Sharp ‘N’ Smart hailed NZ Horse of the Year
The 2022/23 New Zealand Thoroughbred Horse of the Year awards were announced on Sunday, September 10 in Auckland. The gun Kiwi Sharp ‘N’ Smart (NZ) (Redwood {GB}) became the first male galloper since 2016 to receive the SENZ Horse of the Year title, ending a six-year reign of the fillies and mares, while Sharp ‘N’ Smart also took home the Champion 3-Year-Old honour sponsored by IRT.
Sharp 'N' Smart will contest the G1 Tarzino Trophy at Hastings on Saturday | Image courtesy of Trish Dunell
Te Akau Racing’s weekend grew more fortuitous with Tokyo Tycoon (NZ) (Satono Aladdin {Jpn}) crowned the Champion 2-Year-Old, Imperatriz (I Am Invincible) walking away with the Champion Sprinter-Miler and Mark Walker receiving the Trainer of the Year sponsored by Dunstan Horsefeeds.
Star filly Legarto (NZ) (Proisir) was the recipient of the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year, and Prowess (NZ) (Proisir) crowned the Champion Middle Distance Horse, while another galloper who also had success in Australia - Pennyweka (NZ) (Satono Aladdin {Jpn}) was recognised as the Champion Stayer.
Other recipients included: Ken and Bev Kelso employee, Megan Winter (Stablehand of the Year, sponsored by Entain Australia and New Zealand); Michael McNab (Jockey of the Year, sponsored by TAB); Catherine and Phillip Brown (Owner of the Year, sponsored by TAB NZ); George Simon (NZTR Award for Outstanding Contribution to Racing) and Mike Kneebone (NZTR Award for Outstanding Global Achievement).
Grinzinger Angel salutes for Harry
The Danny O’Brien-trained Grinzinger Angel provided her second-season sire Harry Angel (Ire) with his 12th Southern Hemisphere winner.
Ridden by Liam Riordan, the 3-year-old filly was having start three at Casterton on Sunday and won by 0.4l from Spic ‘N’ Span (Apologia).
Grinzinger Angel was an $85,000 purchase by J Wheeler from the draft of Hollylodge Thoroughbreds at the 2022 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale.
Grunt on fire
It has been a super weekend for the Yulong-based second-season sire Grunt (NZ). The dual Group 1 winner sired his fourth winner on Saturday and on Sunday he brought up his fifth, courtesy of the Adam Trinder-trained Mihoko Takeo.
Ridden by Erica Bryne Burke the 3-year-old filly made her second start at the races a winning one, taking out the opening event at Devonport Tapeta Synthetic from Mindful (Alpine Eagle).
Mihoko Takeo was a $45,000 purchase by Adam Trinder from the draft of Yulong at the 2022 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale.
The filly is from the Street Cry (Ire) mare Draconic Treasure who is related to the G1 Melbourne Cup winner Media Puzzle (USA) (Theatrical {Ire}).
Melbourne to be treated to more Imperatriz
Saturday’s G2 McEwen S. winner Imperatriz (I Am Invincible) is likely to stay in Melbourne rather than head to Sydney.
The news is welcome to Melbourne racegoers with an exodus of high-quality sprinters heading to Sydney to ramp up their The Everest preparations.
Te Akau Racing’s assistant trainer Ben Gleeson told Racing.com, “I spoke to Mark (Walker) this morning. We’ll head towards the Moir. There are options after that, but we’ll concentrate on the Moir and then she can go to the Manikato and the Champions Sprint. If we can win them all, or a couple, that’s going to be lucrative.
“Obviously, Imperatriz has an appreciation for The Valley, where she can use her turn of foot around that corner and that’s something we want to keep in her favour.”
Clarken November dreaming
South Australian-based trainer Dan Clarken has the G1 Melbourne Cup on his wish list with the 5-year-old mare The Map (Alpine Eagle).
Clarken trains the mare in partnership with Oopy Macgillivray and has nominated the daughter of Alpine Eagle, the race that stops the nation.
“If you don’t nominate, you can’t go around, can you? Why not, it’s the true Australian dream,” Clarken told Racing.com.
“Put it this way, she was probably going to be one of the favourites for an Adelaide Cup, everything went to hell in a handbag, it was unbelievable.
“A few of them fall by the wayside, which happens, you just don’t know. The Map’s work tells me that she is back to her 3-year-old self, if we can get back to that we’re probably some sort of chance of going around in a fair race somewhere.”
Winx’s sister to step out
Time Of My Life, the 3-year-old half-sister by I Am Invincible to the superstar Winx (Street Cry {Ire}) is ready to head to the races.
The filly has been retained to race by her breeder John Camilleri and is trained by Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman.
Coleman indicated after an impressive jump-out last Tuesday Time Of My Life’s debut is imminent.
“She’s a nice filly and she’s always shown us plenty at home,” Coleman shared with Racing.com.
“Time Of My Life has a lot of natural ability, but she is quite hot, so we probably won’t throw her in the deep end to start off with, we will just try and educate her and see where we get to.
“She’s really strengthened up and there is probably a bit more to come, but with her it’s been more a mental maturity than physically. She has always wanted to do things a million miles an hour previously, whereas this time she has started to settle and relax in her work, so she will be better the more she does and improve with racing.”
Mr Brightside ready for Diva attempt
Star galloper Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars) will look to make it three-from-three this preparation in the G1 Makybe Diva S. at Flemington on Saturday, and by all reports from his trio of trainers is the star gelding has pulled-up well from his Memsie S. success.
Mr Brightside (NZ) | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
“He’s really good. I’m happy with him. Mr Brightside was as fresh as anything, so it’s full steam ahead to the Makybe Diva,” co-trainer Ben Hayes told Racing.com.
“He’s shown it again and he’s come back to racing and shown nice improvement. He really copes with racing.”
Star back to best
The talented sprinter Star Patrol (Starspangledbanner) will return to racing in the G2 Bobbie Lewis S. on Saturday down the Flemington straight after spending time on the sidelines from a soft palate surgery.
Trainer Clinton McDonald advised the gelding had been working and trialling brilliantly, but the proof will be in the pudding.
“He had soft palate surgery; a dynamic scope after the Newmarket H. as we were chasing our tail last time in,” McDonald told Racing.com.
“It’s like a facelift as they cut out a bit of the soft palate and then stick it together tightly. We did the operation and so far, it’s been successful. The signs are there he is back to his best.”
McDonald indicated Star Patrol is being aimed at the G1 Sir Rupert Clarke S. on November 18 as his grand final.
Shinn rates Wolfy
The Nick Ryan-trained Wolfy (NZ) (Tivaci) has been given the thumbs-up by leading hoop Blake Shinn.
Shinn travelled to Sale on Sunday to ride the promising 3-year-old colt to a maiden victory at his fourth start and was pleased with the effort.
“Today (Sunday) was just a matter of going back to basics from the nice draw and let him settle,” Shinn said postrace.
“We know he’s got a great turn of foot; it was just nice to see him really show that once in clear galloping room, which he had.
“He’s a horse going places, it’s just nice to see him get his maiden out of the way. We’ve always had a very good opinion of the horse and he’s a colt in the springtime and we’re on the cusp of some big races like the Caulfield Guineas. However, it’s a matter of letting the horse tell Nick (Ryan) where he’s at and just trying to get the runs on the board.”
Oliver heading to Newcastle
Damien Oliver will make a stopover in Newcastle on Friday for the Newcastle Gold Cup meeting, where the retiring jockey will ride for the Kris Lees stable.
Oliver will partner Bellatrix Black (NZ) (Redwood {GB}) in the G3 Tibbie S., Luncies (GB) (Iffraaj {GB}) in the G3 Cameron H. and Kalapour (Ire) (War Command {USA}) in the G3 Newcastle Gold Cup.
Oliver will then return to Victoria on Saturday to ride Alligator Blood (All Too Hard) in the Makybe Diva S. and Arkansaw Kid (Harry Angel {Ire}) in the Listed Poseidon S.
Edgley set for South Australia stint
Benalla-born apprentice Hannah Edgley is set to head to Adelaide, South Australia for a three-month riding stint and an opportunity to utilise her city claim. Edgley will head to the David Jolly stable.
“I’m really excited to head over there and hopefully get a bit of momentum,” Edgley told Racing.com.
“I think it will be really good during this time of the year when all the big guns are in town and they wander off to also ride at the country tracks. I’m heading over later next week, it’s coming around very quickly.”
Edgley can still claim 3kg in town and she is hoping she can more opportunities to outride the claim in Adelaide.
“In the city I have 3kg claim as I’ve only had five winners in town, so I’ve got a heap of my city claim left and I have 2kg in the provincial tracks, but nothing left in the country, which makes it a bit harder for us regional-based apprentices.”
Second winner for Saxon Warrior
The former Coolmore Stud shuttler and second-season sire Saxon Warrior (Jpn) has now sired two winners in the Southern Hemisphere. The Kelly Schweida-trained Weigall Tiger saluted at the Sunshine Coast over 1000 metres. Cejay Graham rode the 3-year-old gelding to win from Bonded Affair (Nicconi) and With Intent (Hellbent).
Saxon Warrior (Jpn) | Standing at Coolmore Europe
Weigall Tiger was an $80,000 purchase by Kelly Schweida Racing from the draft of Lyndhurst Stud Farm at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast National Yearling Sale.
McEvoy has faith in Fangirl
Kerrin McEvoy will partner the Chris Waller-trained Fangirl (Sebring) in the inaugural running of the $1 million 7 S. at Randwick on Saturday.
The race replaces the G1 George Main S. which has been renamed the King Charles III S. and moved to The Everest Day.
McEvoy rode Fangirl during the autumn on three occasions without winning but was pleased with the mare’s performance in an exhibition gallop on Saturday at Rosehill alongside stablemate Hinged (Worthy Cause).
“It was nice and cruisy,” McEvoy told Punters. “It was just nice even, in-hand work and she’s come out of her last run in really good style.
“Everything points to a very happy horse that is going to enjoy a Randwick mile with no Anamoe.”
Waller indicated that Hinged would head towards the G2 Hill S.
Holder receives third John Letts Medal
Popular South Australian-based jockey Jason Holder was the recipient of the 2023 John Letts Medal at the South Australian Racing Industry awards on Saturday night.
It was the third time Holder has won the award, beating Lachlan Neindorf and Alana Livesey.
The award is decided by stewards with a scaled voting system that allocates points to jockeys who produce the best performance at each meeting in South Australia.
Neindorf was awarded the Metropolitan Apprentice Jockey of the Year award and Livesey received the Leon MacDonald Award and the Caitlin Forrest Award.
Richard and Chantelle Jolly claimed a consecutive C S Hayes award and the Metropolitan Trainer of the year, while Jake Toeroek collected the Glennon-Johnson Award and Kayla Crowther won the SA title and Provincial Gong.
