Latest news with #The Valley
News.com.au
2 days ago
- Sport
- News.com.au
Monday Racebook: Gilbert Gardiner's horses to follow and forgive from The Valley
Herald Sun racing writer Gilbert Gardiner's horses to follow and forgive out of The Valley meeting last Saturday. â– â– â– â– â– ENNA'S DREAM (unplaced, Race 3) Slow into stride proved costly as the field strung out behind a trio of frenetic leaders. The Alex Rae-trained mare worked through her gears late to make ground in a blanket finish for the minor prizes behind smart winner TAKEKO. Stablemate JENNI THE FOX also closed off nicely first-up. Takeko too good! Grahame Begg and Jordan Childs always a formidable combo and they strike in the third at The Valley ðŸ'° @Grahame_Begg @JChilds47 — 7HorseRacing ðŸ�Ž (@7horseracing) August 9, 2025 OAK HILL (1st, Race 4) Whoosh! Oak Hill had them beaten a long way from home in the 1000m Benchmark 100. Dynamite turn of foot going to be hard to hold out in upcoming Valley targets, including the Listed Carlyon Stakes (1000m) and ultimately Group 1 Moir Stakes (1000m). The lightly-raced five-year-old has won seven of 14 starts to date but only putting things together now manners wise. Nothing but upside. Oak Hill goes BANG ðŸ'¥ He's becoming a terrific sprinter! Blake Shinn with another pearlerðŸ'Œ @blake_shinn @lindsayparkrace — 7HorseRacing ðŸ�Ž (@7horseracing) August 9, 2025 Matched motors with the super impressive ESHA early but felt the pinch late as condition gave out. Fitter for the run and should be hard to hold out wherever trainer Mark Walker aims the blue blood filly, a daughter of Snitzel out of Group 1-winner Pippie, next. She's well above average! Esha justifies the short quote with a dominant display at The Valley, she's two for two and on the up â� @LaneDamian @shanenicholsrac — 7HorseRacing ðŸ�Ž (@7horseracing) August 9, 2025 BERKELEY SQUARE (unplaced, Race 7) Building nicely towards another win. Only winner RELENTLESS VOYAGER got home better than Berkeley Square last Saturday at The Valley. Three runs under the belt for the campaign and better with each hitout with big weights. RELENTLESS VOYAGER ðŸ'¥ðŸ'¥ The British import swamps them in the Travis Harrison Cup! What an exciting Cups prospect for @cmaherracing and @Austbloodstock ðŸ�† — 7HorseRacing ðŸ�Ž (@7horseracing) August 9, 2025 BUR DUBAI (unplaced, Race 8) Good effort first-up after a long break. Posted wide early and pressed on to travel off the leader. Rolled along nicely in the 1600m pipe-opener but under pressure once sharper opposition quickened approaching the home bend. The emerging stayer, a 2500m winner at The Valley last campaign, stuck on OK and then raced in restricted room late under fatigue. Shoeless is as honest as they come! He wins again as @craig_newitt and @SMathrickracing combine at The Valley ðŸ¤� — 7HorseRacing ðŸ�Ž (@7horseracing) August 9, 2025 â– â– â– â– â– FORGIVE MORNINGTON GLORY (unplaced, Race 4) Better for the run first-up after a long break. The Group 1 Moir Stakes winner tracked the speed last Saturday with the big weight and chopped out of a run at the top of the straight but largely beaten by then. Oak Hill goes BANG ðŸ'¥ He's becoming a terrific sprinter! Blake Shinn with another pearlerðŸ'Œ @blake_shinn @lindsayparkrace — 7HorseRacing ðŸ�Ž (@7horseracing) August 9, 2025 SAYEDATY SADATY (3rd, Race 7) Always vulnerable at 2000m again and around the tight track and situation unfolded accordingly. Sayedaty Sadaty tried hard to build the revs but could not quite bridge gap to leader and eventual runner-up NELLIE LEYLAX. Sayedaty Sadaty should be primed for the Melbourne Cup-qualifying The Archer next month at Flemington. RELENTLESS VOYAGER ðŸ'¥ðŸ'¥ The British import swamps them in the Travis Harrison Cup! What an exciting Cups prospect for @cmaherracing and @Austbloodstock ðŸ�† — 7HorseRacing ðŸ�Ž (@7horseracing) August 9, 2025 â– â– â– â– â– STEWARDS Jockey BLAKE SHINN received a nine-meeting careless riding suspension, from August 17-25, for allowing BACASH to shift in when insufficiently clear of CAVALRY GIRL in Race 6 at The Valley. Trainer SHAWN MATHRICK copped a $500 for failure to record in his treatment diary that The Valley winner SHOELESS received a drip last Thursday.
The Australian
4 days ago
- Sport
- The Australian
Unbeaten filly Esha sets up big spring carnival with spectacular return at The Valley
Shane Nichols believes he has the ingredients for a profitable spring with Esha after the speedy filly remained unbeaten at The Valley. Esha easily won her maiden on debut in South Australia in March but had little trouble bringing that form to Melbourne Saturday grade in the 3YO Handicap (1000m). A quick beginning left Esha to find the lead easily inside 200m before dashing away to post her second win from as many starts by a comfortable 3½ lengths. • 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! Nichols said his confidence increased when rival filly Bacash was pushed to stay in touch with Esha a long way from home. 'I suppose when Bacash was niggling up outside her just to stay in touch early, I thought we were in a pretty good position,' Nichols said. 'She quickened up like we saw in her trials and we saw in Adelaide. 'When they're short, you like them to do what they're supposed to and she did what she's supposed to do. 'I think we've got the ingredients of a really nice filly going forward.' Saturday's $150,000 was the first in what could be a lengthy spring campaign for the Extreme Choice filly. Nichols said he would consider a trip to Sydney for a Group 2 race for Esha's next start but he also wanted to test the daughter of his former stable star I Am A Star on other circuits. 'Potentially, she could go to the Silver Shadow in Sydney in two weeks at 1200(m),' Nichols said. 'But her (welfare comes) first, there's a long spring ahead. 'There's a lot of opportunities for a three-year-old filly so I'm mindful of the fact that if we do win a fillies stakes race, we get penalties against the boys. 'I would like to let her have a look at the straight. 'There's a whole lot of things I'd like to cram into a period so getting it right is the tricky bit.' Petit Artiste completed a Mornington-trained quinella when he ran on soundly to grab second ahead of the consistent Oyster Lane, from the Ciaron Maher stable.
The Australian
4 days ago
- Sport
- The Australian
Archibald duo can keep Melbourne streak going
Trainer Annabel Archibald could build on a recent Melbourne hot streak on Saturday at The Valley with Nellie Leylax and I Am The Empire. A light weight and bold racing style, which should suit The Valley, could help Nellie Leylax upstage Sayedaty Sadaty in the Travis Harrison Cup (2040m). Nellie Leylax placed fourth last start at Flemington, two lengths behind in-form Sayedaty Sadaty. • 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! Nellie Leylax has a 6kg advantage on Saturday – 4.5kg better off compared to last start. The four-year-old Calyx gelding settled behind the speed at Flemington, crossed from a wide draw, and maintained the gallop as the pacier Sayedaty Sadaty surged clear late. Sayedaty Sadaty is $3 favourite to complete a hat-trick of Saturday wins, with Nellie Leylax ($5) and Charterhouse ($6.50) next best in the market. 'He's a horse up on speed, very genuine, tough horse, quite one-paced,' Archibald, who trains in partnership with husband Rob, said. 'We thought be interesting to try The Valley with him, I thought his run was good last start. 'He came again on the line … he looks a nice horse.' • Melbourne Cup plans grow for US stayer Imported stayer Nellie Leylax ploughed through preferred Heavy ground to run third on debut for the stable in May. He rebounded from a flat second-up run to place fourth the past two starts at Rosehill and Flemington respectively. Nellie Leylax is also accepted at Randwick, albeit as sixth emergency for an 1800m race. 'I was actually hoping to send him to Sydney because he loves bottomless ground but he's sixth emergency, so he'll probably stay here,' Archibald said. 'All his form in Europe is on bottomless ground … he's far superior on that sort of ground. 'But a light weight (Saturday) … if he can roll along up on the pace, he's a genuine horse and that sort of horse should suit The Valley.' Archibald has I Am The Empire in the 2500m Benchmark 78 at The Valley. The last-start Sandown winner also likes to 'lead and dominate'. 'He's hard to catch (form wise),' Archibald said. 'But when he's on song and can get his own way like that (led last start), he's a nice genuine horse.' • Brad Waters' The Valley Saturday tips, race-by-race analysis Sydney-based Archibald has saddled a winner the past three Melbourne metropolitan race cards. The Group 1 trainer, based out of Warwick Farm and a satellite Scone yard, recently opened a 'game changer' Flemington stable. I Am The Empire could be hard to get past if he has his own way up front. Picture: Racing Photos via Getty Images Archibald has a smaller footprint at Flemington, 24 boxes and sand yards, compared to Pakenham previously but the Melbourne location is more convenient from Sydney. 'I've been down here way more now, just because it's easier to get to,' Archibald said. 'We haven't been there long but I feel like (the horses have) been running really well, started to get a few winners out of there.' • 'Amazing change': Developer backs in Valley revolution Archibald saddled Duke Atreides to win at Sandown last Wednesday under jockey Ethan Brown. The Written Tycoon colt is half-brother to multiple Group 1-placed Best Of Bordeaux. Duke Atreides will now be aimed at the Group 3 HDF McNeil Stakes at Caulfield on August 30. The next start could act as a potential springboard to stallion-making Group 1 features, the Caulfield Guineas (1600m) or Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) at Flemington. 'Ethan said he feels like he's got quite a lot of quality and will probably stretch out in trip,' Archibald said. 'He's a half to Best Of Bordeaux (Golden Slipper and Manikato Stakes placed), whose a stallion, so you've got that dream alive with him. 'He's got to keep progressing, which I think he will … he ran that whole race (at Sandown) with ears pricked.' Gilbert Gardiner Sports reporter Gilbert Gardiner is a sports reporter for the Herald Sun and Sunday Herald Sun. @gilbertgardiner Gilbert Gardiner
News.com.au
4 days ago
- Sport
- News.com.au
Shane Nichols filly Esha sets up big spring carnival with spectacular return at The Valley
Shane Nichols believes he has the ingredients for a profitable spring with Esha after the speedy filly remained unbeaten at The Valley. Esha easily won her maiden on debut in South Australia in March but had little trouble bringing that form to Melbourne Saturday grade in the 3YO Handicap (1000m). A quick beginning left Esha to find the lead easily inside 200m before dashing away to post her second win from as many starts by a comfortable 3½ lengths. Nichols said his confidence increased when rival filly Bacash was pushed to stay in touch with Esha a long way from home. 'I suppose when Bacash was niggling up outside her just to stay in touch early, I thought we were in a pretty good position,' Nichols said. 'She quickened up like we saw in her trials and we saw in Adelaide. 'When they're short, you like them to do what they're supposed to and she did what she's supposed to do. 'I think we've got the ingredients of a really nice filly going forward.' She's well above average! Esha justifies the short quote with a dominant display at The Valley, she's two for two and on the up â� @LaneDamian @shanenicholsrac — 7HorseRacing ðŸ�Ž (@7horseracing) August 9, 2025 Saturday's $150,000 was the first in what could be a lengthy spring campaign for the Extreme Choice filly. Nichols said he would consider a trip to Sydney for a Group 2 race for Esha's next start but he also wanted to test the daughter of his former stable star I Am A Star on other circuits. 'Potentially, she could go to the Silver Shadow in Sydney in two weeks at 1200(m),' Nichols said. 'But her (welfare comes) first, there's a long spring ahead. 'There's a lot of opportunities for a three-year-old filly so I'm mindful of the fact that if we do win a fillies stakes race, we get penalties against the boys. 'I would like to let her have a look at the straight. 'There's a whole lot of things I'd like to cram into a period so getting it right is the tricky bit.' Petit Artiste Oyster Lane, from the Ciaron Maher stable.
