Explosive performance
Explosive Witness became the 17th individual black-type winner for Star Witness when he landed the G3 Bauhinia Sprint Trophy at Sha Tin.
The son of the Widden Stud stallion is prepared by Caspar Fownes and was ridden by Alexis Badel to the fifth win of his 15-start career.
He won on debut at Moonee Valley as a 2-year-old for trainer Greg Eurell before his sale to Hong Kong owner Connie Siu Kim.
Allpress honoured
Racing has been a great joy of star jockey Lisa Allpress' life, so recognition in the New Year's honours’ list, she says, is especially humbling.
A six-time Group 1 winner, Allpress has been made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to the racing industry, an accolade she is immensely proud of.
"I'm really humbled by it. I've had a long conversation with Mum and she's so proud of me. It goes back to all that support, all the hours Mum and Dad put into me and my riding from a young age - and I'm just so grateful for my massive family support.
"These days my husband Karl and my boys Josh and Angus are my biggest supporters, but I've had the total support of our friends and so many people in the racing industry as well and that's been instrumental in my success."
Allpress has won the National Jockeys’ Premiership on four occasions and has ridden in Hong Kong, England, Japan and Singapore and in 2020 became the first female rider to win a race in Saudi Arabia.
Mare continues to bloom
Tralee Rose (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) continued her rise through the staying ranks with an effortless win in Friday’s Listed Bagot H. at Flemington.
The 4-year-old, who had been successful in three of her previous four starts, jogged along in third sport before rider Craig Williams let the brakes go at the top of the straight and she careered away to score by 7l.
Tralee Rose (NZ)
“I’m really happy for everyone involved and it looks like we’ve got a nice horse. I’m maybe thinking of the G2 Adelaide Cup and the Listed Andrew Ramsden S. would be another nice race,” trainer Symon Wilde said.
“She is still a developing mare and I think next spring you will see a much better horse.”
Surgenor comes up roses
A wide draw and a step up in class couldn’t hold down underrated mare Showoroses (NZ) (Showcasing {GB}) as she led from go to whoa to take out the G2 Rich Hill Mile at Ellerslie.
The Joanne Surgenor-trained 4-year-old had employed similar tactics against her own sex when taking out the G2 Cal Isuzu S. at Te Rapa last month.
Showoroses (NZ)
“She is just a wee star. She got to the front, travelled and then kicked away. I was a little concerned that Amarula may have gone to the front, but he didn’t get there so it worked out perfectly for us,” Surgenor said.
“This has been one of my dream races to win, as I’ve had a couple in before and never won it, so this is just amazing. Her last win was a Group 2, the biggest of my career and now she has made it two in a row so how good is that!”
Bred and raced by former Auckland Racing Club Director Peter Walker and his wife Sherin, Showoroses is fashioning an enviable record at Ellerslie having won twice and been placed another three times from just seven starts at the venue.
Repeat Guineas result
The successful association of trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott and Hermitage Thoroughbreds picked off another feature event when Rocket Spade (Fastnet Rock) won the G2 Skycity Auckland Guineas.
Twelve months ago they won the race with Dragon Leap (Pierro), who went on to run fourth in the G1 New Zealand Derby and it’s a path Rocket Spade is also to follow.
“He’s bred to run a mile and a-half so at this stage he’s on target. It’s a way off yet, but Andrew and I have got a ticket in the lottery,” O’Sullivan said.
Rocket Spade hadn’t raced since he finished an unlucky fifth in the G1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas and the lack of a lead-up run didn’t trouble the colt. He sprinted quickly in the straight to account for Jason Belltree (NZ) (Ferlax {NZ}).
Rocket Spade
Golden prospect
Gold Watch (NZ) (Swiss Ace) stamped himself as a rising star when he remained unbeaten this preparation with victory at Ellerslie.
The 4-year-old followed up wins at Tauranga and Te Rapa with a storming late finish to land the Auckland Co-Op Taxis 1400 to make it three successes from four appearances.
“I didn’t think he could win on the corner, but he just keeps on improving and I think he will be a top horse in the autumn,” part-owner and trainer Cliff Goss said.
“I’ll give him a week on the walker and then get him ready for Te Rapa on February 13 and he’ll have a break after that.”
Grade 1 winner to stud
Tiz The Law (USA), winner of the GI Belmont S. and GI Runhappy Travers S., has been retired from racing and will stand at Coolmore America’s Ashford Stud .
“The entire Tiz The Law team is deeply disappointed that Tiz The Law will be unable to race as a 4-year-old as planned,” said Jack Knowlton, Operating Manager of Sackatoga Stable. “He has provided the 35 owners a unique opportunity to compete and succeed at the highest level of thoroughbred racing.
“His impressive victory in the GI Travers at Saratoga was particularly rewarding for the Saratoga-based stable. Sackatoga Stable is looking forward to the next chapter of his career as a stallion.”
The four-time Grade I winner will now join two other Belmont S. winners from the last five years at Ashford, which also stands Triple Crown winners American Pharoah (USA) and Justify (USA) at Ashford Stud where he will stand at US$40,000 (AU$51,900).
Tiz The Law (USA)
New Year honours
British Horseracing Authority Chief Executive Nick Rust has been honoured with an OBE for his service to the sport of horse racing.
Rust stepped down from his post on January 1 after nearly six years in the role and dealt with a range of issues, including changes to the Levy, presiding over a review of buying/selling bloodstock, the increasingly important improvements to horse welfare, increasing diversity and inclusion in the sport of horse racing in the UK and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Jumps jockey Bob Champion was awarded a CBE for his charitable services to prostate and testicular cancer research.
