Pride Trains Home Track Quinella

Saturday, 19 November 2011 05:16

Joe Pride trains many city winners but notched a rare quinella on Saturday when Flying Empress got the better of Trilione in a photo finish at Warwick Farm.

Flying Empress started at $17 in the Sydney Childrens Hospital Handicap (1200m) and fought back to deny the more fancied Trilione ($8.50) by a nose.

The pair drew away from the rest of the field with third placed Gunawati 2-3/4-lengths away.

"That's only my third ever quinella in town," Pride, who has finished fourth in the past three Sydney trainers' premierships, said.

"But I'm too silly to have taken the quinella. The other two I had before were both in mares' races as well.

"I don't really like racing two horses in a race though if I can avoid it."

Flying Empress won her first two starts in impressive fashion but hadn't been in the winner's circle since December last year.

"She looked like an absolute superstar early on but I've had a few respiratory problems with her and I've tinkered around with the gear with blinkers going back on today," Pride said.

"She was really strong at the finish so hopefully she can go on with it."

The Warwick Farm trainer labelled Trilione "a heartbreaker" with the mare looking the winner in the straight before being run down.

"I just thought she was going to put them to the sword," Trilione's jockey Christian Reith told Pride.

"She got to the front and then she waited for them."

Meanwhile, lightly-raced gelding Revolt continued his rise through the ranks with a third straight victory in the ATC Foundation Membership Handicap (1600m).

The John, Michael and Wayne Hawkes-trained five-year-old was suited by the hot speed up front set by the Pride-trained Othello and pounced down the centre of the track to score by 2-1/4-lengths from Hard Liquor.

"It was another good win and I think he's a nice horse in the making," jockey Rod Quinn said.

"The penny still hasn't dropped, he's still a big kid, but once he gets to 2000 metres he'll be a handy horse."

Guymer After More City Success

Friday, 18 November 2011 06:16

Emerging apprentice Shaun Guymer made the most of his first opportunity for racing superpower Darley and hopes to continue the run on Saturday.

Guymer gets another chance on the Peter Snowden-trained last start winner Haut Normandie in the Inglis Bonus Mile (1600m) at Warwick Farm after winning on the three-year-old at Randwick two weeks ago.

The 19-year-old is looking to ride a winner at a fourth consecutive Saturday meeting in Sydney and Haut Normandie is one of seven rides for the apprentice.

"It was the first time I put the (maroon and white) colours on and it was a big rush," Guymer said of winning on Haut Normandie at Randwick.

"Even just to get a ride for them was great because they don't put any `Joe Blow' on. And to win was a big boost."

Haut Normandie, who led all the way in the 3YO Benchmark-75 (1600m) to score by 2-1/2-lengths last start, is the $5 second favourite with TAB Sportsbet behind unbeaten filly Colorado Claire ($3.40).

"When I won on him the other day, the favourite (Startreuse) missed the kick so I took the opportunity to go to the front and the horse just struggled in the first bit to come back underneath me," Guymer said.

"After that he settled beautifully but was just a bit green still up the straight wanting to run about a bit.

"I think tomorrow his run will be a bit better again.

"He's got to take another step tomorrow but I think he can do it."

Guymer also partners the Steve Englebrecht-trained Assertive Billy in the Sydney Carnival 2012 Handicap (2200m) and hopes for a similar performance to what the gelding produced last start when he fought on to win at Rosehill at $101.

Track specialist Riebeek, meanwhile, takes a formidable Warwick Farm record into the Hylands Kids Colours For Christmas Handicap (1000m).

Riebeek has four wins and one second from six starts at the south western Sydney track.

"He has a tremendous record there at Warwick Farm so it will be nice to see what he can pull out of the bag," Guymer said.

"I'm expecting a nice race from him."

Hendricus Wins Inglis Bonus Mile At Farm

Saturday, 19 November 2011 04:46

Talented colt Hendricus landed a huge betting plunge when he came from near the tail of the field to win Saturday's lucrative Inglis Bonus Mile at Warwick Farm.

The John O'Shea-trained colt was backed from $8 into $4.80 favouritism and arrived just in time to defeat Fat Al ($21) by half a neck with another long head to Falklands ($21).

The winner's previously unbeaten stablemate Colorado Claire was a drifter from $2.80 to $6 and after striking the front in the straight was claimed late to finish a close fourth.

The win of Hendricus in the 1600m event earned connections a $100,000 bonus from sale company William Inglis on top of the $42,000 first prizemoney and also the BOBS bonus.

O'Shea had targeted both Hendricus and Colorado Claire at the race and was thrilled with both performances.

"The colt was very good and I thought the filly was very game," O'Shea said.

"She (Colorado Claire) got to the front and got left there and the colt was always going to come late because of the tempo of the race and so forth.

"We're very proud of both horses. He is a talented colt and he's got a good race in him somewhere down the line because I thought that was a good race today."

Sydney's premier jockey Nash Rawiller was approached by O'Shea at trackwork recently to partner Hendricus having not ridden the colt in a race since his debut in April.

"I trialled him and really loved him early on but haven't had the opportunity to be on him since then," Rawiller said, adding the colt "would have been something beaten" had he not got up on the outside.

"The horses I was following into it weren't taking me into it quickly enough and I just had to bide my time turning for home."

Hendricus scored first-up on the Kensington track this preparation and O'Shea said the colt's tough run that day was the reason for a second-up failure.

He then finished an encouraging fifth against older horses at Rosehill last Saturday.

"I think both horses will have a little let up now and have some targets in the autumn," O'Shea said.

"Both are also eligible for the Inglis Guineas at Scone next year and it's just a matter of how we get there on the way."

Hyeronimus Keen On Title Opportunity

Friday, 18 November 2011 05:00

Adam Hyeronimus knows he's been handed a great opportunity on stakes winner Title at Warwick Farm and he plans to make the most of it.

"He's the sort of horse I need to be getting on while I've still got the three kilo claim," the 21-year-old apprentice said.

"It's a great opportunity for me. He's a good horse, he's got plenty of weight (61kg) and the claim is really going to help him."

Title, who beat Group One Winterbottom Stakes fancy Rarefied at Randwick last month, lines up in Saturday's Warwick Farm 100 Club Handicap (1400m).

Trainer Joe Pride also has Group One winner Miss Keepsake in the race.

Hyeronimus said he was keen to repay Pride for putting him on the horse and hopes it opens more doors later on.

"It's good that he's shown faith in me to put me on and hopefully I can get the job done for him and give him the confidence to keep putting me on," Hyeronimus, who has ridden 13 city winners, said.

Title won the Listed Takeover Target Stakes (1200m) at Gosford in June and notched his second stakes win when he took out the Listed Lightning Handicap (1100m) at Randwick first-up this campaign.

The five-year-old was a last start second as favourite behind Shannara in the Listed Ladies Day Cup (1300) at Hawkesbury.

"He's a good horse. He jumps and puts himself on the speed and makes it easy for himself to win races," Hyeronimus said.

"It's a tough race and there are some pretty good horses in it, but he's got 61 (kilograms) for a reason.

"He's the best horse in the race and I'm pretty confident that he should be able to get the job done."

Corey Brown returned from a suspension on Thursday and believes Miss Keepsake is one of his leading rides on Saturday.

The 2010 Queensland Oaks winner placed in the Group Three Bill Ritchie (1400m) and Listed Belle Of The Turf (1600m) earlier this campaign and has been freshened since a close second over 2000m at Rosehill a month ago.

"On paper she looks to be right in this race, she's down in the weights and I know Joe is really happy with her," Brown said.

"She always gives 100 per cent which is a big plus and she's probably one of my best rides all day.

"I'm looking forward to getting back into it in Sydney."

Title is the $4 second favourite with TAB Sportsbet behind the Peter Snowden-trained Scarf ($3.80), while Miss Keepsake is at $10.

No Looking Back Magic Millions Bound

Saturday, 19 November 2011 03:31

No Looking Back will be given the chance to emulate her mother in January's Magic Millions Classic after scoring an impressive debut win at Warwick Farm.

A $500,000 yearling, No Looking Back was heavily-backed to start the $2.40 favourite in the Saturday's WF 100 Club Returns 2012 Handicap (1000m) and led in a Gai Waterhouse stable quinella.

She defeated Blazing Snitzel, who drifted from $3.60 to $8, by three quarters of a length with another 2-1/4-lengths to Star Pass ($8) in third.

No Looking Back is a Redoute's Choice daughter out of 2006 Magic Millions winner Mirror Mirror.

Waterhouse said the filly was one of several youngsters in her care heading towards the $2 million event on January 14.

Waterhouse has hit the ground running so far this season with her stable's two-year-olds already winning four races in Sydney.

The trainer said both No Looking Back and Blazing Snitzel, as well as the likes of Driefontein, Pure Hustle and Kuchinskaya were Magic Millions bound.

"It's a nice position to be in. Much better than last year," Waterhouse said.

"We went to the Magic Millions this year and bought the horses we wanted to buy.

"We thought the winner was the loveliest filly in the sale and we didn't think we would get her. We had to fight tenaciously to get her."

No Looking Back bounced from the outside gate in the field of 10 and crossed to sit outside the leader Benedictus.

Blazing Snitzel, with Nash Rawiller aboard, pushed between the two leaders turning for home and looked a threat but when Hugh Bowman asked No Looking Back to extend she quickly put the result beyond doubt.

"She's most impressive and I thought both fillies ran enormous races," Waterhouse said.

"No Looking Back is just a lovely filly and I may run her one more time (before the Magic Millions) or I may turn her out. I'll just wait and see."

Bowman said the winner still had improvement in her but was impressed with the way she attacked the line.

"She's pretty natural but she will improve," Bowman said.

"She's still lacking a bit of confidence in what she is supposed to be doing, but when I asked her to stretch she was never going to get beat."

Conners Chasing First Two-year-old Win

Friday, 18 November 2011 04:31

Clarry Conners will chase his first juvenile winner of the season on Saturday but could be denied by the offspring of one of his former stars.

The four-time Golden Slipper winning trainer will start Choisir filly Recess in the WF 100 Club Returns 2012 Handicap (1200m) at Warwick Farm.

But it's the Gai Waterhouse-trained No Looking Back which has been supported into clear favouritism.

No Looking Back is the first foal of 2006 Magic Millions winner Mirror Mirror and has firmed from $3.60 to $2.60 with TAB Sportsbet since the market opened on Wednesday.

"She (Mirror Mirror) won a Gimcrack Stakes and a Magic Millions," Conners, who trained Mirror Mirror in her four start career, said.

"She was a pretty good filly."

Conners had hoped owner-breeder John Singleton would keep the Mirror Mirror filly and give it to him to train.

But she went through the Magic Millions sale ring earlier this year and was knocked down to Waterhouse for $500,000.

The filly is raced by several owners including Nick Vass who has been a long-time client of the Waterhouse stable.

Recess, who is on the third line of betting at $4.20, is also a Magic Millions graduate and makes her debut on the back of two trials including a two length win over 800m at Warwick Farm on Tuesday.

"Everything I've done with her she has just done professionally so far, but I haven't pushed her yet," Conners said.

"She's a lovely big filly. Big as a mountain. I'm pretty happy with her."

Conners hasn't had much luck with barrier draws with his two-year-old brigade so far this season but Recess will jump from the inside gate on Saturday.

"As soon as I looked at barrier one, I said `I bet it will be a soft track now and the fence will be off'," Conners said.

Recess was a $38,000 yearling and Conners will be guided by her performance as he contemplates a possible Gold Coast trip in January.

"If she can get there I will have her there," he said.

"If she's good enough only time will tell when she comes up against the big boys. There's still a long way to go and there's heaps of improvement in her."

Floral Insight To Bloom At Taree

Saturday, 19 November 2011 02:46

Hobby trainer and aged pensioner Jim Delaney is the first to admit ultra consistent Floral Insight has turned into the family bread winner.

And the 70-year-old Taree-based trainer is laughing all the way to the bank.

After finishing unplaced at his first two starts, Floral Insight has strung together five wins and 13 placings from 20 starts.

The tough four-year-old's current campaign began on May 6 and he will be out to further his enviable record and boost Delaney's income in the Manning River Hotel Benchmark 75 Hcp (1007m) on his home track on Sunday.

"Everyone keeps telling me the horse should have been spelled months ago," Delaney said.

"I'm an old aged pensioner.

"It's hard to spell him when he's racing well and keeps bringing in money.

"I've got to have something to support me."

Floral Insight is tough, no doubt, a quality Delaney believes he inherits from his dam, Please Believe.

"He did nothing at his first two starts but has never missed a cheque since," Delaney said.

"He's tough. Everything out of the mare has been tough. He's just following the others.

Please Believe never raced due to knee problems. The mare has had nine foals including Palace Archway and Universal Belief, trained by Delaney and back in work after being sidelined for the best part of three years.

Incredibly, Please Believe simply disappeared in a paddock a couple of years back.

"Hasn't been sighted since," Delaney said.

"I'd just got her into foal to Floral Dynamite and one morning she was just gone.

"I wish they could have taken her before I paid to get her in foal. She wasn't insured at the time."

Delaney said Floral Insight was showing no signs of being over the top yet.

"He goes home every time after he races and eats everything in sight," he said.

"I don't work him hard. He swims and has one decent hit out each week.

"He goes in wet or dry, it doesn't matter.

"Everything is in good order with him. He carries weight good and I might go back to Warwick Farm early next month then spell him.

"He's earned it."

For only the second occasion in his career, Floral Insight will be ridden by an apprentice with three kilo claimer Kirk Matheson to take the reins.

Peter Robl Gearing Up For Return

Friday, 18 November 2011 04:00

Peter Robl continued to ramp up preparations for his impending race return with seven rides at Friday's Randwick barrier trials.

Peter Robl & Blake ShinnDisqualified for 12 months for betting on races and giving false evidence at an initial inquiry to try to protect his fellow jockey and friend Blake Shinn, Robl has the finish line of his ban in sight.

Shinn was also disqualified for 15 months for his betting activities but had three months shaved off on appeal.

Robl will make his return at Canterbury on Saturday week, having been allowed to ride trackwork since early October and trials since October 29.

Among his seven trial rides for trainer Anthony Cummings on Friday was a victory aboard two-year-old Agueda.

"I've got to the end of it," Robl said.

"That was probably the main priority when it all happened, getting to the end of the 12 months.

"Now we can see the end and things are looking promising.

"I rode in seven trials today and 10 at Warwick Farm on Tuesday. So I've had a few trial rides this week which is good. My fitness is pretty good."

Shinn was also at the trials but only as a spectator with his return delayed because of his continuing recuperation from the broken leg he suffered in a Melbourne Cup day fall last year.

"I had a few little issues with my leg and the comeback has been set back four to six weeks," Shinn said.

"Things are great, my weight is good and I'm walking around about 55 kilograms. I'm looking to resume around Christmas or early January but I'm in no rush.

"I'm not going to resume until I'm 110 per cent."

Picture: Sportpix & Quentin Lang

Guy Walter Wins Fourth Goulburn Cup

Friday, 18 November 2011 07:16

Trainer Guy Walter claimed his fourth Goulburn Cup on Friday when Straight Albert was produced late to score a last-stride win in the $80,000 event.

Sent out at $4 with Kathy O'Hara aboard, the four-year-old came down the middle of the track to nail Scottish Border ($10) by a short neck.

He ran the 1600 metres in 1:33.19, a record for the Cup.

Beaveroo ($13) finished three-quarters of a length behind Scottish Border with $3.70 favourite Nextanix fifth.

Walter wonhis first Goulburn Cup in 2003 with Market Unit and followed with Nothin' Leica (2004) and Willy Jimmy (2010).

The multiple Group One winner operates stables at Warwick Farm and Goulburn where he is the leading trainer.

Messara Looks East And West

Friday, 18 November 2011 03:00

Ortensia will mount her quest for an elusive Group One win in Perth on Saturday but not before trainer Paul Messara chases some smaller spoils at Warwick Farm.

Paul MessaraMessara will start three runners at the Sydney meeting, Pyrography in the Hylands Kids Colours For Christmas Handicap (1000m) and Chateau Fort and Trauma in the final event over 1300m.

Pyrography improved on her unplaced first-up run to finish fourth to Cheap Thrills last start over 1200 metresat Randwick and Messara is banking on a distance drop helping her recapture winning form.

"I was hoping she would run out six furlongs (1200m) but I think she prefers 1000 metres or 1100 metres maximum," Messara said.

"So I've brought her back in distance and I'm expecting her to run well."

Group Three winner Chateau Fort showed promise during the winter carnival in Brisbane and is returning from a bungled Melbourne trip.

He finished last to the in-form Under The Eiffel on Melbourne Cup day but it was a run Messara said was best forgotten.

"He flew the gates and buckled over onto his knees," Messara said.

"The jockey (Dwayne Dunn) nearly fell off. His feet came out of the irons and you can just put a pen through the run.

"The horse came through it OK apart from a couple of scratches but it is basically a resuming run this Saturday."

Messara said he wouldn't be surprised to see Chateau Fort run well but stressed he would be better suited over the 1600m of the Villiers Stakes next month.

"I think he's a possibility on Saturday but getting up towards a mile will be ideal and that's the way he's headed," he said.

Christian Reith will partner both Pyrography and Chateau Fort while Hugh Bowman jumps aboard the resuming Trauma.

Plagued by problems throughout his career, the seven-year-old has raced just 19 times and three of his six wins have come first-up.

But Messara warned he may not have the same fresh edge as an older horse.

"He's a lot more dour now than he used to be," he said.

Messara will cheer on his Sydney team from Ascot after arriving in Perth this week to oversee the final preparations for Winterbottom Stakes favourite Ortensia.

Picture: Sportpix