The Everest aims for Stradbroke winner
Co-trainer Ben Hayes will sit down with his brothers to map out the spring for G1 Stradbroke Handicap winner War Machine (NZ) (Harry Angel {Ire}). “The scary thing is the way he looks and the way he’s racing he’s got more improvement to come,” Hayes told racing.com.
“The Stradbroke has been a good race for The Everest over the last couple of years, so that’s on the cards and then there’s the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes at Caulfield. The Sir Rupert Clarke being a Group 1 race over 1400 metres and a handicap also fits in nicely for him beforehand especially as it’s now before The Everest. Then there’s a lot of other Group 1 weight-for-age sprints in the spring as well. There are a lot of options.
War Machine (NZ) | Image courtesy of Trackside Photography
“It was a big thrill for the stable and a big thrill for the Ballymore team and the memory of Mike Moroney. When we received the horse that was his plan to go to the Stradbroke and Mike was right as he said he was a Stradbroke horse and he did it. Some of the ownership group are still doing it tough, so there were a lot of mixed emotions after the win. It was a big thrill for everyone. He'll have a short break and then we can attack the spring.”
Royal Ascot 2026 aim for She’s Bulletproof
Charlotte Littlefield has hatched a long term plan to take Group 1-placed sprinter She’s Bulletproof (Shooting To Win) to Royal Ascot this time next year. “We'll be certainly targeting the early part of spring with her,” Littlefield told racenet.com.au.
“Whether we go to Sydney or stay in Melbourne and aim at something like the Moir Stakes. There is a long-term goal to get She's Bulletproof to Royal Ascot and Glorious Goodwood… it would be a dream come true to get a horse back to my home country.
Charlotte Littlefield | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“We'd ideally like to get a Group 1 win with her before we travel. But if you look at what Asfoora has done, she hadn't won a Group 1 when she went over (to Royal Ascot last year, so it's definitely a possibility. It depends how the sprinting ranks are going over there … we'd obviously want to go over there knowing we've got a horse rated suitably to win a race.”
Bedggood dedicates win to Laing
Saturday’s Sandown winner Hughes (Russian Revolution) was dedicated to trainer Robbie Laing by Gavin Bedggood. “I worked there for 13 years and he was very good to me. He was a legend,” Bedggood told racing.com on Sunday.
Gavin Bedggood | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
Hughes may go to the Winter Championship Final at Flemington next. Hughes has now won two in succession and a total of seven of his 17 starts with earnings over $350,000. Sold by Sledmere Stud to Roll The Dice Racing and Rogers Bloodstock for $140,000 at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale for $140,000, he is a year-older half-brother to Group 1 winner and young sire Ozzmosis.
Zousain adds juvenile winner
At Port Macquarie on Sunday, Neil Godbolt-trained 2-year-old filly What A Rush (Zousain) took her record to two wins from five starts. The consistent juvenile was sold by Mane Lodge for $4000 as a weanling and was on-sold for a mere $1500 at the 2023 Inglis Digital October Sale to her trainer. She has earnings over $41,000.
Her dam, unraced Crimson Rush (Bianconi {USA}) is a half-sister to Group 1 winner Platelet (Strategic). At the same meeting, apprentice jockey Shae Wilkes rode a treble in the first three races on the card.
Jaggery wins at Sunshine Coast
Encryption 2-year-old gelding Jaggery won at the Sunshine Coast on Sunday for trainer Liam Birchley. Placed four times in his first six starts including behind future Listed winner Sunrays (Hellbent), Jaggery was sold by Eureka Stud for $60,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale to Bloodstock Solutions. He has earnings over $69,000.
This One Time ready for hat-trick attempt
Trainer Rod Northam thinks a month off won’t bother 3-year-old filly This One Time (Alabama Express) as she aims for a hat-trick of wins at Tamworth on Monday. “She had an easy week or two for that foot to heal and she’s back firing again,” Northam told racingnsw.com.au.
“She should be fit enough, there’s not problem there, she’s had a month of getting ready for it. She’s drawn well, it looks a nice race, Leeshelle (Small) gets on well with her so I expect her to race well.”
Grills to debut cheap pair at Tamworth
Trainer Sue Grills will debut a pair of runners at Tamworth, who collectively cost $5000 at the Inglis HTBA Yearling Sale. Pride Of Nations (Kermadec {NZ}), a 3-year-old filly, was purchased from Murrulla Stud for $2000, and 3-year-old gelding Artie’s Magic (Flying Artie) cost $3000 from Fernrigg Farm.
“When they bought (Pride Of Nations) apparently she was very small,” Grills told racenet.com.au.
“I didn't see her at the sale, I only got her six or seven months ago and I gave her a little prep and gave her six or seven weeks' break and back in again. I don't expect too much of her for her first start, trials are so different to races, but she's a nice little filly. It's no good putting her over 1000 metres, she is bred to run further, so 1200 metres looks a nice start for her on her home track with a good draw.
“(Artie’s Magic) was well-educated. (Tamworth trainer) Mark Milton had done a great job with him, then I got him so I've only had him a couple a months. He trialled okay too (so) I think he'll run a nice race. He has drawn the outside barrier but it doesn't matter so much at the 1000 metres now at Tamworth because they've only got one turn and they're home.”
Collett wins on first day back in New Zealand
At Matamata on Sunday, Sam Collett won on debutant 3-year-old filly Empressive (NZ) (Eminent {Ire}). “I rode my very first winner here, so it seems appropriate to ride by first winner back here, not that I’ve been away for a long time, but it’s good,” Collett told Loveracing.nz.
“Track conditions are testing to say the least, but Benji’s done a great job with this little horse. Obviously having her first start, it’s a little bit unknown as to how these track conditions were going to play out for her, but she travelled really well on the circle for me.
Samantha Collett returns to scale aboard Empressive at Matamata on Sunday | Image courtesy of Kenton Wright (Race Images)
“I was mindful of keeping a bit of momentum up without having to stop and start, but once I was able to extricate a position off the fence, she balanced up down the straight and really gave me everything. She’s still doing things a touch wrong, but she had the audacity to stick her nose out where it mattered.”
Empressive is the third winner for Baheeya (Redoute’s Choice) who is a full sister to Group 1-placed Solid Choice. Reliable Man (GB) sired a double at the meeting with Clew Bay (NZ) and Tregor (NZ).
Furlong’s double tops off great season
Trainer Anna Furlong nailed a double at Oamaru on Sunday, taking her season total of 31 wins, more than double last year’s tally. She won with The Entertainer (NZ) (Staphanos {Jpn}) and Irish Miss (Savabeel). “It’s been brilliant - a little bit of a relief really,” she told Loveracing.nz.
“I’m very lucky to have incredible staff and very good horses that have been sent our way. I’ve got great owners, I wouldn’t be able to do it without them and I think everything’s just come together nicely.
The Entertainer (NZ) | Image courtesy of Tayler Strong (Race Images)
“I haven’t got a lot of wet trackers, maybe three or four that will push through the winter, but we’ve got a lot of young horses getting educated in the stable and the main racehorses are starting to come back in for their spring campaigns.”
Falakeyah supplemented for Coronation
Shadwell's unbeaten 3-year-old filly Falakeyah (GB) (New Bay {GB}) has been supplemented to the June 20 G1 Coronation Stakes. The Listed-winning homebred delivered by 3.25l in the Pretty Polly Stakes at Newmarket in May, but was ruled out of the G1 Betfred Oaks with a dirty scope and was deemed not ready for Sunday's G1 Prix de Diane Longines.
“Owen (Burrows) feels she is now back to where she was before the dirty scope,” said Shadwell's racing manager Angus Gold on Shadwell's website. “He's very happy with her and together we feel the Coronation is the right race for her now. Jim believes she has the pace to be competitive at a mile at that level. She's definitely got a lot of class, and we are looking forward to Friday.”
German Derby hopeful added to Goffs Sale
Group winner Path Of Soldier (Ger) (Soldier Hollow {GB}) is one of a trio of late additions for the Goffs London Sale, held on Monday, June 16. Successful in the G3 Bavarian Classic in May, the son of Soldier Hollow was runner-up in the G3 Derby Trial at Baden-Baden for trainer Peter Schiergen. The G1 Deutsches Derby hopeful holds a German rating of 94.5 (approx. 109).
Nineteen lots will be offered with Royal Ascot engagements, and prospective buyers wishing to purchase a Royal Ascot runner must be registered as an owner prior to the sale in order for the change of ownership to be transferred on the day.
Fondly wins G3 Delaware Oaks
Virginia Oaks winner Fondly (USA) (Upstart {USA}) backed up the class she showed at Colonial Downs with a front-running score in the G3 Delaware Oaks under Irad Ortiz, Jr. “I think she confirmed what we thought of her,” said winning trainer H. Graham Motion.
“We knew we were asking a lot of her to run in the Kentucky Oaks, but it is tempting when you have the points. It is a shame that track came up the way it did. I think it was just a tough experience for her. But look, she bounced back out right after it, trained here for three weeks and some very good works. She is a very easy filly to train. She is a very straight forward filly. She is as talented as any 3-year-old filly I have had.”
Fondly is the sixth individual Graded stakes winner for Airdrie Stud stallion Upstart (USA). Out of a winning first dam in Lifetime Memory (USA) (Istan {USA}), she is a half-sister to G3 Peter Pan Stakes winner Antiquarian (USA) (Preservationist {USA}) who was just second in the May 31 G3 Blame Stakes at Churchill Downs.
Inaugural Delaware Derby won by Admiral Dennis
Admiral Dennis (USA) (Constitution {USA}), a last-out rallying fourth in the G1 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland on April 8, sat much closer to the pace than usual and drew off in the stretch to salute at odds of 2-1 in Saturday's inaugural running of the Delaware Derby.
“He was a little closer than I expected him to be,” said winning rider Luan Machado. “He got a very good break–much better than he has been breaking lately. He is such a big horse with a long stride, so I wanted to make sure he was comfortable without pressure and he finished strong.”
The US$425,000 (AU$655,000) Keeneland September yearling purchase by Dennis Albaugh's operation (yes, he is named after the stable's patriarch) is the first foal out of the stakes-winning Gulf Coast (USA) (Union Rags {USA}), who hails from the extended female family of the legendary A.P. Indy (USA).
Immersive returns with second on resumption
Take Charge Milady (USA) (Take Charge Indy {USA}) defeated returning champion Immersive (USA) (Nyquist {USA}) by a neck in a thrilling renewal of Saturday's Monomoy Girl Stakes at Churchill Downs. The latter, sidelined due to bone bruising and off as the 2-5 favourite in a scratched-down field of four, was making her first start since capping a four-for-four season in the G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies at Del Mar.
A 3-year-old filly Take Charge Milady won the Martha Washington Stakes and was second in the G1 Ashland Stakes and 12th in the G1 Kentucky Oaks. “In a four-horse field you have to really zero in on where everyone else will be placed in the race,” said winning jockey Brian Hernandez, Jr. “We knew Immersive didn't' have much early speed and had a good idea that (Anna's Promise) would go to the front. Knowing our filly, I knew if I could get her in a good spot, and make it a little uncomfortable for Immersive as long as possible, she was going to be a little better since Immersive is coming off a layoff. That's really what it boiled down to today.”
