Plucky win in Cup
The durable Happy Go Plucky (Pluck {USA}) took his winning tally into double figures with the best performance of his career with victory in the Listed TAB Ipswich Cup.
The John Gilmore-trained 7-year-old was ridden by Stephanie Thornton, who kept the leaders within her sights and they stayed on strongly after hitting the front at the top of the straight to beat So You Win (So You Think {NZ}).
“The boy who rides him in his work said he couldn’t be any better and he worked super on Tuesday morning. He’s won every year since he was a 2-year-old so it’s been great,” Gilmore said.
Family also paid an integral role in the victory of Happy Go Plucky.
“I’ve had a hip replacement and my son Corey has done a marvellous job with the horse,” Gilmore said.
Incentivise romps home
Exciting staying prospect Incentivise (Shamus Award) may have one more start in Queensland before joining Peter Moody’s Victorian stable.
The 4-year-old landed his fifth consecutive victory when he waltzed away with the Channel Seven Winter Provincial Final and trainer Steve Tregea will make a decision in the coming days whether he presses on.
“There’s a possibility he may run in the Listed Caloundra Cup. We’ll see how he does and we’re in a great position that we can just wait and see and he’ll tell us,” he said.
A 50 per cent stake in Incentivise was recently purchased off Tregea by major owners Ozzie Kheir and Brae Sokolski.
Stockman rounds them up
Stockman (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) appreciated a true pace in the Listed McKell Cup at Rosehill and he outstayed his rivals to post his fifth career victory.
Stockman (NZ) | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
“They really ran along and they were strung out. I could see a long way out that Stockman was going well and he relishes these Heavy tracks so it all worked out perfectly for him,” trainer Joe Pride said.
Stockman hadn’t won a race for 12 months, but had been close on a number of occasions with six placings between victories.
Pedigree wins out
No Compromise (NZ) (Pins) added to the family roll of honour when he produced a gritty display to earn the thick end of the stake in the ACY Securities H. at Rosehill.
The 4-year-old is a half-brother to the recent G1 Stradbroke H. winner Tofane (NZ) (Ocean Park {NZ}) and was bought out of Curraghmore’s draft at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale by Bill Thurlow for NZ$40,000.
Thurlow trained No Compromise to win twice before sending him to Chris Waller’s stable and scored over 2400 metres at Randwick before successfully dropping back to 2000 metres on Saturday.
Deserved success
Stakes-performed mare Don’telltheboss (Street Boss {USA}) broke a strong of placings with a hard-earned victory at Flemington.
With the benefit of apprentice rider Alana Kelly’s 3kg claim, the 4-year-old only had to shoulder 51.5kg in the Bruce Gadsden H. and made the most of it for her third win, having finished in the first three in three of her last four starts.
“That was very good to see her back. She had been running fantastic races without winning and she enjoys the Soft ground,” co-trainer, Mathew de Kock, said.
Don’telltheboss is part-owned by his training partner Robbie Griffiths and placed last season at Group 3 level in the Thoroughbred Club S. and Typhoon Tracy S.
Memorable Rosehill success
Catanzaro (So You Think {NZ}) provided trainer Ken Parsons with a cherished Rosehill winner when he landed the TAB Highway.
The 5-year-old has now rattled off three consecutive wins and is a story of a remarkable comeback after the horse suffered a fractured sesamoid as a juvenile, the injury side-lining him for three years.
“We had to give him plenty of time and he’s come good. He’s the only one I train,” Parsons said.
Catanzaro was ridden by Mathew Cahill and they combined to down the favourite Cavalier Charles (Denman). He is owned by Michael Thomas, who raced the multiple Group 1 winner Happy Clapper (Teofilo {Ire}).
Farm on market
McEvoy Mitchell Racing’s training, spelling and horse education facility Kildalton Farm in South Australia is for sale.
“To offer the farm for sale is a particularly hard decision,” Tony McEvoy told Racing.com. “Our team refers to it as a horse resort and I have a very strong emotional connection with the property.
“We know it keeps our horses' minds and bodies fresh and happy and allows them to rejuvenate faster.
“It has been a huge part of not only our success in recent years but for Lindsay Park for many decades previously.
“If another trainer, pre-trainer, breaker, or even investor acquires the property, we would certainly be interested in continuing to spell and educate our horses there if it were in line with the new owner’s plans.”
Bright future tipped
Progressive 3-year-old Witsabouthim (NZ) (Savabeel) provided the biggest glimpse yet of his undoubted ability as he came from last on the home corner to convincingly defeat his age group rivals over 1600 metres at Ruakaka on Saturday.
“I was a little worried as the early pattern of the racing was that you needed to be on the speed and here we were dropped out last,” trainer Tony Pike said.
“When you see him relax like he does, it makes his future prospects over more ground very exciting.”
Witsabouthim (NZ) | Image courtesy of Trish Dunell
Pike will now send his charge to the spelling paddock for a short break before getting him ready for a summer campaign.
“He is pretty well graded, so we might even take him to Melbourne as the prizemoney there is too good to pass up if he can be competitive at the right level,” he said.
Stormy Atlantic retired
Stormy Atlantic (USA) has been pensioned from study duty at Hill 'N' Dale Farms.
The son of Storm Cat (USA) won six of his 15 starts, including two stakes events, before his retirement to Bridlewood Farm in his home state of Florida. He stood his first three seasons there before moving to Hill 'N' Dale in Kentucky.
The 27-year-old stallion is responsible for 109 black-type winners and 48 Graded winners. His eight Grade I/Group 1 winners include Champion and two-time GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint S. winner Stormy Liberal (USA), Canadian Horse of the Year Up With The Birds (USA) and Sovereign Award winner El Tormenta (USA).
