Latest news with #OysterLane
7NEWS
07-08-2025
- Sport
- 7NEWS
Oyster Lane hunting maiden win at The Valley
The Ciaron Maher stable has given a strong lead in electing to run Oyster Lane at Moonee Valley. Twice placed in Saturday city races at his only two attempts, Oyster Lane runs in the Ladbrokes SRM In Multis Handicap (1000m) on Saturday. Jack Turnbull, Maher's National Assistant Trainer, said the colt was also considered for a start at Sandown next Wednesday in a Three-Year-Old Benchmark 64 contest, but decided to concentrate on The Valley instead. Success on Saturday could then lead to the Group 3 H D F McNeil Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield on August 30 or the Listed McKenzie Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley the following week. 'We were open as to where to go with him, whether a race at Sandown next week or The Valley, but as he's racing in good form it would be rude not to give him a chance of winning a Saturday race,' Turnbull said. Oyster Lane has finished second at his only two appearances. On debut, Sonofkirk had the better over 1000m at Caulfield on June 28 before three-time Stakes winner Shining Smile outpointed him over the straight 1000m course at Flemington on July 19. 'He's run a couple of good races, but he's run into a couple of good ones, so unfortunately, he's still a maiden,' Turnbull said. 'He's only been beaten a head and a neck by a three-time Stakes winner (Shining Smile) and before that Freedman's (Sonofkirk) is a well performed animal as well. 'We know we have a pretty talented colt. Hopefully he can get that maiden win out of the way and then he's setting up to run in races like the McNeil or the McKenzie, those types of Stakes races. 'He's a nice colt and he will have his day. Hopefully that is this weekend.' From barrier two, with John Allen in the saddle, Turnbull indicated Oyster Lane should be riding the speed in the 1000m dash. 'So long as he's clean, he'll hold a spot,' Turnbull said. Stablemate Angel Ladder is also down to run in Saturday's contest while also holding an acceptance in the Sportsbet Same Race Multi Handicap (1050m) at Morphettville on Saturday. Turnbull indicated the Adelaide race may be the preferred option.
The Australian
28-06-2025
- Sport
- The Australian
Two-year-old colt Sonofkirk has stable excited for future after ‘phenomenal win' at Caulfield
Sonofkirk narrowly prevailed in the battle of two tribes when he overcame a slow start to score at Caulfield on Saturday. Both Sonofkirk and the runner-up Oyster Lane had hordes of owners supporting their charges in the Vale Snitzel (1000m) in a great advertisement of the egalitarian nature of Australian racehorse ownership. • 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! Sonofkirk was the last to leave the barrier but first past the post as a sharp turn of foot from the 250m enabled the colt to grab Oyster Lane on the line, denying the Ciaron Maher-trained colt a debut win with jockey Jye McNeil aboard. The Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained Sonofkirk ($4.20) was also slow away before running on strongly to finish third to the promising Miss Ole at Flemington on debut three weeks earlier. Race experience didn't help Sonofkirk's barrier habits but the Freedmans' racing manager Billie Rodda said the son of Caulfield Guineas winner Ole Kirk was able to get himself out of trouble. 'He didn't jump very well again today, the same as he did at his first start down the Flemington straight, but we were just pleased to get a good result,' Rodda said. 'We purely put it down to just rawness and being his first start. 'We came here today in hope that he would jump a little bit better but he didn't. 'But it didn't matter in the end. 'It was a phenomenal win. A super turn of foot so we're very happy.' Sonofkirk was a $65,000 weanling purchase but took his earnings to more than $95,000 in two starts despite his slow starts. Winning jockey Jye McNeil. Picture: Getty Images Rodda said the youngster had the scope to improve with a little more education heading into his spring three-year-old season. 'We'll get him home and see that he's pulled up right but he's obviously a lovely two-year-old to take into the early spring races as an early three-year-old,' Rodda said. 'He may go away now but coming into a three-year-old season, the fact that he's still doing so much wrong gives us the confidence to know that he's a nice horse going forward. 'After doing it a second time today, we may take him home and do a little bit of barrier education work. 'He's got a very sharp turn of foot. So as long as he's producing that late, it's not costing him too much.' The Maher-trained Life After Love made an encouraging debut when belying her $71 starting price to grab third. Life After Love got a long way back but ran on well between horses in the straight to take third ahead of the Lindsay Park-trained Hello Romeo, who was the best of the on-pace runners.
News.com.au
28-06-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Anthony and Sam Freedman colt Sonofkirk secures maiden win with late burst at Caulfield
Sonofkirk narrowly prevailed in the battle of two tribes when he overcame a slow start to score at Caulfield on Saturday. Both Sonofkirk and the runner-up Oyster Lane had hordes of owners supporting their charges in the Vale Snitzel (1000m) in a great advertisement of the egalitarian nature of Australian racehorse ownership. Sonofkirk was the last to leave the barrier but first past the post as a sharp turn of foot from the 250m enabled the colt to grab Oyster Lane on the line, denying the Ciaron Maher -trained colt a debut win with jockey Jye McNeil aboard. The Anthony and Sam Freedman -trained Sonofkirk ($4.20) was also slow away before running on strongly to finish third to the promising Miss Ole at Flemington on debut three weeks earlier. Race experience didn't help Sonofkirk's barrier habits but the Freedmans' racing manager Billie Rodda said the son of Caulfield Guineas winner Ole Kirk was able to get himself out of trouble. Sonofkirk came from nowhere to win the opener at Caulfield! He is one to follow ðŸ'° @JyeMcNeil @FreedmanRacing — 7HorseRacing ðŸ�Ž (@7horseracing) June 28, 2025 'He didn't jump very well again today, the same as he did at his first start down the Flemington straight, but we were just pleased to get a good result,' Rodda said. 'We purely put it down to just rawness and being his first start. 'We came here today in hope that he would jump a little bit better but he didn't. 'But it didn't matter in the end. 'It was a phenomenal win. A super turn of foot so we're very happy.' Sonofkirk was a $65,000 weanling purchase but took his earnings to more than $95,000 in two starts despite his slow starts. Rodda said the youngster had the scope to improve with a little more education heading into his spring three-year-old season. 'We'll get him home and see that he's pulled up right but he's obviously a lovely two-year-old to take into the early spring races as an early three-year-old,' Rodda said. 'He may go away now but coming into a three-year-old season, the fact that he's still doing so much wrong gives us the confidence to know that he's a nice horse going forward. 'After doing it a second time today, we may take him home and do a little bit of barrier education work. 'He's got a very sharp turn of foot. So as long as he's producing that late, it's not costing him too much.' The Maher-trained Life After Love made an encouraging debut when belying her $71 starting price to grab third. Life After Love got a long way back but ran on well between horses in the straight to take third ahead of the Lindsay Park-trained Hello Romeo, who was the best of the on-pace runners.
News.com.au
26-06-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Ciaron Maher colt Oyster Lane has speed to make winning debut at Caulfield
Oyster Lane has the speed to make up for inexperience on Saturday at Caulfield in the 1000m 2YO Handicap. The smooth-moving Blue Point colt, trained by Ciaron Maher, is a $4.60 equal second favourite with last start winner Hello Romeo. Sonofkirk, placed third on debut behind the smart Miss Ole and Espana, is the $3.90 favourite. Jockey John Allen has completed most of the education work on Oyster Lane, including three trials. 'He looks like a nice progressive horse, shown plenty at the trials,' Allen said. 'I suppose he's got to go and do it race day now. 'A little bit unknown but fairly hopeful he can run well.' Oyster Lane was spelled after placing second in his first trial at Cranbourne last February. The $80,000 Karaka yearling won a trial at Ballarat last month and repeated the effort with a strong 800m Cranbourne hit-out on June 16. • Carly Thomas can enjoy day to Remember at Caulfield Allen gave Oyster Lane a squeeze at Cranbourne and the colt responded in kind, stretched out nicely to put a margin on the opposition. 'He's always naturally gone quite well but he seems to have improved with every trial,' Allen said. 'He's got to take the next step at the races… I took him off the bridle to teach him a little bit. 'He does feel like a nice horse… he feels pretty sharp.' Assistant trainer Jack Turnbull said Oyster Lane has progressed nicely and benefited from the recent Cranbourne experience. 'He's done nothing wrong in his education,' Turnbull said. 'He trialled down at Cranbourne to have a look down there, a trip away, and he went pretty well … he was at Ballarat but being a colt he gets a bit lairy. 'We shifted him around, which is great we're able to do that with our facilities, I think that trip away really brought him on. 'Johnny kept him up to the task to the line, hence the margin in the trial, which wasn't the plan but (Allen) said post trial he felt to be better educated he wanted to keep him up to the mark.' Allen has four rides at Caulfield on Saturday, including Flamin' Romans (race 5), Earlswood (R8) and Running By (R9). Maher-trained Running By, an $8 chance, has drawn poorly in barrier 14 but should be ready to peak third-up. 'She's building towards running a nice race I reckon,' Allen said. 'I haven't ridden her yet this prep but I've galloped her, I reckon she came back in good condition so it might've taken those couple of runs to top her off.' Earlswood, trained by Gavin Bedggood, is expected to be competitive also in the 2000m Quality Handicap.
