Cover image courtesy of Racing Photos
Raceday Recap
Recommendation (Shalaa {Ire}) gave his rivals a drubbing in winning the G3 Sir John Monash S by seven lengths for trainer Ciaron Maher. The win provided a boost for Woodside Park Stud their stallions Shalaa and Delaware who is a close relative of Recommendation.
Racing likes to throw up an odd story every now and then, and Listed Beaufine S. winner Puli proved he is a horse who only likes to win in July with his first win in a year at Belmont.
El Rocko (Fastnet Rock) made it two in a row with a win at Caulfield living up to his earlier career form which included a second on debut to Artorius.
In Flight (Flying Artie) made carrying 60kg look easy in her third win in succession.
Cups targets for Neasham’s latest imported winner Don Diego De Vega (Fr).
Stablemates almost deadheat in Caulfield staying race with Dundeel 3-year-old Rezone winning by the tiniest margin in a thriller.
Tony Gollan broke his own Brisbane Metro record with a treble led by million dollar yearling Brereton (Zoustar) while Invincible Shield (I Am Invincible) won his third race in succession.
It was hard to go past the stunning victory of Recommendation (Shalaa {Ire}) in the Sir John Monash S with several other performances of note around the country including three wins in succession for both In Flight (Flying Artie) and Invincible Shield (I Am Invincible).
Some say that seven is a magic number and it certainly was for Ciaron Maher-trained 4-year-old gelding Recommendation in the Sir John Monash S, as he won his seventh career victory by an impressive seven lengths ridden by Blake Shinn.
“I didn’t expect him to win that easy,” Maher told Racing.com. “His first jumpout, normally we take them to a couple of jumpouts before racing, but his recovery and his data was very good.
“Blake rang me early and was very keen to get on and said, ‘he’s the horse I want to ride’. He looks much better there than he would at Cranbourne on Monday.”
Recommendation was in front by a length at the turn and sprinted clear to an astounding victory with Steven O'Dea and Matthew Hoysted-trained 3-year-old filly Party For Two (Sidestep) in second and Ciaron Maher-trained Mrs Chrissie (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) half a length back in third.
“I didn’t expect him to win that easy... His first jumpout, normally we take them to a couple of jumpouts before racing, but his recovery and his data was very good.” - Ciaron Maher
“He wasn’t beaten far in an Oakleigh Plate on a firm deck. I actually referenced the Oakleigh Plate (to Blake) and said he was running 10s with his head in the air at the 400 (metres) and still kicked, so I said, 'I think he’s a bit better than these'.” Maher will likely take Recommendation to the G3 Bletchingly S. next.
Previously a winner of the G3 Zeditave S. last season, Recommendation now has seven wins, three at black type level, from 17 starts with earnings over $720,000. Shalaa, who stands at Woodside Park Stud, has 16 stakes winners and Recommendation becomes his second group winner for the season after G3 Hong Kong Bauhinia Sprint Trophy winner Whizz Kid.
If you subscribe to the breeding theory that daughters of champion racemares make the best broodmares, Recommendation might just be your new pin-up boy. He is the third foal and third winner for unraced mare Adviso (USA) (Street Cry {Ire}), a daughter of four-time Group 1 winner Provisio (GB) (Dansili {GB}), making his dam a half-sister to Listed winner Sailing Solo (USA) (Smart Strike {Can}) and to the dam of Listed winner Al Musmak (Ire) (Night Of Thunder {Ire}).
Gallery: Recommendation takes out the G3 Sir John Monash S.
Provisio is half-sister to G1 Royal Ascot Prince of Wales’s S winner Byword (GB) (Peintre Celebre {USA}), Group 2 winner Finche (GB) (Frankel {GB}) and Baratti (GB) (Frankel {GB}). Woodside Park Stud’s Delaware (GB) (Frankel {GB}) is also from this family.
Puli wins Listed Beaufine S.
Meryl Hayley trained Puli (Dick Turpin {Ire}) has won just one race a year for the last three years, and this year, the 7-year-old gelding decided that he’d put in his big effort in the Listed Beaufine S. to win by 2.3l from favourite Man Crush (Manhattan Rain) and Sofia’s Symphony (Smart Missile).
While he took his record to nine wins from 37 starts, he hadn’t won since July 2023 and was coming off a tenth place in lower company. Despite this, punters kept him safe at $10 with rider Laqdar Ramoly getting the best out of the enigmatic gelding. The dates of his last three wins have been July 2024, July 2023, June 2022, and in June 2021 he won two in succession. He had previously won in September 2020 and won three in succession in July 2020.
Puli with connections | Image courtesy of Western Racepix
This was his first stakes win and he became the third stakes winner for his sire, who hasn’t been returned to the Stud Book since 2021.
He is the second foal of unraced mare Blazing Red Jules (Passenger) whose first foal is a winning full brother to Puli. She has an unraced 3-year-old by Sessions and a rising 2-year-old by A Lot. Puli’s first, second, third and fourth dams couldn’t win a race, although his fourth dam, Colour Me Red (Ire) (General Assembly {Ire}) was placed in England and produced G1 Australian Cup winner Starstruck (Haulpak).
Big weight no drama for In Flight
All the talk during the week about 3-year-old filly In Flight (Flying Artie) struggling under 60kg on Saturday were for naught as she made it look easy when winning by 2l for jockey Jay Ford and trainer Joe Pride from Flag Hall (Starspangledbanner) and Kadall (Capitalist).
“My confidence levels came down a little because of all the media negativity about her weight,” Pride said. “Because I was thinking all week In Flight looked a good thing in this race. She is going super and I just thought she looked too good for these horses. She is a proper Saturday horse and is a filly going places. It was a very good win.”
In Flight has now won five of her nine starts, including her last three in succession with earnings over $363,000. “There are another couple of races we could nominate for next Saturday over 1100m and 1200m,” Pride said. “If anything she is looking for further as she showed today because she was running away from them at the end which is how she has winning her races all winter.”
Purchased by Proven Thoroughbreds and Pride Racing for $220,000 from Goodwood Farm’s Magic Millions Adelaide Yearling Sale draft, In Flight is by Blue Gum Farm’s Flying Artie whose daughter Asfoora won the G1 Royal Ascot King Charles III S (previously King’s Stand S) in May.
She (In Flight) is going super and I just thought she looked too good for these horses. She is a proper Saturday horse and is a filly going places. It was a very good win.” - Joe Pride
The fifth winner from as many named foals for Listed winner Waveline (USA) (Stravinsky {USA}), In Flight is a half-sister to Listed Canberra Guineas-placed winner Waimea Bay (All Too Hard). Her dam is a half-sister to Group 3 winner Eddie Haskell (USA) (Square Eddie {USA}).
Photo separates stable mates at Caulfield
Just 0.02l separated stablemates Rezone (Dundeel {NZ}) and Eye For An Eye (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) with the 3-year-old gelding edging out the import in a thrilling finish for the 2000 metre race at Caulfield. Both are trained by Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr with Rezone ridden by Beau Mertens and Eye For An Eye ridden by Thomas Stockdale. Mitchell Freedman trained Boga Legend (Puissance de Lune {Ire}) was third under jockey John Allen, only 0.3l from the quinella.
“It was an agonising photo but in a good way,” Kent Jr said. “Eye For An Eye was very gallant and there was a margin between the two when they galloped on Tuesday morning on a bog track. He's a real race day horse, Eye For An Eye.”
Rezone hadn’t won before today from five starts. “He's such a nice horse to ride and he really towed me into it from the 600m,” Mertens said. “He did everything himself. When he hit the front, he wanted to have a look around and a bit of a think about it so he's got a lot of upside.”
Dundeel (NZ) now has 66 winners from his current crop of 3-year-olds, and has had a strong season with G1 Randwick Guineas and G1 Doncaster H winner Celestial Legend, and G1 Golden Rose winner Militarize (NZ). His young sons Super Seth and Castelvecchio have both made good starts with their first crop of 2-year-olds this season too.
Rezone took his earnings over $111,000 at only his fifth start, a profit on his $80,000 purchase by his trainer from the Arrowfield Stud draft at the Magic Millions National Yearling Sale. He is the second foal for city winning mare Roseito (Snitzel) whose first foal is stakes placed Berardino (Real Impact {Jpn}). Roseito is a half-sister to Group 1 winner Howard Be Thy Name (Redoute’s Choice) and this is the family of Melbourne Cup winner Ethereal (NZ) (Rhythm {USA}).
El Rocko makes it two in a row at Caulfield
It’s a long time since 5-year-old gelding El Rocko (Fastnet Rock) ran second on debut as a 2-year-old behind Artorius (Flying Artie). Artorius would win the G1 Blue Diamond at his next start as well as adding the G1 Canterbury S to a third placing at Royal Ascot and third in the G1 July Cup and is now at stud, while El Rocko didn’t win until he was a July 3-year-old.
He's making up for it now with Saturday’s Caulfield win being his second in succession and his third win in his last four starts. Ridden by Jamie Mott, he won by 0.5l from Sandpaper (Snitzel) and Lethal Thoughts (So You Think {NZ}).
“Usually he takes about 300m to wind up, so I was thinking, ‘geez, we might have missed the boat here’, but Jamie knows him very well,” trainer John McArdle said.
“He’s not great between other horses – he’s probably better being four-wide than on the fence, but Jamie gave him a nice kick. I’d love to be able to tell you it’s a great piece of training, but he’s done the same thing for probably the last two years. It’s the same set-up and the same routine with him every time.
“He’s found a new lease on life, the old boy. I know he loves wet ground, but he’s happy and he’s in good nick.”
“He’s (El Rocko) found a new lease on life, the old boy. I know he loves wet ground, but he’s happy and he’s in good nick.” - John McArdle
All of his career five wins have happened in winter – with two in succession in July 2022, and now three this winter. His 36 starts also include a third placing in the 2021 Listed Anzac Day S as a 2-year-old, and third in the 2022 Listed Sofitel H, as well as a second in the 2023 Echuca Cup, and Saturday’s win took his earnings over $300,000.
El Rocko was a $250,000 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale graduate from the draft of Willow Park Stud, purchased by Pacific Bloodstock and Redgum Racing, and he is a half-brother to Group 1 winner Foxplay (Foxwedge).
Neasham’s Don looks towards Cup
A confidence building win by Annabel Neasham-trained import 4-year-old gelding Don Diego De Vega (Fr) (Lope De Vega {Ire}) at Randwick in the 1800 metre James Squire H. will set him up for the spring cups. Ridden by Jason Collett, the $2.40 favourite won by 0.14l from The Englishman (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) with I’mintowin (NZ) (Contributer {Ire}) a length further back in third.
“He was tough late,” Neasham said. “I thought he might come to the end of his run (when challenged) but he is an exciting horse and will only get better as we step him out further. We'll work him through his grades, but I think Australian Bloodstock might be looking at him as a nice Newcastle Cup horse.”
Don Diego De Vega is currently a $34 chance for the G1 Caulfield Cup in October while the G3 Newcastle Cup is run in September and could provide an interesting lead-up run. A €90,000 (AU$145,000) yearling at the Arqana Yearling Sales, he was purchased privately before his trip to Australia.
Winner of his only start at two in France, he added a second win with his first start as a 3-year-old before three more starts yielded a third placing in the Listed Prix de Suresnes. His first public outing in Australia was a trial in May this year, and he ran second over the same distance at Rosehill a fortnight ago to Bear On The Loose (Ire) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}).
While his sire Lope De Vega (Ire) is best known locally for his sprinters like Santa Ana Lane and Gytrash, his 133 stakes winners are quite versatile. Don Diego De Vega is one of three winners for Listed Longchamp Prix Finlande winner Fairly Fair (Fr) (Sinndar {Ire}) who won at a mile and 1800 metres, but she is a half-sister to two group winners at staying trips being G2 Del Mar Derby winner Fairly Ransom (USA) (Red Ransom {USA}) and Group 3 winner Graphite (Fr) (Shamardal {USA}) who won up to 2400 metres.
Tony Gollan breaks own record with treble
Last season Tony Gollan set the Brisbane Metro winners record with 140.5 wins, and on Saturday he smashed through that barrier with three wins at Doomben. At his first start for the stable, 4-year-old gelding Brererton (Zoustar) provided Gollan with the record when he won race two for jockey Vlad Duric, winning by 0.67l from Annabel Neasham trained Plundering (Shooting To Win) with Scott Morrisey trained Safework (Spirit Of Boom) in third.
Formerly trained by Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman, Brereton was a $1million purchase by the Victorian Alliance, Suman Hedge Bloodstock (FBAA) and David Redvers Bloodstock at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale from Widden Stud, and he took his record to two wins from 16 starts with earnings over $350,000.
“He had only won once before today, but had been racing in higher class races,” Gollan's stable representative Craig Cavanough said. “We took all the gear off the horse and when Vlad put the whip in his left hand, he found the line nicely. He is a lovely horse and will win more races.”
Zoustar continues his charge as one of Australia’s hottest stallions this season with G1 Robert Sangster S winner Climbing Star, G1 MRC Thousand Guineas winner Joliestar, G1 Coolmore Stud S winner Ozzmosis, and Zougotcha who added two more Group 1 wins to her record. He has eight career Group 1 winners to date.
Brereton is out Group 3 winner Fuddle Dee Duddle (Red Ransom {USA}), a half-sister to Group 2 winner Hallowell Belle (Starcraft {NZ}).
“We took all the gear off the horse (Brererton) and when Vlad put the whip in his left hand, he found the line nicely. He is a lovely horse and will win more races.” - Craig Cavanough
Gollan made it two in a row in race three with 3-year-old colt Invincible Shield (I Am Invincible) who was ridden by Angela Jones to win by 1.83l from Pre Eminence (Exceed and Excel) and Bohemian Lad (Better Than Ready). Another horse that Gollan inherited from another stable, this time Leon and Troy Corstens, Gollan had told racenet.com.au tipsters before Saturday, “He is better than a restricted grade kind of horse, he is pretty exciting.”
Invincible Shield has now won three in succession for Gollan, taking his earnings to over $97,000 for his six starts. Purchased by Baystone Farm for $480,000 from Yarraman Park Stud’s Inglis Classic Yearling Sale draft, he is by Champion Sire I Am Invincible out of unraced mare Pierro Moss (Pierro) who is a daughter of Listed winner Upon This Rock (Fastnet Rock) who is a half-sister to Listed winners Gaze On (Intergaze) and Bhutane Dane (Danehill Dancer {Ire}).
Gollan then won his third race in race six in controversial circumstances after a messed up start left stewards to declare four horses as non-runners. Gollan’s 4-year-old mare Liquor (Spirit Of Boom) was ridden by Angela Jones to win by 1.35l from Jayanthi (Hinchinbrook) and Miss Middle Park (Maurice {Jpn}).
Liquor has now won six of her 12 starts with earnings over $220,000. She was a $300,000 purchase by Black Soil Bloodstock, John Foote Bloodstock and Gollan Racing from Milburn Creek at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. By proven sire Spirit Of Boom, she is a half-sister to this season’s G3 Rough Habit P. winner Tannhausser (Dundeel {NZ}).
