Team Hawkes unmask smart stayer

Wayne Hawkes is predicting a bright future for staying prospect Smokin' Pierro (Pierro), who broke his maiden with a strong performance at Kyneton on Friday

The talented 4-year-old swooped late to beat the well-supported favourite Zoology (Zizou) at his fourth start and Hawkes, who trains the gelding in partnership with his brother Michael and his father John, feels there is considerable upside.

"He's a nice progressive staying horse," Hawkes said. "From a staying point of view, he's still only lightly raced. He's still a young dumb kid, and he is doing this and his winning, and his form is very good. He's still got a hell of a lot to learn."

Out of the Galileo (Ire) mare, Gallant Tess, he has the pedigree to suggest that he will relish the step up in distance.

"He's going to make the grade as a stayer, providing he can stay and Pierro has obviously had the Derby winner (Levendi) and the Oaks winner (Pinot). He looks like he’ll stay this bloke. Hopefully, we can get him to a mile and half. "

Jockey James Winks backed up Hawkes' suggestion that Smokin' Pierro will be improved significantly from his first win.

"He was never ever comfortable at any stage and made every bend awkwardly. It wasn't until the last furlong that he actually galloped like a good horse," he said.

The Lanteri family, who raced Gallant Tess' G1 winning brother Smokin' Joey, also bred Smokin' Pierro.

Bonneval’s racing days over

Two-time New Zealand Horse of the Year Bonneval (NZ) (Makfi {GB}) has been retired with the expectation that she will be sold to begin the second phase of her career.

Current owners Alastair Lawrence, Terry Jarvis and John Rattray have savoured the mare’s brilliant career under the guidance of trainers Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman, but believe a sale is in everyone’s best interests.

“We are just working through our options at the moment,” Lawrence said. “None of us are breeders so we are working our way through it.

“The sale is a possible route we will take because we’re not in that game (breeding) and that’s a specialist game.

“It’s very tempting obviously with a mare of her quality, but being in the breeding game with only one mare carries with it a different set of risks.

In her Classic season, Bonneval won the G1 New Zealand Oaks and then crossed the Tasman to add the G1 Australian Oaks to her record.

She returned the following season to claim the G1 Underwood S., off the back of a first-up success in the G2 Dato Tan Chin Nam S.

The Underwood was to be her last win with injury troubles side-lining her and Bonneval has been a shadow of her former self in two runs in Melbourne this time around.

“I think that it’s apparent to us now that her heart is no longer in it. It looks like she has lost the will you need to compete at that level,” Lawrence said.

Bonneval has retired as the winner of seven races and earnings of nearly $1.6 million, an outstanding return on her purchase price of NZ150,000. She was bought out of Westbury Stud’s draft at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale at Karaka in 2015 and is a daughter of the Zabeel (NZ) mare Imposingly.

All six of her foals to race have been successful and also includes the Group 3 winners Full Of Spirit (Flying Spur), Lady Cumquat (Duke Of Marmalade {IRE}) and Imposing Lass (NZ) (Makfi {GB}).

Filly chasing Magic berth

Courseshewill (Unencumbered) will be assured of a start in the 2019 Magic Millions 2YO Classic if she remains unbeaten on Saturday.

A debut winner at Toowoomba, she is the only runner with race day experience in the Fillies’ Plate at Doomben.

“She is a nice filly and well bred. She did the job well first-up and provided I am still happy with her Saturday she can go around,” he said.

“If you have a Magic Millions horse you naturally look at that race, but I am not getting excited just yet.”

Courseshewill is a filly is raced by a syndicate headed by Birchley's biggest client Mark McLean.

They will also be represented by Queensland Horse of the Year Crack Me Up (Mossman) running at Flemington in the Listed Paris Lane S., on Saturday. He is being aimed at the G1 Kennedy Mile at Flemington on November 3.

Smart 3YO to Te Rapa

Group 1 contender Bit Lippy (NZ) (Showcasing) will make his next appearance at Te Rapa on October 22.

The 3-year-old recently opened his spring campaign at Avondale where he won for the second time in his career. Last term he landed the G3 Phoenix Park Classic and placed a further three times at black type level.

“He’s going to run in the Sarten Memorial and then off to Christchurch,” trainer Wayne Hillis said.

Bit Lippy’s target is the G1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand 2000 Guineas at Riccarton and the stable will also have Livin’ On A Prayer (NZ) (Redwood {GB}), another last start winner.

The 5-year-old will step out in the G3 Rich Hill Stud Taranaki Breeders’ S., on October 13 ahead of a tilt at the G2 Coupland’s Bakeries Mile.

Watch This Space (NZ) (Elusive City {USA}) booked his place in the travelling party to Christchurch with a return to winning ways in the Tavistock at Cambridge Stud H., at Tauranga on Friday.

“He’ll head down now, his first two runs weren’t as bad as they may have looked on paper,” Hillis said.

Filly continuing on Group 1 path

Riccarton-trained filly Emily Margaret will continue her Gr.1 gavelhouse.com New Zealand 1000 Guineas preparation when she runs in Saturday’s Inglewood Stud Guineas Trial (1400m) on her home track.

“She has improved a little bit and tightened up with those couple of runs,” co-trainer Kevin Hughes said.

“Hopefully, she will have tightened up enough now to go 1400m.”

A last-start winner of the Listed Canterbury Belle S., Emily Margaret will have a change of rider with the experienced Lisa Allpress taking over from apprentice Jasmine Fawcett.

Vale Elegant Fashion

Former Hong Kong Champion Elegant Fashion (Danewin) has died aged 20.

Elegant Fashion, who was bred at Emirates Park in Victoria, began her career in Australia, winning three races at Group 2 level before going to Hong Kong where she was successful in the 2003 G1 Hong Kong Derby.

She raced consistently at the top level in Hong Kong with several more Group 1 placings before returning to Australia to contest the 2004 Cox Plate and Mackinnon S.

She had six named foals, the best of which was Star Fashion (Street Cry {Ire}), who won at Group 3 level. There is also an unnamed 2yo filly by I am Invincible who sold for $400,000 at this year's Easter Sales.