Splintex back to best
Splintex (Snitzel) returned to winning ways third-up for trainer Mark Newnham in the G3 TAB Hall Mark S. at Randwick.
“He’s run a few races when he didn’t have much luck and got found out a little bit in the Group 1s,” Newnham said.
Splintex | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
Splintex raced on the pace for rider Josh Parr and stayed on strongly to account for Rainier (Lonhro) and Victorem (I Am Invincible) came from the back for third.
“We were afforded a beautiful run outside the leader. Easy Eddie set us a nice tempo and gave us something to chase,” Parr said. “He came up the hill with a head full of steam. Gee I was confident a long way from home.”
Cloudy a clear winner
Cloudy delivered further black type for young Darley stallion Frosted (USA) with a determined win in the G3 Breeders’ S. at Morphettville.
The James Cummings-trained youngster had won the Listed Dequetteville S. on the course a fortnight ago and gave a repeat performance in the hands of Todd Pannell.
“We felt like she had come on from that run and well done to Frosted with another stakes winner,” stable representative, Sean Keogh, said.
Frosted is also the sire of Cloudy’s stablemate and dual Listed winner Ingratiating, who also finished runner-up in the G1 Blue Diamond S. and third in the G1 Golden Slipper S.
Tassie mare too good
Popular Tasmanian mare Still A Star (Toronado {Ire}) is likely to return to Melbourne in the spring following her victory in the Listed Thoroughbred Club Anniversary Vase at Caulfield.
“She’ll go home now and go to the paddock and then bring her back in the spring and try and win a better one,” trainer Bill Ryan said.
Still A Star had finished runner-up in her previous start in the G3 Victoria H. and easily went one better after rider Michael Poy stuck to the fence into the straight and the 4-year-old scooted clear in the straight.
“We love her and I thought she was cruising all the way and had a kick,” Ryan said.
Weight tells story
Paths Of Glory (GB) (Mastercraftsman {Ire}) made the most of a big pull in the weights to prevail in the G3 JRA Plate at Randwick.
Trained by Richard and Michael Freedman, he produced a stout finishing run to beat Zaaki (GB) (Leroidesanimaux {BRZ}), who gave the winner 6kg.
Paths Of Glory (GB) | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
“He’s as genuine as they come and he’s just a real old beauty,” Richard Freedman said.
Paths Of Glory settled in fifth spot and finished off too well and he had also performed well at his previous start when third off a tough run in the G2 Chairman’s H.
Easy for filly
Easifar (NZ) (Pride Of Dubai) confirmed she was on target for higher honours with success in the Listed Eureka Stud Princess S. at Doomben.
The Chris Waller-trained filly had to overcome an early scare when she dipped at barrier rise, but recovered to settle in behind the pace and was too good in the closing stages for the favourite Tycoon Evie (Written Tycoon).
Stable representatives Brett Killion confirmed Easifar would target the G2 The Roses leading up to the G1 Queensland Oaks.
Olmedo breaks through
Olmedo (Fr) (Declaration Of War {USA}) turned his form around dramatically to land his first victory on Australian soil in the Listed Tails S. at Doomben.
He had failed top place in four attempts since arriving from France, but a drop in grade after finding the competition too tough in the G1 Doncaster H. saw him back to winning form.
The Annabel Neasham-trained 6-year-old was ridden by Ryan Maloney and proved too strong under 61kg for Reloaded (Snitzel), who was in receipt of 6.5kg.
Highway marred by fall
Promising 3-year-old Ahead Start (Dream Ahead {USA}) furthered his record with success in the Vale Neville Layt Highway at Randwick in a race marred by a fall.
Rothenburg (Rothesay) suffered a serious leg injury in the straight and crashed to the turf and sadly had to be euthanised. Jockey Hugh Bowman escaped unscathed in the incident.
Trained by Danny Williams, Ahead Start has now won three of his four starts after producing a powerful late run in the hands of James McDonald.
Ellerslie double
Pukekohe trainer Nigel Tiley enjoyed a top day at Ellerslie, taking out two of the three feature races on offer with 2-year-old Lady Maroal (NZ) (Power {GB}) winning the Listed Staphanos by Deep Impact Champagne S. before stable star Demonetization (All Too Hard) powered home to take out the G2 Manco Easter H.
“My rain dance during the week obviously worked out well,” Tiley said. “Demonetization just loves it when he can get his toe into the ground and I knew when the track came up a Slow 9 he would be very tough to beat.”
Demonetization
Well-related filly Lady Maroal had earlier in the day overcame an extraordinary mid-race incident to claim a valuable black-type victory in the Champagne.
As the nine-horse field approached the 600 metre mark, two track maintenance workers were standing on the course proper directly in front of them. The pair dived under the running rail and out of harm’s way in the nick of time, but every runner was forced to take some degree of evasive action.
The siren sounded soon after the race and a long inquiry followed, and there was even speculation that the race could be ruled null and void, but in the end the results were allowed to stand.
Hezashocka stars for Haub
Former Ellerslie commentator Keith Haub savoured one of the highlights of his long career in racing when Hezashocka (NZ) (Shocking) scored a stunning upset in Saturday’s G2 Trelawney Stud Championship S. at Ellerslie.
An iconic voice of the Auckland track for more than two decades until his retirement in 2004, Haub has also celebrated a number of ownership successes along the way, most notably with six-time Group 1 winner McGinty (NZ) (One Pound Sterling {GB}).
Hezashocka (NZ)
But he ranked Saturday’s Championship S. in which Hezashocka defied a quote of NZ$75 to score by a nose, as one of the very best.
“What a thrill. I’ve been lucky enough to stand on the dais a few times over the years and raced some fantastic horses, but it’s been a long time between drinks. This is probably one of my greatest moments in racing.”
Beauden prevails
North Island raiders Beauden (NZ) (Bullbars) and Hypnos (NZ) (Reliable Man {GB}) fought out a thrilling finish to the feature event at Riccarton on Saturday, the G3 Coca Cola Canterbury Gold Cup.
The team Rogerson-trained Beauden was sent out a hot favourite for the contest off the back of an effortless win in the G2 Awapuni Gold Cup earlier in the month and justified his support.
Beauden (NZ) (green and yellow silks) | Image courtesy of Race Images
“He’s a beauty this horse,” co-trainer Graeme Rogerson said. “He didn’t really handle the track that well as it was quite shifty, but he dug in and still kept them all out.
“That second horse is no mug and it was a decent scrap to the finish, but our horse was all class at the end.”
New Goffs roll
Goffs has appointed Amanda Zetterholm to the role of French Agent. Since 2012, Zetterholm served in client relations, nominations and, most recently, as assistant racing manager with HH Aga Khan Studs in France.
She also previously worked with leading jumps trainer David Cottin in Chantilly and is a former assistant to trainer Mike de Kock. Zetterholm will commence her new role May 1.
“Her experience and network of clients further strengthens our roster of international agents and follows the recent appointments of Jacob West and Mark Richards as US and British agents, respectively,” Goffs Group Chief Executive, Henry Beeby, said.
First for Birchwood
Birchwood (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}), who won the G2 Superlative S. at two in 2015 and went on to Listed success at three in the Godolphin blue, sired his first winner at Marseille Pont de Vivaux on Friday when Oulalah (Fr) took a 950 metre claiming race for trainer Jerome Reynier.
The colt, in fact, led home a quinella for Birchwood, with the filly Madame Babette (Fr) filling second. Birchwood has stood his first four seasons at Haras de la Huderie for €5000 (AU$9600).
Guilty plea
Scott Mangini, who, along with Jason Servis, Jorge Navarro and others was indicted in March 2020 for his involvement in a horse doping scheme, has pleaded guilty to conspiring to unlawfully distribute adulterated and misbranded drugs with the intent to defraud and mislead, it was announced on Friday by Audrey Strauss, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York.
Mangini, 55, became the third person involved with the case to enter a guilty plea. The list includes Mangini's business partner, Scott Robinson. It is unknown whether or not Mangini and Robinson are cooperating with authorities and providing them with lists of additional clients who were not named in the original indictments.
Mangini will be sentenced on September 10 by Judge Paul Oetken and faces a maximum sentence of five years. Robinson was sentenced to 18 months for his role in the scheme to use performance-enhancing drugs on horses.
