David Pfieffer opts for Randwick instead of Big Dance qualifier with Oh Diamond Lil
Pfieffer was weighing up travelling to NSW North Coast next Friday to run in the $150,000 Coffs Harbour Cup (1600m) but will run Oh Diamond Lil in this weekend's Mostyn Copper Benchmark 88 Handicap (1600m) instead.
A small field with the rail out 11m was an offer to good to refuse.
'When the rail is out that far it's always going to be a benefit to her style of racing,' Pfieffer said.
'The options were to go to this race or the Coffs Harbour Cup but this race with the rail out and a small field, it was appealing.
'There are a couple there that might push forward and lead but that might mean we park in behind them.
'The beauty of her is that she has that great gate speed that will help her so we will let Jase (Collett) sort it out in the first couple of furlongs.'
Oh Diamond Lil has drawn the outside of the field of nine but can offset the gate with her early gate speed.
Jockey Jason Collett took advantage of a better draw last start to settle in the lead when Oh Diamond Lil was able to run her rivals of their feet at the same track and trip.
She has continued to race consistently throughout this preparation with two wins and a second from four starts.
'She is in good order and worked great,' Pfieffer said.
'Jason galloped her on Tuesday and she is just in a good patch of form and in a good headspace.'
Pfieffer could be willing to raise the bar higher again after Saturday with Oh Diamond Lil, who is a $2.10 favourite on the weekend.
• Thompson has strong hand to cap off outstanding season
STAYING TEST FOR RED RAGS
Trainer Jeremy Gask will trust the staying pedigree of Red Rags To Bulls to come to the fore in Saturday's TAB Highway Class 3 Plate (1800m) at Royal Randwick.
Red Rags To Bulls ($7.50) will be going into uncharted territory as she prepares to step out over more than a mile for the first time in her career.
She is the granddaughter as one of Gask's best ever gallopers Tingirana, which finished a narrow runner up in the South Australian Oaks in 2004.
'Now is the time to try it,' Gask said.
'You can never be sure and I can't be convinced she will but she certainly races like she won't have any problem.
'On her mum side they all stayed and her mum Tingirana was a lovely mare for us.
'She was the last of the family I had so she has the pedigree to get there if everything falls on the right side.
'I guess being by Bull Point is the query, how many of them get over a trip but I think the dam's side is more important from a stamina point of view.
'She is pretty straightforward and is so easy to deal with so I will go there quite confident that she runs all right.'
Red Rags To Bulls reaped the benefits of an excellent ride from apprentice Ben Osmond to win in Highway grade two starts ago before doing her best work late to finish fifth over a mile at Randwick last start.
She is a $7.50 chance to add another win to her name with in-form jockey Tom Sherry aboard this weekend.
Crop Duster ($34) will join her on the float from Scone on Saturday morning with the son of The Brothers War lining up in the Marcellin College Benchmark 78 Handicap (1300m).
Gask is hopeful forecast rain on race day will arrive.
'We are going to take a punt that the rain will come,' Gask said.
'We have to leave before scratchings so we were deciding whether to go down on Friday afternoon.
'Red Rags To Bulls is better travelling in the morning and he is going to have to take the punt it will rain.
'It would help, it won't bother her either, but certainly helps him.'
Gask has enjoyed a good season and has been picking his targets perfectly with his small team, which has a winning strike rate of 15 per cent.
• Untapped talent chasing another win at Randwick on Saturday
SPRINTER CATCHES EYE IN TRIAL
Two-time The Everest placegetter Private Eye is on track for a first-up crack at the Group 2 $300,000 Missile Stakes (1200m) after impressing in a Warwick Farm trial hitout on Friday.
Private Eye, now a winner of more than $12m in prizemoney, was strong late when finishing second behind runaway leader Bonita Queen in a 900m hit out on home turf.
Star stablemate Ceolwulf wasn't asked to do much in the same heat while three-time Group 1 winning filly Lady Shenandoah had a quiet hitout.
The Joseph Pride -trained Private Eye has had a short let up following his third in the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap at Eagle Farm and is poised to resume in a fortnight at Royal Randwick.
'The Missile is the most likely starting point for him,' Proven Thoroughbred's managing director Jamie Walter said.
'He hasn't lost much (fitness). He wasn't out that long and he is a pretty good fresh.'
1⃣ Bonita Queen
2⃣ Private Eye
3⃣ President
The @BBakerRacing mare keeps them running in an all the way win in a 900m Warwick Farm trial on Friday. Behind them were Converge, Our Gold Hope, Lady Shenandoah, Espionage and Ceolwulf. @tabcomau pic.twitter.com/ba5w552Vyt
— Racing NSW (@racing_nsw) July 24, 2025
Walter's Proven Thoroughbred colours could be in for a big day at Royal Randwick on Saturday with The Black Cloud, Little Cointreau, Termagant and Break Free all lining up.
The Black Cloud ($6) and Termagant ($34) will both contest the ATC Thank You Trainers Handicap (1100m) with the latter coming down from Brisbane for Matt Hoysted.
'The Black Cloud has found a nice race,' Walter said.
'She gets a little bit of weight relief. We don't know how much rain is going to fall, she can get through it.
'Her stablemate Storm The Ramparts is racing out of his skin.
'We also have a couple down to from Brisbane, Termagant will race against The Black Cloud and Break Free is come down as well.
'They've come down for found suitable races and a bit of give in the track.'
Break Free ($8.50), also trained by Hoysted, is in the ATC Thank You Owners Benchmark 72 Handicap (1100m) while Little Cointreau ($5.50) will look to end a run of five straight thirds in the Marcellin College Randwick Benchmark 78 Handicap (1300m).
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Sydney Morning Herald
02-08-2025
- Sydney Morning Herald
Waller celebrates special first Godolphin win with idol by his side
Waller said it was 'an honour to be regarded as being good enough to train for' Godolphin, who had been his stable's biggest competitor and 'best yardstick'. 'We've taken over from a great operation,' he said. 'Just seeing the horses come into our system, my riders have said, 'wow'. The young horses are so well-educated. Horses like her have just settled in really well. 'I was nervous coming into the race, just to make sure everything went well. It's a good relief.' The opening race victory was fitting given Waller and McDonald's dominance last campaign to win their 15th and seventh consecutive Sydney premierships respectively. Waller, who also won the last when Ravenclaw blitzed his rivals under Tommy Berry, said his team was continually striving to improve their Saturday strike-rate. 'It was last Saturday, end of season, straight into it,' he said. 'What can we do better? Where can we improve? Yesterday we went through the runners different to how we did before, trying to make the race day a little bit easier.' Dream win for rookie trainer Wyong trainer Denim Wynen was in disbelief after a former Yulong filly bought for $85,000 delivered her a first city winner on Saturday at Rosehill. Sunshine Law, having her first start for Wynen, hit the lead 150m out and scored a half-length victory over Super Norwest in the 1400m benchmark 78 for fillies and mares. It gave Wyong apprentice Anna Roper a double and Wynen a career highlight. Wynen, who has been training for owners for two years and has 16 horses in work, was given the Alabama Express mare after clients bought her online. Trained by Annabel and Rob Archibald, Sunshine Law won two starts heading into the sale. 'I still can't believe it's true,' Wynen said of the $82,500 win. 'Credit to [the owners], they picked it. They've been a big support to my stable the last six months. They bought some weanlings and they wanted to get to the races sooner, so they decided to go to the tried sales and picked up two nice horses from Yulong, so I think we're going to have some fun with them.' The 29-year-old said Wyong trainer Kristen Buchanan had been a guiding light. 'I didn't want to go to school any more when I was 14 and my brother was working with horses and my mum said if I got a job, I was allowed to leave school, and I went and worked for Kristen Buchanan,' she said. 'She took me in and she was like a mum to me and that's where I've been since.' Wynen's other runner, Monkhana, was second in the Midway handicap. Pride eyes another dance for Headley Trainer Joe Pride was looking to give Headley Grange another shot at a Big Dance qualifier after he bounced back with a two-length victory on Saturday. Headley Grange was sixth as favourite in Big Dance qualifier South Grafton Cup last start, after winning the listed Civic Stakes at Randwick, and he thrived on heavy going in the rain at Rosehill under Adam Hyeronimus in the 1500m open handicap. 'I'm not sure where his ceiling is,' Pride said. 'I don't think he's a serious group horse, but I think he's a really nice horse who's already won one black-type race and I'm sure there's plenty more to come. 'At some point I want to give him another go at a Big Dance qualifier.' Hyeronimus made it a double with an all-the-way win on The Novelist for Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott in the benchmark 94 (1300m). Bott said the Goulburn Cup could be next for The Novelist. Trainer Bjorn Baker also had a bounce-back win, when Stardeel led all the way under Josh Parr in the benchmark 72 (1200m), after coming from last to finish fourth last week at Randwick. Baker said Stardeel would likely go for a spell. Freedmans weigh up Four Pillars Will Freedman quipped he 'might have to lock in an apprentice now' to take weight off Cold Brew in the $500,000 Four Pillars Midway (1500m) on November 1 at Rosehill after the four-year-old cruised to victory at the track on Saturday. Backing up first wins at Hawkesbury and Newcastle, Cold Brew defied a three-wide run without cover under Jason Collett to surge to an almost four-length win in the Midway benchmark 72 (1400m). Freedman, who trains in partnership with his father, Richard, said Cold Brew may go for a spell before a potential Four Pillars shot, although he feared the gelding may get weighted out of the benchmark 68 race. Loading 'His rating might be too big now, but he might be a Four Pillars horse. He's pretty progressive,' Freedman said of Cold Brew, which was rated at 68 before the victory. Dunn mare shines in Kosciuszko trial Unbeaten mare Without Parallel pushed her claims for a slot in the $2 million Kosciuszko with a dominant victory in the class 3 Highway Handicap (1200m) on Saturday. Under two-kilogram claiming apprentice Anna Roper, the Matt Dunn-trained favourite raced outside leader Where's The Fire from gate three and took over at the top of the straight before cruising to an almost five-length win. It was a first test on heavy ground and in Highway grade for the four-year-old, which now has four victories from four starts and opened as a $26 chance for the Kosciuszko slot race after Saturday's win. The 1200m Kosciuszko, held on Everest day, October 18 at Randwick, is the richest race for country-trained horses. Dubbo trainer Dar Lunn also put the Kosciuszko in plans for Elson Boy, which held off Waller-trained Captain Furai in the ninth, a benchmark 78 (1400m), for a first win in 412 days.
The Age
02-08-2025
- The Age
Waller celebrates special first Godolphin win with idol by his side
Waller said it was 'an honour to be regarded as being good enough to train for' Godolphin, who had been his stable's biggest competitor and 'best yardstick'. 'We've taken over from a great operation,' he said. 'Just seeing the horses come into our system, my riders have said, 'wow'. The young horses are so well-educated. Horses like her have just settled in really well. 'I was nervous coming into the race, just to make sure everything went well. It's a good relief.' The opening race victory was fitting given Waller and McDonald's dominance last campaign to win their 15th and seventh consecutive Sydney premierships respectively. Waller, who also won the last when Ravenclaw blitzed his rivals under Tommy Berry, said his team was continually striving to improve their Saturday strike-rate. 'It was last Saturday, end of season, straight into it,' he said. 'What can we do better? Where can we improve? Yesterday we went through the runners different to how we did before, trying to make the race day a little bit easier.' Dream win for rookie trainer Wyong trainer Denim Wynen was in disbelief after a former Yulong filly bought for $85,000 delivered her a first city winner on Saturday at Rosehill. Sunshine Law, having her first start for Wynen, hit the lead 150m out and scored a half-length victory over Super Norwest in the 1400m benchmark 78 for fillies and mares. It gave Wyong apprentice Anna Roper a double and Wynen a career highlight. Wynen, who has been training for owners for two years and has 16 horses in work, was given the Alabama Express mare after clients bought her online. Trained by Annabel and Rob Archibald, Sunshine Law won two starts heading into the sale. 'I still can't believe it's true,' Wynen said of the $82,500 win. 'Credit to [the owners], they picked it. They've been a big support to my stable the last six months. They bought some weanlings and they wanted to get to the races sooner, so they decided to go to the tried sales and picked up two nice horses from Yulong, so I think we're going to have some fun with them.' The 29-year-old said Wyong trainer Kristen Buchanan had been a guiding light. 'I didn't want to go to school any more when I was 14 and my brother was working with horses and my mum said if I got a job, I was allowed to leave school, and I went and worked for Kristen Buchanan,' she said. 'She took me in and she was like a mum to me and that's where I've been since.' Wynen's other runner, Monkhana, was second in the Midway handicap. Pride eyes another dance for Headley Trainer Joe Pride was looking to give Headley Grange another shot at a Big Dance qualifier after he bounced back with a two-length victory on Saturday. Headley Grange was sixth as favourite in Big Dance qualifier South Grafton Cup last start, after winning the listed Civic Stakes at Randwick, and he thrived on heavy going in the rain at Rosehill under Adam Hyeronimus in the 1500m open handicap. 'I'm not sure where his ceiling is,' Pride said. 'I don't think he's a serious group horse, but I think he's a really nice horse who's already won one black-type race and I'm sure there's plenty more to come. 'At some point I want to give him another go at a Big Dance qualifier.' Hyeronimus made it a double with an all-the-way win on The Novelist for Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott in the benchmark 94 (1300m). Bott said the Goulburn Cup could be next for The Novelist. Trainer Bjorn Baker also had a bounce-back win, when Stardeel led all the way under Josh Parr in the benchmark 72 (1200m), after coming from last to finish fourth last week at Randwick. Baker said Stardeel would likely go for a spell. Freedmans weigh up Four Pillars Will Freedman quipped he 'might have to lock in an apprentice now' to take weight off Cold Brew in the $500,000 Four Pillars Midway (1500m) on November 1 at Rosehill after the four-year-old cruised to victory at the track on Saturday. Backing up first wins at Hawkesbury and Newcastle, Cold Brew defied a three-wide run without cover under Jason Collett to surge to an almost four-length win in the Midway benchmark 72 (1400m). Freedman, who trains in partnership with his father, Richard, said Cold Brew may go for a spell before a potential Four Pillars shot, although he feared the gelding may get weighted out of the benchmark 68 race. Loading 'His rating might be too big now, but he might be a Four Pillars horse. He's pretty progressive,' Freedman said of Cold Brew, which was rated at 68 before the victory. Dunn mare shines in Kosciuszko trial Unbeaten mare Without Parallel pushed her claims for a slot in the $2 million Kosciuszko with a dominant victory in the class 3 Highway Handicap (1200m) on Saturday. Under two-kilogram claiming apprentice Anna Roper, the Matt Dunn-trained favourite raced outside leader Where's The Fire from gate three and took over at the top of the straight before cruising to an almost five-length win. It was a first test on heavy ground and in Highway grade for the four-year-old, which now has four victories from four starts and opened as a $26 chance for the Kosciuszko slot race after Saturday's win. The 1200m Kosciuszko, held on Everest day, October 18 at Randwick, is the richest race for country-trained horses. Dubbo trainer Dar Lunn also put the Kosciuszko in plans for Elson Boy, which held off Waller-trained Captain Furai in the ninth, a benchmark 78 (1400m), for a first win in 412 days.
The Australian
01-08-2025
- The Australian
Coffs Harbour preview: Donna's chasing a hometown Cup win
Ostracised, once touted a Kosciuszko horse, could in fact be a Big Dance horse if he can deliver a hometown boilover in the Coffs Harbour Cup. Apart from its prestige and a whopping $150,000 purse, the added incentive of Big Dance Eligibility has drawn together a first class field of New South Wales, Queensland and Canberra housed gallopers. So deep is this year's Coffs Harbour Cup (1600m) that Ostracised went up as a $51 shot. • 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! A mission which his part owner and trainer Donna Grisedale acknowledges is a difficult one but not impossible. 'I wouldn't put him in it if I didn't think he would run a decent race,' Grisedale said. 'Home track, wet track, good barrier, he has got a few things in his favour but there are some outstanding city-class horses in the race. 'He has gone up 19 points in two runs so I have kind of been forced into these sort of situations with him.' One of those benchmark accruing performances came as a result of Ostracised's emphatic on-pace win in the Maclean Cup (1425m). What made the gelding's victory all the more important; the outcome - and the manner of it - was inspiration enough for a tilt at the Cup. That said, Ostracised running a mile is not something anyone would have expected, least of all Grisedale herself. 'We only had him down as a 1000m, 1100m horse completely and then everything just sort of changed because he was just getting run off his legs,' she said. 'So we just stepped him up 1100m to 1200m and it has just gone from there. 'He was strong through the line (in the Maclean Cup) so 1600m is certainly worth a try. 'Six is a good barrier for him, he should be up there on the speed for sure.' Grisedale will also have a runner in the co-feature Daniel Baker Showcase Sprint (1200m), namely Bow. A son of Black Caviar's sire, Bel Esprit, Bow will require a further upgrade in the track it seems to have any chance of capturing the time-honoured annual event. 'He hasn't drawn too bad and again the home track is always good for him,' Grisedale said. 'It is a suitable race for him, it's just that it is going to be wet.' The Coffs Harbour Cup Day meeting coincides with the start of the new season. Grisedale is rightfully looking forward to what the stable's raw but talented now four-year-old Piedi Veloci can deliver in the Rob Young Country Boosted Showcase Maiden Plate (1400m) and throughout 2025/26 up to an including even the Country Championships. 'He is going to go out after Friday's run and I dare say he will come back a more furnished horse and certainly a lot more switched on and hopefully not doing so many things wrong,' says Grisedale. 'He just needs to mature. 'He'd have to win a couple of races and he is certainly capable of doing that so if he can come back and put one or two wins together (the Country Championships) would be ideal for him.' ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ The weather, the weight and the lure of a crack at a $3 million race on the first Tuesday in November are the three reasons why It's A Knockout will be at Coffs Harbour and not at Rosehill this weekend. The Ciaron Maher-trained It's A Knockout is a red-hot favourite for both her city and country (proposed) missions off the back of a booming first-up win at Royal Randwick followed by her honourable third there at her subsequent start. While the daughter of Triple Crown winner Dundeel will have a 1000km round trip on the first day of the new season, it could pay off in spades both in the immediacy and later in the year, November 4 to be exact. 'It's a business decision,' said Dean Watt, the founder of Dynamic Syndications, who bought the stakes-placed mare at the Gold Coast for $150,000 as a yearling. 'First of all, we have got one eye on the weather but that's not the be all and end all however, whether Rosehill gets all-the-way through on Saturday is a question mark. 'And Coffs (Harbour) at this stage has only had a sprinkle of rain that Sydney has had so you know the races are going to go on up there.' Watt, who has won a Golden Slipper and a Blue Diamond (among other features), was also keen to shield It's A Knockout from any potential huge rise in her benchmark rating should she have won in Sydney on the weekend. 'The Coffs Harbour Cup is Big Dance eligible and if you don't win it but you run second, you're Little Dance eligible,' he added. 'And there is only six grands worth of difference (between Rosehill and Coffs Harbour). 'Her benchmark is still going to go up but the horse becomes eligible to run in a $3 million or $1 million race.' The 2024/25 season concludes the 20th season that the ubiquitous Dynamic Syndications silks have been worn (including in this year's Everest). Watt's clients shared in 61 winners for the season, 20 of them city winners, taking his firm's overall tally close to 1000. In that time, Dynamic horses have returned a 90 per cent winners to runners while a phenomenal 98.1 per cent of the string earned prizemoney.
