Eleven for Jollys in Premiership hunt
Richard and Chantelle Jolly have an army of eleven runners as they try to secure a third straight South Australian Metropolitan Trainer’s Premiership at Morphettville on Saturday.
Chantelle and Richard Jolly
They are currently tied for first on 43 metro wins each with Will Clarken and Niki O'Shea.
Written Tycoon debutant for Price stable
Co-trainer Mick Price is excited about taking his 2-year-old colt Public Attention (NZ) (Written Tycoon) to the races for the first time at Caulfield on Saturday. “He's a nice, big, grey colt,” Price, who trains in partnership with Michael Kent Jnr, told racing.com.
“Twelve hundred metres will suit, he'll come back off the speed a bit, it's always ambitious at this time of year to have a first starter, colt, in these races, but I didn't want to take him to the synthetic or anything less. I really like the horse, I think he's shown black-type ability, whether he can nail it on the day, I'm not sure.”
Danxia wins on debut
At Geelong on Friday, Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr trained 2-year-old colt Danxia (NZ) (El Roca) won on debut. An NZ$80,000 purchase for OTI Racing, Mick Price Racing, and Phill Cataldo Bloodstock (BAFNZ) from Westbury Stud, Danxia is by proven sire El Roca who has two Group 1 winners.
Danxia is out a winning half-sister to Group 2 winner Riva De Lago (Encosta De Lago).
Exotic Dancer wins on debut
Friday’s meeting at Canberra was a good one for trainer Gary Portelli who won with debutant 2-year-old filly Exotic Dancer (Russian Revolution) ridden by Jett Stanley. A $60,000 weanling purchase by Trilogy Racing, she is now owned by her trainer.
Presits to have first runner as trainer
On Sunday at Muswellbrook, jockey Julia Presits will be represented by her first runners as a trainer. “I used to train horses back in Sweden; I think I had 17 winners so it was something I loved,” Julia told racingnsw.com.au.
“I always wanted to train in Australia and my plan was to race ride just to get the experience on that side and then return to training. I was lucky enough to get a couple of winners in the city on Walkin'talkin' - the win at Warwick Farm was my highlight.”
Her first runners will be Hemsted (Exceed And Excel) and 2-year-old gelding Shalukey (Stratum Star).
Opal Ridge’s half-brother to debut on Sunday
Trainers Luke Pepper and Wayne Wilkes will debut trial winning 2-year-old gelding Platinum Ridge (Headwater) at Muswellbrook TAB meeting on Sunday. He is a half-brother to their Listed winner Opal Ridge (Rubick).
“He’s massively built, really impressive, we’ve had him in work previously but turned him out, he needed more time and management but lovely trial. He has trained on and it's time to see if he can take it to the races,” Pepper told racingnsw.com.au.
Hot favourite to stay unbeaten at Doomben
Trainer Tony Gollan’s promising 3-year-old colt Invincible Shield (I Am Invincible) is a short-priced favourite to stretch his unbeaten Queensland record to four at Doomben on Saturday. His full career record is three wins from six starts with all three wins being at his recent starts.
Invincible Shield as a yearling | Image courtesy of Inglis
“The favourite is probably the most promising three-year-old in Queensland and we’ll need a lot of luck from an awkward barrier to beat him,” David Vandyke told racingqueensland.com.au. He trains rival Bohemian Lad (Better Than Ready).
Wet track a concern for Minsk Moment in Bolton
Trainer Adam Durrant is concerned the wet track will be against Minsk Moment (I Am Invincible) in Saturday’s Listed Bolton Sprint. “I was happy with it (Beaufine), the thousand is not his go,” Durrant said on Tabradio.
“He didn’t get beaten far and his numbers were all good. His biggest hurdle is the soft track. He’s performed okay on soft tracks over east, but they weren’t real slow tracks. As far as I could see they were still running good times in those races. I don’t think he’s at his best until he gets on top of the ground. But, also, I don’t think I have the horse any better. I think he’s flying.”
Minsk Moment hasn’t won since January 2023, and he won a Listed race earlier that season. He ran fourth in the Listed Beaufine S. which was his first start since October 2023.
Marsh hopes to collect one more stakes race
Trainer Stephen Marsh is hoping 2-year-old filly Ortega (NZ) (Reliable Man {GB}) can provide one last black-type success for the season when she heads to Otaki as a leading contender for Saturday’s Listed Ryder S. The last start winner has had two starts.
Ortega (NZ) | Kenton Wright Race Images
“I thought that was a bloody brave win,” Marsh told Loveracing.nz. “It was a tough performance after being caught so wide on quite a testing track. She’s bounced through that race well and has had a nice five-week gap between races. I think she’s going into Saturday in good shape. She deserves to have a crack at some black type, and this looks a nice race to give her that opportunity.”
Mare raises funds for charity with win
Peter Didham-trained mare Kana (NZ) (Tivaci) carried the red-and-white spotted Cure Kids silks to victory on Friday with Loveracing.nz donating NZ$1000 to the charity. “Anything to support a charity is a good thing,” Didham said. “My owners were happy to do that for them (use the red nose day colours).
“I think she is a better mare in the spring. We saw a bit of brilliance from her last spring and that has always been the plan, to have a go at the $100,000 race, she can then come back home, have a couple of weeks off and then come back for the spring.” She has won five of her 20 starts.
€2.3-million colt wins on debut
Godolphin’s 2-year-old colt Ruling Court (Justify {USA}) caused a stir when knocked down for a sale-topping €2.3 million (AU$3.8million) at Arqana's Breeze-up sale in May and made another huge splash with an imperious performance on debut in Thursday's Martin Densham & Peter Deal Memorial British EBF Maiden S. at Sandown.
Ruling Court was introduced at odds of 12-1 for next year's G1 2000 Guineas while odds of 33-1 for the G1 Derby are also available.
Bedtime Story wins G3 Silver Flash S.
She was highly unlikely to be as impressive as at Royal Ascot and while Ballydoyle's Listed Chesham S.-winning 2-year-old filly Bedtime Story (Ire) (Frankel {GB}) wasn't as ruthless in Thursday evening's G3 Silver Flash S., her class duly told in Leopardstown's feature.
Aidan O'Brien, who was recording a 14th success in the seven-furlong contest, said, “I'm delighted with her, Ryan was delighted with her and said he didn't open her up. … I thought if she was well, she'd go for the G2 Debutante at The Curragh on the way to the G1 Moyglare.” Bedtime Story is unbeaten in three runs.
Too Darn Hot’s Hotazhell win G3 Tyros
Coming off a Curragh maiden success last month, the Silverton Hill Partnership's 2-year-old colt Hotazhell (GB) (Too Darn Hot {GB}) was on top at the end of Leopardstown's G3 Tyros S. to provide the Jessica Harrington stable with a double on Thursday.
“He'll go a mile, probably even this year. I don't think we'll go to the G1 National S., I'd say we'll wait for something over a mile in September. We've got two nice milers, and we'll keep them well apart,” said trainer Jessica Harrington.
Champion Istabraq dies aged 32
Istabraq (Ire) (Sadler’s Wells {USA}), the legendary three-time Champion Hurdle winner, has died at the age of 32 at JP McManus's Martinstown Stud in County Limerick.
Trained by Aidan O'Brien, Istabraq won three Champion Hurdles between 1998 and 2000, and endeared himself to the racing public with 25 victories under his belt. He also won the Royal Sun Alliance Novices' Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival in 1997.
No turf racing at Churchill Downs for September
The problematic, $10-million turf course that was installed at Churchill Downs prior to the 2022 spring season will be getting another maintenance break that will mean no grass racing in Louisville for the upcoming September 12-29 meet.
Exotic Dancer wins on debut
Friday’s meeting at Canberra was a good one for trainer Gary Portelli who won with debutant 2-year-old filly Exotic Dancer (Russian Revolution) ridden by Jett Stanley. A $60,000 weanling purchase by Trilogy Racing, she is now owned by her trainer.
