Latest news with #RonLeemon
News.com.au
02-06-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
Kembla Grange, Moree Tuesday previews: Ron Leemon's southbound buddies to strike up a double-act
Golden Rose-winning trainer Ron Leemon makes the familiar trip from Warwick Farm to Kembla Grange today with two of his string – born just a week apart and both showing a positive return on investment for connections. The five-year-old duo of Dapper Dancer and Euromaster were selected and purchased by Leemon at Inglis-run auctions in 2021. Euromaster was knocked down to Manawanui's trainer for $20,000 while Dapper Dancer was slightly less, coming in at $18,000. Dapper Dancer's somewhat meagre purchase price was in no way befitting of the occasion of his sale at Riverside, just next door to Leemon's Manning Street digs. The then-colt had the honour and singular distinction of being the last yearling sired by Testa Rossa to be offered at auction. He was in fact one of only three foals from Testa Rossa's 18th and final crop which altogether totalled 1248 foals. On top of that, Dapper Dancer was the last of his dam Joffa Rose's ten foals, all of them designed and bred by Testa Rossa's owner - John Cappellin. While Testa Rossa was able to win 13 of his 28 starts including six Group 1 s, Dapper Dancer's CV is much less glamorous. The chestnut has so far only managed one win and two minors from his 16 starts. That said, he sent out some very positive and obvious signs that a second win was close at hand when a close and closing fourth at Kembla on May 17 over 1200m. His mission on Tuesday is the Dapto Leagues Club Benchmark 64 Handicap (1300m). 'I was very, very happy with his last run,' Leemon said. 'He didn't have much luck. We couldn't get out to the better going which we were hoping for but that's the way it happens. 'He finished off nicely and we've got to go up in trip. 'He's been placed over 1400m and obviously he is fitter now for the first couple of runs. 'He hadn't raced for a while so I had to get him fit. 'The wet won't worry him. I think the ground suits the Testa Rossas.' ðŸ'� Apprentice Leeshelle Small rides her first winner as Dapper Dancer wins at @hawkesburyrc! @RonLeemonRacing @leesmelly11 — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) May 14, 2024 Leemon's second and last runner at Kembla on Tuesday is Euromaster who was foaled on September 11 in 2019, just seven days prior to Dapper Dancer's birth at Vinery Stud (once home to Testa Rossa) A son of Eurozone, Euromaster has finished first or second at six of his 13 starts. And while only one of those was a win, Leemon can't find fault with the bay whose earnings will edge closer to $100,000 if successful in today's Midway Class 1 Handicap (1500m). 'He has only ever put one bad run in for me and that was this time back but there were plenty of excuses that day because he was coming back from a good spell,'' Leemon explained. 'He needed that run badly but apart from that, he's been very consistent and he can handle the wet too.' Euromaster boasts a pedigree that is hard to match given it includes two Derby winners, Universal Prince (AJC) and Blevic (VRC), Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner Think It Over and arguably one of the all time greats – Lammtarra. Both of Leemon's duo will be ridden by apprentice Olivia Chambers whose own tally of winners is an impressive 108. 'She's only had two rides for me,'' Leemon says. 'She is a very pleasant young lady. If she gets a few more opportunities, I think she can probably ride winners in town if she gets on the right horses.' â– â– â– â– â– Casey chases the cash with Ode So Much He bred him, owns him and trains him but Scone horseman Simon Casey is keeping his expectations in check ahead of today's long awaited racetrack debut of Ode So Much at Moree. The son of Churchill is giving away race experience to all seven of his rivals in the Racing Mates Country Boosted Maiden Handicap (1200m) but showed enough natural ability in his two trials to garner support among punters. As for Casey, he is cautiously optimistic that the blue-blooded bay can post an early win and pocket the $15,000 first prize at the same time. 'I am definitely happy with his trials but you never know what's in them,'' Casey said 'The horse he ran behind (in his Gunnedah trial) ran on Sunday and didn't fire. I'm more hopeful than confident. 'How many times have you seen a horse win two or three trials and go out at $1.80 and get rolled? 'I am taking him there because I think, in the current climate of competitive racing, it is probably the right place for him and if he comes out and blows them away, then we can always come back to the better quality.' Ode So Much is making his debut at Moree but given his pedigree, it could just as easily have been Newmarket, Chantilly or Santa Anita. That's all down to dam-sires like Dylan Thomas, More Than Ready, Slew O'Gold and the immortal Northern Dancer. Casey's other runner at Moree is perhaps ever better bred, namely Nevermista, who was the tenth foal of bonny mare Vormista. Despite his family ties, Nevermista was knocked down for a mere $10,000 when offered up at the 2021 Inglis Weanling Sale in 2021. 'He's been a work in progress,' Casey said. 'He's got the worst conformation in the world. 'He hits himself if he gets a bump, that's how much clearance he has in his action, but he has ability as was shown when he won at Tamworth. 'He is unfortunately one of those horses where everything has to go his way but on Tuesday he has got the right draw. 'He should get a good run in transit just behind the speed and if he can do that, I would have thought he shouldn't be far away in that field.'
News.com.au
18-05-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
‘Great storyteller, wonderful horseman': Legendary trainer Syd Brown dies aged 99
Syd Brown, the legendary trainer of champions like Redcraze, Daryl's Joy, Wood Court Inn, Classic Mission, Triton and Kista, passed away on Sunday. The former New Zealander who called Sydney home for more than five decades would have turned 100 in October. Brown, a NZ Hall of Fame inductee in 2014, was an institution at Warwick Farm where he trained. 'Syd was a good friend and mentor, a great storyteller and a wonderful horseman, '' trainer Ron Leemon said. 'I was up early for trackwork on Sunday morning when I got a text from Errol to let me know that his father had passed. It's a sad day.'' • 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! Brown first came to prominence as the trainer of emerging champion Redcraze, winner of the 1955 Turnbull Stakes before finishing fourth to Toparoa in the Melbourne Cup. Redcraze was later transferred to Toparoa's trainer Tommy Smith and won the 1956 Caulfield Cup, Metropolitan Handicap and Brisbane Cup. Brown then had success during the 1969 Melbourne spring carnival with Daryl's Joy winning the Cox Plate and Victoria Derby, and Wood Court Inn took out the Thousand Guineas. Classic Mission then gave Brown the 1971 AJC Derby-Victoria Derby double before the trainer decided to move to Sydney the following year and set up stables at Warwick Farm. Brown had immediate success when his mighty miler Triton edged out champion Gunsynd in an epic 1972 Epsom Handicap and brilliant mare Kista won the 1973 The Galaxy. He finished third in the trainers premiership in his debut Sydney season behind greats Tommy Smith and Jack Denham. Brown continued to train winners out of his Warwick Farm stables until he retired 20 years ago. Rod Craig, best known as the trainer of eight-time Group 1 winner Intergaze, was Brown's neighbour at Warwick Farm stables for many years. 'I remember one time when I was training I had about 50 horses in work and they kept running fourth and fifth, and I was thinking what am I doing wrong,'' Craig said. 'Syd came over and gave me some advice that I have never forgotten. He said it doesn't matter if you have 10 or 100 horses in work, every trainer goes through a lean period so just keep working hard and it will turn. 'He was right, of course. He was a great horseman and a real good bloke.'' Brown's sons Errol and Bruce also became successful trainers in their own right. Bruce Brown continues to train out of Doomben and prepared Calaway Gal to win the 2002 Golden Slipper.
