Five Diamonds the target for Listed winner Freedom Rally
First emergency for the G1 Stradbroke Handicap, 4-year-old gelding Freedom Rally (Rubick) won the Listed The Wayne Wilson instead and will head to the Five Diamonds. "I think Freedom Rally has got a big spring ahead of him, this is a very good horse,” trainer Tony Gollan told Racenet.com.au.
“The Five Diamonds would be a great race to target, it's just how I try to get to that race and what I do with the horse. The Wayne Wilson does feel like a (Stradbroke) consolation prize, but it is a good race to win. I know on the corner he had a bit of a flat spot, but I think that was due to the slower tempo up the back.”
Freedom Rally has won seven of his 15 starts and became the 13th stakes winner for Rubick. He is out of G1 Schweppes Oaks-placed winner Ipioga (Niello) who is a half-sister to Listed winner Honest Politician (Distorted Humor {USA}).
Inconsistent Sir Lucan turns up for Listed Winter Cup
Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott had no explanation for why their import Sir Lucan (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) went poorly last start then bounced back to win Saturday’s Listed Winter Cup. “I don't know what happened last week, he can be an inconsistent horse,” Waterhouse said.
“He's a bit like the girl with the curl (nursery rhyme), you never know which day he is going to put his best foot forward. He did so well during the week that Adrian decided to go for this race and I love back-up horses, particularly staying horses on wet tracks. He was able to show his best today.”
Sir Lucan has won four of his 23 starts including the 2023 Listed Randwick City S. and the 2021 Listed Yeats S.
Pearce Racing wins G3 Strickland S. with Let’s Galahvant
Trainers Dan and Ben Pearce won the G3 Strickland S. with consistent 5-year-old gelding Let’s Galahvant (Galah) who was ridden by Chris Parnham to win by 0.3l from Grant and Alana Williams-trained Western Empire (NZ) (Iffraaj {GB}) with Pearce’s Ginger Baker (Gingerbread Man) in third.
Let’s Galahvant has won 12 of his 40 starts with earnings over $800,000 and previously has three Listed victories. His sire Galah is a Group 2 winning son of Redoute’s Choice and Let’s Galahvant is his only stakes winner from less than 150 runners with 88 winners.
Arrowfield ignores Hong Kong money for Know Thyself
Arrowfield Stud’s John Messara admitted they’d turned down a $1million offer for 3-year-old gelding Know Thyself (The Autumn Sun) after he won at Rosehill on Saturday. “We did have a big offer from Hong Kong,” said Messara, whose son Paul trains the gelding with Leah Gavranich.
Know Thyself | Image courtesy of Arrowfield
“But I rejected it because we feel Know Thyself is a little bit special. We want people to see what sort of horses can be bred by The Autumn Sun. We are in the stallion business and this horse will be great publicity for his sire.” Know Thyself has now won three of his four starts and was second in the other.
Brown wins treble at Sandown
Jockey Ethan Brown rode three winners at Sandown on Saturday, in the first four races of the card. He won on Matthew Ellerton trained 2-year-old colt Blue Renegade (Blue Point {Ire}), Richard Laming trained Name Dropper (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}), and 3-year-old filly Miss Roumbini (Zoustar).
“She's quite brilliant, she's a pretty good horse,” Brown said of Miss Roumbini. “She toyed with them and has got a lot more in store.”
Young trainer gets first feature race at Murray Bridge
Kylie Schulz secured a feature race win with 3-year-old gelding Surprise Coming (Impending) at Murray Bridge on Saturday to take her training record to five wins from 26 runners since she started training in February 2023. “To be here and win a $100,000 race is very good,” Schulz, who worked alongside master trainer Mick Price for 11 years, said.
Surprise Coming
“I had him nominated for Sandown today as well, but I thought going to the 1400m, he probably needed another run under his belt. I was happy to stay here after he drew well – (I'm) very happy.” Surprise Coming has won three of his ten starts and over $200,000. He was a $40,000 purchase by Mick Huxtable at the Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale from Balcrest Stud.
Karate Express gives Alabama Express his tenth winner
A rare 2-year-old in Hong Kong, Karate Express (Alabama Express) won on debut on Saturday at Sha Tin to give his first season sire his tenth winner.
Sold by Burke Bloodstock for $45,000 at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale to L Robey, he was on-sold at the Inglis 2-Year-Old Sale for $100,000 by Blake Ryan Racing to Griffiths de Kock Racing and Peter Ford Bloodstock (FBAA).
Alabama Express’s ten winners are led by Listed NZ Champagne S. winner Discretion Rules.
Trebles at Rosehill for Waller and Ford
Trainer Chris Waller trained three winners at Rosehill on Saturday, and all were in successive races. Strathtay (NZ) (Preferment {NZ}) won race four ridden by Jay Ford, Captain Furai (Toronado {Ire}) won race five for jockey Joshua Parr, and race six was won by Amati (Sebring) for jockey Sam Clipperton.
Jay Ford’s win on Strathtay was the second leg of his own treble. He also rode Team Hawkes trained Swiftfalcon (Exceedance) to win the first and won race seven on In Flight (Flying Artie) for trainer Joe Pride.
Six in succession for Elson Boy
Elson Boy (NZ) (El Roca) has been flying this autumn and won his sixth race in succession at Rosehill on Saturday for trainer Dar Lunn. Apprentice Chelsea Hillier has ridden him in his past three wins, while Braith Nock, Tommy Berry, and Shannen Llewllyn were aboard for the three prior wins.
Elson Boy (NZ) | Image courtesy of Bradley Photos
All up the 4-year-old gelding has won nine of his 22 starts with earnings over $340,000. He was a NZ$20,000 yearling who was on-sold for only $6,000 at the 2021 Inglis Digital September Sale before he had his first start.
Devoted moves to Fernie stable
2022 Listed Belmont Guineas winner Devoted (Xtravagant {NZ}) will join Luke Fernie’s stable, after the Ascot trainer purchased him for $105,000 in an online sale this week. “We are very lucky to get Devoted into the stables,” Fernie told TABradio.
“We are pretty fortunate Bob (Peters) moves some of his horses on. It’ll be exciting to see him back at the track.” Devoted has won five of his 18 starts with earnings over $450,000.
2022 Kentucky Derby winner returns from long injury break
Rich Strike (USA) (Keen Ice {USA}), who upset the G1 Kentucky Derby at 80-1 in 2022, is set to join trainer Bill Mott, according to owner Rick Dawson. “Richie visited Rood & Riddle this morning for his final ultrasound test,” Dawson said in a Facebook post on Thursday.
“All went as good as could be expected & better than expectations on several issues – our plan is to move him to HofF Trainer Bill Mott in a few days. Richie's training will be stepped up slowly & forwardly over the next month or two. Should he continue to stay sound after more training is implemented we will look for a first race that fits him coming back from over a year off the track.”
First winner for Circus Maximus
Circus Maximus (Ire) (by Galileo {Ire}) was the latest first-season sire off the mark on Friday as his Marcus Tregoning-trained daughter Alerta Maxima (GB) captured Goodwood's Sir Eric Parker Memorial EBF Restricted Maiden Fillies' S.
Circus Maximus (Ire) | Standing at Coolmore
He stands at Windsor Park Stud in New Zealand where he will stand in 2024 for NZ$17,500 plus GST.
Sea The Stars filly wins Munster Oaks
The Aga Khan's Sumiha (Ire) (Sea The Stars {Ire}) stepped up a notch on Friday evening to garner a breakthrough win in Cork's G3 Darley Munster Oaks. “It was run at a good gallop and was a true test, but she is a talented filly,” stable representative Kris Weld said.
“She deserved to win a race of that nature and is a lovely, kind-natured filly. She has had three relatively quick races now, so we'll freshen her up and look to the autumn.” Sumiha is the third foal out of the G3 Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial runner-up Summaya (Ire) (Azamour {Ire}), from the family of Arc and Derby-winning European champion Sinndar.
Ocala Juvenile Sale ends steady
The Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's June Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training got a late boost from its supplemental section when a colt by Uncle Mo brought the top price of US$375,000 (AU$567,000) during Friday's final session of the three-day auction.
The 2024 June sale concluded with numbers just a tick off the sale's 2023 renewal. A total of 582 2-year-olds grossed US$21,386,800 (AU$32.2million) during the three-day auction, with the average of US$36,747 (AU$55,500) down 2.2% from last year's figure and the median held at US$20,000 (AU$30,300).
