Climbing Star skips Champions Sprint for Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes
Trainer Philip Stokes skipped the G1 Champions Sprint with Climbing Star (NZ) (Zoustar) in favour of Saturday's G1 Sir Rupert Clarke S. at Caulfield. “Although we're keeping her fresh for the shorter trips, I thought she was just looking for a bit further, so she'll run in the Rupert Clarke,” Stokes told racing.com.
Climbing Star (NZ) | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
Climbing Star won the G1 Robert Sangster S. last autumn, but was ninth last start in the G3 Sydney S.
Te Akau’s Stage ‘N’ Screen set for G1 Thousand Guineas
Te Akau Racing will run last start Listed runner Stage ‘N’ Screen (NZ) (Ace High) in Saturday’s G1 Thousand Guineas at Caulfield. “It didn't work out at all for her at Flemington,” Te Akau's Melbourne representative Ben Gleeson told racenet.com.au.
“I guess stepping from a Seymour maiden to stakes company, against the boys was a big ask, but I thought through the line was her best work. She was probably stiff not to run third, but she showed us she was worthy of running over a mile.” She has had just the two starts, a debut win and fourth in the Listed The Amanda Elliot S.
Charm Stone steps up to Group 1 company again
Saturday’s G1 Sir Rupert Clarke S. will see seven figure yearling Charm Stone (I Am Invincible) run at that level for the first time since running fifth in the 2023 G1 Golden Rose. “I think she'll show up. I know it's a Group 1, but she was very, very competitive in the Golden Rose,” co-trainer Mick Price told racenet.com.au.
Charm Stone | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“She chipped her knee that day, in that race.” Charm Stone resumed a year later this spring in the G3 Northwood Plume S. for seventh, then ran third last start in the G3 Rising Fast S. Winner of three of her eight starts, she was a $1.55 million purchase by Sheamus Mills Bloodstock (FBAA) from Emirates Park at the 2022 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
Cannonball hits the sunshine state
Cannonball (Capitalist) has been transferred to trainer Tony Gollan after two poor runs following his poor Royal Ascot performance. “You don't get many horses that have been to Royal Ascot up here, the signs are good so far. I have been really pleased with him so far, he only has had the one jump-out, not two, that's why we worked him up between races on Saturday,” Gollan told racenet.com.au.
“He profiles very similar to a lot of horses we have gotten in the past and we have had luck with them.” Cannonball went to Royal Ascot as a stakes winning 4-year-old entire, but finished last in the G1 King’s Stand S., then lost his rider in the G1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee S. Since then he’s had two starts with long spells between each, but now lines up for Gollan on Saturday at the Sunshine Coast.
Coal Crusher to defend The Hunter title
He may not have won since last year’s The Hunter, but trainer Joe Pride thinks Coal Crusher (Turffontein) can do it again on Saturday. “Coal Crusher will definitely go to The Hunter. It was a disaster what happened last start, they went cutthroat (speed), and he can certainly bounce back,” Pride told racenet.com.au.
Coal Crusher | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
The Newcastle Race Club is offering race goers a chance to purchase a share, via MyRacehorse, in 2-year-old colt Newy (Flying Artie). “Those who choose to buy a piece of Newy will not only receive a portion of the prizemoney in their MyRacehorse wallet, they will also go into a ballot to receive race day tickets and the opportunity to get right in the thick of the action in the mounting yard on a race day,” said CEO Duane Dowell in a press release.
“There will be additional owner’s events, training reports and Newy video updates with exclusive insights and content from Kris Lee’s Racing.”
Around the Nation: Monday’s highlights
With Lismore abandoned due to the track deteriorating with the weather, there were only three meetings in Australia on Monday. At Scone, 3-year-old You Think You Know (So You Think {NZ}) won on debut, while at Warrnambool, 3-year-old colt Perfect Excuse (Justify {USA}) did the same. Perfect Excuse was part of a four-win day for jockey John Allen, who also won on Matrooshi (Pride Of Dubai), 3-year-old gelding Rubiquity (Rubick) and Eddystone (Jpn) (Heart’s Cry {Jpn}).
Unusual challenge for mare who won after having a foal
When trainer Darryll Kell won with 6-year-old mare Mahogany Girl (Mshawish {USA}), it didn’t look like much on paper, but the achievement is a unique one and now she runs again on Tuesday at Hawkesbury. “Mahogany Girl had a colt foal by Peltzer in October last year,” Kell told racingnsw.com.au.
“She is a natural athlete, and the Robertsons were keen to see if she could make it back to the racetrack. My goal was to achieve that, so what she has done already has been a real bonus. I have given her time between her 4YO & Up Maiden Handicap (1300m) win last month and tomorrow’s race, and her work at Hawkesbury last Saturday week was very strong. Being a 6-year-old mare with only four starts, she is still learning and I’m still learning about her. She hasn’t gone backwards and in fact has come on since the win.
“It’s never easy going straight from winning a Maiden to winning a Class 1 next start, but both Chad and myself are happy with her. The topweight (C’mon Mate) looks the one we have to beat.”
Mahogany Girl ran third on debut as a 3-year-old, then had nearly three years off with an injury, producing a colt by Peltzer in 2023. Since returning to the track, she ran third, then second, before winning her last start to take her record to a win and three placings from four starts.
Lindsay Park target Perth Cup
The Hayes brothers at Lindsay Park will send Group 2 winner Apulia (Fiorente {Ire}) to the Perth Cup on New Year’s Day, following his third placing at Flemington on Melbourne Cup Day. “We think it’s a beautiful race for him,” JD Hayes told TABradio.
Apulia | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
“We need him to run one more time before we go. He’s one we really want to take to Perth. Second-up after a long time and it was a harder run race than what we thought, thanks to the stablemate (Makram). He’s pulled up well. He will go to the Eclipse at Cauflield.”
He won the G2 Moonee Valley Vase at three before running second to Riff Rocket (American Pharoah {USA}) in the G1 Victoria Derby.
Pike has another good mare with Acquarello
Acquarello (Written Tycoon) has her first black type opportunity in the G3 Windsor Park Stud Canterbury Breeders’ S. on Wednesday for trainer Tony Pike. “She is going really well and got caught wide at Ellerslie and it might have just been a bit on the firm side for her,” Pike told Loveracing.nz.
“She has come back in great order and she maps to get a nice trip in a smallish field, I think she’ll be right in the finish.” The 5-year-old mare ran third last start at Ellerslie.
Group 1 performer runs for emotional reasons on Wednesday
Group 1-performing miler Matscot (NZ) (Haradasun) is a force to be reckoned with on his home turf, and on Wednesday, the gelding will contest the G3 TAB Mile at Riccarton. “He went really well in the (G1) Arrowfield, we thought he might just get up for second, but his run was good,” co-trainer Sharon Robertson, who trains with Alan Reeves, told Loveracing.nz.
Matscot (NZ) | Image courtesy of Race Images South
“He came back, had a week in the paddock and he’s just bouncing around. We always had in mind that we wanted to come back for the TAB Mile, that was the plan if everything worked out and he’s got in at a good weight.”
The trainers, who part-own Matscot, have dedicated the run to fellow owner Ross Falloon, who sadly passed in late September, just days before Matscot powered to a game third in the G1 Arrowfield Stud Plate at Matamata. Falloon, who was less of an owner, and more like a family member to the pair. “It would be nice if Ross was still here to watch him, but that’s who we’re doing it for,” Robertson said. “It’s still pretty raw and emotional, he was like a second dad, an extra family member. He was always there for me. It would be very special to get this win for him.”
Keeneland Book 4 topped by pair of $200,000 lots
A pair of horses–a weanling colt by McKinzie (USA) and the broodmare Thrill (USA) (Candy Ride {Arg}), in foal to champion Up to the Mark (USA)–both sold for US$200,000 (AU$303,000) to post the highest price of Sunday's sixth session of the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale.
During the session, 270 horses sold through the ring for US$9,642,400 (AU$14.5 million) which increased 6.62 per cent from the sixth session last year when 285 horses brought US$9,044,100 (AU$13.6 million). The average rose 12.54 per cent from US$31,734 (AU$48,000) to US$35,713 (AU$54,100), and the median of US$25,000 (AU$38,000) is 8.7 per cent above US$23,000 (AU$35,000) last year.
Keeneland cumulatively has sold 1,325 horses through the ring for US$172,995,900 (AU$262 million), for an average of US$130,563 (AU$197,000), up 7.65 per cent on 2023, and a median of US$72,000 (AU$109,000) up 10.77 per cent on the same time in 2023.
