Bowman, Rawiller Still On Orange Wishlist

Monday, 28 November 2011 06:29

Rain spoiled the party for Orange race fans but officials remain hopeful they can attract top Sydney jockeys Hugh Bowman and Nash Rawiller to the country NSW track.

Bowman and Rawiller were set to ride at Racing Orange's TAB meeting last Friday but wet weather forced the fixture to be postponed until Monday.

The two high-profile jockeys were also booked for mounts at the re-scheduled meeting until it was abandoned.

"I've spoken to the committee member that has been dealing with Nash and Hugh and he said both jockeys are happy to help the club again if it can be scheduled for a time when they are free," Racing Orange's executive officer Kyle Manning said.

"They've made no promises but they have been fantastic.

"It would have been great to have had them out here. Not only did they make themselves available to ride here last Friday but they would have been available to come out today (Monday).

"They put their schedules on hold for us and we appreciate that."

Bowman hails from the NSW country town of Dunedoo and rode many winners at Orange during his apprenticeship.

Between them, Rawiller and Bowman have won the past three Sydney jockeys' premierships.

O'Shea Beefing Up 2012 Team

Sunday, 27 November 2011 03:16

Top colt Foxwedge narrowly missed out on a Group One win during the spring but he will be given the chance to rectify that in the major Melbourne sprints.

The winner of the Group Two Roman Consul Stakes, Foxwedge failed by a head to reel in benchmark colt Sepoy in the Coolmore Stud Stakes on Derby Day.

But his liking for the straight course at Flemington has trainer John O'Shea planning a return trip early next year.

Foxwedge will soon begin a preparation aimed at the Group One sprint double of the Lightning Stakes (1000m) on February 18 and Newmarket Handicap on March 10.

"The people at the place where he is spelling are very happy with him," O'Shea said.

"He will go to the Lightning and the Newmarket in Melbourne."

While O'Shea has his sights on rich sprinting spoils with Foxwedge, recently acquired French galloper Caroun is at the opposite end of the spectrum.

By noted staying sire Montjeu, the three-year-old has won over 2400m in France where he was raced by the Aga Khan and trained by Alain de Royer-Dupre of Americain fame.

The French stayers have been proven adept under Australian conditions claiming the past two Melbourne Cups so it is little wonder O'Shea was keen to jump on board with Caroun.

Agent Damon Gabbedy bought Caroun on O'Shea's behalf after coming up with a shortlist of six horses which O'Shea whittled down to two.

"I did some due diligence.... and there were two of the six which really excited us," O'Shea said.

"One of them, we weren't overly happy with the x-rays so we ruled it out.

"The other one (Caroun), we put a value on and we got him."

Caroun will undergo a period of quarantine before heading to his new home and O'Shea doesn't expect him to arrive at Randwick until February.

He plans to space his runs and target his races.

"With this horse, he will probably stay in work all year round and run once a month," O'Shea said.

"I wouldn't think he would be running until late June, early July, so a race like the Grafton Cup might fit in.

"We will go from there and probably progress into the spring, get some miles into his legs and hopefully he can be competitive in some nice races."

O'Shea is best known as the trainer of outstanding milers Racing To Win and Private Steer but he has won a Sydney Cup with Jessicabeel (2010) and Metropolitan with Bedouin (2003).

He can't wait to put his polish on Caroun.

"I'm very excited. I enjoy training stayers and he's got a lovely pedigree," he said.

Circle Of Power Ready For Festival Test

Monday, 28 November 2011 06:29

In-form Christian Reith will jump aboard Circle Of Power for the first time when the gelding chases a breakthrough stakes success at Rosehill on Saturday.

Trainer Rod Craig, fresh from a winner at Canterbury last Saturday, will give Circle Of Power his chance in the Listed Festival Stakes (1500m), a race he described as a prelude to next month's Group Two Villiers Stakes.

Circle Of Power was beaten a short-neck by fellow Festival entry Lightinthenite last start, and Craig said the four-year-old deserved his chance in Sydney's summer features.

"I think Saturday is a good test for him," Craig said.

"Most of these horses have been racing against each other while he's a bit of a new kid on the block.

"He's going to drop five kilos on his last start and that will be a big bonus for him.

"I'm more than happy with him and we've got a good rider on him in Christian Reith.

"I think if he runs up to his last couple of starts, with no weight on his back, he'll be competitive."

Reith's double at Canterbury on Saturday kept him in the top five in the Sydney premiership.

Circle Of Power was one of 19 Festival nominations with Gai Waterhouse entering first-up winner Kontiki Park and Group Two winner King Lionheart.

Craig said it was a great stepping stone to the Villiers (1600m) at Warwick Farm on December 17.

"It (the Villiers) will probably be a similar field to this with maybe a couple of interstate horses. This is a bit of a prelude," he said.

The Warwick Farm trainer is likely to have three Rosehill runners with Gaze In Awe set to back up over 1400m while Sir Nick will contest a 1500m event.

Gaze In Awe came from last to win over 1250m at Canterbury and will again be ridden by apprentice Shaun Guymer.

"My intention was always to run this Saturday over the 1400 metres and not last week," Craig said.

"But then when it rained I decided to give him a go last week with no weight and a good draw just to see how he handled it.

"It was also going to be three weeks between runs."

Gaze In Awe has two wins and five placings from 13 starts.

"We'll see how he goes this Saturday and who knows, there might be something there for him in the autumn or maybe even in Brisbane (during the winter)," he said.

Guymer Keeps Winning Momentum Going

Saturday, 26 November 2011 08:00

Shaun Guymer returned to the winner's circle for the fifth consecutive Saturday meeting when he steered Gaze In Awe to a last-to-first success at Canterbury.

Guymer is starting to make his mark in the Sydney area and trainer Rod Craig praised the young rider for using his initiative and settling back in the field after Gaze In Awe wasn't the best into stride in the De Bortoli Wines Handicap (1250m).

The consistent Gaze In Awe came from last to defeat Embark by half a head with another short half head to Charm's Honour in third.

Christian Reith, rider of Charm's Honour, fired in a protest against the second-placed Embark alleging interference on the home turn but his objection was dismissed.

"It was a great ride because the instructions and our intentions were to go forward today," Craig said.

"We have three or four fantastic little apprentices in Sydney at the moment and the key today was that Shaun didn't panic.

"He just let him get back and then he took off at the right time and he just got there."

Craig was based at Canterbury when it was a training centre as well as a racetrack and always enjoys winning at the course.

"I trained here for five or six years before moving to Warwick Farm and I think I'm the last trainer to train a Group One winner out of here," Craig said.

Craig believes Gaze In Awe, a son of Intergaze who he trained to eight Group One wins, will be better suited again when he gets to 1400 and 1600 metres.

"Full credit to this horse, he's had 13 starts and never missed a cheque," Craig said.

Guymer has ridden one winner at each of the past five Saturday meetings in Sydney and was one of three apprentices to get on the board at Canterbury.

Chad Schofield got home for a last-stride victory on Group One winner Atomic Force in the Hylands Kids Colours For Christmas Handicap (1100m), while Adam Hyeronimus scored the biggest win of his career when he booted home Zara Dancer in the Listed Frank Underwood Cup (1900m).

The Frank Underwood Cup victory was 21-year-old Hyeronimus' first win at stakes level.

Gerald Ryan Looking To Magic Millions

Sunday, 27 November 2011 06:46

Gerald Ryan's summer team has been depleted by injury to Group winning sprinter Ahdashim but the Rosehill trainer still has plenty to look forward to in coming weeks.

The winner of the Group Three Standish Handicap at Flemington on New Year's Day, Ahdashim beat Latin News over 1100 metres on October 29 and had been earmarked for a Queensland campaign.

"He damaged a ligament behind a pastern and will spend six months in the paddock," Ryan said.

"It's a blow because he has always been such a sound horse and was going so well. He had never won first-up before."

Queensland is still the destination for several of Ahdashim's stablemates led by two-year-old Amorino who is bound for the $2 million Magic Millions Classic at the Gold Coast on January 14.

Amorino made an impressive winning debut at Randwick on October 15 and will have his lead-up to the Magic Millions at Doomben on December 31.

"He's qualified for the Magic Millions Classic so he will be there," Ryan said.

"Top Drop will go to the Gold Coast for the 1400 metre race, Adnocon will also go there and Rock Monster will go for the Maiden."

Top Drop ran third in the Magic Millions Guineas earlier this year and his recent form includes a win at Geelong in October and a second to Queenslander Facile Tigre in a 1200m Listed race at Flemington on Melbourne Cup day.

Ryan is also looking further ahead with plans for Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner Ironstein to be discussed this week.

The John Singleton-owned six-year-old was a decisive winner of the Group Three Queen Elizabeth (2600m) on November 5 which qualifies him for the Melbourne Cup which he just missed out on this year.

"He is up at John's Farm and we will talk this week about which way we want to go," Ryan said.

"If we decide to target the Sydney Cup then he will need to come back into work very soon.

"The other option is to give him a longer break and set him for the Brisbane Cup in June."

The Group One Sydney Cup in April is over 3200 metres and Ryan has no doubts the distance is within Ironstein's capabilities.

The Brisbane Cup is over 2400 metres at Group Two level.

Adam Hyeronimus Lands Listed Win

Saturday, 26 November 2011 06:46

Apprentice Adam Hyeronimus landed the biggest win of his career with a bold front running ride on Zara Dancer in Saturday's Frank Underwood Cup at Canterbury.

The 21-year-old was given his chance in the Listed event by trainers Jim and Greg Lee and didn't disappoint as the former New Zealand-trained galloper proved too strong for favourite Yulalona on an improving slow surface in the 1900m feature.

Zara Dancer ($7.50) defeated Yulalona ($3.30) by a neck with three-quarters of a length to third-placed Scottish Border ($5.50) to give Hyeronimus his first stakes winner.

Canterbury started out a heavy (10) but upgrades throughout the day meant the Frank Underwood Cup was run on a slow (7) with another improvement to a slow (6) after the race.

Formerly trained by Bruce Wallace, Zara Dancer was having just his third start for the Lee brothers and with the addition of blinkers Hyeronimus was instructed to let the gelding do his own thing out in front.

Zara Dancer was challenged for the lead by Tom's Rocket but fended him off to hold the front.

After rolling along throughout the race, Zara Dancer kicked for home before the turn and kept all his rivals at bay to score his fourth win from 22 starts.

"Jim Cassidy said 'put blinkers on him, hop him straight out in front and he'll just about win'," Jim Lee said, adding that the addition of the blinkers was the key.

Cassidy had ridden Zara Dancer at his previous start and copped a three-week suspension for the ride for breaching the whip rules.

Lee is considering the Listed Tattersall's Club Cup (2000m) at Warwick Farm on January 2 as a likely target for the five-year-old son of Savabeel.

Lee was also delighted for Hyeronimus.

"I'm happy for the boy because he's a nice kid," Lee said.

"Those type of rides are really good rides. They usually say 'good ride', and they are all good rides when they win, but that was a ride."

Hyeronimus, who is indentured to Jason Coyle, has ridden 14 city winners and didn't expect to be saluting in stakes company at this stage of his career.

"It's great. I never thought I would ride a stakes winner in my apprenticeship and that's why I'm thankful to Jim and Greg for giving me these opportunities," Hyeronimus said.

"I had ridden him once before in the Hawkesbury Cup and I knew he was going to keep going."

Waller Trio Headed For Festival Stakes

Sunday, 27 November 2011 06:16

Chris Waller will launch a three-pronged attack on Saturday's $100,000 Listed Festival Stakes with Tromso and Altered Boy to lead the charge.

Both Tromso and Altered Boy are former winners over 1500m on their home track at Rosehill and Waller is pleased with both horses ahead of Sydney's first stakes race of summer.

Eight-year-old entire Alexander Of Hales will join the pair in his first start since March.

"He had a really long spell, he has trialled very well and he'll run a cheeky race," Waller said of Alexander Of Hales.

A Group Three winner in Ireland and runner-up in the 2007 Irish Derby when trained by Aidan O'Brien, Alexander Of Hales hasn't won for more than two years.

However, the son of Danehill ended his previous campaign with runner-up performances in the Listed Parramatta Cup (2000m) and Group Three Randwick City Stakes (2120m).

Waller has a couple of summer targets in mind for Alexander Of Hales after his Festival return.

"There's a Listed race (Tattersalls Club Cup) over 2100 metres at Warwick Farm on January 2 and then he'll go to the Gosford Cup," Waller said.

The $125,000 Listed Gosford Gold Cup (2100m) is on January 12, with Alexander Of Hales finishing third in the event last year.

Strong performances from Tromso and Altered Boy would confirm Group Two Villiers Stakes (1600m) starts two weeks later.

"Tromso's second-up run at Warwick Farm was good and he's going well," Waller said.

"He's ready for 1500 metres on Saturday.

"They've just got to run in a race like the Festival and whoever runs well there can go on to the Villiers."

Both Tromso and Altered Boy come out of a 1400m Open Handicap at Warwick Farm on November 19 won by the Gai Waterhouse-trained Kontiki Park, with Tromso sixth and Altered Boy eighth.

Waller is expecting Altered Boy to relish the slightly longer journey on Saturday.

"His run the other day was good. It was just a bit short for him," Waller said.

"That was 1400 metres but the 1400 at Warwick Farm is a bit soft. The 1500 metres at Rosehill will suit him a lot better.

"He's ready to fire."

Atomic Force Heading To New Zealand

Saturday, 26 November 2011 05:46

Atomic Force may have missed out on an invitation to Hong Kong but his connections are eyeing other overseas options following a last-stride victory at Canterbury on Saturday.

The Group One Galaxy winner was overlooked when invitations were issued last week for next month's Hong Kong Sprint at the International meeting.

Instead, Atomic Force will head to the Group One Railway Stakes in New Zealand on New Year's Day.

He sounded an ominous warning to his Kiwi rivals by lumping 59kg through the heavy conditions to score a last stride win in the Hyland Kids Colours For Christmas Handicap (1100m).

"That was a marvellous effort from a really honest horse," said Dynamic Syndications' Dean Watt who was mystified by the horse's omission from Hong Kong.

"Credit has got to go to trainer Darren Smith who has kept this horse up for a long time. Now we've just got to make sure Darren keeps him going for a few more weeks and he'll go and represent Australia over in New Zealand."

Atomic Force ($4.60) had 62kg in the Welter but was put in the perfect position one out, one back by rising star apprentice Chad Schofield who claimed 3kg.

Tiger Tees ($2.40 fav) skipped away in the straight and looked the winner but Atomic Force warmed up late and got there by half a head in a three-way finish.

Tiger Tees and Latin News ($8) were in a dead-heat for second.

"Today we got a notification from Dubai to see if we'd be interested in taking him up there for the World Cup meeting," Watt said.

"We've got a lot of options but at this stage the plan is to take him home, make sure he pulls up well and then go across to New Zealand for the Railway Stakes which is set weights and penalties."

Atomic Force could also contest the Telegraph Handicap in New Zealand or return to Australia for a race on Magic Millions day before going for a spell.

Schofield had never ridden a Group One winning horse in a race and believes class got the six-year-old home.

"He had to do it tough today with the weight on a heavy track and with a bit of a break between his last run," Schofield said.

"Class won him the race. He motored through the line and has bigger races to come."

Wet A Plus For Lionhearted Girl

Sunday, 27 November 2011 03:46

Apprentice Belinda Hodder has been given a great opportunity to cement her relationship with new master, Port Macquarie trainer Marc Quinn, aboard Lionhearted Girl at Muswellbrook on Monday.

With Hodder in mind, Quinn selected the Sportofkings. Com. Au Benchmark 65 Hcp (1280m) for Lionhearted Girl some time ago.

And to date, everything has fallen into place, particularly with wet tracks.

Lionhearted Girl has a penchant for slow and heavy tracks with hree of her four wins from 17 starts on rain affected ground.

"I picked this race for the mare some time back, especially when I realised it was for apprentices only and would suit Belinda," Quinn said.

"Lionhearted Girl is one of those horses that just loves soft tracks.

"And she's a mare that runs well for kids, particularly girls."

Hodder transferred from Ross Stitt at Taree to Quinn three months ago to be closer to her boyfriend.

"She's a good hard worker who listens and rides well," Quinn said. "Given the right opportunities she won't let anyone down."

Lionhearted Girl has a strong link to Quinn's trainer father Pat Quinn, who died of a heart attack following a freak accident at Canterbury in August, 2009.

"Dad bought the mare (Lion's Rose) at the Magic Million sales," Quinn said.

"She won a couple of races and some of the owners bought her back later to breed from.

"Lionhearted Girl is her first foal. She missed the following year then was pensioned off after foaling Lionhearted Boy, now a three-year-old, because she always had traumas foaling."

Lionhearted Girl is part-owned by Roger and Rod Forsyth who run a pest control business on Sydney's northern beaches.

The five-year-old resumed from a 113-day spell with an encouraging two lengths fourth to Island Dane over 1200m at Port Macquarie on November 4.

"She's been in good form and pulled up in good order after Port," Quinn said.

"Her work since then has been terrific.

"She's not an overly big mare but what she lacks in size she makes up for in toughness and durability. She tries 110 per cent.

"And her ability to handle soft tracks gives her a big advantage given the right race and conditions."

Don't Blink Denies Robl Comeback Win

Saturday, 26 November 2011 04:45

John O'Shea produced another smart two-year-old in Don't Blink at Canterbury on Saturday to deny Peter Robl a victory in his first ride back from a year-long ban.

Two weeks after O'Shea unveiled autumn prospect Faustus, Don't Blink ($1.60 fav) did everything right on debut against a depleted field and powered to a one length success over the Robl-ridden Diamond Start ($3.70) in the Australian Turf Club Handicap (1100m).

Don't Blink and Diamond Start gapped the other two runners with Lady Corleone ($10) eight lengths away in third.

O'Shea said the daughter of Redoute's Choice would be in the paddock on Monday and return to chase autumn riches.

"She'll go to the Widden Stakes and try to get some black type early," O'Shea said.

"I think the Silver Slipper as well will be races where she will be very competitive. Depending on her performances there we'll try to then give her one run into the (Golden) Slipper.

"She'll probably follow the same path as Elite Falls did this year."

The O'Shea-trained Elite Falls was second in the Widden and Silver Slipper. The filly then won the Reisling Stakes and was third in the Golden Slipper.

Don't Blink was quick out of the gates to take up the running and fought off Diamond Start in the heavy conditions in a professional performance.

"It's a big challenge for them coming here on an extremely heavy track," O'Shea said.

"But she's a very professional filly that bangs out of the gates and puts herself there and travels well. She probably just knocked up the last little bit but she was entitled to."

While it wasn't a winning return for Robl, he was just happy to be back.

Robl and fellow jockey and friend Blake Shinn served 12-month bans for betting on races.

"That was good. It blew the cobwebs out a bit," Robl said.

"It's great to be back."

Shinn's comeback has been put back about a month as he continues to recuperate from a broken leg suffered at Flemington on Melbourne Cup day last year.

He was at Canterbury to support Robl.

"Today is not about me, it's about Pete having his return. We're here with his family to support him and it's a very exciting day," Shinn said.