Darci La Bella classy at Pukekohe
Darci La Bella (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}) took advantage of the wet conditions to win the G3 Thoroughbred Breeders’ S. at Pukekohe.
The Allan Sharrock-trained daughter of Darci Brahma (NZ) had seen conditions fall in her favour as 48 hours of persistent rain saw the track come up a Heavy8 on raceday, a track rating where she had already won four of her eight starts on. She added to her good record in the conditions, beating Express Princess (NZ) (Shamexpress {NZ}) by 2.8l.
Sharrock said the mare would likely now head to the G2 Manawatu Challenge S.
“I was actually pleased the track had come back a little bit as I didn’t want it too arduous,” Sharrock said. “That was pretty dominant in the end though.
“With the rating she has (99) she would have been carrying 62kgs in a handicap so the weight-for-age scale (where she carried 57kgs) worked well for her.”
Aromatic downs stablemate Counties Cup
Aromatic (NZ) (Sacred Falls {NZ}) produced a gutsy display to win the G3 Counties Cup at Pukekohe, leading home a quinella for her trainer Mark Walker.
The daughter of Sacred Falls (NZ) battled bravely through the wet conditions to beat stablemate Self Obsession (NZ) (Shocking) by 0.2l, while Vikor Vegas (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) was a further 0.5l away in third.
Walker said the wet conditions had played into Aromatic’s favour and revealed that both the winner and runner-up would now head to the G3 Waikato Cup.
“That shower of rain just a few minutes ago probably helped, but it’s full credit to the whole team at home as she doesn’t have the best of feet and the whole barn have worked tirelessly to keep her on the track,” he said.
“It was a good effort as Self Obsession is so gutsy, so both mares did us proud. Self Obsession chipped a knee after the New Zealand Oaks last season and is coming up nicely now, so hopefully she will get her turn soon.
“I think at this stage they both will head to the Waikato Cup next.”
Aromatic’s victory provided the late Waikato Stud stallion Sacred Falls with his seventh stakes winner.
Minsk Moment takes WA Stakes
Minsk Moment (I Am Invincible) made the first start for trainer Adam Durrant a winning one as he landed the Listed WA S. at Ascot on Saturday and in the process handed I Am Invincible his 85th stakes winner.
The 4-year-old finished ninth of 12 runners in the In Memory of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II H. for former trainer Chris Waller on Melbourne Cup Day and he got his Perth career off to a flyer, beating Em Tee Aye (I’m All The Talk) by 0.93l.
The horse was purchased by James Bester and Coolmore Stud for $575,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale in 2020 and was then purchased by Bester via the Inglis Digital May (Late) Sale in earlier this year. The entire is now raced in a syndicate which includes Yarraman Park Stud, which is home to his sire, I Am Invincible.
Minsk Moment is out of Group 3-placed mare Dancing Express (Oratorio), who incidentally did all her racing in Perth.
Minsk Moment was one of six winners on the day for the Yarraman Park-based sire I Am Invincible.
Lloyd rewards Godolphin’s faith with Warra win
Apprentice Zac Lloyd has celebrated one of the most significant wins of his fledgling career with victory aboard Athelric (Exceed And Excel) in the $300,000 The Warra at Kembla Grange.
Athelric sat on the back of the leading pair before surging away to beat Key Largo (I Am Invincible) and Dragonstone (Mikki Isle {Jpn}).
“I thought I was going to win a bit easier. He actually made me have to remind me, he got there and stargazed a bit,” Lloyd said. “But he's a very nice horse, he puts himself in the race nicely and he's very good at executing his job.
“It's a nice race, nice prizemoney, a nice cheque. But I'm just happy I'm getting the rides. You can't do it without the horse and big thanks to James (Cummings, trainer), he's a genius and I'm just happy he is supporting me on days like this because it really helps me.”
Gollan quinella in Swiss Ace Plate
Le Palmier's (Spirit Of Boom) best asset is his speed and trainer Tony Gollan's plan to make full use of it has reaped dividends with the speedster running his rivals ragged in the Swiss Ace Plate at the Sunshine Coast.
The short-course specialist led throughout to defeat stablemate Sneaky Five (Fastnet Rock) by 0.5l with Je Suis Belle (Bel Esprit) another 0.2l behind in third.
“I must admit, when the fields came out and Malkovich was in the race, I was a much happier trainer when it was scratched,” Gollan told Sky Racing. “It would have made the race a lot messier for him.
“You saw Le Palmier at his best today when he can draw a bit wide but he can control his breathing and flow like that.
“Our plan was to try to run fast overall time and just let him do what he does well and that's run fast and he got the job done nicely.”
Zahra wins Singapore Gold Cup
Mark Zahra added another Cup win to his record as he steered Hongkong Great (Chi) (Lookin At Lucky {USA}) to victory in the Listed Singapore Gold Cup on Saturday.
This is the third Cup race won by the jockey in the last few weeks, having won the G1 Melbourne Cup on Gold Trip (Fr) (Outstrip {GB}), while he also took out the Listed Cranbourne Cup on Uncle Bryn (GB) (Sea The Stars {Ire}).
Lightning plan for Joyful Fortune
Last-start Listed Century S. winner Joyful Fortune (Nicconi) will be aimed at the G1 Black Caviar Lightning S. according to his trainer Mark Newnham.
“He'll go to the water walker probably at the end of this week for a couple of weeks and then be straight back in the stable,” Newnham said.
“I don't want him to have a long time off, he's a horse that you've got to keep him pretty fit so that we don't have to overwork him, then he'll run first-up in the Lightning.”
