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Mercury
3 days ago
- Sport
- Mercury
Zebra Finch eyes J J Atkins glory after Rosehill triumph
Don't miss out on the headlines from Horse Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News. Progressive Godolphin colt Zebra Finch will be given the opportunity to emulate his big-hitting stablemate Broadsiding, earning himself a crack at the J J Atkins Stakes after lowering the boom on a couple of his more fancied rivals at Rosehill on Saturday. Yesterday's seven-horse affair held more interest than most of the other nine races on the Lord Mayor's Cup undercard given it overflowed with J J Atkins aspirants including the Chris Waller duo Hidden Achievement and pricey Frankel colt, Sarapo. The Waller pair were expected to fight out on the finish as they had when they met at Gosford on Cup Day but were unable to make the same impact this time despite racing at home. • 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! Both horses were marked at $15 to win the J J Atkins prior to their respective efforts yesterday. Hidden Achievement blew out to $26 while Sarapo was wound out to $51. Zebra Finch, meanwhile, had his price halved from $51 into $26 for the June 14 feature and carrying the imprimatur of one of the sport's champions. 'If he pulls up well, I'd send him up there, because he is going to get a mile,'' winning jockey Kerrin McEvoy said after the Schweppes Handicap (1300m). 'You obviously need a horse that runs a mile and you need a horse on the improve and that's possibly what he is going to be. ' It wasn't a big winning margin but I am sure with a better quality horse to aim at, he is going to be better again. 'He is the sort of colt that only does enough (but) I am sure if he got challenged there was an extra kick in the lock. 'So if James (Cummings) and the team decide to go to Brisbane for that mile race, I wouldn't be against it.' At least one of the Waller-trained runners from the race looks likely to still make his way up to Brisbane for the last Group 1 two-year-old feature of the season with a decision pending on the other. Yu Long Investments colt Hidden Achievement clocked in third behind Zebra Finch with future Guineas/Derby colt Sarapo three lengths behind in sixth. 'The race lacked tempo, it was a sit and sprint,'' assistant trainer Charlie Duckworth began. 'When Adam (Hyernonimus) won on Hidden Achievement last start, he was mindful that he probably rode him too close that day and took him out of his comfort zone. But he drew so well in a small field today that we basically had to do the same again. 'Adam's adamant that when you can put the bit in his mouth a little bit better, he'll have a better turn of foot. 'Adam is strongly pushing for Chris (to go to Brisbane with him). He said 'I don't care if I ride him or not but you should be running the horse in the JJ', that's his opinion.' As for pricey $750,000 Magic Millions Yearling purchase Sarapo, Team Waller will let the dust settle on the colt's second career start before they decide on his next move. 'He was obviously a long way back off a soft tempo,'' Duckworth explained. 'He is going to be a miler at three you'd imagine, it's just whether you try and break through for that maiden win at two. 'Obviously he is by Frankel so if he ends up in the breeding barn, they're going to be worried about him if he doesn't win at two so it might be an important start for him or do we just look after him and just trust that he'll measure up at three.'' As for Zebra Finch, his own stud career will naturally hinge on the outcome of the J J Atkins but Darley would dearly love to add another Group 1 winning son of Exceed And Excel to their roster. Not only is Zebra Finch by one of the truly global stallions of the modern era, his dam was a handy performer herself and by Lonhro who holds the rare honour of being crowned both Australian Horse of the Year and Champion General Sire. ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ Tough as teak gelding Mickey's Medal helped edge the former rodeo rider Braith Nock one step closer to a medal collection of his own as the race for Sydney's Champion Apprentice enters the home straight. Nock and former Riverina whiz Molly Bourke are locked in an arm wrestle to decide who will join an Honour Roll that includes the likes of Jack Thompson, George Moore, Ron Quinton, Malcolm Johnston, Wayne Harris and Darren Beadman. Nock's win on the Annabell and Rob Archibald-trained Mickey's Medal extended his lead over Bourke by five metropolitan wins with August 1 now exactly two months away. Sitting three-wide with no cover may not have been the text-book ride from Nock on Mickey's Medal but it proved to be the winning formula on a day where it paid to be away from the inside fence. 'Everyone just seemed to take their time to get their spots and all of a sudden there were people inside me,' Nock explained. '(But) it was a slow tempo and he was able to travel really good. 'Actually, he was really relaxed coming to the 600m and I had to wake him up and then I was able to idle-up and I still think he might have had a little bit of a think about it things once we got there, but he got left alone for a long time so it was a really good effort. 'He seems to be just relishing his racing and he tries his best every time.' Yesterday's Precise Air Handicap (1500m) was the gelding's sixth run of the current campaign. His $82,500 collect was a tangible reward to effort on his part, drawing some high praise from the stable. 'It was brilliant to see him win,' stable representative Megan O'Leary said. 'I was almost waiting for (runner-up) Hopper to come down the outside of us but he really deserved that win, he's been running so well this prep.' Mickey's Medal was sold twice before he ever saw a racetrack. The great-grandson of broodmare gem Shantha's Choice was secured for $70,000 as a weanling before being reoffered at the Magic Millions Yearling Sale where he fetched $225,000. Originally published as Godolphin's promising colt Zebra Finch pushes for Group 1 J J Atkins start after his impressive victory at Rosehill
Herald Sun
5 days ago
- Sport
- Herald Sun
Shayne O'Cass' tips, inside mail for Goulburn, Casino on Friday, May 30, 2025
Don't miss out on the headlines from Horse Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News. Form analyst Adam Sherry provides his best bets, value selection and analysis of the quaddie legs for Goulburn and Casino on Friday. The Form: Complete NSW Racing thoroughbred form, including video replays and all you need to know about every horse, jockey and trainer. Find a winner here! GOULBURN BEST BET Race 8 No. 3: ORTHIE'S BOYS Runner-up here at only visit and has recent solid provincial form. NEXT BEST Race 7 No. 3: BOMBELLEISTIC Excelled in a very strong Class 1 at Scone on Cup Day. VALUE BET Race 4 No. 6: ROUGE HOMME Lightly-raced. natural/raw talent, in good hands here at the track. QUADDIE Race 5: 1, 5, 8, 11 Race 6: 2, 3, 4 Race 7: 2, 3 Race 8: 3 JOCKEY TO FOLLOW JAY FORD has ridden 133 of his 1,408 career winners at Goulburn. Jay Ford can add to his solid record at Goulburn. Picture: Bradley Photos CASINO BEST BET Race 3 No. 9: MERAPI Could not be better placed at her second run for an astute new yard. NEXT BEST Race 2 No. 4: HOMELAND Placed four from 10. Reliable and drawn well this time. VALUE BET Race 6 No. 10: LOVE RAT Big run first-up in a much superior Benchmark 58 to what this is. INSIDE MAIL - GOULBURN RACE 5: GOULBURN POST MAIDEN HANDICAP 1500m SHE REX (1) is trained by Ciaron Maher who also trains her very close relation, Pride Of Jenni. She Rex might end up being a good investment on her $240,000 Inglis Classic Sale outlay in 2023. So far, she has placed at five of her six starts; she has been terribly costly, but in much better races than this. Zero excuses. HIDDEN MOGUL (11) doesn't know how to run a bad race. She could potentially make this favourite earn the win. Bet: She Rex to win, exacta 1 to beat 11 RACE 6: ABERNETHY GORE SOLICITORS COUNTRY BOOSTED BENCHMARK 58 HANDICAP 1500m LETHAL LADY (2) was so unlucky it wasn't fair at Wagga during the carnival. Fast forward to her last start and she was third at the Sapphire Coast when coming from a long way back as usual. That's not easy to do there. Easier here though. Luke Pepper is flying himself but he's also got HELL OF A FOX (3) on a hat-trick. In fact, she should be going for four straight since she got down to Canberra. Bet: Lethal Lady to win, quinella 2, 3, Daily Double 1st leg 2, 2nd leg 3 RACE 7: HIBERNIAN HOTEL BENCHMARK 58 HANDICAP 1600m BOMBELLEISTIC (3) is the fourth foal of his dam; all of her foals are housed by Team Joseph/Jones who bred the lot of them. As this for one, he has a win and two seconds from eight starts but you could argue that nothing he has done has contained as much merit as his fifth in very strong Class 1 at Scone on Cup Day. CHEBICI (2) is on a hat-trick. Easy to like with the good alley and Coriah Keatings doing the right thing by her all the time. Bet: Bombelleistic to win, box trifecta 2, 3, 5, 9 RACE 8: CAMPBELL PETROLEUM DISTRIBUTORS BENCHMARK 58 HANDICAP 1200m ORTHIE'S BOYS (3) has been with Richard Collett for the last three of his five career starts. Those were; a barnstorming second here, another 'from last' fourth at Gosford then a fading on-pace fifth at Kembla. Maybe he didn't see out the 1400m but we're back to 1200m in weaker grade today. For what it is worth, I think COUGARS (1) is a pretty handy horse and sure, they've all got to carry big weights here, but he's got the biggest and 62kg is a big number. Bet: Orthie's Boy to win INSIDE MAIL - CASINO RACE 6: BACK TO THE ROYAL COUNTRY BOOSTED BENCHMARK 58 SHOWCASE HANDICAP 1200m LOVE RAT (10) is a get back and run on type, perhaps better suited at Grafton but here we are at Casino. The son of Love Conquers All has a troubling second-up record but if you can overlook that and the wide draw, he is in this with as a good a chance as any and better than most. AYE AYE SKIPPER (1) is in fabulous form, and has been for a while too, but this is as bad a draw as the horse has been dealt in all that time. Bet: Love Rat each-way RACE 7: CASINO FOOD CO-OP CASINO FLYING 1000m DIS IS HEAVEN (5) is '3213' heading into the Casino Flying. They were all good quality affairs too, but none were any harder than his May 7 assignment at Warwick Farm when and where Colt Prosser's gelding was an honourable third. Stablemate and MNC Championships Qualifier placegetter BJORN IRONSIDE (4) has raced once at 1000m; that was the day he carried 62kg at Taree when he won by two lengths. Bet: Dis Is Heaven to win, quinella 4, 5, box trifecta 1, 3, 4, 5, DD 1st Leg 5, 2nd Leg 5 RACE 8: CASINO RSM CLUB BEEF WEEK CUP 1400m SECRET PLAN (1) is a Queenslander, via Perth, Melbourne and Sydney. The Bob Peters-bred galloper has been with Tony and Maddysen Sears for the last three runs, the most recent of them was a third at Eagle Farm. On-pace type with a manageable weight now after Jett Newman's claim. COLLAY'S SPIRIT (4) could very well tally up his 10th career win, third-up. Note that Luke Rolls is one win and two placings on the horse. The best CENOTES (6) is better than a lot of these. Bet: Secret Plan to win RACE 9: WAL'S CONCRETING CLASS 3 SHOWCASE HANDICAP 1400m MONTE MAXIMUS (5) probably deserves a bit more credit for his last handful of runs than would normally be afforded to a horse with a '7295' lead in. All in all, 1400m is in the right range for the Noel Mayfield-Smith-trained son of Invader and he gets a little bit of weight off on what he has been carrying lately. Former Godolphin galloper STYLISED (1) is ready to produce now that he is out to 1400m. The more scratchings the better in view of that wide alley. Bet: Monte Maximus each-way
Herald Sun
6 days ago
- Sport
- Herald Sun
Adam Sherry's tips, inside mail for Gosford, Inverell on Thursday, May 29, 2025
Form analyst Adam Sherry provides his best bets, value selection and analysis of the quaddie legs for Gosford and Inverell on Thursday. • 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! ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ GOSFORD TIPS BEST BET Race 4 No.1: DONWON Bumped into a smart one first-up at Canterbury and okay after a slow start last start. NEXT BEST Race 7 No.3: GLORIOSO Narrowly beaten on the heavy last start. Can go one better. VALUE BET Race 3 No.2: NOW YOU'VE DONE IT Handy runs in her first campaign. Trialling well. QUADDIE Race 5: 1, 5 Race 6: 1, 3, 5 Race 7: 2, 3 Race 8: 1, 2, 3 JOCKEY TO FOLLOW Apprentice BENJAMIN OSMOND has two rides and can land a double. GOSFORD INSIDE MAIL RACE 5: PROVINCIAL BENCHMARK 64 HANDICAP (1000m) FORMAL (1) has had a long campaign but continues to race in terrific form. Followed four consecutive minor placings with an all-the-way 4¼-length win from Shoutaboutit on a heavy track at Wyong. Drawn gate one again. BODGIE (5) boxed on for third to the talented Lonhro's Queen on a Heavy 8 at Scone on Mar 21 and was third to Executive Decision on a Heavy 10 at Wyong last start. LEASE (3) loves it wet with a win and seven placings from 11 starts on heavy tracks. BET: FORMAL to win. RACE 6: SUPER MAIDEN HANDICAP (1200m) LOUISBURGH (1) was resuming from a long break when he raced outside the leader and finished a 2¼-length second behind odds-on fav Ninette at Wyong on May 8. Given time to get over the run and can break through here. PURPLE HAZE (2) got back and battled away when third to Yes Siree when he debuted on a Heavy 10 at Wyong on May 1. Will be better for the experience. RAINBOW GODDESS (5) raced wide without cover when runner-up behind big winner Ningaloo Reef at Hawkesbury on May 15. BET: LOUISBURGH to win. RACE 7: BENCHMARK 68 HANDICAP (1200m) GLORIOSO (3) came charged home to finish a half-length third to Oakfield Badger at Wyong first-up before heading to Caulfield and finishing sixth to Smart Little Miss. Returned to Sydney with a head second to Are Ee Que on a Heavy 10 at Wyong. TITANIUM MISS (2) dropped in class when second to Bend The Knee on a Heavy 10 at Wyong before a close second to Equilibrist at Kembla. Gets a 1.5kg claim from Zac Wadick. ORYX (5) finished fourth to Monte Kate in a Midway here on Cup Day. BET: GLORIOSO to win. RACE 8: CLASS 1 HANDICAP (1200m) DIVINE BENE (1) kicked off this preparation with a nice win from The Piccolino on the Beaumont before a third to Lutetia at Newcastle both on heavy tracks. Second on a Soft 5 at Quirindi last start. Will appreciate getting back on a heavy track. HONEY PERFUME (2) resumed with a nice win from Quein Step on a 1000m maiden at Goulburn before a fast finishing second to Shropshire Lad at Scone on Cup day. TONKATSU GODDESS (5) trialled nicely on a heavy track at Warwick Farm recently. Can run well first-up. BET: DIVINE BENE to win. ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ INVERELL TIPS BEST BET Race 5 No.4: NO MORE ROMANCE Was good in his first campaign including a win. Trialling well and can kick off with a win. NEXT BEST Race 1 No.3: ANGELS CLOUD Knocking on the door for her maiden win and gets her chance. INVERELL INSIDE MAIL RACE 4: MAIDEN HANDICAP (1400m) YANABAH (1) knuckled at the start and settled a clear last before making good ground in the straight when seventh to The One Time when resuming over 1000m at Tamworth on Apr 24. Led at Gunnedah when runner-up to Takeover Lad over 1250m last start. At his peak now. JU TWO (2) was a handy second to Gold Melody when resuming on the heavy at Taree before a sixth to Skeptical here last start. MAD HARRY (8) didn't have a lot of luck from a wide draw and at Scone last start. Chance on previous form. Bet: Yanabah to win. RACE 5: BENCHMARK 58 HANDICAP (1100m) NO MORE ROMANCE (4) had a good first campaign including a win at Tamworth followed by two close placings on soft tracks last winter. Has had three trials ahead of his return including a nice third in his latest Gunnedah heat. WHISTLING STRAITS (1) scored back-to-back wins at Gunnedah and Dubbo before failing at Tamworth last September. Was off the scene until his second to Lady Olenna at Gunnedah on May 5. OSTRACISED (2) race wide without cover when resuming with an eighth at Grafton. Drawn well and can improve. Bet: No More Romance to win. RACE 6: CLASS 1 HANDICAP (1100m) CALICO MISS (4) was good winning her Apr 15 barrier trial at Armidale when coming from back in the field. Was well supported on debut and duly saluted with a near three length win from Clan D'Oro at Quirindi. Big chance again. POSEIDON'S SON (2) scored a big win at Coonabarabran at his last run before a spell. Trialling well including a win in his Apr 30 heat at Tamworth. EJECT (1) makes his NSW debut here. Spelled after one run last December. Was a winner over 1000m at Ballarat last June. Bet: Calico Miss to win. RACE 7: CLASS 2 HANDICAP (1400m) Local mare MEDDLESOME (8) was held up between the 600m and 400m when third to Better Tomorrow in a BM58 here last week. On a quick back-up and winkers go on. DIVINE BENE (5) won well on the heavy track on the Beaumont first-up this campaign and placed his next two runs. Likely runs at Gosford. ARRABBIATA (3) will take improvement from her first-up third to Wanda River at Quirindi on May 12. Bet: Meddlesome each-way.
The Age
01-05-2025
- Politics
- The Age
I'm locked out of voting this election. I feel less Australian than ever
I haven't lived in Australia for 12 years, but I keep finding myself back here at election time. My last trip back was long awaited after enduring two years of solid border closures and happened to coincide with the 2022 federal election. This year, I'm here to launch a book while my fellow Australians decide whether to hand another term to Labor, return to the Coalition, or have another go at a minority government. Sadly, Australian elections have become a spectator sport for me. I fell off the electoral roll some time during the long pandemic years, and the good folks at the electoral commission told me I couldn't re-enrol from outside the country. No democracy sausage for me. That's not all I lost during Australia's long period of sealing itself off from the rest of the world. For many, the pandemic was an opportunity to reflect on where we truly wanted to live. For some, that meant returning to Australia as soon as possible. For me, it created an ambivalence towards a place I used to call home. Five years after the borders first closed, I somehow feel less Australian than ever. I migrated to Australia from the UK as a teenager, becoming a citizen in 2004. I quickly and enthusiastically adopted the identity – footy, Cup Day, Tim Tams, the lot. Life in Melbourne was as liveable as everyone said it would be, and I grew to love its unparalleled live music scene, its bars, the roar of the 'G. Melbourne was the city where I found my profession as a journalist, where I fell in love and where I became a passionate supporter of the Melbourne Demons (OK, some bad choices were made). I left to work in Europe in 2013 and somehow never made it back. I didn't think that changed my Australianness – until COVID-19 hit. My father was diagnosed with cancer soon after I left Australia, and I spent the following years ferrying back and forth between my new and old homes to be with him when I could, through surgeries and rounds of chemo. When I was back, we'd walk with the dog around our local oval, pop over to Cinema Nova for a film and then discuss it over ricotta panzerotti at Brunetti. Then COVID-19 struck, the borders closed, and his condition took a turn for the worse. When it was clear the end was coming, I boarded a plane at an empty Charles de Gaulle Airport and went through 14 days of hotel quarantine, hoping he would last long enough for me to say goodbye in person. He did. On July 7, 2020, the day after I got out of quarantine, my father died of cancer at home in East Brunswick. On July 8, Melbourne went into a lockdown that would become the world's longest. We held no funeral (restrictions meant we couldn't), and so I returned to Paris and tried to support my family remotely while they were confined to different neighbourhoods for months on end. It would be two years of waiting for Australia to reopen to the world before I saw them again.
Sydney Morning Herald
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Sydney Morning Herald
I'm locked out of voting this election. I feel less Australian than ever
I haven't lived in Australia for 12 years, but I keep finding myself back here at election time. My last trip back was long awaited after enduring two years of solid border closures and happened to coincide with the 2022 federal election. This year, I'm here to launch a book while my fellow Australians decide whether to hand another term to Labor, return to the Coalition, or have another go at a minority government. Sadly, Australian elections have become a spectator sport for me. I fell off the electoral roll some time during the long pandemic years, and the good folks at the electoral commission told me I couldn't re-enrol from outside the country. No democracy sausage for me. That's not all I lost during Australia's long period of sealing itself off from the rest of the world. For many, the pandemic was an opportunity to reflect on where we truly wanted to live. For some, that meant returning to Australia as soon as possible. For me, it created an ambivalence towards a place I used to call home. Five years after the borders first closed, I somehow feel less Australian than ever. I migrated to Australia from the UK as a teenager, becoming a citizen in 2004. I quickly and enthusiastically adopted the identity – footy, Cup Day, Tim Tams, the lot. Life in Melbourne was as liveable as everyone said it would be, and I grew to love its unparalleled live music scene, its bars, the roar of the 'G. Melbourne was the city where I found my profession as a journalist, where I fell in love and where I became a passionate supporter of the Melbourne Demons (OK, some bad choices were made). I left to work in Europe in 2013 and somehow never made it back. I didn't think that changed my Australianness – until COVID-19 hit. My father was diagnosed with cancer soon after I left Australia, and I spent the following years ferrying back and forth between my new and old homes to be with him when I could, through surgeries and rounds of chemo. When I was back, we'd walk with the dog around our local oval, pop over to Cinema Nova for a film and then discuss it over ricotta panzerotti at Brunetti. Then COVID-19 struck, the borders closed, and his condition took a turn for the worse. When it was clear the end was coming, I boarded a plane at an empty Charles de Gaulle Airport and went through 14 days of hotel quarantine, hoping he would last long enough for me to say goodbye in person. He did. On July 7, 2020, the day after I got out of quarantine, my father died of cancer at home in East Brunswick. On July 8, Melbourne went into a lockdown that would become the world's longest. We held no funeral (restrictions meant we couldn't), and so I returned to Paris and tried to support my family remotely while they were confined to different neighbourhoods for months on end. It would be two years of waiting for Australia to reopen to the world before I saw them again.
