Dipsy Doodle breaks maiden
The James Cummings-trained Dipsy Doodle broke her maiden on Easter Monday at Warwick Farm over 1100 metres with Champion jockey James McDonald aboard. The daughter of Lonhro won by 1.6l from Missouk (Pride Of Dubai) and Oz Princess (Exceed And Excel).
Godolphin Australia's Racing and Bloodstock Manager Jason Walsh told TDN AusNZ: “A very pleasing result for the filly to secure her maiden victory today. She is a filly that has shown promise through her preliminaries, and we hope is capable of further progress. She hails from a family we have had nice recent success with, as a half-sister to Group winner Larkspur Run and stakes-placed Magic Carpet and closely related to Andermatt and Renosu.”
Blood to go for a break
The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained, five-time Group 1 winner Alligator Blood (All Too Hard) will head for a break, confirmed co-trainer Adrian Bott, citing the decision wasn’t easy as the 6-year-old had come through his latest task, the G1 Doncaster H. in terrific order.
Alligator Blood | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“He’s (Alligator Blood) gone to the paddock. It was tempting to go on, but with the ownership group, we always had the intention of just giving a light preparation this time around with focus on the spring,” Bott told Racing.com.
“When we got the Heavy track out of the Doncaster, we sort of thought it was probably best to stick to our original plan. He’s got a big spring campaign ahead, so he needs a good break.”
Aft Cabin may target Stradbroke H. in Brisbane
The Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival is on the radar for Godolphin’s star colt Aft Cabin (Astern).
Godolphin Australia’s Managing Director Vin Cox confirmed on Monday (local) the team were weighing up a tilt at the G1 Stradbroke H. over 1400 metres at Eagle Farm for the 3-year-old saying the race is the type they’d like to win. Aft Cabin was an impressive winner of the G2 Arrowfield 3YO Sprint on Saturday at Royal Randwick.
“We haven’t locked in what we are going to do with him, Brisbane is firmly under consideration, no doubt,” Cox said.
Godolphin and their head trainer James Cummings have previously won the ‘Straddie’ with Impending and Trekking (Street Cry {Ire}).
Cox advised racegoers could expect a strong showing from Godolphin, with Paulele (Dawn Approach {Ire}) and Vilana (Hallowed Crown) all but certain to make the trip north.
Sokolski and Waller to combine with Elleegant’s brother
Brae Sokolski has elected to offer Champion trainer Chris Waller the chance to train the newly purchased full brother to the Champion Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed {NZ}), who Waller also trained.
Sokolski went to $260,000 to secure the colt by Zed (NZ) out of Opulence (NZ) (Danroad) when offered by Lime Country Thoroughbreds on behalf of Don Goodwin, breeder of Verry Elleegant and Co. at the 2023 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale in Sydney last week.
Lot 281 - Zed (NZ) x Opulence (NZ) (colt) | Image courtesy of Inglis
Sokolski was aware that Waller had also rated the colt highly in the lead-up to the sale.
“Chris loved the horse,” Sokolski said. “He would have bought the horse had I not. No doubt about that, so he was quite taken by him.
“He (Zed colt) definitely will be trained by Chris. I wouldn’t have dared to send him to another trainer.”
Lloyd rides a quartet at Warwick Farm
Talented apprentice rider Zac Lloyd rode four winners on the Easter Monday card at Warwick Farm.
Victorious in the first aboard the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained Namesake (Maurice {Jpn}) over 1100 metres. Lloyd then won Race 3 aboard the John Sargent-trained Casual Connection (NZ) (Complacent) over 2400 metres, followed by Ausbred Flirt (Maurice {Jpn}) in Race 4 for Brad Widdup, making a double for the Arrowfield shuttler Maurice (Jpn) on the card and a three-time overall for the shuttle sire with his 3-year-old daughter Aiming winning at Sandown-Lakeside.
To round out proceedings, Lloyd partnered the Peter and Paul Snowden-trained Ka Bling (Capitalist) to victory over 1400 metres in Race 5.
Easter Monday delight for Maher and Eustace
It was a successful day at the office for Ciaron Maher and David Eustace who recorded a dual-state quartet on Monday. Starting in New South Wales at Warwick Farm, Namesake (Maurice {Jpn}) defied a protest to win his maiden and was followed by three winners recorded at Sandown-Lakeside: Unusual Culture (NZ) (Unusual Suspect {USA}), Aiming (Maurice {Jpn}) and Valiancy (Shooting To Win).
Promising filly thrown in $1 million deep end
A good gallop by the Tony and Calvin McEvoy-trained Elphinstone (Street Boss {USA}) on Monday morning has convinced co-trainer Tony McEvoy to chase Saturday’s big prize of the $1 million Showdown at Sandown-Hillside.
McEvoy told Racing.com: “Putting a filly with just one start to her name in such a big race could be called 'aggressive placement,'” indicating she had taken great benefit from her debut start when fourth in the Bendigo Gold Rush over 1000 metres earlier this month.
“She (Elphinstone) just made too many mistakes at her first start.”
The McEvoys filly is one of 17 entries received on Monday for the feature race on VOBIS Gold raceday on Saturday.
Begg excited by Magic Time
Cranbourne based-trainer Grahame Begg continues to be impressed by his undefeated 3-year-old filly Magic Time (Hellbent). Unbeaten in three starts, the last two of them in stakes races, will attempt to make it four from four in the G3 James HB Carr S. at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
“What I’ve really taken out of her runs, is just how strong she is to the line,” Begg told Racing.com.
Magic Time | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“More than likely she’ll head for a spell after next Saturday and then head into her spring 4-year-old preparation with just four starts. I’ll be very excited.”
Magic Time was bred and retained by John Muir’s Milburn Creek Stud after she failed to meet her reserve at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Marengo looks to have more in store
The Peter and Dawn Williams-trained Marengo (NZ) (Charm Spirit {Ire}) has been given time to grow into himself by his connections and paid a handsome dividend on the weekend when the flashy gelding demolished his rivals on debut.
Unbeaten in two trials, the son of Charm Spirit (Ire) overcame the outside barrier of 14 to win by 2l untouched in the maiden 1200-metre contest.
Peter Williams, who prepares the 3-year-old in partnership with his wife Dawn said: “He (Marengo) has been pretty good in his two trials and we know he has a fair bit of ability, but when they draw the outside like that makes it hard for them.
“He had a few growing pains early on, so we tipped him out and gave him plenty of time to tell us when he was ready and that looks to have paid off.”
Williams is keen to get some more experience under Marengo’s belt but was having trouble finding a suitable race for him in the next few weeks.
“He’s good enough for the G3 Cambridge Breeders’ Stakes at the end of the month, but I wouldn’t do that to him. Not a lot around for him and his age group.”
