His dad rode over 1000 winners, now Will's out to blaze own trail
Apprentice Will Stanley hopes 'a shot in the dark' from his manager will lead to a stakes win at his first attempt when he partners Steel Blaze for Kembla Grange trainer Brett Lazzarini in the Winter Cup (2400m) at Rosehill on Saturday.
With just two city winners to his name, Stanley will join five other apprentices with rides in the listed $200,000 race.
'I've never ridden for the trainer before,' Stanley said
'I think my manager [Ryan Roberts] just kicked up for it, just as a shot in the dark for it.
'It's good. It's a bit below the weight I usually ride, but he was willing to put me on without a claim, so that was a bit of a bonus for me.'
Steel Blaze, second to Campaldino in the Orange Cup this preparation, was a $31 shot with Sportsbet from gate six.
'He should get a lovely run and I'd say he'll end up three pairs back the fence, ideally,' Stanley said.
'He's raced over that sort of journey before and he's coped with it pretty well, so I think he'll handle it.'
A son of trainer and former jockey Peter Stanley, the 21-year-old moved from his hometown of Orange to Newcastle to join the Kris Lees stable late last year and further his riding career. His sister Ashleigh, brother Justin, nephew Dylan and cousin Jett are also jockeys.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Herald Sun
15 hours ago
- Herald Sun
At The Track: Decision on Leilani Lodge trainer delayed
Don't miss out on the headlines from Horse Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News. The protracted decision on which trainer takes over Leilani Lodge has been delayed until later this week. An Australian Turf Club subcommittee tabled a report on the famous Randwick stables last Friday that has been given to the board of directors to consider. It is expected a decision will be made by the end of the week but even that is not guaranteed given several directors are overseas. Racenet iQ members get full access to our Pro Tips service, where Greg and our team of professional punters provide daily tips with fully transparent return on investment statistics. SUBSCRIBE NOW and start punting like a pro! Ciaron Maher, the nation's premier trainer, and the high profile Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott training partnership are the applicants to take over the famous racing stables at Royal Randwick. There is also speculation about what will happen to the Crown Lodge stables at Warwick Farm and the Osborne Park training and stabling facility near Agnes Banks when James Cummings completes his tenure at Godolphin at the end of next month. Godolphin Australia supremo Andy Makiv confirmed there has been interest from 'various parties' looking to acquire the training facilities, and also their Flemington stables. 'There has been plenty of interest in those (three) properties,' Makiv said. ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ The Waterhouse-Bott stable struck early on Stradbroke Day when promising stayer Campaldino won the Group 2 Brisbane Cup (3200m) at Eagle Farm. Campaldino scored his fourth consecutive win with a strong staying performance under Tim Clark to beat Etna Rosso. The striking chestnut gelding's form surge began in Orange Cup followed by a Benchmark 78 at Kensington, Group 3 Queen Elizabeth II Cup and then the Brisbane Cup, giving Waterhouse her fourth win in the Eagle Farm 'two miler'. Campaldino is now likely to be given his chance to complete the rare Brisbane Cup-Melbourne Cup double - a feat achieved only twice by Viewed (2008) and Macdougal (1959). ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ Champion jockey James McDonald will have another chance to equal 'Miracle' Mal Johnston's longstanding Group 1 riding record after his second placing on Hidden Achievement in the JJ Atkins at Eagle Farm. Hidden Achievement missed the start but McDonald then rode a brilliant race with the colt emerging as a challenger halfway down the straight only for local hero Cool Archie to respond under pressure and draw clear near the line. McDonald, who had been unwell during the week and was forced to forgo his Stradbroke Handicap ride on Rothfire when he couldn't make 55.5kg, has ridden 15 Australian Group 1 wins for the season, one behind Johnston's record he set back in 1979-80 when the legendary Kingston Town was in his prime. Although McDonald has left for England where he will ride at Royal Ascot this week, he will be back for the Tattersalls Tiara on June 28. ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ Asfoora can join Choisir as the only Australian sprinters to win twice at England's prestigious Royal Ascot carnival when she tries to defend her title in the Group 1 King Charles III Stakes (1000m) on Tuesday. Despite the dominance of the Aussie speedsters at Royal Ascot in the last two decades, Choisir is the only two-time winner with his famous King's Stand Stakes-Golden Jubilee double in 2003. The King's Stand, now known as the King Charles III Stakes, has since been won by Takeover Target (2006), Miss Andretti (2007), Scenic Blast (2009), Nature Strip (2022) and Asfoora last year. Black Caviar (2012) is the only other Australian-trained sprinter to win the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (formerly Golden Jubilee) although Starspangledbanner (2010) and Merchant Navy (2018) won the race after being transferred to Irish trainer Aidan O'Brien. Asfoora's trainer Henry Dwyer told English media the mare had 'travelled over really well' and had settled back into familiar surroundings at Newmarket. Dwyer said he has decided to put the blinkers on Asfoora for Tuesday's big race on the opening day of Royal Ascot. 'I think the blinkers may have been the missing link and I've always wanted to put blinkers on her as she is quite a 'looky' horse,' Dwyer said. 'The blinkers might add that little one per cent we need.' Originally published as Ciaron Maher and the Gai Waterhouse - Adrian Bott partnership await verdict on famous Randwick stables
News.com.au
a day ago
- News.com.au
Sir Lucan defies odds to secure second Winter Cup
Sir Lucan staged racing's ultimate form reversal to achieve something no stayer has managed in more than 60 years at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday. The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Sir Lucan became the first horse since Royal Bark in 1962-63 to win successive Winter Cups (2400m). The only other horse to win two Winter Cups was Destiny's Kiss and those triumphs were six years apart – 2013 and 2019! Racenet iQ members get full access to our Pro Tips service, where Greg and our team of professional punters provide daily tips with fully transparent return on investment statistics. SUBSCRIBE NOW and start punting like a pro! But Sir Lucan was coming off a long last when resuming in the Lord Mayor's Cup two weeks ago although he was obviously a different horse second-up from a spell. Adam Hyeronimus, one of Sydney's in-form jockeys, has ridden Sir Lucan in both his Winter Cup wins and said to connections: 'Can you book me for the horse in this race next year!' Sir Lucan ($21) finished strongly to run down stablemate Bear On The Loose ($3 favourite) to win by three-quarters of a length with Hopeful ($31) a long neck away third. Hyeronimus rode a stalking race on Sir Lucan, not dissimilar to how he rode the gelding last year, tracking Bear On The Loose into the straight then seizing control of the Winter Cup near the line. 'It was a good win. I had to use him to get to the spot I wanted and I got there and after that it was just a matter of keeping him in a rhythm, keeping him relaxed,'' Hyeronimus said. 'He can sprint once he has a soft, economical run but he had to do it early and he's had to carry 57kg today in this race so he's done a good job and he was tough late.'' Waterhouse and Bott's stable representative Neil Paine declared: 'He loves the Winter Cup, Sir Lucan.'' 'It was a great ride from Adam Hyeronimus,' Paine said. • Star apprentice brings up century with first city treble 'Bear On The Loose is a horse you can't hold up, you have to let him run along. Young Zac Wadick rode him an absolute treat and it was good to see him fight out the finish. 'But Adam was right on his tail, knew exactly where he was going and got out at the right time. 'It's just great for Sir Lucan, I don't think he has won in between this year and last year. Where do we go from here? Let's just take this win today and see how we go.'' Sir Lucan was the second leg of a feature race staying double for Waterhouse and Bott after they prepared Campaldino to win the Group 2 Brisbane Cup at Eagle Farm. The big-race brace gives the trainers 35 Group or Listed wins this season equalling their previous best stakes haul set in 2023-24 – and there's still six weeks of the current season remaining. Monique and Adam Annetts are part-owners of Sir Lucan and are hoping the stayer's return to winning form is a sign of things. The couple flew to England last night to attend the famous Royal Ascot carnival and watch their sprinter, Storm Boy, contest the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Cup (1200m) next Saturday night. • Filly eases Portelli's pain after Kimochi retirement with Rosehill win 'We're very excited to win the Winter Cup again and the owners are flying over to London tonight,'' Paine said. 'Monique and Adam, they're jumping on a plane to go and see Storm Boy run next Saturday. If they were flying economy they will be flying first class now.' Storm Boy, formerly trained by Waterhouse and Bott, is now with Irish maestro Aidan O'Brien after Coolmore purchased a majority share in the colt. Sir Lucan was born and bred at Coolmore in Ireland and raised within sight of the life-size bronze statue of Sadler's Wells. That is more than fitting given the Tulloch Lodge stayer carries a 3x3 double cross of the stallion that has shaped the European and world thoroughbred scene for decades. On top of that, Sir Lucan is a third generation direct descendant of Urban Sea who almost single-handedly disproved the theory that 'champion mares never throw champions horses'. Urban Sea won Europe's most prestigious race, the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, then in the breeding barn produced four Group 1 winners including two great champion racehorses and stallions, Galileo and Sea The Stars. Galileo (2001) and Sea The Stars (2009) both won the English Derby, a feat that Sir Lucan's father Camelot (2012) also managed during his stellar racing career. Originally published as Imported stayer Sir Lucan achieves historic feat with back-to-back Winter Cup Victories at Rosehill
The Age
2 days ago
- The Age
His dad rode over 1000 winners, now Will's out to blaze own trail
Apprentice Will Stanley hopes 'a shot in the dark' from his manager will lead to a stakes win at his first attempt when he partners Steel Blaze for Kembla Grange trainer Brett Lazzarini in the Winter Cup (2400m) at Rosehill on Saturday. With just two city winners to his name, Stanley will join five other apprentices with rides in the listed $200,000 race. 'I've never ridden for the trainer before,' Stanley said 'I think my manager [Ryan Roberts] just kicked up for it, just as a shot in the dark for it. 'It's good. It's a bit below the weight I usually ride, but he was willing to put me on without a claim, so that was a bit of a bonus for me.' Steel Blaze, second to Campaldino in the Orange Cup this preparation, was a $31 shot with Sportsbet from gate six. 'He should get a lovely run and I'd say he'll end up three pairs back the fence, ideally,' Stanley said. 'He's raced over that sort of journey before and he's coped with it pretty well, so I think he'll handle it.' A son of trainer and former jockey Peter Stanley, the 21-year-old moved from his hometown of Orange to Newcastle to join the Kris Lees stable late last year and further his riding career. His sister Ashleigh, brother Justin, nephew Dylan and cousin Jett are also jockeys.
