Saturday Summary: Ninja strikes in The Missile - Could connections be Everest dreaming?

Cover image courtesy of Georgia Young Photography

Ninja too sharp for his rivals in The Missile

The Michael Freedman-trained Ninja (Farnan) was a brilliant winner of the G2 Missile Stakes at Randwick in the hands of Tommy Berry. The Farnan gelding had been trialling sharply and proved too quick for his classy bunch of opposition by just over a length.

The Rachel King-ridden Way To The Stars (Reward For Effort) led with ease and King kept rolling along at a quick tempo. Napoleonic (Wootton Bassett {GB}) and Ninja both eventually worked themselves into prominent positions in second and third, while race favourite Angel Capital (Harry Angel {Ire}) settled last and was a bit keen in the hands of James McDonald.

On straightening, Berry was travelling sweetly and went to the lead at the 250-metre mark under minimal riding. Napoleonic took chase in the hands of Schofield but couldn't match the winner after having every chance and finished just over a length behind in second, while McDonald weaved between runners and ran third, another half-length behind on Angel Capital, as he ran his usual eye-catching race without really looking a winning chance.

The strong pace ended up assisting in Ninja running a time of 1:08.28, a new race record.

Winning trainer Michael Freedman was impressed with the win and conceded he may now be dreaming big.

“I think any trainer with a half-decent sprinter has dreams of getting to The Everest at this time of year. Look, why not? If he can continue to take that next step, then, you’ve got to dream big, right?” Freedman said.

“I always had in the back of my mind, depending on how he came back today, and how he pulls up, more importantly, maybe going to the Winx Stakes in two weeks’ time, I wouldn’t rule that out. There’s a couple of nice races in Melbourne also.

“He’s just matured so much in the last six months, this horse.

“We will plan on keeping him to that six-to-seven-furlong mark, and that augurs well for him.”

Ninja was bred by John Camilleri of Fairway Thoroughbreds, who retains a share in his ownership and Camilleri has an Everest slot, which may open up that possibility.

Winning jockey Tommy Berry believed the writing was on the wall after some impressive trial outings.

“His trials suggested he do something like that today,” Berry said.

“The race was messy early and when the speed came out of it I allowed him to roll forward without him feeling like he was overdoing it. I was gifted a beautiful spot and he did the rest from there. He was great and that won't be the end of it.”

Sales info: Myracehorse, Michael Freedman Racing, Gandharvi, and Belmont Bloodstock Agency (FBAA) secured Ninja for $380,000 out of Segenhoe Stud’s 2024 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale draft.

Pedigree info: Ninja’s dam Impulsive (So You Think {NZ}) was a three-time winner herself and has produced three winners to date. She is a daughter of Group 3 winner Procrastinate (Jade Hunter {USA}), making her a half-sister to five-time South African Group 1 winner Laisserfaire (Danehill {USA}) and the stakes winners Time Thief, Foreplay, A Time For Julia (Redoute’s Choice), and Personify (Galileo {GB}), the dam of G1 Victorian Oaks winner Personal (Fastnet Rock).

Impulsive has a Siyouni (Fr) 2-year-old colt, an Anamoe yearling filly and missed to Harry Angel {Ire} last season.

Sir Now – Wide and wonderful in the Behemoth

In a bizarre running of the G3 Behemoth Stakes, which basically saw the whole field down the outside of the Morphettville track even though the track was only rated a Slow 7, it was the consistent Darryl Hewitt-trained Sir Now (Sir Prancealot {Ire}) that scored in style.

In what proved a blessing, an outside barrier enabled Connor Murtagh to jump Sir Now out quickly and stay very wide on the track for the entirety of the 1200 metres. He led the field, with Lim’s Saltoro (NZ) (Shamexpress {NZ}) and Mating Call (Brazen Beau) also prominent.

Sir Now travelled sweetly and kicked away at the top of the straight. He did start to get a bit tired late as Cicala (Tamasa) chased hard late on his inner to finish second just under a length behind, while Lim’s Saltoro stuck on good a further length behind in third.

Winning trainer Darryl Hewitt was clearly very happy with the result, which was his first black type success as a trainer.

“It is very good. It’s the first time I've had a Group 3 winner; I’ve had a couple of placings. I’ve had Listed winners and Group 3-placed, but no Group 3 winners,” said Hewitt.

“This horse deserves it.

“You can hear the reaction of the crowd, he’s a favourite.

“I just feel so happy for Connor because he’s had nine starts for one win on him and everyone was starting to doubt whether the horse would run for him, but all those races he either had 63kg or they were Listed races at Flemington, etc. He knows the horse well.”

Sales info: Sir Now was bred by Cornerstone Stud Farm, who are dispersing their stock via the upcoming Inglis Digital Sale, and he is raced by his trainer Darryl Hewitt and Ms J C Preston.

Pedigree info: Sir Now is out of the unraced Fighting Sun mare Yamnaka, who is well-related being a half-sister to the winners and Group-placed duo of Crafted (Starcraft {NZ}) and Stella Lante (Starcraft {NZ}).

This is the extended family of the very handy G2 West Australian Derby winner Alaskan Gold (Playing God).

Yamnaka, since producing Sir Now, has left a 4-year-old mare named Miss Prancelot (Sir Prancealot {Ire}), and has left no other live-foals since, although is due to foal to Nicconi in October.

Cavalry Girl bolts in on the Heath

The in-form sprinter Cavalry Girl (Bivouac) continued her strong vein of form at the Caulfield Heath on Saturday, winning with ease at BM100 level after being a Listed winner at Morphettville at her start before.

The Bivouac 4-year-old mare loves Caulfield and now counts two wins and two placings from only four starts on either of the Caulfield tracks.

Linda Meech jumped Cavalry Girl straight to the lead, but Chinqui (Harry Angel {Ire}) kept her honest as Logan Bates kicked her up on the inside to pretty much match motors. Meanwhile, the well-backed Bazaball Rewarded (Reward For Effort) was caught a bit wide in third.

At about the 300-metre mark, Meech shot away with a great turn of foot on Cavalry Girl after travelling sweetly and the race was put to bed, with the margin in the end being just under four lengths, with Along The River (Written Tycoon) running on nicely for second and Bazaball Rewarded sticking on well for third off a tough trip.

“She’s a marvel, isn’t she?” winning owner Joe O’Neill from Prime Thoroughbreds commented.

“She’s giving her owners a terrific run

“She annihilated them the other day. I was a bit worried today against the older horses, but where are they?

“She can only do what she’s doing. She’s winning, and she’s belting them. She’s not just winning; she’s absolutely annihilating them.”

Cavalry Girl has had five runs this prep, and O’Neill explained that she is likely to have a brief freshen-up ahead of some nice races during the spring.

“We think we might just step back, she’s had a pretty good prep. You can go to the well once too often,” he said.

“She loves the straight at Flemington, so a race there during Melbourne Cup week would be nice. We’ll just see, there’s options.”

Sales info: Cavalry Girl was purchased by Prime Thoroughbreds for $110,000 from the Vinery Stud draft at the 2024 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.

Pedigree info: Cavalry Girl is the first foal out of the dual winner Islands (I Am Invincible)

Islands is a half-sister to the G2 Reisling Stakes and R. Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic winner Military Rose (General Nediym), who is the granddam of the G1 Sires’ Produce Stakes winner Campione D’Italia (Snitzel) and the dual Group 3-winning juvenile and Lovatsville sire Espionage.

Islands has an unraced 3-year-old filly named Pacifico (The Autumn Sun), a 2-year-old filly named My Island Girl (Russian Revolution) and she is due to foal to Stay Inside early in September.

Avista steps up in class and scores - Just!

There was no disputing that it was a clear rise in class that the promising Paul Messara and Leah Gavranich-trained 4-year-old mare Avista (Maurice {Jpn}) faced contesting the BM72 Handicap at Randwick after previously winning three of her four starts at Muswellbrook and Scone. But the well-bred mare was blisfully unaware as she delivered in narrow but impressive fashion in the hands of James McDonald.

There was good tempo early as Anna Roper aboard Nullarbor Jane (Too Darn Hot {GB}) led with Cobra Club (Cool Aza Beel {NZ}) keeping it company. Siena Grima gave Dusty Bay (Sandbar) a lovely trip in the one-one and McDonald followed that runner up in sixth.

Things got interesting when Grima peeled Dusty Bay out wide before straightening and he made ground quickly, loomed and led at the 250-metre mark. Meanwhile, McDonald was warming his mare up alongside Chad Schofield aboard Mind Ya Bizz (Heroic Valour) and Avista finished strongly enough to just beat Mind Ya Bizz by a nose, with Dusty Bay solid in third.

Winning co-trainer Paul Messara is keen to give the talented mare another run, but will wait and see how she does, believing she will keep improving next preparation.

"We'll see how she comes through this. There are other races coming up for her," Messara said.

"I think this preparation, it's about targeting one more race like this and then giving her a little break, and I'd say the Autumn will be the time for her."

Winning jockey James McDonald thought the win was probably better than it looked.

"If I had my time again, she would have won more comfortably," McDonald said.

"Watching replays of lesser class, she's had some zip about her. Up in class today, back in trip a little bit, she was a bit flat-footed. It wasn't ideal."

Sales info: Avista is raced by Arrowfield Stud and Belford Productions after she was passed in short of her $250,000 reserve at the 2024 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.

Pedigree info: Avista is the fourth foal out of Phyllis Maud (Ire) (Halling {USA}), she was a four-time winning mare in Great Britain, and is a half-sister to the outstanding Hartnell (GB) (Authorized {Ire}).

Hartnell was a four-time Group 1 winner in Australia, and picked up 13 wins across Great Britain and Australia. Phyllis Maud is also a half-sister to the Listed winner Roz (GB) (Teofilo {Ire}), and the Listed placed duo of Dominetta (Zoustar), and Ursula (USA) (Tapit {USA}).

In recent years, Phyllis Maud has left a 3-year-old gelding by The Autumn Sun named Solar Enterprise, and has not produced a live-foal since but is due to foal to Paulele in early October.

Dusty is back in form and Foxbridge bound

The Graeme Cameron-trained 7-year-old gelding Dusty Road (NZ) (Shamexpress {NZ}) hasn’t been at his best this campaign, but he bounced back to form at Te Rapa to win over 1200 metres at Open Handicap level on Saturday, on the back of an impressive midweek trial win on the inside course at the same venue on Tuesday.

Bouncing back to form on a heavy track that he enjoys sets himself up for another tilt at the G2 Foxbridge Plate held at the same track and over the same distance in two weeks’ time, a race in which he ran a brave third at big odds in 2025.

It was a funny-run race with the small field contesting the 1200-metre sprint, with the favourite Bella Timing (NZ) (Time Test {GB}) initially taking the lead in the hands of apprentice jockey Tom Wigram, before Joe Doyle surged Dusty Road to share the lead at about the 600-metre mark.

Dusty Road took the lead at the 250-metre mark and scored softly in the end from Bella Timing, who ran second just over a length behind, while the consistent Little Bit Of Love (NZ) (Time Test {GB}) ran on the best of the rest in an on-pace race to run third.

Sales info: Graeme Cameron purchased Dusty Road privately from his breeder Sir Patrick and Lady Hogan.

Pedigree info: Dusty Road is out of the Cape Blanco (Ire) mare Valotia (NZ), who is a half-sister to the G3 Carbine Club winner Zacroona (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}).

Dusty Road’s grandam is the four-time winner Singalong (NZ) (Danasinga) who won the G2 Sir Tristram Fillies Classic, G3 Desert Gold Stakes and the G3 Hawke's Bay Guineas. She was also placed in the G1 New Zealand Oaks and the G1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas.

This is also the family of the Listed winning 2-year-olds Penny Arcade (NZ) (Straussbrook) and Al Strada (NZ) (Perfectly Ready).

In recent times, Valotia hasn’t had a lot of luck at stud but she does have a 4-year-old mare named Undertheboardwalk (NZ) (Preferment) who has placed twice from only three starts from the Robbie Patterson stable, and she looks hard to beat at Hawera on Sunday.