knew he’s got a good sprint and he goes well fresh, and they went pretty quick up front, so I knew they’d be coming back to me halfway up the straight. “He’s definitely got ability and he certainly goes better fresh, so it’s about keeping him on the fresh side, but I think he’s a good racehorse.” Bosson returned to raceday riding this week following a mandatory standdown period after suffering a head injury last month, and he has been quick to recapture winning form, also partnering Te Akau’s Tagalomu to victory at Tauranga on Friday. “The bang on the head took a lot out of me, and I was a bit down and out for a couple weeks, but the marbles are starting to stop rattling up there now,” he said. Walker was pleased with the win but admitted to being perplexed by To Bravery Born’s tardy beginning. “I don’t know what happened at the start, he was bit slow away,” Walker said. “He’s got a great record fresh and he’s probably got a bit better win in him yet.” While To Bravery Born has won half of his eight starts to date and placed in the Gr.3 Matamata Slipper (1200m), a stakes scalp remains elusive, and it’s something his trainers are hoping to rectify at Ellerslie next month. “Maybe we look at something like the Almanzor Trophy,” Walker said. Meanwhile, Walker was less upbeat about stablemate La Dorada’s fourth placed effort in the same race, having her first start in New Zealand since her outstanding juvenile season where she won the Gr.1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m), Gr.2 Matamata Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) and Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) on her way to being crowned Champion New Zealand Two-Year-Old. She failed to flatter in her two runs in Australia during spring, finishing unplaced in both the Gr.1 Moir Stakes (1000m) and Gr.3 Scarborough Stakes (1200m), and she has her trainers scratching their heads following Saturday’s run. “It was a pass mark, but still the jury is out, and she hasn’t quite recaptured that two-year-old form,” Walker said. View the full article

Wexford Stables’ exciting juvenile filly Dashing Dixie (NZ) (Alabama Express) is TAB Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) bound following her debut victory at Te Rapa on Saturday. The daughter of Alabama Express had placed in her two trials over 800m leading into her first raceday appearance, and trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott were hopeful of a bold showing. In a compact field of four, Dashing Dixie jumped away well and maintained her advantage on the rail to take up the pace making role. She was eyed by Sword Of Stars throughout but was able to get the better of her rival in the concluding stages to win by half a length. With her debut earnings of $37,375, she has jumped to fourth-equal in order of entry for the Karaka Millions 2YO, guaranteeing her spot in the rich feature, much to the delight of her trainers. “It’s probably no surprise to the team that she did what she did,” O’Sullivan said. “We certainly rated her quite highly. With four runners, she was able to relax in front and quicken off the corner. “The team certainly likes her and we have got a ticket in the big lottery now.” Dashing Dixie will likely have one more run before the January 24 showpiece, and O’Sullivan said they will lock in that target in the coming days. “We will get home on Monday and Andrew, myself and the team will go through it and make a decision where to from here,” he said. “It will be good to have a runner (in the Karaka Millions).” Bred by Elsdon Park principal Lib Petagna, under his JML Bloodstock banner, Dashing Dixie is out of unraced Zoustar mare War Goddess, whose grandam is Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) winner She’s Country. Dashing Dixie was offered through Elsdon Park’s New Zealand Bloodstock Book 1 Yearling Sale draft in January where she was purchased by Wexford Stables for $340,000. “We go through and do our homework, and she was one that we selected,” O’Sullivan said. “We really liked her and we had to pay a little bit of money for her. Often it doesn’t come off, but today it has.” O’Sullivan has been rapt with her progress to date and he expects her to improve as she strengthens and matures with time. “In her first prep she was a little bit weak,” he said. “She still has a lot of improvement and she is only going to continue to get better.” View the full article

Trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson now have their sights set on the Gr.3 Cambridge Stud Almanzor Trophy (1400m) at Ellerslie for To Bravery Born (NZ) (Snitzel) on Karaka Millions night following his eye-catching first-up win at Te Rapa on Saturday. The three-year-old gelding has a strong first-up record, having won on debut as an early two-year-old before repeating the result when fresh-up at Ellerslie in January. He then resumed as a three-year-old with victory over 1100m at Taupo in August before continuing his strong fresh sequence on Saturday. Despite initially jumping away with the rest of the field, To Bravery Born was beaten for early speed and was several lengths of the pace in the first 100m. But under a cool ride from seasoned jockey Opie Bosson, To Bravery Born was able to quickly make up the deficit and enjoyed a quiet passage at the rear of the field. Turning for home, he still had all before him, but Bosson was able to find a gap out wide and To Bravery Born stormed over the top of his rivals to win by half a length over To Cap It All, with a further 1-1/2 lengths back to Places To Be in third. “Coming to the turn he started coming up underneath me,” Bosson said. “I knew he’s got a good sprint and he goes well fresh, and they went pretty quick up front, so I knew they’d be coming back to me halfway up the straight. “He’s definitely got ability and he certainly goes better fresh, so it’s about keeping him on the fresh side, but I think he’s a good racehorse.” Bosson returned to raceday riding this week following a mandatory standdown period after suffering a head injury last month, and he has been quick to recapture winning form, also partnering Te Akau’s Tagalomu to victory at Tauranga on Friday. “The bang on the head took a lot out of me, and I was a bit down and out for a couple weeks, but the marbles are starting to stop rattling up there now,” he said. Walker was pleased with the win but admitted to being perplexed by To Bravery Born’s tardy beginning. “I don’t know what happened at the start, he was bit slow away,” Walker said. “He’s got a great record fresh and he’s probably got a bit better win in him yet.” While To Bravery Born has won half of his eight starts to date and placed in the Gr.3 Matamata Slipper (1200m), a stakes scalp remains elusive, and it’s something his trainers are hoping to rectify at Ellerslie next month. “Maybe we look at something like the Almanzor Trophy,” Walker said. Meanwhile, Walker was less upbeat about stablemate La Dorada’s fourth placed effort in the same race, having her first start in New Zealand since her outstanding juvenile season where she won the Gr.1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m), Gr.2 Matamata Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) and Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) on her way to being crowned Champion New Zealand Two-Year-Old. She failed to flatter in her two runs in Australia during spring, finishing unplaced in both the Gr.1 Moir Stakes (1000m) and Gr.3 Scarborough Stakes (1200m), and she has her trainers scratching their heads following Saturday’s run. “It was a pass mark, but still the jury is out, and she hasn’t quite recaptured that two-year-old form,” Walker said. View the full article

Coming off a fourth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1), Litmus Test defeated stablemates Blacksmith and Provenance in the Los Alamitos Futurity (G2) for a Bob Baffert-trained trifecta.View the full article