Latest news with #QueenslandOaks
The Australian
05-08-2025
- Sport
- The Australian
Vandyke has Victorian Group 1 mission for first time since Alligator Blood
Philia was an excitement machine during the Queensland winter carnival, winning four on the bounce and starting favourite for the Group 1 Queensland Oaks (2200m) where she endured a tough run and was beaten 2.5 lengths. Group 2 winner Philia has now returned to Vandyke's Sunshine Coast stable and the astute trainer will aim her at races in her sweet spot of 1600m-2000m. • 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! Vandyke and connections had been weighing up a potential mission to Sydney for the riches of the $10m Golden Eagle, but the decision was made that she will head to Melbourne. READ: 'Sobriety is the key to everything I do': Every day is a victory for Vandyke Mindful that Philia had a busy winter, Vandyke will give her a light spring campaign with the plan to then unleash her in some big races during the 2026 autumn. However, he has revealed that the $1m Group 1 Empire Rose Stakes over 1600m at Flemington during the Melbourne Cup carnival is a key spring goal. Flemington was where Vandyke won the 2020 Group 1 Australian Guineas with Alligator Blood when he trained the now retired seven-time Group 1 winning superstar at the start of the galloper's magical career. READ: Stable switch: Exciting Queensland filly bound for Victoria Vandyke doesn't think he has had a Melbourne runner since the Alligator Blood adventure, but is looking forward to deploying frontrunning type Philia. 'I want to give her a fairly light spring, she was up a long time going into the winter carnival,' Vandyke said. 'We just hop on a plane at Brisbane Airport and she is there pretty quickly. 'Potentially, she will have one run and then into the Empire Rose. 'Sydney was certainly a consideration, but we ended up making the call to go to Melbourne.' Kerrin McEvoy developed a strong association with Philia during the winter carnival and was impressed at every step of her winter journey. Vandyke says Philia, now four, is back in his stable and had bulked up after a six-week break. 'She will have a couple of runs in spring and then we will look at giving her a good, strong autumn campaign,' he said. 'She has had a good six weeks off and she has come back a lot stronger. 'I will look at targeting races from a mile to 2000m for her. 'I don't think less than a mile is suitable for her and I don't know about more than 2000(m) at this point.' In early betting markets on TAB fixed odds, Fangirl is the $4.50 favourite for the Empire Rose Stakes and Philia is rated a $26 chance. Horse Racing 'He's riding with confidence': Englishman Cobi Vitler is starting to make a mighty impression as a rising apprentice jockey in southeast Queensland. Horse Racing Private Harry has strengthened significantly for his spring carnival assault on The Everest where the unbeaten sprinter will wear a specially designed set of silks.
Sydney Morning Herald
31-07-2025
- Sport
- Sydney Morning Herald
Berry keen to get back in premiership race after rollercoaster ride
After a rollercoaster season of rich wins and injury setbacks, Tommy Berry is driven to get back near the top of the Sydney jockeys premiership with a consistent run in 2025-26. And Berry, coming off a double last weekend at Randwick, hopes a string of wet-track chances will give him a winning start to the new campaign in town on Saturday at Rosehill. The 34-year-old had 47 NSW metropolitan winners in 2024-25 to finish eighth in the Sydney premiership won by James McDonald (83) for a seventh consecutive time and ninth victory overall. Berry had 59 wins the season before, when he made a late start because of an eight-month disqualification that halved his 2022-23 campaign. He was fourth in 2021-22 with 63 and finished in the top three the previous three seasons with 111, 76 and 77 wins. There were genuine excuses for the drop in wins last season. A fall in January at Randwick, which left Berry with a neck fracture and shoulder injury, sidelined him for five weeks. He had other stints out with a blocked nerve in his neck, a busted cheek from a fall at home and suspensions late in the season. Berry, though, is using the downturn as motivation for this season. 'It's the first time in a while I haven't been in the top three in NSW, which isn't good enough by my standards, but to run top two or three again next season is what I'll be aiming for,' he said. Despite the setbacks, Berry still ranked among the top-earning jockeys in 2024-25 after scoring a first group 1 in two and a half years when the Ciaron Maher-trained Gringotts won the George Ryder Stakes. Berry also claimed the group 1 Queensland Oaks on the Kris Lees-prepared You Wahng and the $2 million Magic Millions Classic on Bjorn Baker's O'Ole, among 18 stakes race wins.
The Age
31-07-2025
- Sport
- The Age
Berry keen to get back in premiership race after rollercoaster ride
After a rollercoaster season of rich wins and injury setbacks, Tommy Berry is driven to get back near the top of the Sydney jockeys premiership with a consistent run in 2025-26. And Berry, coming off a double last weekend at Randwick, hopes a string of wet-track chances will give him a winning start to the new campaign in town on Saturday at Rosehill. The 34-year-old had 47 NSW metropolitan winners in 2024-25 to finish eighth in the Sydney premiership won by James McDonald (83) for a seventh consecutive time and ninth victory overall. Berry had 59 wins the season before, when he made a late start because of an eight-month disqualification that halved his 2022-23 campaign. He was fourth in 2021-22 with 63 and finished in the top three the previous three seasons with 111, 76 and 77 wins. There were genuine excuses for the drop in wins last season. A fall in January at Randwick, which left Berry with a neck fracture and shoulder injury, sidelined him for five weeks. He had other stints out with a blocked nerve in his neck, a busted cheek from a fall at home and suspensions late in the season. Berry, though, is using the downturn as motivation for this season. 'It's the first time in a while I haven't been in the top three in NSW, which isn't good enough by my standards, but to run top two or three again next season is what I'll be aiming for,' he said. Despite the setbacks, Berry still ranked among the top-earning jockeys in 2024-25 after scoring a first group 1 in two and a half years when the Ciaron Maher-trained Gringotts won the George Ryder Stakes. Berry also claimed the group 1 Queensland Oaks on the Kris Lees-prepared You Wahng and the $2 million Magic Millions Classic on Bjorn Baker's O'Ole, among 18 stakes race wins.
News.com.au
22-06-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
David Vandyke will chat with the owners of Philia before deciding whether to chase spring riches in Sydney or Melbourne
Sunshine Coast trainer David Vandyke will hold a roundtable discussion with the owners of brilliant filly Philia before deciding whether to chase spring riches in Sydney or Melbourne. But the one thing set in concrete is that Philia will enjoy a deserved six-week break after her meteoric rise when she went from a maiden winner in late February to a brave, but ultimately fruitless, effort in this month's Group 1 Queensland Oaks (2200m). Philia went into the Oaks on a four-race winning streak but her campaign came to a flat end when the daughter of All Too Hard could only manage eighth in the $700,000 contest won by the Kris Lees -trained You Wahng at Eagle Farm. Irwin Racing and Harris Family Racing own the talented three-year-old filly, who has won four of her seven races and just under $358,000 in prizemoney. 'We're considering options in Victoria and Sydney,' Vandyke said on Sunday. 'We're not sure which direction we'll go yet. One of the owners is overseas (in Aspen, Colorado) at the moment. 'The only thing set in stone is that we'll give Philia a six-week break now and during that period I'll meet with the owners to discuss which direction we head. 'They're all very knowledgeable and intelligent people. It'll just be nice if we can have a roundtable discussion and share all our thoughts before making a firm decision. 'There's some great prizemoney in Sydney now with the Silver Eagle and Golden Eagle and races like that.' . @KPMcEvoy guides Philia to victory in The Roses for @vandykeracing13! — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) May 24, 2025 The Group 1 Golden Eagle (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens on November 1 is worth a massive $10 million while the lead-up Group 3 Silver Eagle (1300m) on October 18 at Randwick offers $1m in prizemoney. Vandyke said Philia could take a different path in Melbourne to compete in the $300,000 Group 2 Tristarc Stakes (1400m) on October 18 at Caulfield before heading to the $1m Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) at Flemington two weeks later. 'I definitely won't give her more than three runs in the spring, preferably two,' Vandyke said. 'Then we'll really concentrate on a good, hard prep for her in the autumn.' Vandyke said the signs pointed to Philia being competitive against top-class opposition down south. TAB has posted Philia as a $26 chance in the Empire Rose Stakes and $51 in the Golden Eagle. Philia dominates Race 7 at Eagle Farm for @vandykeracing13! @KPMcEvoy — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) April 26, 2025 • 'That's their Melbourne Cup': Dolan delivers on Oughton in Eye Liner 'She'll improve from the break and the experience that she's got from this preparation,' he said. 'How much she improves remains to be seen but she's a lovely horse and time will be her friend. 'Going from a maiden to a Group 2 win (in the 2000m The Roses at Doomben on May 24) is wonderful and she's obviously a valuable asset now. 'We'll just protect her and look forward to hopefully seeing her build on her record.'
The Age
20-06-2025
- Sport
- The Age
Lees looks for Zaphod to hit back and lead another interstate double
Kris Lees expects to see the best of Zaphod at Randwick, after a forgive run, when the Newcastle trainer tries to score another Sydney-Queensland city double on Saturday. Lees, who has had a satellite stable on the Gold Coast since 2018, won his second Queensland Oaks in three years when You Wahng repeated the feat of 2023 winner Amokura on June 7. Loch Eagle also won at Randwick to cap a memorable day for the stable. 'It's been a great asset to the stable,' Lees said of the Gold Coast operation. 'Mandy Jupp does a wonderful job and it works very smoothly. She runs a very tight ship.' Lees has genuine metropolitan chances across the states again on Saturday. Lutetia ($14 Sportsbet) contests the TL Cooney Stakes and Bubba's Bay ($11) is in the listed Gai Waterhouse Classic at Ipswich, while Bestower ($3.50) and Barazin ($11) are other runners on the program. 'Bubba's Bay, she was just taken on all the way last start [when sixth], but now third run in, she should run up to her best,' he said. 'I can see her really turning her form around. 'Bestower is a bit hard to catch but she could easily run well there, and Lutetia is racing consistently and she should run well.' Zaphod looks Lees' best chance across the meetings. The import, with three wins and three placings in nine Australian starts, was a $3.10 shot in the sixth, an 1800m benchmark 88 handicap.
