Wandering Eyes

Helene Feeling headlines the Englishman’s eight-strong book of rides on Wednesday night.View the full article

Prominent Australian owner Ozzie Kheir is looking to repeat history in this weekend’s Gr.2 David & Karyn Ellis Fillies’ Classic (2000m) at Te Rapa, after buying into the $1 million Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks (2400m) favourite Leica Lucy on Monday. Last year Kheir purchased into Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) winner Molly Bloom in the week of the Fillies’ Classic, and she gave him a near instant return on his investment when winning the Te Rapa feature. Kheir is hoping he can do the same with Leica Lucy on Saturday, having struck a deal with her owners, Heather and Peter Crofskey, who will remain in the ownership of their homebred. The three-year-old daughter of Derryn has been a standout for the couple, winning three of her four starts for trainer Robbie Patterson, including the Gr.3 Eulogy Stakes (1600m) and Gr.3 Desert Gold Stakes (1600m), both at Trentham. The Upper Hutt venue will be the home of her final two starts for the Taranaki horseman next month before she heads across the Tasman to join Molly Bloom at Chris Waller’s Sydney barn. “Ozzie Kheir has joined up with the Crofskeys. I have got her for her next three runs, and she will be transferred to Chris Waller,” Patterson said. “It is good that Ozzie has got the confidence in me to train her. She is a fantastic filly, and she will be good wherever she ends up.” Patterson has been rapt with Leica Lucy’s career trajectory to date and believes the best has yet to be seen from her, with distance set to be her biggest ally. “She is only going to get better too. The further she steps up, the better she should get,” he said. “I am really excited about Saturday at Te Rapa and then the Lowland and Oaks. We will just take one race at a time, but there is a lot to look forward to.” The New Zealand Oaks’ $1 million purse has been a big lure for Leica Lucy to remain in New Zealand, and Patterson foresees it being an ongoing trend with New Zealand’s burgeoning prizemoney. “It (Oaks prizemoney) is a great carrot, that is obviously why she stayed here instead of going straight to Aussie,” he said. “New Zealand racing is on the up and the Australians are noticing and are starting to take advantage of it.” Leica Lucy could be joined on the float trip north to Te Rapa this weekend by stablemate One Bold Cat, however, Patterson said his presence will be weather dependent and is looking unlikely at this stage with the fine weather forecast. “He is in the Herbie (Gr.1, 2000m), but if the track gets too firm for him, he won’t be going,” Patterson said. “It will be dictated by the weather, but it looks fine at the moment. “There are some pretty classy horses there. It is probably one of the toughest Group Ones I have ever seen in New Zealand.” Meanwhile, Patterson’s Group One winner Puntura has been retired. Bred and raced by Taranaki couple Carole and John Lynskey, Puntura won 11 of his 41 starts, including last year’s Gr.1 Thorndon Mile (1600m), which earned him an invitation to compete in the A$3.75 million All-Star Mile (1600m) at Caulfield. His other notable victories included the Gr.3 Coupland’s Bakeries Mile (1600m) and Gr.2 Manawatu Challenge Stakes (1400m). He failed to find form this season, with his fourth placing in the Gr.1 TAB Mufhasa Classic (1600m) being the highlight of his preparation. He sustained a slight tendon strain following his run in last month’s Gr.1 Thorndon Mile (1600m), which brought down the curtain on a pleasing career. “He has done a great job,” Patterson said. “He didn’t come up as well as he did last year. He deserves a good retirement. He has gone to our vet, Rebecca McKenzie, and she will look after him well.” View the full article

There was plenty of merit in Eye Candy’s runner-up effort behind Hinekaha in the Listed Oaks Prelude (1800m) at New Plymouth on Saturday, and trainers Shaune Ritchie and Colm Murray now have their sights set on a couple of Trentham fillies features. “It was very brave,” Ritchie said of Eye Candy’s weekend run. “It was a superb ride by Lily Sutherland, she got herself in front and then slowed them down and did her very best to wait as long as possible before taking off, and nearly got away with it. “The winner was too good. If you run the race 100 times, she is going to beat her every time. The winner might be a very classy filly, so to run second to her is no disrespect.” Ritchie was pleased to see the daughter of Darci Brahma back in form after a luckless run in the Listed Gingernuts Salver (2100m) at Ellerslie last month, where she tailed the nine-horse field home. “In the Gingernuts she took a trail and George (Rooke, jockey) elected for the inside on that occasion, and it didn’t pan out. She got squeezed a little bit and I think her run that day was a little inconclusive. “I am not suggesting that she would have won the race by any means, but the (6.7) lengths to the winner was not fair to her talent. “She does seem to run her best races when she has led. She has won at Ruakaka from leading and it was another good performance at New Plymouth.” Eye Candy is now set to head to Trentham next month to have her first look at Trentham in the Gr.2 Little Avondale Lowland Stakes (2100m) before returning to the Upper Hutt track a fortnight later to tackle the $1 million Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks (2400m). “She has had some racing, so we won’t want to tax her,” Ritchie said. “She will probably go straight to the Lowland and have a look at Trentham. The timing of those looks nice for her. We will give her a good look at Trentham and that will tell us if we are on the right track for the Oaks or not.” Ritchie was also pleased with the debut runner-up performance of Tajana behind gun two-year-old Return To Conquer in the Gr.3 Colin Jillings 2YO Classic (1200m) at Ellerslie on Saturday. “We are delighted with her,” Ritchie said of The Oaks Stud-bred and raced filly. “Her trial was superb before it. She came from last and rolled into the middle of the track at Matamata and got home really well.” Ritchie said the daughter of Darci Brahma still has plenty of developing to do and believes she is a more natural three-year-old, and won’t be tested too much as a juvenile. “It was notable in the birdcage that she was clearly the most relaxed and probably looked the least like a two-year-old,” he said. “She is our first two-year-old runner of the season. There were some beautiful, strong animals there and she just looks like she is going to be a better spring three-year-old. “We won’t give her too busy of a campaign this time around, we will probably look for a maiden two-year-old somewhere, and if she performs in that we might roll the dice at a race like the Sires’ Produce Stakes (Gr.1, 1400m) because she appears like she is looking for 1400m already. “But she certainly won’t have any more than two races. We see her as a potential 1000 Guineas (Gr.1, 1600m) filly.” Ritchie is excited about the prospects of another The Oaks Stud filly in Alaskan, who will continue her path towards the New Zealand Oaks in Saturday’s Gr.2 David and Karyn Fenton Ellis Fillies Classic (2000m) at Te Rapa. “She is probably our best Oaks chance at the moment,” Ritchie said. “I thought it was an impressive win last start at Pukekohe. It looks like a mile-and-a-half will suit, so she will go around in the Fillies Classic, and that will give us a guide as to where we sit in the scheme of things for an Oaks perspective.” View the full article

Roger James has unveiled an exciting prospect in his attempt to add a seventh $1.25 million Gr.1 Trackside New Zealand Derby (2400m) to his record, in the form of unbeaten three-year-old Oceana Dream. James has prepared half a dozen Derby winners in his career, the most recent being last year’s demolition job by star filly Orchestral, which was his first in partnership with Robert Wellwood. Oceana Dream, a gelding by Ocean Park, debuted with a comfortable win over 1400m on January 2 and stepped out to the mile in last Saturday’s Trelawney Stud (1600m) at Ellerslie. In the hands of George Rooke, Oceana Dream had an outside draw to contend with and he covered plenty of extra ground in the running, racing three-wide before coming into the centre of the track on straightening. Another favoured runner in Ridefromtheashes hit the lead early in the straight and fought hard to hold out Oceana Dream, but the gelding pinned his ears back and lifted late to take the win by a head. “I thought it was excellent, he was stuck three-wide, he worked everywhere, and he showed tenacity to get to the line,” James said. “I thought it was a very good run and he’s still learning, there’s a lot of areas for improvement. “The Derby is absolutely the main aim for him, probably through the Avondale Guineas (Gr.2, 2100m).” Bred and raced by Judi and Ron Wanless, Oceana Dream has shortened to $12 in the TAB Futures market for the Derby, which will be run on Champions Day at Ellerslie on March 8. While missing the major spoils, the Cambridge trainers picked up placings in each of the feature races at Ellerslie, including the fast-improving Hasstobeawinner finishing runner-up to Group One winner El Vencedor in the Listed Fulton Family Stakes (1500m). The son of Vadamos commenced his season in Rating 65 grade, and in a matter of two months, won the Stella Artois 1500 Championship Final before recording the quickest last 600m in a strong open-class field on Saturday. “I thought that was enormous, he was the only one to come out of the pack from a long way off them to run towards a Group One winner at his first start in open company,” James said. “It just confirmed that he is up to the best and he’ll probably get a good one, one day.” Younger stablemate Vittoria was on debut in the Gr.3 Colin Jillings 2YO Classic (1200m) and showed she has a bright future ahead, running third and just 1.3 lengths from the hot-favourite and winner Return To Conquer. “She’d only had one trial and she was last away in that trial, but she showed good improvement as I’d hoped for, because she’s got a great brain,” James said. “She bounced the barriers nicely, she got a bit green on the turn and pulled a shoe, but she picked herself up nicely and got to the line nicely, so there will be improvement again with her. All in all, it was a good effort. “We’ll just observe her over the next week or so and make a decision from there (where to next).” Moving into the new week, James and Wellwood, alongside Orchestral’s owners Colin and Helen Litt, are still in discussions around her next start, which could be in Saturday’s Gr.1 Herbie Dyke Stakes (2000m) at Te Rapa. “We haven’t made a final decision on the Herbie Dyke yet, we’re having a meeting with the owners this afternoon (Monday) and we’ll make a call as to which course we take,” James said. The Litt’s homebred filly High Elation will feature later in the week at Tauranga, having her second start in the Laser Electrical Mount Maunganui Maiden 3YO (1200m). A filly by I Am Invincible, High Elation is out of Elate, who won the Listed Oaks Prelude (1800m) and placed at Group Three level for the stable. On debut after trialling one year ago to the day, High Elation finished second to Detain and James was complimentary of her effort. “All merit to her, she’d only had one trial which was about a year earlier and I thought her run was very good,” he said. “She heads to Tauranga on Friday and I’m looking forward to it.” View the full article

By Mike Love A “peach” of a drive by Harrison Orange helped Blenheim trainer Tony Thomas and his mare Boudica take out the DTS Hawera Cup at Hawera yesterday. “It was good. She tries so hard every time she races,” said Thomas. Boudica settled back of midfield early from their 10 metre handicap. Orange then elected to move around the field with eyes on the lead at the 1200m. From there the pair staved off all challengers, holding on to win by one length. “We were pretty stiff on the first day. It was a 10 out of 10 drive by Harrison Orange. He took luck out of play.” “She’s a stand start specialist. She’s not really a grass track horse, but the junior driver penalty free was the carrot that got us up here.” Thomas reflects on Orange’s drive as a “peach” while reminiscing on the fact Harrison’s father Blair drove Thomas’ first winner back in 1998 with Rich Jem at Hokitika. It was part of a winning treble by Orange – he also won with Tina Ace and Golden Line. Boudica has been clocking up the kilometres with racing recently up and down the country. The seven-year-old Sportswriter mare has now won 10 from 90 starts, with over $166,000 in stakes. “We will go to the Addington mares race this Friday. Then we may go up to Palmerston and back up to Auckland for the Northern Country Cups and the Northern Breeders stakes.” Thomas has now trained 35 winners with over $340,000 in stakes. Other highlights on the card included a double and 500th winner for trainer Derek Balle (Rewiri Hill and Conrad H) and Michael House (Golden Line and State Trooper) trained a double while Crystal Hackett had a driving double with Kourtney Kardash and High Energy. View the full article

By Adam Hamilton Auckland Cup winner Republican Party is heading home after his fantastic third in the Hunter Cup. But compatriots Tact McLeod and Don’t Stop Dreaming will stay in Victoria to clash with Leap To Fame again in next Saturday night’s $100,000 Group 2 Cranbourne Cup. Trainer Cran Dalgety also planned to tackle Cranbourne, but admitted Republican Party “certainly felt” his brave and close-up third to Swayzee and Leap To Fame in record smashing time. “It’s really the first time in his career he’s pulled-up a bit shagged, as though he really knew he had a run,” he said. “He’s come a long way in the past six months or so and we’ll focus on getting him primed for the Race by Betcha now.” Republican Party charged home from three pegs to a head and half-neck behind the two best pacers in this part of the world. “Carter felt he could’ve gotten even closer, but hey I say a close third in a Hunter Cup behind those two is a win in itself and should be celebrated,” Dalgety said. “He’s always been five or 10 per cent below the big guns, but showed he’d improved and was up with the best Kiwis and now he’s run that well, albeit after being on the marker pegs, behind the best in Australasia.” Longer term, Dalgety said a return to Australia for the enhanced Brisbane Inter Dominion in July was a strong possibility. “It’s an attractive option now it’s in July, down to just two rounds of heats and the prize money has gone up,” he said. “It’s something we’ll look a lot more seriously at after the Cambridge race.” Caretaker trainer and driver Anthony Butt was thrilled with Tact McLeod’s close fourth, beaten about a metre, in the Hunter Cup. “He went super. They’re bloody great horses to try and get past,” he said. “He seems to have pulled-up great so we’ll more than likely go to Cranbourne.” Don’t Stop Dreaming only ran seventh, but he smashed the clock for his last 1000m after making ground a mile back and out very wide for the last 400m to be beaten just 7.1 metres. “It was a fantastic run, both he and Oscar (Bonavena) will be good to go to Cranbourne,” he said. Oscar Bonavena followed a solid third in his Great Southern Star heat with a disappointing sixth in the final after a good trail. Driver and co-trainer Mark Purdon said the star veteran was a bit fresh in the heat and felt like he ran out of condition in the closing stages of the final. “Those runs will bring him on for what’s ahead,” he said. The $100,000 Group 1 Hammerhead Mile on Miracle Mile (March 8) night is a major target. View the full article

By Jonny Turner Homebush Lad helped trainer Greg Hope join an elite group to have trained 1000 New Zealand winners with his Temuka Transport Waikouaiti Cup victory at Oamaru yesterday. Hope brought up the milestone when Torvi took out yesterday’s finale, the McLellan Freight Ltd Trot, to complete a winning treble for the horseman, who trains in partnership with wife, Nina. The Hopes ended the Oamaru meeting with 892 career victories, with Greg having prepared 108 winners before entering into an official training partnership with Nina. The couple’s son Ben Hope drove Homebush Lad to win before Torvi took out yesterday’s finale to complete Greg’s 1000-race winning feat. Ben Hope was thrilled to help his father reach the milestone. “It is a career highlight, 1000 is a phenomenal achievement.” “There hasn’t been many that have done it and if you look through the list of people that have done it they are champions of the sport.” “And that is what Dad is.” Nina Hope and co-owner Richard Dellaca will have to find room in Homebush Lad’s already bulging trophy cabinet after he won his second Waikouaiti Cup yesterday. Ben Hope gave the pacer a soft trip four back on the markers before the 11-year-old veteran charged along the inner to score. “He is just an awesome, awesome horse, he tries so hard.” “I don’t think I have ever had a horse try so hard.” “He has won about 11 or 12 country cups which is a phenomenal achievement and to be 11-years-old and still winning them is awesome.” Homebush Lad’s two Waikouaiti Cup wins sit alongside his victories in the Westport, Geraldine, Waimate, and Motukarara Christmas cups, plus his three Reefton Cup victories. After mixing his distances recently, the 3000m of the Waikouaiti Cup was just what the pacer needed. “He is a stayer and suits those long distances and he hasn’t really had them,” Hope said. “He got it in the Blenheim Cup and he ran third.” “He hasn’t really had that suitable race but today he got it and he got a great trip and capitalised on it.” Yesterday’s Edinburgh Realty Ltd Waikouaiti Trotters Cup was the highlight on a big day for Canterbury owners Bob and Maxine Garters. The breeder-owners scored with Maryanne Golightly in the Hawksbury Motors/ Custom Construction Mobile Pace before Helloveamoment won yesterday’s trotting feature. Driver Samantha Ottley was thrilled to deliver a feature win for the Garters on their Mark Jones trained trotter. “They’re big supporters of the (Jones) stable and they’ve had a great day with the maiden winning.” “They deserve everything they get because they put a lot into the game. View the full article

Trained by Championship Meet leader Saffie Joseph Jr., 6-year-old Soul of an Angel was timed in :47 4/5 on the main track, ranking 13th of 70 horses. It was her third work since finishing third in the Rampart Dec. 26.View the full article

What Grafton Races Where Clarence River Jockey Club – Powell St, Grafton NSW 2460 When Tuesday, February 4, 2025 First Race 1:15pm AEDT Visit Dabble The Clarence River Jockey Club is the destination for NSW racing on Tuesday afternoon, with a competitive eight-part program lined up at Grafton. The rail moves out +3m the entire circuit, and although the track is rated a Good 4 at the time of acceptances, scattered rainfall means punters could be facing a downgrade into the Soft range at some stage. All the action is scheduled to get underway at 1:15pm local time. Best Bet at Grafton: Jungle Law Jungle Law returns in the opening event of the Grafton program and appears perfectly placed in this Class 1 contest. The daughter of Jungle Cat put together an impressive campaign last time in, rounding things out with a close-up runner-up performance behind Runwiththetide at Eagle Farm on November 5. She’s won a tick-over trial heading into this first-up assignment, and with gate four allowing Yvette Lewis to dictate terms throughout, Jungle Law will prove hard to chase down as she secures her second career victory. Best Bet Race 1 – #1 Jungle Law (4) 4yo Mare | T: Danny Bougoure | J: Yvette Lewis (59kg) Next Best at Grafton: Swift Charm After a dominant victory in Highway company at Rosehill on January 18, Swift Charm appears primed to claim back-to-back wins heading into this weaker BM74 contest. The son of Per Incanto couldn’t have been more impressive in his latest outing when fending off the likes of Wal’s Angel, and although he needs to lug a big weight here, the 4kg claim of apprentice hoop Nick Palmer should prove valuable dropping down to 57kg as apposed to the 61kg on his back. He should slot into the ultimate stalking position from stall five, and provided he can hold his form, Swift Charm should have no issues justifying the short price with horse racing bookmakers. Next Best Race 7 – #2 Swift Charm (5) 7yo Gelding | T: Brett Dodson | J: Nick Palmer (4kg) (61kg) Best Value at Grafton: Monte Tiana Although Monte Tiana is winless heading into start 11, the daughter of Written Tycoon doesn’t look far away from breaking through. Her most recent performance behind an ultra-impressive Jamacri at Port Macquarie on January 24 doesn’t read well being beaten by 7.8 lengths; however, her work through the line was strong after bombing the start, and the four-year-old gets an opportunity to sit closer from barrier one this time around. Her best performances to date have come later in her preparation, and with Monte Tiana set to get every chance third-up, punters can expect a bold display at the each-way price with Picklebet. Best Value Race 6 – #3 Monte Tiana (1) 4yo Mare | T: Noel Mayfield-Smith | J: Matthew McGuren (56kg) Tuesday quaddie tips for Grafton Grafton quadrella selections February 4, 2025 3-5-13 2-3-6-10 2-5 3-4-5-9-12 | Copy this bet straight to your betslip Horse racing tips View the full article

Australian raider Here To Shock will contest Saturday’s Group 1 BCD Group Sprint (1400m) at Te Rapa. Photo: Bruno Cannatelli Well-performed Lindsay Park representative Here To Shock is back in familiar territory and thriving in his build-up toward Saturday’s feature sprint at Te Rapa. The New Zealand-bred seven-year-old arrived without incident last week for a crack at the Group 1 BCD Group Sprint (1400m) with top Sydney jockey Nash Rawiller booked to ride the son of Shocking. “He’s all good to go and flew over on Thursday night and arrived safely on Friday morning and is staying with Stephen Marsh,” said Ben Hayes, who trains with brothers Will and JD. The winner of A$2.4 million, Here To Shock carries the colours of syndicator Slade Bloodstock, who purchased him out of Cambridge Stud’s draft at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale for $70,000. “We were talking with Rob Slade about our options and maybe running him in the Orr (Group 1, 1400m) or taking him to Sydney and then we looked at New Zealand out of interest,” Hayes said. “We saw this race and think it’s a very good opportunity for him to add a Group One to his CV. “He’s in great form and had a lot of success travelling for us already, so we know he travels well.” During his spring campaign, Here To Shock won the Group 3 Cameron Handicap (1400m) and the A$1.5 million Allan Brown Stakes (1400m). He returned from a break to claim top honours in the $1 million Supernova (1400m) in December and won a 1000m trial at Geelong later last month before departing. “He’s a horse that has always been an enthusiastic worker at home and he’s very straight forward and knows his job,” Hayes said. Here To Shock was bred by the Sunlight Trust and is a son of the Lonhro mare Frescoes, also the dam of stakes winner Turn The Ace, and has proved to be a lot sharper than his pedigree may have at first suggested. “I think 1400m is really his pet distance, so we’ve worked him out and hopefully he’s in good enough form to be very competitive in the Group One in New Zealand,” Hayes said. “He has been stretched out to a mile a couple of times and run well, but we feel with his racing style and high cruising speed it (the BCD) is the ideal race. “It will be quite competitive with Annabel (Neasham) sending one (Bosustow) over and with the New Zealand horses with form it will be a really good race to watch.” Horse racing news View the full article

Trained by Championship Meet leader Saffie Joseph Jr., 6-year-old Soul of an Angel was timed in :47 4/5 on the main track, ranking 13th of 70 horses. It was her third work since finishing third in the Rampart Dec. 26.View the full article

Outcome aside, dual Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse said he was ecstatic with Sandman's performance in the $1 million Southwest Stakes (G3) for 3-year-olds Jan. 25 at Oaklawn Park.View the full article

Alhambra Lad. (Photo by Scott Barbour/Racing Photos) The Patrick and Michelle Payne-trained Alhambra Lad (Proisir) will head to the Group 3 Hobart Cup (2400m) on Sunday following a last-start fourth in the Summer Cup (2200m) at the same track last month. “We thought it was an okay run as he may have been in the wrong part of the track on the inside. It was a good progressive run for the Hobart Cup,” Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) winner Michelle Payne told Racing.com. The seven-year-old gelding was sent off as the $2.40 favourite with horse racing bookmakers in the Hobart Cup last year but could only manage eighth. Payne is hoping for a better performance this time around. “He was a bit disappointing that day, but he did a bit wrong. Hopefully, he can race a bit better,” she said. Horse racing news View the full article

Well-performed Lindsay Park representative Here To Shock is back in familiar territory and thriving in his build-up toward Saturday’s feature sprint at Te Rapa. The New Zealand-bred seven-year-old arrived without incident last week for a crack at the Gr.1 BCD Group Sprint (1400m) with top Sydney jockey Nash Rawiller booked to ride the son of Shocking. “He’s all good to go and flew over on Thursday night and arrived safely on Friday morning and is staying with Stephen Marsh,” said Ben Hayes, who trains with brothers Will and JD. The winner of A$2.4 million, Here To Shock carries the colours of syndicator Slade Bloodstock, who purchased him out of Cambridge Stud’s draft at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale for $70,000. “We were talking with Rob Slade about our options and maybe running him in the Orr (Gr.1, 1400m) or taking him to Sydney and then we looked at New Zealand out of interest,” Hayes said. “We saw this race and think it’s a very good opportunity for him to add a Group One to his CV. “He’s in great form and had a lot of success travelling for us already, so we know he travels well.” During his spring campaign, Here To Shock won the Gr.3 Cameron Handicap (1400m) and the A$1.5 million Allan Brown Stakes (1400m). He returned from a break to claim top honours in the $1 million Supernova (1400m) in December and won a 1000m trial at Geelong later last month before departing. “He’s a horse that has always been an enthusiastic worker at home and he’s very straight forward and knows his job,” Hayes said. Here To Shock was bred by the Sunlight Trust and is a son of the Lonhro mare Frescoes, also the dam of stakes winner Turn The Ace, and has proved to be a lot sharper than his pedigree may have at first suggested. “I think 1400m is really his pet distance, so we’ve worked him out and hopefully he’s in good enough form to be very competitive in the Group One in New Zealand,” Hayes said. “He has been stretched out to a mile a couple of times and run well, but we feel with his racing style and high cruising speed it (the BCD) is the ideal race. “It will be quite competitive with Annabel (Neasham) sending one (Bosustow) over and with the New Zealand horses with form it will be a really good race to watch.” The stable also has an outstanding top-flight prospect on the home front on Saturday with New Zealand-bred cult hero and A$16.4 million earner Mr Brightside to resume in the Gr.1 CF Orr Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield. “We are very happy with him and all his work into the race has been great,” Hayes said. “His last trial, just like Here To Shock, was perfect and exactly what we wanted to see so both of them have great chances.” View the full article

Progressive sprinting mare Ima Brazen One delivered on the promise she showed early in her career with an impressive victory at New Plymouth on Saturday. The daughter of Brazen Beau caught plenty of attention when spacing her rivals on debut in September 2023, but subsequently faced a setback, forcing her off the scene until the following April. She added another victory to her record as a three-year-old, before heading to the paddock. Kicking off in early November, Ima Brazen One struck unfavourable conditions at Tauherenikau and Trentham, but showed signs of being near her best last start, giving her trainer Mike Breslin confidence ahead of the competitive Rating 75 assignment. In the hands of Lily Sutherland, the mare showed her customary early speed, powering up from barrier two to take an uncontested lead. The favourites Sindee and Egyptian Queen settled in the back half of the field and started to hunt down Ima Brazen One turning for home, but she never looked in danger, kicking clear by 1-3/4 lengths. Breslin has always held a high opinion of the daughter of Brazen Beau and has been on a fact-finding mission with her this preparation. “She’s a very talented, natural athlete,” he said. “She got a bone infection in her fetlock after winning her first start as a young horse, which was followed by a lot of antibiotics and box rest. “She came back and won again quite quickly, then we put her aside and she came back as a four-year-old. We found that she seemed not to cope with the straight six at Trentham at the moment, she had a couple of runs there and was beaten, just getting lost down the chute. “We may try her there again at a later date with blinkers on, that may help, but generally speaking she likes the rail to follow. She’s had a bit of a stop-start campaign without having some continuity, which I think she needs. “She went into Saturday with quite a bit of improvement still to come, but I knew she had the natural ability to go close if she did everything right, which she did. “Hopefully she can go on with it now and get to black-type, which she definitely has the ability to do.” Bred by Brendan and Jo Lindsay, Ima Brazen One was purchased for $100,000 out of Cambridge Stud’s draft at the 2022 Karaka Yearling Sales and has earned $52,330 in eight starts for the In To Win Brazenly Syndicate. In To Win, a growing syndication group operated by Tineke Balcombe, had one of their biggest thrills to date earlier in the season when Intention won the Gr.2 Wakefield Challenge Stakes (1100m), followed by a placing in the Listed Wellesley Stakes (1100m). The talented juvenile was comfortably up in the order of entry for the $1 million Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m), and while it was a tempting prospect for the Awapuni horseman, he opted to sit out the feature with the filly’s future in mind. “It was totally for the horse’s welfare, I just felt that she wasn’t quite doing things right enough to cope with the trip, the right-handed track, and the thousands of people at Ellerslie,” Breslin said. “She’s a little bit tardy going into the gates and coming out, so I just felt it would’ve blown her apart and we wouldn’t be going on any further into the season. “It wasn’t an easy decision because I don’t often have a two-year-old good enough to run in a race like that, but it was about the horse and my gut feeling told me it was not the right race for her. “We’ll find out whether it was the right decision in the next six weeks, she’ll hopefully go to the Matamata Breeders (Gr.2, 1200m), then on to the Manawatu Sires’ Produce (Gr.1, 1400m). She may end up being a more valuable filly than she would’ve been, had she just gone to Karaka.” View the full article

Odds Bookmakers News Field Past Winners Blue Diamond Prelude (C&G) Group Three Betting Guide Date: Saturday, February 8, 2025 Location: Caulfield Racecourse – Melbourne, Victoria Prize Money: $350,000 Distance: 1100m The Blue Diamond Prelude (Colts & Geldings) is a Group 3 race for two-year-old colts and geldings. Conducted by the Melbourne Racing Club at Caulfield Racecourse, in 2025 the race carries a $350,000 prize pool. . First run in 1982 and won by Rancher, The Blue Diamond Prelude for Colts and Geldings is contested over 1100m under set weight conditions. Past winners to complete the Blue Diamond Prelude (C&G)/Blue Diamond Stakes double include Rancher, Let’s Get Physical, Bel Esprit, Sepoy, and Written By, while Danzero, Flying Spur, Prowl, and Sepoy also claimed the Golden Slipper. The 2024 Blue Diamond Prelude (C&G) was won by Bodyguard, who defeated Stay Focused and Holmes A Court. 2025 Blue Diamond Prelude (C&G) betting odds 2025 Blue Diamond Prelude (C&G) odds are currently unavailable. HorseBetting will update these Blue Diamond Prelude (C&G) odds once released. How to bet on the Blue Diamond Prelude (C&G) All Australian online bookmakers featuring horse racing will have Caulfield races available to bet on. This means the Blue Diamond Prelude (C&G) can be wagered upon as soon as acceptances are in. Like most Group 3 races, the Blue Diamond Prelude for Colts and Geldings does not have an all-in or futures market weeks out from the race. The top Blue Diamond Prelude betting sites are accessible via several different means, including via betting apps. Neds Code GETON 1 Take It To The Neds Level Neds Only orange bookie! Check Out Neds Review 18+ Gamble Responsibly. What are you really gambling with? Set a deposit limit today. “GETON is not a bonus code. 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Blue Diamond Prelude (C&G) News Hayasugi, champion filly, tragically loses life after surgery Australia horse racing news 1 month ago Clinton McDonald Racing has announced that Champion filly Hayasugi, the Blue Diamond Stakes winner, has tragically passed away due to … Read More Field Of Play impresses on debut with Moonee Valley victory Australia horse racing news 1 month ago There was a buzz surrounding Field Of Play in the lead-up to his raceday debut, and he lived up to … Read More Blue Diamond Stakes: Undefeated colts head Group 1 market Australia horse racing news 12 months ago The Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes will headline the bumper 10-race card at Caulfield on Saturday, with 16 runners and … Read More Bodyguard dominates the boys in Blue Diamond Prelude Australia horse racing news 12 months ago The Peter & Paul Snowden-trained Bodyguard ($4.20) demolished his rivals in the Group 3 Blue Diamond Prelude (1100m) at Caulfield … Read More Caulfield full racing preview & best odds | Saturday, February 10 Horse Racing Tips 12 months ago Group 1 racing returns to Caulfield on Saturday as the CF Orr Stakes headlines a massive 10-race meeting. Check out … Read More Barber toughs it out to beat the boys in Blue Diamond Prelude Australia horse racing news 2 years ago Barber has continued to strengthen is case for the 2023 Blue Diamond Stakes, winning the Group 3 Blue Diamond Prelude … Read More 2025 Blue Diamond Prelude (C&G) Final Field HorseBetting will update this page when the 2025 Blue Diamond Prelude (C&G) final field is released. Previous Blue Diamond Prelude (C&G) Fields 2024 Blue Diamond Prelude (C&G) field No. Silks Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight 1 High Octane Peter & Paul Snowden Blake Shinn 1 57kg 2 Wolfgang Lloyd Kennewell & Lucy Yeomans Jamie Kah 10 57kg 3 Bodyguard Peter & Paul Snowden Mark Zahra 9 57kg 4 Stay Focused Phillip Stokes Daniel Stackhouse 3 57kg 5 Holmes A Court Peter & Paul Snowden Jye McNeil 8 57kg 6 Innervisions Annabel Neasham Michael Dee 5 57kg 7 Pieris Robbie Laing Craig Williams 6 57kg 8 Hellberg Ben Brisbourne Connor Murtagh 7 57kg 9 Cardiologist Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) Damian Lane 4 57kg 10 Untapped Greg Eurell Daniel Moor 2 57kg 2024 Blue Diamond Prelude (C&G) result https://horsebetting.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Caulfield-2024-Group-3-Blue-Diamond-Prelude-10022024-Bodyguard-Peter-Paul-Snowden-Mark-Zahra.mp4 1st – Bodyguard (+320) 2nd – Stay Focused (-250) 3rd – Holmes A Court (+150) Recent runnings of the Blue Diamond Prelude (C&G): 2024: Bodyguard a class above The Peter & Paul Snowden-trained Bodyguard ($4.20) demolished his rivals in the Group 3 Blue Diamond Prelude (1100m) at Caulfield, staking his claim for Group 1 glory later in the campaign. The son of I Am Invincible was given a confident steer by Mark Zahra from barrier nine, sliding across to sit three wide throughout, gaining cover on the eventual runner-up Stay Focused ($3.40). The speed was genuine courtesy of Innervisions ($51.00) who elected to bowl along on speed, ensuring a testing 1100m for the two-year-olds and allowing some eye-catching performances in behind the speed. Bodyguard showed an electric turn-of-foot at the top of the straight, bounding clear of his rivals and putting some significant margins on the field despite not having the most economical run. 2023: Barber keeps unbeaten record intact Barber continued to strengthen is case for the 2023 Blue Diamond Stakes, winning the Group 3 Blue Diamond Prelude for the colts and geldings, extending his winning streak and unbeaten start to his racing career to three in a row. With this colt returning from a two-month spell, there could have been excuses for him, but that was not the case. This son of Exceed And Excel sat just behind the speed and when the field turned into the home straight, there was only one horse that wasn’t under pressure cruising along, and that was the eventual winner. There was some question marks around Barber being first-up, as he drifted out in the betting from $3 to run over the line as a $4 commodity with most online bookmakers. 2022: Lofty Strike makes Group 1 statement Lofty Strike kept his unbeaten record in-tact, when winning the Blue Diamond Colts & Geldings Prelude (1100m) at Caulfield. The colt, by Snitzel, was impressive in winning on debut at Flemington, and he backed that up winning by over a length to Semillion in the Group 3 feature. After jumping only fairly from barrier eight, Jamie Mott restrained the colt back to third-last, before bringing him to the extreme outside around the turn. Mott and Lofty Strike hit the front inside the final 100m and drew away to win by 1.25 lengths, with a further half-length back to Daumier in third, while the two market fancies – Counttheheadlights (4th) and Jacquinot (5th) – finished two lengths behind the winner. Previous winners of the Blue Diamond Prelude (C&G) Blue Diamond Prelude (C&G) Past Winners Year Horse Jockey Trainer 2024 Bodyguard Mark Zahra Peter & Paul Snowden 2023 Barber Jamie Kah James Cummings 2022 Lofty Strike Jamie Mott Julius Sandhu 2021 General Beau Jamie Kah Mathew Ellerton & Simon Zahra 2020 Hanseatic Luke Currie Anthony Freedman 2019 I Am Immortal Ben Melham Anthony Freedman 2018 Written By Jordan Childs Grahame Begg 2017 Property Craig Williams Robert Smerdon 2016 Flying Artie Damien Oliver Mick Price 2015 Of the Brave Stephen Baster Mark Riley 2014 Rubick Brenton Avdulla Gerald Ryan 2013 Kuroshio Kerrin McEvoy Peter Snowden 2012 General Rippa Damien Oliver David Hayes 2011 Sepoy Mark Zahra Peter Snowden 2010 Beneteau Daniel Ganderton Paul Messara 2009 Real Saga Damien Oliver Michael, John & Wayne Hawkes 2008 Wilander Luke Nolen Lee Freedman 2007 Shrewd Rhythm Glen Boss Greg Eurell 2006 Due Sasso Nash Rawiller Brian Mayfield-Smith 2005 Perfectly Ready Steven King Mick Price 2004 Way West Nash Rawiller Tony McEvoy 2003 Hammerbeam Darren Gauci John Hawkes 2002 Bel Esprit Wayne Treloar John Symons 2001 Lonhro Brett Prebble John Hawkes 2000 Happy Giggle Darren Beadman Jim Mason Blue Diamond Prelude (C&G) winners pre-2000 Blue Diamond Prelude (C&G) Past Winners Pre 2000 Year Horse 1999 Charm Scene Lad 1998 Prowl 1997 Millward 1996 Winger Charger 1995 Flying Spur 1994 Danzero 1993 Alacqua 1992 Yachtie 1991 Chief Headhunter 1990 Unspoken Word 1989 Ark Regal 1988 Nanutarra 1987 Square Deal 1986 Western Ace 1985 Let’s Get Physical 1984 Slick Draw 1983 Brave Show 1982 Rancher Recommended! Take It To The Neds Level Home of the Neds Toolbox Check Out Neds 18+ Gamble Responsibly Punters Prefer Blondes It’s a fact, Blondes have more fun Join BlondeBet 18+ Gamble Responsibly. THINK. IS THIS A BET YOU REALLY WANT TO PLACE?. Next Gen Racing Betting Top 4 Betting. Extra Place. Every Race. Join Picklebet 18+ Gamble Responsibly. What are you really gambling with? It Pays To Play New online bookmaker Check Out PlayUp 18+ Gamble Responsibly Say Hey to the social bet! You Better Believe It Join Dabble 18+ Gamble Responsibly. THINK. IS THIS A BET YOU REALLY WANT TO PLACE?. Full terms. View the full article

WA trainer, Daniel Morton. (Brett Holburt/Racing Photos) Ascot-based trainer Dan Morton is hopeful that his five-time stakes-winning mare Super Smink can secure a spot in next month’s Group 1 All-Star Mile (1600m) at Flemington on March 8. The daughter of Super One will race at Caulfield on Saturday in the Group 1 CF Orr Stakes (1400m), aiming to impress the selection panel for a potential wildcard entry. “We’re here to get into the All-Star Mile. That’s where we want to be,” Morton told Racing.com. “I’m really looking forward to seeing what she can do. I’m under no illusions it’s a huge step for her. “I wouldn’t be bringing her unless I thought she would be hugely competitive. She’s a high-class mare and she has been from the get-go. There’s a lot to like about her as she’s only four and she’s really developing into a strong mare. “I wouldn’t be bringing her unless I thought she was going to be competitive. We’ve been excited about her work; she’s coming up beautifully towards this race. “She had a small freshen-up after her campaign and then got going. She’s taking good fitness into the race.” Super Smink is currently a $17 chance for Saturday’s CF Orr Stakes with horse racing bookmakers. Horse racing news View the full article

Grade 1 winner Tenma towered over her competition on paper, in the wagering, and ultimately in the stretch as she rolled home to an easy victory in the $92,000 Las Virgenes Stakes (G3) at Santa Anita Park.View the full article

Preparing to make their sophomore debut in the $500,000 Risen Star Stakes (G2) on Louisiana Derby Preview Day Feb. 15, both Jonathan's Way and East Avenue breezed at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots Feb. 1.View the full article

Preparing to make their sophomore debut in the GII Risen Star Stakes on Louisiana Derby Preview Day, both Jonathan's Way (Vekoma) and East Avenue (Medaglia d'Oro) breezed at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots Saturday. The nine-furlong Kentucky Derby prep will award 50-25-15-10-5 Derby points to the top five finishers. Firing the bullet for his trainer Phil Bauer, Rigney Racing's Jonathan's Way breezed 5/8ths in 1:00.20 on Saturday, going in company with stablemate Kalahari Dreams. “[Jonathan's Way] sat right off of him going away from the pole,” Bauer said of the TDN Rising Star. “He left around a length behind, loomed up and running through the wire was starting to be the best without much encouragement. They finished up really well. I was as happy as I could be with the breeze, especially with the gallop out.” Jose Ortiz has been up for the Ohio-bred's last three drills, and Bauer confirmed that current meet-leading jockey has been named to ride Jonathan's Way in the Risen Star. “I told Jose [Ortiz] don't let him get lazy on you, so he just flagged him with his whip right when they hit the 7/8ths pole, and he put three lengths on [Kalahari Dreams] like it was nothing,” Bauer said. “He went to the backside, switched to his right lead, Jose flagged him one more time and he had one more gear. We're right where we want to be.” Saturday's work was Jonathan's Way fifth locally and his third published drill going five furlongs. “I thought the move last week was very good but he left his company too early in the breeze and he got to idling on us so I wanted to make sure he stayed true to it yesterday and it was exactly what we wanted,” Bauer said. “Fingers crossed we'll just keep him happy next weekend, all the hard work is done. We're excited to get him back to the races.” Having earned 10 qualifying points with a win in the GIII Iroquois Stakes last fall, Jonathan's Way added 5 more with a second in the GII Kentucky Jockey Club. East Avenue's penultimate drill ahead of his 3-year-old debut in the Risen Star was a solo move from the gates under Edgar Morales. The Godolphin homebred trained by Brendan Walsh went four furlongs in :48.80 and galloped out in 1:01.40. “He worked very nicely,” Walsh said. “I'm very pleased with him and he should be just about as ready as we can have him off the layoff in the Risen Star, with some room to improve, too.” Two works back, East Avenue breezed five furlongs in :59.40, going fastest of 44 on Friday, Jan. 17. in company with stablemates Bruhn and Initialize. “His work two back was really good,” Walsh said. “I had him sit behind horses and he really finished up well.” Jockey Declan Cannon was up for the move. “He moved by them so easily,” Cannon said of the Jan. 17 workout. “He didn't even blow. Those are two quality horses, but he is special. He couldn't be doing any better.” Walsh confirmed that jockey Tyler Gaffalione has been named to ride East Avenue in the Risen Star. Gaffalione was up for the colt's last two races, including his win in the GI Breeders' Futurity, where he secured 10 Derby qualifying points. The post Risen Star-Bound Duo Jonathan’s Way Fires Bullet, East Avenue Breezes appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

Rivellino. Photo: Bradleyphotos.com.au Champion jockey James McDonald has been booked to ride debut winner Rivellino when the colt returns to Randwick on Saturday to contest the $2 million Inglis Millennium (1100m). The Kris Lees-trained youngster was ridden by stable apprentice Benjamin Osmond when he won over 1000 metres at the track on his sole competitive start in January. However, McDonald was eager to ride the son of Too Darn Hot after steering him to second place in an 800-metre barrier trial at Randwick on January 28. “James McDonald has trialled him and will ride him, so that’s a positive,” Lees said. “He looks a nice horse. He has got a little bit of work to come. He had a good blow after the trial so there is a bit of improvement to come off it, and I’m looking forward to getting him to the races.” If all goes well this weekend, Lees hasn’t ruled out Rivellino, who is the $4 market leader with horse racing betting sites for Saturday’s race, potentially heading for the Group 1 Golden Slipper (1200m) at Rosehill on March 22. “I think he could (go for the Golden Slipper), but it’s a run at a time with two-year-olds when they’re up early so we’ll see,” the trainer added. Horse racing news View the full article

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C2 Racing Stable, Agave Racing Stable and Ken Reimer's reigning champion sprint mare Soul of an Angel (Atreides) breezed four furlongs Sunday at Gulfstream ahead of an intended tilt at the $20-million GI Saudi Cup Feb. 22. Trained by Championship Meet leader Saffie Joseph Jr., 6-year-old was timed in :47.80 seconds on the main track, ranking 13th of 70 horses. It was her third work since finishing third in the Rampart Stakes Dec. 26. “She had a good half-mile work. We put her in company to pick it up a bit,” Joseph said. “She came out of the last race well. The last one was a prep for this one. She's in good order. We'll find out in a day or two if she's going to get in or not.” The Saudi Cup is contested at 1,800 meters, approximately 1 1/8 miles, around one turn at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. “We're still kind of waiting a bit to see if we get in to Saudi. They told us we were likely invited, and then said we were on the reserve list,” Joseph said. “She's the third reserve right now, so we're waiting to see what happens.” Soul of an Angel earned the Eclipse Award as North America's champion female sprinter of 2024 after finishing third or better in eight of 11 starts with four wins highlighted by the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint Nov. 2 at Del Mar. Soul of an Angel earned an automatic berth in the race for her victory in Gulfstream's GIII Princess Rooney Invitational Sept. 21. “That's a great achievement for her,” Joseph said. “We're very thankful to have our first champion.” The post Soul of an Angel Works Ahead of Possible Saudi Cup Tilt appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The first Saturdays in February, March and April are stacked with points-awarding prep races for the GI Kentucky Derby. It's unusual, though, for all of the coast-to-coast stakes on any one of those weekends to yield three emphatic or impactful performances. But the trio of preps on Feb. 1 produced three intriguing winners who all figure to be “horses of interest” moving forward. The victories Saturday by Citizen Bull (Into Mischief) in the GIII Robert B. Lewis Stakes at Santa Anita, 'TDN Rising Star' Captain Cook (Practical Joke) in the ungraded Withers Stakes at Aqueduct, and Burnham Square (Liam's Map) in the GIII Holy Bull Stakes at Gulfstream were also a not-so-common case of assigned Beyer Speed Figures aligning with how visually impressive each of those efforts were. Citizen Bull's wiring despite a stutter-step out of the gate earned a 98 Beyer in his first race back since winning the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile. Captain Cook stalked and pounced in what was both his first two-turn try and first race outside the maiden ranks, good for a 94 Beyer. Burnham Square got a 90, winning his second consecutive race since the addition of blinkers and doing it the hard way, breaking from the outside post and rallying from last over a short-stretch configuration. Champ, Not Chump Did you need a little convincing that the 2-year-old Eclipse Award champ might not advance his form at age three? I did. Citizen Bull won the Juvenile by establishing a speed-in-hand lead while coasting along at a moderate tempo after the 9-5 favorite who was expected to set the pace stumbled out of stall one and was eliminated from contention. After a three-month break, trainer Bob Baffert opted to cut this big, heavy colt back to a flat mile after two straight Grade I stakes wins at 1 1/16 miles last autumn. But when Citizen Bull bobbled leaving post two, it was almost as if the same circumstances that disadvantaged his rival in the Juvenile were going to cost Citizen Bull in the Lewis. Not so. Citizen Bull more or less recovered on his own under a patient Martin Garcia, and it was by the colt's own accord that he asserted himself at the head of affairs nearest the rail into the first turn. Garcia said post-win that the 9-10 favorite was “waiting around for company” and “just messing around” without being fully focused. Yet Citizen Bull sure looked the part of a keen but controllable pacesetter, taking legit pressure while maintaining a length lead down the backstretch. Three-eighths out, Citizen Bull opened the throttle to double his leading margin, and although he was gamely chased home by two Baffert-trained stablemates in the five-horse field, he drew away under steady handling to score by 3 ¾ lengths. So where and when will we see the champ race next? Baffert generally does not publicly disclose next-race plans for his A-list sophomore prospects until very close to entry time. But the Mar. 1 GII San Felipe S. is as good a guess as any. Baffert has won the Lewis (or its predecessor, the Santa Catalina Stakes) 13 times total. Seven of those Lewis winners next started in the San Felipe. Will that be a productive prep path? The best two Derby performances by Baffert trainees who took the Lewis-San Felipe route were by Medina Spirit, who won the 2021 Lewis, then ran second in both the San Felipe and GI Santa Anita Derby before crossing the finish wire first in the Kentucky Derby (but subsequently getting DQ'd for a drug positive). In 2009, Pioneerof the Nile won all three of those Santa Anita preps for Baffert, then ran second in Louisville. Front-end speed with staying power is a hallmark of Baffert's sophomore program, and that proven commodity is what gives Citizen Bull an edge moving forward. Even though horses on the lead have not captured the last three Derbies-Rich Strike in 2022 and Mage in 2023 were off-the-pace winners, while Mystik Dan (Goldencents) in 2024 was an inside stalker-speed-centric horses who raced either on the front end or just off it crossed the finish wire first in every Derby between 2014 and 2021. New York State of Mind… The Withers Stakes, which dates to 1874 but has been all over the calendar and run at different distances and tracks throughout its history, took a haircut in terms of grading this year, dropping from Grade III to listed. But in the 21st Century, it's yielded two winners of Triple Crown races, with Bernardini in 2006 and Early Voting in 2022 both using it as a springboard to the GI Preakness Stakes. After a trip-troubled debut at Churchill, Captain Cook uncorked a blow-'em-away 9 1/4-length shellacking at Aqueduct Dec. 28. The stretch-out from seven to nine furlongs in the Withers wasn't viewed as an impediment to the betting public, who knocked down this Rick Dutrow, Jr. trainee to 7-5 in the wagering. Captain Cook broke a beat tardily, but Manny Franco effectively settled him into stalk mode about two lengths off the top. Three wide on both turns, the colt ratcheted up the pressure when cued to quicken on the far bend, getting second run after another stalker had put away the early leader. With an all-business, locked-in drive Captain Cook then swatted back a late challenge from a 33-1 closer who was outrunning those odds, prevailing by a measured 2 ¼ lengths. Dutrow said Sunday that he likes the two-month spacing of the Apr. 5 GII Wood Memorial Stakes for this moderate-framed colt, adding that having two wins over the Aqueduct dirt (with one of them at the Wood's nine-furlong distance) is an obvious advantage. Last To First In Florida… The Holy Bull Stakes has evolved into a trap for betting favorites, who have gone down in defeat in every edition but one since 2017, with the lone exception being Tiz the Law in 2020. Burnham Square had flashed speed when breaking his maiden by nine lengths from post one in a 1 1/16-miles race Dec. 28 at Gulfstream, but he drew the outermost gate on Saturday. Even though post seven is not a “way out there” start point, Gulfstream's main-track races at that distance begin close to the first turn and end at the sixteenth pole, so coming from way off the tailgate while conceding ground isn't generally the optimal strategy. Burnham Square got “a little worked up” and “nervous” prior to the start, jockey Edgard Zayas later said, and it cost the gelding in terms of getting away slowly. After dropping back to last and negotiating the first turn four deep, Zayas dropped him to the rail. Burnham Square looked like he was churning and yearning to do more work, so about 5 ½ furlongs out, Zayas let him roll up the inside, and within the span of a quarter mile, he pulled his way from six lengths last to within one length of dueling pacemakers, all while being covered up and with minimal urging. When one of the speedsters conked out and dropped back, Burnham Square was briefly in danger of being bottled up with nowhere to go behind that fading rival. After a light bump at the entrance to the far bend while negotiating traffic and coming off the inside, Burnham Square again gave up four paths of real estate on the turn. By this time four different horses had taken a crack at the lead, and the move by favorite Tappan Street (Into Mischief) had the look of a winning one based on how quickly he accelerated away from the pack. But Burnham Square came at Tappan Street with gusto, and even though it took him the better part of the stretch to reel him in, he did so with purpose before coming over the top at the sixteenth pole. He was kept to task late for a 1 ¾-length tally at 4.3-1 odds. Trainer Ian Wilkes said post-win that the GII Fountain of Youth Stakes Mar. 1 is “a strong possibility” for Burnham Square's next start. The post All Three Weekend Derby Preps Yield ‘Horses of Interest’ appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article