Cover image courtesy of New Zealand Bloodstock
Team Hayes have two great chances at Ellerslie
After successful 2025 hit-and-run missions in New Zealand - highlighted by Here To Shock (NZ) (Shocking) winning the G1 Waikato Sprint at Te Rapa and Evaporate (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) finishing second in the inaugural NZ$3.5 million R. Listed NZB The Kiwi, the Hayes brothers have again crossed the Tasman.
This time, they bring the smart 2-year-old Torture (NZ) (Sword Of State) for the NZ$1 million R. Listed Karaka Millions 2YO, while classy sprinter Arkansaw Kid (Harry Angel {Ire}) sets his sights on the NZ$700,000 G1 Railway Stakes.
Stable representative Ailish Green has travelled with the pair and has been delighted with how both horses have settled into their New Zealand surroundings.
Torture (NZ) | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“I’m delighted, they have come over and settled in really nicely,” Green told racing.com.
“They are two very straightforward and easy horses to deal with.
“They are two very straightforward and easy horses to deal with.” - Ailish Green
“It makes my job very easy. Everyone at Cambridge Stud has been very helpful and accommodating. It’s been a great week and I’m looking forward to Saturday now.”
Green was equally pleased with the barrier draw for Torture, who will jump from gate five in the Karaka Millions 2YO.
“I was delighted with that. She actually missed the kick last start, so I was really hoping she would draw well. I think that will work out in her favour and five is perfect for her - to have someone on the inside of her to follow.”
Turning her attention to Arkansaw Kid, Green described the 5-year-old sprinter as a model of consistency and professionalism.
Arkansaw Kid | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“He is such a genuine horse. He is very honest and always does his level best, and the soft ground will help him as well.
“He’s settled in perfect. He had a couple of days to think about it - probably didn’t take it in his stride as much as the filly, surprisingly.
“He (Arkansaw Kid) is such a genuine horse. He is very honest and always does his level best, and the soft ground will help him as well.” - Ailish Green
“But he is a real dude, very straightforward and easy to do anything with in general.
“He worked beautifully the other morning, had a good look around and I’m happy with him as well.”
It shapes as a competitive day of racing, with the Hayes-trained duo not the only Australians to make the trip across the ditch. In the Karaka Millions 2YO, Queensland trainer Liam Birchley is represented by Vanzadee (NZ) (Vanbrugh) and Dream Roca (NZ) (El Roca), while Cranbourne-based Cindy Alderson has Jigsaw (Manhattan Rain) engaged in the G1 Railway Stakes.
In the G3 Aotearoa Classic, Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr will saddle up Knobelas (NZ) (Belardo {Ire}), while Ciaron Maher is represented by the Cambridge Stud-owned Silver Wedding (Zoustar).
All going to plan for the classy Well Written
What already looked an uphill task for rivals taking on the boom filly Well Written (Written Tycoon) in the NZ$1.5 million R. Listed Karaka Millions 3YO Classic on Saturday, has only continued to appear more daunting as the week has progressed.
The Stephen Marsh-trained filly, now carrying the Yulong colours, worked impressively at Ellerslie earlier in the week, pleasing her trainer in a hit-out alongside stablemate The Exponent (NZ) (Shocking). She clocked a sharp 34.81s for her final 600 metres.
“I thought she worked up very well, I really couldn’t be happier with her,” Marsh told loveracing.nz.
Well Written | Image courtesy of Kenton Wright (Race Images)
“She just needed an outing as she’s been very relaxed at home, so this works out perfectly for her.
“Matt Cartwright said he was ultra happy with her, and now that we’ve got her where we want her, it’s just a matter of counting the days to the weekend.”
The week continued to go from good to better when Dylan Johnson - who, alongside Marsh, purchased Well Written for what now looks a bargain $80,000 via the 2024 New Zealand Bloodstock National Online Yearling Sale - drew an ideal barrier.
Stephen Marsh | Image courtesy of Trish Dunell
“I said to Dylan that I wanted somewhere between one and five, and he pulled out three,” Marsh said.
“A filly like her, she jumps and puts herself there, so yes, we’re happy.
“Everything has gone to plan. I was very happy with how she worked at Ellerslie yesterday, and now we just have to tick her over until Saturday.”
“A filly like her (Well Written), she jumps and puts herself there, so yes, we’re happy.” - Stephen Marsh
While the Group 1 NZ 1000 Guineas winner looks extremely hard to beat and is deservedly an odds-on favourite, there are still 13 other talented 3-year-olds looking to hunt her down.
The biggest dangers could be the ultra-consistent Affirmative Action (Yes Yes Yes), Group 1 winner and R. Listed Karaka Million 2YO victor La Dorada (NZ) (Super Seth) - who bounced back to form last start with a G2 Levin Classic win, and Lollapalloza (NZ) (El Roca), who doesn’t know how to run a bad race.
Maher’s next group of juveniles out to stake their claim
It was only last weekend that Ciaron Maher lit up the Gold Coast with a quinella in the $3 million R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic, courtesy of the impressive Unit Five (Supido) and Tornado Valley (Too Darn Hot {GB}).
While those colts may yet line up in a G1 Blue Diamond Stakes or one of the Slipper trials in the months to come, Maher has another wave of juveniles ready to stake their claim toward the Blue Diamond.
This Saturday sees the running of the Listed Blue Diamond Previews for colts and geldings and fillies version being run at Group 3 level. Maher saddles up the favourite and highly touted Angels Fury (Harry Angel {Ire}) in the fillies division, alongside Ghana’s Akan (Street Boss {USA}).
Ciaron Maher | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
He also has a strong hand in the boys’ race with Invicto (I Am Invincible) - a $600,000 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale purchase, and the Pakenham last start maiden winner Milsons Point (Blue Point {Ire}).
Speaking about Angels Fury’s impressive Cranbourne jump-out, Maher’s national assistant trainer Jack Turnbull told racingandsports.com.
“She did it in a way that was controlled. She’s very professional about it and seems to be very natural. Thankfully she has come through those trials nicely and had a pretty clean gallop on Monday morning, so all systems go.
“She had a particularly solid trial that day and we think that is the sort of pressure she could handle.”
Angels Fury as a yearling | Image courtesy of Magic Millions
On the colts and geldings:
“Milsons Point can’t do any wrong,” Turnbull said.
“He was very good that day at Pakenham, while Invicto is a well-bred colt who has been improving all the time.
“He’s taken one extra jump-out for fitness and to give him a bit more graft. He’s a very attractive and imposing animal and we would expect them both to be competitive.”
Jack Turnbull | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Both divisions look reasonably open. The hardest for Angels Fury to beat may be the Grahame Begg-trained Jadzia (Ole Kirk), who trialled sharply, and the Ben, Will and JD Hayes-trained La Gitana (Home Affairs), who is bred to be sharp and early.
In the colts’ race, Eurocanto (Per Incanto {USA}) looks the clear benchmark after already winning at Listed level, while the Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained High Alert (Street Boss {USA}) shapes as an intriguing blowout hope.
Can Zou Sensation do it again?
The evergreen 6-year-old Zou Sensation (Zoustar) has enjoyed a terrific campaign for trainers Leon and Troy Corstens and Will Larkin, winning five races since June. His haul includes the Listed Weekend Hussler Stakes and Listed Kensington Stakes, alongside top-four finishes in the $1 million Supernova and The Meteorite.
He steps out again on Saturday in the Listed John Dillon Stakes at Caulfield, where he looks well placed to continue his excellent form for owners Bennett Racing and their partners.
Co-trainer Will Larkin believes the durable gelding still has another win in him this preparation.
Zou Sensation | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“Obviously he has had an unbelievable preparation - it’s been a long one, I can tell you. He has been going since June.
“He has given us no signs that he has had enough. If you look at him, he still looks terrific.
“He (Zou Sensation) has given us no signs that he has had enough. If you look at him, he still looks terrific.” - Will Larkin
“His work has been fantastic, and we go into a race where it looks very winnable at the weights. He has drawn favourably, Jamie Kah sticks, and he can definitely win again on how good he has come out of his last run.”
While Zou Sensation appears well placed, he won’t have things all his own way. The Ascot-trained Aztec Ruler (Universal Ruler) was solid last start, Regal Zeus (Zoustar) appeals for in-form trainer John McArdle, and Steparty (Artie Schiller {USA}) is always worthy of respect in races of this nature.
Will Larkin | Image courtesy of Malua Racing
Baker’s triple attack on the Carrington
Racing has a habit of changing quickly, and that’s certainly the case with Saturday’s $200,000 Listed Carrington Stakes at Randwick, which has attracted a near-capacity field of 13 runners.
Just a year ago, the Carrington Stakes was abandoned due to limited acceptors, making this year’s deep line-up all the more remarkable.
In-form trainer Bjorn Baker holds a strong hand with three runners: War Eternal (NZ) (Pierro), who resumes following a couple of trials. Sandpaper (Snitzel), the consistent topweight still searching for a win this preparation, and Thunderlips (Zoustar), who ran a solid fourth behind rival Winchat (Russian Revolution) at Wyong earlier this month.
Bjorn Baker | Image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography
“I think all three are chances,” Baker told racenet.com.
“War Eternal often needs a run or two to get back to his best, but he ran really well last preparation.
“Thunderlips - the wetter the better for him. So hopefully it’s still a wet track and then he is definitely a live hope. It was probably a little bit sharp for him last start in terms of where he was at, but he should be fine.
“I think Sandpaper is going really well. He has race fitness and is going well, so he’s not out of it. He is ready to go.”
Gallery: Bjorn Baker's three runners for Listed Carrington Stakes at Randwick, images courtesy of Sportpix
According to the market, all three Baker runners are currently double-figure chances, but the race appears wide open. Matcha Latte (Maurice {Jpn}), trained by Nacim Dilmi, has always promised plenty and looks ready to go fresh, while the Ben, Will and JD Hayes-trained Justadeel (Dundeel {NZ}) is not without hope resuming. The aforementioned Winchat may prove the one to beat if jockey Jay Ford can secure an economical run from his wide draw.
