So You Think’s stakes double
Taking the G3 Liverpool City Cup at Randwick on Saturday afternoon was Joe Pride’s 4-year-old gelding Think About It (So You Think {NZ}), who extended his winning streak to four races, capturing his first at stakes level. He won in dominant style from the front, scoring by 1.55l over Godolphin’s Gravina (Sebring).
Think About It extended his winning streak to four in the G3 Liverpool City Cup at Randwick | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Think About It provided his Coolmore sire So You Think (NZ) with a 49th stakes winner, the 48th coming earlier in the day at Sandown when 6-year-old Right You Are continued the form this Autumn that has seen him victorious in his last four starts by winning Saturday’s Listed Ladbrokes Gold Cup over 2100 metres.
Partnered by Ethan Brown, the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained gelding held his rivals at bay crossing the post 1.25l the best of G1 Melbourne Cup hero Vow And Declare (Declaration Of War {USA}) in second and Amade (Casamento {Ire}) hitting the line third 2.75l away.
Mendelssohn off the mark in Australia
Coolmore’s Mendelssohn (USA), who shuttled to Australia for just one season in 2019, notched his first Southern Hemisphere winner on Saturday when Felix The Scat opened his account at Doomben.
Trained by Peter and Will Hulbert, the juvenile colt scored by an impressive 4.17l in the handicap company over 1350 metres, his third start.
A son of Scat Daddy (USA), Mendelssohn was a winner of the G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf and as a 3-year-old won the G2 UAE Derby at Meydan by 18.5l in course record time.
Espiona bounces back
Saturday saw Chris Waller’s much vaunted 4-year-old mare Espiona (Extreme Choice) bounce back to the form that saw her attract many accolades earlier in her career. By winning the G3 Mannerism S, at Sandown, Espiona recorded her fourth career victory and third stakes victory from eleven starts.
In a tight finish, Epsiona beat the progressive Toregene (Mongolian Khan {NZ}) by 1l with Forbidden City (I Am Invincible) 1.5l away.
Winning rider Jye McNeil said he felt she was most effective when “Ridden with a bit of cover…”
Espiona bounces back to form in the G3 Mannerism S. at Sandown-Lakeside | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
With the victory prompting questions of whether Espiona is better on Melbourne’s left-handed tracks, stable representative Jo Taylor said: “In reports from Sydney, Espiona had been working very well the left-hand way of galloping. She certainly showed she quite likes Victoria.”
Espiona carries the well-known colours of Star Thoroughbreds and was a $190,000 purchase by Denise Martin’s syndication company and Randwick Bloodstock Agency (FBAA) from Torryburn Stud’s draft at the 2020 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Progressive Recommendation takes G3 Zeditave
Ciaron Maher and David Eustace’s 3-year-old Shalaa (Ire) gelding Recommendation recorded his first stakes win in Saturday’s G3 Zeditave S. at Sandown-Lakeside.
Recommendation won by 0.3l with Wee Nessy (Snitzel) in second, a dead-heat for third was decided in the stewards' room after a protest was lodged between Rich Fortune (Rich Enuff) and Spacewalk (Exosphere), with the stewards rewarding the filly Rich Fortune the valuable stakes placing.
Reccomendation puts up a fight to win the G3 Zeditave S. at Sandown-Lakeside | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
The victory brought Recommendation’s career stats to four wins for six starts, and winning rider John Allen said: “(It was a) tough, honest win - very in form.”
Recommendation provided his Arrowfield Stud-based sire Shalaa with an 11th stakes winner, his progeny headed by G1 Matron S. winner No Speak Alexander (Ire), trained in Ireland by Jessica Harrington. Shalaa was also responsible for a further three winners across Australia on Saturday.
Hope In Your Heart onwards to bigger targets
Four-year-old Dundeel (NZ) mare Hope In Your Heart recorded her first Group 2 success in Saturday’s Guy Walter S. at Royal Randwick, the mare having already won two Group 3 contests earlier in her career.
Hope In Your Heart maintains a good start to the Autumn for Arrowfield resident Dundeel who recorded a stakes double last weekend.
Hope In Your Heart records her first Group 2 success in the Guy Walter S. at Randwick | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
Winning trainer Kerry Parker told Thoroughbred Central: “She’s got a huge heart; they’ve named her really well. She’s got plenty of it. She had to push her way out there today, which was really tough, and once she got to the outside, I thought it’s game over.”
Bred and retained by Alex and Deidre Illes, Parker said the Group 1 Coolmore Classic is in the sights for Hope In Your Heart.
Frankel mare to the fore in Peter Young Stakes
Well-bred 5-year-old mare Steinem (Frankel {GB}) won the G2 Peter Young S. over 1800 metres, at Sandown on Saturday.
Steinmen denied stablemate and returning Melbourne Cup hero Gold Trip (Fr) (Outstrip {GB}) by 0.3l, with Keats (Galileo {Ire}) 0.5l away in third.
Steinem wins the G2 Peter Young S. at Sandown-Lakeside | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Winning co-trainer Ciaron Maher told Racing.com: “That the idea was to have her ready for the Australian Cup,” adding that despite two months between runs the mare had retained “good residual fitness.”
Steinmen was a $400,000 purchase by Ciaron Maher Racing at the 2019 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale when offered by Esker Lodge.
Highland Jakk takes Lord Reims
Highland Jakk (NZ) (Jakkalberry {Ire}) took home the Lord Reims S. at Morphettville. Trained by Robert Hickmott, the 6-year-old gelding was winning his first stakes race, and his sixth race overall.
He was a NZ$25,000 purchase by his trained at the 2018 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale, and is out of Alessandra (Golan {Ire}), a dual winner. He becomes the fourth stakes winner for his sire.
Rejuvenated Colorado Star wins again
Colorado Star (NZ) (Alamosa {NZ}) claimed his second consecutive stakes victory by winning Saturday’s Listed Matamata Veterinary Services Kaimai S over 2000 metres
The Mike Breslin-trained 7-year-old had started his career as an outstanding sprinter-miler winning five of his first 14 starts at distances from 1200 metres up to 1600 metres.
Colorado Star (NZ) claims his second consecutive stakes victory in the Listed Kaimai S. at Matamata | Image courtesy of Trish Dunell
Mike Breslin told NZ Racing Desk: “Colorado Star had him wondering if he still wanted to be a racehorse,” however a change of tactics have sparked a rejuvenation in form.
Colorado Star was bred and retained by Bill Gleeson at his Wellfield Lodge.
Western Australia's stakes action
A trio of Listed events headed Ascot’s card on Saturday in Western Australia. The Lex Piper S. for 3-year-olds was captured by All The King’s Men (King’s Troop) on Saturday, a second stakes win for the gelding trained by Trevor Andrews who was a $45,000 purchase at the 2021 Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale for his trainer.
The Ascot 1000 Guineas (1800 metres) went the way of Admiration Express (My Admiration), trained by Jason Miller, who was already a winner of the G3 WA Champion Fillies’ S. for his Westbury Park-based sire. Admiration Express was a $60,000 purchase at the 2021 Magic Millions Perth Yearling Sale for her trainer.
The Listed Detonator S. was won by Lou Luciani’s prolific gelding Marocchino (Maschino), who has now won 12 races in 46 starts, with prizemoney of over $1.1 million.
Imperatriz heading to Randwick
Te Akau Racing reported on Saturday that their star mare Imperatriz (I Am Invincible) will fly to Sydney this week to contest the G1 Canterbury S. at Royal Randwick on March 4.
Imperatriz | Image courtesy of Trish Dunell
Imperatriz, a last start winner of the G1 BCD Sprint at Te Rapa on February 11, recording her overall fourth career Group 1, looks poised to make an impact in the upcoming features this Autumn.
Zoustar colt wins on debut at Turfway Park
Moonstrike (GB), a 3-year-old colt by Zoustar, won on debut Friday evening at Turfway Park (USA).
The colt trained by prominent local trainer Wesley Ward is out of winning mare Wind Fire (Distorted Humor {USA}). Moonstrike was bred by the Wind Fire Syndicate, but is raced by Qatar Racing who hold an interest in Zoustar.
Moonstrike becomes the second North American winner for Zoustar, joining 3-year-old filly Stars On Fire (Ire), also trained by Wesley Ward.
Alcohol Free arrives in Australia
Alcohol Free (No Nay Never {USA}), who sold for 5,400,000 gns (AU$10.6 million) last year as part of Tattersall December Mare Sale’s new Sceptre Sessions to BBA Ireland’s Michael Donohoe, arrived in Australia on Saturday.
The mare arrived in Australia on Saturday, and by all reports has settled in well at Canterbury Park as advised in an update from the Australian Turf Club.
A four-time Group 1 winner for Andrew Balding in the UK, Alcohol Free showed versatility by winning a Group 1 in her juvenile season before training on to win the G1 Sussex S. over a mile in 2021. 2022 saw her add the G1 July Cup (1200 metres) to her CV.
No Autumn targets have been set in stone by Alcohol Free’s new trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott.
Hawke's Bay Relief Fund extended
With the ongoing issues affecting the Hawke's Bay region, New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing has decided to extend its appeal for at least another fortnight.
Love Racing NZ reported that feedback from Hawke's Bay and other affected areas is that the equine community needs remain ongoing and significant.
To date the public donations fund is approaching NZ$50,000 on top of the initial NZ$50,000 allotted by NZTR and significant contribution from Dunstan Horsefeeds.
Bruce Sharrock, CEO New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing told Love Racing NZ: “This fund was initially planned to end on Friday, February 24 but with feedback that there is still an ongoing need and with the very generous donations still coming in, we believe that the fund should remain open.”
