Big day for McDonald
James McDonald will head to Hong Kong on a high, having ridden three winners and six placegetters from nine rides at Rosehill on Saturday.
McDonald scored aboard Starman (Zoustar), Arctic Thunder (Headwater) and El Buena (Rubick), and all of his other six mounts finished second.
McDonald is set to depart on Monday for Hong Kong, where he will ride in the Longines International Jockeys’ Championship on Wednesday.
Gold Bullion glory for Elvis
Saturday’s Racing.com VOBIS Gold Bullion at Pakenham provided a deserved day in the sun for Looks Like Elvis (All American).
It was the ninth win of a 52-start career for the gelding, who has also placed in the G2 Shannon S., G3 Bill Ritchie H., and the Listed Ladies’ Day Cup, Scone Cup, Bernborough H., Lough Neagh S. and Furphy Plate.
“He’s a lovely horse that’s been running in some pretty good races against good horses,” said Brett Prebble, who rode the 7-year-old for trainer Jarrod Austin.
“He hasn’t been on a good track for a long time and he loved it. When I let him go, he really showed a good turn of foot and just put them away.”
Bought for $110,000 from the 2016 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, Looks Like Elvis has banked $858,560 in stakes.
Magic Millions target
Starman (Zoustar) took a big step towards next month’s R. Listed Magic Millions 3YO Guineas with victory in Saturday’s Canterbury-Hurlstone Park RSL Sprint at Rosehill.
Ridden by James McDonald, the Chris Waller-trained gelding scored by 0.06l in a tight finish with stablemate Sacrimony (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}). Starman has now won two of his four starts.
“Unfortunately he had to be gelded, but I think it has made a racehorse out of him,” Waller said. “He will be our main hope heading towards the Magic Millions 3-year-old race.”
Starman was a $500,000 purchase by Tom Magnier from Bowness Stud’s draft at the 2020 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Snowdens eye Summer Cup
Peter and Paul Snowden will aim for the G3 Summer Cup on Boxing Day with French import Huetor (Fr) (Archipenko {USA}) after an outstanding come-from-behind win in Saturday’s Cabra Bowls H. at Rosehill.
“I had walked away,” Paul Snowden admitted. “He probably shouldn’t have won the other day, and he probably shouldn’t have won today. Everything we didn’t want to do, it happened. He is setting himself a ton of work to do, and he is still getting the job done.
“He is a very unassuming horse. He has got this big, gangly action about him, but once you get over his neck and he starts to break into his stride, he carries himself so comfortably and smoothly.”
Huetor has now had 11 starts for four wins and a placing.
Gypsy Goddess an Oaks prospect
Trainer David Vandyke believes he has an Oaks prospect on his hands after Gypsy Goddess (NZ) (Tarzino {NZ}) extended her undefeated career record to three-out-of-three in Saturday’s XXXX Eagle Way at Doomben.
“A big effort that,” Vandyke said. “Before her first run I thought she would be lucky to win a maiden – now I think she will win an Oaks. It’s amazing when horses keep improving, which is what she has been doing.
“The Grand Prix in two weeks will be her grand final. I love the way she switches off. She did plenty wrong today and proved dominant.”
Gypsy Goddess was offered by Curraghmore at the 2020 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale, where she was passed in with a reserve of only NZ$20,000.
Win dedicated to Caserta
Trainer David McColm dedicated a victory by Far Too Easy (All Too Hard) at Doomben on Saturday to jockey Chris Caserta, who tragically drowned on the Gold Coast during the week.
Saturday’s Sky Racing Winning Rupert Plate was the fourth win in a five-start career for Far Too Easy, who had been ridden by Caserta in three of his previous four starts.
“Chris was pivotal in this horse’s beginning,” McColm said. “He identified his ability and he was raving about him in those early days, way before this horse had a start when he had very high praise of him.
“When I got the phone call (about Caserta’s death) it was devastating and it floored me. It was something that no one saw coming, but it was a real tragedy.”
Pakenham double for apprentice
Apprentice jockey Madison Lloyd rode back-to-back winners on Pakenham Cup Day on Saturday, scoring aboard Frankie Pinot (Your Song) and Defiant Dancer (Foxwedge) in a career-best day in the saddle.
“It’s pretty special to do that today,” the 20-year-old said. “I can’t thank the trainers and owners enough for putting me on.”
Lloyd, who rode her first winner in April of 2019, now has 128 career victories to her name. This was her first metropolitan double.
Pregnant mare scores
The Cambridge Stud-owned Under My Spell (Pierro) began her final racing career on a winning note in Saturday’s Momentum Gaming Fillies & Mares BM78 H. at Pakenham.
The 5-year-old, who is in foal to new Godolphin stallion Earthlight (Ire), scored by 0.2l in the hands of Michael Dee. Trained by Nigel Blackiston, Under My Spell has now had four wins and three second placings from 13 starts.
“She can go until March, which is when the cut-off point is (for racing in foal),” Blackiston said. “I have to thank Brendan and Jo Lindsay for their support. They’re great supporters of the stable, so it’s good to get a nice winner for them.
“Today looked the perfect race for her, on paper I thought she was the best horse in the field. We’ll just keep her going through her grades. She’s racing in good form, so we’ll just take small steps and see how we go.”
Under My Spell was a $330,000 purchase by Brendan and Jo Lindsay from Arrowfield Stud’s draft at the 2018 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
Never-say-die win for Mr Mosaic
Favourite Mr Mosaic (Rubick) withstood an energy-sapping speed duel to score an outstanding win in the Guildford Leagues H. at Rosehill on Saturday.
“I just thought they were both going too quick and one of them had to make a decision, and neither of them did,” said Sterling Alexiou, who trains in partnership with Gerald Ryan. “He looked like a sitting duck and I thought they were both going to get swallowed up.”
The chestnut gelding has now had 11 starts for five wins, two placings and $165,330 in stakes.
“Last preparation as a colt he might have thought about folding up, but he just seems a different horse this preparation,” Alexiou said. “The handicapper probably dictates where we go now, but it was just good to get a Saturday win with him.”
Mare rewards faith
Te Aroha trainer Peter Lock has had his struggles with Faithful Feat (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}), but the talented mare is starting to reward his efforts.
The 4-year-old recorded the third win of her seven-start career – and second in a row – in Saturday’s Stella Artois 1500 Championship Qualifier at Matamata.
“She is a very nice mare, but she has been a real handful ever since I got her,” Lock said. “We have had our battles, but with a little maturity on her, she is starting to put it all together.
“Her owners have been just superb. They have left me to work with her in the manner I choose and haven’t pressured me in any way. They are going to reap the benefits now, because I do think she can make it at a higher level.”
Raced by her breeders the Hart/MacDonald Syndicate, Faithful Feat is out of a half-sister to Lock’s Group 1-performer Hiflyer (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}). She is also a close relative of multiple Group 2 winner and sire Time For War.
