Latest news with #BallymoreStables
News.com.au
06-05-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Trainer Glen Thompson declares flying filly in great shape for Queensland Oaks tilt
Trainer Glen Thompson says his recent Australasian Oaks victory with Benagil is 'a bit of blur' but he will now put the Queensland Oaks into sharp focus after confirming his high-flying filly will head to Brisbane for the $700,000 Group 1 race next month. Thompson said last week he would make a decision on whether Benagil would compete in the Queensland winter carnival after the dust had settled on her epic victory in the Group 1 Australasian Oaks (2000m) in Adelaide on April 26. But the Flemington-based trainer declared the daughter of Manhattan Rain was in 'great shape' and would fly to Brisbane on May 20 and race in the Group 2 $300,000 The Roses (2000m) for 3YO fillies at Doomben four days later. Then it will be onwards to the Queensland Oaks (2200m) on June 7 at Eagle Farm, with top jockey Mark Zahra to stay on after his Australasian Oaks success at Morphettville. 'She's come through the run great,' Thompson said about the emotional triumph, just two months after the passing of his former training partner Michael Moroney. 'We came back to Melbourne the day after and she's licked the bin out the whole time. 'She hasn't left an oat since the race so she's in great shape. 'It was a great weekend. It's all a bit of a blur to be honest. There was a lot going on at the time but I've watched the video a few times since then and it's a day I'll never forget.' It's been a tumultuous season for Thompson, whose future was in limbo last month when it was announced that Ballymore Stables, where he worked as an assistant trainer, would be absorbed by Lindsay Park. But fortunately Thompson has secured 20 boxes at Flemington as a trainer in his own right and he gets to keep Benagil in his stable. "WHAT A QUALITY FILLY." Benagil wins the Australasian Oaks. The first Group 1 for Glen Thompson as a solo trainer after the passing of Mike Moroney. 😇 â€' 7HorseRacing ðŸ�Ž (@7horseracing) April 26, 2025 TAB has posted Benagil as the $4.50 equal favourite for the Queensland Oaks alongside the Nathan Doyle-trained Churchill's Choice, with Belle Detelle ($6) and $8 chances Femminile, Philia and Verona Rose on the next line. 'At this stage she'll definitely head up to Queensland, she's booked to fly up on the 20th (of May),' Thompson said about Benagil. 'At this stage we're very happy with her and she's definitely heading in that direction.' Thompson said Benagil, who has earned more than $1.1m in prizemoney and delivered the trainer's first Group 1, was a dream filly to train. 'She's got a great attitude, she's very straightforward, quiet and loves her work,' he said. 'She's tough too. I wish I had five more like her. She's been to Sydney and back (to Melbourne), Adelaide and back, and it hasn't worried her one bit. 'It's unbelievable how she seems to have thrived off the travel so far.' Meanwhile, trainer Bjorn Baker said his gun sprinter Overpass was on track to compete in the Group 1 $1.5m Doomben 10,000 (1200m), with Josh Parr to ride, on Saturday week after losing his The Quokka crown in Perth late last month. 'He's going well,' Baker said. 'He's going to have a good gallop tomorrow (Tuesday) and we'll look at getting him up there for that (the Doomben 10,000) for sure. 'He's had a good preparation. It didn't quite work out in Perth as we'd hoped but he was very good in the TJ Smith (runner-up to Briasa on April 5 at Randwick) so if he runs up to that he's a good chance.'
News.com.au
01-05-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Oak Hill the first Michael Moroney horse to race for Hayes brothers at Caulfield on Saturday
A new era will begin when Oak Hill steps out for the Hayes brothers in Saturday's Tobin Brothers Handicap at Caulfield. Oak Hill will be the first Melbourne runner to emerge from the Lindsay Park operation's absorption of the Ballymore Stables business of the late Melbourne Cup-winning trainer Mike Moroney. Moroney's partner Karen decided against taking over the business while training partner Glen Thompson opted to train in his own right, making an instant splash when winning last Saturday's Group 1 Australasian Oaks with Benagil. Co-trainer Ben Hayes said Moroney's former racing manager Anthony Feroce would play a crucial role in the transition. He said Feroce's knowledge of Moroney's former team would be a valuable asset as Lindsay Park staff get to know the influx of horses. 'They're just going into our system and they're just being transferred into our stable today,' Hayes, who trains in partnership with his brothers Will and JD, said. 'Anthony Feroce is now working for us and we'll just get to know the horses. 'It's very good that he's joining the team. 'We'll absorb them into the business and do our best to get the right results.' Oak Hill will drop in class at Caulfield following his eye-catching second to Midwest in the $500,000 Country Discovery at Echuca on Good Friday. Hayes said the four-year-old was in the perfect race on Saturday but his outing would also be a learning experience for the trainers. 'He was amazing last start when he flew home and was really impressive,' Hayes said. 'I think it will be a really good opportunity to try and get his rating up to try and target better races in the spring. 'Off his last run, you'll think he'll be hard to beat. 'It's a Benchmark 90 and he's an 86-rater so it will be the perfect race.' Hayes said the camp would undergo a process to gather information about the new arrivals before mapping out programs in the coming weeks. 'We'll just sit down, go through them and look at them ourselves and get to know them,' Hayes said. 'When we get to know the horses, we'll make those decisions.' Oak Hill has been well-backed to score on debut for Lindsay Park, firming from $3.80 to become a clear $3.10 favourite. Godolphin galloper Fleetwood has eased from $4.20 to $4.80 while speedster Shirshov, who finished second in the Country Discovery, is a $6 chance.
7NEWS
26-04-2025
- Sport
- 7NEWS
Trainer Glen Thompson lands first Group 1 success with Benagil winning Australasian Oaks
Trainer Glen Thompson has endured a tumultuous season which has been softened with Benagil providing the Flemington-based horseman with his first Group 1 success. Under a calculated ride from proven Group 1 jockey Mark Zahra, Benagil took out the Australasian Oaks (2000m) at Morphettville on Saturday. Thompson had at the start of the 2024-25 season joined Mike Moroney in a training partnership having been his assistant trainer since late 2021. When Moroney died in February, Thompson took over as head trainer of Ballymore Stables at Chicquita Lodge and landed a double at Caulfield, including Benagil in the rich VOBIS Guineas. But the rug was pulled from Thompson's feet a fortnight ago when it was announced Ballymore Stables had been absorbed by the Lindsay Park operation of Ben, Will and J D Hayes. Thompson was thrown a lifeline when given 20 boxes to train out of at Flemington after being lured to Melbourne by Moroney after training previously at Warwick Farm and the Sunshine Coast. 'It's been a tough few weeks, but I've just been trying to focus on today,' Thompson said. 'We got her here in as good an order as we could, and I thought she was spot on today and she raced like it.' Sent out the $3.10 favourite, Benagil scored a 1-¼ length win from $201 outsider Sweltering with Polymnia ($4.60) a short-half-head away third. Thompson said Benagil had shown loads of ability but had taken it to a new level this time in. Benagil made it to Group 1 level last campaign, finishing fifth in the Thousand Guineas at Caulfield last November and showed she was on track for Saturday's race by chasing home dual Oaks winner Treasurethe Moment in the Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill on April 1. 'She came back as a three-year-old in the spring and was very unlucky in the Thousand Guineas and those sort of races, and she's just gone to another level this time,' Thompson said. 'There was a little bit of pressure there to stay in Sydney and run in the Oaks, but this was a much better option for her, and she proved us right today. 'It's good to get Mark on, he's one of the best in the land, so I was very lucky to get him on board.' Thompson said Benagil could head to Queensland for the winter, but first he will see how the filly recovers from Saturday's outing. Zahra praised Thompson's handling of Benagil to have the mare so well turned out on Saturday. 'He's a great trainer, Glen,' Zahra said. 'He's had times on his own before and is training by himself now. 'He needs the support, but he's just done a great job with his filly, and she looked fantastic. 'She's gone from Melbourne then to Sydney, then back to here. 'It's a long prep, and you've got to be a good trainer to be able to peak every time. 'She looked great today, and she flogged them.'
