One-horse trainer Ross Lavis enjoying ride with Knights Armour as he heads to Royal Randwick on Saturday
Ross Lavis is a name many NSW racing enthusiasts mightn't have been familiar until recently but thanks to his stable star Knights Armour, he's found himself on Sydney's main stage.
A home-bred by Casino Prince, Knights Armour is the only horse Lavis has in work and has proven to be a revelation for the hobby conditioner.
Lavis is a part-owner of Knights Armour with his wife Lynette and sister-in-law Sharon Brodrick, who got a day to remember the last time the gelding came to town on July 18.
Knights Armour highlighted his staying quality with a sustained effort to score in a 2400m Benchmark 78 event at Rosehill Gardens.
TAB Benchmark 78 Handicap (2400m) at Royal Randwick.
'My wife and I just pinch ourselves, we can't believe it,' Lavis said.
'When we first started lining up we were around the bush here and we didn't look much.
'Then we are going to Sydney and going we've got Ciaron Maher, Chris Waller and Annabel Archibald and we are beside them and we rolled a few of them.'
Apprentice Rebecca Bronett Prag has been a crucial part of the Knights Armour story and enjoyed her maiden Saturday Sydney winner when the pair last came to town.
The Swedish jockey has ridden Knights Armour in 17 of his past 20 starts for five victories and will attempt to add to that record this weekend.
'I think she is probably underestimated a bit,' Lavis said of Bronett Prag.
'She has got good balance, she is getting her race timing really good now.
'We had other jockeys on him that haven't turned out where he has over-raced or they've fought with him and things haven't worked out.
'She gets on with him really well.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News.com.au
an hour ago
- News.com.au
11-length debut winner Ninja passes city test with narrow win at Rosehill
From a runaway provincial maiden win by a massive margin of more than 11 lengths to scrambling home by a short half-head in Sydney Saturday grade. This was the often difficult transition to metropolitan class Ninja was able to negotiate successfully when he held on for a narrow win in the Asahi Super Dry Handicap (1300m) at Rosehill Gardens. Trainer Michael Freedman had deliberately downplayed Ninja's huge maiden win but he was more effusive in his praise for the emerging three-year-old sprinter after his city success. 'While the margin wasn't great and we certainly wouldn't want it over again, I thought there was a lot of merit in it and he's a horse with a future,'' Freedman said. 'I don't care what anybody says, even though the margin was big the other day, it's not easy going from a maiden to a Benchmark 72 in town.'' Ninja's reputation preceded him and he was sent out the $2.40 favourite. He jumped straight to the front, dashed clear in the straight and although tiring late, held off the late surge of promising Without Peer ($9) to win by a short half-head. Crown The King ($11) chased the leader gamely throughout and was a short-head away third with Fermoy closing off strongly to finish fourth, beaten less than a length, in a race that is likely to be a strong three-year-old form reference during the spring carnival. Ninja holds on! 🥷 The @MFreedmanRacing trained galloper wins at Rosehill with @AndrewAdkins103 in the saddle! â€' SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) August 16, 2025 Form jockey Andrew Adkins said Ninja's slender winning margin should not detract from the lightly-raced sprinter's win. 'Ninja is still a work in progress,'' Adkins said. 'It's not like he is doing things wrong but he is doing things a little upside down in places. 'But from the barriers, he stepped better today so he is slowly picking things up. 'It's hard to come out of that grade (provincial maiden) and come to Saturday against a pretty handy field and still win quite dominantly.'' Adkins said Ninja 'didn't have it easy today but he was quite tough late'. 'I don't think he needs to lead but I rode him like the best horse in the race,'' Adkins said. 'He was there and working through the bridle so I didn't want to break his confidence and rip him back just to sit off the lead. 'The more racing he does we will be able to ride him differently, too. He's exciting and still progressing. He's a horse with a lot of upside.'' Ninja, a $380,000 Magic Millions Yearling Sale purchase, is from the first crop of Golden Slipper winner Farnan and is raced in partnership by the My Racehorse Syndications which specialises in micro-shares, as well as some high profile owners including John Camilleri of Sunshine In Paris fame, Widden Stud, Sledmere Stud and Torryburn Stud. The gelding was having just his third start in his debut preparation, having finished third at Kensington before his back-to-back wins. Freedman admitted he has been surprised by Ninja's rapid progression this winter. 'Looking back on it I think he might have found that Kensington track a bit tight and the 1100m a bit sharp first-up,'' the trainer said. 'He has certainly loved getting out over a bit further and just getting into a nice rhythm. He may not look like it today but I do think he will appreciate getting out over a bit further.'' Freedman agreed with Adkins that Ninja is 'still learning his craft' and is not sure he will press on with the emerging young sprinter into the spring. 'Ninja is very raw still,'' Freedman said. 'He gets a big 'jig-joggey' in the parade ring. 'He is still not really jumping away as cleanly as we'd like and he's having to be used a bit just to hold a position. When one kicked up inside him he had to use him a bit more to cross so he's done a really good job to win. 'I will see how he pulls up but I'm always a little hesitant with horses that have raced a bit through the winter how far into the spring you press on with them but he's got a bit of upside for sure.'' â– â– â– â– â– Denim doubles up in city Denim Wynen had never trained a city winner until the start of this season. But Monkhana gave the young trainer her second Saturday winner of the month when she scored a strong win in the Midway Handicap (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens. Monkhana's win came two weeks after mother-of-two Wynen's breakthrough metropolitan success with Sunshine Law at Rosehill on August 2. 'I'm lost for words, I can't believe it, I'm so excited,'' Wynen said. It's @AnnaRoper_ and Denim Wynen combining to take out the first at Rosehill with Monkhana saluting! ðŸ'� â€' SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) August 16, 2025 In a blanket finish where less than a length separated the top four finishers, Monkhana ($3.50 favourite), well ridden by apprentice Anna Roper, scored by a half-length from Vetwelve ($10) with Convergent ($5) a closing strongly for third, just in front of Justela. Monkhana ran second at the Rosehill meeting two weeks ago and Wynen, 29, returned to the track quietly confident about her mare's chances on Saturday. 'I was pretty confident with her today, without saying it,'' she said. 'She trained on well after her last start and has come back a different horse this time in, she is a lot stronger.'' Vetwelve maintained her consistent winter form with another game effort while Convergent showed promising staying potential with his strong finishing effort to claim third placing.
Sydney Morning Herald
3 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
I played backyard cricket with Bob Simpson. He made one of the greatest comebacks in Australian sport
To start with, Simpson fielded in the deep in first-class cricket. It was the legendary Keith Miller who spotted Simpson's talent to field in the slips. Simmo took two diving catches to establish his position as a slip fielder throughout his Test career. He made his first-class debut for NSW against Victoria in 1952-53 as a 16-year-old. When Simpson was introduced to his teammates, the legendary Australian batter Arthur Morris joked as to where his nappies were! Simpson was grateful to another Aussie legend, vice-captain Neil Harvey, for his climb to the top. On Harvey's advice he tried opening the batting to replace Jim Burke, who had retired. When he found runs getting difficult he took Harvey's help, who advised the youngster that he was playing too square-on while defending on the back foot. He became one of the most consistent openers at Test level. In 62 Tests from 1957 to 1978 he amassed 4869 runs at an average of 46.81, hitting 10 centuries – his highest score being 311 against England at Old Trafford, Manchester in 1964. He also took 71 wickets at 42.26 (grabbing five wickets in an innings twice, his best spell being five for 57) and 110 catches. He was an astute rather than a dynamic captain. Simpson's 311 in the Old Trafford Test took 760 minutes, and he was criticised for his slow batting. The Daily Mail called it the 'murder of Test cricket'. At one stage, six journalists in the press box were seen dozing while he was batting. Simpson defended his tactics, asserting that with a series lead, batting England out of the match was the best way to retain the Ashes. In that same Test, he added 201 runs for the opening wicket with Bill Lawry. They did even better in the Barbados Test against West Indies in 1964, when they put on 382 runs for the first wicket, skipper Simpson scoring 201 and Lawry 210. They became the first opening pair to register double centuries in the same Test innings. Between them, they added 3596 runs in Tests at an average of 61. Simpson became the second Australian, after Don Bradman, to make a Test triple century in England. He was also the second batsman after Garry Sobers to record a triple century as his first Test hundred. A prolific scorer, Simpson recorded another triple century in first-class cricket: 359 for NSW against Queensland at Brisbane in 1963-64. He was also a strict but inspiring coach like Justin Langer. When Australia was looking for a full-time coach in the mid-1980s, Simpson was the Australian Cricket Board's choice. He gave Allan Border's team a taste of the discipline to which he had always submitted himself as a player. To quote writer Gideon Haigh, 'A martinet where fitness, fielding and batting technique were concerned, he held the job for a controversial but successful decade, during which time the team won the World Cup and regained both the Ashes and the Frank Worrell Trophy.' Simmo remained Australia's coach until he was replaced by Geoff Marsh in 1996. Under Simpson as coach, Australia improved from being a weak team to the strongest in the world. Apart from winning the 1987 World Cup, Australia regained the Ashes in England in 1989 and defeated the then-invincible West Indies in the Caribbean in 1995. Simpson later coached English counties Leicestershire and Lancashire, and also Rajasthan in India. I was privileged to sit next to Bob Simpson and his daughter Debbie at a function held by the Cricketers' Club of NSW in 1984, for the Richie Benaud Award for the Best Under-19 cricketer of the year. When schoolboy Mark Waugh won, Simpson was full of praise for the then 18-year-old Mark and his twin brother Steve. When I finished my book The Waugh Twins in 1998, I requested Bob write a foreword. He readily agreed, starting with: 'First, as the book is by Kersi Meher-Homji, I know it will be accurate, honest and a very good read. Secondly, the Waugh twins were a major part of my life for over a decade and I had the good fortune to be able to see and perhaps oversee their development from talented youngsters to champions.' His own biography, Simpson's Safari, was authored by R.S. Whitington in 1967. Simpson also wrote several books – my favourites being Simmo (1979) and Captain's Story (1966). He said of his career: 'It took me many years to become an overnight success.' Loading Simpson was made Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1965 and inducted as Order of Australia (AO) in 1985. He was also made Member of the Order of British Empire (MBE). He dedicated his autobiography, Simmo, to his wife and two daughters: 'To my three girls – Meg, Kim and Debbie'. Kim is married to former Test cricketer and chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch.
The Age
3 hours ago
- The Age
I played backyard cricket with Bob Simpson. He made one of the greatest comebacks in Australian sport
To start with, Simpson fielded in the deep in first-class cricket. It was the legendary Keith Miller who spotted Simpson's talent to field in the slips. Simmo took two diving catches to establish his position as a slip fielder throughout his Test career. He made his first-class debut for NSW against Victoria in 1952-53 as a 16-year-old. When Simpson was introduced to his teammates, the legendary Australian batter Arthur Morris joked as to where his nappies were! Simpson was grateful to another Aussie legend, vice-captain Neil Harvey, for his climb to the top. On Harvey's advice he tried opening the batting to replace Jim Burke, who had retired. When he found runs getting difficult he took Harvey's help, who advised the youngster that he was playing too square-on while defending on the back foot. He became one of the most consistent openers at Test level. In 62 Tests from 1957 to 1978 he amassed 4869 runs at an average of 46.81, hitting 10 centuries – his highest score being 311 against England at Old Trafford, Manchester in 1964. He also took 71 wickets at 42.26 (grabbing five wickets in an innings twice, his best spell being five for 57) and 110 catches. He was an astute rather than a dynamic captain. Simpson's 311 in the Old Trafford Test took 760 minutes, and he was criticised for his slow batting. The Daily Mail called it the 'murder of Test cricket'. At one stage, six journalists in the press box were seen dozing while he was batting. Simpson defended his tactics, asserting that with a series lead, batting England out of the match was the best way to retain the Ashes. In that same Test, he added 201 runs for the opening wicket with Bill Lawry. They did even better in the Barbados Test against West Indies in 1964, when they put on 382 runs for the first wicket, skipper Simpson scoring 201 and Lawry 210. They became the first opening pair to register double centuries in the same Test innings. Between them, they added 3596 runs in Tests at an average of 61. Simpson became the second Australian, after Don Bradman, to make a Test triple century in England. He was also the second batsman after Garry Sobers to record a triple century as his first Test hundred. A prolific scorer, Simpson recorded another triple century in first-class cricket: 359 for NSW against Queensland at Brisbane in 1963-64. He was also a strict but inspiring coach like Justin Langer. When Australia was looking for a full-time coach in the mid-1980s, Simpson was the Australian Cricket Board's choice. He gave Allan Border's team a taste of the discipline to which he had always submitted himself as a player. To quote writer Gideon Haigh, 'A martinet where fitness, fielding and batting technique were concerned, he held the job for a controversial but successful decade, during which time the team won the World Cup and regained both the Ashes and the Frank Worrell Trophy.' Simmo remained Australia's coach until he was replaced by Geoff Marsh in 1996. Under Simpson as coach, Australia improved from being a weak team to the strongest in the world. Apart from winning the 1987 World Cup, Australia regained the Ashes in England in 1989 and defeated the then-invincible West Indies in the Caribbean in 1995. Simpson later coached English counties Leicestershire and Lancashire, and also Rajasthan in India. I was privileged to sit next to Bob Simpson and his daughter Debbie at a function held by the Cricketers' Club of NSW in 1984, for the Richie Benaud Award for the Best Under-19 cricketer of the year. When schoolboy Mark Waugh won, Simpson was full of praise for the then 18-year-old Mark and his twin brother Steve. When I finished my book The Waugh Twins in 1998, I requested Bob write a foreword. He readily agreed, starting with: 'First, as the book is by Kersi Meher-Homji, I know it will be accurate, honest and a very good read. Secondly, the Waugh twins were a major part of my life for over a decade and I had the good fortune to be able to see and perhaps oversee their development from talented youngsters to champions.' His own biography, Simpson's Safari, was authored by R.S. Whitington in 1967. Simpson also wrote several books – my favourites being Simmo (1979) and Captain's Story (1966). He said of his career: 'It took me many years to become an overnight success.' Loading Simpson was made Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1965 and inducted as Order of Australia (AO) in 1985. He was also made Member of the Order of British Empire (MBE). He dedicated his autobiography, Simmo, to his wife and two daughters: 'To my three girls – Meg, Kim and Debbie'. Kim is married to former Test cricketer and chairman of selectors Andrew Hilditch.
