Latest news with #LuskinStarStakes
The Age
17-05-2025
- Sport
- The Age
‘Our Melbourne Cup': Local trainer savours special victory at Scone
Reith, a group 1 winner, spent a year on the sidelines after fracturing vertebrae in a fall in 2022. Fiorsum Fred earlier gave Singleton a hat-trick of wins on Scone's biggest day of the year when he claimed the class 3 Highway Handicap (1600m). Singleton won benchmark handicaps on the standalone program the past two years with Dollar Magic and Comonic, and Fiorsum Fred added to the record with a strong finish for a three-quarter length victory. Former Gold Coast apprentice Jace McMurray rode Fiorsum Fred, giving him a first Sydney metro win. He has joined Randwick trainer Michael Freedman on loan. Filly shows star potential Zoustar filly Stardom is set to chase more black type at the Queensland winter carnival after securing a valuable win in the Woodlands Stakes (1100m) as part of a listed double for the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott stable. The Torryburn Stud talent, out of Snitzel mare Diddums, raced outside leader Rainbow Glow before taking over at the top of straight for jockey Adam Hyeronimus and finding late to hold off Kris Lees-trained Wollzeile by a half length. Favourite Akaysha was strong late for third after getting too far back. The Instructor later gave Hyeronimus and the Waterhouse-Bott yard another big win, overhauling Whinchat in the final metres of the Luskin Star Stakes. The son of Russian Revolution is also set to hunt stakes wins in Queensland. Caballus comeback soured Throat and gelding operations proved pivotal for Caballus when he returned with victory in the listed Ortensia Stakes (1100m), only to suffer a bleeding attack. The Bjorn Baker-trained four-year-old, last year's Eskimo Prince Stakes winner, got the sit behind leader The Novelist from gate one. Jockey Ash Morgan then took the $5.50 favourite up the inside in the last furlong for a two-thirds of a length victory. Caballus, which raced at group 1 level before his breathing problems prompted the throat operation, was set to chase bigger targets in Queensland before he was found to have bled from both nostrils post-race, triggering a mandatory suspension. Godolphin's Renosu also bled in the same race. Long shot lifts for Penza Experienced provincial jockey Jeff Penza was rewarded for a long day's work when $61-shot Summer Flame lifted late to win the listed Denise's Joy Stakes (1100m). Penza gave the Chris Waller-trained daughter of Written Tycoon from Rosemont Stud an ideal run behind leader Overfull before hitting the front 100m out to beat Gerringong by a neck. Summer Flame resumed in the 3YO fillies feature after recording a win and two placings in Victoria in her first preparation. Waller assistant trainer Charlie Duckworth said the win was great reward for Penza. 'Whenever he's asked, he'll come in [for trackwork],' Duckworth said. 'He came in this morning and galloped four for us, then went home and rode his two show-jumpers, then got in the car and came here, so he's a hard worker.' He said the performance of Summer Flame was not a surprise for Waller. 'Chris was tipping it, so he might be happy because she was obviously a crazy old price,' he said. Archibald import finds edge Annabel Archibald believes she may have found a key to Cormac T after the import edged out Gentileschi following an unusual lead-in. Cormac T was scratched on vet's advice last Saturday at Gosford with abrasions to his near-hind leg after becoming fractious in the gates. He bounced back in the benchmark 78 (1700m), hitting the front late for jockey Tom Sherry then holding out Gentileschi and Kind Words in a thriller. Gentileschi's co-trainer Paul Messara and stewards reviewed the photo before correct weight was declared. 'He obviously didn't gallop last Saturday and we went pretty steady with him early in the week because we wanted to check he was OK,' Archibald said. 'So maybe he's shown us that he likes to be kept slightly on the fresh side.' It was part of a great day for the Annabel and Rob Archibald yard, which later won the group 1 Doomben 10,000 with Sunshine In Paris. Snowden has Eagle eye on next race Champion trainer Peter Snowden was eyeing the listed Queensland Day Stakes (1200m) on June 7 at Eagle Farm with Zealously after the three-year-old cruised to victory in the 1100m benchmark 78. Loading A $3.50 favourite after Snowden scratched him last week at Gosford in the hope of firmer ground this week, Zealously relished the drying soft 5 going, kicking clear at the top of the straight and beating Dollar Magic by one and three-quarter lengths. The winning time of 1:02:13 was inside the track record but may not be official because it was hand timed. 'I'll go to Brisbane with him,' said Snowden, who was born and bred in Scone. 'There's a three-year-old race for him in about three weeks, so I'll head to that, if we get good ground.' Freedman and Collett find key Trainer Richard Freedman praised in-form jockey Alysha Collett after she produced a perfectly timed front-running ride to score a breakthrough win on import Walking Painting at Scone in the Midway Handicap (1700m). Freedman, who trains in partnership with his son, Will, and has stables in Scone, wanted the six-year-old to lead after seven fruitless starts in Australia. Collett, who had a winning double at Gosford last Saturday, found the front then stacked them up before Walking Painting held on narrowly Northern Eyes and Highborn Harry. 'I said to Alysha, you just go forward and lead, and I said to Kerrin [McEvoy on Let's Fly], you follow her,' Freedman said. 'I said, you slowly ease down and then wait until they straighten up and let him go.'
Sydney Morning Herald
17-05-2025
- Sport
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘Our Melbourne Cup': Local trainer savours special victory at Scone
Reith, a group 1 winner, spent a year on the sidelines after fracturing vertebrae in a fall in 2022. Fiorsum Fred earlier gave Singleton a hat-trick of wins on Scone's biggest day of the year when he claimed the class 3 Highway Handicap (1600m). Singleton won benchmark handicaps on the standalone program the past two years with Dollar Magic and Comonic, and Fiorsum Fred added to the record with a strong finish for a three-quarter length victory. Former Gold Coast apprentice Jace McMurray rode Fiorsum Fred, giving him a first Sydney metro win. He has joined Randwick trainer Michael Freedman on loan. Filly shows star potential Zoustar filly Stardom is set to chase more black type at the Queensland winter carnival after securing a valuable win in the Woodlands Stakes (1100m) as part of a listed double for the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott stable. The Torryburn Stud talent, out of Snitzel mare Diddums, raced outside leader Rainbow Glow before taking over at the top of straight for jockey Adam Hyeronimus and finding late to hold off Kris Lees-trained Wollzeile by a half length. Favourite Akaysha was strong late for third after getting too far back. The Instructor later gave Hyeronimus and the Waterhouse-Bott yard another big win, overhauling Whinchat in the final metres of the Luskin Star Stakes. The son of Russian Revolution is also set to hunt stakes wins in Queensland. Caballus comeback soured Throat and gelding operations proved pivotal for Caballus when he returned with victory in the listed Ortensia Stakes (1100m), only to suffer a bleeding attack. The Bjorn Baker-trained four-year-old, last year's Eskimo Prince Stakes winner, got the sit behind leader The Novelist from gate one. Jockey Ash Morgan then took the $5.50 favourite up the inside in the last furlong for a two-thirds of a length victory. Caballus, which raced at group 1 level before his breathing problems prompted the throat operation, was set to chase bigger targets in Queensland before he was found to have bled from both nostrils post-race, triggering a mandatory suspension. Godolphin's Renosu also bled in the same race. Long shot lifts for Penza Experienced provincial jockey Jeff Penza was rewarded for a long day's work when $61-shot Summer Flame lifted late to win the listed Denise's Joy Stakes (1100m). Penza gave the Chris Waller-trained daughter of Written Tycoon from Rosemont Stud an ideal run behind leader Overfull before hitting the front 100m out to beat Gerringong by a neck. Summer Flame resumed in the 3YO fillies feature after recording a win and two placings in Victoria in her first preparation. Waller assistant trainer Charlie Duckworth said the win was great reward for Penza. 'Whenever he's asked, he'll come in [for trackwork],' Duckworth said. 'He came in this morning and galloped four for us, then went home and rode his two show-jumpers, then got in the car and came here, so he's a hard worker.' He said the performance of Summer Flame was not a surprise for Waller. 'Chris was tipping it, so he might be happy because she was obviously a crazy old price,' he said. Archibald import finds edge Annabel Archibald believes she may have found a key to Cormac T after the import edged out Gentileschi following an unusual lead-in. Cormac T was scratched on vet's advice last Saturday at Gosford with abrasions to his near-hind leg after becoming fractious in the gates. He bounced back in the benchmark 78 (1700m), hitting the front late for jockey Tom Sherry then holding out Gentileschi and Kind Words in a thriller. Gentileschi's co-trainer Paul Messara and stewards reviewed the photo before correct weight was declared. 'He obviously didn't gallop last Saturday and we went pretty steady with him early in the week because we wanted to check he was OK,' Archibald said. 'So maybe he's shown us that he likes to be kept slightly on the fresh side.' It was part of a great day for the Annabel and Rob Archibald yard, which later won the group 1 Doomben 10,000 with Sunshine In Paris. Snowden has Eagle eye on next race Champion trainer Peter Snowden was eyeing the listed Queensland Day Stakes (1200m) on June 7 at Eagle Farm with Zealously after the three-year-old cruised to victory in the 1100m benchmark 78. Loading A $3.50 favourite after Snowden scratched him last week at Gosford in the hope of firmer ground this week, Zealously relished the drying soft 5 going, kicking clear at the top of the straight and beating Dollar Magic by one and three-quarter lengths. The winning time of 1:02:13 was inside the track record but may not be official because it was hand timed. 'I'll go to Brisbane with him,' said Snowden, who was born and bred in Scone. 'There's a three-year-old race for him in about three weeks, so I'll head to that, if we get good ground.' Freedman and Collett find key Trainer Richard Freedman praised in-form jockey Alysha Collett after she produced a perfectly timed front-running ride to score a breakthrough win on import Walking Painting at Scone in the Midway Handicap (1700m). Freedman, who trains in partnership with his son, Will, and has stables in Scone, wanted the six-year-old to lead after seven fruitless starts in Australia. Collett, who had a winning double at Gosford last Saturday, found the front then stacked them up before Walking Painting held on narrowly Northern Eyes and Highborn Harry. 'I said to Alysha, you just go forward and lead, and I said to Kerrin [McEvoy on Let's Fly], you follow her,' Freedman said. 'I said, you slowly ease down and then wait until they straighten up and let him go.'
7NEWS
15-05-2025
- Sport
- 7NEWS
West Of Africa chasing Big Dance qualification in Scone Cup
West Of Africa already has one Cup win in the bag this campaign and he will be bidding to add another when he heads to Scone chasing qualification for the Big Dance. The gelding was a devastating winner of the Magic Millions Cup (1400m) at the Gold Coast in January when he unleashed a whirlwind finish from near-last to blouse his rivals. He has continued to race consistently, placing in three of his subsequent four starts and while he is closer to the end of his preparation than the beginning, co-trainer Rob Archibald is seeing only positive signs at home. 'We have just tried to space his runs as best we can but he has been up for a while,' Archibald said. 'That is always a little query. It's going to come to an end at some stage, but at home he seems to be holding his form well.' West Of Africa has been the subject of early market support, backed from $11 into $6.50. A two-time winner over the 1600m journey of Friday's Scone Cup, he has drawn barrier 13, a gate Archibald believes will suit the backmarker. 'He's got a wide draw which I don't think will worry him as he's a horse that gets back and runs on,' he said. 'The Scone track, we feel, will suit him because it has a big, long straight. 'He's going well and of all our chances, he is probably one of the main ones.' West Of Africa will be joined in the Scone Cup (1600m) by stablemates Port Lockroy and Redstone Well, while Might Ulysses is a dual acceptor for the Luskin Star Stakes (1300m) a day later. Archibald says they are leaning towards the latter with Mighty Ulysses in the hope the shorter trip will ensure it is run at a genuine speed. 'We are leaning towards the 1300 metre race. We are just trying to find a bit of confidence with him and help him settle a little bit behind a good tempo,' Archibald sad. 'But we are still looking at both races and are still undecided.' Port Lockroy, who captured the Group 1 Railway Stakes (1600m) at Ascot in November, is top weight with 59.5kg, while Redstone Well is dropping back in journey after disappointing at his recent middle-distance runs. 'Port Lockroy, he's a Group One winner so it's hard to discount him even though he's got a bit of weight,' Archibald said. 'Redstone Well has been tested over 2000 and we feel like he's not quite seeing it out so we're giving him a chance back to the mile.' Both Al Mubhir and Sibaaq have been scratched from the Scone Cup in favour of assignments in Queensland.
