Latest news with #MarkZahra
News.com.au
2 days ago
- Sport
- News.com.au
Trainer Glen Thompson weighing up Q22 back-up for filly Benagil
Flemington trainer Glen Thompson will make a decision on Wednesday on whether gifted filly Benagil will back up for Saturday's $1.2m Q22 over 2200m at Eagle Farm. Thompson believes Benagil was unlucky not to win last Saturday's Queensland Oaks (2200m) feature after getting caught behind horses in the straight before making a late charge under Mark Zahra. She ended up finishing third, less than a length behind the Kris Lees-trained You Wahng and Godolphin's runner Pinito. 'I'll make a decision on Wednesday morning,' Thompson said. 'She's licked the bin out ever since the Oaks and seemed nice and bright this morning (Monday). 'I always had in the back of my mind that if she won (the Oaks) then I'd look at running her in the Q22. 'She should've won so I guess there's no reason not to give her a chance and I don't think it's an overly strong year for it (the Q22). 'Even Mark (Zahra) said she should've won by a length or two. It's frustrating because they're hard races to win and she'll never get another chance in an Oaks again. 'She just needs to give us a sign that she doesn't need to back up. 'She was going to go for a break this week but one more week isn't going to hurt.' Calling for the win! ðŸ'² You Wahng takes the G1 Queensland Oaks for @Leesracing and @TommyBerry21! @BrisRacingClub @RaceQLD — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 7, 2025 It would be hard to knock back a chance to contest the weight-for-age Q22, won last year by Fawkner Park, given the winner's cheque is a massive $720,000. Thompson said Craig Williams would ride in the Q22 if he decided that the Australasian Oaks winner Benagil would race on Saturday. 'She'll then have five or six weeks in the paddock up here (in Brisbane) and she'll come back for a couple of runs for the tail end of spring,' he said. Thompson said Benagil would go second-up into the $1m Group 1 Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on November 1.
News.com.au
6 days ago
- Sport
- News.com.au
Trainer Kris Lees to run Brudenell at Randwick on Saturday after weighing up Eagle Farm option
Racing history might be weighing heavily against Brudenell but trainer Kris Lees wants to give the sprinter his chance in the Listed $200,000 Bob Charley AO Stakes (1100m) at Royal Randwick on Saturday. Brudenell has been burdened with 59kg, an impost which has proven beyond all but four horses in the last 50 years of the Australian Turf Club's feature winter sprint, formerly known as the June Stakes. Classique Legend had 60kg when he won the Randwick sprint in 2020 en route to his triumph in The Everest, Jungle Edge won under 60.5kg in 2018, and Avoid Lightning (2014) and Oranmore (1977) both carried 59kg. Lees did nominate Brudenell for the Group 2 Moreton Cup at Eagle Farm as well but he felt the Bob Charley Stakes was the more winnable race. 'I will keep Brudenell for Randwick,'' Lees said. 'He's not great on a long float trip anyway. 'I know he has plenty of weight at Randwick but he has probably earned it. He goes to Saturday's race in very good form.'' Brudenell won the Listed Abell Stakes at Moonee Valley earlier this campaign and more recently ran a close second to Barber in the Listed Takeover Target Stakes at Gosford before a last-start third to The Instructor in the Listed Luskin Star Stakes at Scone. It's Brudenell's Abell Stakes, careering away for a classy victory ðŸ'« Mark Zahra & Kris Lees combine for Listed success at The Valley ðŸ¤� — (@Racing) February 28, 2025 The Bob Charley Stakes has attracted a final field of 15 with Front Page, who is co-topweight with Brudenell, also in the Moreton Cup. Also at Eagle Farm, Lees is chasing a third win in the Group 1 $700,000 Queensland Oaks (2200m) with either You Wahng or Eclair Encore. You Wahng, who ran a close third in the ATC Australian Oaks during the Sydney autumn carnival, has maintained her form as evidenced by a solid last start fifth to Philia in The Roses. 'This will probably be a more high pressure Oaks than what we had in Sydney but we know our filly can stay,'' said Lees, who has won the Queensland Oaks previously with Amokura (2023) and Vitesse Dane (2005). An epic win by Treasurethe Moment in the G1 Australian Oaks! She nabs the Victorian-Australian Oaks double in the final strides! 🙌 @mattlaurierace | @LaneDamian | @aus_turf_club | @WorldPool — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) April 12, 2025 Eclair Encore is also in the Group 1 $1m Queensland Derby (2400m) but Lees said she would contest the fillies classic. 'I'm thinking the Oaks for Eclair Encore despite the bad barrier (18),'' Lees said. 'I feel it is slightly the better option for her. We did consider splitting them up but we have to do what is best for both fillies.'' Amokura has had only five starts since her Oaks success and is resuming after nearly 12 months off in the Sydney Roosters Partners Handicap (1600m) at Royal Randwick. Lees explained Amokura had 'some bone bruising' which kept her out of racing for an extended period but said the mare has had a trouble-free preparation ahead of her comeback on Saturday. Amokura reigns supreme in the Queensland Oaks! ðŸ'' @Leesracing wins his second Queensland Oaks, while Damien Oliver scores his 128th Group 1 victory. — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 3, 2023 'Amokura's had a long build-up but she is going well,'' Lees said. 'I'm only going to give her a couple of runs and then bring her back for the spring.'' Lees also has Loch Eagle taking on stablemate Akomura in the mile race with the gelding impressing the trainer with his first-up eighth behind stablemate Tavi Time in the Scone Cup. Stardom in the Listed Woodlands Stakes.
The Australian
26-04-2025
- Sport
- The Australian
What the jockeys said: 2025 Australasian Oaks
Flemington conditioner Glen Thompson got the biggest win of his training career when Benagil took out the $1 million Group 1 Australasian Oaks (2000m) at Morphettville on Saturday. Thompson recently took over the reins in his own right after his former training partner, New Zealand Racing Hall Of Famer Mike Moroney, passed away in February. Benagil put the writing on the wall at his previous start when second to Treasurethe Moment in the Group 1 Vinery Stud Stakes during the Sydney carnival. The daughter of Manhattan Rain appreciated a strongly run race, coming from well back to defeat one of the outsiders, Sweltering and the well supported Polymnia. Benagil's win was her fourth from 10 starts and took her earnings to more than $1.1 million. The three-year-old filly was ridden by Mark Zahra. This is what the riders thought of their mount's performance in the Australasian Oaks. 1st – BENAGIL (Mark Zahra) I was just smoking the pipe, looking at what was going on. I was very happy with the tempo, and I think if you could have been on any horse at the 600 (metres) was me. I was just jogging. In these staying races, I don't like to disappoint them for too long. You've got to let them go when they're ready to go. I waited until we got them a straight, let her rip, and she had them a long way out and did a good job. 2nd – SWELTERING (Ethan Brown) Outstanding. She was suited by a good speed, she hit a bit of a flat spot around the corner, I just had to guide her through that but when she straightened she stayed on really well and good to get a Group 1 placing. 3rd – POLYMNIA (Jamie Melham) Very good run. If she drew a gate it would've been interesting, she just had a lot of horses stopping in front of her and had to wait and wait for a run, only got out late. If she drew a barrier it would've been very interesting. 4th – CAVITY BAY (Harry Coffey) Super run, we just got held up and crowded around the home bend and it probably cost her running second but I thought she went super and she ran really well. 5th – MOVIN OUT (Ben Melham) Ran well, had to give a big start away from the draw to receive protection from the wind. From the 700 (metres) we found the back of the eventual winner, crept into the race doing no work, probably just the back up within a week but she's a nice mare moving forward. 6th – PELEVECCHIO (Jacob Opperman) She ran well. It was just a matter of finding the gaps at the top of the straight which she did. It was a game effort. 7th – FEMMINILE (Thomas Stockdale) She jumped well, we had her closer today. Ideally I would've liked to have been a pair closer on the back of some better runners but we had to pinch runs where we could. She ran home strong but she'll appreciate the extra 500 (metres) when she gets it. 8th – WOLFESS (Jamie Mott) She gave me a real glimpse of hope there straightening up when she hit the front. Bit immature, blinkers will help her. 9th – COMANCHE MISS (Lachlan Neindorf) Got into a lovely spot from the barrier, relaxed, travelled beautifully underneath me, probably struggled to see out the 2000, needs another prep to develop. 10th – TOO DARN LIZZIE (Blake Shinn) Beaten at the turn, doesn't run 2000 (metres). 11th – BEAUTIFUL JEWEL (Ben Price) It was an honest run. She had a lovely run in transit, just when the pressure came on she probably didn't see out the 2000 (metres), she'll be a lovely miler next time around. 12th – ALL KINDS OF FOLK (Blaike McDougall) Not her day today. She travelled into it like, I thought, the winner, but once I placed her under pressure she just didn't find so hopefully she pulls up okay. 13th – GIORGI (Daniel Stackhouse) Just outclassed. 14th – HORIZONS (Todd Pannell) Just had to go back from the wide gate and she had too big a task. 15th – PHENOM (Rochelle Milnes (a)) Probably just struggled to get that 2000 (metres) today. 16th – CINCH (Celine Gaudray) There's a soundness issue going on there, she's pulled up lame, so I hope the team can get her back.
News.com.au
26-04-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Post-race jockey reports from the 2025 Robert Sangster Stakes
Top Victorian rider Mark Zahra made it a Group 1 double on Saturday when sending Charm Stone to victory in the $1 million Robert Sangster Stakes (1200m) at Morphettville. Forty minutes prior, Zahra claimed the Australian Oaks with Benagil. Charm Stone's win was the fifth time her trainer Mick Price has won the race and his fourth Group 1 win since starting a training partnership with Michael Kent (Jnr). Charm Stone came from well back, making her run down the centre of the track to finish too well for the three-year-old Ameena with the well supported favourite Commemorative in third. ZAHRA DOES THE DOUBLE! Mark Zahra has picked up his second Group 1 of the afternoon riding Charm Stone to victory in the Robert Sangster Stakes! @MickPriceRacing — 7HorseRacing ðŸ�Ž (@7horseracing) April 26, 2025 Price indicated Charm Stone would now progress to the Group 1 Goodwood over the same distance at the same track in a fortnight. Charm Stone is a four-year-old mare by I Am Invincible and the win was her fourth from 11 start and took her earnings to more than $1.3 million. This is what the riders thought of their mount's performance in the Robert Sangster Stakes. 1st - CHARM STONE (Mark Zahra) I drew wide. I just said I'm going to leave her alone, get her a nice rhythm, and I managed to get the back of Commemorative. I didn't travel that well, actually. I sort of had to give her a little click up to tack up, and she did. She got to the back of them, the further the race went, the more with confidence she grew. I was able to save the best for the finish. It was a busy enough finish, but I thought I won pretty convincingly in the end. 2nd - AMEENA (Jamie Melham) Fantastic run, we just had no option other than to go back to the inside, the fence is obviously a bit rougher than the outside but a great run. 3rd - COMMEMORATIVE (Blake Shinn) Had a nice run, presented to win, first two were better but she was great. 4th - A LITTLE DEEP (Ethan Brown) Career best run. That'll be good for her confidence, she's certainly improved this prep. 5th - PRAIRIE FLOWER (Kayla Crowther) Rapt with her, obviously followed the winner the whole way, she was superb. 6th - ROLL ON HIGH (Daniel Stackhouse) She ran super. Nice, pleasing run for the owners. 7th - ASFOORA (Mitchell Aitken) Drew awkward, raced flat. 8th - ESTRIELLA (Ben Allen) She was okay. She relaxed well, a little bit too relaxed. I think maybe some head gear would help her. 9th - STRETAN ANGEL (Thomas Stockdale) She burrowed her head down as soon as the gates opened. Our chances were gone after that. 10th - AUSTMARR (Jamie Mott) Yeah, the plan was to bowl along as she likes to do. She didn't step the greatest, copped a check off Asfoora shortly after that, it took her a bit to build momentum after that but she ran as good as she could considering. 11th - SHE'S GOT PIZZAZZ (Jordan Childs) Had a nice run. She was probably just a bit close to her top the whole way and might be looking for a bit further. 12th - CLIMBING STAR (Lachlan Neindorf) Nothing wrong with her effort, she just got hampered a lot quite early in the first couple furlongs of the race and it was game over from there, but she can bounce back. 13th - AVIATRESS (Jake Toeroek) Disappointing. Only jumped fairly, never really travelled, was never in her comfort zone the whole way, so very disappointing.
