Daily News Wrap

Flemington black-type double for Tavistock

Just 35 minutes after Ruthless Dame (NZ) took out the G3 TBV Thoroughbred Breeders’ S., in-form mare Flying Mascot (NZ) delivered back-to-back stakes successes at Flemington on Saturday for former Cambridge Stud stallion Tavistock (NZ).

Sent out as favourite for the G3 Penfolds Max’s Rosé Matron S. on the strength of her last-start victory in the G3 Mannerism S. at Caulfield, the 4-year-old produced another dominant performance in the hands of Blaike McDougall. After cruising around in third on the heels of the leaders, Flying Mascot angled to their outside at the turn and dashed clear to score by 2l.

Flying Mascot cost just $25,000 when Flying Start Syndications and Pinhook Bloodstock bought her at the 2019 Magic Millions National Yearling Sale. She has now had 13 starts for six wins and $527,525 in stakes.

“She was impressive, and a big thanks to Cameron Bennett from Flying Start Syndications,” trainer Tom Dabernig said. “He puts absolutely no pressure on you and really supports every decision that we make with her.

“We’ve tried to just progress her gradually. She only had four runs in the spring. This was only her third run in the autumn. She keeps improving. I think she’s a very good miler, and I think there’s still probably better to come. She can handle wet or dry ground.

“The plan has always to go in 13 days to look at Moonee Valley – there’s the G2 Sunline S. for the mares. We’ll probably be a bit more ambitious in the spring if she spells well after this autumn.”

Tavistock, who stood at Cambridge Stud from 2010 until his death in 2019, now has 35 stakes winners to his name among a total of 429 winners from 632 runners. He recently sired his eighth individual Group 1 winner when Asterix (NZ) won last week’s New Zealand Derby, while Stockman (NZ) handed him another feature win later on Saturday afternoon in the G3 Sky High S. at Rosehill.

Melbourne raider takes Ajax

A rare interstate mission for Bendigo trainer Josh Julius has brought rich rewards, toppling the locals in Saturday’s G2 Hyland Race Colours Ajax S. at Rosehill with Just Folk (Magnus).

The 5-year-old gelding headed into Saturday’s race as a proven performer, winning five previous races including the G2 Crystal Mile at Moonee Valley in October, and he had never been beaten in Heavy track conditions.

On Saturday he struck again, sitting in third before jockey Jason Collett decided to save ground and stick to the inside around the home corner. Just Folk dived through alongside the favourite Ellsberg (Spill The Beans), then outfought him down the straight to score by 0.31l.

The win took Just Folk’s career earnings past the $500,000 barrier.

“Wow,” Julius said. “We took a big risk. We’re obviously a very small stable at Bendigo, and taking this horse away from home, and being away from my wife and daughter for a week – it’s been the longest I have ever been away from them, and it has been tough.

“We’ve got 18 horses in work, 17 back home with this fellow here. But we’ve got a very loyal band of owners and they will all get as much of a thrill out of this as we will.”

Julius is now counting down to the G1 Doncaster at Randwick on April 2.

“You have to dream,” he said. “This is the racing industry, it’s full of dreams. We said this horse wouldn’t know himself with 55.5 kilograms on his back today, and Jason has given him a terrific ride. He won’t know himself again in three weeks with 50 on his back, that’s for sure.”

Glistening back on top in Moomba

Unplaced in six starts since winning the G2 Reisling S. around this time last year, talented filly Glistening (Zoustar) returned to top form with a quality performance in Saturday’s Listed Moomba Plate at Flemington.

Ridden by Hugh Bowman for trainers Richard and Michael Freedman, Glistening defied double-figure odds to score a determined victory by 0.5l over General Beau (Brazen Beau) and Gimmie Par (Not A Single Doubt).

“She had a wonderful 2-year-old campaign,” said syndicator James Harron, who paid $260,000 to buy Glistening from Widden Stud’s draft at the 2020 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. “She won a Group 2 as a 2-year-old. We had a luckless campaign last time.

“Michael Freedman said to me this week that he didn’t think everything could go better. Well done to him. It’s wonderful to get the result.

“What we do next with her quite open at present. We’ve been dodging the wet tracks in Sydney and timing the right race. Today shaped up really well and it was great to see her being so dominant.”

Gypsy Goddess remains unbeaten

Exciting G1 Australian Oaks prospect Gypsy Goddess (NZ) (Tarzino {NZ}) has begun a new preparation in much the same way as she ended the last one, winning at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

The David Vandyke-trained filly has now won all of her five starts, headed by a 3.75l romp in the G3 Grand Prix in December.

"You come here hoping she hits the line, she’s definitely done that,” Vandyke said. “We will go down to Sydney at the end of next week for the Vinery and then we can’t wait for the Oaks.”

McDonald proud of Home Affairs

Despite finishing only ninth as one of the favourites in Saturday’s G1 Yulong Stud Newmarket H. at Flemington, jockey James McDonald thinks no less of star 3-year-old colt Home Affairs (I Am Invincible).

The winner of the G1 Lightning S. in his previous start, Home Affairs had to carry 56 kilograms and battled home in midfield, finishing 4.85l behind the winner.

“He ran super under the big weight,” McDonald said. “He tried his heart out.”

The biggest disappointment in the race was favourite Lost And Running (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}), who finished 14th.

“The pressure was just too much today,” jockey Hugh Bowman said.

Flemington specialist stars again

Something about Flemington brings the very best out of Barb Raider (Rebel Raider), who produced another big performance at the track on Saturday to win the G2 TAB Kewney S.

The 3-year-old filly has now had four starts at Flemington for three wins, including last month’s G3 The Vanity.

“It’s fantastic,” trainer Jerome Hunter said. “Great to get a horse like this. To have a homebred for the owners is fantastic.

“We’ll go home and have a think, but the Oaks in Sydney is very enticing. I do know she likes the wet as well.”

Perth mare takes Shaftesbury Avenue

Star Western Australian mare Kissonallforcheeks (Written Tycoon) began her eastern campaign on the perfect note in Saturday’s G3 Furphy Shaftesbury Avenue H. at Flemington.

The Daniel Morton-trained mare had won eight races in her home state, and she also placed in this season’s G1 Railway S. and Kingston Town Classic. Now Victorian audiences have seen what she is capable of as well, powering clear to win by 2.25l.

“That’s why we’re here,” Morton said. “She’s a high-class mare, but it’s not until you get here and everything settles down and you get the job done. That was pretty impressive, I thought.

“There’s a couple of nice races here and in Sydney as well. We’ll let the dust settle first.”

Shelby strikes again

A week on from his astounding cameo among two superstar sprinters, Shelby Sixtysix (Toronado {Ire}) backed up at Rosehill on Saturday and continued his golden run.

The 5-year-old gelding took on the G2 Challenge S. at Randwick last weekend, finishing second – beating Nature Strip (Nicconi), and coming just 0.2l short of Eduardo (Host {Chi}).

On Saturday he delivered again, this time winning the G3 City Tattersalls Group Maurice McCarten S.

“I’m just blown away,” trainer Danny Williams said. “I can’t believe it. It’s incredible.

“The wet tracks, he is just excelling and he is a happy horse. The last seven days has just been an incredible ride. It was a thrill to win a Highway two weeks ago, a class two. We are just along for the ride. It’s fantastic.

“At this stage we’ll carry on to the Galaxy. The horse always comes first, and we will see how he comes through it. He laid down for two days after the other day, and it looked as tough a run today as it was the other day. He was on sheer heart the last bit.”

Stockman relishes Rosehill conditions

Renowned wet-tracker Stockman (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) thrived in the rain-affected Rosehill ground on Saturday, surging to a determined win in the G3 Furphy Sky High S.

It was the seventh win in a 28-start career for Stockman, who has recorded four of those wins on Heavy tracks and another two on Soft.

“He is clearly an absolute gun wet tracker, and at this time of year he is going to get plenty of those,” trainer Joe Pride said. “It’s the right time of year to have him up. He had seven weeks between runs and needed that, but today he was spot on and was able to win for a great group of owners.

“It’s great to have a horse like him going well at this time of the year, because we still haven’t seen the best of him and he can stay. We have looked after him from day one, bought him as a yearling and nurtured him, and we are seeing the rewards now he’s a 5-year-old.”

Entriviere’s sister scores

Gucci Belt (NZ) (Burgundy {NZ}), a half-sister to Group 1 winner Entriviere (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}), played a starring role at Trentham on Saturday with an impressive come-from-behind win in the Harrisons Carpets 3YO.

Bred, owned and trained by central districts icon Kevin Gray, Gucci Belt has now won two of her four starts.

“She is a great little filly,” Gray said. “She is not overly big, but she is all horse. It was quite thrilling to win at Wellington, it helps the breed.

“Entriviere didn’t race until she was a 4-year-old. It is a bit of a staying family, so I am in no hurry with this filly. I own her myself, so I can afford to take my time with her.

“I was offered good money for her before the yearling sales and one or two told me I should have taken it. I had the full sister in at the sales and I only got offered NZ$100,000, so I brought her home. She is at home here in the paddock now and she has done really well. Someone might come along and buy her.”

Four-week suspension for Thompson

Queensland stewards have handed down a four-week suspension to jockey Ben Thompson, holding him responsible for the interference that led to a fall at Ipswich on Wednesday.

Thompson, who was riding the eventual winner Tesaura (Testa Rossa), moved across the front of the field in the early stages of the race, forcing The Grey Panther (Instinction) to collide with Sacred Oath (NZ) (Sacred Falls {NZ}).

Part-owned by the legendary late cricketer Shane Warne, Sacred Oath hit the running rail and dislodged rider Ryan Maloney, who was briefly knocked out.

Stewards charged Thompson with careless riding, and panel chair Paul Zimmerman described the infringement as in the high range. In handing down the four-week suspension, Zimmerman said only Thompson’s clean prior record prevented the penalty from being as much as six weeks.

Thompson will be able to ride Good Idea (So You Think {NZ}) in Monday’s Adelaide Cup, and he can also ride a the QTIS Jewel meeting at the Gold Coast on March 19 before beginning his suspension on March 21.

Tattersalls Online catalogue available

The catalogue for the Tattersalls Online Sale scheduled for March 23 has been published online.

A total of 32 lots will feature in the 11th sale conducted on the Tattersalls Online platform, including a diverse range of flat and National Hunt prospects and a selection of breeding stock and 2-year-olds.

Among the highlights is the Johnstown Stud draft of four lots sold as part of the Late Sir Robert Ogden's complete dispersal, including a pair of No Nay Never (USA) 2-year-old colts – one out of Listed winner and Group 1-placed Amazonas (Ire) (Cape Cross (Ire)) and the other, named Hamlet (Ire), out of the Group 3-placed Pandora (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}). She is a full sister to the Listed-placed pair of Allegio (Ire) and Isabella (Ire).

Johnstown Stud also offers a juvenile colt by Zoffany (Ire) named Valley of Kings (GB), out of Tiger Lilly (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), a full sister to G1 Tattersalls Gold Cup placegetter Robin Hood (Ire).

The well-bred fillies in the catalogue include unraced Serifos (Ire) (Kingman {Ire}). Offered by James Tate's Jamesfield Place Stables, the 3-year-old filly is the first foal out of the multiple Group 3-placed Uleavemebreathless (GB) (Tiger Hill {Ire}).