Whytwokay Wins By Staying In The Gates

Wednesday, 02 June 2010 04:44

Stewards deliberations continued well after the dust had settled for the $30,000 Captain Gerrard At Lindsay Park Series (1200m) which saw Miss Whytwokay victorious after two late scratchings.

Like a house of cards the race fell apart following a barrier mishap with just one horse to load seeing race favourite Cheap Thrills dump rider Glen Boss and complete a lap of the Sandown course.

Adding to the drama the Lee and Shannon Hope runner, Delyara, refused to load for the restart and was also deemed a late scratching leaving just a six horse field.

Miss Whytwokay ($13,$14,$8) was flat footed when the false start occurred but showed a great turn of foot on the restart heading straight to the lead for jockey Craig Newitt.

Rounding the turn it appeared Georgia Miss ($4,$5.50,$3.30) had the leading pair covered but Miss Whytwokay and South African ($15,$19,$11) settled down to fight it out, the latter going down the shortest of margins on the line with Bubble Below ($5.50,$7,$4) running on nicely for third.

"I'm actually very happy that I have a horse with bad barrier manners because she jumped five lengths last at her previous start and when the false start happened she stood there flat-footed," said McArdle after the win

"I think I had an advantage on the rest of them," he joked.

McArdle was surprised to see the four-year-old mare on the pace butpraised Newitt for his quick thinking admitting it was a race winning move.

"She can be a bit ignorant and got running on froggy (Newitt) today and he realised there wasn't a lot of pace and used it to his advantage," said McArdle

Newitt looked bemused as he un-saddled the Tale Of The Cat mare highlighting that things could have been far worse.

“She is a very funny mare this one,” said Newitt.

“When the false start happened no one was holding her, I had my feet out of the irons and she just stood there!"

“Full credit to her though she bounced good, put herself in the right spot and won well,” he added.

It was the fourth win for Miss Whytwokay from just the twenty starts.

Photos by Sportpix

Two Holes Found In Benalla Track

Tuesday, 01 June 2010 07:45

A race meeting at Benalla in Victoria has been abandoned after two holes were found in the track, including one that was almost a metre deep.

Stewards were alerted to the bigger hole after the fifth race at Tuesday's meeting when jockey Matt Pumpa reported that his mount Mahoke Boy, who was travelling in the lead on the rails, knuckled badly near the 500 metres.

A subsequent track inspection found a deep hole near the running rail on the home turn as well as a "significant" second hole, about three metres out from the rail.

Stewards' chairman Peter Ryan said it was lucky that there was not a serious accident in the first five races.

He said the hole wasn't evident when a track inspection was done before the start of the race meeting.

"Obviously there is something going on under the ground that we are not aware of," Ryan said.

"There is a cavity or something there."

Ryan said once the second hole was found there was no way that moving the rail was an option.

Jockeys met after inspecting the track but stewards called the meeting off in the interests of safety before the riders could reach their own verdict.

The hole near the running rail was so deep that a groundsman reached into it down to his shoulder.

"It was basically bottomless," Ryan said.

Picture: Sportpix

Trudeau Wins Again

Wednesday, 02 June 2010 04:36

Precocious two-year-old Trudeau led throughout the $30,000 Toy Show Super Vobis Handicap (1200m) at Betfair Park Sandown Lakeside to record his second consecutive win in comprehensive fashion.

Trained by Lee Freedman and owned by Sheikh Mohammed, Trudeau was rated to perfection by stable jockey Dwayne Dunn.

Taken to the front shortly after departing barrier four, Trudeau obtained the lead with relative ease before finding plenty in the straight to hold off the challenge of Seventh Bullet, a debutant from the John McArdle stable who is a half-brother to VRC Oaks winner Hollow Bullet.

Trudeau ($2.60-$3-$2.25 fav) defeated Seventh Bullet ($9-10) by three lengths with Magic Carpet Burns ($5.50-$6.50) a further length and a quarter away in third.

Metallic Grey ($3.30-$4.60) made some late ground from towards the rear of the field into fourth position.

“We probably didn’t want to go to the front today, it's just the way the race panned out,” Dunn said.

“(He) Just wanted to lay in a bit so I was happy for it to find the rail and kicked good.

“I knew the stablemate (Seventh Bullet) would be hardest to beat because I saw it trial well at Balnarring and I knew it was on my back but he quickened well.

“He was probably on empty 50 metres out but he’s done well,” he added.

After finishing fifth at Bendigo on debut with Mark Zahra in the saddle, Trudeau won over six furlongs at Cranbourne on May 16 with Danny Nikolic steering the son of Exceed And Excel to victory.

Boasting a record of two wins from three starts, Trudeau has accumulated in excess of $27,000 in prizemoney.

Pictures: Colin Bull

Winter Clock Ticking For O'Reilly

Tuesday, 01 June 2010 06:59

Trainers Don and Andrew Campbell are hoping they have the timing right for O'Reilly's Clock.

The seven-year-old will launch his third Winter Championship series campaign at Flemington on Saturday in the hope of peaking on his third run in the $200,000 final on July 10.

Last year O'Reilly's Clock was one of the top fancies for the Winter Championship but on the eve of the final he badly ricked his joint in a sand roll.

The previous year he finished ninth in the final after winning series heats at Ballarat and Cranbourne.

The Geelong based Campbell said finding a suitable lead up race to kick start O'Reilly's Clock this campaign had been difficult.

He said the best option was to run him this Saturday in the open grade fourth heat of the Victorian Sprint Series (1200m) at Flemington.

"The 1200 metres will probably be too short for him but he has got to start somewhere," Campbell said.

O'Reilly's Clock has a rating of 89 but Campbell said there were no sprints accommodating that grade of horse at this time of the year.

The son of O'Reilly will have his first run in six months at Flemington after he had only three starts last spring before aggravating his joint injury.

"It has been a long recovery but he is in exceptionally good order," Campbell said.

"As horses get older they tend to get a bit heavy but he looks tremendous and is very well."

Campbell said after Saturday O'Reilly's Clock would try to qualify for the Winter Championship Final by contesting the sixth and final heat of the series at Flemington on June 26.

Last year he was a barnstorming third to Sand Sweeper in that heat which was his fifth run for the campaign.

"We are cutting it a bit fine to get him into the final this year but we have no choice," Campbell said.

Jockey Craig Robertson will reunite with O'Reilly's Clock on Saturday and notably steered the gelding to his last two wins which were in the Winter Championship heats two years ago.

O'Reilly's Clock has won seven of his 40 starts and Flemington has been a good money-spinning track with him producing seven top four finishes in 11 starts there including a Country Cup win.

Bent Flops, Tarawera Tenacious At Sandown

Wednesday, 02 June 2010 04:00

An indifferent performance from odds-on favourite Some Are Bent overshadowed the victory of Tarawera in the $30,000 Redleap Steeplechase (3300m) at Betfair Park Sandown Lakeside this afternoon.

Some Are Bent ($1.30-$1.45 fav), winner of the $60,000 3YB Scotty Stewart Brierly Steeplechase (3450m) at Warrnambool a month ago, looked a shadow of his former self jumping poorly throughout only to be pulled up prior to the final jump at the 300 metre mark.

A subsequent veterinary examination revealed Some Are Bent to be lame in his off foreleg.

Immediately after Destiny Calls ($5) crashed through the final obstacle dislodging Craig Durden. A post-race veterinary exam revealed no abnormalities.

Avoiding all the trouble out in the lead, Beach D’or led by a length after clearing the last fence but was gradually mowed down by Tarawera under the trademark urgings of Brett Scott.

Tarawera ($3.60) defeated Beach D’or ($10) by a length with Our Santa ($15-$16) a further three-quarters of a length away in third.

Stop The Traffic ($14) was the only other runner to complete the course just over two lengths from the winner.

Co-trainer Fran Houlahan was happy that Tarawera capitalised on his opportunity to win at his first start over the larger obstacles.

“I said to Brian (Johnston) this morning that normally when you’ve got a hurdler having his first chase you think you might have a good chance but I said ‘we’ll be going around for second prizemoney today’,” Houlahan said.

“Fortunately he (Tarawera) prevailed.

Scott paid tribute to the fighting qualities of Tarawera over the concluding stages.

“It was a good effort, if anything he got lost when he got to the front before the last (jump),” Scott said.

“He got tangled up on his legs on the landing side and lost a couple of lengths.

“He was strong to the line, fitness was on his side and that’ll take him a long way,” he added.

It was a more sombre mood in the Some Are Bent camp with jockey Steve Pateman addressing trainer Robert Smerdon and suspended jockey Brad McLean.

“She (Beach D’or) did give me problems mid-race but that’s not why I pulled him up,” Pateman said.

“I pulled because when I put him under pressure, knowing he’s a champion horse, he didn’t find at all.

“It’s not the end of the world, he wasn’t competitive on the day,” he added.

Smerdon was equally blunt post-race commenting “His jumping deteriorated as the race went on.”

It was Some Are Bent’s second consecutive poor performance after falling in the Grand Annual Steeplechase (5500m) two days after his victory in the Brierly Steeplechase.

Tarawera has now had five starts over the jumps for two wins and a second.

Overall, the four-year-old gelding has won three times from 15 starts with his prizemoney now in excess of $50,000.

Pictures: Colin Bull

Metallic Grey To Shine At Sandown

Tuesday, 01 June 2010 06:15

Trainer Todd Rawiller is already making autumn plans for promising youngster Metallic Grey who will be chasing his first win at Sandown after a luckless debut.

The two-year-old turned in a super trial for Wednesday's Toy Show Handicap (1200m) with an eye-catching third to Peter Moody-trained Paparazzi Dreamer and Like A Guest at Caulfield on May 22.

The Bendigo-based Rawiller was particularly impressed with the Grey's explosive last 200 metres after he struck interference at the 600m and twice in the home straight.

"It was a good confidence run for a first start to be hitting the line like that," Rawiller said.

"The thing I liked about him was he got squeezed between two horses (near the 200m) and still ran the quickest last furlong.

"I think the run has done him more good than harm and I would like to think this week that he would be the one to beat."

Rawiller's brother Brad will ride Metallic Grey after he partnered him at Caulfield.

However it is likely to be the gelding's last run before next autumn.

"We will get through this run first but at this stage he is a big chance to go to the paddock after this," Todd Rawiller said.

"I have to discuss it with the owners but we can give him the spring out and let him mature so we have a nice three-year-old for next autumn.

Metallic Grey, a $34,000 Melbourne Premier yearling, is among the first crop by Group One Oakleigh Plate winner Snitzel and a half brother to stakes-placed Zyzxx.

"Everything about him shows us he wants to be a racehorse but he still has got a little bit of filling out to do," Rawiller said.

Sandown will also host two quality jumps races with half brothers Some Are Bent (Redleap Steeplechase) and Black And Bent (Winterset Hurdle) the star attractions.

Some Are Bent took a tumble in last month's Grand Annual Steeplechase but trainer Robert Smerdon said he had recovered well while Black And Bent has won his past four starts, including his most recent two on the flat at Sandown and Moonee Valley last Saturday.

Both jumps races are over 3300 metres and are lead up races to the Australian Hurdle and Steeplechase races at Sandown on June 19.

Singapore Star To Return To Australia

Wednesday, 02 June 2010 03:15

Jolie's Shinju, the reigning Singapore Horse of the Year, is set to finish her career in Australia.

A five-year-old Japanese-bred mare, Jolie's Shinju is expected to farewell Singapore racing later this month, the Singapore Turf Club website reported.

Mornington-based trainer Tony Noonan will train Jolie's Shinju for her Melbourne spring campaign.

"Tony Noonan is a very good trainer of fillies and mares," Jolie's Shinju's owner Dr Tan Kai Chah said.

"He trains down at Mornington and has access to the beach. She has a few little issues with a fetlock and a knee, so being able to go to the beach would be an added bonus."

Jolie's Shinju's Singapore swansong has been pencilled in for June 26 when she contests the Yew Tee Classic Stakes (1800m).

She raced in Australia last year but lost form after a promising first-up weight-for-age placing to Whobegotyou at Moonee Valley.

A last-start sixth to Lizard's Desire in the Singapore International Cup at Kranji last month convinced Dr Tan the mare was worthy of another overseas trip.

Jolie's Shinju has raced 26 times, registering nine wins and seven minor placings for $1.3 million in earnings.

Her most important victory came in last year's Group One Singapore Derby.

Picture: Sportpix

Russian Has A Penchant For Casterton

Tuesday, 01 June 2010 04:41

Glenorchy farmer Paul Krelle has just one horse in work and he enjoyed a 100% success rate when his ‘stable star’ Russian Rule ventured to Casterton on Sunday.

The nine-year-old showed his love of the unique western districts' circuit when taking out the $25,000 Phil Pullen & Co Casterton AG Steeplechase (3800m).

Despite registering wins at his previous two starts over the live hedges at Casterton, Russian Rule was sent out an $8 chance with Brierly Steeplechase placegetter Last Shogun the $1.95 favourite.

The pair cleared out in last circuit for an epic battle before Russian Rule got the upper hand and raced away to a 5.5-length victory over the popular elect with Nathan Dunn in the saddle.

For owner-breeder-trainer Krelle, it was the culmination of a well executed plan and confirmed his opinion that the son of Melbourne Cup winner Kingston Rule had returned for the 2010 jumping season in peak form.

“I circled this two or three months ago as the race we wanted to start him off in because of his love for the track and everything went to plan,” Krelle said.

“There was a bit of rain and the softer track really suited him. We didn't want a Heavy 10 so the Slow 6 was just perfect for him.

“He had a nice run throughout, jumped well and pulled up well which is pleasing. He's come up super this time in and there's obviously still some improvement in him.

“I definitely think he's improved on last year,” Krelle added. “He finished fifth in the Grand National behind Pentiffic and he's not around this year so I think he can be very competitive in better races.”

Krelle is in two minds where to start the horse next with a return trip to Casterton or a tilt at leg six of the $1.6m JJ Houlahan Jumps Championship at Betfair Park (Sandown) on the cards.

“We'll nominate for a race at Casterton in three weeks time and the Australian Steeple the day prior,” he said. “We'll take a look at the noms for both and then make up our mind from there.”

Either way the horse won't be seen again until the weekend of June 19/20 with Krelle explaining that the horse enjoys three weeks in between runs.

Merlin Gets Famous Prince Home

Wednesday, 02 June 2010 02:06

The Eric Musgrove trained Famous Prince was late to the mounting yard but first to the post in the $30,000 Winterset Hurdle (3300m) at Betfair Park Lakeside today.

Famous Prince ($3.30,$3.10) sat off the pace in a compact field and apprentice Arron Lynch timed his run well applying pressure to the leaders with only a few hurdles to jump taking control in the straight and going on to score by almost three lengths to the Robbie Laing trained Vindicating ($2.35,$3) with a further length and a half to Corries ($3.50,$3.70) third.

It was a quality display of jumping throughout by the Musgrove and Laing trained hurdlers but wasn't without a few anxious moments for the winner who was late to the mounting yard and clipped the last jump.

"He stood on his plate leaving his stall and we needed to get the farrier to remove the nail so we were running a bit late," explained Musgrove

"The new fences are good because if they do make a blue, as he did at the last, the jumps give way."

Musgrove was happy with the constant improvement the well backed gelding had showed since beginning his jumps career believing the six-year-old was only starting to tick all the boxes.

"He was always getting back and getting home last year but this season he is putting it together," said Musgrove

"His next run will be in the Australian hurdle."

Lynch who is known affectionately as Merlin amongst the jumps jockey's is now in single figures to outride his claim and was confident he had the race sewn up approaching the last.

"Going to the last I knew I had it won," said Lynch after the win.

"He just gave the last jump a little tap but it didn't bother him at all," he added.

It was the second win over jumps for Famous Prince and the third of his career.

Photos by Sportpix

Some Are Bent Returns To Racing On Wednesday

Tuesday, 01 June 2010 04:31

Jumping superstar Some Are Bent makes his much anticipated return to racing on Wednesday at Betfair Park (Sandown) after falling in last month’s Grand Annual Steeplechase at Warrnambool.

Trainer Robert Smerdon is confident his pin-up horse has overcome the setback and can recapture his peak form leading into this month's $100,000 Australian Steeplechase (3900m) on 19 June at Betfair Park (Sandown).

“We're happy with the way he's bounced back since the fall,” Smerdon said.

“We gave him 10 days or so to get over the bumps and bruises and given the gap since the Annual and the work he's done since we think he's back to himself.

“Steve Pateman rode him in a trial at Pakenham a week or so ago and was pleased with the way he felt which was great to hear.”

Some Are Bent, an 11-time winner over the jumps, will carry topweight of 70kg in the $30,000 Redleap Steeplechase (3300m) at Betfair Park and start a commanding favourite with Pateman replacing the suspended Brad McLean in the saddle.

With just five rivals engaged in the 11.50am feature, Smerdon is looking to use the race as a “confidence booster” for the grand eight-year-old ahead of his Australian Steeplechase assault.

Despite missing the entire 2009 season through injury, Some Are Bent showed 48 hours prior to the Grand Annual fall that he hadn't lost his ability with a stunning victory in the $60,000 Brierly Steeplechase (3450m) at Warrnambool.

Smerdon has Some Are Bent's brother Black And Bent engaged in the day's other jumps race, the $30,000 Winterset Hurdle (3300m), but said he's unlikely to start.

“We entered him to give ourselves a little bit of think time, but we'll probably keep him to the flat until the Australian Hurdle in three weeks time,” Smerdon said.

Picture: Colin Bull