Wandering Eyes

Fresh off a Happy Valley winner just before Christmas, David Eustace is hoping to keep the festive celebrations rolling into Saturday with a strong squad set for the Sha Tin meeting. The British trainer watched Sports Legend record a facile success at the city circuit on Tuesday and after some downtime to enjoy the festive period, his attention now firmly turns to a pair of second-up horses who had luckless debuts. Perhaps his biggest chance of a Saturday winner is Greater Bae, who runs in the...View the full article

Promising filly Bobby Mcgee showed she will be a force to be reckoned with against her age-group rivals over the next few months when she bounded home to take out her first victory at stakes level in the Listed NZB Airfreight Stakes (1400m) at Wingatui. The Terry Kennedy-prepared daughter of White Robe Lodge stallion Ancient Spirit had broken her maiden status on her home track two starts ago and followed that up with a tidy run for fifth against the three-year-olds at Invercargill a fortnight ago. Despite that form, she was overlooked in the betting for the Boxing Day feature event on her home track, starting at the generous odds of $18 in the Fixed Odds market dominated by Miss Starlight ($2.50) and Cool Aza Rene ($3.40). The two favourites looked as though they would fulfil those predictions as they set down to fight out the finish after separating themselves from the rest of the field with 150m to run. However, no one had told Bobby Mcgee and rider Rohan Mudhoo who had bided their time in midfield before angling to the middle of the track rounding the home bend. Just as Miss Starlight looked to have beaten off Cool Aza Rene, Boby Mcgee appeared on her outer and with several enormous bounds cruised past to win going away by just on a neck at the post. Kennedy had been confident of a good performance despite the class of the opposition. “She is a really nice filly and her work since the run at Invercargill has been top class,” Kennedy said. “She didn’t have a lot of luck that day and back to her home track gave us confidence she could compete today. “She is a beautiful, big filly who will only get better as she matures and I think the way she finished off today she will get up to 2000m without much fuss.” Kennedy will follow the traditional three-year-old path with the filly but isn’t prepared to overtax her this preparation. “She probably has three more runs left in her before we put her aside for a break,” he said. “She can chase the three-year-old series and I think her last run is likely to be in the Dunedin Guineas (Listed, 1600m) here in late February.” Bred and raced by Craig and Jim Hunter, Bobby Mcgee’s dam is the six-time winner Lucille, who recently produced a full sister to Bobby Mcgee. – View the full article

A brilliant front-running ride from Joe Doyle saw gritty filly Tellum upset the applecart as she downed the favourites in the Gr.2 Hallmark Stud Eight Carat Classic (1600m) at Ellerslie on Boxing Day. The Debbie Sweeney-prepared three-year-old had been thereabouts in her recent racing and with no other runners prepared to set up the pace, it was Doyle and the daughter of Ocean Park who seized the initiative and dictated proceedings. It was obvious that the filly was travelling well on the home corner and when she sneaked away with 300m to run, the members of the Flying Mullet syndicate who own her, began to make their presence felt as the volume levels increased exponentially on-course. Tellum never looked like being caught as she held out the strong late runs of race favourite Lollapalooza, Fleeting Star and Fairy Dream to claim her third career victory and first at stakes level. Sweeney was all smiles after the race and praised her nearly 50-strong ownership group for their support of her and the horse. “This is extra special as she is a tough filly who has shown a lot the whole way through,” Sweeney said. “It is a great team of owners, 47 or 49 of them, and I’m so thankful to them. There are a lot of characters in there and when she won at Te Aroha they were all in the pub at Papamoa and having an absolute blast. “I did say to Joe that she does like to be on pace and I couldn’t believe how easily she was travelling. “I thought we were a massive chance then and I’m just rapt with her. “We will now carry on with her three-year-old campaign after we see how she pulls up” Bred by Waikato Stud, Tellum is out of the Fastnet Rock mare Early Morning Rise, who is a daughter of class racemare Kay’s Awake who was placed on four separate occasions at Group One level. She has now won three of her seven starts and more than $180,000 in prizemoney. View the full article

Nerves are a rare feeling for Stephen Marsh on raceday, but he was certainly feeling them at Ellerslie on Boxing Day. The Cambridge horseman was lining up his unbeaten filly Well Written in the Gr.2 Jimmy Schick Shaw’s Auckland Guineas (1400m), and he knew the well-supported filly would be vulnerable fresh-up. The daughter of Written Tycoon has made waves since winning on debut at Ellerslie in September, going on to win the Gr.2 Soliloquy Stakes (1400m) in eye-catching fashion, attracting the attention of plenty of prospective buyers in the process. Yulong Investments subsequently purchased into the filly and she carried their green silks to victory in the Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton last month. That performance attracted the attention of NZB Kiwi (1500m) slot holders and a deal was brokered with Entain New Zealand to represent their TAB slot in the $4 million feature. With his filly being the talk of New Zealand racing, Marsh had the weight of expectation on his shoulders heading into Friday’s feature, with punters backing Well Written into $1.30 favouritism, and she didn’t do anything to allay his nerves when she was fractious behind the barriers. However, she loaded away and jumped away well under Matthew Cartwright, who settled his charge in the one-one behind Affirmative Action, while jockey Opie Bosson made a beeline for the front and set the pace throughout. He Who Dares looked full of running at the turn, kicking clear of his rivals, and he was maintaining that advantage. However, with 200m to go, Cartwright pushed the go button on his filly and she started to take chase, firstly reeling in Affirmative Action before grabbing He Who Dares on the line to win buy a short neck. Marsh was understandably a relieved man post-race. “I haven’t felt like that before a race for a long time,” he said. “I have been feeling sick all week about it. We haven’t got her tuned up. I knew today she would be vulnerable. We certainly didn’t want to be coming here and getting beaten. “I am just proud of her and I thought Matt did a great job. I said to him to nurse her until the last little bit, don’t go for her too early, and he did exactly that. “It was a little bit hairy for a bit, but she knows where the line is. I knew with her condition she would probably come to the end of it in that last little bit, hence why I said to Matt to ride her with patience, don’t go early, and he gave her another 10 out of 10 ride. “I think she is one out of the box, she is brilliant. I felt a bit of pressure today, but I am certainly relieved now, and it makes it all worthwhile.” Marsh said it was also an honour to take out a race named after Windsor Park Stud principals Rodney and Gina Schick’s late son. “It is special winning that race, the Jimmy Schick. I know Rod and Gina will be watching at home. It is a very hard time for the family,” Marsh said. “It is pretty special for us. We are all very close in Cambridge and to win that race is great.” Cartwright was also rapt with Well Written’s performance and he is now looking forward to tackling some rich targets aboard her, with the filly heading the TAB’s futures market for both the TAB Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m) and NZB Kiwi, at $1.40 and $1.90 respectively. “Coming to the last 100m I expected her to kick a little bit better but today is not her grand final,” he said. “She is a little bit underdone but still got the job done. “She is such an exciting filly and she has put her head out when it counts. It is just a privilege to ride her.” View the full article

Caspar Fownes is adamant Lo Rider is primed for a return to the trip of his creditable fourth in the Hong Kong Derby when he tackles Saturday’s Class Two Long Ke Handicap (2,000m). Bidding to add to his two-win championship lead over Mark Newnham, Fownes is full of confidence as Lo Rider bids to add to his first Hong Kong success over 1,650m at Happy Valley in September. The Irish import was unlucky not to strike in his first local campaign last season, notching a close second and a pair of...View the full article

David Hall is focusing solely on getting his progressive sprinter Magnifique back safe and sound before considering lavish targets as he begins on the comeback trail at Sha Tin on Saturday. The Charm Spirit galloper looked to be a smart operator in the making last season, rattling off three wins from four starts, and he runs in the Class Three Sham Chung Handicap (1,000m). Winning his opening two starts with his head in his chest, Magnifique had excuses when suffering defeat for the first time...View the full article

White Robe Lodge has announced the death of proven stallion Ghibellines. A son of champion sire Shamardal and the Group One-winning Elusive Quality mare Camarilla, Ghibellines’ racing highlight was his victory in the Gr.2 Todman Stakes (1200m) for trainer Peter Snowden. Retired to stud in 2016, Ghibellines sired Group One winner Smokin’ Romans, last season’s Gr.2 Brisbane Cup (2400m) winner Campaldino and A$1.5 million earner Palmetto among nine stakes winners at a very respectable 4.3 percent stakes winners to runners. View the full article

Maiden Watch: Week of Dec. 15-21View the full article

Trainer Bob Baffert has entered five 3-year-olds in the seven-furlong Malibu Stakes, headed by recent Perryville Stakes (G3) winner Barnes.View the full article

Nearly a decade after taking up the mantle as private trainer to Cambridge Stud owners Sir Brendan and Jo Lady Lindsay, Lance Noble has delivered results that he hopes to embellish at one of New Zealand’s racing’s biggest events, Boxing Day at Ellerslie. From his base at Lindsay Racing’s lavish Karaka facility, Noble has prepared more than 120 winners in the gold and black Cambridge Stud colours, and with a select team lining up on the first big day of the holiday racing season, he’s looking for more. Noble’s team is headed by Jaarffi (NZ) (Iffraaj) in the Gr.1 Cambridge Stud Zabeel Classic (2000m), a multiple stakes-placed six-year-old seeking her first major win. He will saddle up two runners, topweight Mollify (NZ) (So You Think) and Daring Dame (NZ) (Almanzor), in the Dunstan Horsefeeds Stayers Championship Final, as well as First Dance (NZ) (Zousain) in the Stella Artois 1500 Championship Final, Frostfair in the Entain/NZB Pearl Series and two-year-old debutante Liguria in the SkyCity 1100. “Part of the brief when I accepted this role was to target the big days,” Noble said. “Brendan and Jo love racing at Ellerslie, especially on these feature days, so to have six runners in their colours on Boxing Day and another couple for New Year’s Day from a team of 24, that’s very satisfying, a big effort from everyone involved. “Mind you, they’ve still got to front up, but we’re not there just to make up the numbers, they’ve all got the credentials to perform in the races we’ve set them for.” Jaarffi meets opposition to compare with the very best Zabeel Classic fields, headed by triple Group One winner Waitak (NZ) (Proisir), reigning Horse of the Year El Vencedor (NZ) (Shocking) and perennial Group One bridesmaid La Crique (NZ) (Vadamos). Add quality performers such as Legarto (NZ) (Proisir), Qali Al Farrasha (NZ) (Almanzor) and Victorian raider Kingswood (Roaring Lion), and Jaarffi’s attempt at a black-type breakthrough will be no pushover. “Yes, it’s a very strong field, as good as you could expect, but our mare has had an ideal build-up, she loves the track and is drawn well,” Noble said. “She had no luck when she was just beaten in the Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (Gr.1, 1600m) here in March, so I’d like to think she can be right in it.” The stronger of Noble’s double hand in the Dunstan Stayers Final (2400m) is Mollify, who has earned her 59 kilo topweight with wins at her last two starts. “She has come a long way pretty quickly and it’s fair to say she deserves to be topweight. “She does put herself in a race and it’s reassuring that she has followed a similar path to our two earlier winners of this race, About Time (NZ) (American Pharoah) and Aquacade (NZ) (Dundeel). “Daring Dame’s form is a bit patchy, but a couple of things have gone against her and she’s at a good spot down in the weights. “Frostfair (NZ) (Written Tycoon) had an excuse for her last performance at Te Rapa when she blew the start, so you can put a line through that. She’s such a big mare, she can get a bit claustrophobic if she’s in the gates too long. “Her previous form was good and also in her favour is her record on the track and over the (1400m) distance.” “Our Stella Artois Final runner First Dance was beaten a nose at her last start by Moxie (Strasbourg), who is the likely favourite in this race, and the time before she finished second to Smart Love (NZ) (Savabeel). “She has an ideal draw and I’m very happy with her.” First Dance acted as baby-sitter for Noble’s Boxing Day debutante Liguria (NZ) (Snitzel)4 at Monday’s Ellerslie gallops session and both pleased with their work on the course proper. Liguria represents a significant phase in Noble’s time at Linday Racing, being the daughter of one of his early feature performers in the same colours, Gr. 2 Matamata Breeders’ Stakes winner Vernazza (NZ). “That’s the beauty of my role here, the fantastic bloodlines I get to work with, and Liguria is no better example being by Snitzel from a very good galloper. “She’s a first foal and has really strengthened and developed lately. She has a beautiful action and has run two nice trials and up against what you could call a pretty even field, I’m looking forward to seeing how she goes. “You have to be realistic going into these sorts of days, everyone’s primed for a crack at the good stakes and it will be very competitive racing, but we’re just happy to be part of it.” View the full article

Darryn and Briar Weatherley are under no illusions about the holiday task ahead of Bulgari (NZ) (Hello Youmzain) but are confident the three-year-old is up to making a strong impression. While respectful of the competition, the father and daughter training combination have faith in their colt to give the more favoured contenders a run for their money in Friday’s Gr.2 Jimmy Schick Shaw’s Auckland Guineas (1400m). “We are really happy with him, he’s up against it with that filly (Well Written (Written Tycoon)) and Pam Gerard’s horse (Affirmative Action (Yes Yes Yes)) in there, but I wouldn’t have him in if I didn’t think he was a chance,” Darryn Weatherley said. “I really like the horse, he’s been unlucky in a couple of runs and he’s got a very good future.” The son of Hello Youmzain won his only start last season and this preparation hasn’t had the rub of the green, finishing in behind the major players in both the Gr.2 Hawke’s Bay Guineas (1400m) and Listed Sir Colin Meads Trophy (1200m). Two runs back, Buglari was fourth after an interrupted run at Te Aroha and last time out over this course and distance was unplaced after being denied clear air in the straight. “He worked on the course proper on Tuesday morning with Inside Out (NZ) (Proisir) and he was super, he’s very bright,” Weatherley said. “We gave him a trial last week at Avondale and he’s really come on from that with flying colours. “He will strip a fit horse on Friday and there’s only seven other runners, albeit a couple of them go very well, so he’s going to get a nice run.” Stablemate Dark Destroyer (NZ) (Proisir) will also face a stiff task when he steps out in the Gr.1 Cambridge Stud Zabeel Classic (2000m) following a last-start runner-up finish at Pukekohe Park. “It’s a strong line-up and he deserves his spot in the field, he’s a Group One winner (Tarzino Trophy, 1400m) so we’re looking for a nice run from him,” Weatherley said. “If he goes well, he’ll go back to Ellerslie for the Queen Elizabeth II Cup and he should be even more competitive over the 2400m.” The stable’s other runner on Boxing Day is the genuine Inside Out, who will contest the Stella Artois Championship Final (1500m). “He’s another one who you can’t get a line on in trackwork, but he’s very well and hasn’t put a foot wrong,” said Weatherley, whose son Sam will be aboard all three runners. He was a debut winner in the autumn and the chestnut son of Proisir added a couple of fifth placings before a break. The four-year-old finished runner-up in his resuming run at Tauranga and was again second last time out at Ellerslie where the step up from 1300m should be ideal. “He’s improved with every start and went a really good race the other day and meets the horse that beat him (Rise Companions (Capitalist)) better off at the weights,” Weatherley said. View the full article

Te Akau Racing will be hoping to unwrap some late Christmas presents when they head to Wingatui on Boxing Day with a handful of runners. Their charge will be led by a two-pronged attack in the Listed NZB Airfreight Stakes (1400m) courtesy of Cool Aza Rene (Cool Aza Beel) and Marokopa Falls (Hellbent), who have drawn at opposite ends of the spectrum. Group Three-winning filly Cool Aza Rene has drawn the ace marble, while Group Two performer Marokopa Falls will jump from barrier 10 in the 15-horse field. “They bring two different form lines, but they look two really nice chances on paper,” said Sam Bergerson, who trains in partnership with Mark Walker. Cool Aza Rene mixed her form over spring but secured her maiden stakes victory in the Gr.3 Barneswood Stakes (1400m) at Ashburton in October before running eighth in the Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton last month. She ran third behind Friday race-rival Cashla Bay (NZ) (U S Navy Flag) in a 1000m trial at Timaru earlier this month, and Bergerson is happy with his filly going into the Boxing Day feature. “Cool Aza Rene is a hard one to get a line on at home, but she had a freshen-up following the Guineas, she just failed to see out the mile,” he said. “Back to 1400m will hopefully suit. I thought she trialled well and she has done really well down there in the south.” Marokopa Falls was third last start in the Listed The O’Learys Fillies Stakes (1340m) at Wanganui and that form was franked last weekend when runner-up War Princess (NZ) (U S Navy Flag) took out the Gr.3 Eulogy Stakes (1600m) at Trentham. “I thought Marokopa Falls was good last time at Wanganui without a lot of luck, trapped three-wide on speed but stuck on really well,” Bergerson said. “She has travelled down in good order. “She will obviously need a bit of luck from out there (10), but she is in good form and should run well.” On the undercard, I’m A Dirty Rascal (Galileo) and Elegant Lady (NZ) (Highly Recommended) will represent the stable in the Grand Casino Open 2200, with the former looking to bounce back to form ahead of next month’s Gr.3 NZ Campus Innovation & Sport Wellington Cup (3200m) at Trentham. “I’m A Dirty Rascal had a bit of a funny run in the (New Zealand) Cup (Gr.3, 3200m), Gryllsy (Craig Grylls, jockey) couldn’t get him to go and then he grabbed the bridle in the last 200m and attacked the line,” Bergerson said. “We have given him a bit of a freshen-up and the rain shouldn’t worry him too much. Hopefully he can run well and we can get him to the Wellington Cup later in January.” Elegant Lady was runner-up on the Riccarton synthetic earlier this month after finishing eighth in the Listed Metropolitan Trophy (2600m) last month, and Bergerson is hoping she can continue her improvement on Friday where she will carry just 54.5kg. “Elegant Lady failed to see out the 2600m at the first meeting of Cup Week and is another that has had a freshen-up,” he said. “Back to 2200m suits and she can handle a bit of sting out of the track, so she looks a nice lightweight chance.” Stablemates High Roller (NZ) (Ace High) and Cognoscenti (Castelvecchio) also featured prominently at Riccarton Park’s synthetic meeting earlier this month, winning their respective races, and Bergerson is hoping they can bring that form to the grass in their respective ODT Southern Mile Heats (1600m) on Friday. “High Roller is always a horse that could gallop but needed a bit of confidence,” Bergerson said. “Hopefully he got that from his first-up win with the blinkers back on, and they stay on for Friday. He has trialled well on heavy going, if it was to get heavy. He can hopefully go through the grades now. “It was a good, positive ride by Bruno (Queiroz) on Cognoscenti (last start). He has got to take that step up to 75 grade now, which is always really tough, but hopefully he has got a bit of confidence and can continue from his good win on the poly.” View the full article

Three from Augustin Stables will vie in a field of 11 3-year-old fillies on the turf at Santa Anita.View the full article

One of Maryland's leading trainers, Claudio Gonzalez, has been expelled from Laurel Park according to a story from the Paulick Report Tuesday. A brief statement from the Maryland Jockey Club reads, “Claudio Gonzalez violated the rules of The Maryland Jockey Club and has been expelled from the grounds.” While the MJC provided no further information, the Paulick Report article links horses previously trained by Gonzalez to “questionable” homes, saying, “Bev Strauss, founder of MidAtlantic Horse Rescue, told the Paulick Report that a former Gonzalez trainee ended up at a kill pen in Kansas, but added that the filly was able to be pulled and is in a new home. Four other former Gonzalez trainees were re-routed from “questionable” homes to MidAtlantic Horse Rescue, she said.” “I have the bill of sale for myself, and I have the bill of sale for Laurel Park,” Gonzalez told the Paulick Report in response. “It's not like I sent them. I did nothing wrong.” The top trainer in Maryland from 2017-2022, Gonzalez has 41 winners from 311 starters this year but has not saddled a starter since Dec. 14. The post Leading Maryland Trainer Claudio Gonzalez Expelled From Laurel Park appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

West Point Thoroughbreds' Counting Stars hopes to up her win count as the 2-year-old filly leads the field of nine in the $150,000 End of Year Stakes at Oaklawn Park Dec. 27.View the full article