THE PETLEY REPORT: AYRTON AND ZAAKI DOMINATE THE BETTING FOR THE GUNSYND AND THE Q22 RESPECTIVELY

By Jack Petley | Friday, June 11, 2021

Boom Victorian three-year-old Ayrton sits at a very firm $1.60 for the Gunsynd at Eagle Farm tomorrow and Zaaki is at even less, $1.50. In the Gunsynd the next behind Ayrton is the Sydney three-year-old Ellesberg at $4.20, then Without Thinking at $9.50 and the rest at double figures.

Best backed in the market behind Zaaki in the Q22 is the Chris Waller trained Toffee Tongue at $10, then Spirit Ridge at $16 and John Sargent's Brandenburg at $17. You can write your own ticket for the rest. It is a big field of quality gallopers so this will be a test for Zaaki.

The former NZ trained mare Rondinella is solid in the Brisbane Cup at $2.20 favourite with Glen Boss, to ride. The field is small but select with second favourite Knights Order at $3.40 then Carif at $3.80.

While on the Waller yard I see that Chris needs only one more winner to notched 300 for the season and he has a host of runners over several meetings, so he should get to the magical figure with not a problem at all after gaining a treble mid week in Sydney.

That smart Kiwi mare Coventina Bay has a following in the market for the Dane Ripper and she sits at $7.0, with Samantha Collett up, with the favourite being the John Thompson mare Sweet Deal at $5. Opie Bosson rides Funstar and the smart mare is at $8 and one of the better chances for Waller on the day.

Bosson also rides Quick Thinker ($71) in the Q22 and Volcanic Rock for the Bott-Waterhouse yard in the JJ Atkins with the stables other runner, Converge, is a solid favourite at $3,50. Port Louis is at $4.80 with Hugh Bowman up and, remember, Bowman only needs one win to reach that magical century of Group 1 wins.

Mapperley Stud has just announced that the book for the exciting young stallion Contributer has been closed at a fee for the spring of $22,000 plus GST, up from $10,000 the previous season. His progeny success has been headlined by Lions Roar, from the John O'Shea Randwick yard, while he has another smart three-year-old in the form of the filly Llanacord. At the last Karaka sale he was the leading second season sire averaging $141,000 in Book One.

Interesting winner at Matamata during the week, Colin Oscopy for young trainer Samantha Logan. The four-year-old son of Zed, looks a young stayer of much promise. While he shows good form on the flat Logan says she has given the horse a course of schooling over the log fences saying he is a "lovely jumper." The horse has attracted media attention because of his name with Samantha saying that the owner likes strange names, saying one he raced was called Anita Pea. "He likes to surprise me," she said.

Joe Kamaruddin was in fine form at the New Plymouth meeting gaining a treble on Swiss Kitty, for Robbie Patterson, who is in Brisbane at present with Coventina Bay, then on stablemate Dame Vera and lastly on Lord Valentine. He now sits with 28 winners for the season. It was also a big day for fellow apprentice Jeettesh Mudhoo, who gained his first win on Jane O.

Two good winners bred in NZ at Happy Valley during the week were Sky Gem, for Karis Teetan, and Packing Victory. Sky Gem was a $50,000 purchased out of The Oaks Stud draft in 2017, while Zac Purton brought Packing Victory home with a well-judged ride for trainer, Danny Shum.

Teetan was in fine form at Happy Valley gaining four winners taking him to third on the Premiership ladder behind Joao Moreira and Zac Purton. Moreira leads Purton in the championship … 138 wins to 117.

Tony Pike has his eyes on Brisbane where he has Lebanese Trader and Tutukaka, who ran a fine third in the P:heonix last week at Eagle Farm. He now heads to the listed Tattersalls Stakes on June 26. "Lebanese Trader will run at Doomben on the 23 rd, “said Pike. Not an Option, who ran poorly at his debut run in Brisbasne will trial, said the trainer. “He will then run in the Winx Guineas," he said.

Pike reports that he will welcome back his star sprinter Bostonian in a few weeks with the sprinter pre training at present. Derby winner Sherwood Forest is getting light work and, all going to plan, he will head to Melbourne in the spring. "The opportunities for a horse like him are wide and varied," said Pike, who also gave the news that the Group 2 placed mare Intrigue has joined the Waller yard in Sydney and eventually she will head to stud … thus looking for further black type before she heads to the paddock/

Fellow Cambridge trainer Stephen Marsh concedes that his season target of 100 winners for the season is more than likely beyond reach, but he is keen to keep the winners ticking over with a big string at the Te Rapa meeting tomorrow. Marsh had 97 winners in the 18-19 season and he has 82 to his credit this season. "It is probably out of reach now," he said to the NZ Racing Desk." But we still have got not bad numbers ticking over and we have 10 running tomorrow." The stable has enjoyed a strong season with 10 stakes winners with the stars there being that very smart filly Atishu and Pierina. Marsh sits 2nd on the trainer’s premiership ladder behind Jamie Richards.