Wednesday, July 25, 2018

The Smart Edge


        The midweek racing saw the Smart Missile's continue their super run with a treble which included Smart Aint He who was successful after almost falling in the Canterbury maiden. It was a great piece of riding by Blake Shinn who was also on the winner in the final race of the day. The talented Smart Edge . While the double for the stallion, Hussonet is something worth touching on. First it was Pretty Glass at Murray Bridge then Golden Tycoon  at Canterbury. He continues to produce winners of quality over the shorter trips. The recently departed Hinchinbrook also got a double with wins from the 2yo colt Leanardo Da Hinchi at Sandown and five year old gelding Trafalgar for trainer Chris Waller. 
  Checkout Smart Missile now 15th on the Australian stallion list for this season with only three crops racing.
  • Holy Command -- The Zac Spain and Mick Price combination struck again at Sandown with the good win of the Smart Missile gelding, Holy Command. After a nine week break, Zac sent him down the centre of the track to record an easy victory. He is out of the Flying Spur mare, Matinee and is one to watch for sure.
  • Sandown and Illumicon -- Another runner appearing fresh yesterday and recording a strong win was the Tony Mcevoy trained gelding, Illumicon. This Nicconi galloper is out of the Encosta mare, Elucidate and made his run down the centre of the track as well, to record a victory over the 1000m trip.  
  • In the opening event on the Sandown card we saw the win of the unbeaten Hinchinbrook colt, Leonardo Da Hinchi. He was ridden by Ben Allen for Darren Weir and is out of the Octagonal mare, Portrait. We lost the promising stallion last week to a paddock accident and this win and the one of the Waller trained, Trafalgar at Canterbury are two reminders of his influence. Trafalgar was returning from a long layoff and good ride by young NZ jockey Sam Weatherly who is riding in awesome form at the moment securing a narrow victory over the Canterbury 1900m. 
  • Smart Aint He and Smart Edge -- The talented but erratic Smart Missile gelding give Blake Shinn one torrid ride before breaking his maiden for the Cummings stable at Canterbury. He almost fell around the back of the track with Blake losing his irons but somehow managed to recover and secure the win. The Snowden trained Smart Edge scored a good win in the last to secure a double for the breed and a double for jockey Blake Shinn. 
  • Canterbury and Gwenneth -- I wanted to mention this four year old mare Gwenneth, in my summary because i can see a huge improvement in her recently while putting two successive wins on the board. Today, she was ridden by Kayla Nisbett in the benchmark 75 over 1100m for Mitch Beer. She is out of the Reset mare, Moorunda Miss. The Reward For Efforts never really mature i dont think until they turn three. She maybe one to follow over the next twelve months.
  • Murray Bridge -- It was ladies day with Raquel Clarke getting a treble and Jamie kah continuing her winning way and tallying 150 wins for the season. One of Raquel"s rides was the lightly raced Pretty Glass for Sue Jaensch who came home strong to beat the wayward Manhattan Melody to make it two wins from three starts. The four year old mare is by Hussonet who have alot of success in South Australia and today we even saw the breed have success at Canterbury with the two year old Golden Tycoon adding to the breeds win tally. Both races were over the 1200m trips.

Thursday, July 19, 2018

The Smart Smart Missiles's

Wednesday July 18th meetings were at Sandown, Warwick Farm and Balaclava. It was fine and good at all tracks with not much rain anywhere. The announcement yesterday from NSW racing lifting their prizemoney by 24 million dollars would have had many participants in that state rubbing their hands with glee. The Snowden and Waller camps would of for sure with Island Missile scoring impressively and Star of the Seas for the later just as impressive .
  •  Ocean Park and O'reily -- I thought i would commence with these two stallions because both get winners when fresh on a regular basis and today was no different. When three year old gelding Star of the Seas was a convincing winner at Warwick Farm in the opening event over 1200m for Chris Waller and Hugh Bowman. Our Libretto by O'reilly was a good winner at Sandown storming home from the rear of the field to win the maiden over 1400m.  Although the later will be six in a couple of weeks so time running out for her but over the past few weeks the breed have regularly scored first up. 
  • Palmateer -- It was a solid win by the three year old daughter of Fastnet Rock for Chris Waller and jockey, Michael Walker who had a little fight with her through the middle stages but once she settled she was far too good.  She is out of the Encosta De Lago mare, Little Surfer Girl.
  • Snitzel -- It was a state double for Snitzel as we head towards spring where they will have strong representation no doubt. Special Diva at Sandown led them up in the BM 78 for fillies and mares . It was a good ride by Zac Spain for the Mick Price stable as the four year old mare just had enough in the tank to last the 1400m trip. I have notice it takes her around the third start of a prep before she hits her mark. Another win could be beckoning. While in Sydney the in form Brad Widdup stable scored with 4yo Snitzel mare, Live to Dream in BM75 for FandM. It was her fifth win from 14 starts and third start this preparation very similar formlines to Special Diva.

  • Smart Missile -- The Smart Missile's started the day firing with a quinella in the opener at Sandown. It was a neck and neck struggle over the 1200m for two year old fillies between Grand Wish who got up along the inside and the well backed Chevalier Dรฉon who had a slightly tougher run than the winner. Interesting to note is they are both out of Strategic mares. The successful Woodlands stallion who passed away earlier in the week.  While we saw a promising debut at Balaclava by Isca Augusta who gave the Mcevoy/Kah short priced 2yo galloper by Bel Esprit, Belzella a run for its money in the 1050m race. The Bel Esprit's are so hot at the moment in these shorter events. There is not a day goes by without the progeny winning.  These four are all worth following. In the benchmark 71 for three year olds at Warwick Farm we possibly saw the most impressive win of the day go to the Snowden trained Island Missile who under 60kg with jockey, Blake Shinn bringing the gelding to the outside and storming home to victory. 

  • Tony Mcevoy and Jamie Kah -- The ultimate combination were racking up some sort of epic tally at Balaclava today as their incredible run come to an end but not the winners. The opening maiden belonged to Belzella then followed the All Too Hard gelding, Demolition in the second and finally the fifth event the Hinchinbrook two year old colt East Indiaman who cruized home in the 1400m maiden. He is definately one to follow. 

Wednesday, July 11, 2018

Sweet Scandal and Thunder Cloud

        Midweek racing this week saw the Hayes/Dabernig trained Gold Mag put his name to the list of spring contenders at the Sandown track. While at Warwick Farm the Waller trained Sweet Scandal impressed again. The country racing was at Grafton for the Ramornie Handicap meeting where the Toby Edmonds trained, Havasay was given a gem of a ride by Matt Mcgillivray bursting through late, to gain victory.
  • Sweet Scandal -- A confident ride by Blake Shinn on Sweet Scandal saw the Sepoy filly make it two wins in a row. She is out of Encosta De Lago mare, Bachannal Woman who is producing some promising gallopers. While in the benchmark 74 over 1100m, the Joseph Pride trained four year old gelding Argent Dรณr recorded a good win in the final race of  the day. The Sebring geldings last win was this time last year and was ridden by young Andrew Adkins.
  • Sandown and Gold Mag -- Craig Williams continued on his winning way at Sandown with a treble. His first winner came from a great ride on the New Zealand import Cataracta. Then in the second he followed with another NZer called Gold Mag . The Hayes/Dabernig gelding who stays unbeaten,  left his opposition in his dust with a brilliant turn of foot. The three year old Savabeel gelding is out of the High Chaparral mare, Chapinta so will definately appreciate more ground than todays 1200m race.

  • Thunder Cloud scored his fourth win this preparation for Darren Weir in convincing style with Damian Lane riding strongly at the end of the 2100m BM 78. The Manhattan Rain gelding is building a good record for his connections. In the last race, Queen Annabel gave C.Williams his third win for the day as she strode clear of her opposition. The mare is by the Sun Stud prolific producer of winners in Bel Esprit and the 1200m suited perfectly. Bel Esprit stands back in Victoria this year after spending a few years in Queensland.
  • Morphetville -- Jockey, Jason Holder rode four winners at the Morphetville meeting commencing with the Tony Mcevoy trained, Startum gelding, Volum who broke his maiden status, in the opening race over 1250m.  The other galloper worth mentioning is the Ambidexter gelding, Dexelation who made it a hat trick of wins. The Mick O'shea trained, Alfie Chann ridden galloper just lasted over the 1250m in the BM60. 
  • Grafton Carnival -- In the listed Ramornie Hcp, Havasay lifted his earnings to nearly 500,000 dollars with a strong win in the 1200m event. The Rothesay five year old gelding was ridden beautifully by Matt Mcgillivray bursting through an opening halfway up the straight. He is out of the Show A Heart mare, Showhama.  In the Grafton Guineas the Snitzel 3yo gelding Turnberry fought on strongly for Kris Lees and Corey Brown combination to record another victory. 
The Fastnet Rock stallion Rothesay stands at Lyndhurst Stud on the Darling Downs. He is out of  Schiaparelli who is a daughter of Canny Lad's full sister Canny Lass. Represents great value check him out here.

 

Wednesday, July 4, 2018

Craig Williams and Good Journey

      The midweek racing came from Canterbury, Sandown and Murray Bridge this week. I dont think we found any star thoroughbreds at these meetings. Its worth noting the continued success of the Animal Kingdom breed across Australia and jockey Craig Williams really does hit form at this time of year when he is chasing the jockey premiership.
  • Animal Kingdom -- The John Salantri trained Animal Kingdom filly, Seductive Miss gave jockey, Harry Grace his first metropolitan winner when she hung on to win, first up. She also won first up last preparation and is out of the Exceed and Excel mare, Armed for Action.While three year old Animal Kingdom, filly Laussel just held on to get the cash in the 1550m BM75, for jockey Tye Angland, at Canterbury. Interestingly she was fresh and had won first up this preparation. 
  • Craig Williams and Sandown -- Craig does have an affinity with Sandown, he often gets multiple winners here and with the premiership on the line. He was firing ! In the first at Sandown over 1000m saw another victory for Jamie Mott. This time on the Denman, 2yo filly Humma Humma. He is riding in superb form and timed his run perfectly, for the John Mcardle team. She is from the Bel Esprit mare, Humma Mumma. In the BM70 1400m fillies and mares event, saw a good win to the Bel Esprit mare, Whyyouask who hadnt won since this day last year but had a good bit in reserve, on the line. In the colts and geldings for two year olds there was a good win by the Hayes/Dabernig trained Ben Hercules. He is by I Am Invincible and with Craig Williams riding hard held on to beat the million dollar colt, Oceanity who rocketed home to just fail. He was one of three winners for Craig on the programme. That's two in a row for the promising colt and now he has learnt plenty, from recent racing, he just may go on with it. Keep a watchful eye on the runner up Oceanity, the Snitzel colt, out of Alinghi's half sister.

  • Lonhro and Cummings -- The Godolphin blue were on fire at Canterbury again with Unwise and Laussel winning for James Cummings on the soft track. The former, by Lonhro who is a prolific producer of winners on this track and for James. The filly is out of the Commands mare Indiscretions and she gained the BM 76 1100m race on protest, for Rachel King. Laussel is by Animal Kingdom.  
  • Good Journey and  Murray Bridge -- I wanted to mention a few runners from the Murray Bridge card. Exalted Maxine for Grant Young was having her third start today and led them up, to win well, in the 1000m class one for two year olds. The filly is by Good Journey and the breed are tough honest thoroughbreds and in South Australia get enormous amount of winners that hold their form well into their later years. Follow them once they mature as three year olds. This filly is in for a stellar career in SA. Good Journey is a Nureyev stallion and stands at Cornerstone Stud   in the Barossa Valley with Ambidexter . I really think his mares would make good broodmare stock. The other runner is trained by Richard Jolly called Spectate. He was first up today and is out Commands stallion, Ambidexter . He won the 1000m class one well and in the following event BM64 over 900m we saw victory go to Celtic Blast who is by another Commands stallion in Atomic. These two stallions may not produce group horses but over the trips under 1400m be on the lookout because they are quite capable of upsets when given good runs. 
 

Blue Sapphire for Written By

       The midweek racing at Caulfield with Blue Sapphire day and the Randwick meeting in Sydney where we saw the promising John Singleton ...