Latest news with #Annabel Archibald
The Australian
4 days ago
- Sport
- The Australian
Archibald duo can keep Melbourne streak going
Trainer Annabel Archibald could build on a recent Melbourne hot streak on Saturday at The Valley with Nellie Leylax and I Am The Empire. A light weight and bold racing style, which should suit The Valley, could help Nellie Leylax upstage Sayedaty Sadaty in the Travis Harrison Cup (2040m). Nellie Leylax placed fourth last start at Flemington, two lengths behind in-form Sayedaty Sadaty. • 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! Nellie Leylax has a 6kg advantage on Saturday – 4.5kg better off compared to last start. The four-year-old Calyx gelding settled behind the speed at Flemington, crossed from a wide draw, and maintained the gallop as the pacier Sayedaty Sadaty surged clear late. Sayedaty Sadaty is $3 favourite to complete a hat-trick of Saturday wins, with Nellie Leylax ($5) and Charterhouse ($6.50) next best in the market. 'He's a horse up on speed, very genuine, tough horse, quite one-paced,' Archibald, who trains in partnership with husband Rob, said. 'We thought be interesting to try The Valley with him, I thought his run was good last start. 'He came again on the line … he looks a nice horse.' • Melbourne Cup plans grow for US stayer Imported stayer Nellie Leylax ploughed through preferred Heavy ground to run third on debut for the stable in May. He rebounded from a flat second-up run to place fourth the past two starts at Rosehill and Flemington respectively. Nellie Leylax is also accepted at Randwick, albeit as sixth emergency for an 1800m race. 'I was actually hoping to send him to Sydney because he loves bottomless ground but he's sixth emergency, so he'll probably stay here,' Archibald said. 'All his form in Europe is on bottomless ground … he's far superior on that sort of ground. 'But a light weight (Saturday) … if he can roll along up on the pace, he's a genuine horse and that sort of horse should suit The Valley.' Archibald has I Am The Empire in the 2500m Benchmark 78 at The Valley. The last-start Sandown winner also likes to 'lead and dominate'. 'He's hard to catch (form wise),' Archibald said. 'But when he's on song and can get his own way like that (led last start), he's a nice genuine horse.' • Brad Waters' The Valley Saturday tips, race-by-race analysis Sydney-based Archibald has saddled a winner the past three Melbourne metropolitan race cards. The Group 1 trainer, based out of Warwick Farm and a satellite Scone yard, recently opened a 'game changer' Flemington stable. I Am The Empire could be hard to get past if he has his own way up front. Picture: Racing Photos via Getty Images Archibald has a smaller footprint at Flemington, 24 boxes and sand yards, compared to Pakenham previously but the Melbourne location is more convenient from Sydney. 'I've been down here way more now, just because it's easier to get to,' Archibald said. 'We haven't been there long but I feel like (the horses have) been running really well, started to get a few winners out of there.' • 'Amazing change': Developer backs in Valley revolution Archibald saddled Duke Atreides to win at Sandown last Wednesday under jockey Ethan Brown. The Written Tycoon colt is half-brother to multiple Group 1-placed Best Of Bordeaux. Duke Atreides will now be aimed at the Group 3 HDF McNeil Stakes at Caulfield on August 30. The next start could act as a potential springboard to stallion-making Group 1 features, the Caulfield Guineas (1600m) or Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) at Flemington. 'Ethan said he feels like he's got quite a lot of quality and will probably stretch out in trip,' Archibald said. 'He's a half to Best Of Bordeaux (Golden Slipper and Manikato Stakes placed), whose a stallion, so you've got that dream alive with him. 'He's got to keep progressing, which I think he will … he ran that whole race (at Sandown) with ears pricked.' Gilbert Gardiner Sports reporter Gilbert Gardiner is a sports reporter for the Herald Sun and Sunday Herald Sun. @gilbertgardiner Gilbert Gardiner
News.com.au
19-07-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
Yoshinobu justifies Annabel Archibald investment with impressive first-up victory at Rosehill
Trainer Annabel Archibald was a happy person after Yoshinobu delivered a first-up win in the Benchmark 78 Handicap at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday. Yoshinobu, a stakes-placed three-year-old, was sold on the Inglis Digital online platform in April for $180,000 and Archibald convinced existing stable clients to purchase the son of Written Tycoon. 'I slightly put my neck on the line because he went online and I persuaded OTI (Racing) to try and buy him and quite a few of the owners retained ownership in him as well,' Archibald, who trains in partnership with her husband Rob, said. 'He was always a bit of a quirky colt, but we knew he had good ability.' Yoshinobu quickly wiped $102,500 off his purchase price for the new and existing owners when coming from back in the field to burst thought the ruck and claim the 1200m contest, his third win from nine starts. 'I think he's a quality horse,' winning rider Tom Sherry said. 'Began nicely and there was a good bit of speed early so we got him into a rhythm, travelled beautifully throughout. 'He picked up quite sharply, the runs opened up and he was tough late.' Yoshinobu ($6) defeated the fast-finishing Iron Man ($10) by a neck with 1¾ lengths back to Spywire ($2.80 fav) in third after being forced to cover plenty of ground, three wide throughout. 'I actually thought we'd be closer in the run today because he's such a big striding horse, but it was a good ride from Tom,' Archibald said. 'It was good to see him show a turn of foot. 'He was a bit green late and for a stride I thought he might throw it away, but I think he was surging again at the line if anything.' Yoshinobu strikes first up at Rosehill with a strong performance! ðŸ'° @tomo_sherry @ANeashamRacing @OTIRacing @aus_turf_club â€' SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) July 19, 2025 • Without Peer defies odds with stunning debut win There are no ambitious plans in the short term for Yoshinobu, which placed behind Group 1 winner Switzerland in the Roman Consul Stakes earlier in the season, with Archibald content to allow the gelding to chase more benchmark race wins. 'He's a talented horse I think it he will continue to progress as he continues to learn his craft,' she said. 'I'm not going to throw him into the deep end yet, he's still only lightly raced so we'll just let him go through his grades and see where it takes us.' Meanwhile, 40 minutes later punters were dealt a savage blow when $1.80 favourite Tuileries never looked the winner in the F&M Benchmark 78 Handicap (1200m). The Peter Snowden -trained filly was back last and wide in the early stages where the leaders ran a pedestrian 38.03sec for the first 600m and despite running her last 600m in 32.99sec, Tuileries wasn't able to get any closer than fourth at the line. Useapin digs deep to take the win at Rosehill for @cwallerracing and @ZacLloydx! ðŸ'¥ @aus_turf_club â€' SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) July 19, 2025 • Her impossible task left the door open for the Chris Waller -trained Useapin to capitalise on a positive ride by Zac Lloyd, the three-year-old daughter of Waller's first Everest winner Yes Yes Yes recorded her fourth win from 11 starts. 'She showed nice gate speed which gives options going forward,' Lloyd said. 'She travelled so kindly, and I think once she learns how to put a field away, she's got many more lengths up her sleeve. 'At the bend I thought she might win by three but she just got a bit lost up the straight, but she always had her head in front and toughed it out nicely.' Useapin is close to 17 hands in size and due to that, Waller's is in no rush to raise the bar for the sizeable chestnut filly. 'She's a big girl,' he said. 'She's always shown us something but because of her big size I've taken her along slowly. 'She was brave and she's on her way.' Useapin ($6.50) defeated the 14-time runner-up Dollar Magic ($6.50) by a head with a long head back to Art's Alive ($11) in third.
