Barrett breaks through for first city success
Canberra-based apprentice Jake Barrett achieved a major milestone on Saturday, riding his first city winner aboard Belleistic Kid (The Brothers War {USA}) in the fifth contest at Randwick.
Taken straight to the front in the BM74 H., Barrett was able to execute a perfectly timed ride on the 4-year-old gelding, who would go on to score by 1.9l.
“It’s a dream come true,” Barrett told Channel 7 after the race. “Five years ago I could barely sit on a horse, and to ride a winner at Randwick today, I shouldn’t say it but I could retire now and be happy!
“I thought he (Belleistic Kid) would jump well, he seems to be a horse that every time he draws wider, doesn’t sit in the gates longer, he tends to show a bit more natural toe.”
Progressive filly scores at Trentham
The Guy Lowry and Leah Zydenbos-trained Bedtime Story (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) made it two wins on the trot when she scored at Trentham on Saturday. The lightly raced 3-year-old filly was a last-start victress at Hastings after placing on debut at Woodville in October. Bedtime Story, ridden by Kozzi Asano, defeated Party Rocking (NZ) (Belardo {Ire}) by 1.5l.
The filly is from the unraced Tavistock (NZ) mare Happy Endings (NZ), who is the dam of the G2 Westbury Classic winner Dragon Queen (NZ) (Sweynesse).
Bedtime Story failed to meet her reserve of NZ$120,000 when offered by Brighthill Farm at the 2022 New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale.
Happy Endings has a colt by Savabeel (Lot 118) in the Brighthill Farm draft heading to the 2024 New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale.
Magic Pharoah provides Mary a milestone
Scone-based horseman Lou Mary achieved a milestone on Saturday, when his charge Magic Pharoah (American Pharoah {USA}) gave him his first Randwick winner in sensational style.
“It was sensational,” Mary told Sky Racing.
“It was a really good ride from Tommy (Sherry). I actually thought we had no hope at the 300 metres, and she (Magic Pharoah) just kept coming. She’s got a big heart and she’s got a stack of ability this mare.”
Mary trains a small team of 16 and seldom ventures to the city but felt the 4-year-old mare was up to the task.
“You’ve got to have the right horses. We’ve only got a small team, but this mare showed early on that she’d be up to this.”
Hong Kong move the right time for Eustace
In an interview with Channel 7’s Emma Freedman, David Eustace admits the decision to leave Ciaron Maher Racing was a hard one and not taken lightly but ultimately the opportunity was too good to refuse.
“I went to Hong Kong after Royal Ascot and they (HKJC) reached out after that,” Eustace said.
“It’s been something that’s been playing on my mind, so it wasn’t taken lightly at all by me.
David Eustace | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
“But I think it’s the right time and a great opportunity for me.
“Hong Kong racing’s probably been a part of my life since a very young age. My uncle (David Oughton) trained there, and I remember him 20 years ago having winners, and good winners.
“It’s a pressure cooker, very competitive, and that’s something that’s going to be a great challenge and really excites me as well.”
Oakfield Wallaby building nice record
The Kris Lees-trained Oakfield Wallaby (Dissident) took her record to seven starts and four victories on Saturday at Wyong. The 4-year-old mare has been building a tidy resume with wins at Coffs Harbour, Scone and Tuncurry before her latest success.
Oakfield Wallaby, ridden by Grant Buckley, scored from Obvious Step (Sidestep). She was a $70,000 purchase by Bruce Mackenzie when offered by Sledmere Stud at the 2020 Magic Millions National Weanling Sale.
Oakfield Wallaby’s dam Grasslands, a daughter of Snitzel, won twice and is a full sister to the outstanding galloper Away Game.
Grasslands will be represented by Lot 263, a Zoustar colt, offered by The Chase at the 2024 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale.
Joint cooperation committee formed by Japanese, British and Irish racing industries
A partnership to encourage international initiatives and working practices between the Japanese and British and Irish horseracing industries was announced by the British Horseracing Authority (BHA), Horse Racing Ireland (HRI) and Japan Racing Association (JRA) on Friday.
The creation of the Joint Cooperation Committee is to serve as a formal platform for members within the British and Irish horseracing industries to engage with their counterparts in Japan via the JRA. It will consist of agreed representatives from key shareholders in the respective territories including the BHA, HRI, Racecourse Media Group (RMG), and principal courses like The Jockey Club Racecourses, York, Ascot, Goodwood, and Leopardstown.
The group's earliest groundwork includes a variety of schemes, and marketing and media initiatives to promote Japanese horses and connections travelling to Great Britain and Ireland, and vice versa by raising awareness of those markets among domestic participants, media, bettors, and fans. Another goal is to create a direct regulatory partnership which will perform its duties but not cut across pre-existing arrangements. Ultimately, the goal is to further internationalise the sport of horse racing and support the breeding industries.
Frankel colt has measure of rivals in Al Rashidiya
The bred-in-the-purple Measured Time (GB) (Frankel {GB}) gave the boys in blue their eighth G2 Al Rashidiya winner when drawing off to win by 3.25l in the 1800-metre grass contest on Friday.
Measured Time is the 135th stakes winner and 92nd Group winner for Frankel (GB). His dam Minidress (GB) (Street Cry {Ire}) was placed in the Listed Height Of Fashions S. and is the dam of Rebel’s Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}), a 10-time winner in Great Britain, the United States of America, Germany and the United Arab Emirates.
Rebel’s Romance has claimed races the calibre of the G1 Breeders’ Cup Turf.
First Light shines at Randwick
It may have taken until start 16 for First Light (GB) (Dubawi {Ire}) to secure his first Australian victory, but the 6-year-old gelding is starting to make up for lost time, winning for the second start on the bounce in the second race at Randwick on Saturday.
Settling towards the rear of the field for jockey Tommy Berry, the Chris Waller-trained gelding travelled boldly into the race, taking favourite I’m A Dirty Rascal (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and extending away to win by 2.4l.
Dubawi (Ire) boasts an imposing record when his progeny travel to Australia, boasting 74 per cent winners to runners, and 22 individual stakes winners.
Gaudray notches half-century aboard Call The Union
Apprentice Celine Gaudray has been enjoying a summer to remember, and that continued on Saturday when notching up her 50th metropolitan winner aboard the Trevor Rogers-trained Call The Union (Shamus Award).
Gaudray was able to slice through and make a run on the post-time favourite, going past Musgrave (NZ) (Preferment {NZ}) to win by 1l in the fourth race at Moonee Valley.
Commencing her riding career in 2020, Gaudray is in career-best form, striking at 24 per cent from her last 50 rides, and sits tied-sixth in the Victorian Metropolitan Jockeys’ Premiership.
Carrington Park Stud will offer Lot 1430, a Headwater, half-sister to Call The Union, at the 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
