Latest news with #FastnetRock
ABC News
27-07-2025
- Sport
- ABC News
Ashleigh Webb waits for ratification of Baltimore to Fastnet Rock record
Australian swimmer Ashleigh Webb has become the first woman to record a sub-5-hour time in Ireland's Baltimore to Fastnet Rock ocean swim. The 35-year-old from Newcastle achieved the feat on Thursday with a time of 4 hours and 57 seconds, with the time awaiting official ratification from The International Irish Long Distance Swimming Federation. She said she was not aiming to break any records with the swim. "The waters were very steady and calm … I just reminded myself to be prepared for that not to happen once I get out of the harbour and the protection of the inlet," she said. "As soon as we exited the harbour and the ocean sort of opened up, I could feel that I was going with the tide. After she made the lighthouse-adorned rock, 20 kilometres off the south coast of Ireland, she tried to climb up to cheer, but ended up falling back into the water, where she was met by two of her crew who swam over to break the news. "The boys just got there and just smothered me, and I hugged them back, and they were like, 'you swam it in 4 hours 57 [seconds],'" she said. "They were just incredible, and I was like, what are you talking about? That's absolutely amazing." Ashleigh's dad Mitchell Webb, who was keeping tabs on her swim from Newcastle, said it was incredible to see her achieve that time. "She's chuffed at the moment, she's beside herself," he said. "She's trained hard … both myself and my wife Lyn, we're very proud." Ashleigh Webb is the founder of The Kallan Lodge Library, a charity that establishes literature and music libraries for young people in mental health facilities. She established it with the parents of her close friend Kallan Lodge, who died by suicide at age 21 in 2011. "[Kallan] used to drive around listening to music and wondering what made songs mean so much … and he'd make fun of me for being such a nerd and reading all the time," Ashleigh said. "Books have always been there for me, music's always there for me, and it has this impact on me that's so significant. "When I was 17, I was taken to John Hunter Hospital … looking back, I just thought about the kids that were in there, and I thought, I can give them some records to listen to and I can give them some books to read." Mitchell Webb said literature, music, and swimming have been pivotal to his daughter becoming the woman she was. "The charity now has opened up in four hospitals around Australia, for struggling teenage kids," he said. Ashleigh said Kallan would be proud to know the impact the service was having. "We got a letter from ACT Health after we had put our library into their new mental health facility … [a young person] had sat for an hour reading a book and afterwards said: 'I forgot how lovely this is. To just sit by a window and read a book.'" Ashleigh's next challenge is the Dal Riata swim between Scotland and Northern Ireland. The swim will be a fundraiser for the libraries and is dubbed "Do Something Swim". "The sentiment of the Do Something Swim is that people care, but they don't always care to do something about it," she said. "But people with mental health struggles, all they can do is something. "Get up, get dressed, take a shower, get moving. Do something. Mitchell said he was "so incredibly proud" of Ashleigh's achievements in swimming and mental health advocacy. "You see her in tough times and hard times, and she just has this incredible strength that she has to pull herself through," he said. "People say to me, 'what's her strength?' I say to them, 'well, don't tell her she can't do it because she'll prove you wrong.'"
South China Morning Post
27-05-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
David Hayes hopes draw is no barrier to success with Chateauneuf at Happy Valley
Chateauneuf and Luke Ferraris win at Happy Valley on May 7. Photos: Kenneth Chan David Hayes has high hopes for Chateauneuf making barrier 11 look insignificant when he lines up in the Class Three Seine Handicap (1,200m) at Happy Valley on Wednesday night. The Fastnet Rock gelding snapped a losing run of nine races when he blazed home to win the Class Three Parislongchamp Handicap (1,200m) three weeks ago. From the inside draw, Luke Ferraris pinged him out into the box seat along the rail and angled out his mount as the field turned into the home straight. When asked, Chateauneuf engaged the afterburners and scorched clear by just over two lengths. The handicapper had his say with a nine-pound rise and drawing barrier 11 is not ideal either, but Hayes is hoping another smash break could help his four-year-old overcome his car-park draw. Chateauneuf spanks 'em! 🔥 Easy win in the finale for David Hayes' galloper and @LukeFerraris at Happy Valley tonight... #HappyWednesdayu | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) May 7, 2025 'He got a beautiful run from the inside gate last time, but now he's got a wide gate and topweight,' said Hayes. 'His trackwork suggests he's held his form and his last couple of starts he's been a fast beginner, so if Luke jumps well he'll angle him outside the leader. 'The time before when he went to the front, his instructions were actually to go back to last, but he jumped so fast that he improvised and it was the right decision. 'If he shows that gate speed again, the 11 gate might not be as bad as it first looked. Though I'd be more concerned about the barrier than the weight he's carrying. 'The way he's been training lately, he's been training like he's an 80-rated horse.' HK Racing News Get updates direct to your inbox Sign up Best Bets Racing News By registering you agree to our T&Cs & Privacy Policy Error: Please enter a valid email. The email address is already in use. Please login to subscribe. Error, please try again later. THANK YOU You are one the list. UNBELIEVABLE! 🤯 31 years since River Verdon won the #TripleCrown for the first time, Hong Kong has a second winner of the series in Voyage Bubble, who makes light work of his Champions & Chater Cup rivals... 🏆🏆🏆@WorldPool | @mcacajamez | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) May 25, 2025 Hayes was given a big reason to smile on the weekend when Rubylot ran a mighty race to finish second to Voyage Bubble in the Group One Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup (2,400m). Settled towards the rear of the field, Rubylot skimmed the paint throughout under Hugh Bowman and lashed home in the final 200m to pick up the second-place cheque. Any stamina doubts were quickly cast off and has left Hayes with plenty of options for next season, though he will be mindful who Rubylot goes up against. 'We don't count Voyage Bubble as a local – he's an international horse – and of the locals who ran in the QE II, we were confident he could beat them all,' said Hayes. 'It was a great effort to run second to a true champion. 'We'll go where Romantic Warrior and Voyage Bubble ain't next season! We'll put him away now for a well-deserved rest and he'll be raring to go for the new season.' Ka Ying Rising thumps his rivals on Champions Day under Zac Purton. And Hayes also gave a positive update on superstar sprinter Ka Ying Rising, who was last seen extending his winning sequence to 12 in a dominant Group One Chairman's Sprint Prize (1,200m) performance on Champions Day at Sha Tin. 'Ka Ying Rising has been holidaying and going out in the paddock every day. He's starts trotting next week, ready to peak in October,' said Hayes. Hayes remains in contention for the trainers' title with just 14 meetings to go before the curtain comes down, sitting five winners behind John Size.
South China Morning Post
30-03-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
Matthew Poon bags biggest win of his career in stunning upset on Straight Arron
A brilliant rails-hugging ride helped Matthew Poon Ming-fai land the biggest win of his career when the popular jockey lifted Straight Arron to an upset victory in Sunday's Group Two Chairman's Trophy (1,600m). Sent out a $34.5 chance, the Ricky Yiu Poon-fai-trained Straight Arron ran on from second last to narrowly beat a luckless Galaxy Patch in a thrilling finish. 'That's why I am so excited after the line because this is my first Group Two, so I have got to thank the trainer Ricky and the owner [Karen Lo Ki-yan] for giving me their good support,' said Poon, who won a handful of Group Threes in the city before Sunday's stunning result. 'It's so great I can win on him. Before the race, I already had a feeling I can get something today, so really lucky and excited.' Matthew Poon wins his first Group 2! Straight Arron returns to form in the Chairman's Trophy at Sha Tin for Ricky Yiu... 👏#LoveRacing | #HKracing — HKJC Racing (@HKJC_Racing) March 30, 2025 Poon, a champion apprentice in South Australia before joining the Hong Kong ranks in 2017, expressed confidence to Yiu pre-race but the veteran handler was completely surprised by Straight Arron's first victory for the stable. A two-time winner in Australia for Chris Waller, the Fastnet Rock gelding started his Hong Kong career with David Hayes before notching four wins – including the Group Two Jockey Club Cup (2,000m) and Group Three Queen Mother Memorial Cup (2,400m) – for Caspar Fownes. 'It was an unbelievable result – a big surprise,' said Yiu, who took over training Straight Arron at the end of last season. 'We were walking with the horse and [Poon] said to me 'I wouldn't be surprised if he finished in the first three. I said 'it would be a big surprise, especially over the trip'.' In a messy race which saw the lead change hands three times in the first 800m, Straight Arron was out the back but out of trouble while Galaxy Patch was seemingly poised to strike in midfield on the rail. It became a horror show for Galaxy Patch, with the $2.1 favourite held up badly and having to check off Red Lion's heels when Zac Purton went searching for a run in the straight. Purton switched back towards the inside and Galaxy Patch made a late bid, but Straight Arron had the momentum from an unimpeded run to prevail by a head. Moments In Time was beaten half a length in third. 'The first half of the race didn't really suit him at the tail and over the mile, I thought it will be a touch sharp for him,' Yiu said. 'He still managed to run through on the rail with the jockey, 'Poon Train', and he had a good finish.' Straight Arron continued a dream run for Lo, who celebrated Hong Kong Derby (2,000m) success in another upset with Cap Ferrat a week earlier. Yiu said the six-year-old was more likely to join star stablemate Voyage Bubble in the Group One Champions Mile on April 27, rather than tackle the Group One QE II Cup (2,000m) the same day. Straight Arron also capped a double for the Poon and Yiu combination after they won the opening race on Sunday's card, the Class Four Severn Handicap (2,000m), with Mighty Strength. Yiu moved to third on the championship standings with 35 wins this term.
