Four cancelled meetings across Australia
Half of the eight race meetings in Australia on Sunday were abandoned for varying reasons. Colac (Victoria) was abandoned after four races when parts of the track were deemed to be dangerous.
South Australia’s Naracoorte meeting was postponed until another day.
In NSW, Armidale’s surface was inspected at 7am AEDT and declared unsuitable and the meeting was abandoned early.
Meanwhile in Queensland, the Sunshine Coast meeting was transferred to the poly surface but insufficient numbers meant the meeting was abandoned.
Bandi’s Boy wins his way into Country Championships Final
Trainer Danny Williams won the Newhaven Park Sera Country Championships Qualifier on Sunday at Moruya with 4-year-old gelding Bandi’s Boy (The Brother’s War {USA}). The consistent Bandi’s Boy took his record to four wins from nine starts with three third placings and earnings over $350,000. A homebred, he is the only foal for his winning dam Tibidabo (Hinchinbrook).
Two debut winners for Toronado at Pakenham
Toronado (Ire) gained two debut winners at Pakenham on Sunday. Four-year-old mare Sheeza Toronado won a maiden over 1000 metres by 0.2l for trainer Clayton Douglas. A homebred, Sheeza Toronado is the third foal of city winner Sheeza Peril (Staaraq). The Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained 3-year-old gelding Moby Dick won a 1200-metre maiden from barrier 12 by 3.8l. Moby Dick was a $200,000 yearling purchase from Sullivan Bloodstock’s draft at the 2022 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale.
Hong Kong Classic Cup to Helios Express
Jockey Hugh Bowman’s pre-race claim that Helios Express (Toronado {Ire}) had the Listed Hong Kong Classic Cup in the bag proved correct when the 4-year-old gelding won by 0.2l. “It felt just as good as it looked,” Bowman told scmp.com after the race.
“He’s got that beautiful tactical speed and it’s just important that he really does relax. I’d like to see him relax a little better than he did in the mile for the 1800 metres and looking forward to a (Hong Kong) Derby as well. He’s just a competitive horse and that comes to the fore at the business end when you really need him to knuckle down and do his job. He’s doing it in spades.”
Now the winner of seven of his nine starts, Helios Express has won the first two legs of the Hong Kong Jockey Club 4-Year-Old Series. He was a $10,000 yearling purchase at a 2020 Inglis Digital Sale.
Ardrossan adds another winner
Waikato Stud’s young exciting sire Ardrossan added another winner in Hong Kong on Sunday night when Sky Heart broke his maiden at his third start. Sky Heart has had three starts, all in Hong Kong, second on debut, then third, and now a win. He was a NZ$100,000 yearling purchase at the New Zealand Bloodstock Karaka Yearling Sale from the Little Avondale Stud draft.
Ardrossan has sired four stakes winners from his first two small crops with only 31 runners to date.
Treble for Rachel King on final day in Japan
Jockey Rachel King rode a treble on her final day in Japan on Sunday. She won over 1800 metres on Gold Higher (Henny Hughes {USA}), a 1600-metre race on Saai Roang (Deep Impact {Jpn}), and a 1200-metre race on Gabby’s Sister (Jpn) (Apollo’s Kingdom {USA}). She rode a double the day before too. Unfortunately her ride on previously unbeaten Danon Ayers Rock (Jpn) (Maurice {Jpn}) didn’t pan out when the colt faded in the G2 Deep Impact Kinen.
Rachel King | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Boilover in Japan Group 2
The 2000-metre G2 Deep Impact Kinen (Classic Trial) went to outsider 3-year-old colt Cosmo Kuranda (Jpn) (Al Ain {Jpn}). The son of Australian Group 1 winner Southern Speed (Southern Image {USA}) had previous won once from six starts with a second placing in lower grade company at his start before.
Southern Speed won seven races including the 2011 G1 Caulfield Cup, and Cosmo Kuranda is her fourth winner from five foals to race.
