Queen owns the Guineas
Lightning delayed the start of the Listed Ascot 1000 Guineas but that didn’t stop Own The Queen (Awesome Rock) becoming the fifth stakes winner for her sire, who is a Group 1-winning son of Fastnet Rock.
The 3-year-old filly is trained by Justine Erkelens and took her record to three wins from four starts. A $57,500 yearling purchase at the 2022 Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale from the Western Alliance draft, Own The Queen is the third foal for her city-winning dam.
Russian To The Bar makes it four in Lex Piper
Trainer Luke Fernie’s 3-year-old gelding Russian To The Bar (Russian Revolution) made it four in succession in Saturday’s Listed Lex Piper S. Third on debut back in the spring, Russian To The Bar missed at his second start and was spelled. Brought back for the autumn, he’s improved with every run winning four in a row, including the Listed Challenge S over 1500 metres last start.
A $200,000 purchase from Dawson Stud’s draft at the 2022 Magic Millions Perth Winter Yearling Sale, Russian To The Bar is being set for the WA Derby. He is a half-brother to Group 2 winner Kissonallforcheeks (Written Tycoon), and his dam is tough Listed winner of nine races, Rosie Rocket (Blackfriars).
Dead-heat contested but protest dismissed at Eagle Farm
The judge at Eagle Farm couldn’t split Hellavadancer (Hellbent) and Winston Smurfhill (NZ) (Mahisara) in race five, but connnections of Hellavadancer protested the result. Trained by Kris Lees, stable representative Mel Eggleston and jockey Andrew Mallyon both claimed a slight margin for Hellavadancer.
Chief steward Josn Adams and deputy Geoff Goold examined the photo, deciding that while Hellavadancer’s white blaze made it difficult to decipher, ultimately no mistake had been made by the judge and the dead-heat stood. Hellavadancer took her record to five wins from 22 starts, while trainer Natalie McCall’s Winston Smurfhill now has six wins from 31 starts.
Aft Cabin cruises in exhibition gallop at Randwick
Godolphin’s Group 2 winner Aft Cabin (Astern) galloped over 1000 metres at Randwick on Saturday for James McDonald in 50.23s with the final 600 metres in 36.49s on the Good 4 track.
“Very happy with him. He is going to run next week fresh up in the Challenge,” trainer James Cummings told Thoroughbrednews.com.au.
“He has come back really well after giving him the spring off. He is really charging around and he is a very happy horse.
Aft Cabin | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
“I would not say he had an issue that I could put my finger on, I just was not happy with the horse and in hindsight, I think that worked out okay because I think we are going to get some tracks in the coming weeks with some juice in them and that will suit the horse.
“He has come back into work feeling so good and I would be shocked if that horse did not have a good prep. The Challenge will set him up well for The Galaxy, so I have got that in mind. But once race at a time and I think he can run a good race fresh up.
“I get the feeling James is quite happy with him too. He barrier trialled the horse for me and he was pleased with that work, he was pleased again this afternoon, it was good of James to do that between races two and three and we can get the horse’s prep under way next week.”
Phearson dominates in Liverpool City Cup
Trainer Brad Widdup’s 6-year-old gelding Phearson (Exosphere) led all the way in a gritty win in the G3 Liverpool City Cup over 1300 metres at Randwick on Saturday.
“Very tough,” Widdup told Horsebetting.com.au.
“I thought they were going to be too quick but he likes to roll – probably not that quick – but full credit to the staff at home. He’s not an easy horse but to get the win they’ve done a great job. He’ll improve, loves racing.”
Phearson took his record to six wins, and this was his second win in Group company after winning the G3 Festival S. in December 2023. The win took his earnings over $580,000 and he was a $65,000 purchase from Fernrigg Farm’s Inglis Classic draft in 2019.
Family affair for King’s Plate winner Maria Farina
Trained by Darren Weatherley and his daughter Briar, and ridden by Briar’s sister Sam, Maria Farina (NZ) (Contributer {Ire}) outsprinted many of New Zealand’s best sprinters to win the G3 King’s Plate on Saturday at Ellerslie.
“I have no doubt in saying it, she should’ve won the Telegraph, and on her day, I think she’s nearly the fastest horse in the country,” Sam Weatherley said.
“She’s just so difficult to ride, you’ve got to hold and hold her up. It didn’t go to plan early, but it was probably the right way to ride her, just sit back and bide my time.
“When we burst through, on any other horse you’d think you’re home and hosed, but she has a bit of a tendency to pull up. I’m just so thrilled for the family, she really deserves a big one and if we can keep going, there’s a chance she might.”
Maria Farina (NZ) | Image courtesy of Race Images
Maria Farina took her record to seven wins from 27 starts with earnings over NZ$360,000.
Estriella shows class in Inglis Sprint
Sprint Trainer Ciaron Maher has big targets in mind for exciting 3-year-old filly Estriella (I Am Invincible) who won the Inglis Sprint at Flemington on Saturday in commanding style.
“She is special,” Maher told Racenet.com.au.
“I said to Blake (Shinn, jockey) just have her where she's comfortable. Blake summed it up very well, he backed the horse, he knows how good she is and it's phenomenal.”
Now the winner of three of her six starts, and placed in two others, Estriella took her earnings to over $780,000. She won the G3 Peter le Grand S. last year. A $750,000 purchase from the Arrowfield draft at the 2022 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, Estriella is the third foal of a full sister to Pierro.
Three in a row for Another Wil
Trainer Ciaron Maher will stick to the plan for Another Wil (Street Boss {USA}) after the 4-year-old won his third race in succession at Flemington on Saturday to take his record to four from six.
“He’s still working a few things out. I think the best option is to find the easiest race for him and take him through his classes and then reload in the spring,” Maher told Racing.com.
“It’s just so special when (owners) Col and Janice (McKenna) put so much into racing and breeding and to bring this horse up on their own farm and watch him grow and then watch him win a race like that at headquarters. It doesn't get much better than that.”
A homebred, Another Wil is out of winning mare Arohanui (Bianconi {USA}).
Almanzor quinellas the Sunline Vase
Almanzor (Fr) sired the quinella for Saturday’s G3 Sunline Vase with 3-year-old filly Positivity (NZ) beating Qali Al Farrasha by 0.3l. It was Positivity’s second win from five starts. She was a NZ$160,000 purchase from Woburn Farm’s New Zealand Bloodstock Yearling Sale draft. Qali Al Farrasha nearly made it an incredible day for her dam, Nucleonic, after her 2-year-old gelding Nucleozor (NZ) (Almanzor {Fr}) won on debut earlier in the day at Otago.
Almanzor (Fr) | Standing at Cambridge Stud
Both Nucleozor and Qali Al Farrasha (NZ) race for the Te Akau Racing team. Almanzor now has 13 stakes winners and his oldest Southern Hemisphere foals are 4-year-olds, led by Group 1 winner Manzoice.
Jockey Rachel King finishes her short-term contract
Rachel King hopes to end on a high when riding Danon Ayers Rock (Jpn) (Maurice {Jpn}) in the G2 Hochi Hai Yayoi Sho Deep Impact Kinen over 2000 metres. The son of Australian Group 1-winning mare Mosheen (Fastnet Rock) is unbeaten in two starts to date with his last start being a win in the Listed Ivy S. over 1800 metres. Mosheen is also the dam of Group 3 winner Primo Scene (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}).
As an autumn 3-year-old Mosheen won the G1 Australian Guineas, G1 Randwick Guineas and G1 Vinery Stud S. in succession, winning a total of eight of her 18 starts. During her stint in Japan, King has ridden 11 winners, and an impressive six of those have been in stakes company.
Licenced track-rider and former trainer Todd Balfour has been banned for five years
At approximately 7pm on February 16 at a Kangaroo Island meeting, a Racing South Australia official was conducting breathalyser testing when Balfour approached from behind and pulled the official’s pants down without consent, exposing the official to those standing around.
“Stewards also had regard for his forthrightness at the inquiry, his longstanding involvement in the industry, his personal circumstances and the fact that he showed remorse for his conduct which included an apology to the Racing SA compliance officer,” the stewards' report stated.
“However, stewards also considered the serious nature of the conduct, the resultant distress caused to an official, and that objectively viewed, by any reasonable person, such conduct would be considered reprehensible and extremely inappropriate. Stewards also had regard for individual and general deterrence and further had regard for the fact that punishment is also an element in determining penalty for breaches of the rules of racing.”
The disqualification began at midnight on Thursday, February 29 and expires at midnight on February 28, 2029, and Balfour is expected to appeal the decision.
Morphettville delayed due to ambulance fire
Racing oftens deals with delays on course for a variety of reasons, but on Saturday, an unusual reason for a delay occurred with the ambulance catching fire.
The fire truck arrived quickly and the fire extinguished, and a replacement ambulance arrived, all within a few minutes, meaning that the fifth race on the card was only delayed by two minutes. What could have been dramatic ended up being resolved in a good display from emergency staff.
The burned ambulance was later towed away.
