QTIS 3YO Jewel won by Party For Two
Co-trainer Matt Hoysted reunited his 3-year-old filly Party For Two (Sidestep) with jockey Nikita Beriman for the $500,000 QTIS 3YO Jewel and it paid off as the pair led from the turn and held out the hard-finishing Kesalul (Supido).
"Nikita knows her inside and out, and has a great understanding with the filly. It's no knock on Cejay, who did a great job (the last three starts),” Hoysted said. “But, we felt Nikita's knowledge of the filly and her experience as a rider would really suit, and it worked out perfectly.
“I don't think she's been beaten when she jumps well and gets the lead, so it was nice to keep that record going today.”
Party For Two has won four of her 11 starts and over $590,000. She races for a big syndicate of owners led by breeder Telemon Stud.
“The last time I rode her was in the Group 1 Blue Diamond, when she was trained by Damien (Batters),” said Beriman. “It was a big relief to get the win on the board, it was great to get back on her and the team have done a great job with her.”
Savabeel claims 142nd stakes winner as Von Hauke breaks through
Waikato Stud’s multiple New Zealand Champion Sire Savabeel notched his 142nd stakes winner on Saturday courtesy of Von Hauke (NZ), who hit the line hard to snatch victory from Amenable (Lonhro) in the G3 Shaftesbury Avenue H. at Flemington.
Trained by Clifford Brown, the now 4-year-old gelding was a $190,000 purchase for his trainer at the 2021 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale, having been bred by Waikato Stud.
Von Hauke (NZ) charges late to win the Shaftesbury Avenue H. at Flemington | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
It was made a cross-Tasman double on the day for Savabeel too, as 4-year-old mare Provence (NZ) won her third race at Ellerslie, completing a Group 1-led hat-trick at the meeting for Stephen Marsh.
Eternal Flame snatches Matron Stakes
Eternal Flame (NZ) (Sacred Falls {NZ}) took the last at Flemington on Saturday, the G3 Matron S., for trainer Michael Kent. The 4-year-old mare was having her fifth start since the new year, and extended a good run of form which saw her only narrowly out of the placings at three of those starts, winning the other.
Eternal Flame (NZ) takes out the G3 Matron S. at Flemington | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
She reeled in Running By (Impending) to score by 0.5l and claim first-place prizemoney of $120,000, pushing her total haul ($273,200) over her purchase price of NZ$260,000 when she was sourced from the 2021 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale by Phill Cataldo Bloodstock (BAFNZ).
Lekvarte doubles down in Aspirate Quality
A well-timed challenge aboard Lekvarte (NZ) (Reliable Man {GB}) gave Tommy Berry a convincing winner of the penultimate race at Randwick on Saturday, the G3 Aspiration Quality.
Overcoming barrier 12 in the 1600-metre event, Berry was patient and made use of the 5-year-old mare’s turn of foot, the pair finishing 0.7l ahead of their nearest challenger, Osmose (Fr) (Zoffany {Ire}).
Lekvarte (NZ) wins the G3 Aspiration Quality at Randwick | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
It’s been a breakthrough season for Lekvarte, who found her first stakes victory in the G3 Belle of the Turf S. at Gosford late last year. She was a 2020 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale purchase for BK Racing and Breeding and Andrew Williams Bloodstock (FBAA), where she cost NZ$210,000.
Infancy maintains good record in Fireball
“A beautiful ride” gave Infancy (Wandjina) her first stakes win in the Listed Fireball S. at Randwick over 1100 metres. The 3-year-old filly has been consistent in her career to date, although she hadn’t won since she won her first two starts back in May 2023.
“We gave her a little freshen and Dylan (Gibbons) gave her a beautiful ride. I thought she’d be further back, but he was able to cross a couple and stalk that hot speed,” trainer Kris Lees told Sky Racing.
Infancy gets a first stakes win in the Listed Fireball S. at Randwick | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
“She reacted really well. He timed it to perfection and now she’s got a bit of black type next to her name.”
Infancy has won three of her nine starts with earnings over $170,000. This was her first start in black-type company. Not offered at auction, Infancy is the second foal of Childhood (USA) (Lonhro) who won twice in Ireland as a 2-year-old. Childhood’s current yearling, a filly by Graff, sold at the recent Inglis Classic Yearling Sale from the draft of HP Thoroughbreds for $60,000 to McEvoy Mitchell Racing and Belmont Bloodstock Agency (FBAA) who were surely cheering the big pedigree update on Saturday.
Tough Serpentine wins again
Galileo (Ire) gelding Serpentine (Ire) won the G1 Epsom Derby at only his fourth start back in 2020 (in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic), before five more starts netted two Group 1 fourth placings. Sold to Australia, he struggled to find form in his first four starts but bounced back to run second in the 2022 G3 Archer S. to get into the G1 Melbourne Cup field only to fade in the big race.
Transferred to the Waterhouse/Bott team, Serpentine finally found his original form, winning first-up for his new trainers, albeit six months after his Cup failure. He’s had seven starts since then for three placings, all in Group company, before a spell.
Serpentine (Ire) wins the Listed Randwick City S. | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
First-up into the Listed Randwick City S. over 2000 metres on Saturday, he was ridden by Tim Clark in a bold front-running ride and clung on to win.
“Really honest performance from the horse. I think he’s come back in great shape,” co-trainer Adrian Bott said. “Tim set a lovely tempo throughout the race, he looked to be in a beautiful rhythm and the pressure came on a long way from home for the run that they had. Full credit to the horse, he pulled out plenty from there.”
Tintookie takes the last for Widdup and McEvoy
Tintookie (Winning Rupert) rounded off the card at Randwick on Saturday with a 0.9l victory over C’est Magique (Zoustar) in the G3 Wenona Girl Quality, completing a double for jockey Kerrin McEvoy who was successful in the G1 Randwick Guineas earlier in the day.
Tintookie races away to victory in the G3 Wenona Girl Quality at Randwick | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
She was winning her fifth race for her trainer-led syndicate, who purchased her for just $30,000 at the 2021 Inglis HTBA May Yearling Sale.
Winning Rupert, who stands at Grandview Stud in Queensland, now has four stakes winners to his name.
Blazing Away captures thrilling repeat victory in Bunbury Cup
A $50 shot, Blazing Away (City Place {USA}) surprised everyone with a win in the Listed Bunbury Cup by sticking his nose in front on the line in a six-way thrilling blanket finish on Saturday. Blazing Away hadn’t won since he won this same race last year.
Connections with Blazing Away after winning the Listed Bunbury Cup | Image courtesy of Western Racepix
Trained by David Harrison and ridden by Jordan Turner, 6-year-old gelding Blazing Away has now won six of his 35 starts with earnings over $410,000. Bred by Courtland Park Stud, Blazing Away is from the last crop of unraced Storm Cat (USA) son City Place (USA), who had 10 crops in the US for 12 stakes winners before he arrived in Western Australia where Blazing Away is his only locally bred stakes winner from four small crops numbering less than 100 foals. City Place died in 2018.
Aztec Ruler holds on in Bunbury Stakes
The $5 favourite Aztec Ruler (Universal Ruler) became stakes winner number 12 for his Scenic Lodge-based sire when winning the Listed Bunbury S. late on Saturday afternoon in Perth. He stalked the leaders until the final 200 metres, then burst clear by 1l before Red Fifty Three (Gingerbread Man) flew up the fence from last to close the gap to 0.3l on the line.
Aztec Ruler wins the Listed Bunbury S. | Image courtesy of Western Racepix
A 4-year-old gelding, Aztec Ruler took his record to six wins from 12 starts with three second-placings and earnings over $510,000. He was a $40,000 purchase by Vahala Thoroughbreds from Quanah Park Thoroughbreds at the 2021 Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale.
Well-bred favourite Isthmus makes it two
Three-year-old Isthmus (I Am Invincible) made it two in succession at Moonee Valley on Friday night for trainers Anthony and Sam Freedman. Sent out at $1.95, the filly didn’t disappoint punters racing home for a strong 0.8l victory to make it two wins in succession and now has two wins from five starts with two placings.
Raced by Arrowfield Stud and Pinecliff Racing, Isthmus is the first foal of triple Group 1 winner Shoals (Fastnet Rock) who was also bred and raced in the same partnership. Shoals won the 2017 G1 Myer Classic, 2018 G1 Surround S. and 2018 G1 Robert Sangster Classic.
Her second foal is 2-year-old colt Chelsea (Written Tycoon), who was sold by Arrowfield Stud at the 2023 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale for $1 million to a partnership consisting of Aramco Racing, Yulong Investments and Mick Price Racing. Her current yearling is a full sister to Isthmus and she had a filly by Maurice (Jpn) this season.
Jockey gets six month ban for betting
Queensland jockey Dale Evans has been given a six-month ban for betting on races with online bookmakers. A hearing with Queensland Racing Integrity Commission (QRIC) on February 29, which was first reported in the press on the evening of March 8, found that “...between 22 July 2023 and 20 December 2023 he did place 2042 bets with wagering service providers ‘Neds’ and ‘Ladbrokes’ on Thoroughbred racing throughout the world, of which 47 of those bets were on Australian races.”
The stewards report also stated that Evans has the right to appeal, further noting that: “Stewards determined that the appropriate penalty for the breach be a 6-month licence suspension from riding in races. Stewards ordered that the suspension commence as of midnight April 27, 2024.”
Brittany Button wins on first day of riding
Apprentice jockey Brittany Button won her first race on her first day of riding in the last race at Towong on Saturday. Chairman’s Choice (NZ) (Reliable Man {GB}) won the 1200-metre event to take his record to ten wins from 60 starts with earnings over $218,000.
“Old Chairman’s Choice has been great for us but today tops the lot winning at his first run back after a serious injury,” said part-owner Graeme White on Twitter. “Well done to trainer Andrew Dale and his team and to young Brittany Button winning her first race on her first day on race riding.”
Chairman’s Choice hadn’t raced since August 2023. Trainer Andrew Dale picked him up from an Inglis Digital sale in May 2021 as a tried horse for $7500, and at the time, Chairman’s Choice had only three wins under his belt. Button had three rides on her first day for a win and two fifth placings.
Natalie Young wins 2024 Lady of Racing Award
Racing Victoria have awarded the 2024 Lady Of Racing Award to trainer Natalie Young. “It’s the 30th year for the Wakefield Club and I’m extremely honoured,” Young told Racing Victoria on Friday night.
Natalie Young | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
“There’s been some amazing women coming through before myself. Hopefully I can keep continuing, and it’s great to have a good night here down at Moonee Valley. It’s all about making sure that women in racing keep continuing coming through and doing bigger and better things. I’m really honoured and it’s nice to have the recognition. It’ll get me bouncing out of bed tomorrow at 3am!”
Natalie Young trains in partnership with Trent Busuttin at Cranbourne.
Chelsey Reynolds to move out of intensive care
Racing South Australia announced on their Twitter on Friday night that injured apprentice jockey Chelsey Reynolds is continuing to improve and will be moving out of intensive care in the next few days.
“We are delighted to share some promising news from Chelsey’s family,” said the press release. “Her condition continues to slowly improve, and she will be moving out of intensive care and onto a ward in the coming days to continue her treatment at the Flinders Medical Centre.
“On behalf of the entire racing community, we are keeping everything crossed for Chelsey and her road ahead.”
