Latest news with #CharlotteLittlefield
News.com.au
4 days ago
- Business
- News.com.au
Big Swinger bails out favourite backers with stunning burst in Caulfield win
Favourite backers were poised to write off their money with 200m to run in the Catanach's Jewellers Handicap (1200m). The Charlotte Littlefield -trained Big Swinger carried the hopes of thousands of punters in win bets and multis but they had a tough watch throughout the $150,000 race. • 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 combination of Big Swinger's racing manners and goings on ahead of him left jockey Ben Allen to negotiate a difficult trip from the start. Big Swinger got up on to the heels of other runners at least twice midrace as the strong galloper looked for racing room. Big Swinger was still held up behind a wall of horses halfway down the straight, leaving Allen searching for options. However, Allen managed to ease Big Swinger off heels from where the smart prospect charged to a narrow win over the $21 chance Flyer. Big Swinger was enormous at Caulfield! @HayfieldsRacing @bennallen44 @MelbRacingClub â€' 7HorseRacing ðŸ�Ž (@7horseracing) May 31, 2025 Big Swinger's finishing burst was a relief to the gelding's band or owners on course as well as those that took the short odds about the three-year-old son of Trapeze Artist. 'About 100(m) to go, we were going to run an unlucky fifth,' Littlefield's husband Julian Hay said. 'It takes a good horse to do that.' Hay said Big Swinger's finishing burst was no surprise, adding the gelding clocked some 'scary' trackwork times at Littlefield's Pakenham base. Big Swinger's win left the Creswick Series of three-year-old sprints as ideal winter targets for the winner of four of six starts. However, Hay said Big Swinger was still 'soft-boned', meaning Littlefield was more likely to give the emerging prospect more time to develop. 'He's the best horse we've ever trained, we think, he's got that much ability,' Hay said. â– â– â– â– â– PREBBLE REPAYS PAYNES Apprentice jockey Tom Prebble sealed a Saturday double at Caulfield with victory on Jimmy The Bear for his uncle and aunty Patrick and Michelle Payne. Prebble, who by his own admission did not give Jimmy The Bear the best steer first-up when second to the in-form War Machine, more than made amends on Saturday. Jimmy The Bear finished over the top of tenacious leader Regal Zeus, courtesy of a perfectly-timed and economical Prebble steer. Prebble faced the potential of being posted wide again on Jimmy The Bear but the rising star found cover at a crucial stage in the 1600m Benchmark 100 JRA Handicap to set up the win. Jimmy The Bear gives Tom Prebble a double at Caulfield, even better when it's a win for family! @mj_payne â€' 7HorseRacing ðŸ�Ž (@7horseracing) May 31, 2025 'The race probably didn't unfold exactly how I planned, I didn't want to repeat the same thing that happened last start, being caught three deep on a fast tempo,' Prebble said. 'I was able to get in and he was good … 1400m up to 1600m, second up, his record is pretty impeccable, so I knew he would be strong. 'He's a complete and utter fighter, he wants to race and I'm very fortunate Patrick has given me the opportunity now to ride him twice after probably not giving him the best of steers first ride.' Prebble piloted the impressive winner Splash Back earlier on the card for Grahame Begg. WHITE LINE FEVER LANDS JOURNAL ANOTHER WIN A touch of 'white line fever' brought imported galloper Dublin Journal victory in the Ian Miller Handicap (2000m). Dublin Journal has been a good money spinner for connections, especially after trainers Ben, JD and Will Hayes worked out the gelding loves the cut and thrust of racing among other horses. Luke Currie rode the seven-year-old in that fashion at Caulfield, opting against going out wide when held up on the home turn, instead driving Dublin Journal ($9) along the inside to beat I Am The Empire ($26). Dublin Journal gives Luke Currie and the Hayes team a double at Caulfield @lindsayparkrace â€' 7HorseRacing ðŸ�Ž (@7horseracing) May 31, 2025 'He requires a lot of luck and Luke executed it perfectly,' JD Hayes said. 'He's a funny horse. As soon as he gets outside them, he gives up but he loves the crash and bash and pokes through late.' Earlier, Currie combined with the Hayes brothers in Madiyya 's third straight win in the Rod Griffiths Handicap. Madiyya sustained a long run from the rear of the field before the $1.75 favourite defied the late challenge of the $10 chance I ONLY WISH. PRESS THE BUTTON Trial By Press answered the call to run down Extreme Virtue in the Selangor Turf Handicap (1400m) at Caulfield. The Greg Eurell -trained five-year-old daughter of Danerich preserved a perfect second-up record – now three from three – with the win under apprentice jockey Ryan Houston. Trial By Press is two from two this preparation! @GregEurell @HoopHouston @MelbRacingClub â€' 7HorseRacing ðŸ�Ž (@7horseracing) May 31, 2025 Extreme Virtue looked set to pinch the race around the bend, the Lindsay Park-trained mare skipped clear under apprentice jockey Dakotah Keane, but Trial By Press would not be denied. 'I thought coming into the turn the leader started to skip away a little bit and thought gee we might struggle to run this down and to her credit she dug deep,' Eurell said. 'Typical of the mare, as I said to Ryan, she's very push button, the more you ask the more she gives and that's exactly what she did today.'
News.com.au
5 days ago
- Business
- News.com.au
Queensland Derby second emergency The Muffin Man gains start for Pakenham trainer Charlotte Littlefield
Pakenham trainer Charlotte Littlefield has locked in Saturday plans after The Muffin Man secured a start in the Group 1 Queensland Derby (2400m) field. Littlefield, with important starters also at Caulfield on Saturday in Big Swinger and Regal Vow, braced to sweat until 7.30am scratching time to cancel a 10am Brisbane flight. However, the withdrawal on Friday of Eclair Encore, a second and most welcomed French-inspired irony for Littlefield in as many days, has cleared the runway for another trip to Melbourne Airport. Littlefield has accumulated frequent flyer points this week and kilometres behind the wheel, shuttling between Pakenham and Tullamarine. She landed back in Melbourne last Monday, having visited father, Roger, 86, in Bordeaux, France, and went straight to Brisbane to watch The Muffin Man gallop on Tuesday. The scratching of Saint Emilion on Thursday gave second emergency The Muffin Man a chance to scrape into the Queensland Derby field. 'The irony, Saint-Émilion is where my parents live in Bordeaux,' Littlefield said. 'He's fighting fit the horse, he's in super order, his gallop (on Tuesday) was sensational. 'Everything is spot on.' The Muffin Man won a maiden three starts back at Sandown and raced consistently – albeit luckless – since with minor places at Flemington and Caulfield respectively. 'His last start he was posted wide throughout and had a tough run and to his credit he still fought on,' Littlefield said. 'If you're a good form analyst and look at the race you go that horse has run out of his skin and should've won the race. 'He's primed and ready for the 2400m.' The Muffin Man is rated a $21 chance. A first Group 1 win on Saturday would cap an already milestone racing season for Littlefield after breakthrough Listed and Group 3 stakes successes. The Pakenham has saddled a personal best 26 winners from only 136 starters. Littlefield shared a special moment a fortnight ago in Bordeaux with father Roger, cheering from afar the Pakenham winner Feeling Dusty. 'I'd never got to experience a win with my Dad… he loved it,' Littlefield said. 'He doesn't really have any background or clue about horses, bless him, but he does follow us avidly from the computer… he tries to watch the races as much as possible. 'We got it (Pakenham race) up on the screen, I mirrored it from my phone onto the TV and he loved it, he was cheering him (Feeling Dusty) home, it was really lovely to see.' Littlefield and company pulled up a little dusty too after a bubbly celebratory dinner. 'We got into the Crémant (sparkling wine), which is so much better and so much cheaper (than the French champagne),' Littlefield laughed. 'It was lovely to actually get to experience a win and celebrate it (with dad)… made the trip special.' Littlefield has Regal Vow in the 1600m Benchmark at Caulfield on Saturday and Big Swinger in the 1200m 3YO Handicap.
