Purton secures eighth Hong Kong Jockey title
With 50 races left in the Hong Kong season, Zac Purton is 59 wins clear of his rivals on the Jockey’s Premiership, and thus has secured his eighth championship. He rode a treble on Saturday night. “It’s really nice to win another one. Apart from having a stack halfway through (and missing seven weeks through injury), I’ve had another good season with a few highlights with some big horses,” Purton told scmp.com.
Zac Purton | Image courtesy of The Hong Kong Jockey Club
He won on Gentleman Legacy (Showtime), Copartner Fleet (Nicconi) and Fashion Legend (Deep Field). Jockey Ellis Wong also rode a treble at the meeting on King Oberon (Divine Prophet), S J Tourbillon (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Ariel (Ire) (Exceed And Excel).
Lady Extreme set for Listed Ramornie
Trainer Blake Ryan will set Saturday’s winner Lady Extreme (Extreme Choice) for the upcoming Listed Ramornie Handicap at Grafton next month. “I have worked with a lot of better horses and Group 1 horses but I'd don't think I've ever worked with one that gives you as much as this mare,” Ryan told racenet.com.au.
“There is not a lot of her either but I love her. We will give her a nomination for the Ramornie Handicap now. Whether she has enough ratings points to get in or if she is good enough is another thing but she has got three wins in town now. Luke (Wilkinson) her owner is a breeder so the only thing we can do now is chase a bit of black type so that's her next task.”
Group 1 winner Reserve Bank’s spring delayed
Trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr announced on Sunday that Group 1 winner Reserve Bank (Capitalist) will be aimed at the G1 VRC Champions Sprint on the final day of the spring carnival. His spring is slightly delayed due to a minor injury. “The horse pulled up with a little bit of discomfort, my vet saw it and we investigated it and X-rayed it. He then had an arthroscopic clean out,” Price told racing.com.
Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“He’ll be later in the spring and it will be a short one. We’re not going too far. I think there’s definitely another Group 1 sprint win in him.”
Dwyer makes it 500
Trainer Henry Dwyer celebrated win number 500 in his training career with 3-year-old gelding Em Sixty (Smart Missile) winning at Ballarat on Sunday. “It’s been a while coming, we’ve been a bit frustratingly close, but we’re happy to have it there,” Dwyer told racing.com.
“A big thank you to all my staff who have contributed over the years, between St Leonards and Ballarat. He’s a nice horse (Em Sixty), he’s just been a bit of a pickle, he’s just never really put it together. I think he’s only doing it raw ability at the moment.
“With a bit more practice and another spell under his belt next prep, he’s going to be a really nice horse. He’ll get over further off that too, and he loves soft tracks.”
Supido juvenile wins at Townsville
Joshua Manzelmann-trained 2-year-old filly Supid Date (Supido) won at Townsville on Sunday at her fifth start for owners Burgs Racing. Ridden by apprentice jockey Nikki Olzard, she is the fourth winner from as many to race for Lucky Romance (Lucky Unicorn), a winning half-sister to Group 2 winner Masquerader (Lucky Owners).
Jockey Ryan Wiggins won four of the eight races on the card at Townsville.
Tassie sale topper wins on debut
Star Thoroughbreds’ 2-year-old Mazzini (Needs Further) won on debut on Sunday at Devonport for trainer Barry Campbell. Mazzini topped the Magic Millions Tasmania Yearling Sale of 2024 when sold by Armidale Stud for $145,000 to Star Thoroughbreds and Randwick Bloodstock (FBAA).
Mazzini as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
A full brother to Listed winner Durazzo, they are out of Arenzano (Not A Single Doubt) who is a winning full sister to stakes placed Regal Flame (NZ).
Needs Further, sire of nine stakes winners, sired a double at the meeting with Earendel.
Sunday’s other notable moments
Jockey Luke Rolls rode a treble at Coffs Harbour including on 3-year-olds Sugar Island (Zousain) and Dark Stratum (Harry Angel {Ire}). At Kalgoorlie, jockey Lucy Fiore won the first three races on the card.
Grunt (NZ) sired a double at Casterton with 4-year-olds Piglet and Born To Shine.
Injured jockey update: Smith
Jockey Braidon Small has been taken to hospital with a suspected knee injury after a fall at Casterton on Sunday. His horse, Quinton Scott-trained Wayed To Go (Wayed Zain), was uninjured.
Radley to move to Lindsay Park
Tasmanian apprentice jockey Jackson Radley is planning a move to join Lindsay Park on the mainland. “I think I've ridden 77 winners and I think I was on 70 winners three or four weeks ago and had everything ready, all my paperwork signed to make the move over,” Radley told racenet.com.au.
Jason Radley | Image courtesy of Tas Racing
“My partner and I were ready to move over with everything signed then the Hayes stable rang and said, ‘we've got some bad news, you can't come over until you've ridden your 80 winners'. They said I could either try my hardest to ride 80 winners, which I don't think was possible in Tassie at the time, because it would take longer than a month, which it has. If they're still happy for me to fly in and out, I'll do that, then go over when I can.”
He is being mentored by Damien Oliver. “Obviously, when you get an offer of help like that, you'd be mad to turn it down. He (Oliver) said, ‘you've got to get into a good stable' and that's exactly what he did. He rang the Hayes boys and asked if they would be interested in an apprentice from Tassie. I was still claiming three in town and they indicated they would be so it just went from there.”
Emotional victory for Beetlegeuse
Saturday’s victory at Ruakaka by 4-year-old gelding Beetlegeuse (NZ) (Rageeese) was an emotional one as he was bred by Windsor Park Stud co-owner Gina Schick whose son Jimmy died in an accident a month ago. “It was very special, the horse wore Jimmy’s cap which was pretty cool and it was super to get this win for Gina,” trainer Sam Mynott told Loveracing.nz on Sunday.
“His last three gallops were on the beautiful grass track out at Windsor Park, and there has been a lot of people involved with him, so it was a fitting result. He came to me towards the end of last year, he had a few little issues that we were able to iron out. He had to have surgery to get an infected tooth pulled out, which set us back a couple of months, so we’ve been patient with him.
“Fair play to Gina for giving him that time, and for trusting me that he was worth carrying on for.”
Massive ticket sales for Duck Creek
The annual Duck Creek race meeting at Nyngan will run on Saturday with ticket sales already exceeding expectations. “I can proudly report that in less than eight hours of being released, we sold nearly 3000 tickets and to put it into perspective, that’s more than the population of our little town of Nyngan!” Sarah Day, Secretary/Manager for Duck Creek Picnic Race Club, told racingnsw.com.au.
“Our community is excited to welcome everyone and show off what we have to offer. The night before we’ll have the Duck Creek Calcutta with live music by Pete Riley at The Nyngan. And any intending racegoers should note there’s no tickets sold at the gate – they’re all sold through 123Tix. The big crowd always stays on after the final race with popular band The Filthy Animals belting out tunes followed by Furnace and the Fundamentals.”
Eustace has strong team for Tuesday
Tuesday’s Hong Kong Reunification race day at Sha Tin should be a good one for trainer David Eustace who brings a strong team, led by Light Years Charm (Rubick). “I’m very happy with him. He’s trained on nicely. I haven’t had to do too much with him and he’s holding his condition great,” Eustace told scmp.com.
“He does need to learn to jump and he hasn’t really got better at it throughout the season, so that’s going to be the big query. Is he up to it now or down the track? You’d like to think so.”
Prendergast estate added to Tattersalls Online
Fourteen wildcards have been added to the Tattersalls Online July Sale, including a complete dispersal of 10 lots from the estate of the late Kevin Prendergast following the passing of the legendary Irish trainer. Bidding will open at 11am on Tuesday, July 1 and close at 11am the following day.
Among nine horses in training in the dispersal is the 3-year-old filly Glory To Be (Ire), who confirmed the promise of her debut effort when filling the runner-up spot in a five-furlong maiden at Cork last time. The daughter of Cotai Glory (GB), who is out of a half-sister to the dam of Group 1 winners Creative Force (Ire) and Persuasive (Ire), will be offered as lot 110.
Baffert wins ninth Los Alamitos Derby
Trainer Bob Baffert earned his ninth consecutive Listed Los Alamitos Derby on Saturday when favoured Nevada Beach (USA) (Omaha Beach {USA}) led in stablemate Varney (USA) (Vekoma {USA})to top an exacta for the Hall of Famer.
“I could tell right away (Nevada Beach) was just bouncing over this surface,” said Baffert. “He got a hold of it immediately. I've always liked this surface here. This is where I get my 2-year-olds ready. Those are two really nice horses. When (Nevada Beach) broke his maiden, I remember telling his owners he's going to run in the Affirmed (at Santa Anita) and win there, then win the Los Alamitos Derby and then go to the Travers. After (stablemate) Gaming beat him in the Affirmed (June 8) it was kind of disappointing, but Gaming is a good horse and he's starting to circle back to his best form. This horse just flourished over this track and he was just getting going there at the end.”
Canadian champion Patches injured
It's not often considered a head-scratching race when a reigning Canadian Horse of the Year wins over a strong field that includes two other Canadian champions, but that's exactly what happened Saturday in the G2 Highlander Stakes at Woodbine. Sure, 4-5 choice Patches O'Houlihan (Can) (Reload {USA}) won, just like he was supposed to, but it was the manner in which he won–veering out badly–that left perhaps more questions than answers.
As a precaution after pulling up, he was vanned back to his barn and examined by veterinarians. It was quickly discovered Patches O'Houlihan suffered a soft-tissue injury. No long-term prognosis was immediately available, but the gelding and fan favourite was reportedly resting comfortably.
Justify colt aimed at Group 1
With a strong kick down the lane in the Tale of the Cat Stakes at Monmouth Park on Saturday, Tom's Magic (Can) (Justify {USA}) netted the second black-type win of his career and the Ontario-bred is intended for the August running of the King's Plate at Woodbine, according to his trainer.
“His first start was long on the grass and we always felt that long on the turf was where he was going to be best,” said trainer Michael Stidham. “From the outset he did everything the right way in the mornings. But you don't get to work much on the grass, so until you get him on the grass you don't know for sure. You can see what kind of ability he has. Right off the bat you could tell there was some extra talent that he had.
“The fact that he is an Ontario, Canada-bred we're hoping we'll be healthy and in good shape for the King's Plate (at Woodbine Aug. 16). That's what our main goal has been all year for him.”
