Latest news with #Patrick and Michelle Payne
The Australian
28-07-2025
- Sport
- The Australian
Brad Waters' horses to follow from Caulfield on Saturday
News Corp racing writer Brad Waters runs his eye over Saturday's meeting at Caulfield, finding five horses to follow and some to forgive from the card. • 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! FIVE TO FOLLOW: SHYSTAR (1.2 length 3rd of 8, Race 1): Shystar stepped out for her second run this time in and did well to be beaten just over a length by unbeaten filly Ole Dancers. The Phillip Stokes-trained Shystar pushed forward raced handy to the speed and gave something in the straight before proving no match for the first two. She did well on the inside, which was later shown to be against the pattern of the day. There's a win in her soon. GALA QUEEN (1.7-length 5th of 10, Race 2): Another runner from the Phillip Stokes stable that showed she was in for a good preparation with her first-up fifth at Caulfield. Gala Queen settled midfield but had a bit of trouble getting clear running on a couple of occasions in the straight before making ground in the last 100m. She should have placed and can improve off that pleasing first-up run. VERONA RUPES (1.2-length 2nd of 16, Race 4): The Patrick and Michelle Payne-trained Verona Rupes is a promising young stayer learning his craft and gave a great sight when leading until the last 75m in first crack at 2400m. Jockey Luke Cartwright rated him well but Verona Rupes showed heart to comfortably beat all but the winner Stylish Secret. Verona Rupes turns four at the end of the week and could find himself in an easier race with a light weight in the coming weeks. He can break through soon. SUN SETTING (0.86-length 4th of 11 Race 6): It could be argued the Matt Laurie-trained Sun Setting should have won at Caulfield on Saturday. What is beyond argument is the fact she was desperately unlucky when badly held up for most of the straight before closing late to get within a length of the winner. The stewards report noted Sun Setting was held up from the 500m until the 100m, costing her any winning chance. NEWLOOK (1.9 length 7th of 11, Race 7): A most encouraging local debut from the Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young-trained import. He won his last three starts over longer trips in France before his transfer to Australia where he won a Wangaratta trial on July 7. He started his local campaign over 1600m, over which he has never raced, getting back in the field before working home solidly to be beaten less than two lengths, indicating Busuttin and Young have something to work with. PLEASE FORGIVE: VERDOUX (0.5-length 2nd of 10, Race 2): The lightly-raced Verdoux started favourite and gave a good sight before going down by a half-length behind Pop Award. Verdoux was stepping up in class at Caulfield but was slowly away and raced keenly in the early and middle stages under jockey Blake Shinn. Verdoux can repay loyal punters next time out. JIMMY THE BEAR (0.1-length 2nd of 5, Race 3): Jimmy The Bear was a beaten odds-on favourite but tried his heart out in his narrow defeat in the VOBIS Gold Stayers. He gave the winner Dictionary 2kg and just couldn't get past the winner without the blinkers, which were removed for this run. He also pulled up with a touch of exercise induced pulmonary haemorrhage, which could have affected his performance. EARLSWOOD (3.8-length 11th of 11, Race 7): Earlswood failed to beat a runner home as a $5.50 chance but his performance can be forgiven. Despite finishing last, Earlswood was beaten less than four lengths but a later examination revealed he pulled up lame in his near foreleg. STEWARDS SAY: CHERISH ME (Sixth Race 1) – Rider Craig Williams reported the filly raced greenly. Held up from the 400m to the 250m. MOONHAVEN (Fourth Race 2) – Slow to begin & held up for clear running from the 200m to the 100m. LUNA CAT (Third Race 2) – Held up for clear running from the 500m until near the 200m. Jockey Ben Melham suspended for seven meetings for using the whip twice more than allowed before the 100m on Jimmy The Bear in Race 3. AMERICAN WOLF (11th Race 4) – Pulled up lame in the near foreleg. SALSA FELLOW (late scratching from Race 5) – Scratched after being involved in a float accident on the way to Caulfield. ELECTRIC TOMMY (8th Race 5) – Slow recovery. AREYOUREADYFORIT (late scratching from Race 6) – Scratched after being involved in a float accident on the way to Caulfield. KEENI (8th Race 6) – Held up in the last 200m & unable to be fully tested in the straight. BARAQIEL – Late scratching from Race 8 after being deemed to be lame in the near foreleg. KEEP YOUR COOL (11th Race 9) – Lame near foreleg. TRUE TO FORM (13th Race 9) – Lame near foreleg & bilaterally lame behind. Read related topics: News Corporation
News.com.au
10-07-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Jimmy The Bear worth the shout for passionate owner-breeder Mike Hirst
Jimmy The Bear could again pay for drinks in a Hobart sports bar on Saturday with Caulfield victory but not at the direct expense of passionate owner-breeder Mike Hirst. Hirst shouted drinkers at the Pavilion, a Salamanca Place, Battery Point, watering hole last Saturday after boisterously cheering for triumphant Jimmy The Bear in the Listed Winter Championship Final at Flemington. 'People were looking at me stupid,' the former Racing Victoria chairman laughed. '(Partner) Lizzie and I were screaming out, 'Go Jimmy, go Jimmy' to the point they were all looking at us silly. 'I decided I better shout the bar because I interrupted their afternoon a little too much, it's a small pub though.' Jimmy The Bear, trained by Patrick and Michelle Payne, is the $1.65 favourite in the VOBIS Gold Heath (2000m) at Caulfield. The six-year-old Jimmy Creed gelding, out of Hirst-owned Belvedere Road, has won three of his past five starts and placed second twice in a stellar winter campaign. Jimmy The Bear, a $1.2m prizemoney winner, is a product of a 30-year dedication to a breeding theory – built around a direct descendant of 1955 Kentucky Oaks winner Lalun. Hirst discovered a great-great-granddaughter of Lalun racing in Rockhampton, one of only two relations of the American mare in Australia at the time, and eventually bought her for $3000. Hirst initially offered $20,000 to buy River Royal, the great-grandam of Jimmy The Bear, but the former owner insisted on racing the filly in north Queensland. Hirst tried a second time – at $15,000 – after River Royal raced without success only to be knocked back again. Hirst finally secured River Royal, placed once in seven starts, and chased the dream to breed a Derby or Oaks winner. He almost achieved the feat in 2019 with Victoria Derby runner-up Southern Moon, son of Puissance De Lune out of South Street, a daughter of Jimmy The Bear's grandam On Southbank. 'River Royal's progeny and her progeny's progeny have now won north of $4m (prizemoney),' Hirst said. 'It doesn't mean it's been profitable, by the way, in fact, it's not been!' • Childs to carry out trainer's long-term Monash plan Descendants of River Royal include 2006 Adelaide Cup runner-up Tubular Bells and 2012 Grand Annual Steeplechase winner Awakening Dream. Jimmy The Bear's sister Jenny The Beaver has won two of 15 starts and is an $8 chance in a 2450m Benchmark 64 at Geelong on Thursday. Belvedere Road is in foal to Blue Point. Jimmy The Bear has two young half-brothers, an unraced Omaha Beach two-year-old and Ghaiyyath weanling. JIMMY THE BEAR ðŸ�»ðŸ'° The Winter Championship Final goes to Patrick and Michelle Payne's warhorse! Forgot You was a mighty run for third at $61 for Team Busuttin/Young in honour of Peta Tait ðŸ'– @TheBeeegan @mj_payne — 7HorseRacing ðŸ�Ž (@7horseracing) July 5, 2025 'I was probably breeding a bit too much stamina and stayer, originally, so I've tried to put a bit more speed into (the family) as we've gone along,' Hirst said. Jimmy The Bear could be freshened after Saturday but Hirst deferred to Payne for any future decisions. 'I don't pretend to tell Patrick what to do, he's a genius at placing his horses,' Hirst said. 'We did push him last year to run in the Toorak (Handicap) and after he went no good (eighth), and Patrick didn't think we should do it but we wanted to have a crack, after that I promised we'd never, ever have a say in where he went, so I don't. 'That will be up to Patrick, I'm not sure what he wants to do but he's got to a rating now, if he wins again on Saturday … and it's no certainty, I'd imagine Patrick will freshen him up a bit … if he wants to have a crack in spring so be it, and if he doesn't, that's fine too.'
