Baker looks to spring targets after Robusto rises to Winter Challenge
It followed a heavy track win at Warwick Farm carrying 61 kilograms when first up off a 17-week spell and one trial. The five-year-old now has seven wins and 15 placings from 36 starts.
'He's not one of these million-dollar horses, he was just bred in a back paddock with the owners, and it's just wonderful for them and that these stories can happen,' Litt said.
'He'll go on with this, and I'm hoping there's a couple of races coming up, maybe in listed grade, that he can be competitive in.'
It was part of a treble for Sherry, who earlier won on Annabel and Rob Archibald-trained Yoshinobu, which was first-up off a gelding operation. Sherry finished the day with victory on Peter Snowden-trained King Of Roseau.
Storm The Ramparts' jockey Reece Jones was fined $400 for an audible obscenity in the scales area after the defeat. He said his frustrations had boiled over, and the breach was out of character. He said he had been 'absolutely hammered' by race goers on the way in.
Roper lucky to walk away
Jockey Josh Parr labelled wayward country galloper Highway Strip 'dangerous' after its part in the fall of apprentice Anna Roper and Rob Agnew-trained Pony Soprano at Rosehill.
Roper, who was stood down by the club doctor from the rest of the day, was fortunate to walk away from the fall. Pony Soprano appeared to escape serious injury.
The pair fell near the 750m mark of the 1100m Highway Handicap when Danny Williams-trained Highway Strip shifted out, forcing Roper's mount onto the heels of Never Fails.
Roper said Highway Strip was racing ungenerously on her inside, and she believed the fall came from a combination of him hanging out and Never Fails cutting across.
Parr told stewards he expressed his disappointment to the stable about the horse's poor racing manners and said 'at no point did I feel I had control of that horse'.
'There was no response from the horse from any command that I gave him, and I'd go as far as to say it's a dangerous horse,' Parr said.
Highway Strip, the race favourite, hung out on the turn but finished strongly for fourth.
Highway Strip had been sent back to the trials previously for its poor racing manners, and Williams told stewards the horse had worked and trialled well since his last-start second at Randwick on January 25. Stewards ordered that Highway Strip trial twice to their satisfaction before being allowed to race again.
Three-year-old Shropshire Lad ($8.50) won the race, breaking through for his first Highway win.
Knights Armour
Knights Armour provided a career highlight for Braidwood cattle farmer and hobby trainer Ross Lavis and Swedish apprentice Rebecca Bronett Prag when the six-year-old gave both a first Saturday city win.
Bronett Prag raced Knights Armour ($12) into second-last spot in the 2400m benchmark 78 handicap before cutting the corner with an inside run on the home bend. Knights Armour, the only horse Lavis trains, made the most of the economical trip to land a half-length victory over Good Banter.
'He tries his heart out, and I knew the 2400, he was going to see it out no worries at all,' Lavis said.
Bronett Prag, who came to Australia as a teenager, also scored her first metro midweek win with Knights Armour.
Maher 2YO scores surprise win
Ciaron Maher-trained Without Peer will race into the spring after scoring a surprise win on debut at Rosehill on Saturday.
Coming off two unplaced trials, the Pierata gelding was a $12 Sportsbet chance and near last in the 1200m two-year-old handicap before storming down the centre of the track for jockey Chad Schofield to hold off Spice Prawn by a short neck.
Maher assistant trainer Johann Gerard-Dubord said the win 'surprised us a bit'.
'He's a gelding, so we will just go through the grades with him and space his runs heading into the spring,' Gerard-Dubord said.
'He's got a lot of talent, but he's still very raw, and we saw that in both of his trials, especially his first one.
'I don't think it was the deepest two-year-old Saturday race, which is why he ran today.
'We just felt 1200 around Rosehill would be a very good starting point. We just wanted him to have a good experience.
'He's still doing a few things wrong, so I think there's a lot more to come.'
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Big talent on way to success
Premier trainer Chris Waller expects Useapin to kick on after she was strong late to win second up at Rosehill on Saturday.
The three-year-old daughter of Waller's Everest winner, Yes Yes Yes, fought off Scott Singleton-trained Dollar Magic to claim the benchmark 78 handicap over 1200m for fillies and mares. It was a 14th runner-up effort from Dollar Magic.
Waller expected more success after Useapin's fourth victory in 11 starts.
'It was a long straight and Zac [Lloyd] got her out into plenty of air, but she looked like she was going to be vulnerable with 200 to go, but she did enough and she was brave the last bit,' Waller said.
'She's a big girl and she's always shown us promise, but through that big size has struggled to put it together every start, but she's on her way and she should have a good six months.'
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Mercury
4 days ago
- Mercury
Without Parallel stays unbeaten at Rosehill to emerge as a contender for The Kosciuszko
Don't miss out on the headlines from Horse Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News. Country NSW's leading trainer Matt Dunn has his sights on The Kosciuszko after his emerging talent Without Parallel remained unbeaten at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday. The four-year-old mare made it four from four when revelling in the heavy conditions to trounce her rivals in the Highway Class 3 Handicap (1200m). Immediately after the win, installed Without Parallel into The Kosciuszko pre-field market as a $26 chance for the $2m 1200m country feature at Randwick on October 18. • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! 'We have to start thinking seriously about the race now,' Dunn said. 'Horses can go from Highway races to The Kosciuszko but they need to win like she did. 'I did something similar with a horse called Derry Grove. He won two Highways before running in The Kosciuszko. 'I've got a bit more time up my sleeve with this horse, so I'll go home and plot a path. 'She's a good candidate.' Without Parallel was sent out the $2.45 favourite and gave her backers a painless watch, dominating from the front before surging clear in the straight to win by an ever widening 4¾ lengths from Via Vegas ($18) with Cougars ($8) a half-head back in third. The victory was the perfect start to the new season for apprentice Anna Roper, who was having her first ride for Dunn and provided the prolific trainer with his 41st Highway winner. 'It's a really impressive effort,' Roper said. 'She added another string to her bow today with the wet track and in Sydney grade. 'I was sort of hoping to lead and when that horse crossed me, I didn't really want to follow it so I just popped outside it. • Waller and J-Mac ignite Godolphin's new era 'It meant I was able to get to the best part of the track so it was good to do that with her. 'She handled that track really well and to do that over 1200 (metres), Matt has got a really nice horse on his hands. 'Super turn of foot. Turning for home I gave her one slap down the shoulder and she took off like a rocket, so she is a really nice horse for the future. 'She's the nicest horse I've sat on in a Highway, that's for sure and certain.' Without Parallel started her career with two starts in the Northern Rivers district of NSW before resuming in June when she recorded her third win at Eagle Farm. Dunn said the daughter of former Kiwi-based shuttle stallion Time Test still has plenty of scope to continue her progression through the grades. 'The way she did that was no surprise to me,' he said. 'The only question I had was if she was going to get through the heavy ground and she's ticked that box now. 'I was hopefully she's handle it because she's that right shape. She's a speed horse that's nimble and athletic. 'If today was a dry track I'd have expected her to do that to them. I hold her in good regard. • Crossbow aims higher after maiden win at Flemington 'Today was another positive. 'She handles firm, good, soft and heavy, she can make the pace or come off speed. 'A real little runner. She's an intelligent little racehorse that just does it.' Roper heads into 2025/26 after the best return of her short career, riding 77 winners during last season with 23.5 metropolitan winners to finish third in the Sydney apprentices' premiership. 'That was my first ride for Matt so it was good to get the job done like that for him,' Roper said. 'I'd really like to get to 100 winners this season shore up my place riding in town so it was good to get off to a fast start like that. 'Last season I missed the first few months through injury so this year to plan is to try to get to 100. 'I really want to work on my consistency too this season in town on a week-to-week basis. 'I've been very lucky with the support I've received from some big stables like Ciaron's. He's been so supportive to my career.' Originally published as Without Parallel stays unbeaten with Highway win at Rosehill to emerge as a strong contender for The Kosciuszko
Herald Sun
5 days ago
- Herald Sun
Without Parallel stays unbeaten at Rosehill to emerge as a contender for The Kosciuszko
Unbeaten mare Without Parallel stormed into The Kosciuszko contention after demolishing her rivals in a Highway at Rosehill. Don't miss out on the headlines from Horse Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News. Country NSW's leading trainer Matt Dunn has his sights on The Kosciuszko after his emerging talent Without Parallel remained unbeaten at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday. The four-year-old mare made it four from four when revelling in the heavy conditions to trounce her rivals in the Highway Class 3 Handicap (1200m). Immediately after the win, installed Without Parallel into The Kosciuszko pre-field market as a $26 chance for the $2m 1200m country feature at Randwick on October 18. • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! 'We have to start thinking seriously about the race now,' Dunn said. 'Horses can go from Highway races to The Kosciuszko but they need to win like she did. 'I did something similar with a horse called Derry Grove. He won two Highways before running in The Kosciuszko. 'I've got a bit more time up my sleeve with this horse, so I'll go home and plot a path. 'She's a good candidate.' Without Parallel was sent out the $2.45 favourite and gave her backers a painless watch, dominating from the front before surging clear in the straight to win by an ever widening 4¾ lengths from Via Vegas ($18) with Cougars ($8) a half-head back in third. The victory was the perfect start to the new season for apprentice Anna Roper, who was having her first ride for Dunn and provided the prolific trainer with his 41st Highway winner. 'It's a really impressive effort,' Roper said. 'She added another string to her bow today with the wet track and in Sydney grade. 'I was sort of hoping to lead and when that horse crossed me, I didn't really want to follow it so I just popped outside it. â€' SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) August 2, 2025 • Waller and J-Mac ignite Godolphin's new era 'It meant I was able to get to the best part of the track so it was good to do that with her. 'She handled that track really well and to do that over 1200 (metres), Matt has got a really nice horse on his hands. 'Super turn of foot. Turning for home I gave her one slap down the shoulder and she took off like a rocket, so she is a really nice horse for the future. 'She's the nicest horse I've sat on in a Highway, that's for sure and certain.' Without Parallel started her career with two starts in the Northern Rivers district of NSW before resuming in June when she recorded her third win at Eagle Farm. Dunn said the daughter of former Kiwi-based shuttle stallion Time Test still has plenty of scope to continue her progression through the grades. 'The way she did that was no surprise to me,' he said. 'The only question I had was if she was going to get through the heavy ground and she's ticked that box now. 'I was hopefully she's handle it because she's that right shape. She's a speed horse that's nimble and athletic. 'If today was a dry track I'd have expected her to do that to them. I hold her in good regard. • Crossbow aims higher after maiden win at Flemington 'Today was another positive. 'She handles firm, good, soft and heavy, she can make the pace or come off speed. 'A real little runner. She's an intelligent little racehorse that just does it.' Roper heads into 2025/26 after the best return of her short career, riding 77 winners during last season with 23.5 metropolitan winners to finish third in the Sydney apprentices' premiership. 'That was my first ride for Matt so it was good to get the job done like that for him,' Roper said. 'I'd really like to get to 100 winners this season shore up my place riding in town so it was good to get off to a fast start like that. 'Last season I missed the first few months through injury so this year to plan is to try to get to 100. 'I really want to work on my consistency too this season in town on a week-to-week basis. 'I've been very lucky with the support I've received from some big stables like Ciaron's. He's been so supportive to my career.' Originally published as Without Parallel stays unbeaten with Highway win at Rosehill to emerge as a strong contender for The Kosciuszko Horse Racing Trainer Denim Wynen celebrated her first city win as former Yulong-owned mare Sunshine Law relished the heavy conditions to score a first-up win at Rosehill. Horse Racing Premiership winners Chris Waller and James McDonald kicked off Godolphin's new era on a winning note with Amusing saluting for the 'Blue Army' at Rosehill.
Sydney Morning Herald
5 days ago
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Wild week ends with Big Dance chance for Victory Roll
Goulburn trainer Pat Murphy will chase a feature race success when Victory Roll lines up in Sunday's $50,000 Bankstown Sports *Big Dance Eligibility* Forbes Cup (1600m). Murphy had Victory Roll in at Wagga last Tuesday, with that meeting transferred to Narrandera on Thursday before eventually being abandoned due to bad weather. 'It hasn't been an ideal week given meetings being moved and then called off, but hopefully it all works out well in the end on Sunday,' said Murphy, who has Richard Bensley booked to ride Victory Roll in the Forbes feature. Victory Roll is a five-time winner from 25 starts with more than $170,000 in prizemoney. 'He's a Highway winner in town at Randwick and also won a midweeker at Canterbury,' said Murphy. 'He's had a few runs back from a spell now and while he's still at the 1600m at Forbes he does have the benefit of gate one which should give him his chance.' Victory Roll lines up against the Danielle Seib prepared Due Calzini in the Forbes Cup, with that galloper also having been in the same races at Wagga and Narrandera that were eventually called off. Due Calzini has won his past two starts and drops in distance for this with apprentice Jessica Brookes taking the ride. Meanwhile, Murphy and Bensley will also combine in the opening event at Forbes when Performing Diva contests the Shead & Nicholson/Daikin/Seeley International Country Boosted Maiden Plate (1100m). Performing Diva has only had two starts for a fourth on debut at Nowra in February before a second at Goulburn on February 28.
