Treble for Snitzel
Arrowfield Stud's Snitzel notched an impressive treble across three states on Saturday. The trio were headed by Winnertakesitall who broke her maiden at the third time of asking in the $130,000 in the Ladbrokes Mates Mode H. at Moonee Valley for trainers Peter and Paul Snowden.
Snitzel | Standing at Arrowfield Stud
At Eagle Farm, 3-year-old gelding Deficit won the Ascot Childcare and Kindy Class 3 Plate for Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou, whilst at Inverell, Joyzel broke her maiden for trainer Luke Pepper.
Snitzel will finish third behind I Am Invincible and So You Think (NZ) in the Leading Sires' Championship by both winners and earnings.
Three for Tavistock
The much-missed Cambridge Stud stallion Tavistock (NZ) was also responsible for three winners on Saturday. In the stallion’s former home of New Zealand, 3-year-old filly Windspeed (NZ) won the Property Brokers Taumarunui 1400 at Te Rapa. Game in the Heavy 10 conditions, she spearheaded an exacta for trainer Stephen Marsh.
Winning the TAB Highway H. at Rosehill for trainer Matthew Dale was the 4-year-old mare Molly Nails, whilst Contrition (NZ) prevailed for Paul Jenkins at Eagle Farm, the first of a double for jockey Larry Cassidy.
Cross Talk talked up for Doncaster
Following his win in Saturday’s Listed Winter Challenge, Cross Talk (NZ) (Keano {NZ}) has been given a lofty long-term aim by co-trainer Adrian Bott, with the G1 Doncaster H. now on the cards.
The 4-year-old was in receipt of a fine, front-running ride from Jean Van Overmeire and justified pre-race favouritism. Cross Talk has steadily been on the rise but this a first win at stakes level.
“Every time we’ve challenged him he has really come back strongly and today he has done it again,” Bott told Racenet.
Cross Talk (NZ) wins the Listed Winter Challenge at Rosehill | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
“We are starting to work him out a little bit. I think he races that little bit better fresh with his runs spaced. He’s had those three weeks between each of his last couple of starts and it has worked out well for him."
His victory also marked a maiden stakes winner for his sire, Keano (NZ), a son of Pins.
The same race also featured the much-belated Australian debut of European import Gold Trip (Fr) (Outstrip {GB}), who managed a creditable third place having not raced for just over a year.
Go Wandji compared to Winx
Sealing the double at Eagle Farm for Larry Cassidy, Go Wandji (Wandjina) earned high praise from the veteran rider. The 4-year-old gelding can now boast eight wins from 11 starts, but it was a surging victory whilst carrying 60kg that led Cassidy to name him as one of the three best he’s ever ridden.
“There are only two other horses that I have ridden that have had that acceleration – one of them is Winx and the other is Unwordly (2000 G1 Flight S. winner),” Cassidy told News Corp.
“That doesn’t mean he is as good as they are,” he said. “It means I know he is an exceptional horse.
“He’s definitely Group level, minimum,” Cassidy concluded.
Shock ‘Em Ova remains unbeaten
The 3-year-old gelding Shock ‘Em Ova (NZ) (Shocking) extended his unbeaten record to two when he took out the Dominant Plant Powered Cleaning H. at Moonee Valley on Saturday.
Trained by Alex Rae at Cranbourne, the son of Shocking made a smart winning debut on his home track on July 7 and he chalked up a second win when defeating Storm King (NZ) (Complacent) by 1l.
A son of Rich Hill Stud resident Shocking, the gelding was purchased by Northumberland Thoroughbreds Pty Ltd for NZ$26,000 Book 2 of the 2020 New Zealand Bloodstock Yearling Sale in 2020.
Stakes option for Shades Of Rose
Bjorn Baker will likely give Shades Of Rose (Rubick) one more run before considering stakes options with the filly.
The daughter of Rubick added a fourth win to her record when she landed a BM72 at Rosehill on Saturday, which has Baker dreaming of bigger targets.
"It was good to see her do that," Baker said. "She has obviously shown a lot of ability and she has got a heap of talent.
"He rode her like the best horse today and it was a good ride. I think she's only going to get better on top of the ground too."
Second Travis Harrison Cup for Williams
Craig Williams paid tribute to the Victorian racing industry for continuing to celebrate the life of his late cousin Travis Harrison after he steered Lackeen (GB) (Shamardal {USA}) to victory in the race named in his honour for the second time on Saturday.
After the victory, Williams thanked the industry for their continue support of the Harrison family, who lost Travis to a car accident in 1996.
"I’ve always got Travis on my side," Williams told Racing.com.
"I feel really privileged to be in the thoroughbred racing industry, especially in Victoria.
"You can see now, Travis has been gone for 25 years and the Moonee Valley Racing Club is still acknowledging Travis Harrison and the Harrison family."
Daughter of Yankee Rose breaks maiden
Liberty Island (Jpn) (Duramente {Jpn}), the second foal out of daul Group 1 winner Yankee Rose (All American), made a winning debut at Niigata on Saturday.
The daughter of Duramente (Jpn) finished strongly to beat Cruzeiro do Sul (Jpn) (Fine Needle {Jpn}) by an emphatic 3l.
A winner of the G1 ATC Sires’ Produce S. and G1 Spring Champion S., Yankee Rose has produced two winners to date, with Romneya (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}) being her other. Her 2021 foal by Lord Kanaloa (Jpn) was purchased by Danox Co for ¥370,000,000 (AU$3.9 million) at the JRHA Select Yearling and Foal Sale.
