Latest news with #KingZephyr
News.com.au
16-05-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
On The Punt: Flemington best bets for Saturday, May 17, 2025
Form analyst Chris Vernuccio gives his best bet, next best and value tip at Flemington on Saturday. News Corp form analyst Chris Vernuccio takes a look at the Flemington meeting on Saturday. â– â– â– â– â– BEST BET KING ZEPHYR (R6 No.11): King Zephyr sets up to stakes grade for the first time after winning all four runs this prep, beating his opposition easily by a combined margin of 9¼ lengths. He looks capable of winning Group races. The step back to 1200m is the only concern but connections have their sights on the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap next month. NEXT BEST HIGHVOL (R2 No.1): Highvol won a stakes race on debut on Anzac Day and should have more upside. The horse he beat, Stay Cosmic, was runner-up in a handicap race at Sandown Lakeside after winning on debut, so the form potentially looks strong. He's drawn well in barrier six to settle among the leading pack. VALUE BET MAGARTEN (R9 No.10): Magarten chased home in-form galloper Know Thyself at Randwick last start, finishing 1¼ lengths behind the Country Championships Final winner. He should be ready to peak third-up and has placed twice in both attempts at 1800m. ETHAN BROWN HIGHVOL (R2 No.1 – $2.80), MATERIAL DREAMS (R3 No.5 – $8.50), KALKALLO (R4 No.7 – $3.90), OXFORD BLUE (R5 No.4 – $4.80), BERKSHIRE BREEZE (R7 No.12 – $5.50). Originally published as On The Punt: Flemington best bets for Saturday, May 17, 2025
Daily Telegraph
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Telegraph
Exciting talent King Zephyr showing his former trainer fun side of racing
Don't miss out on the headlines from Horse Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News. Chris Hyland is finally enjoying the fun side of racing with exciting galloper King Zephyr. Hyland did the hard yards as a trainer for almost two decades before getting sick of the grind and handing in his licence in 2023. Hyland took a job as assistant trainer to Group 1-winning horseman Grahame Begg, thriving in the freedom of being able to step away from racing a couple of times a week. • 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! 'I was scrapping and it was just very hard,' Hyland said. 'I was doing nine or 10 horses with one employee and it was just a very manic way to live your life. 'I think I'd had three runners at Moe that all went horribly and I came home and thought, 'I've had enough of this'. 'I'm still working hard but I've got constant income and not having to chase money all the time. 'You know you can train yourself but it's great going to work for a good trainer with good horses all the time.' King Zephyr was the last horse Hyland bought at a yearling sale, paying $48,000 for the son of Hallowed Crown at an Inglis sale in 2022. The gelding was also the only horse Hyland kept when he gave up training in his own right even though the stable's last two runners were winners. • Mouthwatering Doomben Cup clash set to provide cheers all around 'He had one preparation under my care and, of the 10 horses I had in training at that time, he was the only horse I kept. I sold all the rest,' Hyland said. 'There were a couple of others that were untried but I didn't keep them. 'We had done enough to suggest that I should hang on to him. 'My last two runners were winners but I put them on the online auction because I wanted to get out and regroup.' Hyland said Begg has done a great job with King Zephyr, who has won five of his first six starts and will attempt his first stakes win in Saturday's Listed Straight Six at Flemington. King Zephyr has taken Hyland and his long-time friends in the horse on a great early ride, culminating with an easy win over 1400m at Flemington. King Zephyr will have a crack at his first stakes win in Saturday's Listed Straight Six at Flemington. Picture: Racing Photos via Getty Images The gelding's outstanding start to his career has led to the syndicate having big dreams with the developing performer. • Melbourne Cup hero likely to miss Qld winter carnival 'The dream is to own a Group 1 winner because I never trained a Group 1 winner but it's just been great fun with him,' Hyland said. 'He's just a no-fuss horse. I suppose he's got to do it on Saturday but not much worries him and whatever Grahame asks him to do, he does. 'If he won on Saturday, that might get his rating up to possibly have a go at a Stradbroke and have a break up in Queensland.' But Hyland said Begg would have the sole say on whether King Zephyr headed north should the four-year-old win again at Flemington. 'He's a multiple Group 1-winning trainer and the best I had was a third in a Group 1 so I'll leave it to the boss, he knows what he's doing,' Hyland said. Originally published as King Zephyr to shoot for five straight wins in Listed Straight Six at Flemington
News.com.au
13-05-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
King Zephyr to shoot for five straight wins in Listed Straight Six at Flemington
Chris Hyland is finally enjoying the fun side of racing with exciting galloper King Zephyr. Hyland did the hard yards as a trainer for almost two decades before getting sick of the grind and handing in his licence in 2023. Hyland took a job as assistant trainer to Group 1-winning horseman Grahame Begg, thriving in the freedom of being able to step away from racing a couple of times a week. • 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! 'I was scrapping and it was just very hard,' Hyland said. 'I was doing nine or 10 horses with one employee and it was just a very manic way to live your life. 'I think I'd had three runners at Moe that all went horribly and I came home and thought, 'I've had enough of this'. 'I'm still working hard but I've got constant income and not having to chase money all the time. 'You know you can train yourself but it's great going to work for a good trainer with good horses all the time.' King Zephyr does it again to make it four wins in a row in the last at Flemington ðŸ'¥ @Grahame_Begg @jchilds47 — (@Racing) April 25, 2025 King Zephyr was the last horse Hyland bought at a yearling sale, paying $48,000 for the son of Hallowed Crown at an Inglis sale in 2022. The gelding was also the only horse Hyland kept when he gave up training in his own right even though the stable's last two runners were winners. 'He had one preparation under my care and, of the 10 horses I had in training at that time, he was the only horse I kept. I sold all the rest,' Hyland said. 'There were a couple of others that were untried but I didn't keep them. 'We had done enough to suggest that I should hang on to him. 'My last two runners were winners but I put them on the online auction because I wanted to get out and regroup.' Hyland said Begg has done a great job with King Zephyr, who has won five of his first six starts and will attempt his first stakes win in Saturday's Listed Straight Six at Flemington. King Zephyr has taken Hyland and his long-time friends in the horse on a great early ride, culminating with an easy win over 1400m at Flemington. The gelding's outstanding start to his career has led to the syndicate having big dreams with the developing performer. • Melbourne Cup hero likely to miss Qld winter carnival 'The dream is to own a Group 1 winner because I never trained a Group 1 winner but it's just been great fun with him,' Hyland said. 'He's just a no-fuss horse. I suppose he's got to do it on Saturday but not much worries him and whatever Grahame asks him to do, he does. 'If he won on Saturday, that might get his rating up to possibly have a go at a Stradbroke and have a break up in Queensland.' But Hyland said Begg would have the sole say on whether King Zephyr headed north should the four-year-old win again at Flemington. 'He's a multiple Group 1-winning trainer and the best I had was a third in a Group 1 so I'll leave it to the boss, he knows what he's doing,' Hyland said.
