Latest news with #ArchieAlexander
News.com.au
28-07-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Trainer Matthew Dale eyes Flemington Group 3 return for Danny's St Darci in 2025 Aurie's Star Handicap
Goulburn trainer Matthew Dale is likely to bring consistent sprinter Danny's St Darci back to her previous home state for Saturday's Group 3 Aurie's Star Handicap (1200m) at Flemington. Danny's St Darci started her career in Victoria as part of the Archie Alexander stable at Ballarat where she was placed at Listed level before Dale's clients bought her for $70,000 last year. The rising seven-year-old has returned her buyers more than twice that amount in 12 months, courtesy of a Listed win in Brisbane and a pair of Group 3 placings in Melbourne and Sydney. Winning Saturday's Group 3 contest at Flemington would boost Danny's St Darci's broodmare value. Dale said the addition of blinkers and more aggressive race tactics were the key to Danny's St Darci's development. 'The biggest difference has been the blinkers and putting her into the race a little more than she was in the past,' Dale said. 'We decided to ride her to step her into gear with the blinkers and that really woke her up.' The Flemington 'Straight Six' course holds no fears for Danny's St Darci after her solid third in a Group 3 race during last year's Melbourne Cup Carnival. Danny's St Darci is set to tackle the Aurie's Star Handicap second-up after the mare beat one runner home when resuming in the July Sprint at Rosehill on July 19. Dale said Danny's St Darci was slightly disappointing first-up but noted she had only placed once in seven first-up attempts. A good ride from @RMaloney_Jockey aboard Danny's St Darci who wins the Listed Just Now at Eagle Farm for trainer Matt Dale ðŸ'Š — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) December 7, 2024 'Her first-up run was a little bit disappointing on face value but she had a few excuses there and she sort of builds into a preparation,' Dale said. 'Her form profile suggests she gets better as her prep goes on and, being an older mare now, I'd suggest that is more so. 'She's well travelled and well performed. 'We'll have a look at how she gallops on Tuesday and we'll have a look at the field. 'In the last two years, it's been a bit thin as there has only been about seven or eight runners in the race.' Danny's St Darci is one of 13 entries for the Aurie's Star Handicap with the impressive Grahame Begg -trained mare Splash Back likely to open favourite in 'all-in' markets on the $200,000 feature.
News.com.au
27-06-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Will Price seeking breakthrough city winner with Attachments at Caulfield
Jockey Will Price rode winners for fun in Melbourne as a star apprentice but a breakthrough victory on Saturday at Caulfield aboard Attachments would be a reward for persistence. Price, a champion Melbourne apprentice in 2020-21 with 47 city winners, has experienced the well-trodden tough transition to senior riding ranks the past 18 months. The natural lightweight has worked hard primarily on the country circuit in a bid to find potential city runners like Attachments, trained by Archie Alexander. • 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 chance to ride the three-year-old daughter of Prince Of Caviar, a son of the legend Black Caviar, in a Donald jumpout has led to Warracknabeal and Cranbourne wins. Attachments is seven weeks' between runs but placed second in a recent Caulfield Heath jump out. 'I didn't ask much of her but she felt great underneath me, obviously she could've gone and won the trial if I pushed her,' Price said. 'She's kept progressing from Cranbourne and off the back of that trial, hopefully, she could put her best foot forward on Saturday. 'You got to take these opportunities with both hands, that's for sure … I've had a couple metro rides here and there through the season but not many in the market.' Attachments is $12 in the 1200m 3YO Fillies Handicap. 'It's good to get an opportunity on a progressive filly over a suitable distance against her own age and sex … crucial this time of year to hopefully ride metro winners … and show everyone I can still do what I was doing with a claim,' Price said. Price has ridden 20 winners this season, including a stakes success in Adelaide. His last Melbourne city winner was in December 2023. Essendon-based Price has been to Moe (twice), Geelong (twice), Ballarat (twice), Pakenham (twice), Swan Hill, Casterton, Seymour, Bendigo, Wangaratta, Sandown, Donald and Echuca the past month alone for race rides. He also travels to Pakenham and Ballarat weekly to ride work. The 25-year-old rode at Warracknabeal on Friday and returns to Ballarat on Sunday. Attachments is his only ride at Caulfield on Saturday. 'It's always a battle (apprentice to senior), you really got to be going everywhere you can and trying to ride winners anywhere,' Price said. 'If you don't go and follow those horses someone else is going to ride and someone else is going to win on them and obviously you're out the backdoor. 'Obviously you don't want to be hitting these flat spots … you want to be riding metro winners outside of your apprenticeship but a lot of riders hit this flat spot. 'There's no point getting down in the dumps about it all, got to keep chipping away and pushing to get back to where we all want to be – riding winners in town.'
