Latest news with #RoughHabitPlate
The Age
5 days ago
- Sport
- The Age
Kiwi jockey Wiremu Pinn ready for fresh Sydney start after injury woes
'It's been a shame. I would have ridden a lot more winners this season, the way I was riding. I've just had so many injuries and I've had a lot of time off.' His focus was now building connections and momentum in Sydney. 'I'm fit, healthy and ready to go,' he said. 'I want to make a good impression and if I do get the support, hopefully I'll stay for longer. I believe 90 per cent of being a good jockey is riding good horses. It doesn't matter if you're James McDonald or an apprentice who hasn't had a ride before, if you are on a good horse, you are more of a chance to win. 'It's just about getting support, and I'll spread my wings and work hard, and see who wants to give me rides.' Pinn starts his push with Lenape Vibe ($41) in the sixth and Speycaster ($61) in the feature Lord Mayors Cup, both for Waller. He also picked up the ride on Matt Dale-trained Acappella Sun ($19) in the last. 'On these wet tracks, anything can happen,' he said of Speycaster, one of three Waller runners in the listed race. 'I've very competitive and I'll be trying, don't worry about that. Lenape Vibe, it will probably need the run, but the one in the last is probably my best chance. 'I'm looking for a manager, so it's been a bit of a slow start, but I'm sure it will only take that one winner for trainers to see how I ride and hopefully I'll get a few more. Especially with these better riders heading to Queensland for the carnival, there are more opportunities for us young fellas.' Trainer Tom Charlton hopes Derby contender can prove him wrong Randwick trainer Tom Charlton didn't imagine Maison Louis joining main stable hope King Of Thunder as a chance in the Queensland Derby (2400m). That was before the pair hit the line strongly together in third and fourth last start in the group 3 Rough Habit Plate (2000m). Now Charlton believes Maison Louis could prove him wrong. Charlton, a co-trainer with John O'Shea, will chase his third group 1 win when King Of Thunder ($9.50 Sportsbet) and Maison Louis ($19) tackle the staying test on Saturday at Eagle Farm. King Of Thunder has long been on a path to the race for three-year-olds after finishing a close third in the group 2 Tulloch Stakes and fifth in the group 1 ATC Derby over the Sydney autumn. Maison Louis, though, jumped into consideration off a 1900m benchmark handicap win at Canterbury on April 21, which followed maiden and class 1 wins at Goulburn over 1500m and 1600m. He should hold a forward position under Ben Melham with a draw in gate four. 'King Of Thunder obviously has had a lot more racing experience at this level,' Charlton said. 'He probably seems like the more natural stayer out of the two and Maison Louis, it's all sort of happened in his first campaign. He's taking his racing very well, but we're yet to try him at this trip. 'Off his last run, you'd be very confident that he would handle the distance. I personally thought he was never going to be a strong stayer, so let's hope he can prove me wrong. I thought he was more a 2000m horse, but I guess three-year-olds at this grade, they can probably get a bit more forgiveness at that trip. 'He's just progressed more and more with each race. We gave him a little break after he went to Canterbury, and he's answered all the questions he's been asked.' King Of Thunder (Mark Zahra), third in the Rough Habit, has barrier 14. Charlton and O'Shea also have Candlewick in the group 3 Fred Best Classic (1400m). 'She probably showed a bit of inexperience in the Hawkesbury Guineas [when sixth],' he said. 'Just probably took the wrong option of going inside the eventual winner, and she ended up rolling down off the fence to the inferior ground.'
Sydney Morning Herald
5 days ago
- Sport
- Sydney Morning Herald
Kiwi jockey Wiremu Pinn ready for fresh Sydney start after injury woes
'It's been a shame. I would have ridden a lot more winners this season, the way I was riding. I've just had so many injuries and I've had a lot of time off.' His focus was now building connections and momentum in Sydney. 'I'm fit, healthy and ready to go,' he said. 'I want to make a good impression and if I do get the support, hopefully I'll stay for longer. I believe 90 per cent of being a good jockey is riding good horses. It doesn't matter if you're James McDonald or an apprentice who hasn't had a ride before, if you are on a good horse, you are more of a chance to win. 'It's just about getting support, and I'll spread my wings and work hard, and see who wants to give me rides.' Pinn starts his push with Lenape Vibe ($41) in the sixth and Speycaster ($61) in the feature Lord Mayors Cup, both for Waller. He also picked up the ride on Matt Dale-trained Acappella Sun ($19) in the last. 'On these wet tracks, anything can happen,' he said of Speycaster, one of three Waller runners in the listed race. 'I've very competitive and I'll be trying, don't worry about that. Lenape Vibe, it will probably need the run, but the one in the last is probably my best chance. 'I'm looking for a manager, so it's been a bit of a slow start, but I'm sure it will only take that one winner for trainers to see how I ride and hopefully I'll get a few more. Especially with these better riders heading to Queensland for the carnival, there are more opportunities for us young fellas.' Trainer Tom Charlton hopes Derby contender can prove him wrong Randwick trainer Tom Charlton didn't imagine Maison Louis joining main stable hope King Of Thunder as a chance in the Queensland Derby (2400m). That was before the pair hit the line strongly together in third and fourth last start in the group 3 Rough Habit Plate (2000m). Now Charlton believes Maison Louis could prove him wrong. Charlton, a co-trainer with John O'Shea, will chase his third group 1 win when King Of Thunder ($9.50 Sportsbet) and Maison Louis ($19) tackle the staying test on Saturday at Eagle Farm. King Of Thunder has long been on a path to the race for three-year-olds after finishing a close third in the group 2 Tulloch Stakes and fifth in the group 1 ATC Derby over the Sydney autumn. Maison Louis, though, jumped into consideration off a 1900m benchmark handicap win at Canterbury on April 21, which followed maiden and class 1 wins at Goulburn over 1500m and 1600m. He should hold a forward position under Ben Melham with a draw in gate four. 'King Of Thunder obviously has had a lot more racing experience at this level,' Charlton said. 'He probably seems like the more natural stayer out of the two and Maison Louis, it's all sort of happened in his first campaign. He's taking his racing very well, but we're yet to try him at this trip. 'Off his last run, you'd be very confident that he would handle the distance. I personally thought he was never going to be a strong stayer, so let's hope he can prove me wrong. I thought he was more a 2000m horse, but I guess three-year-olds at this grade, they can probably get a bit more forgiveness at that trip. 'He's just progressed more and more with each race. We gave him a little break after he went to Canterbury, and he's answered all the questions he's been asked.' King Of Thunder (Mark Zahra), third in the Rough Habit, has barrier 14. Charlton and O'Shea also have Candlewick in the group 3 Fred Best Classic (1400m). 'She probably showed a bit of inexperience in the Hawkesbury Guineas [when sixth],' he said. 'Just probably took the wrong option of going inside the eventual winner, and she ended up rolling down off the fence to the inferior ground.'
News.com.au
5 days ago
- General
- News.com.au
One-time Queensland Derby fancy Beau Dazzler can rebound from second-up syndrome
Maddy Sears feels Queensland Derby contender Beau Dazzler may have fallen victim to 'second-up syndrome' last start, but says he will be back to his best for the big Group 1 dance on Saturday. Beau Dazzler has long been one of the main fancies for the Queensland Derby but his odds have now ballooned to $26 after being beaten more than five lengths in the traditional lead-up of the Rough Habit Plate (2000m). It was in stark contrast to how he returned in brilliant fashion when sizzling home for third over the unsuitable 1600m distance in the Queensland Guineas. 'We half expected him to run a bit like that second-up in the Rough Habit, a bit of second-up syndrome,' Sears, who trains with her dad Tony, said. 'He probably raced a bit fresh when he pinged the lids that day. 'He was also closer to the leaders in the run than what we anticipated. 'I don't think the 2400m of the Derby will be a problem for him at all. 'We want to come out quite neutral on him, we don't want him too handy and we want it to be a genuine tempo.' Maddy and dad Tony hail from Toowoomba but Maddy has been training on the Gold Coast for several months. The day after the Derby, Tony will move to the Gold Coast. They duo will still retain a stable in Toowoomba but the operation will be based out of the coast. It is an exciting new era for family training team and it will be even more exciting if they can kick it off with a maiden Group 1 triumph at Eagle Farm on Saturday. 'It doesn't get any better than that, a maiden Group 1,' Maddy Sears said. 'It would be the first one for me and the first one for Dad, it would be huge. 'It would also be (jockey) Jag's (Guthmann-Chester) first Group 1, so there would be quite some scenes. 'Dad and I work very well together and I am looking forward to Dad moving down to live on the Gold Coast.'
New Paper
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- New Paper
Waller eyeing 4th Queensland Derby
BRISBANE It has been anything bar a conventional lead-up for Chris Waller's trio of runners in the A$1 million (S$829,000) Group 1 Queensland Derby (2,400m) at Eagle Farm on May 31. The master trainer has won the race three times, first with Hawkspur in 2013 followed by Kukeracha in 2021 and Kovalica in 2023. The multiple Sydney champion trainer will again travel to the Sunshine State, sending up leading hope Belle Detelle as well as Imperialist and Existential Bob this year. Belle Detelle already boasts a famous lineage. She is a three-quarter sister to Waller's 2021 Melbourne Cup winner Verry Elleegant. The two share the same sire Zed while Verry Elleegant's dam Opulence is the mother of Belle Detelle's dam, Black Lace. Belle Detelle, whose two wins include the Group 3 Adrian Knox Stakes (2,000m), is aiming to become just the third filly after Riva San (2008) and Dariana (2010) to win the Queensland Derby this century, with Waller preferring the true mile-and-a-half journey over the 2,200m of the Queensland Oaks. She finished sixth to stablemate Imperialist in the Group 3 Rough Habit Plate (2,000m) at Doomben on May 17 at her last start. She was the favourite while Imperialist was unwanted at 60-1, but Waller said that Belle Detelle's run was more than acceptable given the circumstances. "It was solid, it was a very wet track," said Waller. "She got a long way back and she finished off well. The barrier draw (is important), whether it's Eagle Farm or Doomben, doesn't matter where you're at." Unfortunately for connections, Belle Detelle has drawn barrier No. 21, which will come into 17 of 18 if emergencies fail to get a run, with champion jockey James McDonald booked to ride. The pairing combined only once, in the Rough Habit Plate. While tactics remain a query for Belle Detelle, Waller confirmed Imperialist would be ridden similarly to last start when leading throughout to spring a surprise in the Rough Habit Plate, named after the champion New Zealand galloper, himself a Queensland Derby winner in 1990. "Imperialist surprised us a little bit. In the Australian Derby, we went back to last and he never made an impact, so we just sort of formed the opinion that he might not stay," said Waller of the Churchill gelding who had shown mixed form in the run-up. "I asked Tommy Berry after the Rough Habit and he said 'no, he'll get further'. So, (as he was) obviously ridden close to the speed the other day, we'll ride him similarly on Saturday." The trio is rounded out by last-start Ipswich winner Existential Bob, a two-time victorious Ocean Park gelding whom Waller himself owns alongside wife Stephanie. "Existential Bob won at Ipswich the other day. He's come up here to run in the Derby and he'll stay," said Waller who has handed the reins to Jason Collett, who was Existential Bob's winning partner at his maiden win at Wyong. "He's by Ocean Park, he needs to improve but he's in there (with a chance) as well." At 6-1, Belle Detelle is the second favourite in an open market headed by 4-1 shot Statuario, who ran second to Femminile in the Group 1 South Australian Derby (2,500m) at Morphettville on May 3. Wife-and-husband training duo Emma-Lee and David Browne are hoping Statuario can go one better in their hunt for a first Group 1 win. Besides Belle Detelle, the Phillip Stokes-trained and just Yulong-acquired Femminile is one of four fillies in the Queensland Derby, alongside Lindsay Park's Chase Your Dreams and standby starter Eclair Encore who got in following the scratching of Saint Emilion. Gun Melbourne jockey Blake Shinn had to forfeit the plum ride on Femminile after hurting his left foot in a jumpout on May 26. As a result, Tim Clark, who was booked on the Ciaron Maher-trained Saint Emilion, will partner Femminile. SKY RACING WORLD
7NEWS
6 days ago
- Sport
- 7NEWS
Differing paths for Chris Waller's Queensland Derby trio
It's been anything bar a conventional leadup for Chris Waller's trio of runners in the Group 1 Queensland Derby (2400m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday. The master trainer has won the race on three occasions, including with Kovalica and Kukeracha in the past four years and will saddle up three runners, headed by filly Belle Detelle. A three-quarter sister to Verry Elleegant, Belle Detelle is aiming to become just the third filly to win the Queensland Derby this century, with Waller preferring the true mile-and-a-half journey over the 2200m of the Queensland Oaks. She finished sixth to stablemate Imperalist in the Group 3 Rough Habit Plate (2000m) at Doomben on May 17, a run Waller said was more than acceptable given the circumstances. 'It was solid, it was a very wet track,' Waller said. 'She got a long way back and she finished off well. The barrier draw (is important), whether it's Eagle Farm or Doomben, doesn't matter where you're at.' Unfortunately for connections, Belle Detelle has drawn barrier 21, which will come into 17 of 18 if emergencies fail to get a run, with James McDonald booked to ride. While tactics remain a query for Belle Detelle, Waller confirmed Imperalist would be ridden similarly to last start when leading throughout to take the Rough Habit Plate at $61 odds. 'Imperialist surprised us a little bit. In the Australian Derby we went back to last and he never made an impact so we just sort of formed the opinion that he might not stay.' 'I asked Tommy Berry after the Rough Habit and he said 'no, he'll get further' so obviously ridden close to the speed the other day, we'll ride him similarly on Saturday.' The trio is rounded out by last-start Ipswich winner Existential Bob, a gelding by Ocean Park that Waller himself owns alongside wife Stephanie 'Existential Bob won at Ipswich the other day. He's come up here to run in the Derby and he'll stay. He's by Ocean Park, he needs to improve but he's in there (with a chance) as well,' Waller said. At $7, Belle Detelle is the second favourite in an open market headed by Statuario at $5, who finished second to Femminile ($8) in the South Australian Derby on May 3.
