Latest news with #MartinHarley
News.com.au
20-05-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
2025 BRC Sprint: Robert Heathcote poised to spring upset with luckless $2.3m earner Abounding
After almost conjuring a Group 1 big-odds blowout for the ages last Saturday, Rob Heathcote has confidence he can spring a mighty upset in the Group 3 BRC Sprint. Fresh off only narrowly being denied with evergreen warrior at $41 in the Doomben 10,000, the Eagle Farm trainer has $2.3m earner Abounding in Saturday's race at Doomben which offers the winner a golden ticket into the Stradbroke Handicap. Abounding resumed in the Group 2 Victory Stakes earlier this month but the filly was out in the cheap seats from a wide barrier and finished 10th, beaten four lengths. It continued a run of shocking gates for Abounding, the Gold Coast Magic Millions 3YO Guineas winner of last year. In her past five starts, Abounding has drawn barriers 12, 13, 15, 10 and 16. Martin Harley has ridden Abounding in her past 13 starts including the 2024 Magic Millions triumph, but Sydney jockey Tommy Berry takes the mount in the 1350m race on Saturday. Abounding over the top in the Magic Millions 3YO Guineas! @mmsnippets @GCTurfClub @FirstLight_FLR — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) January 13, 2024 'I am delighted with this filly, she had zero luck first-up,' Heathcote said. 'She was caught wide but I can probably say that for nearly all of her recent runs. 'She has had no luck dating right back to the (2024) Magic Millions, but she is definitely Group class. 'Whether she is Group 1 or not, we will find out down the track. 'She will head towards the (Group 1) Tatt's Tiara and we have nominated her for the Stradbroke. 'Her rating already has her close to getting into the Stradbroke and this race on Saturday will tell us more. 'My track work rider gave her a whiz around Doomben this morning and she went super. 'Hopefully the track will continue to dry out for her. 'I think she is in the same sort of form that won her the Magic Millions last year.' • 'They'll have to carry me back': Cejay dreams of Doomben Cup upset Four-year-old mare Abounding is a $26 chance in the BRC Sprint but the Heathcote camp feels she is a far better chance than her price suggests, especially if she finally gets a favourable barrier draw. Rothfire is also a $26 chance for his next assignment – Saturday week's Group 1 Kingsford Smith Cup at Eagle Farm. After almost knocking off favourite Sunshine In Paris in the Doomben 10,000, the ageless sprinter has continued to thrive. 'Rothy is fantastic,' Heathcote said. 'I had him under saddle this morning for the first time this morning since Saturday. 'I could not be happier with him and he will go into the Kingsford Smith Cup a better chance than his $26 price reflects.' Sir Delius impresses in his Australian debut, surging to victory at Doomben! @GaiWaterhouse1 @clarkyhk — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) May 17, 2025 The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott -trained import, who won his first race Down Under, will be set for a spring Cups campaign including in the Melbourne Cup where he is now a $15 chance.
News.com.au
17-05-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Chris Munce colt Cool Archie continues surge through the grades with victory in Spirit Of Boom Classic at Doomben
Chris Munce won a Cox Plate for big-time owner Max Whitby and their decades-long friendship hit another high note when exciting young colt Cool Archie scored the Group 2 Spirit Of Boom Classic at Doomben. Legendary former jockey Munce rode Savabeel to glory in the 2004 Cox Plate for Whitby and the two have been tight ever since. When Munce retired from riding and turned to training in Queensland a decade ago, Whitby was one of the first owners who supported him. The former Sydney-based owner, now living on the Gold Coast, was trackside at Doomben to watch former Irish jockey Martin Harley conjure a wonderful ride to score on Cool Archie. Harley was first out of the gates on Cool Archie but let others go and was in a stalking position, surging to the lead near the post and holding off the challenge from runner-up Gallo Nero. The narrow victory made it three wins on the bounce and continued Cool Archie's surge towards elite races like the BRC Sires' Produce Stakes and the Group 1 JJ Atkins. After Saturday's 1200m win, Cool Archie firmed from $26 to $11 in Sires' Produce betting and $26 to $15 in the JJ Atkins market. Birthday boy Munce, who trains with son Corey, was thrilled he had captured Saturday's race for Whitby. Another winner for @munceracing, with Cool Archie getting the nose down in the Spirit Of Boom Classic! â€' SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) May 17, 2025 'Max has been a great supporter, as a jockey I won a Cox Plate and a Caulfield Guineas for him and we even won a Darwin Cup,' Munce said. 'I've had a lot of luck with Max over the years. 'Even when I first started training he sent me up a horse called First Crush, and a few other horses, to kick me off. 'And he took shares in other horses, it's great to be able to reward him with a winner like this today. 'It's on to the Sires' next and then the JJ Atkins. 'I'll have to have a chat with Martin (Harley) to see if we take the blinkers off. 'He's a really nice colt, you wouldn't think he's a colt because he's so laid-back and casual. 'He's got a heart as big as he is, which is all you can ask for.' Whitby is known for his love of a bet and relished the win of Cool Archie, who firmed from $10 into $8. 'I think we might have a proper colt on our hands,' Whitby declared. Harley knew Cool Archie had match fitness on his side, but insisted it was a 'pretty special' win. 'He's a horse we hold in high regard, he travelled smoothly today and luckily I couldn't get there too soon because there were horses in front of me,' Harley said. 'He wanted to go through the gap and showed a great will to win.' Third-placed Grafterburners lost no admirers after covering more ground than the early explorers. â– â– â– â– â– Schweida eyes bigger riches for El Morzillo Aided by a clever ride by Jason Collett, Queensland filly El Morzillo laid down a potential Group 1 winter carnival marker when she was ridden outside of her comfort zone to score at Doomben. El Morzillo surged past the $1m prizemoney mark when she was much closer than most expected in the run, with Collett sitting pretty just behind the leaders in the QTIS 3YO Plate (1350m). On a heavy Doomben track, El Morzillo may have had no hope had she been ridden to her normal pattern of dropping well back in the field and swooping home. Trainer Kelly Schweida would love to get the three-year-old grey filly into the Group 1 Stradbroke Handica p or Group 1 Tatt's Tiara. El Morzillo had a rating of 92 before Saturday's Doomben win and even with the looming ratings boost she would almost certainly need to score the Group 3 Fred Best Classic to surge into the Stradbroke field. A brilliant Jason Collett ride sees El Morzillo come out on top in Race 3 at Doomben. @schweidaracing â€' SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) May 17, 2025 The winner of the Fred Best, at Eagle Farm on May 31, earns a golden ticket into the Stradbroke, Regardless of the future, Saturday's win was pleasing for Schweida as he has high winter carnival hopes for the filly who won a $1m restricted sprint at Flemington in March. She was slightly disappointing when she resumed in the Group 2 Victory Stakes, but probably had no hope to score that race considering she was last in the run and they zipped home. The Doomben win on Saturday added to El Morzillo's impressive resume. 'Plan A was not to be too far back on the heavy track today,' Schweida said. 'She was tough, as her normal pattern is to get back and find the line. 'I'd love to get her into a Stradbroke, if we could, or a Tatt's Tiara would be a nice race for her if she is good enough.' El Morzillo was sent out a $4.80 chance and got home over $81 roughie Ruins Of Rome and $9 prospect Cosmo Centaurus. The Godolphin favourite, Pisces, was unplaced under James McDonald after being slow away and then trying to make ground along the inside.
