Noonan Waits On Invitation For Ortensia
- Monday, 23 November 2009 06:30
The mare sat just off the speed in Saturday's feature race in what was her first try at 1600m, and looked a winning chance in the straight, but she did not run out the journey, finishing sixth behind Sniper's Bullet.
"I was a little bit concerned after the race as she tried pretty hard and in those circumstances it takes a little bit out of them, but I am pleasantly surprised by the manner in which she has pulled up," said Noonan on Sport 927 on Monday.
"She had ever chance, a lovely run, came from a wide draw and she was on Sniper Bullet's back.
"She looked a a good chance on the corner but she really struggled the last 100m. She is probably not seasoned or tough enough yet to run the mile. She is probably not a natural miler and it just takes a bit of the ping out of her so I do not think we will be heading back there in a hurry," he said.
Noonan said the mare will concentrate on shorter races to 1400m in the future.
"She has got a real good turn of foot and obviously 1200m and off a fast pace she is right at her best, so that is what we will concentrate on," he said.
Noonan said that he would like to 'have a crack' at the $1.9 million, Group 1, Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) at Sha Tin on December 13, and that he would wait to see if Ortensia receives an invitation from the Hong Kong Jockey Club later in the week.
"I can understand where she would stand in the order of entry, but that race is always run off a quick pace and with a three week break between runs it would be ideal for her," he said.
If Ortensia is not invited to Hong Kong, Noonan said she may back up over 1200m in Saturday's $500,000 Group 2 Winterbottom Stakes at Ascot.
Picture - SportpixDurrant, Kennedy Register Railway Day Treble in Tatt's Cup
- Saturday, 21 November 2009 13:15
Ma Chienne ($4.50) was patiently ridden by Kennedy in a muddling run race, allowing the grey daughter of Verglas to relax and find her feet, through the majority of the race.
In the straight, Ma Chienne was pulled to the outside to make a barnstorming finishing run, overpowering Biara Rose, who was game in second place after making an early bid for victory, by a long neck.
The feature race success now makes Ma Chienne a leading $400,0000 BMW Perth Cup (2400m) contender on New Years Day.
Durrant will give Ma Chienne a freshen up, before stepping her out in the $250,000 Group 2 Landscape Development Cox Stakes (2100m) next month at Ascot.
"It's pretty pleasing. It was a good effort in a big test today," Durrant said.
Media Release - Perth Racing
Colour Correct The Railway Knockout
- Friday, 20 November 2009 04:15
The son of High Yield was elevated into the field above Lambton Castle on Monday morning by the Handicapping panel, simply because of his effort in the Peters Stakes.
Colour Correct is now regarded as one of the best roughies in the field, but he still has plenty of negatives along side his name.
Drawing wide in Barrier 17, he is on the quick back following his last start effort and he is meeting all of his rivals on poor weight terms due to his low rating.
Despite the negatives, you can never disregard a Ross Price trained galloper in a Railway Stakes, training two previous winners of the prestigious event, both of which were allocated barrier 17.
Welcome Knight (1992) and Medicine Kid (1990) were Prices' previous Railway Stakes winners and Colour Correct will be looking the make it three when he takes his place on Saturday.
Lucas Camilleri has been booked to ride Colour Correct and the pair teamed up on Thursday morning for his last piece of work before the Group 1 feature.
"Lucas came down and rode him for us on Thursday and his work was very solid. We were concerned about him on the quick back up, but he seems to be his usual bright and bubbly self." Stable foreman Clint Price commented to Perthracing.com.au.
"He's done everything right this week and we are all excited about Saturday's big race. The barrier draw didn't go in our favour, but that's apart of racing and we will deal with that."
Colour Correct will need all the favours to go his way, but he has shown in the past he is more than capable of matching it with the best from WA.
"We are yet to take on the Eastern States horses, but we have competed well enough against the WA horses to suggest he is up to them. It will be a flip of the coin as to whether he gets some cover early, but we will all be keeping our fingers crossed." Price added.
Media Release - Perth Racing
Kid Choisir A Player Winterbottom Chance After Placid Ark Triumph
- Saturday, 21 November 2009 13:15
Kid Choisir ($2.50 fav) was given a copybook ride by hometown hero Damien Oliver, electing to sit the son of Choisir behind the leaders, with the benefit of cover into a strong headwind.
In the straight, all that was needed was luck, and it came inside the 300 metres when Stars Aligned rolled away from the rails, gifting Oliver and Kid Choisir a saloon passage through on the rails to prevail.
Legendary local trainer Frank Maynard now has to weigh up whether he backs up his brilliant colt in the $500,000 Group 2 Player Winterbottom Stakes (1200m) under weight-for-age conditions next Saturday.
Stars Aligned battled on well to fill the quinella spot after leading in to the breeze throughout.
Emerging young galloper Keshaar put up a sterling effort, fighting on strongly in third place behind a classy first pair across the line and looks to have a bright future when he rises in distance.
"I am mindful taking on the older horses next week with the weight, he is not a three-year-old yet. He is a chance of starting in the Winterbottom, we will monitor him this week," Maynard said following the victory.
"He's a nice horse and did a good job to pick up and run down the leader with the big weight," Oliver said.
Media Release - Perth Racing
Schedule For Festival Of Perth Racing
- Friday, 20 November 2009 04:15
The schedule of the Festival of Perth Racing might be unfamiliar to some racing fans, therefore below are the details for the feature races over the remainder of the carnival.
Festival Of Perth Racing
Saturday 21 November
$1,000,000 Group 1 Carlton Draught Railway Stakes (1600m) - Hcp
$75,000 Listed Tattersall's Cup (2200m) - 3yo&Up Hcp
Saturday 28 November
$500,000 Group 2 Winterbottom Stakes (1200m) - WFA
$100,000 Listed Aquanita Stakes (1800m) - 3yo
$75,000 Listed Jungle Dawn Classic (1400m) - F&M Hcp
Saturday 5 December
$500,000 Group 1 Kingston Town Classic (1800m) - Open WFA
$100,000 Group 3 Queen's Cup (2400m) - 3yo&Up Hcp
Saturday 12 December
$125,000 Group 3 A.J Scahill Stakes (1400m) - WFA
$100,000 Listed Western Australian St.Leger (2100m) - 3yo SW
$75,000 Listed Starstruck Classic (1600m) - F&M Hcp
Saturday 19 December
$250,000 Group 2 C.B Cox Stakes (2100m) - 3yo&Up WFA
$100,000 Listed R.S Crawford Stakes (1000m) - 3yo&Up Hcp
Saturday 26 December
$75,000 Listed La Trice Classic (1800m) - F&M SW&P
Friday 1 January
$400,000 Group 2 BMW Perth Cup (3200m) - 3yo&Up Hcp
$100,000 Listed Summer Scorcher (1000m) - 3yo&Up Hcp
Inarticulate In Barnstorming Carbine Club Stakes Win
- Saturday, 21 November 2009 13:15
Inarticulate ($12.20) was given a superb ride by Kennedy, allowing gifted six-year-old to relax in the back half of the field, from a wide barrier in the early stages.
On the swing for home Kennedy elected to follow stable mate Proart instead of circling the field and it proved a winning move, as Inarticulate sprinted quickly in between runners inside the 200 metres to snare the prize.
Durrant must be credited with a fantastic training performance winning the feature first-up with Inarticulate off a seven month spell.
Inarticulate was a brave second last start at Belmont in May, however in the process bled and was forced to the sidelines.
This time last year Durrant was talking Railway Stakes with Inarticulate, and the Carbine Club of WA Stakes is a reward for perseverance for the Durrant family.
It was a stable quinella for Durrant on a red letter day for the outstanding young horseman, with Proart holding second after receiving a nice run in transit throughout.
Liquidation finished further back in third place after looking the winner early in the straight.
"Alan (Kennedy) had the pick of four horses in the race and he chose Inarticulate on his trial, his work has been excellent. This is a really good occasion for Mum, Dad and my sister, for everyone involved," Durrant said.
Media Release - Perth Racing
Megatic In Blazing Form
- Thursday, 19 November 2009 07:30
The nuggetty son of Danetime worked the place down at Ascot on Tuesday morning, before the Breakfast With The Stars promotion and that work has Beckett, along with race rider Paddy Carbery bubbling over with confidence.
"Paddy told me after the work-out that Megatic had performed better on Tuesday then he did in his three year old days when he won the Guineas and the Kingston Town Stakes." Becket said.
"He worked strongly over 1000 metres and had a good blow after the gallop. His bumpers were as clean as a whistle."
"By the time the stars worked at Ascot, he had eaten up and was taking a nap is his paddock."
When quizzed about his sub-standard performance in the Lee Steere Stakes, Beckett offered the following reasons.
"Paddy blamed pilot error. He believes he should have ridden the horse more aggressively and possibly tried to take up the early position of the winner Idyllic Prince."
"Forget the run, was the advice from Paddy."
"I would have liked a better barrier and the weight is a concern, but that is what we have to deal with and the horse could not be in better form heading into the race."
While upbeat about the facts that an eastern states trained galloper has not won the Group 1 Railway Stakes (1600m) this decade, the weight carrying record of top weights is not good either.
The metric weight carrying record for the Railway Stakes is 55.5 kg, shared by El Presidente (07) and Better Loosen Up (89).
"These ratings make it hard for him, but he has been carrying 60 kg in handicaps and still winning." Beckett added.
Media Release - Perth Racing
Sniper's Bullet Wins Railway Stakes
- Saturday, 21 November 2009 08:15
Six-year-old Sniper's Bullet won his first race since the Stradbroke Handicap in 2007 when he took out the Group One $1 million Railway Stakes at Ascot on Saturday.
In so doing the six-year-old Bite The Bullet gelding, trained by former jockey Tracey Bartley at Mudgee in central NSW, took his prizemoney past the $2 million mark with his seventh win from 33 starts which have also netted 13 placings.
Aided by a gem of ride from Nash Rawiller, Sniper's Bullet made up for his second to Gilded Venom in last year's 1600m feature.
Rawiller had the gelding smartly away from his wide gate to sit outside early leader Keytomoney.
He made his move coming to the home turn and dashed Sniper's Bullet clear on straightening and he had too much in hand for the fast-finishing Tarzi and Colour Correct.
"I was pretty confident I was going to be hard to beat when we turned for home," an excited Rawiller said.
All American On Track For Rare Double
- Thursday, 19 November 2009 05:59
David Hayes has All American primed to emulate champion Better Loosen Up who, trained by his late father Colin, is the only horse to land the Emirates-Railway Stakes double.
Hayes said All American had settled in remarkably well in Perth after his Emirates win two weeks ago and was confident of a big showing again from the four-year-old on Saturday.
"I am very happy with him," Hayes said. "He's really good.
"We gave him an easy gallop on his own at the Breakfast with the Stars on Tuesday this week but he didn't need much.
"He has been up all spring and if he is not fit now he never will be."
Australian Racehorse of the Year in the 1990-91 season, Better Loosen Up won the Emirates, then known as the Honda Stakes, on the last day of the Melbourne Cup carnival as well as Perth's Winfield Stakes and Railway Stakes in 1989.
He carried 55.5kg in the Railway which is still the weight-carrying record since the introduction of the metric system in 1972. The 2007 Railway winner El Presidente also carried 55.5kg.
All American (56kg), Sniper's Bullet (56.5kg) and Megatic (57kg) all have a chance to become the highest-weighted Railway winner since Tudor Mak carried the equivalent of 61kg to victory in 1967.
Hayes said that All American, who is at $7.50 with TAB Sportsbet, only had to hold his Emirates Stakes form, when he surged past Cox Plate winner So You Think, to win again.
"Last start he ran one of the best miles ever run at Flemington, running down a Cox Plate winner, and if he can hold that form, which I think he is, he is going to run a great race," he said.
"There is good pace, he has drawn a good barrier (two) and if he gets luck between the 600 metres and 300 metres he will be very hard to beat."
Veteran Perth trainer Albie Beckett conceded the big weight Megatic ($16) had to contend with was a concern but he was just as mindful that an Eastern states-trained horse hadn't won the Railway in the last decade.
"These ratings make it hard for him, but he has been carrying 60kg in handicaps and still winning," Beckett said.
He warned punters to forget Megatic's last-start failure when a close fifth in the Lee Steere Stakes (1400m) at Ascot on November 7.
The son of Danetime worked impressively on Tuesday with race jockey Pat Carbery aboard.
"He worked strongly over 1000 metres and had a good blow after the gallop. His bumpers were as clean as a whistle," Beckett said.
"I would have liked a better barrier (11) and the weight is a concern, but that is what we have to deal with and the horse could not be in better form heading into the race."
Meanwhile, support for Victorian galloper Gold Salute continues to grow with TAB Sportsbet taking nearly $40,000 on the gelding on Thursday and chopping his price from $3.80 to $3.
As much as $5 was offered before Tuesday's barrier draw.
The Tony Noonan-trained Ortensia remains solid in betting at $7.50 alongside All American.
Picture - Quentin Lang
Grand Nirvana On Track For Railway Upset
- Friday, 20 November 2009 06:30
The Fred Kersley-trained Grand Nirvana is rated the best of the locals to repel the strong eastern states challenge in Saturday's $1 million Railway Stakes at Ascot.
The Scenic gelding was far from disgraced when 2-1/4 length eighth as a three-year-old to Gilded Venom in the 1600m Group One feature last year and Kersley believes he is far better equipped to measure up 12 months down the track.
"It probably wasn't good for the horse, he was still very juvenile. He gave a reasonably good account of himself on that occasion but was found wanting and didn't have a good trip either," said Kersley who won the Railway with star galloper Northerly in 2000.
"He's come back a much more seasoned horse obviously this time in and I think he'll give a good account of himself."
Grand Nirvana won the HG Bolton Stakes (1200m), the Group Three Roma Cup (1200m) and the Belmont Guineas (1600m) during the winter and from three starts this spring has been placed at his last two.
He followed a third to Kasabian and Elliotto in the Asian Beau Stakes (1400m) with another third to Elliotto and Colour Correct in the Group Three RJ Peters Stakes (1500m).
"He's one of the better horses. He's always taken on the best, throughout his career he's raced at the top level and performed very well," Kersley said.
Daniel Staeck will ride Grand Nirvana who Kersley says is in very well at the weights with 52kg.
"This is a very open race though. Trying to line them up with the east coast horses is very difficult, but I think he's one of the better locals," he said.
Kersley rated the Neville Parnham-trained Elliotto as one of the better chances.
Parnham, who has won the past 11 trainers' premierships in Perth, has two hopes to land the first Group One victory of his career with Elliotto and former Woodlands Stud Syndicate-owned seven-year-old Tarzi who was beaten a short head when runner-up to Idyllic Prince in the Group Two Lee Steere Stakes (1400m) earlier this month.
Colour Correct could give trainer Ross Price his third win in the race having won it with Welcome Knight (1992) and Medicine Kid (1990).
Gold Salute, who meets All American 2.5kg better for finishing 2-3/4 lengths astern of him when third in the Emirates Stakes (1600m) at Flemington, remains $3 favourite with TAB Sportsbet after being heavily backed on Thursday, ahead of All American ($6), Ortensia ($7), Grand Nirvana ($8) with Sniper's Bullet next at $14.
Tarzi is at $15 while Elliotto is $18 and Colour Correct at $31.
Kasabian Out Of Railway Stakes
- Wednesday, 18 November 2009 07:45
Local star Kasabian has been ruled out of Saturday's Group One $1 million Railway Stakes at Ascot with a leg injury.
The Darren McAuliffe-trained four-year-old, the winner of seven of his 12 starts, has been scratched from the 1600m feature after the discovery of swelling in his off-foreleg.
The son of Choisir had strung together six wins in a row, with a last-start success in the Group Three Asian Beau Stakes (1400m) at Ascot on October 31.
He was also impressive winning a trial at Belmont Park 9 by nine lengths on November 9 and looked to be the leading local contender in the famous Ascot Mile.
With the scratching of Kasabian, first emergency Lambton Castle, who had been considered unlucky not to make the final field of 16 in the Railway, will force his way into the race but has to contend with the outside barrier.
The Mark Riley-trained Gold Salute was the $4 fixed odds favourite with TAB Sportsbet on Wednesday ahead of All American at $5.50 and Grand Nirvana and Ortensia at $7.50.