Baby back in business
Yes Baby Yes (Dissident) bounced back from a forgettable Queensland campaign with a game victory in the G2 Neds Angus Armanasco S.
The filly failed to fire in two starts during her away trip and put those disappointing displays behind her with success under in-form rider Jamie Kah.
“She just didn’t like going that way and we got her home and trialled her and knew she was spot on,” co-trainer Troy Corstens said. “She’s a happy horse in Victoria and she’ll probably go to the G2 Kewney S. next.”
Yes Baby Yes and Jamie Kah
Rousing return
Rich Hips (Written Tycoon) successfully resumed in the G3 Mannerism S. to fuel stable hopes she can make her presence felt at the highest level.
The mare hadn’t raced since she landed the G3 Hong Kong Jockey Club S. on Melbourne Cup Day, but had the benefit of a pair of lead-up trials.
“She has got fantastic fresh form and it’s worked out perfectly again. She’s a valuable mare and we think she may have a Group 1 in her,” co-trainer Natalie Young said.
Smart colt stays unbeaten
The well-related Oxley Road (Exceed And Excel) remained unbeaten after a dominant front-running victory in the G3 Neds Zeditave S. at Caulfield.
Successful at his Flemington debut, his value continues to ride as he is a brother to the G1 Coolmore Stud S. winner and Vinery Stud sire Exceedance.
Oxley Road
“He’s a very good colt and still doesn’t know what he’s doing and got a bit lost. We’ll let the dust settle first before we see what we do,” trainer Peter Moody said.
The G1 William Reid S. is a possible target for Oxley Road, who was bought out of Newgate’s draft at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for $120,000 by Singapore trainer Stephen Gray. With wife Bridget, he remains in the ownership of the colt, a brother to Group 1 winner and sire Exceedance, with friends.
Best yet to come
Jockey Billy Egan believes Defibrillate (NZ) (Shocking) can continue his excellent winning form over more ground.
The Patrick Payne 6-year-old won the Listed Neds Mornington Cup Prelude and the ninth success of his 13-start career.
Defibrillate (NZ)
“He’s a slow-maturing type and improving all the time. He’s starting to get a little dour now and needs further,” Egan said.
Defibrillate won his first two starts for New Zealand co-breeder Graham Richardson, who has remained in the ownership. Fellow trainer Lance O’Sullivan and former Black Caps cricket captain Brendon McCullum are also in the syndicate.
Derby claims boosted
Well-fancied G1 Vodafone New Zealand Derby candidate Rocket Spade (Fastnet Rock) threw down the gauntlet to his 3-year-old rivals when he produced a strong staying performance to capture the G2 AJC Avondale Guineas at Ellerslie.
The Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott-trained colt had entered Saturday’s vital lead-up as the NZ$4.50 second favourite for the Blue Riband event in a fortnight and strengthened his claims as he overcame a rocky run in midfield to storm home out wide.
Rocket Spade (green and red silks)
“You just never know until they go the mile and a-half of the Derby whether they will stay, but on that performance today, I would like to think our guy certainly has the credentials to do that,” co-trainer Lance O’Sullivan said.
“The race today should help him as he looked as though there was still a little improvement in him, so come the Derby in a fortnight he will be spot on.”
Robusto storms back
Rugged stayer Robusto (NZ) (Zed {NZ}) upset the applecart when she produced a well-timed finish to deny Aussie raider Sound (Ger) (Lando {Ger}) a victory in Saturday’s G2 Wallen Concreting Avondale Cup.
The Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman-trained 6-year-old shrugged off a disappointing run in the G3 Wellington Cup at her last start to thrust her name into G1 Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Cup contention as she overcame traffic problems in the home straight to claim her biggest career victory.
Robusto (NZ) (aqua silks)
“That was a real gutsy effort by Robusto as she got baulked a little and still put her head down and really finished it off,” Forsman said. “We weren’t sure what to expect today as it was a funny run at Trentham last time.
“She kept getting shuffled back and out of her ground and when she got clear the race was all but over. It was hard to know how she would go after that, as it could have been she had been up too long in this prep, but the way she went and found the line was really encouraging.”
Vale Balanchine
Balanchine (USA) (Storm Bird {Can}), who became the first Classic winner for Godolphin and Frankie Dettori when winning the 1994 G1 Epsom Oaks, has died aged 30.
The chestnut mare had been pensioned from breeding duties for the past seven years and lived out her days at Sheikh Mohammed's Gainsborough Farm in Versailles, Kentucky.
“I was over the moon after I'd won my first Classic on her at Epsom, and I thought the next step would be the Irish Oaks,” Dettori said.
“But Sheikh Maktoum and Sheikh Mohammed were never short of a challenge and they decided to race against the colts in the Irish Derby. I thought 'God, this may be a step too far.' Obviously, I was proven wrong, because she won.”
Pedigree to fore
The China Horse Club-bred and raced Holyhead (Pierro) has a rich pedigree to race up to and she took the first step with a breakthrough success at Ellerslie under jockey Danielle Johnson.
Holyhead was offered at the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale where she failed to meet her $500,000 reserve and subsequently joined Jamie Richards’ stable.
The filly is out of Irish Sea (Fastnet Rock), a sister to the stakes winner and G1 Golden Slipper S. placegetter Lake Geneva and the R. Listed Inglis Nursery winner Acrobat. They are out of the G2 Reisling S. winner Hips Don’t Lie (NZ) (Stravisnky {USA}).
Dispersal Sale
The dispersal of the late Peter Magnier's Brittas House Stud will come to a close with offerings during Tattersalls's Online March 23 Sale.
The 8-year-old We Are Ninety (Ire) (Thewayyouare {USA}) headlines the dispersal offerings, and the Listed Haras de Bouquetot Fillies Trial S. winner is offered alongside her filly foal by Calyx (GB).
We Are Ninety is also set to be covered by first-season sire Sottsass (Fr) and she boasts a deep pedigree, her second dam being Brigid (USA) (Irish River {Fr}), whose descendants include Group 1 winners Listen (Ire) (Sadler's Wells {USA}), Sequoyah (Ire) (Sadler's Wells {USA}), Henrythenavigator (USA) and Magician (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).
