Latest news with #Irish-bred
The Citizen
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Citizen
Former Aiden O'Brien-trained Irish colt 25-1 for the July
The Equator switches hemispheres. The Equator has been priced up at 25-1 by Hollywoodbets for the 2025 Durban July, which might turn out to be excellent value for an adventurous punter. Or not. The surprise entry for South Africa's premier horse race blindsided most July watchers. And an explanation that the Irish-bred colt had been imported primarily with stud duties in mind seemed to lull many observers into overlooking his racing credentials. Top pedigree The facts are: The Equator won once in six starts in Ireland and England and finished second twice. He was considered good enough to run at Royal Ascot. Yet it seems he was deemed surplus to requirements by trainer Aiden O'Brien. However, scratch the surface and a more promising picture emerges. O'Brien, it should be remembered, is the world's most successful trainer, so even a cast-off from his Balldoyle stable might be a long way off a dud. Most significantly, The Equator's pedigree is quite fabulous. He is a son of Galileo, one of the greatest racehorses of his time and certainly one of the greatest stallions of all time – being champion sire of Ireland and Great Britain a remarkable 12 times. The mother, Quiet Reflection, a granddaughter of two standout stallions in Oasis Dream and Haafd, was Britain's Cartier Champion Sprinter in 2016. With that blood in his veins, and being from Galileo's final crop, it's no wonder the proprietors of breeding powerhouse Coolmore decided to keep The Equator for their own racing enjoyment. He was a fine specimen – a big bay like his dad, with a sassy walk – who O'Brien was quite excited about. Outing at Royal Ascot In the famous blue and orange colours of Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith and Sue Magnier, The Equator made his debut as a juvenile at Leopardstown racecourse in July 2023 – as 2-1 favourite with star jockey Ryan Moore in the irons. He finished fourth, but trainer and rider praised the way he ran to the line. An eight-month break followed, which didn't seem to bother the colt as he won easily by 3.25 lengths next time out at the same venue, ridden by Wayne Lordan. The connections were encouraged enough to take The Equator to Royal Ascot in June 2024, where he finished fifth in the Group 2 Queen's Vase – with stable-elect Illinois winning the race under Moore. The Equator was runner-up in his next two races, at Navan and York. In November 2024, his three-parts sister Lake Victoria stretched her unbeaten record to five from five when taking out the Breeders' Cup Fillies Juvenile Sprint at Del Mar in California. Just days before that spectacular action, South African horse owner Willem Ackerman bought The Equator on the UK's Tattersalls Horses in Training Sale, along with three other notable thoroughbreds. At Ackerman's side giving advice was former South African champion trainer Paul Peter, whose son Tony now has The Equator in training at his Turffontein yard and might be saddling the big fellow at Greyville on 5 July. More than stud duties It's been reported that The Equator will, at some date, retire to Nigel Riley's Heversham Farm stud outside Joburg, where the likes of Jackson, MK's Pride and Pomodoro already stand. The latter, of course, is a Durban July winner. Thoughts about impending stud duties were, unusually, to the fore when the 61 first entries for the 2025 Hollywoodbets Durban July were unveiled at the weekend. Cape Town Met champion Eight On Eighteen was among the names, despite his connections speculating publicly that he might not be in the final line-up for the R5-million showpiece – with the Daily News 2000 and Champions Cup potentially offering better value in terms of stud fees. Also nominated was last year's July winner Oriental Charm, who is already being featured in stallion adverts for the coming covering season at Drakenstein Stud. If breeding shed notions are putting punters and bookmakers off The Equator, they're certainly not distracting them from the other two entires. Eight On Eighteen and Oriental Charm share the top rungs of the odds boards at 5-1 and 6-1. Notable absentees from the first draft of 61 July hopefuls were Cosmic Speed, Garrix and All Out For Six, all of whom had attracted ante-post betting money.
News.com.au
25-04-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Promising import Saganti has some obstacles to overcome at Randwick for first Australian win
Trainer Michael Kent Jr believes Saganti will have the class edge on his rivals this Saturday but concedes external factors could prove to be the promising import's undoing at Royal Randwick. Saganti is hunting his maiden Australian victory in his second preparation in the Southern Hemisphere in the Tom Bingle Benchmark 94 Handicap (1800m). Kent Jr, who trains alongside Mick Price, has seen enough in two starts for the stable to know they have a nice horse on their hands with Saganti going close to breaking through last start in a close third over the mile at Hawkesbury. The son of Zarak is a $3.40 chance to score a second-up win with champion jockey James McDonald in the saddle. 'I think the horse has got the most class in the race but he is still looking for further and he is only second-up, drawn nine of nine,' Kent Jr said. 'If he isn't quick to begin on Saturday and settles back, the leading pair may control and dictate and if that's the case it could prove to be a hard for him to overcome. 'In his favour he has class on his side, he loves soft ground and the rise in trip, fitter for the run … we will leave it up to J-Mac.' • Ray and Duff's Randwick tips: Best bet 'jumps out at me' Price and Kent Jr have tinkered with the gear and added an off side bubble cheeker and lugging bit to help the gelding 'run true'. A trip to the Brisbane winter carnival could be on the table for Saganti, a Group 3 placegetter in France, with a good performance in Sydney. Price and Kent Jr have a plan to target the Group 3 Chairman's Handicap (2000m) on Doomben 10,000 day in Queensland on May 17. 'The initial target is that race and we will be guided from there whether we go up in trip or stay around 2000m,' Kent Jr said. 'It is only his first real prep in Australia so we are still working him out but I am sure he will run really well on Saturday it's just a matter of if the race shape sets him up to win.' Sakti is another Price and Kent Jr runner that the stable know is genuine stakes quality. The Irish-bred import has already proven as much with several occasions in Ireland, winning in Listed grade and places on four occasions in stakes company. She made her Australian debut with a sixth in the Group 2 Emancipation Stakes and drops back in grade in the Precise Air Benchmark 100 Handicap (1500m). 'I like her. She is a quality consistent stakes-class miler,' Kent Jr said. 'We were very surprised at her first Australian run that she put her head in the clouds and had her mouth open because she is lazy at home. 'We have reapplied the shadow roll which she wore overseas and added a crossover noseband. 'If she gets the first half of the race right I think she will run really well.' Three hit the line with the outside prevailing! ðŸ'¸ State Of America gets up for @dpayneracing with @ZacLloydx on board! — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) April 9, 2025 Sakti could earn a crack at the $500,000 The Coast (1600m) if she perform up to expectations. Stablemate Poppin' Champagne ($14) starved off retirement to the breeding barn with a terrific second-up victory at Warwick Farm last start. She can score back-to-back wins for the first time in her career in the TAB Benchmark 78 Handicap (1600m). 'She is really in the zone this mare,' Kent Jr said. 'She was a pretty cankerous mare and would waste a heap of energy mid-race going to the barriers but our Sydney team have done a wonderful job with her to the point where Tommy Berry called me after the races and said she was a kids pony. 'I think she must have heard the rumours that she was potentially getting sold at the Mares sale because she arguably put in a career best performance and has 12 months more in the barn.'
