Wandering Eyes

Danica Guy’s talented three-year-old Lupo Solitario (NZ) (Satono Aladdin) has been sold to Hong Kong. A son of Satono Aladdin, Lupo Solitario announced himself with a bold winning performance on debut in August 2023, attracting extensive buyer interest. His ownership group, including Leighton Howl who purchased the gelding for $82,500 out of Rich Hill Stud’s draft at the 2022 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sales, resisted the sale initially, and Lupo Solitario continued to perform among the best of this season’s three-year-old crop. “His debut run was really exciting, he was so green and he won so well. He really put his name out there with that run and he just kept improving,” Guy said. Matamata-based Guy tested Lupo Solitario twice at Group level through his six starts in New Zealand and his runner-up performance behind star three-year-old Crocetti in the Gr.2 James & Annie Sarten Memorial (1400m) was one she described as his best. “His best run was probably for second in the Annie Sarten, he hit the line hard behind Crocetti,” she said. Lupo Solitario was rewarded for his consistency when defeating subsequent Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) winner Orchestral in the Gr.3 Bonecrusher Stakes (1400m) and had his only finish outside of the top two when finishing eighth in the Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m), also won by the phenomenal filly. “I think he was only tripped up in his last two starts, one was a wet track, and secondly on Karaka Millions night, we were really badly let down by the track being greasy,” Guy said. “With his low, flat action and big stride, he just struggled on the ground. “But I think he’s definitely right up there as one of the best three-year-olds this season.” Following his Karaka Millions performance, Lupo Solitario was subsequently sold to a long-time client of Guy’s stable, that had previously purchased her 2015 Gr.1 Levin Classic (1600m) winner Gaultier. Gaultier continued on to win a further three races in the competitive jurisdiction, while his sire Rios was later purchased and stood at Guy’s Upstage Bloodstock operation from late 2018. “I’m very excited to have sold him (Lupo Solitario) to a long-time client of the stable, who bought Gaultier off us years ago,” she said. “He will enjoy the environment up there, he’s very laid back and not much bothers him, so he should acclimatise to it all. “They have a different tempo to their races so I’m not sure how he’ll go, but I’d imagine the fast tracks up there will suit him well. I definitely think he can make the step out to the 2000m as well.” View the full article

El Vencedor and Joe Doyle return to the Ellerslie birdcage after triumphing in the Group 1 New Zealand Stakes (1600m) on Saturday. Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images) An inch perfect front running ride by Irishman Joe Doyle paved the way for outsider El Vencedor to upset the applecart in the Group 1 New Zealand Stakes (2000m) at Ellerslie. Despite a consistent form-line with a win and three placings along with a last-start fourth in the Group 1 Otaki-Māori Weight For Age Classic (1600m), the five-year-old son of Shocking was overlooked by punters as he closed at +2000 on the Fixed Odds market. All the smart money was on class four-year-old mare Legarto (-500) who had taken out the Group 1 Herbie Dyke Stakes (2000m) at her last start. Those investments looked well placed early in the piece as Ryan Elliot settled her beautifully in third as she stalked El Vencedor and Doyle, who set up a tidy pace in front. Approaching the home corner, it was evident that El Vencedor was travelling sweetly in his first start beyond 1600m, however Legarto had him in her sights as she switched off the rail and set out to bridge the three-length margin the leader had established with 300m to run. Despite making ground steadily, Legarto couldn’t pull back El Vencedor who kicked strongly for Doyle and powered to the line to win by half a length with Ladies Man finishing resolutely for third, albeit four lengths in arrears of the first two. 2024 Group 1 New Zealand Stakes Replay – El Vencedor Trainer Stephen Marsh, who had two races earlier taken out the Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m) with Velocious, was a little lost for words as he contemplated what his charge had just achieved. “Legarto is such a great mare and you never take her cheaply, but I loved the way he got to the front under a bit of pressure then got a couple of cheap sectionals,” Marsh said. “He was galloping beautifully in front and coming into the straight I saw Legarto come off the bridle just as we were starting to climb into it. “I thought geez we could be a chance here, and he kicked well and galloped nice and true which was beautiful to see. “He has got better and better with each run, and this is great for his breeders and owners Mark Freeman and David Price as they own the mare, and it is just awesome all around. “Two Group Ones in a day is just surreal.” Doyle wore a massive smile as he accepted congratulations for his performance on the brave winner. “That is just fantastic, and this is a race with a lot of history,” he said. “Stephen’s horse (El Vencedor) was so tenacious, and I’m absolutely thrilled. “We agreed before the race that the only chance we had was if we could get relaxed in front, so I let him slide forward and when we hit the rise, I let him fill his lungs and he was as tough as anything and got me home.” Freeman and Price bred the gelding from their O’Reilly mare Strictly Maternal and he is the younger brother of their Group 2 Brisbane Cup (2200m) winner Chocante, while he is also a half-brother to Hong Kong Derby winner Sky Darci. The win took his career earnings beyond the $636,000 mark with seven wins and thirteen placings from 31 starts. Runner-up Legarto also significantly boosted her career earnings with the runner-up cheque of $83,250, added to a whopping $500,000 bonus as the inaugural winner of the $650,000 summer series that was introduced this year by Entain Australia and New Zealand in association with New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing. The series ran across four races between January and March, rewarding the series winner with a $500,000 bonus for accumulating the most points from contesting either the Group 1 Thorndon Mile (1600m) at Trentham on January 20, or $1 million Aotearoa Classic (1600m) at Ellerslie on January 27. Having finished runner-up in the Aotearoa Classic before taking out the third leg of the series, the Group 1 Herbie Dyke Stakes (2000m) at Te Rapa last month, Legarto went into the decider as a clear series leader with 20.5 points and her runner-up finish saw her collect the lion’s share of a much sought after prize. Horse racing news View the full article

Velocious returns to the mounting yard after claiming Group One glory under Sam Spratt in Saturday’s Group 1 Sistema Stakes (1200m) at Ellerslie. Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images) Superstar filly Velocious cemented herself atop the country’s two-year-old ranks with a tenacious victory in Saturday’s Group 1 Sistema Stakes (1200m) at Ellerslie. Velocious burst onto the juvenile scene on debut at Te Rapa in November, the daughter of Written Tycoon swiftly collecting black-type honours in the Listed Counties Challenge Stakes (1100m) at the following start. Her sole defeat in a dazzling five-start career came on heavy track conditions in the Group 2 Eclipse Stakes (1200m), a performance rectified in spades when she delivered trainer Stephen Marsh with a triumphant Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) victory. Cambridge-based Marsh, alongside syndication group Go Racing entered Saturday’s two-year-old feature hoping to repeat a slice of personal history, after the partnership claimed the Karaka Million-Sistema Stakes double with Ruud Awakening in 2013. In the hands of regular rider Sam Spratt, Velocious exploded from barrier four as a -166.67 favourite with horse racing bookmakers, settling outside the pacemaker Poetic Champion. Previously unbeaten in four starts, Captured By Love was touted as the key danger to Velocious, but the Te Akau Racing filly was forced back and three-wide early in the eight-horse affair. As Poetic Champion began to angle wider rounding the home turn, Spratt urged Velocious into the lead and she exploded clear at the 150m, an advantage too great for Archaic Smile and Captured By Love to reel in as the classy fillies scorched home to fill the minor placings. 2024 Group 1 Sistema Stakes Replay – Velocious Marsh admitted to a few nerves prior to the race and was delighted to have claimed his second-straight Sistema crown, after winning last year’s edition with Ulanova after Tokyo Tycoon was disqualified for a swab irregularity. “That feels great. She’s a great filly, a Karaka Million winner, and now she’s a Group One winner. That just tops it all off,” he said. “I was nervous coming into today, a lot more gee’d up than for the Karaka Million, but I’m just happy it’s done and dusted and she’s got it. “I was very comfortable, I thought Sam rode the horse perfectly. I told her to watch out for Poetic Champion, it could run out, and we were always going to nurse her to about the 200m, but when he started to run out, she had to push the button a bit early. “She was just a sitting duck in the last little bit, she sprinted hard and she’s got a great turn of foot. She’s probably ridden better taking a sit, but Sam rode her perfectly, for today.” Marsh had elected to give Velocious a brief freshen-up following the Karaka Millions, a comfortable trial win at Cambridge in late February proving the ideal lead-in. “You can’t run in every race, we peaked her for the Karaka Million and we wanted to give her a freshen up. She had the one quiet trial at Cambridge, that was all she needed, and today just showed that,” he said. “You just can’t beat this feeling.” Champion Kiwi-expat hoop James McDonald took the ride aboard Velocious in the Karaka Millions 2YO, and Spratt, ever the consummate professional, was thrilled to re-partner with the filly on Saturday. “That was just awesome, I’ve had a bit of luck on the horse so it was great to get across the line for them (Marsh, Go Racing),” she said. “It’s part of the game, if you’re playing rugby and Richie McCaw is in your position you’re going to be on the sideline, so I had a sneaking suspicion right from the word go that it was going to be like that (Karaka Millions). “They looked after me and put me back on now, so as I said, it’s just part and parcel.” Spratt became the first female jockey in the 21st century to win the Sistema Stakes, and it hadn’t all been smooth sailing through the running. “Poetic Champion was trying to run off a little bit, I think he (Per-Anders Graberg, jockey) was having a bit of trouble. I didn’t have much of an option, I had to kick-up, so he didn’t get too much of a length on us, otherwise it would’ve just run me off,” she said. “It panned out roughly how I wanted, but that wasn’t helping the scenario. “She just does as much as she needs to, I think if they (Archaic Smile and Captured By Love) came up, she would’ve dug again. It was a good run. “Any Group One is awesome, everyone wants one, and each is worth it.” Horse racing news View the full article

Young Werther was dominant from the front in Saturday’s $200,000 Australian Cup Prelude (1800m) at Flemington. Photo: Bruno Cannatelli Five-time Group One placegetter Young Werther earned himself another shot at the elite level with a dominant front-running performance in Saturday’s $200,000 Australian Cup Prelude (1800m) at Flemington. The New Zealand-bred son of Tavistock is well used to performing on the biggest stage, having finished second in the Group 1 Australian Derby (2400m) and Turnbull Stakes (2000m) and third in the Group 1 Victoria Derby (2500m), Turnbull Stakes and Champion Stakes (2000m). The six-year-old was clearly the highest-rated runner in Saturday’s field at 106, but he got in at level weights under the set weights and penalties conditions of the race. Young Werther was sent out as a $2.35 favourite and proceeded to dominate the race from the front. Rider Damian Lane urged him forward out of the gate and took up a leading position that he never looked in any danger of surrendering. Young Werther kicked hard in the straight and opened up a winning margin of two and a half lengths. “He was great today,” Lane said. “I’ve ridden this horse many times now, and this is the first time I’ve been able to win on him. In my defence, his winning strike rate isn’t great, but he’s always raced well at a high level. “He really got in well at the weights today, and I was able to take luck out of the equation and ride him like the best horse.” From 29 starts, Young Werther has now recorded four wins and 11 placings, earning more than $1.89 million in stakes. Trainer Danny O’Brien will now give Young Werther another shot at the big time in the Group 1 Australian Cup (2000m) at Flemington on March 30. “He’s been in tremendous form since the start of spring, really,” O’Brien said. “You can’t find a bad run, and he’s run against the best all the way through his career. “His third start was in the Derby here, where he ran third, and he was beaten by a half-head in the Australian Derby at Randwick later that season. Here he is, still presenting as a six-year-old and still running really well. “A three-week gap into the Australian Cup now is perfect, and 2000m at Flemington suits him really well. We thought he was unlucky not to win the Champions Stakes over that course and distance in the spring. It would be nice to see him pick up a good Group One.” Horse racing news View the full article

Tote problems that were not fully explained as of 8:30 p.m. ET March 9 played havoc with the late races of the Tampa Bay Downs card Saturday, its most important live race day of the year.View the full article

Tote problems that were not fully explained as of 8:30 p.m. ET March 9 played havoc with the late races of the Tampa Bay Downs card Saturday, its most important live race day of the year.View the full article

Stretching out to two turns in her grade 1 debut proved no problem for the talented Sweet Azteca, who traces back to Horse of the Year and Hall of Famer Tiznow.View the full article

Mark and Nancy Stanley's Tiny Temper broke last in her graded stakes debut, but came running down the lane to catch fellow longshot Misty Veil to win the Azeri Stakes (G2) by a neck March 9 at Oaklawn Park. View the full article

Mark and Nancy Stanley's Tiny Temper broke dead last in her graded stakes debut, but came running down the lane to catch fellow long shot Misty Veil to win the Azeri Stakes (G2) by a neck March 9 at Oaklawn Park. View the full article

A troubled third in her stakes debut in the Jan. 6 Ginger Brew Stakes at Gulfstream Park, Waskesiu lined up as the 5-2 favorite in the Florida Oaks (G3T) and didn't disappoint. View the full article

Kinza remains unchallenged in three starts with a tour de force in the March 9 $101,500 Santa Ysabel Stakes (G3) at Santa Anita Park.View the full article

Stretching out to two turns in her grade 1 debut proved no problem for the talented Sweet Azteca March 9 at Santa Anita Park.View the full article

A troubled third in her stakes debut in the Jan. 6 Ginger Brew Stakes at Gulfstream Park, Waskesiu lined up as the 5-2 favorite in the Florida Oaks (G3T) and didn't disappoint. View the full article

Kinza remains unchallenged in three starts with a tour de force in the March 9 $101,500 Santa Ysabel Stakes (G3) at Santa Anita Park.View the full article

Facing a bevy of more experienced rivals, lightly raced SWEET AZTECA (f, 4, Sharp Azteca–So Sweetitiz, by Grand Slam) led every step of the way to capture the renamed GI B. Wayne Hughes Beholder Mile S. at Santa Anita Saturday. The Pamela Cee Ziebarth homebred blasted out of the gate, set early fractions of :23.40 and :47.40, and sailed into the stretch three lengths on top. Last summer's GI Clement L. Hirsch S. winner and even-money favorite Adare Manor (Uncle Mo) chased the gray home, but couldn't catch her. Pumpkin Pie S. winner Green Up (Upstart), an East Coast shipper from the Todd Pletcher barn, was third. Final time for the mile was 1:36.40. Sweet Azteca made one start as a 3-year-old last year for trainer Michael McCarthy, resulting in a Derby week win at Churchill Downs and an 85 debut Beyer Speed Figure. Benched until the GIII Las Flores S. on New Year's Day, Sweet Azteca was third, then roared back with a 12-length optional allowance win and a 91 Beyer over this surface going 6 1/2 furlongs Feb. 2. O/B-Pamela Cee Ziebarth; T-Michael McCarthy; J-Flavien Prat. How sweet it is! SWEET AZTECA was more than up to the task, taking them all the way in Saturday's GI B. Wayne Hughes Beholder Mile at @santaanitapark. pic.twitter.com/iDV7G9HxF6 — TDN (@theTDN) March 10, 2024 The post Sweet Azteca Pillar to Post in Beholder Mile appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

An Ocala Stud-bred and -consigned filly from the first crop of GI Forego S. winner Win Win Win (Hat Trick {Jpn}) established a new record time for a quarter-mile breeze over the SafeTrack surface at the OBS sales grounds, covering the distance in :20 1/5 during the fourth and final preview for next week's OBS March Sale of 2-Year-Olds In Training. “It wasn't a real surprise,” said Ocala Stud's David O'Farrell. “She prepped very well last week, did it very easily and she's just a really, really good filly. She's got 'it'–she's got the that 'it' factor. You really don't know exactly what you have until the final prep. “She's powerful, very classy and very good-minded,” he continued. “She came back to the barn after her breeze and just cooled out beautifully. She never turned a hair, she's very quiet and just great to be around. Every time you ask her for work, she lays it down for you. We were high on her at the farm, but when we got over here it completely translated. She's the real deal, she's fast.” Hip 788 is the latest foal out of their homebred Unanimity (Union Rags), whose own dam Lady Discreet (Boundary) was acquired by Ocala Stud for $45,000 in foal to Phone Trick at the 2004 OBS Fall Mixed Sale. A daughter of 1995 GI Alabama S. heroine Pretty Discreet (Private Account), Lady Discreet is a half-sister to Grade I-winning sire Discreet Cat (Forestry), GISW Discreetly Mine (Mineshaft) and SW/MGISP Pretty Wild (Wild Again). For Ocala Stud, Lady Discreet produced MSW & MGSP Courtesan (Street Sense), the stakes-winning and stakes-producing Chary (Montbrook) and The Shady Lady (Quality Road), the unraced dam of undefeated GIII Holy Bull S. winner Hades (Awesome Slew) and SW Devious Dame (Girvin). The second-fastest quarter-mile move Saturday was turned in by the Pick View LLC-consigned hip 686, a first-crop son of Game Winner (Candy Ride {Arg}) out of the Irish stakes-placed So Stylish (Johannesburg), who stopped the clock in :20 2/5. Bred by Mt. Briilant Farm & Ranch, hip 686 was purchased by Pick View for $40,000 at Keeneland September last fall. A day after a pair of horses shared the :9 3/5 bullet for one-eighth mile breezes, no fewer than seven juveniles shared top honors when working in :9 4/5 Saturday. They include: Hip 670, a Catalina Cruiser half-brother to SP Motown Mischief (Malibu Moon) from Coastal Equine LLC (Jesse Hoppel); Hip 745, a filly by Uncle Mo out of 2018 GIII Forward Gal S. winner Take Charge Paula (Take Charge Indy) consigned by Top Line Sales LLC; Hip 780, a Bolt d'Oro filly whose dam Troublesome (Into Mischief) produced MSW Amidst Waves (Midshipman) from the draft of Wavertree Sales Inc (Ciaran Dunne); Hip 824, a colt by Mitole–Warrior's Way (Quality Road) from L. G., Agent; Hip 825, a New York-bred, May-foaled colt by Goldencents and a half-brother to SW Treasure King (Treasure Beach {GB}) from the consignment of Cesar Loya Training & Sales; Hip 840, a Top Line-consigned daughter of Liam's Map from the family of Grade I winners Harmony Lodge (Hennessy) and Pinehurst (Twirling Candy) and; Hip 844, a filly from the first crop by Instagrand (Into Mischief) out of a half-sister to Grade I-winning juvenile Noble's Promise (Cuvee) and from the family of GISW Saudi Crown (Always Dreaming) from the Eddie Woods draft. The post Win Win Win Filly Sets OBS Under-Tack Record appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Rallying from behind a slow pace, Domestic Product caught No More Time in the closing strides to win the $300,000 Tampa Bay Derby (G3) by a nose March 9 at Tampa Bay Down.View the full article

Up against one of the toughest fields of her career in the March 9 Hillsborough Stakes (G2T) at Tampa Bay Downs, Sparkle Blue rose to the occasion with a glittering front-running victory over more highly touted rivals.View the full article

Saturday's GIII Santa Ysabel S. proved yet another walk in the park for Michael Lund Petersen's 'TDN Rising Star' KINZA (f, 3, Carpe Diem–Secret Wonder, by Quality Road), who treated her seven other rivals to a front-running beating while not asked for anything close to her best. The 1-2 chalk to add to her facile two-length victory in her two-turn bow in the GIII Las Virgenes S. going a mile Feb. 10, the $350,000 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic breezer won the break, but had some company early in the form of Las Virgenes third She's a Tempest (Connect), who prompted through an opening quarter in a strong :22.52. Kept honest enough down the backstretch, Kinza got the opening half-mile in :45.98, but looked to be doing it willingly enough and under a long rein from Juan Hernandez. Asked to extend a bit at the three-furlong pole, with She's a Tempest now under a ride, Kinza kicked farther in front off the final corner and Hernandez had plenty of time to take a look at the infield board to see just how much had had in hand. Kinza, also a $17,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Fall Mixed weanling and $30,000 OBS October yearling, was made a no-brainer 'Rising Star' on debut when streaking away to score by 7 1/2 lengths over six furlongs Dec. 29. Sales history: $17,000 Wlg '21 FTNOCT; $30,000 Ylg '22 OBSOCT; $350,000 2yo '23 FTMMAY. O-Michael Lund Petersen; B-JD Business Ventures LLC, Brushy Hill Stable & Carpe Diem Syndicate (NY); T-Bob Baffert. Born in Schuylerville, coasting in Arcadia! Kinza, bred by JD Business Ventures, Brushy Hill, & Carpe Diem Syndicate & foaled at Schuylerville Thoroughbred Farm, is 3-for-3 and a 2-time GSW! @JJHernandezS19 on the #NYbred for Michael Lund Petersen, Baffert in the G3 Santa Ysabel. pic.twitter.com/OJsfqwCzcN — NYTB (@nytbreeders) March 9, 2024 The post ‘Rising Star’ Kinza Proves A Dominating Winner of the Santa Ysabel appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Up against one of the toughest fields of her career in the March 9 Hillsborough Stakes (G2T) at Tampa Bay Downs, Sparkle Blue rose to the occasion with a glittering front-running victory over her more highly touted rivals.View the full article

In her first start in more than seven months, Red Carpet Ready lived up to her name in the $145,000 Hurricane Bertie Stakes (G3) March 9 at Gulfstream Park.View the full article

Fainor's Filets came with a steady run down the center of the track to reel in front-running Kapadokya and pull clear and give owner/trainer Caitlin Keil her first career victory Saturday at Laurel Park.View the full article

After a poor break saw her at the tail of the field in her stakes debut, TINY TEMPER (f, 4, Arrogate–Don't Blame Me, by Blame) had to race through the pack and found an inside seam turning for home to win the GII Azeri S. at Oaklawn Park. At odds of 11-1, she topped a big exacta over 16-1 Misty Veil (Tonalist). Lifetime Record: 5-3-1-0. O-Mark H. and Nancy W. Stanley; B-Alan S. Kline Revocable Trust; T-Dallas Stewart. Sales History: $240,000 wlg '20 KEENOV, $310,000 RNA ylg '21 KEESEP, $155,000 RNA ylg '21 FTKOCT. The post Arrogate’s Tiny Temper Goes Last To First In Azeri appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

In a GIII Lambholm South Tampa Bay Derby delayed by more than 30 minutes due to a tote issue plaguing much of the East, DOMESTIC PRODUCT (c, 3, Practical Joke–Goods and Services, by Paynter) won in a wild scramble at the finish. Most recently the runner-up to Hades (Awesome Slew) in the GIII Holy Bull S. Feb. 3, Domestic Product remained covered up and under a hold while midpack in the Tampa Bay Derby as Good Money (Good Magic) showed the way through tepid :25.25 and :51.14 early fractions. Domestic Product tipped wide off the turn as a calvary charge bore down on Good Money. The photo finish showed mere inches between Domestic Product, who nosed out GIII Sam F. Davis S. winner No More Time (Not This Time), Grand Mo the First (Uncle Mo), and Good Money. Final time for the 8 1/2 furlongs was 1:45.47. It was the first Tampa Bay Derby winner for trainer Chad Brown and jockey Tyler Gaffalione. The top top five finishers all earned qualifying points on a scale of 50-25-15-10-5 on the Road to the Kentucky Derby. O/B-Klaravich Stables, Inc. (Ky.); T-Chad Brown; J-Tyler Gaffalione. The post Klaravich’s Domestic Product Wins Wild Tampa Bay Derby appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Alice Springs trainer Dan Morgan, with the in-form Don’t Be Dramatic, who proved too good for fellow three-year-olds over 1400m at Pioneer Park on Saturday. Alice Springs trainer Dan Morgan has a live NT Guineas contender on his hands after Don’t Be Dramatic’s slashing win at Pioneer Park on Saturday. The three-year-old gelding ($2.70) jumped from the inside gate against his own age group over 1400m (BM68) and held sway out in front before saluting by three lengths. The son of Super One posted his first win after eventually making his Red Centre debut over 1000m (BM54) on January 14. In his next three appearances against the three-year-olds as an odds-on favourite, Don’t Be Dramatic was a narrow second over 1000m and a big winner over 1100m before another close second over 1200m. The NT debutante was scratched from a 1000m maiden on January 6. Thunder from a near-by storm spooked Don’t Be Dramatic, and he bolted on jockey Casey Hunter before being restrained. After Saturday, he should start as the favourite in the $50,000 NT Guineas (1600m) on March 23. Morgan, who also holds a jockey’s licence, rode Don’t Be Dramatic in his first two starts, but since then Paul Denton has been the pilot. Debating ($4.20) and Beyond Ready ($2.70) gave the winner too much start on Saturday before filling the minor placings. Morgan, 30, landed a double when Garrucha ($4.20), formerly trained by Russell Bell, led throughout before overcoming Lamoree ($3.60) and Arrogant Miss ($5.50) over 1100m (0-58). It was Garrucha’s first success since posting back to back Kununurra wins last year, while for winning jockey Anthony Darmanin he was making his Alice Springs debut. Melbourne-based Darmanin, who rides regularly in Tasmania, capped off a big day by winning aboard Dick Leech’s Century Fox ($2.05) in open class (1600m). Century Fox, last year’s NT Guineas winner, was having his third start following a spell before swooping late to down Boom Boom Sweet ($4) by half a length – Desert Lass ($3.60) was third. Leech secured two wins when Kerioth (Dylan Stanley) finished strongly to make it back to back wins over 1100m (BM76) from Red Wraith ($2.80), who led most of the way, with Throw At Da Stumps ($4.40) a distant third. Kerioth ($4.20) was firing a year ago before he unfortunately missed the $100,000 Pioneer Sprint (1200m), but it’s unlikely he’ll be denied a start in 2024. In a repeat of his win on January 27, Ray Viney’s Quizzle ($6.50) was tailed off last before hitting top gear at the 600m and sealing victory by 3.3 lengths from Princess Pancakes ($41) and Moracoli ($13). Since arriving in town last year, Quizzle’s record stands at 17: 5-4-5 with Jessie Philpot, the winning jockey on Saturday, partnering the horse 16 times. Kerry Petrick’s Kikuyu ($2.20) made it back to back wins when he rounded up the leaders in the home straight to seal victory from Vanderland ($8.50) and Madam Mischief ($5) over 1000m (0-64). Stan Tsaikos, Kikuyu’s jockey, also had success aboard Terry Gillett’s Macer’s Razor ($5) in a 1200m maiden after catching the leaders at the 300m before rolling He’s Maverick ($4.60) and Another Val ($21). Horse racing news View the full article