Emotional win for Way Up High
Way Up High (Last Typhoon) provided an emotional win at Sandown on Wednesday for his connections. “Pre-race Dan O’Sullivan said that this was Dean Holland’s last winner before we lost him, so he said it’d be nice if you could win and make a mention,” jockey Craig Williams told Racing.com.
Holland rode Way Up High to her maiden win at Ararat in April last year, just days before his tragic passing in a race fall at Donald. 5-year-old mare Way Up High now has three wins from 17 starts, and is one of five winners for her sire who is the only foal of champion racemare Typhoon Tracy (Red Ransom {USA}).
Neasham horse lucky in train station outing
Last Friday the Annabel Neasham stables had a break-in with four horses released by intruders. One horse ended up at Warwick Farm train station, and images of the horse on the station platform were seen on social media on Wednesday. “Four horses were released by the individual. Three registered racehorses and a stable pony. Three of those horses remained nearby to the stable complex while the horse depicted in video released on social media platforms went in a different direction,” Racing NSW chief steward Steve Railton told Racenet.com.au.
Annabel Neasham | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
“Neasham and her staff caught the horse in the car park of the train station, and she's advised stewards she wasn't aware until she saw the footage that the horse had walked onto the platform.
“From an integrity point of view, it's been established that no horse in that stable block was entered to race subsequent to the event.”
Tactics an issue in Queen Elizabeth
Jockey Tommy Berry is facing a tactical dilemma with outsider Place Du Carrousel (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) in Saturday’s G1 Queen Elizabeth S. at Randwick. “It’s been a while since I’ve ridden in a race with a horse like Pride Of Jenni,” Berry told Racingnsw.com.au.
Place Du Carrousel ran second last start in the G1 Ranvet S. and has a record of five wins from 11 starts with earnings over $1million. Raced by Yulong, Place Du Carrousel was a Group 1 winner in Europe and was purchased by Portofino Bloodstock at the 2023 Arqana December Breeding Stock Sale for €4.025million.
Hot favourite Orchestral to take Oaks
New Zealand co-trainer Roger James believes Orchestral (NZ) (Savabeel) might have to dig deep to win the G1 Australian Oaks on Saturday. “With every race she’s learning, she was out of her comfort zone that day for probably one of the first times of her life,” James told Racingnsw.com.au about Orchestral’s G1 Vinery Stud S win.
“If she’s going to go to the next level she’ll have to deal with that.” Dual Group 1 winner Orchestral has won six of her nine starts.
Last start winner Osmose ready for Queen
Jockey Tim Clark will ride last start winner Osmose (Fr) (Zoffany {Ire}) in the G1 Queen of the Turf S. on Saturday. “It was good to see her get a win, I think she’s going better than she’s gone in her previous two preps. Against the top class is obviously a challenge for her but she’s going really well,” Clark told Racingnsw.com.au.
Tim Clark
Osmose won the G3 Epona S. last start to bring her record to three wins from 16 starts.
Confidence boost for Libertad ahead of $1million assignment
Trainer Annabel Neasham gave 3-year-old colt Libertad (Russian Revolution) some much needed confidence in a track gallop on Tuesday ahead of the G2 $1million Arrowfield S. on Saturday. “He was pretty unlucky the other day and copped a fair bit of interference. He twice came into contact with the rail and it was all over then,” Neasham told Racingnsw.com.au.
Libertad | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
“He’s got the ability to win an Arrowfield and he quite likes a bit of juice in the track.” Libertad was a Group 3 winner at two and as a spring 3-year-old and placed in the G3 Maurice McCarten S. two starts ago.
Neville Parnham set for first Derby win
Trainer Neville Parnham believes Zipaway (Playing God) can give him his first G2 WA Derby on Saturday despite the travel home. The WA Guineas winner returned to Parnham’s Ascot stable on Monday night following a Melbourne campaign.
“He went up to Sydney on Thursday night and he got there on Friday,” Parnham told TABradio. “He was stabled out at Bryce Heys’ place at Warwick Farm over the weekend and he did a bit of exercise there.” The 3-year-old gelding is part owned by his trainer and has won three of his 11 starts and over $690,000.
Matthews trains first winner
Wednesday’s meeting at Gawler gave ex-jockey Jackson Matthews his first winner as a trainer with Pandarus (Nicconi). “I’ve just got the one (in work) and one in pre-training,” Matthews told Racing.com.
“He’s come with an array of problems, he’s taken a lot of time, the owners have been super patient. They bred him, and all of them from that family have now won a race.”
Matthews, who rode over a hundred winners, now works judging horses’ behaviour pre-race and sending that information to interested (and confidential) parties. “You know – people,” he laughed when asked who.
Ghetto heads to Bendigo Golden Mile
Geelong-based trainer Michael Shepherdson is stepping his galloper 4-year-old gelding Ghetto Supastar (Street Boss {USA}) into a higher class at at Bendigo on Saturday when he runs in the Golden Mile.
Ghetto Supastar as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
“He's in good form over a mile on a flat track and he's bringing a good, different form line to this race as Air Assault is very smart,” Shepherdson told Racing.com.
A winner two starts ago, he ran third to Group 3 winner Air Assault (Justify {USA}) last start, and has four wins from 19 starts in his career with earnings over $140,000. His trainer purchased him for $40,000 from Bucklee Farm at the 2021 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale.
Battle Of The Bush returns
The Battle Of The Bush series returns for 2024 this weekend with the first two qualifiers to be held at Goondiwindi and Thangool with a total of 16 qualifiers will be held across the Sunshine State before the $200,000 decider at Eagle Farm in late June.
Trainer Nicholas Beck, who was previously in a training partnership with Rex Lipp until early 2023, has Dollop (Mahisara) ready for the Goondiwindi leg. The last start winner has won seven of his 22 starts.
Assassin ready for Friday’s assignment
Rockhampton trainer Nick Walsh has talented mare Queen Assassin (Better Than Ready) in good form for her outing at Mackay on Friday. “I bought her at the QTIS March sales for $24,000 and my partner and I have a third share with some good clients, Brett and Darren Green,” Walsh told Racingqueensland.com.au.
Her ultimate aim is the $105,000 Bat Out Of Hell over 1000 metres at the Gold Coast on May 11.
Another kiwi Vinnie ready for Brisbane
New Zealand trainer Sam Mynott is contemplating bringing Imwonderfultonight (I Am Invincible) to Brisbane this winter. “She’s definitely going to the broodmare paddock in the spring and probably won’t race in New Zealand again after this weekend,” Mynott told Loveracing.nz.
Imwonderfultonight | Image courtesy of Kenton Wright (Race Images)
“We could send her to Brisbane for a small stint and we’ll assess that after her run on Saturday.” She runs in the Listed City of Napier Sprint at Otaki on Saturday. Owned by Windsor Park Stud and Ben Kwok, Imwonderfultonight is a stakes placed winner who was purchased by Windsor Park Stud, Lionrock, and Andrew Williams Bloodstock from Newgate Farm at the 2020 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale for $450,000.
Wexford Stables pair ready for Aussie assault
Waitak (NZ) (Proisir) has landed safely in Perth with Wexford representative and former jockey Erin Leighton ten days out from The Quokka, while Molly Bloom (NZ) (Ace High) will head to Brisbane for the Listed Gold Coast Bracelet on May 11. “Erin Leighton has taken him (Waitak) over, she’s a very experienced horsewoman. He went for a quiet trot and canter this morning, and she said he’s felt strong and well within himself,” Wexford Stables co-trainer Andrew Scott told Loveracing.nz.
Waitak will race under the Trackside Media/Perth Racing slot in The Quokka, and will partner with Queensland-based hoop Kyle Wilson-Taylor
Investigation after Ellerslie was abandoned after race 3
An investigation is set to commence on Thursday into the abandonment of Ellerslie’s Wednesday meeting as a result of safety concerns following a slip on the venues newly installed StrathAyr track.
“Following race two we had concerns raised by a few of the jockeys in regards to the surface around the home turn,” Stipendiary Steward Lauren Selvakumaran told Loveracing.nz.
“Post race three, concerns were raised again. … We weren’t satisfied with the surface being safe to continue.”
Romantic Warrior wins trial at Sha Tin
Six-time Group 1 winner Romantic Warrior (Ire) (Acclamation {GB}) is on track for his bid to create history in the G1 QE II Cup on April 28 after winning a trial on Tuesday. “He was really relaxed this morning and worked up his last 400m really comfortably and had a good blow subsequently, so I’m sure he’ll make his presence felt when he runs at the end of the month,” jockey Hugh Bowman told scmp.com.
Romantic Warrior | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
US$660k mare tops Fasig Digital
When the dust settled at the close of the Fasig-Tipton April Digital Sale Tuesday evening, the 15-year-old broodmare Eileen's Dream (Bernardini, hip 21) held the new record for a single offering on the digital platform when she sold for US$660,000 to DJ Stable. Consigned by Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa, Eileen's Dream sold with her 2024 colt by Curlin at her side. She was bred back to Charlatan Mar. 27.
The sale closed with 87 horses sold for US$4,274,300, an average of US$49,130. The clearance rate was 92.5% with 670 registered bidders. A total of 20 horses sold for US$50,000 or more.
“We had extremely spirited bidding throughout the sale, especially as it closed this afternoon,” said Leif Aaron, Fasig-Tipton's Director of Digital Sales. “The clearance rate was over 90% again. We're very happy with the results for our buyers and sellers.”
New Breeze Up sale for Ireland in 2025
Goffs have teamed up with Naas Racecourse and Irish Thoroughbred Marketing (ITM) to introduce a new two-year-old breeze-up sale in Ireland for 2025. “Vendors have petitioned Goffs to stage an Irish breeze-up for some time, and the timing of this new sale, coming slightly later in the season, has been widely welcomed in our discussions with vendors,” Goffs chief executive Henry Beeby told TDN Europe.
“The early June dates will allow additional time for sales preparation while it falls early enough in the Flat calendar to ensure strong demand for quality, ready to run 2-year-olds.”
Lazzat remains unbeaten in Group 3
Nurlan Bizakov's Lazzat (Fr) (Territories {Ire}) won the G3 Prix Djebel at Deauville on Tuesday. “It is a great moment for me for two reasons. Firstly, it is a first group win in France for Antonio and second because my father won this race as an owner in 1988 with Shaindy and I grew up next to the photo of this win,” trainer Jerome Reynier told TDN Europe.
3-year-old gelding Lazzat has now won all his four starts including a Listed start prior to the Djebel.
Godolphin’s Romantic Style has classic aims
Trainer Charlie Appleby’s 3-year-old filly Romantic Style (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}) won the G3 Prix Imprudence at Deauville on Tuesday and will be set for the French 1000 Guineas. “She has natural pace in her pedigree but she does give herself a chance to be able to stay a mile,” Appleby told Racingpost.com.au.
Romantic Style (Ire) | Image courtesy of Tattersalls
“Coming back for a French Guineas will be our aim and that will be her maximum trip. But if she’s going to do it anywhere, we feel this is the right place to be doing it.”
Romantic Style has won three of her four starts and this was her first start at three.
Falbrav owner dies aged 88
Prominent owner Luciano Salice has died aged 88. Best known for Falbrav (Ire) (Fairy King {USA}), the Italian hinge manufacturer also owned Group 1 winner Sunstrach (Ire) (Polar Falcon {USA}). “I knew Luciano from when I was living in Italy as he was an amateur rider in his younger days and I might have ridden against him in races,” Falbrav’s trainer Luca Cumani told Racingpost.com.
“We had a great time with Falbrav. He was a bull of a horse – the Muhammad Ali of the racing world – and a very wilful character, especially in his box. However, once you had a rider on him he was easy and would do as you asked and it took us on the most fantastic journey, and Luciano made sure he came to every race.” Falbrav won seven Group 1 races including the G1 Japan Cup.
