La Bella Dama Out to Upset Sunline
- Thursday, 22 August 2002 00:00
A track gallop on Tuesday morning left La Bella
Dama's co-trainer Stephen Autridge certain of one thing."She's improved out of sight since her Foxbridge Plate run," Autridge said.
La Bella Dama is among those brave opponents lining up against the mighty Sunline in Saturday's $A150,000 Mudgway Partsworld Stakes.
La Bella Dama has more in common with Sunline than meets the eye.
Both mares are New Zealand-bred and both are by former New Zealand-based sire Desert Sun who now stands at stud in Australia.
La Bella Dama - like Sunline - has also achieved Group One success in Australia.
La Bella Dama's Group One win came in the $A500,000 Mackinnon Stakes (2000m), weight-for-age at Flemington last November.
Autridge realises that Sunline is going to be very
tough to beat but he believes La Bella Dama will acquit herself well.
"You are never confident of beating Sunline but if she happened to have a rare off-day then I know my mare is ready for this race," Autridge said.
La Bella Dama will be ridden by Vinny Colgan.
The Autridge-Rogerson stable's runner at Ellerslie on Saturday is Rippling Waters (r2, 12.25pm).
The Autridge-Rogerson stable produced two winners and a second placing at Wednesday's Taupo meeting.
"I thought we were going to have a good day and so it proved," Autridge said.
In particular Autridge says to keep an eye out for three-year-old Horus who won over 1200m at Taupo in fine fashion.
"We think he's one of our best three-year-olds for this season," Autridge said.
The Hawke's Bay Guineas and New Zealand Two Thousand Guineas are likely spring targets for Horus.
The stable's other Taupo winner was Kitaro King who scored at odds of 21 to one. Prized Jewel finished second in her race beating home some talented three-year-old fillies into the bargain.
PICS - Quentin
Lang.
Media Release - TNZ
Brew Set for Return After Strong Gallop
- Thursday, 22 August 2002 00:00
Brew signalled his return to racing with a solid gallop between races at Werribee yesterday.
He is now scehduled to have his first race since the autumn of 2001 in the J J Liston Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday.
Part-owner Paul Moroney reported this morning that the 2000 Melbourne Cup winner impressed his rider Kerrin McEvoy in the workout. "Kerrin told Mike that he felt great and really wanted to run along."
In other Melbourne news, Roger James is only
hopeful of gaining a start in the Liston Stakes with his up-and-comer The Pumper.
With stake-earnings of just over $100,000, the lightly tried five-year-old is twenty-fourth in line for a start in the 1400 metre race.
"I've got Piper Star safely in the race, but I would love the other horse get a start," said James this morning before heading to Melbourne.
Another big spring hope from James' Flemington stable, Sixty Seconds, is making good progress towards her first four-year-old start in the Memsie Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday week.
PICS - Quentin
Lang.
Media Release - TNZ
New Zealand's Leading Jumps Jockey Back
- Tuesday, 20 August 2002 00:00
Chipperfield who has a broken collarbone will miss the ride on his Great Northern winner, Golden Flare in Saturday's The Mad Butcher Pakuranga Hunt Cup.
Another to resume at the Paeroa meeting is young Cambridge apprentice Ben Ropiha who is also nursing a broken collarbone.
Ropiha is expected to take the mounts on Ultimate Game and Commanche Flyer at the Paeroa meeting
Media Release - TNZ
Eight Group One Winning Rivals for Sunline
- Thursday, 22 August 2002 00:00
Saturday's $150,000 Mudgway Partsworld Stakes
field at Hastings contains nine individual Group One winners.
Heading the list for the Group Two Hastings feature is the four-time New Zealand Horse Of The Year Sunline who is having the first outing of her seven-year-old campaign.
Sunline has won a total of 13 Group One races.
Last year's New Zealand Derby winner Leica Guv is among Sunline's rivals on Saturday. He recently won a trial at Te Teko and is very forward.
The 2000 NZ Derby winner Hail is also in the starting line-up in his first outing since finishing sixth in the Sydney Cup in April.
Jim Wallace-trained Cent Home will be expected to
provide a determined challenge despite a wide draw.
Cent Home won the Mudgway two years ago. His Group One successes came in the 1999 Kelt Capital Stakes and 1999 Captain Cook Stakes.
La Bella Dama was successful at Group One level when she beat a top-class field in last year's Mackinnon Stakes at Flemington.
Other Group One winners in Saturday's feature race are: Tit For Taat (Bayer Classic and NZ Two Thousand Guineas), Trounced (Avondale Cup), Saint Cecile (NZ Bloodstock Breeders' Stakes), Hello Dolly (Prized Captain Cook Stakes).
PICS - Quentin
Lang.
Media Release - TNZ
Gibbs Hopes Silver Lining Turns to Gold
- Tuesday, 20 August 2002 00:00
As the breeder and co-owner with his wife, Ann, of the two Volksraad geldings, Gibbs has full control of what lies ahead for the pair in the coming months. But if circumstances last season had been different, the horses might have been racing under new ownership in Hong Kong instead of staying in the Gibbs team.
Vinaka, winner of last seasons Group I Telegraph Handicap at Trentham and topweight on the Three-Year-Old Free Handicap, failed a veterinary examination with a $1 million price tag on his head.
Vaalu became a target of overseas buyers when in his first start last February he finished second to Danroad in the Listed Fairview Ford Slipper at Matamata.
Three days later, however, he was a cot case with a fractured pastern, an injury that threatened his overall viability and his racing career. An intricate operation at Massey University and months of convalescence followed before Vaalu was able to return to his owners Parkvale Farm.
But Gibbs and his wife are smiling again in anticipation of the season ahead.
It was disappointing missing the sale with Vinaka and then having the other horse get hurt, he said. But I really dont give two hoots now. With a bit of luck were going to have a bit of fun this season.
While Gibbs is the first to admit it is early days yet, he could not be happier with both his charges progress.
Vaalu has come through several weeks preparatory work on the Gibbs farm with no sign of any problems with his injury, which has left him with screws permanently in the pastern. Vinaka has also undergone a period of pre training, and reappeared with his stablemate at the Matamata track last week.
Both horses have furnished appreciably - Vaalu into a taller, more substantial version of his now robust older brother. While Gibbs will take a wait-and-see approach with Vaalu, he has already named the Railway Stakes at Ellerslie on New Years Day as Vinakas initial four-year-old target.
He finished third in that race last year from the outside barrier before showing his class in the Telegraph win and then finishing third to Sunline, later promoted to second after suffering interference.
If Vinaka reproduces that sort of form he will be given his chance in Australia later in the summer, with one race - the Group I VRC Newmarket Handicap - high on his agenda. This is the race that the Gibbs-trained Victory Dais finished second in after winning the 1993 Telegraph Handicap.
Media Release - TNZ
McNab Praying for Fine Weather
- Wednesday, 21 August 2002 00:00
"They won't line up at Hastings unless it's going to be a good track," McNab said.
Danroad and Sunday Whisper looked extra special as two-year-olds but both require reasonable footing to produce their best form.
The major spring target for Danroad will be the Group One Coupland's Bakeries Two Thousand Guineas while Sunday Whisper will be aimed at the New Zealand Bloodstock Filly Of The Year series this season.
Media Release - TNZ
O'Sullivan Back in Full Swing at Taupo
- Monday, 19 August 2002 00:00
O'Sullivan has seven runners engaged for the Taupo meeting and all of them have to rate as some sort of a chance.
In race two the stable has two entrants, Chit Chat and Midway.
Chit Chat is forward and ready to run a bold 1000m in her first three-year-old outing. She will be ridden by stable jockey Lance O'Sullivan.
Midway is suited by the distance but will need to improve on his debut run. Bruce Herd rides.
In race four Danazira will be ridden by Bruce Herd and has all the class in the world to test the favourite, Lafleur, who will be ridden by Lance O'Sullivan.
Florida will also line up in race four with Michael Coleman to do the riding. She will improve with this outing and is a smart filly in the making.
River Chief steps out in race seven on the card and is a very promising type. He looks very hard to beat with Lance O'Sullivan aboard.
Prince Rossi makes his stable debut in race eight. He bled at his last start but his previous form was most encouraging and Lance O'Sullivan has the mount.
In race nine watch out for Seen The Light who was a very impressive trials winner at Te Teko and big things are expected. Lance O'Sullivan to ride.
The O'Sullivan stable will also be represented at Randwick in Sydney on Wednesday by last-start winner Talista Belle who will prove hard to beat again.
And on Saturday the last-start winner Enchant lines up at Hastings with Michael Coleman in the saddle.
Media Release - TNZ
Society Beau Makes Winning Return in New Zealand
- Wednesday, 21 August 2002 00:00
Relishing the good track conditions, Society Beau did it the hard way by racing three wide in a five horse field.
But the five-year-old's class told in the end as he outfinished the talented three-year-old Akram to win in a time of 1:10.72 for the 1200m trip.
Society Beau was ridden by Leith Innes.
Trainer Mark Walker said Society Beau's major spring mission is the $A600,000 Epsom Handicap (1600m) at Randwick on September 5.
"It is still very early days for him and I expect a lot of improvement from him after today's run," Walker said.
"This was a good place to kick him off again on such a nice track," he said.
Society Beau showed his class in Brisbane late last season when he won the Group Three Chairman's Handicap.
He is owned by Te Akau Stud principal David Ellis in partnership with Des Ferrow and Sue Roper
Media Release - TNZ
Cent Home Prepares for Sunline Clash
- Monday, 19 August 2002 00:00
Continued wet weather in the Wairarapa has forced Masterton trainer Jim
Wallace to pack his gear bag and head to Hastings with his Gr.2 Mudgway Partsworld Stakes
candidate Cent Home (NZ) (Lord Ballina)."Things were starting to come right but then it rained again last night," he said as he prepared to make the trip north to Hastings this afternoon.
"I couldn’t possibly have given him the sort of work he needs here, so it’ll be good to get to Hastings and give him a decent gallop in the morning."
The Wairarapa wet spell had earlier persuaded Wallace to take Cent Home to the Riccarton winter meeting as a travelling mate for stable runners competing there.
"I was able to get some quality work into him down there and I’m pretty happy with him," said Wallace. "He’s not really wound tight yet but he’s certainly fit enough for 1400 metres."
Seven-year-old Cent Home has consistently been one of our weight-for-age stars in recent years, including the 2000 Mudgway in his prolific tally.
He was off the scene when last year’s race was run, but one who did run
then and will return on Saturday is Tit For Taat (NZ) (Faltaat), fourth placegetter 12
months ago.
Anne Herbert, wife of trainer Wayne Herbert, reports that Tit For Taat is much improved for his run at Foxton last week when he finished second under a big weight to the smart performer Rodin (NZ) (Masterpiece).
"He went into that race with only five weeks’ work and has really gone ahead since." said Mrs Herbert.
Tuesday morning trackwork will decide whether Tit For Taat is joined in the Mudgway by his stablemate Camacho (NZ) (Maroof), who is also reported to be much improved by his outing at Foxton.
A Saturday morning gallop at Hastings left Pukekohe trainer Nigel Tiley
pleasantly surprised by the condition of his Mudgway candidate Conquistar (NZ)
(Danasinga).
Tiley decided several weeks ago to send members of his team to Hastings to escape the worst of the winter tracks in the north.
"It’s worked out very well," he said. "She hardly blew after what was a solid hitout on Saturday morning and she looks a picture."
Although most eyes will be on champion mare Sunline when the field goes out for Saturday’s weight-for-age feature, the race will also serve as a valuable prelude to the remaining two legs of the Hawke’s Bay spring treble, the 1600 metre Glenmorgan Hawke’s Bay Challenge Stakes (Gr.2) and the Gr.1 Kelt Capital Stakes.
PICS - Quentin Lang.
Media Release - NZTM
Promising Kiwi Apprentice Recovering Well
- Tuesday, 20 August 2002 00:00
Rauhihi was involved in a particularly nasty accident at Te Rapa in February where had suffered severe kidney damage amongst other injuries.
"I have been relaxing and holidaying over recent months and am raring to get back into it", an enthusiastic Rauhihi told Thoroughbred NEWS at yesterday's Waikato Apprentice Jockey's School.
Signed up as an apprentice in March of last year, Rauhihi rode 37 winners in the season just gone - a very good feat given he has not ridden since February.
"I have set myself a target of 100 winners for this season - and I am certain I can do it", the confident young Rauhihi stated.
Rauhihi rode at today's Cambridge trial meeting is expected to make a return to raceday riding on Saturday.
Media Release - TNZ
Triana On Debut Winning Mission
- Friday, 16 August 2002 00:00
"He has been placed in a couple of trials and shows us plenty of ability," said Stephen McKee.
"He is getting ready for a race at Hastings on September 14 and needs this run now to prepare him for that," McKee said.
Triana Mission, a four-year-old by Rodrigo De Triano, will be ridden by apprentice Patrick Holmes.
The other McKee-trained runner at the Counties Racing Club meeting on Saturday is El Coriero who will line up in race nine. She is in peak condition and race fit so she should produce a bold effort.
Experienced jockey Grant Cooksley will ride the mare who has 54.5kg.
Media Release - TNZ