Latest news with #Lonhro
New Paper
4 days ago
- Sport
- New Paper
Work is all done, Starlight Glimmer is now ready to shine
With 12 races coming up on Aug 17, the majority of the runners should have completed their preparation and would need just light work to keep them on their toes. Hence, the training track at Sungai Besi on the morning of Aug 13 did not resemble a speedway. Indeed, cantering and some trotting seemed to be the order of the day. However, there were exceptions and early morning risers at trackside were treated to some fast work by a handful of runners. They were admittedly not lung-busting sprints down the 600m of the Selangor Turf Club's turf track. But Starlight Glimmer, Prince Lonhro, Red Sky and Written Towin provided trackwatchers with plenty to toss about when having their morning coffee. Of the quartet, Starlight Glimmer was the swiftest of the lot. Down to contest the sixth race at Kuala Lumpur on Aug 17, he ran the short and sharp trip in 38sec. From the stables of Siva Kumar, the Zacinto five-year-old gets into the action on the back of grand effort on Aug 2 when, as the third pick in that 1,020m contest, he was beaten into second spot by Smart One. Had the places been switched, Starlight Glimmer would have notched up his fifth win. Alas, it was not to be. But there is still loads of racing left in those legs of his and Siva will be hoping all things fall into place at the assignment coming up. Siva seems to have found a good race for his runner in the Class 4B (1,150m) slated as Race 6. Track and trip should suit and, having drawn the inside barrier No. 2, Starlight Glimmer should be off and running - leaving the others to do the catching. The next horse to catch the eye was Prince Lonhro who tossed in a 600m gallop in 38.2sec. Set to take on Class 4 rivals in Race 7, he beat just one home in that last start on Aug 3. On that day, when sent off as the third pick in that 12-horse affair, the Lonhro six-year-old was obliged to race wide throughout the race and, to compound matters, he was "inconvenienced" by another runner at the 950m mark. It took the wind out of his sails and cost him any chance of finishing in the money. He deserves another chance. We know Prince Lonhro is not without ability. After all, he has won twice for Nick Selvan - and it could have been a third on July 12. However, it was not to be. He was beaten into second spot by Super Posh. Again, he did not have the smoothest of runs and just when he was fashioning a hit on the leader at the 300m mark, he was carried out and lost some ground. So, keep the faith. Prince Lonhro can deliver. As for Red Sky, he ran the 600m in an easy 40.8sec after a spot of cantering. The unraced gelding looks to be in a good place right now. However, in that Restricted Maiden race (Race 4), he comes up against some really nippy newcomers who will be out there wanting to prove a thing or two. One, in particular, stands out, Mega Skye. He has so far been awesome at the trials - winning his last two hit-outs rather impressively. However, Red Sky - who is trained by Ooi Chin Chin - will have first-hand knowledge of what and who he is up against. He did stumble into Mega Skye at the trials on Aug 5, but did his best work late to finish a gallant second. A three-year-old Australian-bred by Capitalist, Red Sky has, to date, had two trials but the job coming up on Aug 17 will be the acid test. Ooi has entered a squad of just four runners for the meeting coming up and Red Sky could be the one to brighten his day. Then, from the training track, we had Written Towin. He ran the 600m in 41sec, as his last finishing touch to his next start in Race 2, a Class 5A over 1,275m. The Written By five-year-old has scored only once in 20 starts, back on Oct 28, 2023 when under the tutorship of Shane Baertschiger at Kranji. He had his first start for Selvan on Dec 28 and, since then, the best he could produce were two second-place finishes in 10 starts, all at Sungai Besi. Come Aug 17, he will be having his third start in Class 5. Written Towin has kept slipping down the handicaps and that category may well be where he regains his will to win again. brian@
The Age
05-06-2025
- Sport
- The Age
Cummings backing Pereille to lift over longer trip at Randwick
Contemporary was ninth when resuming in the listed Ortensia Stakes at Scone on May 17 and faces another 1100m test in that grade on Saturday. In-form Adam Hyeronimus has the ride from gate five on the $13 hope. 'He wasn't too bad in that race and he got home well,' Cummings said. 'I feel he's improved off that run.' Matima in the opener appears Cummings' best chance at Randwick. The Lonhro colt won on debut at Hawkesbury then was second on a heavy Randwick track behind a dominant Agarwood two weeks ago over 1200m. He was a $4.80 chance to go one better in another two-year-old race, this time back to 1100m. 'He's putting it all together and racing will do him good,' Cummings said on Thursday. 'He's found a very hot race here. He was well held by Agarwood, but I think that's good form, franked again yesterday by Penpel winning convincingly at Warwick Farm. It bumped into the same horse. Loading 'He bumps into a good one here in the impressive Hawkesbury winner, Hidden Motive, but I think he can run very well.' Cummings, who returns to the public training ranks in August, is still awaiting news on his application to takeover Randwick's Leilani Lodge stables, where he, his father, Anthony, and grandfather, Bart, have trained. At Eagle Farm, Cummings has group 1 hopes with the consistent Lavalier and Pinito in the Queensland Derby and Oaks respectively. 'Lavalier brings Derby form from Adelaide, which I really like heading into a Queensland Derby,' he said. 'He's had that good experience there racing over a mile and a half, and we've given him plenty of time. He's really gone to the next level his past couple, and with a good gap between runs, he's brighten right back up. 'We tried to do the right thing by Pinito after that huge effort at the Gold Coast on that bottomless track. There was a lot to like about the style of that victory and we've given her a good gap between runs. She's responded well and she looks fit, fresh and cherry-ripe for the Oaks.' Pride team ready to take Flight on rain-affected Randwick track Joe Pride is not sure what opposition In Flight will face on Saturday in the listed Bob Charley AO Stakes (1100m) at Randwick, but he is certain she 'will take some beating' on what is likely to be a wet track. In Flight was a $4 Sportsbet equal favourite on Thursday for the feature event after breaking through at stakes level last start in the listed Bright Shadow on a heavy Doomben track on May 17. That followed a second behind Pisanello when first up at Canterbury and a runner-up effort to stablemate Dragonstone in the Hawkesbury Gold Rush. Pride opted to target the Randwick sprint on Saturday rather than another Queensland feature with his four-year-old mare but others in the Bob Charley are keeping their options open. With Randwick in the heavy range, Pride was confident In Flight could again figure in the finish. 'She'll get wet again, which is good,' Pride said. 'There's a bit to play out with that field. There's a few dual acceptors in Brisbane, so we'll see, but either way, she's going to be hard to beat. 'She's a lovely little mare, loves the wet and she still looks reasonably weighted in this grade, so she'll take some beating. She's drawn off the track a little bit in 10, but on the day, I won't be surprised if they are getting off the fence anyway.' While a heavy track will be welcome for In Flight, Pride said Accredited was unlikely to run on that going in the ninth. Loading Still, the Warwick Farm trainer has a strong hand in the race with the resuming Headley Grange ($7) and Estadio Mestalla ($23), and potentially Testator Silens ($26), which was an emergency. 'Headley Grange will run really well and so will Estadio Mestalla, and Testator Silens is ready to do something after having two runs back,' he said. 'He's been going really well. He's just been crying out for a little bit further and he gets that Saturday.' He said Headley Grange and Estadio Mestalla were likely working towards country cup Big Dance qualifiers. 'I'm toying with the idea of taking Estadio Mestalla to the South Grafton Cup to get him qualified for the Big or Little Dance,' he said. 'He was second in the Little Dance last year so we'll try to give him another crack at it. Headley Grange, is a probably similar. I'll probably target another country cup.'
Sydney Morning Herald
05-06-2025
- Sport
- Sydney Morning Herald
Cummings backing Pereille to lift over longer trip at Randwick
Contemporary was ninth when resuming in the listed Ortensia Stakes at Scone on May 17 and faces another 1100m test in that grade on Saturday. In-form Adam Hyeronimus has the ride from gate five on the $13 hope. 'He wasn't too bad in that race and he got home well,' Cummings said. 'I feel he's improved off that run.' Matima in the opener appears Cummings' best chance at Randwick. The Lonhro colt won on debut at Hawkesbury then was second on a heavy Randwick track behind a dominant Agarwood two weeks ago over 1200m. He was a $4.80 chance to go one better in another two-year-old race, this time back to 1100m. 'He's putting it all together and racing will do him good,' Cummings said on Thursday. 'He's found a very hot race here. He was well held by Agarwood, but I think that's good form, franked again yesterday by Penpel winning convincingly at Warwick Farm. It bumped into the same horse. Loading 'He bumps into a good one here in the impressive Hawkesbury winner, Hidden Motive, but I think he can run very well.' Cummings, who returns to the public training ranks in August, is still awaiting news on his application to takeover Randwick's Leilani Lodge stables, where he, his father, Anthony, and grandfather, Bart, have trained. At Eagle Farm, Cummings has group 1 hopes with the consistent Lavalier and Pinito in the Queensland Derby and Oaks respectively. 'Lavalier brings Derby form from Adelaide, which I really like heading into a Queensland Derby,' he said. 'He's had that good experience there racing over a mile and a half, and we've given him plenty of time. He's really gone to the next level his past couple, and with a good gap between runs, he's brighten right back up. 'We tried to do the right thing by Pinito after that huge effort at the Gold Coast on that bottomless track. There was a lot to like about the style of that victory and we've given her a good gap between runs. She's responded well and she looks fit, fresh and cherry-ripe for the Oaks.' Pride team ready to take Flight on rain-affected Randwick track Joe Pride is not sure what opposition In Flight will face on Saturday in the listed Bob Charley AO Stakes (1100m) at Randwick, but he is certain she 'will take some beating' on what is likely to be a wet track. In Flight was a $4 Sportsbet equal favourite on Thursday for the feature event after breaking through at stakes level last start in the listed Bright Shadow on a heavy Doomben track on May 17. That followed a second behind Pisanello when first up at Canterbury and a runner-up effort to stablemate Dragonstone in the Hawkesbury Gold Rush. Pride opted to target the Randwick sprint on Saturday rather than another Queensland feature with his four-year-old mare but others in the Bob Charley are keeping their options open. With Randwick in the heavy range, Pride was confident In Flight could again figure in the finish. 'She'll get wet again, which is good,' Pride said. 'There's a bit to play out with that field. There's a few dual acceptors in Brisbane, so we'll see, but either way, she's going to be hard to beat. 'She's a lovely little mare, loves the wet and she still looks reasonably weighted in this grade, so she'll take some beating. She's drawn off the track a little bit in 10, but on the day, I won't be surprised if they are getting off the fence anyway.' While a heavy track will be welcome for In Flight, Pride said Accredited was unlikely to run on that going in the ninth. Loading Still, the Warwick Farm trainer has a strong hand in the race with the resuming Headley Grange ($7) and Estadio Mestalla ($23), and potentially Testator Silens ($26), which was an emergency. 'Headley Grange will run really well and so will Estadio Mestalla, and Testator Silens is ready to do something after having two runs back,' he said. 'He's been going really well. He's just been crying out for a little bit further and he gets that Saturday.' He said Headley Grange and Estadio Mestalla were likely working towards country cup Big Dance qualifiers. 'I'm toying with the idea of taking Estadio Mestalla to the South Grafton Cup to get him qualified for the Big or Little Dance,' he said. 'He was second in the Little Dance last year so we'll try to give him another crack at it. Headley Grange, is a probably similar. I'll probably target another country cup.'
Mercury
04-06-2025
- Sport
- Mercury
Best bets and expert tips for Geelong races Thursday
Don't miss out on the headlines from Horse Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News. News Corp form analyst Brad Waters looks at Thursday's meeting at Geelong. BEST BET PURVEYOR (Race 7 No.2): Purveyor got home hard against the pattern at Cranbourne first-up. He'll be much fitter and should relish the bigger Geelong circuit. NEXT BEST DIVINE PROVENANCE (Race 2 No.3): The Lonhro colt has done everything right at the jumpouts leading up to his debut. Expecting him to take that form to the races. GOVERNOR KING (Race 8 No.2): The Henry Dwyer-trained galloper has improved with every run this time in and won a recent jumpout at Ballarat. He'll go well again over 1700m. VALUE BET DIAMOND WAR (Race 9 No.12): Diamond War steps up in class but is racing well without having the best of luck. He's drawn to have the right run and is a great each-way chance. THE JOCKEY JOHN ALLEN Jockey John Allen heads to Geelong for eight rides on Thursday. WESTERN LEGEND (Race 1 No.9 – $26), SUSSEX DUCHESS (Race 2 No. 14 – $23), WILLIE SUNSHINE (Race 3 No.18 – $26), FIORA (Race 4 No.14 – $26), MY ANGEL SHELL (Race 5 No.3 – $5), NORTHERN BARRAGE (Race 6 No.15 – $17), GOVERNOR KING (Race 8 No.2 – $6.50), CAPITAL ASSET (Race 9 No.5 – $6.50). Originally published as Best bets and value play for Geelong races Thursday
