Blueblood strikes again
High-priced yearling Significance (Frankel {GB}) took advantage of a pull in the weights to score at Rosehill and his second win from his last three starts.
The 4-year-old was ridden aggressively out of the gates by Jason Collett, whose partner Clare Cunningham trains the entire, to sit in second spot and he stayed on strongly in the straight.
Bred by Glentree Pastoral, Signifance was bought by Domeland for $1.1 million at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale where he was offered by Arrowfield Stud.
The winner of three races, Significance is a son of the unraced Aqua Bella (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) who is a daughter of the three-time Group 1 winner Aquarelliste (Fr) (Danehill {USA}).
Always in the stars
The Astrologist (Zoustar) continued his excellent form this preparation for trainers Leon and Troy Corstens with a gallant front-running performance to win the TAC VOBIS Gold Bullion at Pakenham.
He has now won two of his four starts and was also runner-up in his previous outing in the Magic Millions 3 & 4YO Classic.
“After Ballarat, we were pretty disappointed with the outcome and we wanted to be positive from the barrier today,” stable representative Dominic Sutton said. “We always thought he would get 1400 metres and it obviously worked out.
“He will take a lot of improvement and we’ve always had the Magic Millions day in mind for him.”
Serious effort
Saab Hasan is looking to test Sirius Suspect (Wanted) at a higher level following a sublime win at Pakenham.
The 6-year-old went into the Hansen H. off the back of a placing in the Listed MMS Security S. and had no trouble putting his rivals on Saturday away under Jamie Kah.
“I couldn’t be happier or prouder of my whole team. This horse is such a trier and I can’t wait for the G3 Standish H.,” Hasan said.
Opalescence upsets
Opalescence (NZ) (Showcasing {GB}) dented several reputations when she swept to victory in Saturday’s G3 Mitchell Family Bonecrusher S. at Ellerslie.
“When I saw she was paying close to NZ$13 I got quite a surprise,” trainer Jenna Mahoney said. “We all got quite a good collect in the end. When she drew well, we were quietly confident and she rewarded us, as we thought.
Opalescence (NZ)
“She had won over 1400 metres at her last start and was well challenged that day so I didn’t have any worries about the distance as she saw it out nicely. She can run the times that you need to be competitive at this level and she did it well.
“She isn’t very big, about 15.2 hands, but you don’t have to be big to be fast and she is very professional which can take them a long way.”
Mahoney will now look at races over the Ellerslie Christmas carnival with the filly and was delighted she could get a valuable black type win for both the filly and co-owner Carl Brown.
Favourite delivers
Flashy chestnut colt Stormy (NZ) (Telperion) repaid the faith of punters who installed him as a hot favourite as he powered to victory in the G2 Pete’s Joinery, Precise Design & Build Wakefield Challenge S. at Trentham.
The Tony Pike-trained colt was the only race winner in the nine-horse field after impressing on debut at Awapuni last month.
Stormy (NZ) | Image by Peter Rubery at Race Images
“He got a bit lost out in front and got on the wrong leg going over the crossing, but he has got the job done,” Pike said. “He’s probably a better chaser than a leader, but he has done it nicely in the end.
“He is a homebred horse and not a Karaka Million contender so we will give him a little break now and then bring him back for one run before we go into the Sires’ races.”
Pike was referring to the G1 Sistema S. at Ellerslie on March 13 and the G1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce S. at Awapuni on April 3.
Galileo colt top lot
Indianapolis (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), a former Ballydoyle incumbent most recently under the care of James Given, topped proceedings during the single session Goffs UK December HIT Sale on Friday when selling to Ian Williams and Richard Ryan for £52,000 (AU$93,970) as Lot 24.
The 3-year-old Indianapolis last won in October of 2019, but was twice placed in handicaps this year. The entire is out of the dual Grade 1 winner Adoration (USA) (Honor Grades {USA}).
David Elsworth’s Egerton House Stables offered the 6-year-old gelding Dash Of Spice (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}) (Lot 86), and he was picked up by the Ontoawinner Syndicate for £29,000 (AU$52,400). From the family of the Elsworth-trained G1 Juddmonte International winner Arabian Queen (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), Dash Of Spice was placed in a mile and a-half Doncaster handicap on October 24.
From a significantly larger offering this year than last (127 through the ring compared with just 77 last year) figures held up at the December HIT Sale. The 104 sold represented a clearance rate of 82 per cent, up from 78 per cent last year. The aggregate was £694,500 (AU$1.25 million). The average and median both made marginal gains on last year: the average was up 2.8 per cent at £6678 (AU$12,060), while the median climbed 6.7 per cent to £4000 (AU$7227).
Plans uncertain
Invisible Spirit (NZ) (Charm Spirit {Ire}) resumed at Trentham on Saturday with a dashing defeat of his 3-year-old rivals to have trainers Johnno Benner and Hollie Wynyard pondering their next move.
“He’s in the Karaka Million and the Group 1 here (Levin Classic). He’s a serious horse, but my gut tells me he’s still six months away so we have to have a good think about things now,” Benner said.
Invisible Spirit, who won one of his three 2-year-old starts, headed straight for the front in the NZ Campus of Innovation & Sport Premier under Lisa Allpress and kicked strongly in the run home for a soft win.
“Lisa dictated the race – she summed it all up perfectly,” Benner said.
Smith positive
Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith has tested positive for COVID-19, forcing him to bypass this weekend’s stakes action at Los Alamitos, according to the Daily Racing Form‘s Steve Andersen.
“I don’t have any symptoms,” Smith said. “I’ll have to wait a few days and test again. Hopefully, I’ll be back up for the following week. I’ll watch a little Netflix.”
Smith’s positive was determined following a test at Santa Anita on Friday, has had to forego the mounts on Astute (USA) (Speightstown {USA}) in the GI Starlet S. and Proud Emma (USA) (Include {USA}) in the G3 Bayakoa S.
Suspension continues
For the safety and well-being of those living or working on site at Golden Gate Fields, the facility will continue its temporary suspension of live racing until the scheduled start of the impending winter meet on December 26, according to a Golden Gate Fields press release.
Toward the end of last month, racing was suspended at Golden Gate after more than 200 people living or working on-site had tested positive for the virus. The current fall meet was scheduled to end on December 13.
In a separate press release on Thursday, the Thoroughbred Owners of California (TOC) stated that there has been a significant improvement in test results at the facility.
