New winner for U S Navy Flag
The Stephen Autridge-trained Tears Of Victory (NZ) (U S Navy Flag {USA}) won on debut at Matamata on Sunday.
The 3-year-old filly was ridden by Maria Sanson and won from Valentine (NZ) (Turn Me Loose {NZ}) and Fancy Like (NZ) (Redwood {GB}).
Tears Of Victory is from the Fastnet Rock mare Ireland’s Teardrop (Ire). She is the dam of the Group 3-placed Last Sight (NZ) (Showcasing {GB}) and hails from the family of the outstanding Minding (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}).
U S Navy Flag (USA) | Standing at The Oaks Stud
Tears Of Victory is the ninth winner for U S Navy Flag (USA) who will stand the 2023 breeding season for NZ$15,000 (plus GST).
Sharp ‘N’ Smart in flying form
The Graeme and Deborah Rogerson-trained Sharp ‘N’ Smart (NZ) (Redwood {GB}) is ready for a spring assault after pleasing his co-trainer Graeme Rogerson in an exhibition gallop at Te Rapa on Saturday.
“He is the winner of $3 million and his record his unbelievable. If he hadn’t had struck wet tracks, what would his record be?” said Rogerson, who trains with his wife Debbie.
Rogerson was pleased with his gelding’s hitout on Saturday and believes he has returned a stronger animal. “He is going as good as he has gone and probably better. He is a lot stronger now and he has a great campaign ahead of him. I haven’t had a horse that can do what he is doing."
Graeme Rogerson
The Hamilton trainer is eyeing at least the first two legs of the Hawke’s Bay Spring Carnival with Sharp ‘N’ Smart, which may extend to tackling the G1 Cox Plate and the G1 Melbourne Cup in Australia
“As long as it is not a Heavy 10 he will go to the Tarzino and then he will go to the Arrowfield,” Rogerson said.
“Hughy Bowman (jockey) desperately wants us to run him in the Cox Plate and Melbourne Cup.
“I was leaning toward the Caulfield Cup, but Debbie and Hughy seem to be wanting to go the other way. If he goes the other way, he may run in the Livamol and even the $5 million race King Charles III Stakes in Sydney and then the Cox Plate.”
Sharp ‘N’ Smart is expected to begin his campaign at Hastings in the G1 Tarzino Trophy on September 9.
In Secret to return in Concorde
The James Cummings-trained and Godolphin-owned outstanding sprinter In Secret (I Am Invincible) is set to return in the G3 Concorde S. on Saturday at Rosehill.
The dual Group 1 winner made the trek to Rosehill on Saturday for an exhibition gallop partnered by Zac Lloyd who was pleased with her performance.
“She had her ears pricked the whole afternoon and went about her work as you’d expect a horse like her to go about it,” Lloyd said.
In Secret in an exhibition gallop at Rosehill on Saturday | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
“She’s primed and ready to go first-up.”
Cummings added that Zapateo (Brazen Beau) would likely join her stablemate in the Concorde, and that he was pleased with In Secret’s work.
“Her coat hasn’t quite come through yet so we decided to bring her out here to have a look around. She is coming up nicely and hopefully is in for a good spring preparation.”
Imperatriz flying the tangerine flag
The Te Akau-owned mare Imperatriz (I Am Invincible) is set to arrive in Australia with three other gallopers and head to Te Akau’s new operation at Cranbourne Racecourse on Monday night.
The stable initially hoped to send six to 10 horses to Australia on Monday, but shared that the Cranbourne base was behind schedule.
“The Cranbourne base is well behind schedule so that’s why we’ve only got three coming on Monday when originally we were planning to have six to 10,” assistant trainer for Te Akau Racing Ben Gleeson said.
“So we won’t hit the ground running like we planned but Imperatriz will fly the flag and hopefully the stables are ready for the first week of October and we’ll have another plane load of horses.”
Romantic Warrior gears up for Plate tilt
The Hong Kong superstar Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) continued his build-up for a tilt at the G1 Cox Plate with a barrier trial at Sha Tin on Friday morning.
The outstanding galloper was ridden by Karis Teetan in a 1200-metre heat on the dirt to finish second.
“I thought it was a nice trial for him,” Teetan said.
“He felt good all the way through his trial, he was well-behaved going to the gates. In his trial, I left him where he was, he was pretty handy, he felt really fresh underneath me in the trial.
“Overall, I think he needed that trial and his fitness is going to improve.”
Dittman retires
Luke Dittman, son of the Champion jockey Mick Dittman, has retired from race riding.
Luke Dittman had been riding in Queensland and confirmed his retirement to Punters.com.
“I remember starting out as a kid, I was 15 and quite tall the, and no-one thought I would finish my apprenticeship,” Dittman said.
Luke Dittman | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
“And then I finished my apprenticeship and nobody thought I would make it as a jockey to 25.
“My goal at the start was to make it to age 30 as a jockey - I got to 32. The Group 1 win was elusive for me and I never got one. That’s the one thing I wished I could have done. But in terms of my riding career, I nailed pretty much everything I wanted to do. It’s not the greatest career, I wish I had the career the old boy (Mick) had but those sorts of careers are few and far between.”
Charm eyes Rose
The Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained Charm Stone (I Am Invincible) will make her next start in the Listed Atlantic Jewel S. on September 9 at Moonee Valley. However, her connections are eyeing bigger targets on the horizon with Charm Stone.
“I think you then go to the lead-up for the Golden Rose - Run To The Rose, so go to Sydney and stay there and come back for the Coolmore,” said co-trainer Price.
Charm Stone | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“It gives you two Group 1 options for her. I don’t have a lot of trouble with her thinking about the 1400 metres, she isn’t one of those speedy little ‘Vinnies’ - She is a big, scopey filly who will keep improving.”
King winning in Japan
Sydney-based jockey Rachel King sits on top of the leaderboard at the halfway mark of the World All-Star Jockeys series in Japan.
King is currently ahead of the legendary Japanese jockey Yutaka Take, the outstanding Christophe Lemaire and the ‘magic man’ Joao Moreira in the series.
“To be at the top after day one is amazing, I can’t think of a better start,” King said.
“I am truly grateful to the trainers and staff who prepared my mounts. It’s incredible to just be here and competing on this world stage with all these world-class jockeys. I’ve been privileged to have been invited by the JRA (Japanese Racing Association).”
Bella Nipotina to head to Sydney
The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained Bella Nipotina (Pride Of Dubai) is a good chance to head Sydney to contest the G3 Concorde S. at Randwick.
“We might head to Sydney,” co-trainer Eustace.
“We dodge Giga Kick, she’s got good form in Sydney as well.
David Eustace | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
“We’ll keep an eye on the weather, she’ll be nominated, I think she’s come up pretty well.”
Grace to represent Waller in Memise
Princess Grace (USA) (Karakontie {Jpn}) is likely to be Champion Trainer Chris Waller’s sole starter in next Saturday’s G1 Memsie S.
“Zougotcha will be nominated, plus Osipenko and a few others, but we will probably only run one,” Waller said.
“Princess Grace, I’d say she is definite. If there was to be two there it will be one of the others, but I wouldn’t send her down if she drew barrier 18.”
Chris Waller | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Waller was encouraged seeing her run well at her first try at the highest grade in Australia.
"She was very good first-up, she had a nice draw and everything fell into place, but she showed she was up to that level.”
Star colt Paddington likely to resume on QIPCO British Champions Day
Four-time Group 1 winner Paddington (GB) (Siyouni {Fr}) will be freshened until a likely start on QIPCO British Champions Day in October, trainer Aidan O'Brien revealed.
After breaking his maiden at second asking at two, the Coolmore partners runner won his first six starts at three, including the G1 Irish 2000 Guineas, G1 St James's Palace S., G1 Eclipse and the G1 Sussex S. He experienced only his second career loss when a game third to Mostahdaf (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) in the G1 Juddmonte International S. at York on Wednesday.
“Paddington is good, he's fine,” said O'Brien, speaking from the Curragh on Saturday. “In all fairness to him he's answered every call and even at York he answered it.
“He'll have a little break now and we might look at going back to Ascot with him. We'll give him a little chance and he'll come back like a new horse. We've fairly put it up to him for a baby 3-year-old.”
He added, “Either the Champion or the mile, whatever the lads decide. I wouldn't be surprised if it's the mile as he has loads of speed.
“He gets a mile and a quarter, but it might be just class that makes him get it. He could be a miler, only that I've been stretching him and he wasn't getting a choice.”
