THE PETLEY REPORT (JULY 11 to JULY 14): RACING NEWS FROM NSW, VIC, NZ, UK, USA, HONG KONG AND FRANCE

By Jack Petley | Tuesday, July 14, 2020

It is that time of the year when trainers start bringing back their likely spring stars with the new season not that far away. Te Akau have Melody Belle and Probabeel in work in Sydney and their plans for the spring will depend, like that of so many others, on the border lockdown to Victoria.
______________________________________________________________________

And while on Te Akau I see that Mark Walker kicked off the return to racing at Kranji with a double, with Admiral Winston (Declaration of War) and Ronaldo's Dream (Darci Brahma) and also a second with Hadeer, by Savabeel. Admiral Winston is raced by Te Akau while the other two are under the banner of the very successful Kiwi syndicating company, Fortuna Racing Stables.
____________________________________________________________________

The Bostonian. already a good winner for Tony Pike in Sydney, will be back with Pike hopeful that his smart sprinter could snare a slot in the $15m Everest.
_____________________________________________________________________

One galloper I am really looking forward to seeing in action in the spring is that three-year-old with Danny O'Brien, Russian Camelot. By Camelot, and bred to Northern Hemisphere time, Russian Camelot was still able to trounce his rivals in the South Australian Derby rounding them up so very easily. It was a stunning win and I see he is back with O'Brien in slow work and already he has been put at the top of the market for the Melbourne Cup and is right in the WS Cox Plate market.
____________________________________________________________________

O'Brien is putting together a strong string for the spring and I would say that will be headed by his Cup winner of last year, Vow and Declare, and that superbly bred rising four-year-old Miami Bound, the Oaks winner, and then he has others including likely Cups contender King of Leogrance, the Adelaide Cup winner.
____________________________________________________________________

In Tasmania Mystic Journey is back and set to trial as she builds to Melbourne and the majors.
____________________________________________________________________

The Price-Kent yard are building for the spring and there is one I am certain will be a flag carrier for the yard, the Ocean Park mare Oceanex, who has already gained her place in the Melbourne Cup with that narrow win in the Andrew Ramsden. Like many of the progeny of Ocean Park she has matured with patience and the stable delighted at her progress.
____________________________________________________________________

Trainer Paul Preusker has advised that his star stayer, NZ bred Surprise Baby, by Shocking, will likely resume racing for the year in the Feehan Stakes early in September with his sights well and truly set on the Melbourne Cup. Last year the NZ bred stayer ran fourth in the Feehan, won the Bart Cummings and wound up fifth in the Melbourne Cup.
_____________________________________________________________________

Preusker says the Surprise Baby has improved in condition. "Mentally he has come back stronger. He is so relaxed now and he has furnished nicely." Surprise Baby is one of those bargain racehorses having cost $5500 on an online auction site as an unraced three-year-old.
____________________________________________________________________

Kiwi Jason Collett had one of those days at Rosehill … three winners, a second and a suspension. He was successful on Rothenburg, Noble Boy and Varda and finished second on Prime Candidate, behind Iamup, and then was suspended for that ride, until July 23, for causing interference to the third runner, Poetic Charmer.
____________________________________________________________________

Collett's first win came on Rothenburg for the now to be called city trainer Matt Dunn. The Dunn stable will be unable to contest Highway races as they are now setting up a permanent yard in Sydney.
_____________________________________________________________________

Two races later Collett was successful in the Godolphin colours on warm favourite Varda and two races later again was successful on Noble Boy in the Winter Stakes. One had to be impressed with that win by Varda and there is no doubt that James Cummings will now be looking at a handy race or two for the filly in the spring.
_____________________________________________________________________

I must say Collett is riding as well as any other top rider in Sydney. That winning ride in the Grafton Cup during the week was a 10 out of 10 ride. Winter racing seems to suit the Kiwi with his patience early in races allowing his mounts relax well.
____________________________________________________________________

Bjorn Baker also had a good day, enjoying a win with the game Edison and seconds with Frosty Rocks, narrowly beaten the Waller galloper Lewis, and Prime Candidate
____________________________________________________________________
.
I note that the win by Lewis at Rosehill saw Chris Waller pass the national prizemoney record with his stable having produced horses to win a massive $43.84 million, beating his previous best of $43.76 million … and he still has three weeks to go before seasons end.
____________________________________________________________________

Inanup is an under rated sprinter and that win for trainer Jarrod Austin at Rosehill has brought the sprinter into prominence for the $1 million The Hunter at Newcastle in November. This was the gelding's seventh win from 22 starts.
____________________________________________________________________

Trainer Mick Bell made slot holders aware that he is keen to have his tough and wonderful sprinter, rising 10-year-old Jungle Edge, considered for the $15m Everest after his great win through the mud at Caulfield in the Sir John Monash. "I would like to have a crack at the Everest. I would like to prove that it is not just a race for billionaires."
______________________________________________________________________

Jungle Edge is one tough galloper and he proved that with his strong win. Jungle Edge won by just under a length on the heavy track and it gave the game galloper his 19th win from 82 starts. He now heads to the Bletchingly, a race in which he ran second last year.
____________________________________________________________________

Tom Dabernig and Ben Hayes gained their first winner in their new partnership with Stormborn at Pakenham. David Hayes is now in Hong Kong and starting to set up his string there. Said Ben Hayes after the win: "We have a 100 per cent strike rate."
________________________________________________________________________

I see that Craig Newitt will return to ride in Victoria early next week after having been in Tasmania for the past three years.
______________________________________________________________________

And what a day for the NZ bred at Caulfield with wins by Lord Bouzeron, Tavidance, Mystery Shot, Travimyfriend and Bedford with Tavistock featuring as the sire of three winners.
______________________________________________________________________

What a great loss Tavistock was to the industry and especially to Cambridge Stud. Tavistock, who was fatally injured in a paddock accident, covered 76 mares last season.
____________________________________________________________________

Lord Bouzeron made his Oz debut for Cranbourne trainer Francis Finnigan and he revelled in the going to win ever so easily and there was some good solid bets won, firming from 13-1 overnight to 9-1. The galloper had been formerly with Chrissy Bambry, Finnigan's sister in law, and was handled by Will Price, son of Simon. The gelding is raced by Finnigan's wife, Sam, Chrissy Brambry and their parents, Tony and Judith. Finnigan told the NZ Racing Desk that his winner will stick with three-year-old company and runs next at Caulfield on July 25
____________________________________________________________________

I noted that Kiwi Rachael Frost, now training a small team of seven at Mornington in Victoria, told the media after that win by the Tavistock galloper Travimyfriend that she does most of the work herself with her boutique team. "I have had him his whole life, since he was a yearling. That's enough for me at present," said Frost of the Travimyfriend win with the horse now having won $357,164 in stakes. “He is Group placed in NZ and group placed here and now that he has found form, hopefully he can go on with it."
____________________________________________________________________

Mick Price had a great deal of time for the progeny of Tavistock and he produced Tavidance for a hard fought win with the Price family in the ownership of the galloper who has now won three of his six starts. "We will take him through the grades and he is nice horse with a big engine," said co-trainer, Michael Kent Jnr. “We have given him all the time in the world and we will just take our time." The galloper is from a Zabeel mare and both Kent and Price regard him as a galloper likely to capture a major next spring.
____________________________________________________________________

That win by Mystery Shot in the hands of Michael Rodd was gained ever so easily and he looks a rising star having won four on end for trainer Lindsay Smith. Rodd is back from Singapore and he is hopeful the owners of Mystery Shot keep saying no to HK buyers. "The progression from his last start to this is quite big," said Rodd of the galloper by Shooting to Win, who was bred at Inglewood Stud. He comes from a very good staying NZ family being out of the Montjeu mare Mystique, a daughter of the top stayer Seamist (Beaufort Sea) and he is a half-brother to Replique (Darci Brahma), thus is from a very stout NZ family.
_____________________________________________________________________

Bedford looked impressive when he won for the Anthony Freedman yard. He was a Ready to Run purchase for $320,000 out of a Brighthill Farm draft. Interesting naming of the winner of 7 of his 26 starts with Bedford being named after the Dowager Duchess of Bedford, the breeder of Tavistock.
____________________________________________________________________

NZ trainer Chrissy Bambry has been in fine form in her homeland having produced nine winners from her last 15 runners, plus five placegetters and of course she shares in the ownership with other members of her family in Lord Bouzeron, winner at Caulfield on the weekend who was a $35,000 purchase out of Karaka.
_____________________________________________________________________

What a day for the young apprentice Callum Jones at Ellerslie. The lad, apprenticed to Nigel Tiley, rode three winners … Macushla, Gorgeous Geisha and Lupelani … and that followed on a double at the Pukekohe meeting a few days earlier, the first day of his riding career. Wow!
____________________________________________________________________

Ruakaka trainer Kenny Rae had a double at Ellerslie on the weekend …The Buffer and Major Tom. Rae, these days, trains in partnership with his daughter Krystal Williams-Tuhoro. Rae was also pleased with the return to racing of his tough galloper Kaharau and he said he will have the stayer tackle the NZ Cup for the fourth time, having previously been placed twice in that race, including the second to Dee and Gee last year. "That is the plan again," said Rae. Over the years Rae has campaigned his team in the South Island but says he won't be doing as much travelling out of the North Island citing "rising costs."
____________________________________________________________________

That win by 47 race maiden galloper Marikoriko at Murtoa for trainer Belinda Dunn has made headlines on the other side of the world. The headline in the Post stated, "Good things come to those who wait - 47 race maiden breaks duck with stunning win." And was a stunning win, by almost nine lengths!
_____________________________________________________________________

Cambridge trainer Stephen Marsh has enjoyed a very solid season so far … he is second on the Premiership ladder with 73 wins.
____________________________________________________________________

Vinery have put together a strong talent for this spring with the stallion barn to house Casino Prince, All Too Hard, Headwater, Press Statement, Star Turn and Exceedance with the great More than Ready, I am told, taking a short break.
_____________________________________________________________________

Jumps rider Aaron Kuru was in high spirits at the Wanganui meeting with a success on his old mate Tallyho Twinkletoes, the Kevin Myers trained gelding. Last winter Kuru and the star jumper won the Grand National Hurdle-Grand National Steeplechase double and the winning return at Wanganui came with the jumper lumping a massive 74kgs to victory. The jumper will now travel to Melbourne to join the yard of Patrick Payne where he will be readied to defend his Grand National titles.
______________________________________________________________________

Michael Pittman has a solid team being ready for the spring but he says he is sad to lose one of his string, the three-year-old filly Impecunious. She has been sold to clients of the Busuttin-Young stable. The Sacred Falls filly looked ever so good when successful at Riccarton last month. “Disappointing to lose her," said Pittman." I have made no secret that I think she is Group 1 quality and people who saw her win have made similar comments." The filly is out of the Zabeel mare Sheezababe, a placegetter in a NZ St Leger and granddaughter of the Sydney Cup winner, Honor Babe, so she is bred to be an Oaks filly for her new owners.
_____________________________________________________________________

Rangiora trainer Paul Harris was all smiles after the filly Walkthisway, by Sweynesse, made a winning debut at Riccarton. Said the trainer after the win: “This is something special and I make no secret of that. From day one she has shown me the X factor." Harris, now, will spell the filly and he plans to aim her at the 1000 Guineas in November.
______________________________________________________________________

The brilliant Shamardal colt Pinatubo came back to winning form for Charlie Appleby and Sheikh Mohammed in the Qatar Prix Jean Pratt at Deauville, but looking at reports on the race there is no mention of the star sprinter heading Down Under for the $15m Everest. Pinatubo is currently rated a $25 chance for the Everest, along another UK sprinter, Battaash.
_____________________________________________________________________

Appleby mentioned after Pinatubo’s win in the hands of William Buick that he may look at the Prix du Moulin, over a mile, or stay at seven furlongs in the Prix de la Forest adding, " before looking at taking him to Keeneland for the Breeders Cup."
_____________________________________________________________________

Still in France, the stallion Shamardal was also a big winner at Deauville through his dashing colt Earthlight, raced by Godolphin, and trained by Andrew Fabre. The colt won his five races in his first campaign and he added the Qatar Prix Kistena to his growing list which includes the Prix Morny. Godolphin also won with Althiqa, trained by Appleby in the Prix Amandine.
_____________________________________________________________________

Oxted won the July Cup, in the hands of 21-year-old Cieren Fallon, son of that great rider, Kieron Fallon. Sceptical ran 2nd and Golden Horde finished third. Hello Youmzain, part owned by Cambridge Stud, could manage only fifth.
____________________________________________________________________

Joao Moreira rode a treble at Sha Tin on the weekend but that wasn’t enough to stop Zac Purton clinching a fourth Hong Kong Jockey’s Premiership. One of Moreira’s winners, the well bred NZ galloper Sky Field, is closely related to the former Hong Kong star, Lord Duke. He was purchased by Casper Fownes out of the Trelawney draft, Book 1 at Karaka. Said Moreira, "It is some time since I have ridden such talent like him. The best part, he is raw and there is plenty of improvement. There are no words to describe what a great feeling when you get to ride a nice horse."
______________________________________________________________________

Two hoops in the US, Luis Saez and Victor Espinosa have tested positive to Covid 19. Saez rode at a Keeneland meeting on Friday, gained a second and was then found to have tested positive and stood down. Espinoza called in sick with the virus and another rider, Martin Garcia was also stood down. Worrying times indeed!

More articles