Another Melbourne Cup aspirant for Team Williams
Team Williams have another exciting G1 Melbourne Cup aspirant on their hands in the shape of Point Nepean (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) who gained a ballot exempt entry into the Flemington showpiece when he landed the Listed Andrew Ramsden S. on Saturday.
Trained by Robert Hickmott, the son of Camelot (GB) went into the Listed race off the back of a pair of wins at Bendigo and Caulfield and added to his tally when beating Luncies (GB) (Iffraaj {GB}) by 0.8l.
"This horse has really come forward over the last two or three months," Williams said.
Point Nepean (Ire) wins the Listed Andrew Ramsden S. at Flemington
"You don't see them win like that very often, particularly an inexperienced horse against seasoned stayers.
"He was very poorly weighted in that race today, and it was probably fair to say that everything that could've gone wrong for Alana (Kelly, jockey) went wrong.
"But the great thing about her, and this is why she will be such a good jockey, is she didn't panic, she kept the horse in a rhythm, and once the pace came out of the race she got herself into a position to win and the horse did the rest for her."
Vulpine chalks up third stakes win in Ortensia
The Brad Widdup-trained Vulpine (Snitzel) brought her third stakes victory when she landed the Listed Ortensia S. at Scone on Saturday.
A winner of the G3 Wenona Girl and Listed Starlight S., Vulpine surged clear to come out on top of a close finish to beat Mr Mosaic (Rubick) by 0.2l.
"She did a great job last year when we took her up to Queensland," Widdup said. "She is slowly maturing and it was great to see her win."
Stradbroke next for Flying Crazy?
The Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou-trained Flying Crazy (Flying Artie) has put himself in contention for the G1 Stradbroke H. after he landed his third stakes win this campaign in the Listed Luskin Star S. at Scone.
Flying Crazy had already captured the Listed Canberra Guineas (1400 metres) in March and Listed Daybreak Lover S. (1400 metres) in Brisbane in April, but he was scratched from the G3 Hawkesbury Guineas two weeks ago due to the very Heavy track and on less testing conditions at Scone, he was able to put his best foot forward.
Flying Crazy just clings on to win the Listed Luskin Star S. at Scone | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
"He beat a good field and he is a highly promising horse," Ryan said. "I think he's getting better. As a 4-year-old in the autumn, he could be a Doncaster horse.
"At the moment, we've got a question mark on him running 1600 metres, but he is going the right way and he will go to the Fred Best (Classic in Brisbane) in a fortnight and we will play it by ear after that.
"If he won the Fred Best we would go to the Stradbroke, otherwise we would try him at a mile in the Gunsynd (Quality) on the same day."
Bring The Ransom produces boilover in Dark Jewel
The Bjorn Baker-trained Bring The Ransom (Sebring) shocked her more fancied rivals when she landed the G3 Dark Jewel Classic at Scone on Saturday.
Last seen running 11th in the G3 Tressady S. at Flemington the daughter of Sebring bounced back to land to her first career stakes success with a 1l defeat of Wandabaa (Wandjina).
Now the winner of eight of her 29 career starts, Bring The Ransom is the 76th stakes winner by Sebring, who died at Widden Stud in 2019.
Dark Destroyer takes Rough Habit
New Zealand raider Dark Destroyer (NZ) (Proisir) finally broke through at stakes level for the first time in Australia when he prevailed in the G3 Rough Habit Plate at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
The Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott-trained gelding who had won the G2 Auckland Guineas in his native New Zealand on New Year’s Day before the focus switched to an autumn campaign in Australia.
After closing well for second in the G2 Queensland Guineas last start, Dark Destroyer was put into the race at the right time by winning jockey Sam Weatherley and after hitting the front early in the straight he staved off the challenge of Paternal (NZ) (Savabeel) to win by 0.2l.
Dark Destroyer (NZ) wins the G3 Rough Habit Plate at Eagle Farm | Image courtesy of Michael McInally
All roads now lead to the G1 Queensland Derby back at the same venue in a fortnight.
“It was a really good tough effort because the weather was so bad and the track is as heavy as it was. But he was really game, he stuck on well,” Andrew Scott said.
“We’re so pleased he can stay because this was his first attempt over a bit of ground. It is encouraging going forward for the next fortnight.
“It was a good staying effort for the reason that he had to sustain a long run. That was encouraging. He’s going the right way and he has come over here and thrived. The preparations are going well so hopefully he’ll be back here in a fortnight and he should run well again.”
Forsman claims first solo stakes win
Francesca (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}) provided trainer Andrew Forsman with a day to remember when she took out the G3 Rotorua S. on Saturday, handing the trainer his first stakes win since his former co-trainer Murray Baker retired.
"It's great to get the monkey off the back as we have had a few minor placings to kick off, but got the winners today," Forsman said.
"Francesca is a mare we have always had an opinion of, but she had a bleed last time, so we had to put her away for a good long spell.
"She has come back really well, with no signs of any problems and she was ready to run a good race.
"She got a cosy time in front but was eyeballed a long way out and I thought her fitness might be an issue, however, she really kicked strongly and got a well-deserved Stakes win."
Stradivarius breaks record
In winning the G2 Yorkshire Cup for a third time on Friday, Stradivarius (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) now sits on his own as winning most horse of Group races trained in Europe, becoming the first in 51 years to win 18 contests at the Group level.
A win in the Group 2 on Friday, meant the John and Thady Gosden-trained 8-year-old now has eight Group victories to his name, one more than his closest rival Cirrus Des Aigles (Fr) (Even Top {Ire}).
"He's totally unique and he's a crowd-pleaser," Gosden said. "I was nervous, but as I said in the paper he's an 8-year-old entire and it's a lot different to training an 8-year-old gelding, I can tell you."
Stradivarius will head to Royal Ascot, where he will attempt to win his fourth G1 Ascot Gold Cup.
Zoffany colt shines at Arqana
A colt by Zoffany (Ire) (Dansili {GB}) was the star attraction at the Arqana Breeze Up on Friday when Oliver St Lawrence purchased the youngster for €550,000 (AU$825,000).
The colt's Raven's Pass (USA) half-sister Lemista (Ire) won the G2 Kilboy Estate S. and the G3 Park Express S. for Ger Lyons, before owner Peter Brant sent her stateside to join Chad Brown.
St Lawrence said: "Roger Varian saw this horse this afternoon and really liked him. He's a big, strong horse with a good shoulder on him and went very well - I think he did the ninth-fastest time - so hopefully he'll do well.
"He's for a friend and client of Fawzi Nass and Roger will train him."
The session closed with 103 of the 132 lots offered changing hands for an aggregate of €13,573,000 (AU$20.36 million), just over €1 million behind the total trade the last time the sale was held in Normandy back in May 2019.
That €100,000 (AU$150,000) median and an average of nearly €132,000 (AU$198,000) gave credence to the firm's characterisation of a sale which more than fulfilled its remit for buyers and sellers.
