Cover image courtesy of Ipswich Turf Club
Race-Day Recap
Smart mare Wollombi (Extreme Choice) showed she appreciates the ‘Queensland lifestyle’ bouncing back to form in the Listed Gai Waterhouse Classic and providing an instant return to the Panthalassa Syndicate, who paid $500,000 for the 4-year-old at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale.
Tony Sears was proud to stand alongside his daughter, Maddysen Sears, as she cheered Red Wave (Red Dazzler) to victory in the Listed Ipswich Cup.
Casino Prince mare, Casino Princess is building a tidy record, with her sixth victory and first stakes success from 12 starts.
Talented filly, The Black Cloud (Shamus Award) celebrated her fifth career success and first outside of New South Wales at Flemington on Saturday.
Consistent mare Brazen Lady (Brazen Beau) won the fifth race of her career at Flemington in a visually effortless performance.
After ruining many a multi last start at Flemington, Craig (Territories) was back in the good books with punters, winning comfortably at Flemington.
Wollombi from the clouds
Debuting in the bottle green colours of Yulong, and having her first start for Queensland’s premier trainer, Tony Gollan, Wollombi ridden by Vlad Duric came from the clouds to nab her stablemate Bezique (Spirit Of Boom) with the ever-consistent Party For Two (Sidestep) finishing third.
Gollan told 7HorseRacing, “It has been a great day of racing. We had a big team in the last (Gai Waterhouse Classic) and it was great to secure the quinella.
“I’ll talk to the Yulong team about Wollombi. I’m not sure what they want to or where her future lies but I’m very grateful for the team to give me this mare to prepare. Not often do you get a horse like Wollombi lob up in your stable, so I’m thrilled to win any race in those colours.”
Wollombi was a $200,000 purchase by Snowden Racing from the draft of Kingstar Farm at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. Trained by Peter and Paul Snowden, the daughter of Extreme Choice won the G3 Vanity S. and was placed in the Listed Mona Lisa S.
“It has been a great day of racing. We had a big team in the last (Gai Waterhouse Classic) and it was great to secure the quinella.” - Tony Gollan
She is the first foal from Hazlebrook, a winning daughter of Hinchinbrook. Her second foal, a colt by Winning Rupert was sent to Singapore and named Blackbuck, he’s also a winner. Meanwhile Hazlebrook’s third foal, Onemoretwomany (Tassort) has won twice as a 2-year-old from four starts, and was fourth in the Listed Supremacy S.
Hazlebrook foaled a colt by Tiger Of Malay, a Group 2-winning son of Extreme Choice, in August. She was then returned to Extreme Choice last spring.
“It's All Maddy”: Emotional triumph for Red Wave in Ipswich Cup
Emotional scenes unfolded after Red Wave (Red Dazzler) clinched victory in Saturday's Listed Ipswich Cup. The father-daughter training duo of Tony and Maddysen Sears celebrated a sensational carnival, with Maddysen taking the spotlight for her pivotal role in the victory of the 5-year-old son of Red Dazzler.
Ridden by Angela Jones, Red Wave showcased grit and determination to fend off challenges from London Banker (NZ) (Tavistock {NZ}) and Encoder (Encryption), sealing a Queensland sweep.
“He’s very, very special,” Maddysen Sears shared with 7HorseRacing in the aftermath of Red Wave’s triumph at Ipswich.
Tony Sears added, “I’m very proud to have my daughter standing next to me. She’s been very confident all week. We thought getting back on a good track would help. But look, all I want is Maddy to do well and she’s done it. It’s all Maddy.”
Reflecting on the victory, Maddysen Sears said, “Red Wave is one I do all the work with. It’s very exciting, and also he’s a half-brother to my first horse, Exondabeach. I thought this was his race to win, he trialled enormously on Tuesday, and I’ve been very confident; maybe too confident!”
“I’m very proud to have my daughter standing next to me. She’s been very confident all week. We thought getting back on a good track would help... She’s done it. It’s all Maddy.” - Tony Sears
Bred by R J Webster and raced by JM Webster along with his co-trainer, Red Wave marks the eighth stakes victory for the retired stallion Red Dazzler. The 5-year-old gelding is out of the Sandpit (Brz) mare Sandy Shore, who herself won seven races.
Lightly raced Princess upstages rivals in Classic
Vinery’s proven sire, Casino Prince, celebrated his 24th individual stakes winner with his lightly raced daughter Casino Princess (NZ) upstaging the favoured Malt Time (Adelaide {Ire}) in the Listed Tauranga Classic.
Trained by Cliff Goss, Casino Princess, ridden by Jasmine Fawcett, was 2.5l ahead of the Group 1-placed Malt Time, with Wessex (NZ) (Turn Me Loose {NZ}) finishing third in the 1400-metre feature for fillies and mares.
Casino Princess dominates Saturday's Listed Team Wealleans Tauranga Classic | Image courtesy of Kenton Wright (Race Images)
Bred by J R Orr and raced by her trainer and D J Heaphy, Casino Princess came into Saturday’s event in good form, having won her last start at Arawa Park. The 5-year-old mare now boasts six victories from 12 starts, marking her first stakes success.
Casino Princess is the second foal from the Thorn Park mare Sonsy (NZ), who won twice. Her third foal, Guitar Man (NZ) (Zacinto {GB}), is also a winner. Casino Princess has some regal relatives, with her pedigree including the Champion Mare Empire Rose (NZ) (Sir Tristram {Ire}), victress of the G1 Melbourne Cup and G1 LKS Mackinnon S.
Furthermore, this is the family of the G1 Queensland Derby winner Empires Choice. Casino Prince stands at Vinery Stud for a 2024 fee of $5500 (inc GST).
The Black Cloud storms at Flemington
Joseph Pride’s progressive filly, The Black Cloud (Shamus Award) is building a formidable record and added a new string to her bow with her first run outside New South Wales, a success!
The Black Cloud tackled the Flemington straight on Saturday, with regular partner, Jay Ford in the saddle, she bounced back from an unlucky second at Randwick last start to record a comfortable victory in the 1100-metre event.
Finishing in the placings was the Phillip Stokes-trained Prinzerro (Pierro) and Wallenda (Trapeze Artist) from the Ciaron Maher stable. The Black Cloud, bred by G and C Pastoral, has won five of her seven starts and was a $100,000 purchase by Proven Thoroughbreds and Pride Racing from the draft of Golden Grove at the 2022 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.
Her dam, the Krupt mare Containment, won four races. The Black Cloud is her first foal, Containment has a yearling filly by Doubtland, and foaled a colt by Impending last spring before returning to that dual Group 1-winning son of Lonhro.
Brazen floats at Flemington
Mathew Ellerton had dual-nominated Brazen Lady (Brazen Beau) for a BM70 contest at Sale on the upcoming Wednesday. However, he made the right call by running the 4-year-old mare at Flemington in the BM90 restricted to fillies and mares.
Brazen Lady, ridden by Joe Bowditch, hit the front at Flemington and was strong through the line, holding Belle Savoir (Not A Single Doubt) to a 1.25l margin, with Electric Impulse (Cable Bay {Ire}) finishing strongly after a few hold-ups.
Bowditch told Racing.com, “She’s racing very consistently around this distance (1400 metres). She stepped up to 1600 metres a few starts back and had the perfect run but just didn’t quite get it.
“However, returned to 1400 metres today (Saturday), she was very sharp. Mathew has done a fantastic job with her because she’s been in for a while, and I think there’s still enough in the tank for her to have a crack at the final here at Flemington in a few weeks.
“It was pretty effortless for her today. When she went past them, she wanted to float a bit. But I’ll leave it to Mat.”
“She’s (Brazen Lady) racing very consistently around this distance (1400 metres). She stepped up to 1600 metres a few starts back and had the perfect run but just didn’t quite get it.” - Joe Bowditch
Bred by Contract Racing, Brazen Lady is the first foal from the Lookin’ At Lucky (USA) mare Look At Me, who won three races.
She is a half-sister to Crown Prosecutor (Medaglia D’Oro {USA}), a victor of the G1 New Zealand Derby, and the G1 Australasian Oaks-placed Ripper Rita (Street Boss {USA}).
Brazen Lady hails from an outstanding family that includes the Group 1 winner River Dove and her Group 2-winning son, Headwater, the G1 Champagne S. victor Captivant, and the Group 3-placed Warby (Hellbent), who finished second at Ipswich on Saturday.
Brazen Lady with her strapper | Image courtesy of Barastoc
Look At Me has a raced gelding by Highland Reel (Ire) named Loch Tay, and a yearling filly by Frosted (USA). She missed to Dirty Work last season but was served by Widden Stud’s exciting dual Group 1 winner Jacquinot last spring.
Craig Makes Amends
The simply named Craig (GB) (Territories {Ire}) has made quite the impression since his arrival in Australia. Trained by Cranbourne-based Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young, Craig was an easy 4.25l victor at Bendigo on his Australian debut.
He then headed to Flemington for his last start, where he was, in what could be described as a ‘sick beat,’ narrowly defeated by Rise At Dawn (NZ) (Almanzor {Fr}). However, all was forgiven on Saturday as Craig returned to Flemington and emerged a comfortable winner of Race 3 over 1620 metres.
Partnered by Luke Currie, Craig exacted his revenge over Rise At Dawn, while the hulking Red Galaxy (Stratum Star) finished third.
Co-trainer Natalie Young joined Racing.com after the success and said, “We had a plan to go forward to try and take what happened last start out of the equation. Also, we got a barrier (5) today and we thought we’d use it.
“He jumped and put himself there, he took a couple of strides to get going but ended up in a great spot. Rise At Dawn got the bunny on us last start, and we had to do a bit of work to catch him, and nearly did. Whereas today, we were there to bounce when we needed to.
“I thought it was a great effort. He’s a nice horse with plenty of upside. You’ve got the Winter Final here on July 6 at a mile, but I think he can stretch out to 2000 metres. He’s going to be a really exciting horse for our stable in the spring.
Natalie Young
“He’s a very cruisy horse, and he goes out and gallops and never sets the world on fire, and you always look at him and think he’s a little bit fat because of that, but he’s very easy.”
The Northern Hemisphere-bred 3-year-old was a 10,000gns (AU$20,000) purchase from the 2022 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale (Book 3) by Adam Potts and Donovan Bloodstock. His dam, Travel Writer (Ire), an unraced daughter of New Approach (Ire), is from the Listed-placed mare Grain Of Truth (GB) (Gulch {USA}), who finished fourth in Group 2 company.
Travel Writer has three foals to race, producing two winners. Her latest foal, a colt by Ardad (Ire), was a £40,000 (AU$76,100) purchase by JS Bloodstock and Middelham Park Racing at the 2024 Goffs UK Breeze Up Sale.
