Better Than Ready filly tops Capricornia Yearling Sale
A Better Than Ready filly topped the 2022 Capricornia Yearling Sale at Rockhampton, selling to Glen Donnellan for $55,000.
The filly, offered by Jorson Farm, is out of Hussonet (USA) mare Umanova, making her a half-sister to recent winners Mt Peter Miss (Real Saga) and Stifling (Sizzling) as well as two other winners.
Lot 43 - Better Than Ready x Umanova (filly), the Sale-topper at the Magic Millions Capricornia Yearling Sale | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
The first lot of the day, Lot 1, the Heroic Valour colt offered by Raheen Stud, secured a $50,000 pricetag, with Anthony Fenlon signing for the chestnut, while Lot 68, a Spirit Of Boom colt purchased by Alan and Jennifer Acton, and Lot 93, a Heroic Valour filly sold to S & J Bloodstock, were also $50,000 purchases.
All in all, 95 horses were sold, for a total of $1.57 million and an average of $16,603, with the median at $12,000. The gross exceeded last year's Sale, but the average and median were down.
Shelby's Sale sojourn shelved
Shelby Sixtysix (Toronado {Ire}) will likely contest the G1 All aged S. at Randwick on Saturday, with trainer Danny Williams opting against a shot at the $500,000 Country Discovery at Sale on Good Friday.
Williams said the likelihood of another wet track at Randwick made that the more appealing option with the G1 The Galaxy winner set to head to Brisbane later this campaign.
Danny Williams | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
“I’d love to (run at Sale) but I assume, given the weather forecast, that most probably would be unlikely,” Williams told Newscorp.
“He's a horse that needs a bit of give in the ground… I just think we’re going to get that, definitely in Sydney, rather than down there.
“It's no good going down for the sake of it, the horse comes first and we have got to make sure he gets the right surface.”
No Payne from Montefilia failure
Trainer David Payne is happy to move on from four-time Group 1 winner Montefilia's (Kermadec {NZ}) failure in the G1 Queen Elizabeth S.
Payne said the mare will head to the paddock with her head held high despite finishing second last in Saturday's Group 1 feature at Randwick.
“She is off to the paddock, she has done enough,” Payne told Racenet. “She has pulled up fine but just couldn't quicken as well as she can on the ground."
Montefilia | Image courtesy of Bronwen Healy
“I am really happy with her. I think you could have raced that race 20 times and it could have been a different result. We will put a pencil through it, nothing could make up any ground from the back all day."
Also headed for a spell is G1 Tancred S. winner Duais (Shamus Award), who also struggled in the Heavy conditions in the Queen Elizabeth and has pulled up with no concerns.
Queensland options open up for Pike
Racing Queensland's decision to follow suit with the state government and remove all requirements for vaccinations is set to pave the way for William Pike to ride during the upcoming carnival.
Pike told NewsCorp that he is keen to chase big-race rides wherever he can get them.
“I am very keen to get up to Queensland and ride in the big races throughout the carnival,” Pike said. “I rode at the Gold Coast on Hollindale S. Day last year and have a great relationship with the Gold Coast Turf Club.
“The goal is to ride in and win the biggest races, wherever they may be.”
Third winner for Hellbent
Yarraman Park's Hellbent secured his third winner with the victory of the Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained filly Hell Hound at Terang on Sunday.
Hell Hound, a homebred for Phoenix Thoroughbreds, was having his first start in the 1000-metre maiden and finished strongly over the top of his rivals to defeat Biographer (I Am Invincible) by 1.75l, with Gold Bucket (Shalaa {Ire}) another 2.5l back in third.
Hell Hound is a half-sister to Group 2 winner Letzbeglam (Snitzel).
Aussie double for Turn Me Loose
Windsor Park's Turn Me Loose (NZ) had a successful Sunday with his progeny in Australia with the victories of Turn Me Over (NZ) at the Sunshine Coast and Verbek (NZ) at Wagga.
The Chris Waller-trained and Orbis-owned Turn Me Over broke through for his maiden win over 2200 metres on the Gold Coast, while the Robert and Luke Price-trained Verbek also secured his first win at start 11, justifying his odds-on quote with a 3l win.
Turn Me Loose now has eight winners in Australia this season.
Knights Order to target Melbourne Cup again
Gai Waterhouse has confirmed that another shot at the G1 Melbourne Cup is on the agenda for G1 Sydney Cup winner Knights Order (Ire) (So You Think {NZ}).
Knights Order led all the way for Rachel King at Randwick on Saturday and Waterhouse, who trains in partnership with Adrian Bott, wants to get back to the Flemington feature, where he ran 19th last year.
Knights Order (Ire) | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
“He’ll go to the paddock and have a little shoot the breeze until the spring, where he’ll come back and head to Melbourne for the Cup,” Waterhouse told Racenet.
“It takes a great deal of ability to be able to time leading all the way perfectly, very few jockeys can lead and win, and to lead over two miles is a great credit to the jockey and the horse."
Levante ready for Group 1 task
A strong trial performance at Rotorua on Saturday has class mare Levante (NZ) (Proisir) ready for the G1 New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ S. at Te Rapa next weekend.
Co-trainer Ken Kelso, who prepares the mare in partnership with wife Bev, was pleased to see how well his charge finished off the 1050-metre trial as he puts the finishing touches on her preparation for Te Rapa.
Levante (NZ) and Ken Kelso | Image courtesy of NZ Racing Desk
“It was nice work, just what we wanted and we’re very happy with her,” Kelso said. “She attacked the line strongly and had a good blow afterwards so it will bring her on nicely.
“She will have a good gallop in trackwork during the week and she should be spot on for Saturday.”
Dark Destroyer ready for Eagle Farm return
Dark Destroyer (NZ) (Proisir) is ready to make his raceday return in the Listed Daybreak Lover S. at Eagle Farm.
The David Archer-owned 3-year-old hasn’t been seen since his gritty victory in the G2 Auckland Guineas at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day, with trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott keen to see him perform up to his best during a Brisbane winter campaign.
“We’re very happy with him and keen to see him step out again on the track,” O’Sullivan said.
Dark Destroyer (NZ) | Image courtesy of NZ Racing Desk
“He had a good break and has been working up nicely, however you just don’t know quite how they will perform off a break like he had.
“We don’t have any specific targets for him and just want to see him go a tidy race first-up before we think about what else he might line up in.
“Once he has recovered from the run, we can have a talk with David and he can make a decision on where we go from here.”
Rattan to Living Legends
Living Legends has welcomed another former Hong Kong star to its list, with Group 2 winner Rattan (NZ) (Savabeel) retiring to the Victorian property.
Jockey Chad Schofield, who rode Rattan to five of his seven career victories, was delighted with the news.
“He was a lovely horse, definitely one of my favourites over in Hong Kong,” Schofield told Racing.com.
“I started riding him as an unraced horse in Class 4, he took me all the way to Group 1 level, so he was a great horse.”
