VRC Derby Winner Resumes At Ellerslie
- Thursday, 17 December 2009 04:30
Monaco Consul (NZ), the dual Group One winner of the Spring Champion Stakes over 2000m at Randwick and the Victoria Derby over 2500m at Flemington in the spring, is already being prepared for his next mission, this time back in New Zealand.
The High Chaparral colt is back in the Matamata stables of his trainers Mike and Paul Moroney and recently had an exhibition gallop between races at a meeting at Ellerslie, the track of his maiden win on August 22nd, just over a month away from his Randwick triumph on October 3rd.
"It was always the plan to not leave him out for that long and we believe that they (colts) are better off in the stables which is something that they do a fair bit overseas, although not seen as much here," said Mike Moroney on Sport 927 on Wednesday.
"The owners are pretty keen on having a go at the New Zealand Derby and we thought that the best path was to not keep him out for that long and to go for the two weight-for-age races rather than the three-year-old races.
"He is a horse that does not need a lot of racing so there will be a bit of time before runs before the Derby which is the sixth of March," he said.
Ellerslie will be the venue for Monaco Consul's first run towards the NZ$2.2m, Group One, Telcom New Zealand Derby (2400m), also at Ellerslie, on March 6th when the colt contests the Group One WFA Zabeel Classic (2000m) on Boxing Day.
The other race that Monaco Consul will race in is the Group One WFA Whakanui Stud International over 2000m at Te Rapa.
Monaco Consul will have a further gallop between races at the Matamata twilight meeting on December 23rd in his last piece of serious work before Boxing Day.
Sydney jockey Corey Brown, who rode the colt in the Victoria Derby, will travel to the Ellerslie meeting to ride the colt, as well as several other rides for the Moroney stable.
Brown bypasses the Australian Jockey Club's Summer Cup meeting at Randwick on Boxing Day.
Monaco Consul, out of the Star Way mare Argante, and bred by Windsor Park at Cambridge, will already have a stud career ahead of him with his record to-date and his sire High Chaparral producing the Group One WFA Cox Plate winner So You Think (NZ) as well over the spring from his first southern hemisphere crop.
The first son of High Chaparral to retire to stud will be keenly sought after with his stock being athletic and trainers now well used to the Sadler's Wells line stock in Australasian racing conditions.
Monaco Consul's record presently stands at three wins from six races and a second place, with stakes of in excess of $1m.
"We decided to have a go at the Group One races as he is a colt to try and beat the older horses and the other aspect is that other races are Group Two and Three races and usually there are 18 horses trying to qualify for the Derby and it can get a bit rough at times."
"For those two reasons we have decided to go to the weight-for-age races and the smaller fields," said Moroney.
Pictures - Quentin LangTAB TV Launch Date Confirmed
- Tuesday, 08 December 2009 23:59
TAB TV is now confirmed to launch December 16 with comprehensive New Zealand and international race coverage. It will be shown in all TAB outlets and broadcast on Sky Digital Channel 35.
At the same time, Trackside will move from its existing home on Channel 35, to Sky Digital Channel 36, with a focus on New Zealand racing.
There will be no equipment changes needed for Sky Digital viewers to see both channels. The current UHF (free to air) service will continue to broadcast Trackside on Wednesday through to Sunday.
New Zealand Racing Board Chief Executive Andrew Brown said TAB TV would complement Trackside, which has 300,000 viewers a month.
“TAB TV is an exciting innovation that will provide a much needed boost to our local racing industry,” he said.
TAB TV will show more races while Trackside will offer more in-depth coverage of New Zealand racing, as well as a selection of the best international racing. There will be more build up and analysis to satisfy racing fans.
Mr Brown said customer research showed people watched Trackside for two different reasons: entertainment and betting. TAB TV is aimed at punters who want more racing events to bet on.
“Punters have told us they want more live races and we’re very pleased to be able to meet that demand,” he said.
Viewers will be able to switch easily between channels 35 and 36, depending on their preference for betting or entertainment.
TAB TV will screen all New Zealand races and where possible, full international meetings, from Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore, North America, South Africa, France and the United Kingdom.
Mr Brown said TAB TV is expected to generate $4 million in annual profit within three years, which will be distributed among the racing codes – greyhounds, harness racing and thoroughbreds.
“TAB TV is an important investment in the development of the racing industry, which contributes 1.3 per cent of New Zealand’s GDP and supports the livelihoods of 40,000 people,” Mr Brown said.
Media Release - New Zealand Racing Board
Boundless Staves Off Retirement
- Sunday, 22 November 2009 07:15
Group One winning New Zealand mare Boundless has staved off retirement with victory in the Group Two Counties Cup.
Her win in Saturday's 2100m Pukekohe feature capped a great day for trainer Stephen McKee who sent Culminate out earlier to win the other major race on the program, the Group Two Auckland Thoroughbred Breeders' Stakes (1400m).
Boundless, who won the 2008 New Zealand Oaks and ran second to Heavenly Glow in the AJC Australian Oaks, had not won for more than a year and part-owner Cherry Taylor thought the mare had hit rock bottom when she finished third last in a race at Ellerslie on September 5.
Taylor made her thoughts known at the time to trainer Stephen McKee and there was no disagreement.
"She wouldn't go out of the birdcage, played up really badly. She just wasn't herself," Taylor told NZPA.
McKee wondered if Boundless was being troubled by an old injury which required the removal of bone chips from a leg but veterinary checks proved otherwise, Taylor said.
"Stephen had had the vets go over her where the bone chips had been removed but they seemed to be 100 per cent clear," she said.
"They just couldn't seem to get her right. Obviously it was pain but they couldn't work out where the pain was."
Taylor said she raised the subject of sending Boundless to stud with majority owner Trevor McKee, father of the horse's trainer, before departing on a holiday to Fiji.
"We actually talked about stallions for her to go to," she said.
"Trevor said he would have a think about it and would talk about it when we got back from Fiji."
There was good news for Taylor on her return from holiday.
"When we got back there was a note on my email to say Stephen had had the equine chiropractor to her. He found that her back was out and had literally fixed her."
Boundless has since turned her form around with Saturday's win coming on the heels of victory in a Group Three 2000m weight-for-age race at Ellerslie on November 3.
Boundless was bred by Taylor and her husband Brent who operates Trelawney Stud in Cambridge where the mare's sire Van Nistelrooy used to stand.
They sold Boundless for $80,000 at the National Yearling Sales with Taylor buying back a 20 per cent share and McKee holding 40 per cent.
Boundless is to continue on a Cups' path with possible targets Group Two Avondale Gold Cup (2200m) on December 2 or the Waikato Cup (2400m) on December 12.
Culminate finished second to Typhoon Tracy in the Coolmore Classic during the Sydney autumn and was a half head winner over Ruud Van Slaats in the Breeders Stakes.
McKay Has Sights On Group One For Joey
- Sunday, 06 December 2009 06:30
Trainer Peter McKay is thinking of tackling the Group One Zabeel Classic with Joey Massino following his gutsy win in the Avondale Guineas.
McKay has the choice of the weight-for-age Zabeel Classic (2000m) against the older horses, or the Group Two Great Northern Classic (2100m) against Joey Massino's rival three-year-olds, both run on Boxing Day.
He was swaying towards a start in the Zabeel Classic but said it would depend on whether he could find a suitable jockey to ride at 52 kilograms.
"We have to think also about his future as a stallion prospect," McKay said.
"He is by O'Reilly out of a very strong family so a top performance at Group One level against the older horses would be good for him."
Joey Massino's dam, Rationable, has also produced Karaka Million winner Vincent Mangano and Caulfield Cup placegetter Vigor.
After Boxing Day, the plan is for Joey Massino to have a brief spell before being aimed at the New Zealand Derby on March 4.
That will depend on how he goes over 2000m, but McKay thinks the manner of his performances over 1600m augur well for a future over more ground.
"I always thought he would get better over longer distances and he has won his three starts at a mile now," McKay said.
Joey Massino showed he was a fighter with his Avondale Guineas win on Saturday when he was headed by Celtic Fantasy in the straight and then held off a determined Finderskeepers on his inside in the run to the line to score by a short head.
Katie Lee Triumphs In Another Guineas
- Saturday, 14 November 2009 07:30
Katie Lee became the first horse to win the Group One Guineas double at the Riccarton meeting when she triumphed in the One Thousand Guineas on Saturday.
The Graeme and Debbie Rogerson-trained filly beat the colts and geldings in the Two Thousand Guineas a week ago after overcoming an early bumping duel but this time the traffic problems were different.
She often threw her head about because of a slow pace and appeared to cop a check at the 1200m mark that shuffled her back in the field.
Opie Bosson managed to find her clear running once the field flattened out in the straight and she charged as she did a week ago, but Keep The Peace kept kicking on her inside.
In the end there was a neck between the two - with trainer Shaune Ritchie having to put up with second prize again after his gelding Military Move was runner-up to Katie Lee last week.
"She is a game filly, very tough," owner Sir Patrick Hogan said.
Bosson said it was a difficult ride.
"The pace was slow, and everything kept coming back in her lap so she got her head up," he told NZPA.
"But all credit to her the way she picked herself up and came home.
"When I first came out, I thought `yes, I've got it' and then the second horse kicked again and I wasn't sure, but she really put her ears back and attacked the line."
He said Katie Lee was right up with the best fillies he had ridden including Grand Archway who won him a VRC Oaks when he was an apprentice in 1998.
"Not many can do what she did out there today, none do that can they?"
While he had a torrid time on her today, Bosson said she normally relaxed and he was sure she would make a good stayer.
Hogan scotched any thought of taking her to Australia as a three-year-old, though the $2.2 million New Zealand Derby in March is a possibility.
"My wish is that she does not leave New Zealand this racing season," he told NZPA.
"Possibly when she is a four-year-old she might have a crack at Australia, but I would not be tempted to go to the AJC Oaks or Queensland Oaks.
"I would love to win the NZ Bloodstock Filly of the Year series, and if she could win that without having to run in the New Zealand Oaks (which is the last leg in the series) and Opie believed that after she had run at 2000 metres that she could run the mile and a half I see no reason not to have a go at the Derby, at $2.2 million, when it is the same distance.
"But she would have to sew up the series - otherwise she would have to run in the Oaks."
Hogan quickly added that he was not the boss - and the decisions lay with the trainers Graeme and Debbie Rogerson.
"Rogie will probably have her in England by then," he said.
NZPA WGT
Ekstreme Wins Captain Cook Stakes
- Saturday, 05 December 2009 05:45
Four-year-old mare Ekstreme emerged from the pack halfway down the long Trentham straight to capture the Group One Captain Cook Stakes on Saturday.
Trained by Bryce Revell at New Plymouth and ridden by Opie Bosson, Ekstreme surged past the leaders in the run home and maintained a strong gallop to the line to beat the extreme outsider of the field, Veloz, by a long neck.
Fritzy Boy was a neck away third in the $NZ200,000 1600m feature.
Ekstreme, runner-up in Brisbane's Doomben Roses and sixth to Purple in the Group One Queensland Oaks in May, was having her third run this campaign and took her record to five wins from 20 starts.
Favourites Tell A Tale, Culminate and Sterling Prince were the major disappointments in the weight-for-age race.
Prince of Wales, the only three-year-old in the field, also disappointed.
Second pick Culminate did best of the fancied runners with her seventh while the favourite Tell A Tale was eighth, Prince of Wales ninth and Sterling Prince third last of the 15 runners.
Sir Slick Wins In New Zealand
- Saturday, 14 November 2009 03:59
New Zealander Sir Slick has put paid to a controversial spring campaign in Australia with victory on home soil in the Group Three Tauranga Stakes.
At his 106th start, eight-year-old Sir Slick won the 1600m feature by 2-3/4 lengths from Casa de Campo.
Trainer Graeme Nicholson was incensed when vets ruled Sir Slick out of the Cox Plate on October 24 on the grounds he was lame.
The gelding ran last in the Group One Mackinnon Stakes at Flemington a week later after which vets again said he was lame.
Nicholson had intended to run him in last week's Emirates Stakes but took the horse home instead.
Sir Slick has now won 21 races including 13 over 1600 metres and has amassed more than $1.8 million prizemoney.
Eileen Dubh Bounces Back To Win Levin
- Friday, 27 November 2009 06:59
A battled-scarred Eileen Dubh rebounded from injury in the One Thousand Guineas to score an upset win in the Group One Levin Classic at Otaki on Friday.
Eileen Dubh played up badly in the starting barriers in the One Thousand Guineas in Christchurch on November 14 and after being allowed to start finished second last.
Less than two weeks later, with only one training gallop in the interim, the Storm Creek filly held off St Germaine in the 1600m $NZ200,000 race for three-year-olds to score by half a head at odds of 25-1.
Eileen Dubh is trained at Woodville by Francis Finnegan who said he was devastated at what happened in the One Thousand Guineas.
"We were nearly in tears after the race," Finnegan told NZPA.
"She couldn't hold her head up when she came in. To get up off the canvas like she has, she's a serious fighter.
"If you had seen her after the One Thousand Guineas you wouldn't have dreamt of running in her in a maiden in a fortnight, let alone in another Group One.
"She's just been the toughest of horses right from the beginning."
Finnegan, 24, has been training just four years. He started his training career at Levin but has been based at Woodville for nearly a year.
He had been an amateur rider in Ireland but decided to make the move to New Zealand with a training career in mind.
"I just came out here to get a start," he said.
"It's very hard to get started in Ireland. You need a lot of money, a lot of good owners and I just didn't have that."
Finnegan races Eileen Dubh on lease in partnership with Waikato-based Irish veterinary surgeons Ronan Costello and Roison McQuillan.
The filly has now raced 10 times for three wins, a second and two thirds with her stake earnings up to $A167,000.
Eileen Dubh was ridden by Jonathan Riddell who is better known as a jumps jockey.
But he was a successful apprentice on the flat and in the last year or so has made a determined effort to keep his weight down.
On Friday he rode Eileen Dubh half a kilogram overweight at 55kg and was delighted to post his first Group One win.
"I was second in the (New Zealand) Oaks at Trentham last season and that started a dream of winning a Group One," Riddell said.
"I honestly believed it would never happen but dreams sometimes come true."
Eileen Dubh and St Germaine hit the front with 200m to run and had the finish to themselves with three-quarters of a length to third-placed Green Supreme.
There were 1-3/4 lengths to King Raedwald fourth, followed by Comme Tu Veux and Handsome Zulu.
Seventh was the favourite Prince Of Wales who raced about three back on the inside but had his chances extinguished when held up for a run.
It wasn't until too late that Prince Of Wales got into the clear and he made up some ground.
Wall Street Could Crash Next Year's Cox Plate
- Thursday, 12 November 2009 03:59
Victorious in six of his nine starts, the last five on end, Wall Street will now go to the paddock for a richly deserved spell and if all goes to plan on his return he could be competing at the sharp end in the $3 million Cox Plate (2040m) next year.
Lynds, who recently saddled Vosne Romanee to win the $1.2 million Kelt Capital Stakes with Lammas on board, said "It's a great thrill. With each race he gets better and better, and although we need to sit down and work out a plan, he would be an ideal Cox Plate horse."
"He is potentially a very, very good horse."
Lynds is no stranger to conditioning a horse to contest the heavyweight weight-for-age Australasian classic, having trained Marconee to finish sixth to Octagonal in the 1995 Cox Plate.
While there needs to be plenty of water under the bridge before such a happening, there is no doubt with what Wall Street has displayed in the manner of his victories that he has the potential to measure up.
Lammas said what makes him the best horse he has ridden is his sprint.
"I did have a little bit of concern today because when I first asked him to go it wasn't there, but the way he can sprint off the mark is his greatest attribute", said Lammas.
"He normally gets a little bit hot and is still a bit nervy. I have to talk to him and get him to relax and once around at the start he was fine", said Lammas, sentiments echoed by Lynds.
"It was his first trip away and he'll improve a lot for it", Lynds said.
Lammas thought the impending spell would do the horse the world of good.
"He's ready for a break now. It will give his head a chance to have a break and he can have a think about what he's been doing."
Lynds gave Lammas high praise as a rider, saying, "He's cool, calm and calculated and has a terrific disposition for a jockey."
After Wall Street had won over a mile at Hastings on Kelt Day, Lynds had said he had all the attributes of a good horse, with an ability to put himself in the race and a terrific turn of speed at the finish; exactly the traits he displayed to win on this occasion.
Away swiftly to settle handy one off the fence, Wall Street ranged to lead on the home turn, held an advantage at the 250 metres, and when Lammas asked him for a serious effort he kicked two lengths clear inside the final furlong, keeping up a strong gallop to the line.
Wall Street vindicated his $3.00 favouritism with the win, while second favourite Tell A Tale should have lost no admirers with his performance for second.
The brilliant 2000 Guineas winner from last season, Tell A Tale was unable to execute the electric acceleration he has displayed in the past, yet still performed admirably and appears likely to improve further with the run.
Finishing in third place was an outsider, The Twist, who had finished second in the Winter Cup at Riccarton in August.
The winning margin was one and a half lengths, by half a neck, with the mile covered in 1:34.45, last 600 metres in 34.47.
Purchased as a yearling by Paul Moroney for $100,000 at the 2006 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Sale, Wall Street ended up in the Awapuni stable of Lynds following a visit to nearby Massey University for veterinary attention, and the star galloper has remained in the Central Districts for owners G G Syndicate Ltd, G K V Holdings Ltd & M A Head.
Prince Of Wales Gets Wrap From Trainer
- Thursday, 26 November 2009 05:59
Trainer Paul Moroney has sounded an ominous warning to rivals of Levin Classic favourite Prince Of Wales at Otaki on Friday.
"This horse is definitely of Altered Image's class and potentially higher," Moroney said.
Altered Image won the $NZ200,000 Group One Levin Classic (1600m) for Moroney and his brother Mike by more than three lengths last year.
"Altered Image's win was probably the most dominant performance in a three-year-old race last year - I am not saying he was the best three-year-old in the country, but he set a race record and was clearly superior on the day," Moroney said.
Prince Of Wales, who won two out of three as a juvenile, put away a tidy field in a three-year-old race over 1400m at Tauranga on November 14, including the well-regarded Finderskeepers.
That win has given Moroney plenty of confidence for the Levin Classic.
"We believe we have got the best horse in the race and we believe we have him 100 per cent and that he has found some more since Tauranga," he said.
The Bachelor Duke colt steps up 200m in distance but Moroney believed his effort to win at Tauranga when coming from well off the pace dispelled any question mark over the 1600m.
"He also has the draw where he can get an economical trip, though the one barrier can potentially be a hazard sometimes. That will be for (jockey) Craig Grylls to overcome," Moroney said.
Grylls will be out to achieve his first Group One win for Ballymore Stables with their previous best effort being the Group Three Rotorua Cup on Tinseltown in May when he was still an apprentice.
"He's now a fully-fledged jockey and is driving from Te Awamutu three to four mornings a week to ride trackwork at Matamata for us," Moroney said.
"He's developing a good rapport with the horses and everyone in the system as well."
The TAB has Prince Of Wales as $2.80 favourite for Friday's race, well clear of The Hombre ($7.50) and St Germaine and the promising Zarzuela on $8.
Sarrera Retired, Consul To Seek NZ Win
- Tuesday, 10 November 2009 08:15
The Mike Moroney-trained Sarrera has been retired, while Victoria Derby winner Monaco Consul could go for a third Group One win in the 2010 New Zealand Derby.
Moroney said nine-year-old Sarrera had run his last race when 16th to Viewed in last month's Caulfield Cup (2400m).
A dual Group One winner of the 2008 AJC Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Randwick and the Doomben Cup (2020m), Sarrera had to overcome a series of injuries to achieve his successes.
They included a bowed tendon as a three-year-old, an operation on his small intestine and a cracked rib and burst spleen after being kicked by a stablemate at the track.
"He's a lovely old horse and a real favourite of the stable and I'm just glad that he's retired nice and sound," Moroney said.
"He's done a great job and deserves retirement."
The Quest For Fame gelding earned more than $1.16 million from 42 starts for eight wins, seven seconds and three thirds.
Just three starts back Sarrera was runner-up to Daffodil in the Group One Windsor Park Stakes (1600m) at Hastings in September.
Moroney said he would have a long talk with the owners of Monaco Consul before making a final decision but at this stage there was a leaning towards preparing him for the New Zealand Derby (2400m) at Ellerslie.
The High Chaparral colt has won three of his six starts and is unbeaten in two starts in Australia having won the Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) at Randwick and the Victoria Derby (2500m) at Flemington.