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Sydney Morning Herald
12-07-2025
- Sport
- Sydney Morning Herald
Breakthrough Randwick victory sparks Caulfield Cup dream for Royal Supremacy
A week after Pride won the listed Winter Stakes with $61 shot Estadio Mestalla leading all the way off a one-week back-up, Aberlour ($14) repeated the feat in a benchmark 78 handicap (1800m). The four-year-old mare, sixth a week earlier at Rosehill in a 1400m race, hung on by a short neck from Bright Red. Jockey Alysha Collett and Pride racing manager Orla Pearl both hailed the win as'unbelievable' when they met after the win. Pearl said taking off the ear muffs and the quick back-up had been the keys on Saturday. King's Secret, aided by a gun ride from Andrew Adkins, won the 1100m benchmark 72 for three-year-olds by a half-length. It was his fourth win in six starts this preparation and likely his last run before a spell. The Saturday Sydney double was Pride's third in four weeks and was capped by a Monash Stakes win at Caulfield with In Flight. He also had a Sydney treble on June 7. Adkins also had a double on Saturday, after earlier winning on Pensativa. Getafix swoops to stamp potential Trainer Tom Charlton was confident Getafix could rise to stakes level after the three-year-old produced a booming finish to nab Cool Jakey on the line in the 1400m benchmark 88. Coming off a midweek Kensington track victory, Getafix provided the most thrilling finish of the day and gave jockey Jason Collett a double. 'He's go the ability to feature in good races,' Charlton said. 'Even today, he probably didn't relax perfectly, but he's a pretty useful horse. At the end of the two-year-old season, he and Linebacker were the ones we thought could shape up well, and he's just taken a bit more time.' Collett earlier led all the way on David Pfieffer-trained Oh Diamond Lil in a benchmark 78 handicap (1600m). Pfieffer was looking to the Coffs Harbour Cup, or another Randwick benchmark race in two weeks, with the mare. Tomato Toastie hot hope for autumn Trainer Adrian Bott believed Tomato Toastie, a half-sister to his two-time group-winning mare English, could return an autumn carnival contender after a gritty victory at Randwick. Competing 10 days after a Warwick Farm win at her second start, the Too Darn Hot filly raced outside leader Pillow Fight for jockey Regan Bayliss in the 1400m handicap for two-year-olds before taking over at the 300m mark. She then survived a late lunge from Crossbow to win by a short half-head. Tomato Toastie is out of the same dam, Al Naifa, as English. 'She was out on her feet late,' Bott said. 'She's not an overly big filly, but she's got a stack of improvement to come. We made the call to come here today, to go one more run now while we can, then we can give her a good break that she deserves. 'I think rushing around for the spring is not going to be the right thing to do. This might set us up nicely for a good autumn campaign.' Scone filly on Highway to success Scone trainer Lou Mary will give filly Pensativa a short break before preparing her for another campaign aimed at a Highway race after she broke through at Randwick on Saturday. The three-year-old, second in her first Highway Handicap two weeks earlier, raced behind leader Smart Jazz under Andrew Adkins in the class 3 Highway Plate (1600m) before hitting the front at the 150m and beating Kranich by a long neck. Loading Pensativa went to three wins and four placings in 13 starts with the victory. 'She's very consistent and she's very brave, and every time we raise the bar, she seems to turn up,' Mary said. 'We are probably going to give her a break now. I think she goes better on top of the ground, and she's still eligible for one more Highway.' Mary said Braebrook Thoroughbreds filly would have four to six weeks off before coming back and working towards another Highway. Import strikes again on front foot Co-trainer Will Freedman believes Walking Painting can step up in grade, with the help of wetter ground, after he pulled off another all-the-way win in benchmark 72 Midway Handicap level. The import ended a drought in Australia with victory at Scone over 1700m on May 17 before two losses at 1800m in a higher grade. He came back to 1600m and 72 level on Saturday at Randwick and produced an even better front-running effort, winning by three-quarters of a length under three-kilogram apprentice Will Stanley. 'I think he probably has to go to 78 grade, but fortunately he handles heavy ground,' Freedman said of the six-year-old's next target. If he gets it wetter, then he will be competitive, but he just doesn't run 1800.'
The Age
12-07-2025
- Sport
- The Age
Breakthrough Randwick victory sparks Caulfield Cup dream for Royal Supremacy
A week after Pride won the listed Winter Stakes with $61 shot Estadio Mestalla leading all the way off a one-week back-up, Aberlour ($14) repeated the feat in a benchmark 78 handicap (1800m). The four-year-old mare, sixth a week earlier at Rosehill in a 1400m race, hung on by a short neck from Bright Red. Jockey Alysha Collett and Pride racing manager Orla Pearl both hailed the win as'unbelievable' when they met after the win. Pearl said taking off the ear muffs and the quick back-up had been the keys on Saturday. King's Secret, aided by a gun ride from Andrew Adkins, won the 1100m benchmark 72 for three-year-olds by a half-length. It was his fourth win in six starts this preparation and likely his last run before a spell. The Saturday Sydney double was Pride's third in four weeks and was capped by a Monash Stakes win at Caulfield with In Flight. He also had a Sydney treble on June 7. Adkins also had a double on Saturday, after earlier winning on Pensativa. Getafix swoops to stamp potential Trainer Tom Charlton was confident Getafix could rise to stakes level after the three-year-old produced a booming finish to nab Cool Jakey on the line in the 1400m benchmark 88. Coming off a midweek Kensington track victory, Getafix provided the most thrilling finish of the day and gave jockey Jason Collett a double. 'He's go the ability to feature in good races,' Charlton said. 'Even today, he probably didn't relax perfectly, but he's a pretty useful horse. At the end of the two-year-old season, he and Linebacker were the ones we thought could shape up well, and he's just taken a bit more time.' Collett earlier led all the way on David Pfieffer-trained Oh Diamond Lil in a benchmark 78 handicap (1600m). Pfieffer was looking to the Coffs Harbour Cup, or another Randwick benchmark race in two weeks, with the mare. Tomato Toastie hot hope for autumn Trainer Adrian Bott believed Tomato Toastie, a half-sister to his two-time group-winning mare English, could return an autumn carnival contender after a gritty victory at Randwick. Competing 10 days after a Warwick Farm win at her second start, the Too Darn Hot filly raced outside leader Pillow Fight for jockey Regan Bayliss in the 1400m handicap for two-year-olds before taking over at the 300m mark. She then survived a late lunge from Crossbow to win by a short half-head. Tomato Toastie is out of the same dam, Al Naifa, as English. 'She was out on her feet late,' Bott said. 'She's not an overly big filly, but she's got a stack of improvement to come. We made the call to come here today, to go one more run now while we can, then we can give her a good break that she deserves. 'I think rushing around for the spring is not going to be the right thing to do. This might set us up nicely for a good autumn campaign.' Scone filly on Highway to success Scone trainer Lou Mary will give filly Pensativa a short break before preparing her for another campaign aimed at a Highway race after she broke through at Randwick on Saturday. The three-year-old, second in her first Highway Handicap two weeks earlier, raced behind leader Smart Jazz under Andrew Adkins in the class 3 Highway Plate (1600m) before hitting the front at the 150m and beating Kranich by a long neck. Loading Pensativa went to three wins and four placings in 13 starts with the victory. 'She's very consistent and she's very brave, and every time we raise the bar, she seems to turn up,' Mary said. 'We are probably going to give her a break now. I think she goes better on top of the ground, and she's still eligible for one more Highway.' Mary said Braebrook Thoroughbreds filly would have four to six weeks off before coming back and working towards another Highway. Import strikes again on front foot Co-trainer Will Freedman believes Walking Painting can step up in grade, with the help of wetter ground, after he pulled off another all-the-way win in benchmark 72 Midway Handicap level. The import ended a drought in Australia with victory at Scone over 1700m on May 17 before two losses at 1800m in a higher grade. He came back to 1600m and 72 level on Saturday at Randwick and produced an even better front-running effort, winning by three-quarters of a length under three-kilogram apprentice Will Stanley. 'I think he probably has to go to 78 grade, but fortunately he handles heavy ground,' Freedman said of the six-year-old's next target. If he gets it wetter, then he will be competitive, but he just doesn't run 1800.'
The Age
12-07-2025
- Sport
- The Age
Race-by-race tips and preview for Grafton on Sunday
Selections based on a soft track. Race 1 1. Gaylord is a former Peter Snowden-trained galloper having his first start here for Matthew Dunn. He was placed at Canterbury on debut before tackling another two city races. Dunn has given him two trials in preparation for this resuming run, and he won a heat at Doomben last month. 11. Torque Ti Amo debuted with a midfield effort at this track last September and resumes here after two trials. She should be primed to run well. 8. Rock On Angel was placed at the Sunshine Coast at her only start and is first-up here after two trials. 9. Exceed Me ran third at Port Macquarie at his only start and can figure here without surprising. How to play it: Gaylord WIN. Race 2 2. Star Ambition was a winner on debut at the Sunshine Coast then ran second at Eagle Farm before being unplaced in two Gold Coast runs. He resumes here on the back of two trial wins and looks set to sprint well fresh. 5. Beyond My Ken has finished seventh in his past two starts at Scone and has the advantage of barrier one in this event. 4. Mofeed bolted in when scoring a last-start Scone victory and could go on with the job now he's broken through. 7. Humphree Bear won a maiden at this track in February and ran second at Murwillumbah at his last start. How to play it: Star Ambition WIN. Race 3 4. Another Peach was placed in three runs last campaign before being spelled. She had two trials before resuming at Mudgee and running a solid race when finishing second. She has plenty of upside and can break through in this. 3. Piedi Veloci ran well when a last-start second at Coffs Harbour and can show up again here with a repeat. 6. Herald Angel has been placed in each of two starts and warrants thought again despite the wide barrier. 11. Sawmill has been placed in all four starts to date and only needs to maintain that form to be in the thick of things again. How to play it: Another Peach WIN. Race 4 10. Diamondsaremio has finished third at Moree and Tamworth either side of a sixth at Coffs Harbour. She should get a good run from the inside barrier in this event and gets her chance to bounce back to top form. 13. Rock The Machine hit the line well to score as favourite at Port Macquarie when last produced and has bright claims again with a repeat of that. 3. Monte Maximus was a Casino winner before a last-start fifth in Highway grade at Rosehill. 8. Aye Aye Skipper has been racing well with a couple of recent placings and has claims again. How to play it: Diamondsaremio EACH WAY.
Sydney Morning Herald
12-07-2025
- Sport
- Sydney Morning Herald
Race-by-race tips and preview for Grafton on Sunday
Selections based on a soft track. Race 1 1. Gaylord is a former Peter Snowden-trained galloper having his first start here for Matthew Dunn. He was placed at Canterbury on debut before tackling another two city races. Dunn has given him two trials in preparation for this resuming run, and he won a heat at Doomben last month. 11. Torque Ti Amo debuted with a midfield effort at this track last September and resumes here after two trials. She should be primed to run well. 8. Rock On Angel was placed at the Sunshine Coast at her only start and is first-up here after two trials. 9. Exceed Me ran third at Port Macquarie at his only start and can figure here without surprising. How to play it: Gaylord WIN. Race 2 2. Star Ambition was a winner on debut at the Sunshine Coast then ran second at Eagle Farm before being unplaced in two Gold Coast runs. He resumes here on the back of two trial wins and looks set to sprint well fresh. 5. Beyond My Ken has finished seventh in his past two starts at Scone and has the advantage of barrier one in this event. 4. Mofeed bolted in when scoring a last-start Scone victory and could go on with the job now he's broken through. 7. Humphree Bear won a maiden at this track in February and ran second at Murwillumbah at his last start. How to play it: Star Ambition WIN. Race 3 4. Another Peach was placed in three runs last campaign before being spelled. She had two trials before resuming at Mudgee and running a solid race when finishing second. She has plenty of upside and can break through in this. 3. Piedi Veloci ran well when a last-start second at Coffs Harbour and can show up again here with a repeat. 6. Herald Angel has been placed in each of two starts and warrants thought again despite the wide barrier. 11. Sawmill has been placed in all four starts to date and only needs to maintain that form to be in the thick of things again. How to play it: Another Peach WIN. Race 4 10. Diamondsaremio has finished third at Moree and Tamworth either side of a sixth at Coffs Harbour. She should get a good run from the inside barrier in this event and gets her chance to bounce back to top form. 13. Rock The Machine hit the line well to score as favourite at Port Macquarie when last produced and has bright claims again with a repeat of that. 3. Monte Maximus was a Casino winner before a last-start fifth in Highway grade at Rosehill. 8. Aye Aye Skipper has been racing well with a couple of recent placings and has claims again. How to play it: Diamondsaremio EACH WAY.
New Paper
11-07-2025
- Sport
- New Paper
Nock, Knock, who's there?
SYDNEY Apprentice jockey Braith Nock has announced himself as a rising talent this season and he has another strong book of rides at Randwick. Just over six months ago, the Scone-based rider headed to Sydney on a three-month loan to trainer Peter Snowden with little more than a desire to improve his riding. The stint proved so successful that he readjusted his goals and set his sights on claiming the Sydney junior riders' crown, a title he has now sewn up with three weeks of the 2024-25 season still remaining. A double at Canterbury on July 9 took Nock to 38 metropolitan wins this term, 14 clear of nearest rival Molly Bourke, catapulting him into ninth place on the Sydney jockeys' premiership. The moustachioed rider has booted home 109 winners state-wide, second only to Aaron Bullock (114) and still a rough chance of capturing New South Wales riding honours. Such accolades did, however, look a remote possibility at one point of his life when he took a slightly different career path, despite boasting a racing pedigree. The son of former jockey Greg Nock and Tamworth trainer Jane Clement was a natural rider from young, but at first channelled his skills into bull-riding. After a relatively successful career in that area - including a Top 10 ranking in the professional league and stints in America and Canada - he was eventually lured to the more lucrative bigger cousin that is horse racing in 2022, joining leading Scone trainer Brett Cavanough as his apprentice. The switch to Snowden has opened doors to the "Big Smoke" from the leading Sydney trainers, which will be the case at Randwick on July 12. Two scratchings have reduced his full book to eight, but he will still be sporting silks for the likes of Ciaron Maher, Annabel and Rob Archibald, and Bjorn Baker. Nock, who had his first Group 1 ride in the Sydney Cup (3,200m) in April and finished fourth on Mostly Cloudy, admitted he sometimes had to pinch himself. "It has been a little bit surreal," said Nock. "But it's good to get the opportunities and make the most of them." His four rides for the powerful Maher operation include It's A Knockout in the A$160,000 (S$134,000) TAB Handicap (1,400m) at 2pm Singapore time. Nock is confident the Dundeel mare can go on with the job after he partnered her to a dominant win at the same course and distance on June 21. "She has only got to run up to that and I'm sure she is going to take improvement off the first-up run. She really came up underneath me that day," he said. Nock could have actually extended his tally with another bright chance in distance specialist Katsu for the Hayes' Lindsay Park in The Agency Real Estate Handicap (1,000m), but the five-time winner over the journey was one of his two scratchings. Despite his current rich vein of form and the rigours of traversing the state from Scone, Nock is not planning a permanent move to Sydney just yet. He enjoys the quieter lifestyle the Hunter Valley offers and is content to put in the hard yards. "There is definitely lots of travelling but if there are a couple of days of racing in the same area, I try to stay down so I'm not back and forth so much," he said. "I dare say at the end of the season I might take a week or two off. "I know I have a bit of momentum but hopefully I've got the connections to help me get straight back into it." SKY RACING WORLD
