A CLASSIC RETURN 27th January 2012

With the wet weather around we are hoping that this morning’s Randwick barrier trials (Friday 27 January) will proceed with the stable having up to 12 horses trialling including Mr Edison, Divya, Bold Sari, Javasea and Future Shock.   At the Moonee Valley evening meeting on Friday (27 January) the Group 1 winning Rock Classic (Steven Arnold) will make his long awaited return to the racetrack when he tackles the multiple Group 1 winning mare Black Caviar in the 1200m SWFA Group 2 Australia Stakes.  Rock Classic hasn’t raced since August 2010 after winning the G1 Australian Guineas at Flemington in March of 2010.   At the Canterbury fixture on Saturday (28 January) our two runners will be the Starcraft youngster Lunar Rise which runs in a 1200m two year event with Blake Shinn his rider, whilst the ever consistent Around The Clock resumes in a 1250m Benchmark 80 Handicap with Corey Brown her rider. We also have accepted with Playing The Field (Grant Buckley) to run in a 1500m Maiden Handicap at Newcastle on Saturday however after drawing the outside barrier (18) we will save the colt for a 1600m Maiden at Kembla Grange on Wednesday next (1 February).   At the ATC meeting to be held on Wednesday next, in addition to Playing The Field the stable will be represented by Secret Scent in the 1600m Maiden with Corey Brown her rider whilst the consistent Reset mare Gold World will run in a 1200m Benchmark handicap for Fillies & Mares.   At the Sandown meeting on Wednesday next Big Storm resumes in a 1300m Rating 0-72 handicap with Steven Arnold his rider.

CAN MR EDISON CONTINUE TO SHED LIGHT ? 19th January 2012

The enigmatic Mr Edison (Fantastic Light – The Lot) will endeavour to continue on his winning way when he runs in a 1500m Benchmark 80 Handicap on Rosehill on Saturday next. He surprised the stable a little with a last to first fast finishing win over 1550m at Canterbury a couple of weeks ago and has trained on nicely since. Blake Shinn who won on him last time out will again be his rider. Our other runners at the Rosehill meeting will be both be in the 1300m Benchmark 75 Handicap. Procyon and Zahar are the first and second emergencies respectively and should they miss a start at Rosehill we will look to run them both at the Kembla Grange fixture on Saturday in a 1300m Class 1 Handicap. Our other representatives at Kembla will be Secret Scent in a 1400m Maiden and Aegean in a 1600m Maiden Plate. Blake Spriggs will ride both horses.   With no runners at the ATC meeting at Gosford on Wednesday 25th, our next runner after the weekend will be the consistent Gold World when she runs in a suitable 1400m Fillies & Mares 1 Metropolitan win race at Warwick Farm on Australia Day. Depending on her allotted weight Peter Robl will more than likely be her rider.

SHAKIT ALL TO SHAKE IT UP 12th January 2012

We have one runner making the trip to the Gosford Gold Cup meeting on Thursday 12th January. Shakit All, the son of Shamardal who won his trial well on the 23rd December at Randwick will have his first race start this preparation in a Maiden Plate over 1000m and will be ridden by Blake Shinn.   At Saturday’s meetings Procyon will be running in a Handicap Benchmark 75 over 1500m at Rosehill and will be ridden by Kathy O’Hara. Playing The Field returns to the track, starting in a Maiden Handicap over 1300m at Newcastle and is to be ridden by Jeff Penza.   After finishing a promising third at yesterdays ATC Kembla Grange meeting and providing he continues to recover well, Aegean will back up and race in a Maiden Plate over 1600m at Wyong on Wednesday 18th January.

ON A ROLL? 5th January 2012

Although we will only have a handful of runners over the next week, we are hopeful the O’Reilly mare Secret Scent can open her winning account, when she runs first up in a 1200m Maiden Plate at Wyong on Thursday (5 January) where she will be ridden by Blake Shinn.   Two year colt Lunar Rise a nicely bred son of Starcraft will make his debut at Warwick Farm on Saturday next (7 January) in a 1000m 2yo set weights with penalties event. He still has much to learn, although he trialled well at Randwick on 23 December when finishing second over 822m. Blake Shinn will be his rider at Saturday’s meeting.   At the ATC meeting to be held at Kembla Grange on Wednesday next (11 January) Hugh Bowman will reunite with Aegean when he runs in a 1600m Maiden Handicap. This colt was most unfortunate to lose a 1500m Maiden at Kembla on Christmas Eve when first past the post (scoring by half a head), only to have the result overturned. The rider of the second placegetter protested for alleged interference over the final 50m. A puzzling decision, seeing the rider of the runner up (past the post) did not stop riding his mount from at least the 100m point until the winning post.  Also to run at the Kembla meeting will be the consistent Reset mare Gold World which tackles a 1300m Benchmark 70 Handicap for Fillies & Mares. With the minimum weight for Handicap races being raised by 1kg from the 1 January (and the resultant weights for other nominations being raised accordingly) Gold World will now be ridden by leading apprentice Chad Schofield, reducing her allotted weight by 2kg.   Congratulations to the owners of Mr Edison who won nicely at Canterbury on Wednesday 4th January over 1550m with Blake Shinn on board.

A NEW YEAR’S GIFT 30th December 2011

An impressive win from the Pendragon filly Blazing Dragon, our final runner for the 2011 calendar year at Gosford yesterday (29 Dec), when she tackled a 1600m three-year-old maiden was a great new years gift for the owners and the stable. Congratulations to all of those involved.   The stable’s first runner for the New Year will be Procyon which will be having his second start from a spell when he runs in a 1300m 1 MW Handicap at Warwick Farm on Monday 2 January with Corey Brown his rider.   We will have a number of horses trialling at the Randwick barrier trials on Tuesday 3 January including Around The Clock, Zahar, Memorable Moment, Playing The Field together with up to five nicely bred two year olds the majority of which, will be having their first trial.   At The Canterbury fixture on Wednesday 4 January we will have two representatives in Penheights who is in a 1550m three year old maiden and Mr Edison in a 1550m OMW handicap. Blake Shinn will ride both horses.   All at Leilani Lodge, Saintly Place at Flemington and Princes Farm take this opportunity to wish all a very happy and healthy 2012.

PLENTY OF CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR CHEER 22nd December 2011

With the festive season upon us the stable will have a few runners over the Christmas and New Year period commencing with our lone runner Mr Edison at Canterbury on Saturday next (Christmas eve) when he tackles a 1250m Benchmark 80 Handicap with the in form Peter Robl,  his rider. Our lone runner at the Kembla Grange meeting on Saturday will be Aegean which contests a 1500m Maiden Plate with Jeff Penza to ride.   At the Rosehill Boxing Day meeting on Monday next we will have two last start winners running. Pegembak is in the 2400m G3 Summer Cup and provided he does well in the meantime In Excess, fresh from his impressive 1600m Maiden win at Wyong on Wednesday last (21 December),will contest  a suitable 1800m 3yo Benchmark 70 Handicap. Peter Robl will ride both horses.   At the ATC meeting transferred to Kembla Grange on Wednesday next (28 December) we have accepted with the last start winner Columbiad (Peter Robl) in a 1000m OMW Handicap. Luwian, a son of Fusaichi Pegasus and Erthakit will be our other runner to run in a 1200m 3yo C & G Maiden  Plate with Peter Robl his rider.   All at Leilani Lodge, Saintly Place and Princes Farm take this opportunity to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a happy and healthy 2012.

SUNDAY, NO DAY OF REST 15th December 2011

Procyon is our lone runner at Canterbury’s twilight meeting, he is nominated in a1250m Benchmark 75 Handicap. However being drawn as third emergency, it is at this stage unlikely we will be making the trip. Should this be the case Procyon has also been nominated for a 1200m Class 2 at Hawkesbury on Sunday. At the Kembla meeting on Saturday 17th December we have two runners. Breeze Up will contest a 1400m Benchmark 65 Handicap ridden by Brad Pengelly while Opera Bouffe is in a 1300m Maiden Handicap and will be ridden by Andrew Gibbons. With our success at Hawkesbury last Sunday (11th December) in Columbiad we are sacrificing the day of rest for making the long trip to Hawkesbury  again. The promising colt Penheights will be the first of our starters. He will debut this preparation in a 1400m Maiden Plate and will be ridden by Peter Robl. Mine To Keep who was beaten into third position only by a short head will be contesting a 1800m Maiden Plate also ridden by Peter Robl. Procyon who as was mentioned before is entered in a 1200m and will be ridden by Sam Clipperton. At Wyong next Wednesday 21st we have three runners – Gold World in a 1350m OMW Handicap and stablemates Blazing Dragon and In Excess in a 1600m Maiden Plate. Congratulations to the owners of Pegembak who won quite impressively at the ATC meeting yesterday 15th December which had been transferred to Kembla Grange.

CANTERBURY TWILIGHT 8th December 2011

We will have a quiet time this coming weekend with only one runner at each the Canterbury Twilight fixture on Friday (9 December) and Rosehill on Saturday (10 December). Debut runner Luwian will be our sole rep at the Canterbury twilight meeting on Friday with Peter Robl to ride the son of Fusaichi Pegasus and Erthakit when  he runs in a 1250m three year old Maiden Plate. At the Rosehill meeting on Saturday Mr Edison will be the sole representative from Leilani Lodge when he resumes in a 1200m Benchmark 80 Handicap with Blake Spriggs his rider. We will have three runners at the Hawkesbury meeting on Sunday next (11 December). Columbiad (Peter Robl) resumes in a 1000m Maiden handicap. The impeccably bred Skorost runs in a 1200m Maiden Plate with Peter Robl also taking this ride. Aegean will have his second start from a spell when he contests a 1400m Maiden Handicap with Josh Adams his rider.   At the transferred Randwick meeting on Wednesday next (14 December) to be held at Kembla Grange we will more than likely have three runners with Sonic Blast (Corey Brown) to run in a 1400m one metropolitan win (1MW) Handicap; Pegembak, provided he does well, will back up from his third placing at Warwick Farm yesterday in a 2400m 1MW race with Peter Robl again to ride whilst Penheights (3c Pendragon – La Regale) is set to resume racing in a 1400m three year old OMW Handicap.

ROBL TO BRING IN THE GOLD 1st December 2011

On Thursday afternoon we have one runner making the trip to Hawkesbury – that being Opera Bouffe. She will contest a 1400m Maiden Plate and will be ridden by Jeff Penza.   At the Randwick trials on Friday 2nd December we will have several starters. Procyon, Columbiad and Secret Scent are of our older horses while Penheights, Blazing Dragon and Luwian are our three year olds taking part. Zenith Of Hope a two year old colt by Excites will be having his first trial.   On Saturday 3rd December at Rosehill Gold World will be stepping out in a Benchmark 85 for fillies and mares over 1200m and In Excess in a Benchmark 75 for three-year-olds over 1400m. Both horses will be ridden by Peter Robl. Mr Edison has been drawn as third emergency in a Benchmark 85 over 1300m and should he get a run he will be ridden by Blake Spriggs. Mine To Keep will be our only runner at Kembla Grange on Saturday. She will race in a 1600m Maiden Handicap with Jon Grisendale in the saddle.   At the Warwick Farm meeting next Wednesday 7th December, Pegembak will contest a 2400m Benchmark 70 and Breeze Up will race in a 1300m one metro win (both ridden by Peter Robl). Blazing Dragon who will be ridden by Hugh Bowman will contest a 1400m three-year-old fillies Maiden Plate.

THE BIG WET KEEPS RACE MEETINGS AT A PREMIUM 24th November 2011

With Sydney’s ‘big wet’ this week it has kept our runners at Leilani Lodge with three runners missing starts at yesterday’s abandoned Hawkesbury meeting (Blazing Dragon, Mine To Keep and Breeze Up)and Saturday’s Newcastle meeting transferred to faraway Scone, we will have only one runner scheduled for this weekend with Sonic Blast accepted to resume racing at Canterbury on Saturday (26 November) in a 1250m Benchmark 72 Handicap for three year olds. With the  colt being previously successful on a heavy track Corey Brown has been engaged to ride the son of Charge Forward. The condition of the track on Saturday morning will determine as to whether the colt takes his place in the field.   For the Canterbury fixture on Wednesday next (30 November) we may have one or two runners with Breeze Up to possibly run in a 1250m Benchmark 70 Handicap; additionally the debut runner Luwian will be nominated for a 1250m OMW race for three year old colts & geldings.

KIM, A WARRIOR ON GOULBURN CUP DAY? 17th November 2011

There will been a kick start to the weekend with six horses taking part in the Randwick trials on Friday morning. The main contenders of the older horses being Procyon and Mr Edison. Also taking part is the promising Charge Forward colt Sonic Blast and Penheights a colt by Pendragon. Making the trip to the Goulburn Cup meeting on Friday afternoon will be Aegean – a More Than Ready colt who has been trialling well since resuming from his spell. He will be contesting a Maiden Plate over 1200m and ridden by Hugh Bowman. Our other runner will be Kim Warrior who is hoping to break his maiden status after being placed second in four of his last five starts. He will start in a Benchmark 65 Handicap over 2300m also ridden by Hugh Bowman.   We have a relatively quiet Saturday with Pegembak starting at Warwick Farm in a Benchmark 80 Handicap over 2200m with Kathy O’Hara on board. Opera Bouffe who had been balloted out of a race at Gosford on Thursday (17 November) has been nominated to race at Kembla Grange on Saturday in a 1200m Maiden Plate and should she gain a start there she will be ridden by Jeff Penza. At Moonee Valley Good View has been placed as a second emergency in a Handicap over 2040m.   On Wednesday next the 23rd November  the Randwick Racecourse closure has moved the meeting to Hawkesbury. We have three horses nominated and them being Blazing Dragon, Mine To Keep and Breeze Up who won last start.

A WARM BREEZE AT HAWKESBURY 10th November 2011

The weather is certainly heating up and Thursday afternoon has shown no change where have two horses in Markab and Breeze Up making the trip to the Hawkesbury meeting. Markab will start in a 1300m Handicap, Benchmark 70 with Brenton Avdulla in the saddle. Breeze Up who showed improvement in his last start at Canterbury two weeks ago, is in a class 1 Handicap over 1400m with Kathy O’Hara taking the ride.   On Friday (11 November) night we will have two runners across two states. Pegembak will be our Sydney representative when he contests a 1900m Handicap, Benchmark 70 with Kerrin McEvoy in the saddle. Kim Heaven will be at the twilight meeting in Moonee Valley. She will start in a 2040m Handicap for fillies and mares and Michelle Payne has taken the ride.   Yurrapendi, the promising filly by Pendragon will be our lone representative at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday, Glyn Schofield will be on board on as she contests a 1400m Handicap, Benchmark 73 for three-year-old fillies.   Wednesday at Canterbury (16 November) we have three horses nominated; Gold World in a 1250m Handicap, Benchmark 70 for fillies and mares; Luwian by Fusaichi Pegasus and who trialled well on the 4th November is nominated for a 1100m Maiden Plate for three-year-olds and upwards; and In Excess in a 1250m No Metro Wins Handicap. Kathy O’Hara has the ride on all three horses.

SPRING HAS FAILED TO MATERIALISE 4th November 2011

With the Spring carnivals now almost past, we have had better years, with our lone representative at Flemington on Saturday (5 November) being Kim Heaven which is the first emergency in a 2000m Rating 95 Handicap with Luke Nolen her rider, should she gain a start. The mare has been unfortunate this week being balloted out of races at Flemington on Cup day and Oaks day. Let’s hope she gets a start in tomorrow’s event.   At the Randwick trials on Friday we have eight horses trialling including Mr Edison, Sonic Blast, Skorost and Aegean.   At the final Randwick race meeting on Saturday (5 November) prior to a lengthy break we will have two Pendragon three-year-old fillies racing in a 1200m Benchmark 75 Handicap; last start winner Yurrapendi (Blake Spriggs) and Blazing Dragon (Nathan Berry) will clash.   Our only runner at this stage at the Warwick Farm meeting next Wednesday is In Excess which runs in a 1400m three-year-old Maiden Plate with Kathy O’Hara his rider.

A BAKER’S DOZEN ON THE MENU 27th October 2011

With the Flemington Spring Carnival commencing on Saturday next, the stable focus will be as to whether Melbourne Cup number 13 can become a reality.   Prior to Melbourne Cup day the stable will commence the weekend with three runners at the Canterbury evening meeting on Friday night. Lordship (Kathy O’Hara) will attempt to break into the winning list in the metropolitan area when he runs in a 1900m no metropolitan win event; In Excess resumes from a spell after being gelded when he contests a 1200m maiden with Kathy O’Hara his rider and Breeze Up (Nathan Berry) runs in a 1250m one metropolitan win race.   At Rosehill on Saturday (29 October) we have Kim Divine running in a suitable 2000m Benchmark 80 handicap with Kathy O’Hara to ride; our other runner on the day will be Markab (Blake Spriggs) which will run in a 1500m no metropolitan win event in the previous 12 months.   At the star studded Flemington Derby Day meeting on Saturday our representatives will be Gliding in the G2 2000m Wakeful Stakes for three year old fillies with Luke Nolen her rider; Precedence has his final run before Tuesday’s G1 Melbourne Cup when he runs in the G1 2000m SWFA MacKinnon Stakes with Steven Arnold to ride and the emerging three year old colt Rapidus attempts a steep rise in class when he tackles the 2500m G1 Victoria Derby with Steven Arnold his rider.   At the Melbourne Cup meeting at Flemington on Tuesday next (1 November) we will have up to five runners.  Illo (Jim Cassidy) and Precedence (Darren Beadman) being our two runners in the Melbourne Cup; Ardeche (Darren Beadman) is scheduled to start in a 1400m G3 event for mares; Goldstone is to start in a 1400m rating 0-89 race for four and five year olds whilst Kim Heaven (Luke Nolen) is due to start in a 1700m event for mares.   At the Randwick fixture on Melbourne Cup day we will have up to six runners. Pegembak runs in an 1800m one metropolitan win race with Blake Spriggs his rider and Kim Warrior (Christian Reith) runs in a 2000m Maiden Plate. We are hoping to have three runners in the 1300m 3yo Fillies Maiden Plate – Sweet Burgundy (Christian Reith), Blazing Dragon (Blake Spriggs) and the debut runner Mine To Keep which is by the NZ based stallion Keeper. We are looking to run  Bikini Star in a 1600m three year old Maiden Handicap.

THE LULL BEFORE THE SPRING STORM 20th October 2011

Following a relatively successful weekend last Saturday and Sunday where the stable won a listed race at Caulfield with Gliding, the first success for the progeny of Pendragon with the win on Yurrapendi at Newcastle and Rapidus winning impressivly at Gosford, we will have a ‘quiet’ day this coming Saturday (22 October). Our only three runners will be the new addition to Saintly Place at Flemington Illo when he makes his Australian debut in the G2 2500m Drake International (Moonee Valley) Cup with Luke Nolen his rider. Our sole runner at Rosehill on Saturday will be the consistent Gold World which runs in a suitable 1300m Fillies & Mares Benchmark 78 Handicap with Kathy O’Hara her rider.  Kim Warrior will endeavour to break his maiden status when he runs in a 2000m Maiden Plate at Kembla Grange this Saturday. Mitchell Bell will be his rider.   Preceding the Saturday race meetings we will have eight horses trialling at the Randwick barrier trials on Friday including city winner Sonic Blast which is being aimed towards the Magic Millions three year old event at the Gold Coast in January 2012.   We will not have a runner at the Warwick Farm fixture on Wednesday next however, we will have two runners at the important Bendigo Cup meeting next Wednesday with Cosmonaut to tackle the Listed 2400m Bendigo Cup – Luke Nolen who won on him at Caulfield last week will again have the ride whilst Danzare will run in a 1600m Maiden Plate with Steven Arnold his rider.

ON A SPRING ROLL - (Hopefully) 13th October 2011

With Spring well and truly in the air the stable will endeavour to take home some of the spoils at Caulfield on Saturday when Precedence (Steven Arnold) tackles the G1 2400m Caulfield Cup although the barrier draw was not kind to him when he drew barrier 20 but likely to start from barrier 16 if all four emergencies fail to gain a start. Our other runner at the meeting is Gliding when she runs in the Listed 2000m Ethereal Stakes for three year old fillies. She will be ridden by Darren Beadman and we will hope his vast experience can get the Flying Spur filly to break her maiden status.   At the Randwick fixture we have three acceptors in Do You Think (Hugh Bowman) in the 1200m Listed Brian Crowley Stakes for three year olds; Ardeche a noted first up performer will have her first run from a spell in the 1200m Listed Nivison Stakes with Kathy O’Hara her rider whilst Kim Divine will run in the Listed 2400m City Tattersalls Club Cup although his chances of gaining a start from fourth emergency appears slim.   At the Newcastle meeting on Saturday we are well represented with five acceptors – Elchester (Dale Spriggs) runs in a 1500m Maiden for four year olds and upwards, Raj Mahal (Grant Buckley) and Bikini Star (Dale Spriggs) tackle an 1850m Maiden whilst the two Pendragon Fillies Blazing Dragon and Yurrapendi will run in separate divisions of the 1200m three year old Maiden with Grant Buckley their rider.   At the Gosford fixture on Sunday (16 October) Opera Bouffe (Blake Spriggs) will run in a 1200m Fillies & Mares Maiden while the Darcy Brahma colt Rapidus will run in a suitable 1600m Maiden Plate with Hugh Bowman his rider.   At the important Geelong Cup meeting next Wednesday (19 October) we will have three runners in Zaamore who resumes from a spell (Steven Arnold) in a 1200m Rating 0-72 Handicap. Good View who is also back from a spell runs in a 1400m Rating 0-68 handicap with Steven Arnold his rider. Kim Heaven will also run in a 1500m Rating 0-78 Handicap, should she gain a start. Our Germen import Illo may be reserved for Saturday week’s G2 2500m Moonee Valley Cup in lieu of the running in the Geelong Cup.   At the Randwick meeting on the Kensington track on Wednesday next we will have two runners. Angelican runs in a 1550m Benchmark 70 handicap for apprentice riders with Blake Spriggs his rider and Dragonzone will run in an 1800m three year old Maiden Plate with Tommy Berry his rider.

- A LATE BLOOMING SPRING ! - 6 October 2011

With the Spring Carnival well and truly upon us we have had a relatively quiet time with our next runners to be at the Bendigo fixture on Thursday (6 October) with debut starter Danzare (Danehill Dancer – Cathie’s Lane) to run in a 1300m Maiden Plate with Steven Arnold his rider. Our other starter at the meeting will be Kim Heaven which runs in a Showcase 0-68 Handicap with Dwayne Dunn her rider. She missed a crucial run at the Ballarat last week when after a couple of rainy storms prior to her race she was a late withdrawal due to the downgrading of the track. The meeting was abandoned shortly after her scratching was announced due to the prevailing weather conditions and the state of the track.   We will have  seven or eight runners at the Randwick trials on Friday (7 October) with the well performed Ardeche the principal trialler.   At the Rosehill meeting on Saturday Leilani Lodge will be represented by Angelican (Blake Spriggs) in a 1500m Benchmark 85 and Kim Heaven and Pegembak both accepting in a 1900m Benchmark 85 Handicap.   At the Sunday meeting (9 October) at Hawkesbury we will have several runners including Breeze Up in a 1400m Class 1 Handicap, Raj Mahal (Blake Spriggs) and Kim Warrior (Mitchell Bell) in an 1800m Maiden Plate and Sweet Burgundy in a 1400m 3yo Maiden; Pegembak, also an acceptor for Saturday’s Rosehill meeting will also be accepted for an 1800m Benchmark 70 Handicap and a  decision on where he runs will be made after the fields for both venues are studied.   At the  Randwick meeting (on the Kensington track) on Wednesday next (12 October) our lone runner will be Markab when he steps out in a 1400m Benchmark 70 Handicap while Cosmonaut will have his next start at Caulfield on Thousand Guineas day (Wednesday 12 October) in a suitable 2000m Rating 0-82 Handicap.

COSMONAUT SHUTTLES TO MOONEE VALLEY 30th September 2011

We have a busy long weekend ahead with runners on all four days. To kick start the weekend on Friday night (30th September) at Moonee Valley, Cosmonaut by Starcraft who won impressively at Ballarat two weeks ago, will step up a class and start in the 2040m JRA Cup Gr 3, which Precedence won last year, he will be ridden by Luke Nolen. On Friday afternoon from our Sydney stable we have two runners at Wyong. Yurrapendi by Pendragon will have her first start in a 1000m Maiden Handicap for three year olds and will be ridden by Blake Spriggs. Elchester who has improved and has been in the placings in her last two starts will contest a 1350m Maiden Plate for fillies and mares, hoping to break her maiden and will also be ridden by Blake Spriggs.   On Saturday (1st October) at Randwick’s Epsom Day we have Do You Think the promising colt by Starcraft, he will start in the Consul Stakes, a Gr 2 race over 1200m and will be ridden by Corey Brown. On the same day at the Newcastle meeting we have five runners. Mitchell Bell has two rides for us, which is Breeze Up who has had three weeks between starts will race in a Class 2 Handicap over 1400m and Bold Sari who will run in a Maiden Plate over 1600m. We have two starters in a Maiden Handicap over 1400m: Rapidus the promising colt by Darci Brahma ridden by Grant Buckley and Bikini Star by Starcraft is having her first start and ridden by Dale Spriggs. Gold World who has had two starts with two placings this preparation will have the advantage of Sam Clipperton who claims 2 kgs, on board. She will race in the Benchmark 65 Handicap over 1200m.   Our Melbourne stable Saintly Place has a number of runners on Sunday 2nd October, Turnbull Stakes Day at Flemington. Kim Heaven is fourth emergency in the Blazer Stakes Gr 2 over 1400m. We will have to wait over the weekend to see if she will have a start. The impeccably bred Gliding who is a half sister to the great Eremein will run in the Edward Manifold Stakes Gr 2, a set weights race for three year old fillies and will be ridden by Cory Brown. Precedence who will improve from his last start when he finished seventh in the Underwood Stakes, will race in the Turnbull Stakes Gr 1 over 2000m. Precedence will be ridden by Steven Arnold. Polish who is from the same family as Saintly will race the UCI Stakes, a Listed race over 1800m, he will be ridden by Michael Rodd.   We are back to Sydney on Monday 3rd October where we have two runners at Warwick Farm. Angelican who finished second last time out Warwick Farm will contest a one metro win Handicap over 1600m, Corey Brown has taken the ride. Kim Divine who was unlucky last start and was beaten into third place will race in a Benchmark 80 Handicap over 2200m, Blake Spriggs will be his rider.   On Wednesday at Canterbury we have Shuswap contesting a Maiden for three year olds over 1550m, she will be ridden by Hugh Bowman. We have also nominated Bold Sari for that race however she has drawn as a third emergency and so is likely to start on Saturday (1st October) as mentioned previously. Suits Us a handy colt by Fusaichi Pegasus will start in a 1250m Maiden Plate for three year olds and will be ridden by Jim Cassidy. Memorable Moment who won last start at Newcastle (14th September) will be ridden again by Hugh Bowman in a no metro win Handicap over 1250m

A WARRIOR WIN WOULD SUIT US 22nd September 2011

With the Spring Carnival well and truly upon us the stable will have three runners at the Canterbury evening meeting on Friday 23 September  :- Kim Warrior will endeavour to break his maiden status when he tackles the 1550m Maiden Plate with Corey Brown his rider. Suits Us is another hoping to break his maiden when he runs in a 1250m three year old Benchmark 68 Handicap with Kerrin McEvoy in the saddle whilst Pegembak will be doing his best to break back into the winner’s list when he runs in the 1900m Benchmark 70 Handicap with Blake Spriggs his rider.     At the Rosehill fixture on Saturday (24 September) both Kim Divine (Corey Brown) and Tamanu Park (Kathy O’Hara) will run in the initial race on the programme, a 2000m Benchmark 80 Handicap. The impeccably bred three year old filly Saskia (Redoute’s Choice – Quays) will run in the Listed 1400m Reginald Allen Handicap with Corey Brown her rider.   At the Newcastle meeting on Saturday our lone runner will be the slowly maturing Raj Mahal (by Lonhro) ridden by Mitchell Bell who will tackle an 1850m Maiden Plate.   Kembla Grange has a rare midweek meeting on Tuesday next (27 September) and we will have several runners including Dragonzone, the half brother to VRC Oaks winner  Faint Perfume; he will contest a 1600m Maiden Plate for three year olds with  Hugh Bowman his rider. Other runners at the south coast fixture will include last start winner Lordship (Grant Buckley) in a 2400m Benchmark 60 Handicap, Opera Bouffe making her debut in a 1200m Fillies & Mares Maiden with Blake Spriggs her rider whilst O’Reilly three year old filly Sweet Burgundy may make her racecourse debut also in the 1200m Fillies & Mares Maiden.   Our only runner at the Canterbury meeting on Wednesday 28 September will be Markab which resumes racing in an Entires & Geldings Benchmark 75 Handicap over 1250m.   Kim Heaven is expected to have her second Victorian start when she treks to Ballarat on Wednesday next (28 Sept) to run in a 1400m Showcase Class 1 Handicap with Steven Arnold her rider.

ARNOLD RIDES WITH PRECEDENCE 16th September 2011

Our principal attention this coming weekend turns to Victoria where on Saturday Precedence (Steven Arnold) has his second start this preparation in the 1800m G1 SWFA Underwood Stakes at Caulfield. Whatever he does at Caulfield he is bound to improve as his distances increase as he gets further into his preparation. Also at Caulfield we have three year old filly Gliding (Nicholas Hall) in the 1400m G3 Thousand Guineas Prelude where she has been declared as the second emergency. Should she fail to gain a start at Caulfield we have also accepted with her at Ballarat on Sunday next (18 September) in a 1400m Maiden Plate where she will be ridden by Peter Mertens who hasn’t ridden for the stable since finishing second on Precedence in the VRC St. Leger three years ago. Also engaged at Ballarat on Sunday we have Polish (Steven Arnold) in a 1600m three year old Maiden Plate and Cosmonaut (Steven Arnold) in a 1500m Rating 0-62 Handicap.   Back at Rosehill on Saturday we have the three year old Pins filly Shuswap running in the G2 1500m Tea Rose Stakes with Blake Spriggs her rider. At the Kembla Grange fixture, also on Saturday our only two runners will line up against each other in the 1400m Maiden Plate; Elchester (Dale Spriggs) and Quick Thinking (Sam Clipperton), both four year old mares.   At the Warwick Farm meeting on Sunday we will have two runners – Angelican (Jim Cassidy) takes on a 1600m one metropolitan win race whilst the consistent Reset mare Gold World (Corey Brown) will line up in a 1200m one metropolitan win event for Fillies & Mares.   At the transferred Warwick Farm fixture on Wednesday next (21 September) the stable will have two runners – Saskia which will miss her race at the Farm on Sunday to line up in an easier 1300m Maiden Plate with Corey Brown to ride. Also to run at this meeting will be the consistent three year old colt Suits Us which will run in an 1100m Maiden for  colts and geldings. Jim Cassidy will ride.

A TRIO OF KIMS 8th September 2011

With the Spring Carnival well and truly upon us we will have three stable runners at the Rosehill fixture on Saturday 10 September. Kim Divine (Kathy O’Hara) will run in a 1900m benchmark 75 handicap; Pegembak (Blake Spriggs) resumes in a 1500m benchmark 80 handicap while Swift Judgement (Kathy O’Hara) will have his second start from a spell in the same event. Angelican was also accepted for this race however he has drawn the outside barrier (18) and as such he will be withdrawn and saved for a suitable 1600m race at Newcastle on Cup day (15 September). At the Kembla Grange meeting on Saturday (10 September) we will have three runners in Lordship (Grant Buckley) in a 2000m maiden; Kim Warrior (Brad Pengelly) resumes in a 1400m four-year-old & upwards maiden whilst Dragonzone (Jon Grisedale) will have his next start in a 1400m three-year-old maiden.   We will have two runners at the Moonee Valley meeting on Saturday,  where Do You Think (Steven Arnold) has his second start from a spell in a suitable 1500m three-year-old handicap and the Shamardal mare Kim Heaven resumes in a 1200m mares handicap with Micheal Rodd to ride.   At the first day of the  Newcastle Spring meeting on Wednesday next (14 September) we will have two starters in Memorable Moment (Hugh Bowman) in a 1200m Class 1 handicap and Bold Sari to tackle a 1500m maiden with Kerrin McEvoy her rider.

A ‘LIGHT’ WEEKEND ON THE WAY 1st September 2011

Following a busy weekend last week we are faced this weekend to the contrary with only one runner at the Hawkesbury Provincial meeting on Saturday where the staying bred four year old Lordship tackle a 2000m Maiden with Grant Buckley his rider.   Preceding the weekend we will have three runners at the Thursday fixture (1 September) at Wyong with Bold Sari to run in a suitable 1350m Fillies & Mares Maiden in which she will be ridden by Glyn Schofield; Royal Feeling runs in a 1600m Class 2 event with Kathy O’Hara her rider and Vilayet (Hugh Bowman) makes up the trio when he tackles the 1350m Benchmark 65 Handicap. Cosmonaut (Steven Arnold)  resumes on Thursday at Seymour in a 1309m Maiden Plate and although he hasn’t race since failing in last Victoria Derby he drops enormously in grade to Maiden class in the Seymour event – time will tell!   At the Warwick Farm barrier trials on Monday next (5 September) the Stable will have five representatives trialling with Markab, Ardeche, Memorable Moment, Rapidus and the unraced Eudoxus.   At the transferred Canterbury meeting on Wednesday next (7 September) we will look to have three runners in Saskia and Blazing Dragon in a 1200m 3yo Fillies Maiden and Suits Us runs in a 1200m Maiden for three year old Colts & Geldings.

SPRING IS IN THE AIR! 25th August 2011

With hopefully the lengthy wet weather winter about to depart we will be busy over the coming weekend with a number of runners at three separate venues in two states.   Two of our better performed gallopers will resume at the Caulfield meeting on Saturday with Precedence (Steven Arnold) to resume in the 1400m SWFA Memsie Stakes as his first start since running fifth in the Australian Cup in March of this year. Precedence is on a path to the Melbourne Cup, a race in which he finished eighth last year. The smart three year old colt Do You Think will also run at Caulfield in the G3 1200m McNeil Stakes over 1200m. Steven Arnold will ride the son of Starcraft which will be aimed towards the G1 1600m Caulfield Guineas as his main spring goal.   At the Rosehill fixture on Saturday the Leilani Lodge will provide up to seven runners, a number of which were engaged to run earlier in the week however wet tracks interrupted their scheduled starts. Gliding (Kathy O’Hara), Shuswap (Blake Spriggs) and Dragonzone (Tommy Berry) have all accepted to run in a 1400m 3yo Benchmark 75 Handicap .Kim Divine (Kathy O’Hara) runs in a 1500m Benchmark 90 Handicap; Tamanu Park (Kathy O’Hara)  will line up in a 2000m Benchmark 79; Swift Judgement (Corey Brown) in a 1200m Benchmark 90 Handicap and Angelican (Tommy Berry) runs in a 1350m Benchmark 90 Handicap. Many of these gallopers are running in races which are slightly out of their class however lack of suitable races being programmed and wet tracks leave no other option at this stage of their preparations.   At the Newcastle meeting on Saturday we will have up to six runners. Last start winner Zahar (Mitchell Bell) contests an 1850m Class 2 Handicap in which he will clash with stablemate  Leveche (Jon Grisedale). Elchester (Dale Spriggs) runs in a 1200m Maiden Handicap as will the Starcraft mare Quick Thinking,  who resumes from a spell. Cuddles Today (Dale Spriggs) runs in a 900m 3yo Maiden Plate whilst Dragonzone (also an acceptor for Rosehill on Saturday) will be accepted for a 1400m Maiden with Dale Spriggs his rider. Should Dragonzone, the half brother to VRC Oaks winner Faint Perfume draw reasonably well, he will have his second race start at Newcastle. Our other starter at Newcastle will be Vilayet (Dale Spriggs) in a 1500m Benchmark 65 Handicap.   Preceding the weekend we will have  ten horses trialling at Warwick Farm on Friday (26 August) including Pegembak, Suits Us, Breeze Up, Bikini Star, Memorable Moment, Blazing Dragon and Rigging.   At the present time our lone runner at next Wednesday’s Canterbury meeting (31 August) will be the consistent Gold World which resumes from a spell in a 1250m Fillies & Mares Benchmark 70 Handicap. Corey Brown will ride the daughter of Reset.

WEEKEND OFF 18th August 2011

With the continuing wet weather in and around Sydney the stable finds itself in a most unusual situation of not having a runner this weekend with nil runners at Warwick Farm (Saturday). Our only acceptor for the Kembla Grange meeting on Saturday is Elchester in a 1300m Fillies & Mares Maiden drawing the outside barrier (13), it is an invitation to stay at home with the Pins mare.   However, at the Farm meeting scheduled for Tuesday the 23rd August we have up to seven runners including Angelican in a 1400m Benchmark 70 Handicap; Gold World (Corey Brown) in a 1200m Fillies & Mares Benchmark 70 Handicap; Tamanu Park in a 2400m 1MW Handicap with Hugh Bowman to ride; and in a 1400m three-year-old Maiden we will accept with Dragonzone (Hugh Bowman); Gliding (Corey Brown) and Shuswap (Blake Spriggs). Leveche which missed a run at Hawkesbury on Thursday will now run in a 1600m Maiden Plate with Blake Spriggs the rider.   At the Canterbury fixture on Thursday next we will have three or four runners including Around The Clock (Corey Brown) in a 1900m one Metropolitan winner race; Elchester in a 1250m Maiden Plate with Blake Spriggs her rider;  Swift Judgement resumes from a spell in a 1200m Benchmark 70 handicap with Corey Brown the rider and in an 1100m 3yo Fillies Maiden.

DIVINE RETURN 11th August 2011

With hopefully the wet weather behind us we can now look forward to racing on surfaces that will be conducive to horses performing to their potential on tracks that will hopefully be drying out.   For the Rosehill meeting on Saturday 13th August the stable will have two runners in Divya in a 1400m Benchmark 80 Handicap for fillies & mares with Jim Cassidy her rider. It is pleasing that after a run of widish barriers the mare has drawn well on Saturday in barrier 4. Our other runner at Rosehill is Kim Divine who is resuming from a spell after being unplaced (sixth) in his most recent start, the G2 1800m Autumn Classic at Caulfield in February, prior to going for a rest. Corey Brown who has won twice on the son of God’s Own, will again be his rider.   At the Newcastle fixture on Saturday we will have two runners with Mitchell Bell to ride both horses. Breeze Up will have his second start from a spell in a 1200m Benchmark 65 Handicap while the staying bred Lordship (by Danehill Dancer) resumes from a spell, during which time he was gelded, in a 1500m Maiden Handicap.   We will have nine runners at the Rosehill trials on Monday 15th August including Pegembak, Gold World and Blazing Dragon with the rides being shared among Corey Brown, Hugh Bowman who has returned from overseas and Blake Spriggs.   With the condition of the Randwick Kensington track being of some concern, we will not be having a runner at the midweek meeting scheduled for Wednesday 17th August.

WYCHETTE TO CLAIM DOUBLE? 4th August 2011

We will have four stable reps taking part in the Hawkesbury fixture to be run on Thursday ( 4 August) headed by Leveche (Corey Brown) in a 1500m Entires & Geldings Maiden; debutante Cuddles Today (Blake Spriggs) in a 1000m 3yo Maiden; Vilayet (Corey Brown) in a 1400m Class 2 Handicap and the last start winner Wychette (Christian Reith) in an 1800m Benchmark 65.   At the Randwick trials on Friday (5 August) we will have seven triallers headed  by Swift Judgement, Kim Divine and city winner Gold World.   At the Randwick meeting on Saturday Leilani Lodge will have three runners with two three-year-old fillies clashing in a 1300m one metropolitan win race – namely Gliding (Tim Clark) and the Pins filly Shuswap (Blake Spriggs); our other rep is Angelican (Christian Reith) in a 1200m Benchmark 80 Handicap.   Two runners will head north to Newcastle for Saturday’s meeting with Zahar (Mitchell Bell) to run in a 1400m Maiden Plate and Penheights (Dale Spriggs) in a 1600m Maiden for three year olds.   At the Randwick – Kensington track fixture on Tuesday 9 August we will have one sole runner in Tamanu Park (Christian Reith) in a 2500m Benchmark 75 Handicap whilst at the Canterbury meeting on Wednesday we will have three runners in last start winner Around The Clock (Blake Spriggs) in a 1900m Fillies & Mares Benchmark 75 Handicap; Think Ahead in a 1900m one metropolitan win race and Swift Judgement (Corey Brown) in a 1200m Benchmark 70 Handicap.

RAIN RAIN STAY AWAY ! 28th July 2011

With the recent heavy rainfall in and about the Sydney Metropolitan area the racing schedule for many of the horses have had to be amended and as such we may have a busy weekend coming up.   At Wyong on Thursday (again the track is materially rain affected) and our number of runners has been reduced from four to two with our reps being the debutante Bold Sari to run in a 1200m two-year-old Maiden with Blake Spriggs her rider. This combination was successful in winning a Randwick barrier trial on soft ground on the 1st July. Our other runner is Think Ahead (Corey Brown) who is tackling a 1600m Benchmark 70 Handicap.   On Saturday at Rosehill we have accepted with the Pendragon colt Dragonzone – a half brother to the G1 winning Faint Perfume, in a 1300m two-year-old Handicap and is to be ridden by Blake Spriggs, however, after drawing in the car park (barrier 16) the colt is a doubtful runner. If withdrawn we will wait for a 1200m three-year-old Colts & Geldings Maiden at Canterbury on Wednesday next (3 August). The Pins filly Shuswap has also been accepted for the 1300m two-year-old Handicap at Rosehill on Saturday however she has been declared the fourth emergency and has drawn alongside Dragonzone in barrier 15 – an invitation to stay at home !   The staying bred Tamanu Park is also scheduled to run at Rosehill in a 2400m Benchmark 85 Handicap with Christian Reith his rider. This son of Bletchley Park out of a Zabeel mare has won previously  over 2200m in Victoria.  Also to run at Rosehill is Halleys in a 1900m Benchmark 75 Handicap with Blake Spriggs her rider whilst Corey Brown will ride Divya when she runs in a 1400m Benchmark 80 Handicap for Fillies & Mares. Breeze Up has been accepted to resume racing in a 1300m Benchmark 75 Handicap however, he too has been drawn as a the fourth emergency.   At the Kembla Grange meeting on Saturday next we have accepted with three runners and the condition of the track (presently rated in the heavy range) will determine as to whether the three meet their racing commitment. Royal Feeling (Mitchell Bell) is heading towards a 1600m Class 1 Handicap whilst first time runners Raj Mahal (Grant Buckley) is in a 1200m Entires & Geldings Maiden with Elchester will run in a 1200m Fillies & Mares Maiden.   At the Canterbury fixture on Wednesday next (3 August) we are looking to have 3 to 4 runners with Gliding (Corey Brown) and recent trial winner Saskia (Tim Clark) to both run in a 1200m three-year-old Fillies Maiden; Dragonzone will more than likely be a starter in the 1200m three-year-old Colts & Geldings Maiden while Vilayet may contest a 1250m no metropolitan win event.

STRONG GALE FORECAST 21st July 2011

The continuing wet weather in and around Sydney has caused disruptions to training schedules and with the abandonment of the Canterbury (Wednesday 20 July) and Gosford (Thursday 21 July) has caused a reshuffle in the races which a number of horses engaged at such meetings.   At Warwick Farm on Saturday next (23 July) and track conditions permitting we will have two runners namely Breeze Up which resumes in a 1200m Benchmark 75 handicap in which he will be ridden by Corey Brown. Our other runner will be Halleys which will contest a 1600m Fillies & Mares Benchmark 85 Handicap with Blake Spriggs her rider.   At the Newcastle meeting on Saturday 23 July, Leilani Lodge will be represented by ;   -         Shuswap – Rider: Dale Spriggs in a 1300m 2yo Maiden Plate; -         Angelican – Rider:  Mitchell Bell in a 1300m Benchmark 70 Handicap; -         Tamanu Park – Rider: Mitchell Bell in a 2300m Benchmark 65 Handicap; -         and Think Ahead (Dale Spriggs) and Royal Feeling (Mitchell Bell) both in a 1600m Class 1 Handicap.   At the Hawkesbury fixture on Sunday next (24 July) we will have the following runners:-   -         Bold Sari – Rider Blake Spriggs in a 1000m 2yo Maiden Handicap -         Elchester – Rider Blake Spriggs in a 1000m 3yo Maiden Plate -         Raj Mahal – Rider Blake Spriggs in a 1300m Maiden Plate -         Vilayet – Rider Kathy O’Hara in a 1500m Benchmark 65 Handicap -         Leveche – Rider Blake Spriggs in a 1600m Maiden Handicap    Our scheduled runners at next Wednesday’s Randwick meeting on the Kensington track are Penheights (Tim Clark) and Playing The Field in a 1550m 2yo OMW Handicap and Around The Clock (Blake Spriggs) in a 1550m 3yo Maiden Plate.

SONIC BLAST AND DIVYA TO ‘TAKE OFF’ AT ROSEHILL 14th July 2011

The stable will have a relatively busy time over the next week commencing with two acceptors for the Wyong meeting to be run on Friday (15 July). The Redoute’s Choice mare Wychette is scheduled to tackle a 1600m Maiden Plate with Kathy O’Hara her rider. Vilayet also ridden by Kathy has been accepted for a 1350m Entires & Geldings Class 1 Handicap, however, after drawing the ‘car park’ (barrier 15) it is most unlikely he will make the trip to the Central Coast.   At the Rosehill fixture on Saturday next (16 July) we have three runners with two last start winners among the trio. Sonic Blast  which won at Canterbury a fortnight ago will run in a 1400m two- year old Handicap with Tim Clark his rider whilst the Danzero mare Divya (Tim Clark) a last start winner at Rosehill three weeks ago will run in a suitable 1200m Benchmark 80 Handicap for mares. The Group placed Sunday Rose will endeavour to turn her recent form around when she runs in an 1100m Benchmark 90 Handicap with Kathy O’Hara her rider.   Several handy gallopers from Leilani Lodge will be among 11 runners that are due to contest the Randwick barrier trials on Tuesday next (19 July) including Swift Judgement, Kim Divine, Brightnight.   At the Canterbury midweek meeting on Wednesday the 20th July, we will have the promising two year old filly Gliding running in a 1250m two-year-old fillies Maiden with Corey Brown her rider. Corey will also ride Raj Mahal (by Lonhro) when he makes his race debut in a 1250m Maiden for three-year-old colts and geldings; other runners at the fixture will  be Think Ahead (Tim Clark) in a 1900m Benchmark 70 Handicap; and Rigging (Tim Clark) in a 1200m no metropolitan win race. Our final runner at the meeting will be a Pins filly having her first race start in Elchester which will run in a 1250m Maiden for three year old fillies – Blake Spriggs will be her rider.

GETTING THE WIND BEHIND HIM 7th July 2011

Our barrier trial team at Rosehill is expected to be a restricted one, Breeze Up being one of the three to expected to start. Blake Spriggs will be the rider of the trio.   With a lack of suitable races available closer to home we’ll be sending a team to the Newcastle meeting. Our only runner at Randwick will be Procyon, who will contest the 1600m benchmark 75 three-year-old, with Kathy O’Hara to have the mount. but five will go north. Dale Spriggs has been engaged for Vilayet in the class 1 over 1400m and Penheights in the two-year-old maiden handicap over the same trip. Mitchell Bell has been lined up to ride Angelican in the 1200m class 2 handicap and Tamanu Park, who is to run in the 1850m benchmark 65. The other stable runner will be Leveche, by Zabeel, who will line up for his debut in the 1300m maiden plate with Jon Grisedale his rider.   At Wednesday’s Warwick Farm meeting we have Southerly and recent trial winner Playing The Field in the two-year-old maiden plate of 1200m.

BELL GETS A CHANCE TO RING 30th June 2011

We’ll saddle up only one runner at the Rosehill meeting on Saturday but two will head for Kembla Grange with Mitchell Bell booked for the duo. Our Rosehill representative will be Penheights, whose race will be the 1400m two-year-old handicap and Tim Clark is to be the rider. At Kembla we’ll have Think Ahead in the 1600m benchmark 65 and Wychette a maiden over the same course.   It will be a pretty skinny week all round as our only runners at Wednesday’s Kensington meeting will be Halleys, Mr Edison, Royal Feeling and Around The Clock. Halleys and Mr Edison are in the 1550m benchmark 80 and Royal Feeling a benchmark 70 over 1800m for fillies and mares. Around The Clock will run in a 1300m three-year-old fillies maiden plate.

ON THE MOVE AGAIN 23rd June 2011

Shakit All will be back in action at Friday’s Gosford meeting, contesting a maiden plate of  1200m with Blake Spriggs the jockey, while we have only one runner that day it will be a different story the following afternoon. Over the weekend we have a team of nine chalked in to run at three meetings – Rosehill, Newcastle, and Flemington.   At Rosehill Tim Clark has been booked for two runners, Divya in the 1200m race for fillies and mares who have not won more than one metropolitan race and Sunday Rose, who will line up in the 1200m benchmark 80. Our other runner will be Mr Edison, in the benchmark 80 of 1500m and Kathy O’Hara will have the ride.   At Flemington the well bred Zahar will debut in the three-year-old handicap of 1200m with Chris Symons the jockey. Zahar is by God’s Own, who staged an unforgettable performance to beat Paratroopers in the 2005 Caulfield and is out of Zazabelle, who dead heated with Lahar for third behind Rogan Josh and Central Park in the 1999 Melbourne Cup.   At the Newcastle meeting Coustellet will start in a benchmark 60 over 1800m and will be ridden by Jeff Penza who will also handle Validated in the 1500m class 2. Rigging who shows plenty of promise will clash with Vilayet (Mitchell Bell) in the class 1 handicap. Mitchell Bell has also been booked for In Excess in the 1600m two-year-old maiden.   At Canterbury’s Wednesday meeting Corey Brown has been engaged for Angelican in the 1250m three-year-old benchmark 70 and Corey has also taken the ride on Gliding in the 1200m two-year-old fillies’ maiden.  In the same race Shuswap (Blake Spriggs) and Essence may also have a start. Sonic Blast (Tim Clark) and Southerly (Blake Spriggs) are in the two-year-old colts and geldings maiden handicap. Procyon will start in the 1550m benchmark 70 handicap for three-year-olds with Brenton Avdulla his rider.

GETTING READY TO FIRE UP 16th June 2011

One of the most interesting runners at Rosehill on Saturday will be Penheights, who will be a starter in the 1300m two year old handicap with Tim Clark the rider.   His sire, Pendragon, was forced into early retirement but the colt was a handsome individual who had all the requirements to indicate a successful racetrack career and subsequent demand as a stallion.  Penheights has shown enough to suggest a bright future with the colors up.   We have a lineup strong in numbers at the meeting but naturally the state of the track will have a strong bearing on how they perform or even run.   Apprentice Blake Spriggs has been booked for Think Ahead in the 1500m 3 year old benchmark 76 and Aegan in the 1300m 2 year old handicap.   In the fillies and mare benchmark 80 of 1400m Divya will run with Christian Reith the jockey.  Rapidus will also run in the 1300m 2 year old race with Nathan Berry his rider.   The weather will also have a very big bearing on the barrier trials program this week and if the present schedule is adhered to we expect to have up to a dozen nominations running at Randwick on Friday.   Most are two year olds with the most prominent of the reps being Breeze Up.   Weather permitting we will have one acceptor for Kembla Grange on Saturday.  Shakit All will start in the 1200m maiden with Jeff Penza his rider.   At Warwick Farm on Wednesday we’ll have several runners, Royal Feeling and Coustellet in the 1600m race for fillies and mares, who hasn’t won more than one race in the metropolitan area and Tamanu Park in the 1400m Benchmark 70 with Blake Spriggs the rider.

TRYING TO GET OFF WITH A BANG 9th June 2011

Sonic Blast is ready to rumble at Randwick on Saturday, with his mission being the two-year-old handicap. The race is over 1200m and the rider will be Blake Spriggs. Mr Edison will be starting in the 1600m benchmark 85 and Spriggs has also been booked for that ride. Jim Cassidy is booked for two – Procyon in the benchmark 80 over 1400m for three-year-olds and Good View in the benchmark 75 also for three-year-olds but over 1800m.   At the Kembla Grange meeting on Saturday we have Rigging in the 1200m entires, colts and geldings and Think Of Me in the fillies heat, with Mitchell Bell riding both horses. Patrick Murphy has the ride on Wychette in the 1400m maiden.   At the Kensington track on Monday Tamanu Park is to start in the 1550m benchmark 70 and Coustellet the 1150m event for three-year-old non metropolitan winners. Tim Clark will be on Tamanu Park and Tommy Berry is booked for Coustellet.   Vilayet (1300m benchmark 60) will be ridden by Mitchell Bell while Chris O’Brien has been booked for Aegean in the 1400m two-year-old at the Hawkesbury meeting on Monday.   At Wednesday’s Canterbury meeting Around The Clock is to start in the 1250m maiden with Kerrin McEvoy to jockey. Rapidus will clash with In Excess in a 1550m non metropolitan wins for two-year-olds. Suits Us, who has had two metropolitan placings fro three starts is in the two-year-old maiden o 1200m.

POLISH NEEDS TO OUTSHINE STABLEMATE 2nd June 2011

Much will depend on the state of the track as to whether our runners saddle up at Rosehill on Saturday with two accepting for the 1400m two-year-old handicap. Each will be ridden by a competent apprentice with Josh Adams booked for Polish and Blake Spriggs to have the mount on Rapidus. Ardeche, an impressive last start winner at Scone, has been given rough treatment in the 1200m benchmark 78 handicaps and goes up eight rating points, a relevant rise of 4kg. Some relief will be gained when ridden by Josh Adams who claims 1.5kg. Divya was completely out of luck at Canterbury last start and couldn’t get a clear run when it counted. She is to run in the 1300m benchmark 80 for fillies and mares and Jim Cassidy has been booked for the mount. At present, she is not the field as she has been drawn as the first emergency.   We could have up to 13 runners at Monday’s randwick barrier trials, with most unraced and Vilayet probably the most prominent.   We’ll only have one runner at the Canterbury meeting on Wednesday with Blake Spriggs to handle Halleys in a 1550m benchmark75 but two are scheduled to start at the Moonee Valley fixture the same day. Steven Arnold will ride Angelican in a 1200m three-year-old rating 0-68 while Sunday Rose is to start in a 1000m open for fillies and mares.

LONG WAIT TO CAUSE A STIR 26th May 2011

Shakit All has had a long wait in the wings before returning to competition and, when he lines up at Gosford, it will be his first appearance for twelve months. Shakit All will resume in a 1200m maiden and Blake Spriggs has been booked for the ride.   The following day we have a team of up to twelve horses scheduled to trial at Randwick with the most prominent of them being Vilayet.   Blake Spriggs has also been engaged for three of our acceptors at the Randwick meeting on Saturday. They are Sonic Blast, who will run in the 1200m two-year-old handicap, Good View is to start in the 2000m three-year-old benchmark 75 and Latin News, whose race is the 1400m benchmark 95. Coustellet is to oppose Good View and Tommy Berry will be her rider. Coustellet has mixed her recent form - three starts ago she won a race and then finished fourth in her next start before a disappointing last start performance. She has gone along well enough since to suggest she can run up to the form she displayed in her win. Kathy O’Hara will be the rider of Royal Feeling when she starts in the benchmark 75, a 1400m event for fillies and Daniel Ganderton has been engaged for Mr Edison in the benchmark 85 over 1600m.   Suits Us is to be our only representative at Wednesday’s Canterbury fixture, contesting a two-year-old colts and geldings maiden of 1100m.   Our lone runner in the south next week will be Sunday Rose who is to run at Caulfield on Saturday . The in form Lisa Cropp has the job of enticing Sunday Rose to bloom again in the 1100m race for mares and with a better draw she has to opportunity to do so, improving on her sub-standard performance last start.

MR EDISON GETS GREEN LIGHT 19th May 2011

Mr Edison, who had to trial to prove his barrier manners have improved, was given the all clear after doing everything to satisfaction of stewards earlier in the week and will line up at the Rosehill meeting on Saturday. He behaved like a perfect gentleman and his trial performance was quite impressive in finishing 2nd indicating a forward showing at the weekend. His race will be a 1400m benchmark 80 in which his rider will be Daniel Ganderton. One of the opponents will be Halleys, who will be handled by Blake Spriggs.   The recent programming in Sydney has made it difficult to find a suitable race for two-year-olds who are not black type contenders and Saturday’s 1400m contest is the first non black type two-year-old event over 1400m since the first week of March. We have Aegean and In Excess in it, with Ganderton to ride Aegean and Kathy O’Hara on In Excess.   The heavy track at Ballarat last week meant a hasty revision of plans for Wychette, who was to have run there but will now start at the Kembla Grange fixture on Saturday. A 1200m maiden plate will be the target with Brad Pengelly the rider. While Rapidus, by the very good Kiwi Darci Brahma, will step out in the 1200m two-year-old maiden plate with Pengelly also booked for the mount. Our other runner will be Coustellet and Brad Pengelly has the engagement, in the 2000m benchmark 60.   We have five representatives set down to run at the Kensington meeting on Tuesday. Procyon, out of luck last start at Scone and ready to break through, will be ridden by Hugh Bowman in a 1400m three-year-old maiden plate while, in the 1800m maiden plate for three-year-olds, Jim Cassidy has been booked for Secret Scent. Bowman has been engaged for Blazing Dragon, who is to run in the 1300m two-year-old for fillies who have failed to win a metropolitan race while Blake Spriggs will handle Tamanu Park in a 1400m benchmark 70 which will see a clash with stablemate Validated.   At Canterbury on Wednesday Divya will start in a 1250m benchmark 75 for fillies and mares and Around The Clock in the 1200m maiden plate for three-year-old fillies. Polish (Hugh Bowman) and Sonic Blast will both make their race debut in a 1250m two-year-old non-metropolitan-win handicap.   Angelican is scheduled to have his first Victorian start at Sandown next Wednesday when he runs in a 1300m three-year-old rating 0-68 handicap. Steven Arnold will be his rider.

IN SEARCH OF HEADLINES 12th May 2011

Latin News has been struggling to attract much attention during his current campaign but he has been racing quite well and without a great deal of luck and maybe that will change on Friday. He’ll be one of our representatives at the rich Scone carnival where his mission is the 1600m Scone Cup and Kathy O’Hara, his rider last start, will again be the jockey. The event is a quality handicap with a 61kg maximum topweight, run over 1600m and carrying the healthy prizemoney of $175,000 and $2,300 in trophies. As well as Latin News we’ll be sending three of his stablemates to run there on Saturday. Ardeche (Josh Adams) is to contest the Coolmore Handicap, for three-year-old fillies over 1100m and carrying $130,000 in stakes while Blazing Dragon, a highly promising daughter of Pendragon, will be ridden by Hugh Bowman when she contests the $130,000 Darley Handicap over 1400m for two-year-old fillies. Our other rep will be Procyon, another who is also highly promising and was an eye catching runner-up at Canterbury last start. Corey Brown will be the jockey when the three-year-old runs in a 1300m maiden plate with prizemoney of $70,000.   Mr Edison, who has proved difficult at the barriers will have to have another trial before he is cleared to race again so he’ll go to Rosehill on Tuesday, along with stablemates including Divya, Think Ahead and Tamanu Park.   At Wednesday’s Canterbury meeting we’ll saddle up Suits Us, who finished a nice fifth in a race at Randwick on Anzac Day, in a 1100m two-year-old maiden plate and Sonic Blast, by Charge Forward who has trialled a couple of times and finished a pleasing third in one, will debut.

IN ANTICIPATION 5th May 2011

Divya, Angelican and Think Ahead will probably be the most interesting of the 13 horses we have scheduled to contest the barrier trials session at Randwick on Friday. The majority are young in experienced horses who we will be out to learn a bit of what being in a race is all about.   The promising stayer, Pegembak, will attempt to win his fourth successive race at the Canterbury meeting on Saturday when he tackles a 1900m benchmark 75 with Brad Pengelly the rider. The big meeting on the Gold Coast has had local trainers on the hunt for suitable jockeys but Pengelly is a very capable rider who is in form and we’ve had some luck with him. He has also been booked for Empire’s Choice, who will run in the 1900m Lord Mayor’s Cup and Goldstone who is contesting the 1250m benchmark 75. Goldstone will be opposed by Halleys, who will be rider by apprentice Josh Adams. Our rep in the 1550m benchmark 85 will be Mr Edison and he’ll be handled by Daniel Ganderton. Ganderton has also been engaged for Royal Feeling, whose engagement will be in the 1100m three-year-old benchmark 75.   We have three horses booked to go to the Newcastle meeting on Saturday – Coustellet, who will line up in a 1600m class 2, Validated in a 1400m benchmark 70 and Jewelled Crown in a 1300m benchmark 60. Blake Spriggs has been engaged for the trio.   A couple of runners will saddle up in the south on Tuesday and Wednesday. At the Mornington meeting on Tuesday, Steven Arnold will handle Wychette in a 1200m maiden for fillies and mares – a far cry from Ireland and his successful association with the great So You Think.   The following day Sunday Rose will run in a 1000m rating 89 for fillies and mares at Sandown and we’re expecting a big improvement on her performance at Caulfield last start. She’s a mare who always needs things to go her way and they didn’t that day, at Caulfield a fortnight ago.   We go to the Kensington track on Wednesday and will be represented by Good View, In Excess and Secret Scent. Good View will line up in an 1800m three-year-old with Hugh Bowman the rider. Bowman has also been booked for In Excess who contests a 300m two-year-old race for non metropolitan winners and Secret Scent who will run in the  1400m three-year-old maiden plate.

TO FLY THE FLAG 28th April 2011

Union Street will make the trip to Wyong on Thursday where Blake Spriggs will have the ride in a 2100m maiden. The following day we intend to line up a sizeable team at the barrier trials, to be held at Canterbury. We’ve scheduled fifteen, however, eight of them have been balloted out. Of those taking part, best known are Goldstone and Angelican.   Two stable reps are to line up in the 1600m Listed Rowley Mile at Hawkesbury on Saturday. Empires Choice will be ridden by Brad Pengelly while Latin News’ jockey will be Kathy O’Hara. Big Storm (Brad Pengelly) will be our runner in the 1400m Listed Hawkesbury Guineas and Mr Edison will start in a 1400m benchmark 85 with Daniel Ganderton the jockey. However the rising star of the contingent could be Pegembak, who has been most impressive in stringing together three impressive wins on the trot and will attempt his fourth in the 2250m Provincial Stayers Championship with Corey Brown the man behind the wheel.   Good View runs at Newcastle on Saturday in a class 1 over 1850m on Saturday, Blake Spriggs will have the ride. At the Canterbury meeting on Wednesday next Halleys is in a 1250m benchmark 75 with Blake Spriggs engaged for the ride while Royal Feeling will resume from a let up in the same event.

CELEBRATION MENU? 21st April 2011

Our very promising colt has tackled a couple of testing fields in his only two runs to date and he’ll take on another at Randwick on Saturday. However we’re hoping Salade and champagne prove a delectable dish in the finale of the two-year-old triple crown over 1600m, which is a nice consolation for being beaten in the Golden Slipper, carrying prize money of $400,000 and $3300 in trophies. The colt was as green as his name suggests when he won on debut and again showed he still had plenty to learn in the Slipper, in which he ran a very respectable race for one so inexperienced finishing eighth to Sepoy. He has benefited greatly from his two outings and his work since has been extremely pleasing.  Hugh Bowman will be the jockey. Our only other runner at Randwick will be the promising filly Ardeche, who is to contest the James Carr Stakes, a 1400m Listed event for three-year-old fillies, run at set weights under penalty conditions, with Nicholas the rider.   Blake Spriggs has been engaged for each of two runners at the Newcastle meetings on Thursday and Kembla Grange on Saturday. At Newcastle he will handle Coustellet in a 1400m fillies and mares’ maiden plate and Jewelled Crown in the 1500m class 2 handicap. At Kembla his bookings are for Validated in a benchmark 65 over 1400m and Secret Scent who will start in a 1300m maiden for fillies and mares.   At Randwick (Kensington track) on Easter Monday Blake Spriggs will ride Halleys in a 1300m benchmark 80 while Corey Brown will be on Goldstone in the same race.   We’ve sent Sunday Rose back to Melbourne and she will saddle up in an 1100m race for mares at Caulfield on Saturday, when Ben Melham her rider. She has an outstanding record over the distance with two wins  and a second in the Silver Slipper Stakes to her credit and she showed she is close to her top with a pleasing barrier trial performance at Randwick last Monday week. There has been a pathetic lack of races over 1000m and 1100m for fillies and mares, both on the metropolitan and the provincial tracks on the local front.   We’ll have our first runner by Pendragon at Canterbury on Wednesday when Blazing Dragon debuts in a 1250m three-year-old and Hugh Bowman will be the jockey. Also at Canterbury Good View will continue his lead up to the Queensland Derby when he runs in a 1900m three-year-old benchmark 65 with Corey Brown the jockey, while Jim Cassidy will ride Kim Heaven in the same event.

WON’T BE IN THE SWIM 14th April 2011

A horror barrier draw (17) ended the plan for Bikini Star to show her form at Hawkesbury on Thursday. However we will have three runners at the meeting. Leti who will contest the 1800m maiden will provide some nostalgia for Corey Brown, who has been booked for the mount. He had a very successful association with Eremein, the half brother to Leti, winning the 2005 Rosehill Guineas – AJC Derby double on the colt. Eremein was an outstanding young stayer and, the following year, when Glen Boss had the mount, the BMW was added to his record. Our other runners will be Good View, who is to start in the 1600m maiden three-year-old, with Hugh Bowman the jockey and Gold World in the National Apprentices’ Series benchmark 65 over 1400m. Quite a lot of confusion was created over the programming of this race, with the late notification of the junior riders available. We were eventually allocated Taylor Lovelock- Wiggins to ride the daughter of Reset.   On Saturday at Randwick Corey Brown has been engaged for Big Storm, who is showing a good deal of promise, in the 1400m Pacific Classic and Goldstone is also to contest the race with Luke Nolen the rider. Brown will also be on Empress Rock, who looked good in winning before stepping up to the top draw in the Golden Slipper. She is to start in the Listed Keith MacKay, a 1200m quality race for two year old fillies and the drop in class will allow her to show something like her pre- Slipper win indicated. Michael Rodd has been booked for Latin News when he contests the benchmark 95 over 1400m. In the same race Daniel Ganderton will be on another of our very promising candidates, Mr Edison. Salade, another who looked outstanding when he was successful at his debut but then took on the topliners in the Golden Slipper and wasn’t disgraced in finishing eighth, will saddle up in the 1600m Fernhill Handicap, which was won with Kudakulari last year and Brown will also be on him. The colt, who has been very green in his two runs, will have a change of gear, with the removal of blinkers.   A 1200m benchmark 60 handicap for fillies and mares has been marked for Jewelled Crown at Saturday’s Kembla Grange fixture and Blake Spriggs has been engaged for the ride.   Procyon, an impressive Randwick barrier trial winner early in the week is to run at Canterbury on Wednesday next, lining up in a colts and geldings three-year-old maiden plate over 1200m. At the Canterbury meeting we’ll also have Scarlet Miss in the corresponding class race for fillies and In Excess contesting a 1250m two-year-old for non- metropolitan winners.

FILLY COULD BE STREETS AHEAD 7th April 2011

We’ll have one runner at the Wyong meeting on Thursday when Union Street contests a 2100m maiden plate. There are nine acceptors and five are three-year-old fillies. Union Street has had only three runs and showed staying should be her forte with a second over the Wyong distance at Gosford last start. Her bloodlines indicate a bright future is on the cards in staying events as she is by Universal Prince, the 2001 AJC Derby winner and her half brother was Viewed, the ill fated Melbourne Cup winner of 2008 and 2009 Caulfield Cup winner. Blake Spriggs will be the filly’s rider.   At Canterbury on Friday night we had five representatives scheduled to start, however two of these (Bikini Star and Gold World) were balloted out. In the listed PJ Bell Stakes for three-year-old fillies Ardeche, a last start winner on the course, will be handled by Brad Pengelly. Secret Scent will be our runner in the 1100m three-year-old maiden plate and Michael Rodd will be the rider with Hugh Bowman booked for Aegean in the 1250m two-year-old maiden handicap.   With Nicholas Hall required for mounts at Flemington on Saturday, Steven Arnold will take over I Think I Do, who is going great guns, in Saturday’s Gr1 AJC Derby at Randwick. Our representative in the Gr3 Adrian Knox Stakes will be Kim Heaven (Jim Cassidy) while Hugh Bowman has taken the ride on Empire’s Choice in the Doncaster Prelude and Corey Brown will be on one of our main hopes for the day, the Canberra Guineas winner Kudakulari in the Carbine Stakes. Our other runner at Randwick will be Do You Think, who is also primed to make a bold showing in the Gr1 Sires’ Produce Stakes after his two superlative wins from his only starts. We were looking for a big performance from the colt in the Golden Slipper but he was drawn as the reserve and didn’t get into the field. He was compensated by impressively winning the 1400m Gr3 Baillieu handicap on the same day.   Fourteen runners are to contest Monday’s Randwick barrier trials with the best known being Sunday Rose, Big Storm, Goldstone and Halleys.

SALADE MAY BE PART OF A THREE COURSE MEAL 31st March 2011

Salade displayed ability well above average at his only raceday appearance and is facing a very daunting task on Saturday, when he faces up to a classy field in the Golden Slipper Stakes at Rosehill. However we’ll be surprised if he doesn’t make a bold bid in a race which is worth $3.5 million stakes money and $32,500 in trophies. However, while he has been the major focus of our unprecedented three runners who have won at their lone starts, the other pair are capable of figuring in the giant prizemoney split up. Do You Think still has to emerge from the shadows, as he is drawn as the reserve, but both he and Empress Rock were most impressive in their debut wins and it’s not the practice of the stable to back young ‘uns up so quickly unless they have done very well after their wins and such is the case with this pair. Luke Nolen, who will take over from Corey Brown on Salade, is riding as well as any other jockey in the land while Michael Rodd (Empress Rock) and Do You Think’s rider, Steven Arnold are both cool and confident “big eventers”. If Do You Think fails to gain a Golden Slipper berth he’ll start in the 1400m Gr3 Schweppervesence and his rider in that race will be Hugh Bowman. Kerrin McEvoy has been booked for Lain News in the Sebring Stakes, an 1100m Gr3 and Nicholas Hall for I Think I Do in the 2000m Gr2 Tulloch Stakes.   We have one runner to start at the Kembla Grange meeting on Saturday when Mevelo River runs the 1400m maiden for colts, entires and gelding and Blake Spriggs has been engaged for the ride.

GOOD VIEW SURVEYS THE FUTURE 24th March 2011

Good View will make his return to racing at Thursday’s Wyong meeting contesting the 1350m maiden. He will be handled by Blake Spriggs.   Sunday Rose and Halleys are the most prominent of our nine entrants for the Randwick barrier trials on Friday. The remainder of the team include unraced two-year-olds. Friday night at Moonee Valley, Show Dancer will tackle the marathon 3000m Stayers Challenge Final with Chris Symons his rider.   Salade will go into the deep end at Saturday’s Rosehill meeting when he makes his debut against the Golden Slipper contenders in the 1200m  G2 Pago Stakes. He is bred to be a speedster with his sire Snitzel winning the 2004 Breeders’ Plate and 2006 Oakleigh Plate, before a close second to Takeover Target in the Newmarket. Kim Heaven is to run in the 1800m G3 Keith Nolan Classic. It was to have been run over 1600m at its original venue Kembla Grange and not all trainers with candidates were consulted regarding the increased distance. Kim Heaven will be ridden by Hugh Bowman.   We’ll have three runners at Newcastle on Saturday and Blake Spriggs will ride them. Pegembak is in an 1850m benchmark 65,  Leti a 1500m maiden plate for fillies and mares and Dreamcoat will run in a 1200m maiden.   At Sunday’s Warwick Farm meeting Daniel Ganderton will be the rider of Mr Edison when he steps out in a 1300m benchmark 90. A very interesting runner will be Empress Rock whose dam, Empress Jade is a half sister to the Hong King flyer Silent Witness, one of the fastest sprinters in the world in recent times. She has shown the family speed in two trials and Hugh Bowman who rode her will have the mount at the farm in a 1000m non metropolitan win race for two-year-old fillies.   Javasea is to contest a benchmark75 over 1100m on the Kensington track on Wednesday and Big Storm in either a 1400m benchmark 75 against older horses or a 1300m benchmark 75 against three-year-olds. Last start Newcastle winner Excelsis Deo will run in a 2500m benchmark 70 to race with Corey Brown his rider.   Consistent middle distance performer Markab will have his next start at Sandown next Wednesday in a 2100m rating 78 handicap.

AWAITING AN ANSWER 17th March 2011

Do You Think who has shown some ability gets the chance to display it at Canterbury on Friday night in the 1100m two-year-old for non metropolitan winners, in which Hugh Bowman will be the rider. We have five runners scheduled to run at the meeting. Bowman will also ride Gold World in the 1200m benchmark 70 for fillies and mares, when she clashes with Ardeche ridden by Brad Pengelly. Markab (Hugh Bowman) is to start in the 1900m benchmark75 and we have a Rock Of Gibraltar three-year-old, Mevelo River, making his debut in the three-year-old colts and geldings of 1250m for non metropolitan winners and he will be ridden by Corey Brown.   Moonee Valley will also be the scene of action on Friday night with Kim Divine and I Think I Do to contest the 2040m Alister Clark Stakes, over the Cox Plate course. It’s a Group 2 event for three-year-old entires and geldings and carries the healthy stake of $200,000 and $4,000 in trophies. Steven Arnold has been booked to ride Kim Divine and Nicholas Hall will be on I Think I Do.   At the Rosehill meeting the following day Empires Choice will contest the Canterbury Stakes and Hugh Bowman has also been engaged for him. The horse was to have run in the Group 3 Newmarket at Newcastle on Thursday but plans were hastily changed when he drew off the course in the 1400m listed handicap and the Rosehill sprint dropped away so dramatically in numbers. He only has to complete the course to earn $3500 “appearance” money while figuring in the placings would pocket a very handy bonus. The stable’s other runner at Rosehill will be Lain News, who was out of luck when he made his return to Sydney last start and a recapture of something like his best in the Listed Maurice McCarten Stakes of 1100m is on the cards. Kerrin McEvoy will be his rider.   The following day Kim Heaven will head to Kembla Grange for the 1600m Keith Nolan Classic for fillies and Brad Pengelly will be the rider, while apprentice Blake Spriggs has the mount on Jewelled Crown in the 1500m class 2.   At Warwick Farm next Wednesday (23rd March) the stable will have several runners. These will include Javasea in a 1300m benchmark 75, Validated (Blake Spriggs) in a 1600m benchmark 70 for apprentice riders, Good View in a 1400m three-year-old maiden plate and Aegean along with stablemate Bikini Star in a 1200m two-year-old maiden handicap.   Precedence, who had to do plenty of work from his wide barrier in the Australian Cup has been sent out for a spell.

CUP TO TAKE PRECEDENCE 10th March 2011

We’re looking to Precedence to put another cup on the mantelpiece at Flemington on Saturday. We’ve been fortunate to win the Melbourne Cup 12 times but have gone one better in the Australian Cup, bagging 13 so far and Sirmione, the 2008 winner, going under by a nose to Zipping a year ago. Precedence has come through his preparation for this $1m weight for age event in apple pie order and topped it off strong, finishing second to Heart Of Dreams a fortnight ago in the G2 SWFA 1800m St. George Stakes. With Steven Arnold to ride we have the right jockey to ensure he is given every chance. The 2009 AJC Derby winner, Roman Emperor, who hasn’t raced since last year’s BMW, will make his reappearance in the 1400m listed TAB Jackpot Birthday Stakes over 1400m and Arnold will also ride him.   At the Hawkesbury meeting on Thursday we’ll have two runners. Pegembak is to run in the 1600m maiden and Brad Pengelly will be the rider while Bikini Star will saddle up in the 1400m two-year-old handicap.   The following day Union Street will be our sole representative at Gosford, contesting a 2100m maiden with Blake Spriggs the rider.   Goldstone, who was balloted out of the Australian Guineas at Flemington last week after being drawn as a first emergency, is back home to run in the Randwick Guineas at Warwick Farm on Saturday. Brad Pengelly has been engaged for the ride. Big Storm will also be a runner, resuming in the listed Eskimo Prince Stakes for three-year-olds over 1200m, his first start since a win at Randwick last August.   We’ve always had an opinion of Kudakulari, an impressive winner of the Fernhill handicap last autumn but disappointing in Melbourne in the spring. However not much significance can be attached to his failure in the Victoria Derby as it was run on a very heavy track and he didn’t go a yard on it. He has been gelded since that campaign and has been pleasing in his present preparation. He will resume in the Listed Canberra Guineas for three-year-olds over 1400m on Sunday and Corey Brown has been booked to ride him. The race carries prizemoney of $100,000 with trophies worth $1,550.   Two stable reps are scheduled to run at the Bendigo meeting on Wednesday. Friend In Deed (Steven Arnold) is to start in a 1000m maiden and Show Dancer (Luke Nolan), a last start third, in a 0-68 handicap. By Zabeel Show Dancer should be suited by the 2400m on the roomy track.   Empires Choice and Brightnight are to have a 1200m exhibition gallop after the second race at Warwick Farm on Saturday.

LOOKING “A HEAD” 3rd March 2011

The stable have two runners at the Wyong meeting on Thursday. Jewelled Crown will be handled by Blake Spriggs when she contests the 1350m class 2 for fillies and mares and Brad Pengelly has the ride on Expeditious, in the maiden handicap over 1600m.   We’ll have a much healthier representation at the Randwick barrier trials on Friday and some of the horses we are looking toward for strong autumn campaigns will show their paces. Among them are Kudakulari, Empire’s Choice, Big Storm, Mr Edison, Cosmo King, Ardeche and Do You Think. Ardeche who shows a lot of potential and went very well in a previous trial will be closely monitored while Do You Think has already commanded plenty of attention. Originally quite cleverly named Ingham because of the breeding (Starcraft x Chickens) it was considered inappropriate in some quarters and the name had to be changed. Not so for Mr Edison whose naming was also the result of plenty of thought as he is by Fantastic Light.   At Saturday’s Warwick Farm meeting we’ll have Kim Heaven running in the Surround Stakes and it’s an engagement she shouldn’t be forced to fulfill. We have to reluctantly start her and, although it’s worth a healthy $200,000 it’s a Gr 2 and there should be other easier races for her or other three-year-old fillies in her class in Sydney – the result of inept and disgraceful programming. It is an indictment on the local programming, which is very much inferior to what is offered in placing second tier three-year-old fillies in Melbourne at this time of year.   The reappearance of Latin News in a benchmark 95 over 1100m at Warwick Farm will also be studied with plenty of interest. He looked very good in the earlier part of his career but he didn’t have much luck in several of his races and he didn’t appreciate the firm tracks in a number of others. Although he has some failures against his record he has always displayed a lot of ability and may measure up to his  earlier promise this campaign. He will go into this race, a benchmark 95 over 1100m, with a barrier trial win under his belt and with Blake Spriggs 2 kg allowance he comes in well at the weights.   Three horses will go to Newcastle on Saturday and Daniel Ganderton has been booked for two of the trio. Leti, a half sister to the 2005 AJC Derby and Rosehill Guineas winner Eremein, will start in a 1300m maiden plate for fillies and mares and Excelsis Deo in the 1850m maiden plate . Lordship, a son of Danehill Dancer  also runs in the 1850m maiden.   At Canterbury’s Wednesday meeting we have Hugh Bowman booked to ride Markab in the 1900m benchmark 75 and Corey Brown has taken the mount on Dreamcoat in the 1100m maiden for three-year-old fillies.  Validated is to contest the 1550m event for one metropolitan winners and Bikini Star the two year old maiden of 1200m.

OUR LOCAL ANCHOR 24th February 2011

Javasea will line up again at the Kensington track meeting on Friday, when his target will be a 1400m benchmark 75 with High Bowman booked for the ride. We are also hoping Validated will secure a run in the same race and that will be our only representation in Sydney this weekend. Validated is the first emergency.   The stable will have five runners to step out at Caulfield on Saturday. In the weight-for-age Gr 2 St George Stakes over 1800m and worth $200,000 Precedence and Faint Perfume will be runners, with Steven Arnold booked for Precedence and Ben Melham to handle Faint Perfume. Corey Brown has taken the ride on the highly promising Kim Divine, who will contest the Autumn Classic, another 1800m Gr 2 and Steven Arnold will be on I Think I Do in the same event. Our other runner at Caulfield will be Goldstone, who has done very well during the week and will back up after a performance which was better than it looked on paper at Flemington a week ago. He will contest the three-year-old Super Vobis Stakes over 1200m with penalties and allowances. Michael Rodd who rode him last week, has taken the mount again.   Jason Lee will be on our two runners at Kembla Grange on Saturday – Pegembak in a 1300m maiden plate for entires, colts and geldings and Union Street in a maiden of 1500m.   On the Kensington track on Wednesday Breeze Up (Corey Brown) is to run in a 1550m benchmark 70 and Gold World, in similar class but over 1400m for fillies and mares.

LORDSHIP TAKES ROYALTY TO HAWKESBURY 17th February 2011

Lordship and Shuswap will fly the stable flag on Thursday when they saddle up at the Hawkesbury meeting. Shuswap, by Pins and will debut in the 1300m two-year-old Maiden and Hugh Bowman has been booked for the role. Tommy Berry has the mount on Lordship, who will be having his second start when he contests the 1600m 3yo maiden plate.   We’ll saddle up one runner at the Canterbury meeting on Friday night with Kim Heaven to have her initial outing in the maiden handicap for three-year-old fillies, over 1250m.  Hugh Bowman will ride the daughter of Shamardal.   The handy 3yo Goldstone, whose spring form in the Flemington Carbine Club Stakes indicated a bright future this autumn will resume in the 1400m Group 3 Colin Hayes Stakes at Flemington on Saturday and Michael Rodd has taken the ride. We’ll also saddle up Show Dancer, who has shown promise in the staying department, in the rating 0-89 Gurner’s Lane Handicap with Clare Lindop to ride. The race is over 1700m and it will be his second run this time in while at Newcastle the same day Jewelled Crown will reappear after spell over 1200min a Class 2 Handicap with Grant Buckley her rider.   One of our team of 16 who will be saddled up for Monday’s Barrier trials at Randwick will be the now gelded Kudakulari for whom we had high hopes of classic honors in the spring.  After his good autumn form, which included an attractive win in the 1600m Fernhill Handicap he didn’t show his best in Melbourne but has progressed well since returning and the autumn may be his time again this preparation. Others who will shape up at the trials will be Latin News, who raced well in Brisbane in the winter but had a subsequent lapse of form in the Melbourne spring, Mr Edison and Ardeche. Ardeche’s winter form which included a Canterbury win which earned a trip to Brisbane where she raced well enough to pay her way and justify the trip.   Luke Currie has taken the ride on Friend In Deed in an 1100m maiden plate at the Kyneton meeting on Tuesday while at Canterbury the following day Bikini Star, by Starcraft and impressive in a couple of trial placings, willm her debut in a 2yo Fillies 1100m maiden handicap with Kerrin McEvoy her rider   In the race for apprentice riders at the meeting, a 1550m benchmark 70, Josh Adams has been booked for Markab, has previously been successful over the trip at Canterbury.

SWEET SMELL OF SUCCESS? 10th February 2011

Two of our big race winners in previous preparations will step into the spotlight for the first time after beneficial spells at the Caulfield meeting on Saturday, which ushers in attractive prizemoney on offer during the autumn in Melbourne and Sydney.   Faint Perfume, win of the VRC Oaks and the top three-year-old filly of her season and Precedence, a Moonee Valley Cup winner will start their ambitious campaigns in the G1 SWFA CF Orr Stakes, a weight-for-age race which carries prize money of $400,000 as well as $2000 in trophies.   Although both are more at home over longer trips than the 1400m both have been going along nicely in their preparations and are up to sprinting well fresh.   The highly promising son of Redoute’s Choice.  I Think I Do, who finished fifth on a bog track at Randwick in November after sound Warwick Farm win , is also to run.  He’ll contest the Autumn Stakes, a Group 2 over 1400m for three-year-old fillies.   A daughter of Starcraft Bikini Star has shown plenty of ability in a couple of trials and Brad Pengelly will be the jockey when she makes her race debut at Randwick on Saturday in the Listed Maiden Stakes (1100m) for 2 year old fillies.   Three horses will make the trip to Kembla Grange on Saturday with Daniel Ganderton to ride Excelsis Deo in the 1400m maiden handicap and Lordship, who will contest the maiden plate over 1600m.  Jewelled Crown resumes in a 1300m Benchmark 60 Handicap with Peter Wells her rider.   At Wednesday’s meeting on the Kensington track we have four horses scheduled to run.   Breeze Up is in a 1400m Benchmark 70 for 4 year-old and up and Artistic a three-year-old benchmark 70, both races over 1400m.   Royal Feeling’s race is a maiden plate of 1800m, and Gold World’s a 1550m benchmark 75 for fillies and mares.   While many trainers have expressed their praise for the benchmark system we’ve found it hard to compare the assessments of many horses compared with the way they would have been treated by the handicappers in Melbourne, which also has a wider variety in programming.    In several cases it would have been in the interests of the horses to send them south, where more suitable races for their classes would have been available.

TRIAL TEAM SHAPE UP FOR AUTUMN 3rd February 2011

Our biggest contingent for the week will be at the Randwick Trials on Tuesday 8 February when we expect to saddle up 14 runners in the heats. One who will be watched with interest is Kudakulari, who hasn’t raced since his failure in the Victoria Derby last spring but there were excuses for his failure in the classis.   His rider, Steven Arnold summed up the performance when he said “He couldn’t get a grip on the heavy track.  The wheels were spinning and he just wasn’t able to pick up any momentum”. Kudakulari was one of our big spring hopes after he showed enormous potential in the autumn, staging a strong win in the 1600m Fernhill Handicap prior to a very good run in the Golden Rose when finishing sixth. He was gelded after his Victorian spring campaign and the early ability he showed may now be fully realised.   Mixing distances hadn’t been too much of a concern for Kim Divine who is racing in tip top form and should again make an impression at Canterbury on Friday night.  He is to shape up to 1900m which should suit him down to the ground after his recent runs, which have provided a runner up tag over 1800m and a strong finishing win, after dropping back to 1550m.  Corey Brown has been booked for the ride.   The consistent Royal Feeling will attempt to break the ice, after a couple of recent placings, in a 1550m maiden plate.  Kerrin McEvoy has been engaged for the ride.   Validated will also be a runner at Canterbury, lining up in a 1250m benchmark 70 with Hugh Bowman accepting the mount.  Validated was responsible for a pretty nifty performance in coming from last to win a race at Hawkesbury a couple of preparations ago and he has had the benefit of two recent barrier trial hit outs.   We’ll have two runners at Randwick on Wednesday when the Kensington track will be the venue.  Markab will be our rep, in a benchmark 70 with Nash Rawiller to ride and Union Street, a half sister to Melbourne Cup winner ‘Viewed’ to make her race debut in a 1300m 3 year old fillies maiden with Brad Pengelly her rider.   Mr Gold (Steven Arnold) resumes from a spell at Ballarat on Thursday in a 1200m 3 year old Maiden Plate.  Mr Gold touches the tape at a conservative 17 hands and hasn’t raced since finishing a creditable fifth in a race at Warwick Farm last July and was subsequently gelded.   We’ll have at the Ballarat meeting is Show Dancer and the rider will be Steven Arnold, who qualifies for the heavyweight division.  Bred in the purple Show Dancer is by Zabeel from a Danehill mare and is in a 1400m benchmark 62 of 1400m

ARTISTIC TO APPEAR ON STAGE 27th January 2011

We’ll saddle up a runner at the Ballarat at meeting on Thursday with Steven Arnold booked to handle Friend In Deed, by Exceed And Excel, in the 1000m maiden plate. While earlier in the day on Thursday we’ll saddle up 13 runners in the Randwick trials but there are no high profile performers in the lineup. The only winners amongst them are Jewelled Crown and Validated. The following night at the Canterbury fixture, Artistic will step into the spotlight with a maiden plate over 1250m the goal and Hugh Bowman the rider. We’ll have two runners at the meeting with Corey Brown being engaged for the other, Kim Divine, who will be hard to beat in the 1550m benchmark 65 for three year olds.   Another booking for Corey Brown is Javasea, who will run in a benchmark 80 over 1400m at Saturday’s meeting while at Warwick Farm on Wednesday, Wild Oats is scheduled to start in a 1600m benchmark 70 and Gold World (Hugh Bowman) in a race of the same class, for fillies and mares.

WINDING UP FOR A WIN 20th January 2011

Around The Clock will get the chance to break into the winning list when she goes to Newcastle on Saturday. Her mission will be a fillies and mares’ maiden, run over 1400m. She’ll be our only runner at the weekend, with no representative to line up at the Rosehill meeting.   Our next engagement will be at Warwick Farm on Australia Day, next Wednesday. Lordship will make his debut in the 1400m event for three-year-olds who haven’t won a race in the metropolitan area while Breeze Up is to start in the 1400m benchmark 70.   A busier day awaits on Thursday week (27th January) when barrier trials will be held at Randwick and we expect to have up to 12 runners. However at the moment, there aren’t any who are well known. The line up comprises of four unraced two-year-olds, five three-year-olds and two older horses with Validated the only city winner.

A “RELATIVELY” LOW MISSION FOR SIBLING 13th January 2011

A Gosford class 1 will be the target for Sibling at the meeting there on Thursday with Tim Clark booked for the ride. The race is for entires and geldings and will be run over 1100m.   The following night we’ll have a team of four in action at the Canterbury fixture and two are in the same race. With the 1550m maiden restricted to apprentices we’ve been able to secure the services of two highly competent young horsemen, the leading junior Tommy Berry for Think Of Me and Josh Adams for Wild Oats. Hugh Bowman will handle our other two representatives – Gold World, who will run in the benchmark 70 of 1200m for fillies and mares and Pius Touch, who will saddle up in the three-year-old colts and geldings maiden of 1100m.   At the Rosehill meeting on Saturday Steven Arnold has been snapped up for Yaqubi, our runner in the 1900m benchmark 75. While Angelican who will be in the 1500m for three-year-olds, will be ridden Brad Pengelly.   We also have a starter at the Kembla Grange meeting with Coustellet to line up in a 2000m maiden. Jeff Penza will be the jockey.   Wednesday’s meeting will be on Randwick’s Kensington track and we have four horses scheduled to start. James Winks has been engaged for Markab in a 1300m benchmark 70 and Around The Clock in the 1550m three-year-old maiden. Royal Feeling, who finished a sound third last start is also to run in the 1550m three-year-old maiden while Kim Divine, also responsible for a great run last start, is to contest the three-year-old benchmark 70 over 1800m with Corey Brown the jockey.

HOPING TO HAVE THE BREEZE BEHIND THEM 6th January 2011

Breeze Up and Joe Blow will be looking for a tail wind to steer them in the right direction at Randwick on Saturday. However our other runner will be heading forward with a degree of confidence and the wind behind him. Think Ahead who, despite some inexperience showed plenty of ticker in scoring over 1900m at Canterbury last start is to attempt to rack up another quick win when he starts in the benchmark 75 for three-year-olds. He has come back to the slightly shorter trip of 1800m and the rise from maiden company but that should be countered by the fact he’ll be much better suited on the vastly roomier Randwick track, with the meeting to be held on the course proper and the Canterbury win will have given him more confidence. Corey Brown has been booked to handle Joe Blow and Think Ahead while Tim Clark will have the mount on Breeze Up.   We’ll have triallers taking part at the Warwick Farm heats on Monday and some of them have been showing signs of getting into the money before long. They include Lordship who’ll show his best when he starts getting to a bit of distance, Artistic, Warwarick, and Markab.   At next Wednesday’s Warwick Farm meeting Javasea will be our sole representative, contesting a benchmark 70 over 1400m with Hugh Bowman his rider.

HOLIDAY TIME IS OVER 30th December 2010

Markab will make an appearance at Thursday’s Randwick barrier trials, after being off the scene since July, when he was a winner at Canterbury. We expect to have five runner in the heats, including the Shamardal three-year-old colt Artistic which has only raced once.   One representative will carry the stable flag at Gosford on Friday, where Think Of Me will start in a 1600m maiden with Kathy O’Hara booked for the ride.   We’ll also have only one runner at the Randwick meeting on Saturday with Kerrin McEvoy to handle Yaqubi in a benchmark 80 over 2400m.   Jewelled Crown, who has had a beneficial spell, will trial at Rosehill on Tuesday, as will a very interesting colt called Polish. Polish certainly has the bloodlines to make it on the racetrack. His dam, Pure Grace, is out of All Grace, the dam of one of the stable’s greatest gallopers in Saintly.   On the Kensington track on Wednesday we expect to have six runners. Kim Divine and Coustellet are in the 1800m maiden plate with Nash Rawiller booked for Kim Divine and Tim Clark, Coustellet. Gold World will run in the benchmark 70 of 1300m, Pius Touch (Tim Clark) who is due to clash with Around The Clock (Glyn Schofield) in the 1300m three-year-old maiden handicap and Royal Feeling (Tim Clark) who is in the benchmark 65 for three-year-olds over 1550m.

CHASING A WIN-D 23rd December 2010

We’re hoping Breeze Up has the wind behind him at Randwick on Sunday when he has his sails set in benchmark 85 over 1400m. Christian Reith has been booked for the ride and the jockey certainly has been breezing along in fine style lately. We have two options with Breeze Up, the second being a 1550m benchmark 75 at the Canterbury meeting on Wednesday if he fails to gain a start in Sunday’s race. Joe Blow and Yaqubi are in the 1800m benchmark 85 on Sunday and Brad Pengelly has been engaged for Yaqubi. Joe Blow has become the real “knock” horse of most critics lately but he’s holding his condition and is quite capable of delivering a knockout “blow” when it’s least expected. At Randwick last week he looked like getting into the fight 200m from home, when he made up a lot of ground along the inside rail, but it wasn’t the place to be and he’s a horse who likes the wide open spaces and wide out was the best part of the track. In the 1600m three-year-old benchmark 75 we’ll be represented by the promising Zaamore, with the in form Christian Reith to ride.   At Sunday’s Caulfield meeting Tamanu Park (Michelle Payne) is in the 2400m benchmark 0-82 handicap but he is also in a benchmark 72 over a similar distance at Bendigo on Wednesday 29th December. He’ll be accepted for both races and a decision on which race he runs in will be made after perusal of each relevant race field.   Who could have arranged a better chance of saddling up a more appropriate three representatives at Canterbury on Wednesday – three days after the start of the Sydney to Hobart Yacht race? As well as possibly Breeze UP we have Javasea who trialled nicely and is first up in a 1200m benchmark 70 and Wild Oats who will be ridden by in form jockey Tim Clark in the 1550m benchmark 75.

AROUND THE CLOCK ON LATE SHIFT 16th December 2010

Around The Clock will be one of two runners we’ll saddle up at Canterbury's Friday nights meeting and Glynn Schofield will have the mount. Around The Clock, a three-year-old by Galileo, has yet to race but has shown promise in her work and filling the role of runner-up in a barrier trial, behind a subsequent winner in Squamosa. Friday night’s race will be a 1250m Maiden Handicap. Our other runner under the lights will be Gold World, who will contest a Fillies and Mares benchmark 70, also over 1250m and Daniel Ganderton has been engaged for the ride, provided she gains a start as she has been drawn as the second emergency.   Joe Blow has been in the wars with a number of punters and critics as well but he has invariably run well on his home track and he’ll saddle up there again on Saturday. His race will be a 1600m benchmark 80 and Daniel Ganderton, who rode him when he ran second last start, will again be his rider. Also to run at Randwick will be Polar Circle and he will be handled by Tim Clark in the 2400m benchmark 80. Sibling and Royal Feeling will go to Kembla Grange on Saturday where Sibling is to start in a 1400m benchmark 65 and Royal Feeling a 1500m maiden. Dale Spriggs will ride both.   Three stablemates are due to step out at the Rosehill barrier trials on Tuesday. Kim Divine will gain more experience after running into some traffic problems and jumping a crossing at Hawkesbury last start while Lordship, a three-year-old colt by Danehill Dancer, has yet to race, as has Warwarick, a four year-old mare by High Chaparral.   At Canterbury’s Wednesday meeting a 1900m benchmark 70 is the target for Suyama while Angelican and Procyon are in a 1550m maiden. We also have two horses in the 1250m for three-year-old non metropolitan winners – Pius Touch and Columbiad while three are scheduled to clash in the 1900m three-year-old maiden. They are Loxley, Think Ahead and Coustellet.

DECEMBER THE RIGHT TIME TO BE IN THE FESTIVE SPIRIT 9th December 2010

We had some luck with Corey Brown at Rosehill on Wednesday and we’ll be sticking with him at Randwick on Friday when they race on the Kensington track. We’ve booked him for the ride on Angelican in the 1400m benchmark 65 for three-year-olds while Brenton Avdulla has been engaged for Suyama in the 1800m event for non metropolitan winners.   At the Rosehill meeting on Saturday Brenton Avdulla, who is riding as well as anyone, will attempt to turn around the form of Sir James when he handles him in the 2000m benchmark 80. Yaqubi runs in the benchmark 85 over 1500m and Hugh Bowman will be his rider.   At Hawkesbury on Sunday Kim Divine and Think Of Me are in the 1600m maiden Plate, with Brenton Avdulla booked for Kim Divine. The following day we have six to trial at Warwick Farm, including Javasea.   An appropriate named pair, Wild Oats and Breeze Up are to run at the Kensington track meeting on Wednesday next and both show promise, particularly Wild Oats who is sailing close to a win. The pair take on a 1400m maiden while Star Of Arathea, by Starcraft will contest a 1300m benchmark for fillies and Royal Feeling a similar class 1550m event for three-year-olds.   Incidentally the AJC didn’t don the red suit and white whiskers with their “Christmas handout” of prizemoney for the split up over the Christmas weekend. With Christmas Day on Saturday they were able to give themselves a $210,000 “stocking” in prizemoney from that meeting which would have been distributed had it been a race day. The Christmas spirit would have been appreciated by all with runners on Sunday, the feature Summer Cup meeting, had the prizemoney in store been added to that fixture. Prizemoney for non-feature races on this day has been advertised as $40,000 per race, well short of the $70,000 per race paid for normal Saturday races conducted in the Sydney metropolitan area.

WEATHER TO DECIDE “WHETHER” OR NOT 2nd December 2010

The continued spell of wet track conditions will have a major bearing on stable plans over the coming days. The Randwick barrier trials which have been cancelled on Friday have now been re-scheduled for Monday 6th December.   We have nominated Do You Think, Purple Cape, Javasea and Around The Clock for the trials and some interest will centre on the appearance of Do You Think. A son of Starcraft he was originally named Ingham – quite appropriate when his dam’s name is Chickens but that wasn’t considered any “yolk” in some quarters and a subsequent protest against the name being approved, was upheld. Do You Think will be handled by Hugh Bowman.   We have a limited lineup at the Rosehill meeting on Saturday. Our presently scheduled runners are Procyon, in the 1500m benchmark 75 for three-year-olds and Star Ripper, who is in the 2000m welter. Tommy Berry has been engaged for Procyon while Christian Reith will be on Star Ripper.   At Kembla Grange Columbiad steps out in a 1200m entires and gelding maiden plate. Think Of Me will run in a 1600m maiden and Coustellet a 1400m maiden for three-year-olds. Dale Spriggs has been engaged for the trio.   We’ll also have a runner south of the border, with Tamanu Park, a winner at Geelong two starts back, to contest a 62 rating over 2000m.   The following day Sibling will head to Wyong for a 1200m entires and geldings and Hugh Bowman has taken the ride.   In contrast to this weekend a team of eight are scheduled to line up at Rosehill this Wednesday. Polar Circle who missed a run at the Canterbury meeting on Wednesday because of the track conditions, will now saddle up in a 2000m race for the winner of one metropolitan event with Corey Brown the rider. Brown has also been booked for the in form Divya in the 1350m benchmark 70 for fillies and mares and Loxley in the 1800m maiden for three-year-olds. Think Ahead and Kim Divine are also to run in this race. James Winks will be on Think Ahead and Hugh Bowman has the mount on Kim Divine. In the 1200m three-year-old for non-metropolitan winners we’ll be represented by Pius Touch (Tim Clark), while Zaamore, responsible for a real eye-catching last and off the track runner-up debut, will attempt to go one better in the maiden plate of 1500m. Our other runner will be Scarlet Miss, who is nominated in the 1500m maiden plate and also the three-year-old maiden, over 1800m maiden. A decision will be made prior to acceptances as to which race she will contest.

HALLEYS SET TO SAIL AGAIN 25th November 2010

We’ll have a very light representation at Randwick on Saturday, where four runners are scheduled to start on the Randwick  Kensington track and one at Newcastle.   Apprentice Josh Adams has been engaged to ride Halleys when she takes off in the 1550m benchmark 80 for fillies and mares and he’ll also have the mount on Sir James when he contests the 1800m benchmark 85. In this event he will lock horns with stablemate Joe Blow, whose rider will be Daniel Ganderton. Joe Blow can be very disappointing if things don’t go his way but he continues to give the impression he has the shots in his locker and it’s only a matter of him consenting to fire to make his presence felt. Our other runner is Yaqubi which runs in a 1550m benchmark 85 handicap with Peter Robl his rider.   Our runner at Newcastle will be Wild Oats, who will line up in a 1200m maiden with Dale Spriggs given the job of breaking the ice for him.   At Canterbury on Wednesday Polar Circle, who is showing a distinct liking for the 1900m circuit there will go for his second success in a row over the course in a benchmark 70, with Corey Brown to ride. Two of his stablemates will also run at the meeting, Gold World in a 1200m benchmark 70 for fillies and mares and Breeze Up in a maiden plate over the same distance.

GRIFFON GETS ANOTHER GO 18th November 2010

Glyn Schofield will be back on Griffon when he steps out at the Rosehill meeting on Saturday and although the gelding has failed to win this preparation he has invariably tried hard and been around the place at the finish. He was beaten in the 1300m Listed Slimfit Cup at Hawkesbury but still ran on nicely in the final 200m. We’ll have only one other runner at Rosehill, with Star Ripper to saddle up for the benchmark 75 over 2000m. To offset the 59kg he would have had to carry, apprentice Taylor Lovelock-Wiggins has been booked for the ride and his 3kg allowance will be a logical advantage.   Three stable representatives will head for Kembla Grange on Saturday and Dale Spriggs will handle the trio. They will be headed by Sibling, who missed the start there last week and will now contest a 1200m class 1. Think Of Me in the 1600m maiden and Wild Oats in a 1200m maiden will be our other two runners.   Our sole runner at the Moonee Valley fixture will be Tamanu Park, to start in the 2040m benchmark 82 with Luke Nolen the jockey. Tamanu Perk didn’t have a lot to spare when he won at Geelong two weeks ago but he finished off in a manner indicating he has a staying future when taken along nice and patiently.   At Warwick Farm next Wednesday another who shows some staying promise and won quite impressively last start, Polar Circle, will step out again. He’ll contest a benchmark 75 and the 2400m should be tailor made for him. Divya will run in a benchmark 70 for fillies and mares over 1400m with Peter Robl her rider. We have four runners in the 1300m three-year-old maiden, Angelican, Royal Feeling, Zaamore and Zahar. A similar number will run in the three-year-old maiden plate of 1600m. They are Kim Divine (Hugh Bowman), Loxley (Corey Brown), Scarlet Miss (Peter Robl) and Procyon (Nash Rawiller).

MAY BE WORTH REMEMBERING 11th November 2010

At Moonee Valley Friday night Sunday Rose will contest an 89 benchmark over 1000m for mares and Jake Noonan, who will claim 2kg has been engaged for the ride. The same night we’ll have a much larger lineup with seven scheduled runners at the Canterbury meeting. Polar Circle and Kunoichi are both in the 1900m maiden with Hugh Bowman booked for Polar Circle and Tim Clark for Kunoichi. We’ll have another pair clashing in the 1550m three-year-old maiden plate, Daniel Ganderton will be the rider of Procyon and Nash Rawiller is on Think Ahead. Vilayet will run in a 1550m race for non-metropolitan winners, with Tim Clark to ride and Peter Robl will handle Sibling, drawn as third emergency, in the 1100m event for non-metropolitan winners. Our other runner will be Gold World, in the 1250m for fillies and mares who have not won more than one metropolitan race and Tim Clark has been engaged for the ride. Tolaga Bay will head our contingent at Friday morning's Randwick barrier trials where we’ll saddle up six, the majority  of them yet to race.   On Saturday we’ll have two runners at the Sandown meeting. Faint Perfume, who ran a very creditable race in the Queen’s Cup will attempt to pick up a worthwhile consolation prize. She will contest the 2400m  Caulfield Classic, a G2 standard weight for age event worth $350,000 in trophies and $1,000 in trophies. Our other starter will be Goldstone, to contest the G3 1600m Sandown Guineas. It’s another race worth $350,000 and $1,000 in trophies and both horses will be ridden by Michael Rodd.   At the Rosehill meeting we have five scheduled to run and a “mixed bag” of jockeys to handle them. Joe Blow will shape up in the 1800m benchmark 80, with Tim Clark his rider. Brenton Avdullah has the mount on Blessus in the 1200m open with a start depending on a reasonable surface, an unsuitable track responsible for him missing a recent run. Yaqubi’s race will be a 1500m benchmark 90, with Peter Robl the rider, while Hugh Bowman will be on the impressive last start winner and highly promising Shamash when he contests a benchmark 75of 1200m. Apprentice Josh Adams has the ride on Halleys when the mare saddles up in a 1400m benchmark 85.   At Kembla on Saturday Sibling will run in a 1300m handicap with Dale Spriggs his rider. While Think Of Me will contest the 1500m maiden with Grant Buckley on board.   At the Canterbury meeting next Wednesday we expect five to line up. Breeze Up is in a 1250m for non-metropolitan winners, Suyama a 1900m for non-metropolitan winners, Pius Touch a 1100m maiden and Coustellet contesting a 1200m for non-metropolitan winning three-year-old fillies, with stablemate Dreamcoat.

FAINT PERFUME REGAILY 4th November 2010

On Thursday our only runner at the Hawkesbury fixture is Griffon with Peter Robl to ride in the Listed 1300m Skinfit Cup.   Nine horses have been entered for Friday’s Warwick Farm barrier trials.  The most prominent of them are Wild Oats, Yaqubi, Tolaga Bay and Breeze Up.   Michelle Payne will attempt another group 1 win on Allez Wonder, on which she won her first in that category (when they took out the Toorak Handicap a year ago), in the Emirates Stakes at Flemington on Saturday. The 1600m quality, worth $1m and $5000 in trophies is the last of the features worth so much money, won’t be easy to win but, while the mare’s form isn’t quite as impressive as a year ago she’s fit, well and ready to run a strong race. Actually, she ran quite respectably last start despite a wide run. Faint Perfume, another who hasn’t found her true form this preparation, is in the 2500m Queen’s Cup and will be ridden by Michael Rodd.   At Saturday’s Randwick meeting we have Mr Edison and Star Ripper in the 2000m Benchmark 82, with Peter Robl booked to ride Star Ripper and Daniel Ganderton booked for the consistent and very much in form Mr Edison. Apprentice Josh Adams will ride Halley’s in the 1600m Fillies and Mares benchmark 80, reducing her weight from 58 to 56kg. Scarlet Miss (Peter Robl) will start in the 1400m benchmark 73, for 3 year old fillies, while I Think I Do will have Daniel Ganderton as the jockey in the 1600m 3 year old benchmark 73 while Suyama will run in a 1600m Benchmark 80.   We intend sending three to Newcastle for Saturday’s meeting.  Dale Spriggs is to ride Sibling in the 1200m class 1 entires, entires and gelding over 1200m while Vilayet (Dale Spriggs) is to start in the class 2 over 1850m and Procyon (Jon Grisedale) in the 1400m maiden for entires and geldings.

LONG WAIT WORTHWHILE? SO WE THINK 28th October 2010

A first up win after over a year off the scene is no small task but Shamash is capable of making a bold showing at Canterbury on Friday night. Shamash showed plenty when he last raced, finishing second to So You Think in a two-year-olds race at Rosehill and there’s no need to dwell on the subsequent deeds of his stablemate. Shamash has trialled since and although he wasn’t pushed out in the concluding stages, steamed to the post in very impressive fashion to win, which suggested he has his foot firmly on the till. Naturally he’ll be improved by Friday night’s outing but the trial suggested he’ll more than pay his way on his present campaign. Shamash is to run in a maiden over 1250m and the rider will be Hugh Bowman, who has also been booked to handle another runner at the meeting, Swift Judgment. Swift Judgment is also to contest the benchmark 69, 1550m for three-year-olds.   We’ll have strong representations at both Flemington and Rosehill on Saturday. At Flemington the most attention will naturally centre on So You Think when he contests the G1 Mackinnon Stakes with Steven Arnold his jockey, while his stablemate Faint Perfume will also have her final Melbourne Cup trial in the weight-for-age race. James Winks is to handle Faint Perfume. Steven will take over as the rider of Allez Wonder when she runs in the 1600m fillies and mares Myer Classic and Michael Rodd will be the jockey on Goldstone in the 1600m Carbine Club Stakes. It isn’t new for us to come out on the wrong side of the barrier draws and we haven’t been done any favours in the Victoria Derby, where bad barriers are dynamite with Cosmonaut drawing the outside. Kudakulari fared better drawing barrier 10. At the Rosehill meeting we’ll have three runners. In the 1200m open the ultra consistent Griffon will be ridden by Peter Robl, he has also been booked for the mount on Joe Blow in the 1900m benchmark 75. In the benchmark 75 Kathy O’Hara has been engaged for King’s Pride while our runner at the Newcastle meeting, Think Ahead, will be handled by Dale Spriggs in the three-year-old 1500m maiden.   While the attention will centre at Flemington on Tuesday we’ll saddle up a large team at the Randwick meeting. Visiting Melbourne rider, Dean Holland, will be up here and we’ve snapped him up for Scarlet Miss in the 1400m three-year-old maiden, in which we expect to have five representatives. The others are Loxley (Tim Clark), Royal Feeling (Kathy O’Hara), Kim Divine (Peter Wells) and Procyon (Daniel Ganderton). In the 1800m benchmark 70 Tim Clark has been engaged for Vilayet and he will also ride Angelican in the 1200m three-year-old non-metropolitan winners race, in which Raj Mahal will also saddle up, with Daniel Ganderton the jockey. Suyama will saddle up in a 1600m for non-metropolitan winners and he’ll be handled by Peter Wells who won on the horse recently at Newcastle. Peter Robl has been engaged for Divya in the fillies and mares benchmark 70 over 1400m. Flemington will naturally be the meeting in which our stable will command most attention on Tuesday but we’ll have an interest at Kembla Grange, although with runners not so high profile as those at the other meetings. Kunoichi will start in a 2000m maiden and Think Of Me in similar company over 1600m.   At Flemington on Cup day over four expected runners in the Melbourne Cup are So You Think ( Steven Arnold), Precedence (Blake Shinn), Faint Perfume (James Winks) and Dariana (Luke Nolen). Our other runners at the meeting will be Latin News (Steven Arnold) in a 1200m open sprint.

SO YOU THINK THERE’S A DIFFERENCE 21st October 2010

While So You Think will step out as favourite to win his second Cox Plate on Saturday at Moonee Valley, and emphasise the claim to be one of the best racehorses of the modern era, the same attention afforded him won’t be focussed on one of our runners at the Randwick barrier trials the previous day. Shamash is to contest a 1050m heat, in preparation for his first start since May of last year, at Rosehill when he finished second. The horse that beat him happened to be So You Think. That factor alone will ensure a lot of binoculars will be trained in his direction. We have 10 horses nominated for the heats, including Halley’s, Wild Oats and Breeze Up.   As well as So You Think (Steven Arnold), our Moonee Valley contingent will comprise of Precedence(Blake Shinn), in the Cathay Pacific Moonee Valley Cup, and the two three-year-olds, Cosmonaut and Kudakulari. Who are to clash in the AAMI Vase as their final test for the Victoria Derby a week later. Michael Rodd is to ride Cosmonaut and Steven Arnold will handle Kudakulari. Both have been pleasing in their preparations and Cosmonaut hasn’t been completely overshadowed in his work with So You Think around the Moonee Valley circuit.   At Rosehill we’ll have four runners with three of them clashing. In the benchmark 80 over 1800m Star Ripper will be ridden by Peter Robl, Sir James by Brad Pengelly and Daniel Ganderton has been booked for the consistent and last start winner Mr Edison. Indirect is in the 1200m benchmark 85 and the 80 benchmark over the same distance but restricted to fillies and mares.   At Thursday’s Hawkesbury meeting (21st October) Vilayet will start in a 1500m class 1 and Tim Clark will be the rider while, next Wednesday Secret Scent is to start in a 1250m three-year-old fillies event for non metropolitan winners. Polar Circle also runs on this day in a 1900m maiden.

NO TIME TO LINGER 14th October 2010

Faint Perfume, the champion filly of last season and winner of the G1 VRC Oaks, faces up to a tough task against the top stayers in Saturday’s Caulfield Cup. However she has come through a solid preparation and will stay in tip top shape for the toughest 2400m in the land. One of her keenest rivals will be stablemate Dariana, winner of the G1 QTC Derby in the winter and a mare who has also come through her lead up to this race without a hitch. With Glen Boss to ride Faint Perfume and Luke Nolen on Dariana the pair will have the services of two horsemen, each in his element in the big money races. We’re often out of luck with barrier draws in major races and it was pleasing to come up with the two mares drawn beside each other, Faint Perfume in seven and Dariana in eight. The application of blinkers should sharpen up Faint Perfume. Four other runners will face up at Saturday’s meeting. Goldstone is to run in the 1400m Gothic Stakes, a listed 1400m race for three-year-olds, colts and geldings and the rider will be Michael Rodd. In the G3 Betfair Stakes of 1400m Swick will have his second run after a lengthy break and will be handled by James Winks. Empires Choice will back up in the 2000m David Jones Cup, another G3, run under quality conditions and his rider will be Luke Nolen, while Sunday Rose will be handled by Hugh Bowman when she tackles the Pure Blonde Plate over 1100m for fillies and mares.   At Randwick on Saturday we have two runners in the City Tatt’s Lightning Stakes, a listed event over 1100m. Brad Pengelly has been engaged for the ride on Blessus and will oppose the consistent Griffon who deserves a win. Griffon’s rider will be Josh Adams. Mr Edison will also run contesting the 2000m benchmark 80 and Daniel Ganderton will be the jockey. In the 1600m benchmark 75 Swift Judgment will be our representative , unless adverse track conditions cause a change of plans. Kathy O’Hara will ride the colt.   We’ll have a four horse team in action at Saturday’s Newcastle meeting and Peter Wells will take the reins on the quartet. Suyama will run in a class 1 over 1500m, Think Of Me in a 1400m maiden plate for four-year-olds and upwards, Kunoichi in a maiden over 1850m and Think Ahead a 1400m three-year-old maiden.   On Tuesday we’ll have a runner at the Kyneton meeting, Tamanu Park saddling up in a 1450m class 1. Michelle Payne his rider.   Next Wednesday at Canterbury Tim Clark will be on Dreamcoat and Peter Robl Scarlet Miss, who are both in the 1250m benchmark 65 for three-year-old fillies and Robl will also ride Sibling in the benchmark 70, over 1250m. Gold World will be our other runner at the meeting, running in the benchmark 70 for fillies and mares, run over 1100m and Tim Clark has been booked for the mount.

ASTRONAUT READY TO FLY HIGH 7th October 2010

Our two Caulfield Guineas contenders, Cosmonaut and Kudakulari will be aiming for the stars when they line up in Saturday’s Caulfield Guineas but both have shown us enough to warrant a crack at a three-year-old race worth so much in prizemoney and prestige.  It carries a purse of $1m and $8000 in trophies, and untold value to their futures as stallion prospects and the stable has previously won it with Storm Queen, Kenmark, Alfa, God’s Own and Wonderful World.  Both colts have done exceptionally well in Melbourne and their work leading into this race has been very exciting.  We have two of the best riders to handle them, Steven Arnold on Kudukulari and Michael Rodd on Cosmonaut. The star of the team chasing the big spring prizes, So You Think, hasn’t put a foot wrong since he started his campaign and he’s rarin’ to go in the G1 SWFA Yalumba Stakes 2000m.  He is facing up to a small field and his form and appearance may have had a few sidestepping him.   Empire’s Choice, a class act and QTC Derby winner, will also run in the Yalumba and his last performance when 3rd in G1 George Main Stakes, indicated he was on track for a sound spring campaign.  He will also have the services of a champion jockey in Damien Oliver.   The successful team of Allez Wonder and Michelle Payne will attempt to put in a carbon copy when they combine in the G1 1600m Toorak Handicap, the race they took out for the stable a year ago.   We also have a strong hand in the feature staying race on the program when Precedence (Blake Shinn) attempts to ensure he lines up in the Caulfield Cup with his performance in the G2 2400m Herbert Power Stakes.  It’s a very important step toward the Caulfield Cup as the winner cannot be re-handicapped for that race and is exempt from elimination from Saturday week’s 2.5m event.   Griffon, who is close to a win, may barrier trial at Randwick on Friday and is also an acceptor for the Rosehill will be the deciding factor as to whether he lines up there or is reserved for the 1100m Lightning Stakes at the City Tatt’s Randwick meeting the following week.  Both sprints are over 1100m with the STC race being a benchmark 80 carrying prizemoney of $70,000 amd the Lightning worth $100,000.  Apprentice Kody Nestor has been booked for the Rosehill race to take advantage of his 3kg allowance.  Other riding engagements for Rosehill are Tim Clark for Joe Blow in the 1800m benchmark 80.  Daniel Ganderton for King’s Pride in the 1500m benchmark 80, Clark for Swift Judgement in the three-year-old benchmark 75 of 1400m. Procyon, will contest the same race as Swift Judgement and will be ridden by Peter Robl.   At Kembla Grange on Saturday we’ll have two runners.  Grant Buckley will ride Secret Scent in the 1000m maiden and apprentice Adam Hyeronimus, Vilayet in the 1400m class 1.    Tim Clark has been booked for Divya in the ‘1200m fillies and mares’ maiden at the Hawkesbury meeting on Sunday and on Wednesday next at Warwick Farm, he has accepted the rides, on Breccia in the 2400m benchmark 70 and Royal Feeling, who will line up in a 1300m three-year-old for fillies who have not won a metropolitan race.  He’ll also be on Kim Divine in the non metropolitan win for colts and geldings, over 1300m; Loxley (Hugh Bowman) ighruns in this race as well.  I Think I do will run in a 1600m three-year-old maiden plate.   At Caulfield the same day Latin News will have his second run after a length spell.  He was disappointing when he resumed in the very classy Manikato Stakes Moonee Valley behind Hay List but didn’t stretch out on a track which was too firm for his liking.  Steven Arnold will again be his rider.

DON’T FORGET – THINK OF ME 30th September 2010

With no runners at Randwick on Saturday our concentration will be on Newcastle Saturday and Flemington Sunday, with the meeting transferred due to the re-scheduled AFL Grand Final Day on the previous afternoon. At Newcastle Suyama (Tim Bell) will have his first run since finishing near the tail of the field in the AJC Derby last autumn when he contests the 1400m class 2 while Think Of Me and Kunoichi are both to run in maiden company. Think Of Me’s race is over 1200m and Kunoichi’s1850m in which Tim Bell will be the rider.   With the Randwick track not regarded as being up to standard we’ve added to our Melbourne contingent for the continuation of their spring preparations and three of them will be in action on Sunday. Classic winners Faint Perfume and Dariana will clash in the G1 Turnbull Stakes, with Glan Boss handling Faint Perfume and Steven Arnold to ride Dariana. It’s a 2000m G1 run under set weights and penalties conditions for four-year-olds and upwards. Swick missed his recent planned resumption at Flemington because of an unsuitable heavy track and he’ll now start in The Gilgai Stakes (1200m). He relishes the straight 1200m at Flemington and his rider will be James Winks. The gelding invariably races very well when he’s nice and fresh. Goldstone will also be a runner at Flemington, contesting the 1400m Westfield Doncaster Stakes, run over 1400m for three-year-old colts and geldings and Michael Rodd has been engaged.   Empire’s Choice, who is starting to show his classic winning form again, will saddle up in the weight-for-age G1 Yalumba Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday week. A week later Cosmonaut will have his lead up to the Victoria Derby in the traditional preliminary to the classic, the Norman Robinson Stakes over 2000m on Caulfield Cup day.   We expect to have four runners at Warwick Farm on Monday. Blessus is booked to start in the 1000m welter and will be handled by 3kg claiming apprentice Adam Hyeronimus to reduce his 59kg impost. Daniel Ganderton will be on Mr Edison and Tim Clark Breccia when they clash in the 2100m benchmark 80. Ganderton will also have the ride on I Think I Do in the 1600m three-year-old benchmark 65.   At Canterbury on Wednesday next (6th October) the stable’s lone runner will be Secret Scent, an unraced three-year-old filly by O’Reilly, She makes her debut in an 1100m three-year-old fillies maiden in which she will be ridden by Tim Clark.

LONE FLAG BEARER MAKES DEBUT 23rd September 2010

Divya is our only runner at the Hawkesbury meeting on Thursday but trials and trackwork suggest a debut forward showing won’t be any surprise. A 1200m maiden is the target and Tim Clark is booked for the ride.   It will be a much busier day and late night for the staff with a two state assault on Friday, when we’ll have runners under the lights at Canterbury and Moonee Valley. The brilliant young sprinter Latin News will be back in action after a beneficial spell, following his Brisbane campaign, when he steps out in the G1 standard weight for age 1200m Manikato Stakes and measures strides with a pretty slick field. Steven Arnold has been engaged for him while our other two runners will also have the services of two of the top of the crop for their jockeys. Precedence, doing everything right in his Caulfield and Melbourne Cups campaign, will be ridden by Blake Shinn in the G3 2040m JRA Plate and don’t blink or you’ll miss Sunday Rose’s performance. Michael Rodd will ride her and the race is a 955m dash for fillies and mares.   At the Canterbury meeting we have two in the 1900m maiden – Good View and Kim Warrior. Peter Wells has the ride on Kim Warrior and Tim Clark, Good View. The handicapper didn’t miss Good View on Friday night and he has been bumped up to 58kg, despite the fact he has yet to earn any prizemoney. King’s Pride will contest a 1250m benchmark75 with Daniel Ganderton his rider.   A slight setback prevented the promising Cosmonaut running last week but it was only a minor mishap and he’ll be in good shape for the 1800m Dulcify Quality at Randwick on Saturday. He’ll wear blinkers on Saturday, to help him keep his mind on the job. Blake Shinn will be back from the south, after Friday night’s meeting to ride him and Michael Rodd will also make the trip back to handle three of our runners. In the G2 Stan Fox Stakes (1400m) Rodd will be on Swift Judgment who was downed in the last bit at Canterbury at this first start, Indirect in the 1200m listed Nivison for mares and Griffon, who had a tough run from a wide alley but was only run down in the last 150m at his only run since a very long spell. Griffon will saddle up in the benchmark 90 of 1200m. Our other Randwick runners will be  Quick Thinking (Jim Cassidy), in the Reginald Allen Handicap and Empire’s Choice (Tim Clark), who will take on the weight-for-age opposition in the G1 1600m standard weight for age George Main Stakes.   There will be more action in Melbourne on Sunday when Allez Wonder (Michelle Payne) resumes in a 1440m open handicap and Brightnight runs in the 1800m 89 rating race with James Winks the jockey.   At Kembla on Tuesday, Royal Feeling and Sibling are to start. Royal Feeling is sure to line up in a 1200m maiden plate for fillies and mares and Sibling, who beat some smart horses in a recent barrier trial, will contest a similar race for entires and geldings.   At the Canterbury meeting on Wednesday Zabdued (Tim Clark) is booked to run in a 1900m benchmark 75, Leveche (Tim Clark) a 1550m maiden plate and Dreamcoat (Blake Shinn) and Scarlet Miss also (Tim Clark) in a three-year-old maiden plate for fillies over 1250m.

ANOTHER THINK ABOUT THIS TRIO 16th September 2010

Three horses we had due to line up at Newcastle on Thursday – Think Of Me, Quick Thinking and I Think I Do, will miss the trip north, after their barrier draws would have made their tasks too tough. Think Of Me will now go to Kembla Garnge on Saturday. We’ll still have three representatives at Newcastle and two are in the same race. James Winks will ride Cash Melody in a 1300m maiden plate for entires and geldings, in which he will clash with Leveche, who will be handled by Tim Clark. Clark has also been booked to ride Zabdued in the 1600m class 2.   Two of our seven runners at the Randwick barrier trials on Friday will be Suyama and Sibling.   Cosmonaut, who has shown a lot of promise in his two runs to date, is ready to land at the head of affairs at Rosehill on Saturday. Cosmonaut will tackle the G3 $250,000 Gloaming Stakes of 1800m and Tim Clark has also been engaged for the ride. Because of the lack of any other suitable races Blessus will have to have his first run for just two  months short of two years in the 1200m weight-for-age Premiere Stakes. Peter Robl will be the rider. In the 2000m benchmark 80 Robl will ride Star Ripper and Mr Edison will back up from last week with Daniel Ganderton in the saddle.   Missing Newcastle on Thursday will result in Think Of Me running in a 1200m fillies and mares maiden at Kembla Grange on Saturday with Our Rock Star to run in a 1600m maiden. The stable will have two horses line up at Caulfield on Saturday in the weight-for-age Underwood Stakes, an 1800m G1 worth $350,000 and $2000 in trophies. Steven Arnold will ride So You Think and we have engaged Luke Nolen for Dariana. Moatize has been injured and will be sent for a spell. Our other runner at Caulfield will be Kudakulari, who will also be ridden by Arnold in the 1400m Caulfield Guineas Prelude for three-year-old colts and geldings.   On Sunday, at Warwick Farm, we’ll start Joe Blow in a 1600m benchmark 80 and Hugh Bowman has been booked for the mount while Tim Clark will be on Breccia, who will run in a 2100m benchmark 70. I Think I Do, a withdrawal from Newcastle on Thursday, will now make his race debut in a 1300m no metropolitan win race for three-year-olds with Hugh Bowman his rider. Warwick Farm, will hold another meeting next Wednesday and our two runners there will be Polar Circle, in a 2400m event for horses who have not won more than one race in the metropolitan area and Procyon, by Show A Heart, who will debut in a maiden.

A N–ICE WARMUP 9th September 2010

Polar Circle will be one of two runners we’ll have at Thursday’s Hawkesbury meeting and Tim Clark will be the rider in the 1800 maiden handicap. Our other starter will be King’s Pride, who is to contest the 1400m benchmark 70 with Peter Robl the jockey.   At Friday’s Warwick Farm barrier trials we have 10 horses scheduled to start with the best known of them Landlord and Suyama who ran in the Derby at the autumn carnival and Sibling.   So You Think, will be an absentee from the Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes at Moonee Valley on Saturday but we’ll be still very well represented. Steven Arnold has the ride on Precedence, who emphasised how well he had come back for his spring engagements with his great run last start. James Winks has been booked for Brightnight. Faint Perfume is to run in the G2 weight-for-age Stock Stakes for mares over 1600m and Michael Rodd is booked to ride her while Finn Class will run in the 1200m mares sprint.   Tim Clark has been engaged for Empires Choice (Theo Marks) and Blake Shinn for Griffon who resumes in the 1200m benchmark 85 at Saturday’s Rosehill meeting while we have three in the 1800m benchmark 80.Tim Clark has been booked for Sir James, Peter Robl for Star Ripper and a rider will be found for Mr Edison if he gains a start (2nd Emergency).   At the Kembla meeting the same afternoon Peter Wells will ride Vilayet in the 1400m benchmark 65 and Kunoichi in the maiden plate of 1400m while Luke Cumberland will handle Domargo in the class 1 over 1600m.   At Newcastle on Wednesday next we’ll have three runners. Last weeks impressive winner Goldstone (Tim Clark) is to contest the 1600m Spring Stakes, which is a G3 worth $175,000 and $1900 worth of trophies. In the Hurricane Stakes, a 900m dash, Blake Shinn will be the jockey for Blessus and Shinn will also handle Aureo in the 1500m maiden.

DOWN MEMORY LANE 2nd September 2010

Dariana, one of the stars of the Brisbane winter, when she demoralised the three-year-olds in the G1 QTC Derby, will kick off her southern spring campaign at Flemington on Saturday. Appropriately it will be in the Let’s Elope Stakes, the race named after our great staying mare who won the Caulfield-Melbourne Cup double in 1991 which we won with Mimi Lebrock two years ago. Dariana will have her motor tested by cups specialist Damien Oliver, who will be able to give an expert’s opinion on how she’s measuring up after her very well earned rest following the Sydney and Queensland autumn and winter campaigns. The G2 sprint carries prizemoney and trophies of $201,500 and while Dariana is a comparatively new kid on the block, our other Flemington runner will be Swick, a nine-year-old gelding, who will also be resuming after a spell, in the Bobby Lewis Quality (track conditions permitting). The Bobby Lewis is a G3, also a quality race and worth $201,500. Swick is going along nicely and he’s a crackerjack down the straight 1200m course, over which Saturday’s race will be run, and a real knob when he steps out “fresh and frisky” as will be the case on Saturday. James Winks will be the rider.   We’ll be represented in a race at Randwick, named after another of our former stars who won two Caulfield and two Australian Cups, Ming Dynasty. Cosmonaut will fly the flag and he’ll be piloted by Peter Robl while Empire’s Choice is to run in the Tramway and will be ridden by Brenton Avdulla. Joe Blow, who is pleasing in his preparation and could win a nice race during the spring, will step out in the 1400m benchmark 85 with Blake Shinn his jockey. The talented Blessus will have his first start after a very lengthy period on the sidelines when he lines up in the 1100m benchmark 90 in which he has been hit with the hefty handicap of 61kg. To gain some relief we’ve engaged apprentice Adam Hyeronimus to ride him and take 3kg off his back.   We’ll also have a team headed for Hawkesbury on Saturday. Vilayet, in the1400m class 2 and Kim Warrior, in the three-year-old maiden over 1600m, will be handled by Peter Wells. We have three in the 1400m maiden plate – Cash Melody (Peter Wells), Our Rock Star (Anthony Cavallo)and Cosmonout (Dale Spriggs) may run here if he misses a start at Randwick where he is second emergency.   Next Wednesday the in form Breccia (Blake Shinn) will start in the 1900m benchmark 70 while Blake Shinn has taken the ride on Aureo in the 1550m maiden plate. In the 1250m maiden for 3yo fillies we have Dreamcoat (Blake Shinn) and Swift Judgment. I Think I Do and the half brother to Sebring, Skorost and will saddle up in the 3yo colts and geldings maiden over 1250m.

MR EDISON READY TO SWITCH ON 26th August 2010

Mr Edison whose recent form has been consistant, has done everything right in his preparation for his Rosehill engagement on Saturday and we expect him to play a major part in the 2000m benchmark 80. Blake Shinn has been booked for the ride. We expect to have seven runners at the meeting and a lot of interest will centre on the performance of Kudakulari, who will be ridden by Brenton Avdulla in the Gr.1 Golden Rose. He fell below expectations when failed last start but exhaustive tests failed to reveal anything wrong and he subsequently trailed to the satisfaction of the stewards. He is a lot better than that run suggested and, despite the tough opposition which is to be expected in a $1m race, we are looking for a much improved showing from him. Our other Rosehill contestants will include God’s Hand, who is to be handled by Tim Clark in the 1800m Premiers’ Cup, with Clark is also engaged for Sir James in the 1500m benchmark 85. Star Ripper is in the same race and the ride has gone to Peter Robl. Robl has also been engaged for Indirect, who will run in the 1200m benchmark 80. Our seventh runner at the meeting is Raid, a winner in listed company in New Zealand and tightened up by a couple of barrier trial hitouts but in which she wasn’t asked to do much.   Before we saddle up our Rosehill team we’ll trial several at Randwick on Friday. The heats  will be run over 740m and those to have pipe openers will include Griffon, Landlord and I Think I Do. Tim Clark and Blake Shinn will be on hand to handle them.   The Caulfield meeting will be an important one for us with a number of our major prospects in the big events over the spring carnivals, out for inspection after their winter spells. Last year’s Cox Plate winner So You Think (Steven Arnold), the top staying three-year-old filly who is a classic winner, Faint Perfume (Michelle Payne), Sirmione (Mark Zahra) and Moatize (Chris Symonds) and Brightnight (James Winks) are all to make their initial spring shape ups in the 1400m weight-for-age Memsie Stakes which carries $200,000 in prizemoney and a $1,000 in trophies. Another of our spring hopes waiting in the wings is Precedence. He is to resume in the 1400m Gay Icarus Open handicap with Steven Arnold his rider. In the 1100m Reactive Handicap Sunday Rose will be ridden by Michelle Payne.   At Warwick Farm on Wednesday Zabdued will start in a 1600m one metropolitan win event, Goldstone in a 1100m three-year-old for non metropolitan winners and Good View in a 1600m 3yo benchmark 70. Tim Clark will ride the trio.

LATE WINTER WARM UP 19th August 2010

Polar Circle will be one of a six horse representation we intend to have at the Hawkesbury meeting on Thursday. Polar Circle and Our Rock Star are both in the 1400m maiden plate with the leading apprentice Tommy Berry to handle the former and Peter Wells booked for Our Rock Star. Clark will also be the rider of Domargo in the class 1 for fillies and mares, over 1400m, Kim Warrior, a son of Zabeel, who will start in the 1300m maiden and Sobers will saddle up in a 1400m class 1 for entires and geldings. The other member of the team will be Quick Thinking. She will start in a 1300m maiden restricted to 3 yo fillies and Blake Shinn has been booked for the ride.   We nominated 15 horses for Friday’s Rosehill barrier trials but six were balloted out and they will now contest the heats at Warwick Farm on Monday. One of the runners at the Rosehill trials will be Kudakulari, who finished last on the rain affected track at Rosehill last week. It was totally out of character and stewards ordered him to line up again in a trial before he races again. Tim Clark will ride him. Joe Blow and Empires Choice will also trial on Friday while, in the Warwick Farm heats Raid will be given a hitout. A five-year-old mare by Pins, Raid is a winner in black type company in New Zealand.   The Australian Guineas winner Rock Classic will be a runner at the important Warwick Farm race meeting on Saturday. Rock Classic, who has had two trials, will be handled by Tim Clark, contesting the 1200m Show County Quality. O Danny Boy will have a crack at 2400m at Warwick Farm, saddling up in the benchmark 80 and he will be another ride for Tim Clark. Our other Warwick Farm runner will be Without Compromise, who will resume in the 1200m benchmark 85 and Hugh Bowman has been engaged for the ride.   We’ll have three runners at Saturday’s Kembla meeting – Breccia in the 2000m class 1, Jewelled Crown in the 1600m class 2 and Vilayet in a 1300m benchmark 60. Peter Wells will ride the trio.   Blake Shinn will ride Aureo in the 1400m maiden at the meeting transferred from Randwick to Hawkesbury on Tuesday and will also have King’s Pride in the benchmark 70 , over the same distance with Peter Robl his rider.`

PATIENCE SHOULD PAY 12th August 2010

The breathtaking barrier to box winner of last spring’s Cox Plate winner, So You Think, will make his long awaited return to racing at Caulfield on Saturday – provided the track conditions are suitable. His race being the G2 $200,000 weight for age J.J. Liston Stakes of 1400m. He will be ridden for the first time in a race by Steven Arnold and those who have admired the four-year-old’s appearance in the past will see and even bigger and stronger thoroughbred this campaign. At the Rosehill meeting another of our young horses who is expected to play a major role in the big three-year-old races ahead, will make his reappearance. Kudakulari indicated his staying potential when he won the 1600m Fernhill Handicap at the Randwick autumn meeting and Hugh Bowman will take the reins when he returns in the G3 1300m Run To The Rose. He is going to be more at home when the distances of his races are increased but he has done everything right since he came back into work and should indicate he is right on track for the future. Tim Clark will have two rides for the stable, handling Sir James in a benchmark 85 and Zabdued, formerly prepared by Lee Freedman, in a benchmark 80 over 1500m.   At next Monday’s postponed Warwick Farm trials two of our contestants will be Raid (Blake Shinn) and Star Ripper (also Blake Shinn).   On the Kensington track on Wednesday Cosmonaut (Hugh Bowman) is due to make his debut, after being taken out of three recent races because of the unfavorable state of the tracks. He and Artistic (Peter Robl), who has had two trials, are both in an 1150m three-year-old maiden.   Fearless Babe (Tim Clark), which has also been withdrawn recently due to the state of tracks, will run in an 1150m benchmark 70 whilst Good View will run in a 1550m benchmark 70 event for three-year-olds.

SOBERS FACES THE JUDGE4th August 2010

Two stable runners will go to the Hawkesbury meeting on Thursday with Sobers to start in a 1200m class 2 and Daniel Ganderton will be his rider. Aureo, who missed what was to have been his debut because of a very heavy track last week, will be the other representative and he is to contest the 1200m maiden plate for entires and geldings.   The stable will be busy on Friday when we expect to have 17 runners at the Randwick barrier trials. Rock Classic whose Sydney mission is the Epsom Handicap and the very promising Kudakulari, winner of the Fernhill Handicap in the autumn, will be our most interesting runners. They were to have galloped between races at the Rosehill meeting last week but the hit outs had to be cancelled because of the state of the track. Tim Clark will ride Rock Classic in his trial who is scheduled to make his first spring appearance in the 1200m Show Country Quality at Warwick Farm on August 21st. Also to compete at the trials will be Empires Choice, Star Ripper, Joe Blow and Without Compromise. A lot of trial interest will centre on Skorost. He is a half brother to Sebring who, in 2008, won the Breeders’ Plate, Golden Slipper and Sires’ Produce Stakes, beating Samantha Miss, before going under narrowly to her in the Champagne Stakes.   The track conditions will naturally have a marked influence on the team we step out at Randwick on Saturday. Hugh Bowman has been booked for God’s Hand in the 1600m benchmark 90 and Tim Clark will ride O Danny Boy when he starts in the benchmark 80 over 2000m. Indirect  will be handled by Blake Shinn in the 1300m benchmark 80 in which she will clash with King’s Pride, who will be resuming with Peter Robl in the saddle. Breccia (Peter Robl)will contest an 1800m benchmark 75 for fillies and mares and Jewelled Crown (Tim Clark) will be accepted for the same race in addition to the 1600m benchmark 60 at Newcastle. A decision on which race she runs in will be made after a study of both fields are made. Vilayet will go to Newcastle, to run in a benchmark 65 over 1400m with Grant Buckley his jockey.   Also at Newcastle Jeff Penza has been engaged for Jewelled Crown in the 1600m and also Domargo who is to run in a 1300m Class 1 handicap. Leti (Grant Buckley) will run in an 1850m maiden with Ginger Tom (Kody Nestor) running in a 1400m maiden. Three runners are listed to start at Tuesday’s Randwick meeting with the former Lee Freedman prepared Zabdued to line up in the 1600m benchmark 70 with Tim Clark his rider. Good View (Tim Clark), another scratched from a couple of recent races because of the track conditions, and Kim Warrior (Daniel Ganderton) are both in the 1400m three-year-old colts and geldings maiden.   His performance when he lines up for a barrier trial on Friday will determine if Mr. Edison gets the green light to run at Canterbury on Wednesday in a 1900m one metropolitan win race. The trial was ordered by the stewards after he had to be withdrawn from a race there last week when he got stirred up before the jump.

RAIN CAUSING A HINDRANCE TO RACE PLANS 29th July 2010

Due to the continuing and persistent wet weather in Sydney over the past few weeks, our runners on Friday at Warwick Farm have been scratched and our intended runners at Rosehill and Kembla Grange on Saturday have not been accepted with; arrangements are being made to find an alternate race for them in the next week or two.   Cosmonaut , a son of Starcraft who was to have his first run yesterday (28th July) in Canterbury but it was delayed because of the heavy track, will now debut on  the Kensington track on next Wednesday (4th August),  in a 1150m colts and geldings handicap.   Fearless Babe, another withdrawal from yesterdays Canterbury meeting due to the conditions will be nominated for a 1150m benchmark 70 handicap for fillies and mares.

SURVEYING THE SCENE 22nd July 2010

The well bred Good View will be our only representative at the Randwick meeting on Saturday when he lines up in the 1400m two-year-old handicap. A son of Zabeel he’ll be having his second start and Peter Robl has been engaged to ride him. Robl will also be the jockey for our lone runner at Sunday’s Hawkesbury meeting – Leti in the 1600m maiden plate.   At Canterbury on Wednesday a recent addition to the stable, Fearless Babe, a winner at Sandown, will make her debut for us in the 1100m benchmark 70 for fillies and mares and Cosmonaut will contest the two-year-old maiden for colts and geldings. A “blast from the past” will represent the stable in the 1250m three-year-old maiden when Aureo steps out for the first time with Peter Robl his rider. A very good sprinter of the same name carried the black and yellow colors of STC Chairman, Bill Longworth in the 1960’s and his numerous wins included a Canterbury Stakes. Mr. Edison will run in either a 1550m benchmark 80 or a 1900m benchmark 70 with Daniel Ganderton his rider. Jewelled Crown is to run in the 1550m benchmark 70 for three-year-old fillies, in which she will oppose Breccia, who was trapped wide and not suited by the way the race was run when she was beaten at Kembla last start.   At the Sandown meeting on Wednesday next we will have one runner when Sunday Rose runs in a 1000m race for three-year-olds.

GOD’S HAND MAY WARM UP WINTER 15th June 2010

God’s Hand has had his admirers losing their faith on many occasions but there have been plenty of reasons to excuse a lot of his failures – bad barriers, unsuitably run races and unfavourable track conditions. He generally does everything right in his work and there is no questiong his ability when things go right for him. He is expected to make a sound showing in Saturday’s 1500m Winter Stakes at Rosehill, a listed race worth the handy purse of $100,000 to keep the home fires burning on the present cold nights. Daniel Ganderton has been booked to ride him. Indirect is another who is well up to winning the race in which she is engaged in on Saturday – the 1200m benchmark 80, restricted to fillies and mares and she’ll get some welcome help from Kody Nestor’s 3kg claim. Daniel Ganderton has also been booked for Mr. Edison in the 1500m benchmark 75 at Rosehill.   At Kembla Grange Jeff Penza has been engaged for Breccia, who should prove hard to beat in the 1600m benchmark 60 and we’ll have two other runners there. Vilayet and Newbold Atom are to clash in the 1200m benchmark 65, with Peter Wells to handle Vilayet and Jeff Penza Newbold Atom.   Monday morning will prove a busy one for the staff at Leilani Lodge, with 17 runners to saddle up at the Randwick barrier trials. The team comprises of mostly two-year-old inexperienced horses with the Australian Guineas winner Rock Classic the classiest and certain to be critically appraised.   Although he’ll only be out for a leisurely trial, with hopefully some big fish to fry in the spring. Depending on his progress, the Epsom may be his Sydney goal. Some of the other older horses to trial will include Blessus and King’s Pride.   At Canterbury on Wednesday Kody Nestor will have the ride on O Danny Boy when he runs in the 1900m benchmark 75 and Blake Shinn has been booked for Markab in the 1550m event for non metropolitan winning three-year-olds. Shakit All will also run in a 1200m three-year-old maiden with Tim Clark his rider.

APPRENTICE RIDER NO “GREEN HORN” 8th July 2010

The grass at Hawkesbury on Thursday should be greener than usual in the winter months, when a young rider from the Emerald Isle adds a unique touch to the meeting. We’ve drawn Ronan Keogh to handle Jewelled Crown in the 1600m National Invitation Apprentices benchmark 69 – a race programmed to include six invited apprentices. Ronan is the leading apprentice in Tasmania but he is from Ireland and has ridden 12 winners in England and also has a win in Ireland to his credit. His record certainly suggests he has enough ability and experience to hold his own against any of the opposition he’ll encounter on Thursday. Three of the stable’s runners are due to lock horns in the same race at the meeting. They are Rigging, Markab and Kunoichi, who are to run in the 1400m maiden handicap. Tim Clark will be the rider of Rigging, Markab will be handled by Blake Shinn and Peter Wells has been engaged for Kunoichi. Leti will be our other runner at the meeting and Peter Robl has been booked for the ride, in the class 1 over 1600m.   At the Randwick meeting on Saturday we’ll have only two runners.Blake Shinn will ride God’s Hand in the 1800m open and he will also be on Javasea in the benchmark 75 over 1400m. Javasea was beaten by inexperince and erratic running last week so we’ve backed him up again and he’s a young horse who seems certain to develop into a very handy performer once he learns what it’s all about.   We will have a lone runner in Newbold Atom at Saturday’s Newcastle fixture and they are both in the 1200m class 1. Grant Buckley will be his rider.   At Randwick on the Kensington track next Wednesday our runner will be Mr Gold in a 1600m one metropolitan win for two-year-olds.

ZABEEL COLT OUT FOR “FIRST LOOK” 1st July 2010

Good View, a son of the champion sire Zabeel, will make his debut at the Rosehill meeting on Saturday. He has trialled twice without being asked to do anything strenuous and the colt is naturally going to be improved by Saturday’s experience. Blake Shinn has been booked for the ride in the 1200m two-year-old handicap. Our other runners at the meeting will be Validated (Tim Clark), Javasea (Blake Shinn), who are to clash in the 1400m benchmark 80 over 1400m and Indirect. She will contest the 1400m benchmark 80 for fillies and mares. Apprentice Kody Nestor has been engaged for the ride.   The recent wet weather has upset barrier trial plans in recent weeks and subsequently set back race day programs for quite a number of horses in the stable. On Friday we have 15 scheduled to step out in the heats at Randwick with Blessus and Kings Pride probably the best known of the team.   Actually our representation at Kembla on Saturday rivals in size the Rosehill contingent. Jeff Penza will ride Breccia in the benchmark 65 for fillies and mares, over 1400m and Peter Wells has also been engaged for Danazara in the 1600m maiden handicap and Kunoichi in the 1300m maiden plate. The very appropriately named son of Fantastic Light, Mr Edison, will complete the numbers when he attempts to show the way home in the 1400m benchmark 65 for entires and geldings over 1400m.   At the Moonee Valley meeting our talented filly Sunday Rose will attempt an out of season bloom when she runs in the 1200m fillies and mares handicap of 1200m and to lighten the load Jason Maskell who has a 1.5kg allowance has been engaged for the ride.   Tim Clark has been booked for one of our two runners at the Kensington track meeting on Wednesday when he rides Rigging in a 1550m no metropolitan win race. Jewelled Crown is to start in the 1550m benchmark 75 for fillies and mares.   The long and sometimes bumpy road on the way to the Melbourne spring carnivals has begun and two of our prospective star performers have been dispatched south. Cox Plate winner, So You Think and Faint Perfume, the queen of the fillies, whose spectacular VRC win was one of last spring’s highlights, has left Leilani Lodge on Wednesday, after they’d been back in preliminary work for a month. They were accompanied on the journey south by Queensland Derby winner Dariana and the promising Brightnight.

ARDECHE CLOSES THE DEPARTMENT 24th June 2010

Saturday’s meeting at Eagle Farm will see us bring down the curtain on our Queensland winter campaign and we’ll have a very promising young galloper to drop it. Ardeche, whose two runs have rung up two and an unlucky third, will be our sole flag bearer, contesting the listed Australian Post Stakes- a set weights two-year-old event over 1400m, worth $100,000. The fillies are to carry 54kg and she’ll be receiving 2kg from the colts and geldings. Blake Shinn will be in the north to ride her and she’s done well since her win to suggest she’ll again keep the opposition honest. After her mishap at the start of the QTC Oaks,  Dariana well and truly made up for staying in the barriers by blitzing the boys in the QTC Derby and giving the stable its 260th Group 1 race.   Also on Saturday four runners are to start at the Randwick race meeting. Brenton Avdulla will ride God’s Hand when he runs in the 1600m Open Handicap and O Danny Boy who, because of the lack of any other suitable races in the coming weeks will start in the benchmark 80 over 1600m. Halleys is to step out in the benchmark 88 over 2000m and Tim Clark has been booked to ride her. Breccia (Daniel Ganderton) is an acceptor for the 1400m three-year-old fillies Benchmark 80 Handicap with a decision on whether she runs will be made on Saturday morning following the posting of the track rating. Mr. Gold will be our sole runner on the Kensington track at Randwick on Tuesday. A big lump of a colt by Encosta De Lago he will run in the 1550m for two-year-old  non metropolitan winners with Peter Robl his rider.

POOR TRACKS AND DRAWS SET BARRIERS 17th June 2010

We’ll have a seven horse team at the Wyong meeting on Thursday, after bad barrier draws and rain affected tracks have resulted in a number of our stable hopes missing races for which they have been set recently. Prime example is Validated, who will run in the 1350m class 2 with Blake Shinn the rider. Validated has missed four races in consecutive weeks which were suitable for him because of the state of the tracks.  In the three-year-old maiden plate of colts and geldings we’ll have two horses forced to clash – Ganazara and Markab. Blake Shinn has been booked for Markab and Tim Clark will ride Ganazara.  Shinn will also ride Leti, a half sister to the good Denham, trained stayer Eremein, when she steps out first up in the 1350m maiden plate for three-year-old fillies. In another stable clash Kunoichi will start in the race and Tim Clark will be the rider. Shinn will handle another runner at the meeting Jewelled Crown to start in the 1600m benchmark 63.  Tim Clark will ride our other runner at the meeting when Excelsis Deo runs in a 2100 Maiden. The stable will have four runners at the Rosehill meeting on Saturday with Yaqubi to run in the 3200m Stayer’ Cup with Blake Shinn his rider.  Shinn will also ride Antidotes in a 1400m Benchmark 85 and Think Money in the 2000m Benchmark 80.  O Danny Boy (Blake Spriggs) will oppose Antidotes in the 1400m Benchmark 85 and will be attempting back to back Twins following his first up success over 1250m two weeks ago. Twelve stable reps are scheduled to line up at the Randwick barrier trials on Monday and Blessus will create some interest when he steps out for his first test in some 18 months. Zabdued and Kings Pride are two others included in the team to trial.  Kings Pride won at big odds at Warwick Farm before he spelled. At Tuesday’s Warwick Farm meeting we’ll have Tolaga Bay (Tim Clark) in a 1300m Benchmark 70 and two starters in the 1600m three-year-old maiden plate – Wild Oats (Blake Shinn) and Elle (Blake Shinn).

SCRATCH AND WIN-NOT THIS TIME 10th June 2010

We nominated our biggest team yet to run at Kembla meeting on Thursday but, from a total of 10, it’s been reduced to only two. It was decimated by wide barrier draws and the fact of the rain affected track being unsuitable for some of them. The only two left are Elle and Mr Edison. Elle is the 1500m maiden plate and Mr. Edison in the 1400m Class 1. Blake Shinn will be the rider of Elle while Daniel Ganderton has been booked for Mr. Edison.   The presentation will be stronger on Saturday at Randwick, with seven horses scheduled to line up. In the benchmark 90 of 1600m Brenton Avdulla will ride God’s Hand and Tommy Berry on Pegembak in the 1800m three-year-old 73 while Wild Oats will contest that race, with Tim Clark booked for the ride. Clark has the mount on four runners. As well as Indirect in the benchmark 1200m 85 for fillies and mares and Wild Oats he’ll be on Halleys when she contests the 2000m benchmark 85 and Antidotes in the 1400m benchmark 80. Peter Robl hs been booked for our other runner Assertive in the 1400m benchmark 80.   Jason Maskiell will ride Russeting in the Stradbroke and Craig Newitt Latin News (if he gains a start), who was most unlucky in last week’s  Daybreak Lover over the 1400m Stradbroke course. Drawing an inside alley and being held up for a long way in the straight were major factors in his being beaten narrowly by Girl Hussler and Tromso. Michael Rodd will be the rider of Dariana in the Derby, after her sensational barrier incident which resulted in her taking no part in last week’s QTC Oaks. We have two other candidates lined up for the Derby. Damien Oliver has been booked for the highly promising young stayer Landlord and Blake Shinn for Brightnight. If Latin News fails to secure a Stradbrke run he will contest the $250,000 Gr.2 Queensland Guineas of 1600m with Craig Newitt his rider. Last start impressive debut winner Ardeche will run in the Listed Lancaster Stakes of 1200m on Saturday and will again be ridden by Blake Shinn. The race, formerly the Sir Douglas Wadley Stakes, is a listed two-year-old fillies event with set weights of 55.5kg and carrying prizemoney of $100,000.   Two runners wi’ll have at the Kensington track on Monday are Related (Tim Clark) in the 1300m wilter and Big Storm (Blake Shinn), to start in a 1550m no metro-wins, for two-year-olds.   On Wednesday at Canterbury Blake Shinn will ride Javasea in the 1550m benchmark 70 while other runners we expect to have there are Rigging (1250m non metropolitan winner) and Breccia and Shakit All in a 1250m benchmark 65 for three-year-olds.

A GALILEO OUT TO STAR 3rd June 2010

The stable is to be represented by four runners at the Hawkesbury meeting on Friday with two of them to clash in an effort to break their maiden status. They are Ganazara and Shakit All who will start in a 1300m maiden, with Blake Shinn to handle Ganazara and Tim Clark to be Shakit All’s rider. The other two runners will be Gold World, in the 1300m class 2, with Daniel Ganderton to ride and Excelcis Deo (Tim Clark). Excelcis Deo will tackle the 2000m maiden.   On Saturday we have two top hopes looking for wins in the feature events at Eagle Farm. Dariana, whose form has been sound but didn’t have much luck in her recent run, will run in the QTC $400,000 Gr.1 Oaks and Steven Arnold will ride her. Latin News, who was fifth reserve for the Doomben 10,000 and didn’t look like getting a run. He came up with a horror draw and is now to start in Saturday’s Daybreak Lover Plate three-year-old Gr.3 event. The 1400m set weights event is worth $125,000 with colts and geldings to carry 56kg and fillies 54kg. Michael Cahill has been booked for Latin News who recorded a great performance when he finished an unlucky third in the BTC Cup three weeks ago.   Daniel Ganderton will be the rider of Yaqubi in the 2400m Winter Cup at Rosehill on Saturday and he will also be on Halleys in the 1900m benchmark 80 when she clashes with stablemate Think Money (Peter Robl). Ganderton will also be the jockey on Big Storm in the 1400m two-year-old and Related in the 1200m benchmark 80.   One runner will line up at the Newcastle meeting – Jewelled Crown in the 1600m benchmark 60, with Grant Buckley to ride her. Leti will not run at Newcastle due to drawing a wide barrier (13).   Sunday Rose will represent us at Flemington when she will be ridden by Michelle Payne in the 82 benchmark for three-year-old fillies over 1100m. She should be ready to ply a very prominent role after her last start performance over 1000m at Moonee Valley last Saturday.   We also expect to have a busy morning on Monday next with 10 runners at the Randwick barrier trials, weather permitting. The contingent will include Rigging, ordered to trial by stewards, Breccia, King’s Pride, Indirect and Newbold Atom. After his trial on Monday, providing he performs satisfactorily, Rigging may run at Canterbury next Wednesday in a 1200m benchmark 70 for entires and geldings and Tim Clark will ride him while Validated is also scheduled to start in this race with Peter Robl his rider.

GOOD NEWS FIRST – THEN THE NOT SO GOOD 27th May 2010

After keeping our fingers crossed that Latin News would squeeze into the Doomben 10,000 field we had our hopes vindicated when he made it but they were tempered considerably when he scraped in. However he was only drawn as the fifth emergency and then came up with almost the outside barrier (20). He was very much poised on the edge for a start under the archaic Queensland balloting rules which very much favours older horses in the event of a ballot. Michael Cahill will ride Latin News while our other runner, Russeting, will be handled by Steven Arnold. Landlord, who is lightly raced but shows a lot of staying potential, is to contest the Gr.3 Grand Prix over 2200m and worth $150,000 and will be ridden by Damien Oliver. Tim Clark was on him in his last start win before he headed north. In the Premier’s Cup, a Gr.3 quality, also over 2200m Michael Cahill will be the rider of Dandaad.   We’ll have a number of runners in action at the Randwick meeting with five scheduled to take their places there, with apprentices Daniel Ganderton and Brenton Avdulla to handle the majority of them. Avdulla has been booked for Pegembak in the 2000m benchmark 75 for three-year-olds and Elle in the 1400m three-year-old fillies. Brightnight (Ganderton) will also run in the three-year-old benchmark 75. Ganderton is also to ride God’s Hand in the 1400m benchmark 95. Our other runner, Javasea, who is close to a win, will be ridden by Peter Robl when he runs in the benchmark 85 over 1600m and he’ll be suited by the distance.   At Moonee Valley on Saturday, Sunday Rose will be ridden by Michelle Payne when she steps out in a three-year-old handicap over 1000m   Kunoichi and Rigging will trial at Rosehill on Tuesday, Rigging by order of the stewards. The following day, at the Canterbury meeting, we have three runners to start in the 1250m 75 benchmark – Tolaga Bay, O Danny Boy and Validated while Kim Heaven and Ardeche will line up in an 1100m maiden plate.   Two of our top class performers, So You Think and Rock Classic, are back in work to begin their preparations for the prestigious spring events. So You Think, who demoralized his opposition in the Cox Plate with his all the way win in the Cox Plate spelled at Dato Tan Chin Nam’s Think Big stud while Australian Guineas winner Rock Classic had his holiday at Princes Farm. So You Think is back at Randwick as is Australian Guineas winner Rock Classic.

NO PAYNE – NO GAIN 20th May 2010

Michelle Payne has been booked to handle six of the seven runners we have scheduled to run at Saturday’s Rosehill meeting, with Peter Robl the “odd man out” on the other. He’ll ride Assertive in the 1500m Benchmark 80. Payne’s mounts will be Related, who is going nicely in his work and has trialled attractively, in the 1200m benchmark 85, Yaqubi in the feature race, the 2400m McKell Cup, Antidotes (1500m benchmark 80), Halleys (benchmark 80 over 1900m) Wild Oats (1500m three-year-old benchmark 75) and Big Storm, who will run in the 1400m two-year-old. Big Storm showed some promise finishing just behind the placegetters at his debut.   At Kembla Grange on Thursday Tim Clark will ride Rigging (1200m maiden) and Gold World (1200m benchmark 60) and Blake Shinn will handle Jewelled Crown in a 1400m benchmark 70.   At Doomben we’ll have two runners with Michael Cahill to ride Riva San in the Doomben Cup and Dariana to contest the 2020m Doomben Roses with Michael Rodd the rider.Dariana is endowed with  plenty of potential and lived up to her promise and consistent form with a last start win in the Packer Plate over the Randwick autumn carnival.   We missed out trialling some horses when the heats were washed out earlier this week and present intentions are to step out several, including Indirect, Shakit All and Breccia at Warwick Farm on Friday.   Blake Shinn has been engaged for Breeze Up in a 1800m three-year-old maiden plate at the Randwick meeting on the Kensington track on Tuesday and, in the same race, present intentions are to also start Excelsis Deo (Tim Clark). Encosta Fortune is in a 1300m benchmark 70 and two others likely to appear at the meeting are Mr. Edison and Validated, also in the 1300m benchmark 70. Mr. Edison was ordered to trial before his next start and, with the heats washed out last Tuesday he may run in one on Friday at Warwick Farm before also saddling up at Kensington in a 1300m benchmark 70 on Tuesday next.

READY TO STIR 13th May 2010

Shakit All will get the chance to break into the winning list at the Hawkesbury meeting on Thursday, in a 1300m maiden handicap, with Tim Clark the rider. Our other runner at the meeting will be Excelsis Deo, who will contest a maiden plate over 1500m. Tim Clark will also ride the son of Golan.   Landlord will also be ridden by Tim Clark at Saturday’s Randwick meeting, when they tackle a three-year-old 2000m benchmark 75 while, at the Kembla Grange fixture, Think Money and Pegembak will clash in as 1600m maiden plate. Christian Reith has been booked  for Think Money and Jason Lee will ride Pegembak.   The stable has been firing all season and our big guns will be trained in Brisbane in the coming couple of weeks. At Doomben on Saturday Latin News (Michael Cahill) and Russeting (Craig Grylls) are to step out in the Gr.1 BTC Cup, a weight-for-age sprint with the very attractive prizemoney of $400,000. Latin News is one of the most promising young horses in the stable and he showed he had returned from a break in top form with a win in the Gosford Guineas. He was scratched from the Gold Coast Guineas after he drew a horror barrier, which would have set him an enormous task. Russeting hasn’t raced since racing in Melbourne last spring but knows her way around the Queensland tracks and won the Gr.1 Winter Stakes up there last spring, when she had her  first run for the stable. Dandaad will also fly the flag for the stable at Doomben, with Luke Nolen to ride him in the 2020m Chairman’s Handicap. He is spot on for the staying races in the north and his last run down here, over the unsuitable Hawkesbury 1600m course, was a bottler and indicated he is ready to fire a salvo.   Javasea and Validated are booked to run at the Canterbury meeting on Wednesday, in a benchmark 75 over 1250m while Gold World and Leti are scheduled to run in a 1250m no metropolitan win race for three-year-old fillies. Markab is to saddle up in a no metropolitan win for three-year-old colts and gledings over the same course.

BART CUMMINGS RELEASED FROM HOSPITAL 7th May 2010

We are pleased to inform all, that Bart was yesterday (Thursday 6th May) released from hospital and is well on his way to a full recovery from a viral infection which has sidelined him for the past four weeks. His recovery was delayed by Bart getting over the sudden death of his great Melbourne Cup winning horse Viewed. Bart recognises this horse as one of the best stayers in Australia of the modern era.   Bart is very much looking forward to returning to what he does best and that is to train winners for his loyal owners. During his absence he has been in constant contact with his stables at Leilani Lodge at Randwick, Saintly Place at Flemington and also with Princes Farm where many of his horses are agisted.   Bart wishes to sincerely thank all those people who have conveyed their best wishes during his absence and also to his staff at Leilani Lodge, Saintly Place and at Princes Farm.   He is looking forward with anticipation and expectation, to returning to the racetrack when his recovery is complete.

HELP MAY BE CLOSE FROM GOD’S HAND 6th May 2010

The last start performance of God’s Hand indicated the gelding isn’t far off another win, which wouldn’t be out of turn, and he has the chance to oblige at Rosehill on Saturday. Daniel Ganderton will have the ride when the gelding takes his place in the 1400m open handicap. At Randwick last Saturday week God’s Hand finished a strong third to Ego’s Dare and Black Prince over 1200m and Saturday’s slight step up to 1400m on a track, on which he has preformed well against some strong opposition in the past, looks ideal for him. We’ll have three other runners at the meeting with Assertive to start in the benchmark 75 of 1300m, Halleys the 1500m benchmark 80 for fillies and mares and Yaqubi the 1800m benchmark 75. Apprentice Josh Adams’ 3kg allowance will give weight relief to Halleys and Assertive, who have both been allotted 58kg. Yaqubi’s rider will be Brenton Avdulla.   At the Flemington meeting on Saturday Sunday Rose, who missed a recent meeting because of a rain affected track, is scheduled to line up in a three-year-old fillies 82 rating race over 1100m and with Michelle Payne, who was to have ridden her, suspended in Adelaide last Sunday, Darren Gauci will now have the mount. Latin News will be out  to complete a double of Guineas wins when he contests the 1200m G3 Gold Coast Guineas, with Blake Shinn in the saddle. The highly talented colt was most impressive in his Gosford Guineas win last start, before heading north for the big winter carnivals there. Michael Cahill has been booked for Riva San in the 1800m SWFA G2 Hollindale Stakes, our other runner at the Gold Coast meeting.   At Monday’s Randwick trials we expect 10 runners to have hitouts. One of them will be Related, who is pleasing in his preparation and was an eye catching second in a previous heat while Indirect and Ancestor are two others who are progressing well.   At the Canterbury meeting on Tuesday Hugh Bowman will ride Tolaga Bay in the 1200m benchmark 70, in which Mr. Edison will also run, with Daniel Ganderton the rider. Elle is in an 1100m three-year-old fillies maiden plate and Brightnight a three-year-old maiden over 1900m. However an option is an 1800m maiden plate over 1800m on the Kensington track at Randwick the following day. Wild Oats is also in at Randwick, in a three-year-old maiden of 1400m and Big Storm an 1150m two-year-old colts and geldings for non metropolitan winners. Big Storm, to make his debut, is by the highly performed Caulfield Guineas winner God’s Own.   Breeze Up, runner up over 1550m at Canterbury yesterday is expected to back up in the 1800m maiden plate, with Hugh Bowman to retain the ride.

ANTIDOTES SEEKING A CURE 29th April 2010

It’s some time since Antidotes has been able to give a healthy return to his backers but he’ll be out to make amends for any he has wounded in the past at the Hawkesbury meeting on Saturday. Hugh Bowman has taken the ride in the 1400m benchmark 85, to be run over 1400m. We’ll have two other contestants at the stand alone meeting, with Dandaad to run in the Rowley Mile. The 1600m event carries prizemoney of $100,000 and $1500 in trophies and Dandaad will be handled by Brenton Avdulla. Our other runner is Encosta Fortune, who will resume after a spell in the 1200m Sweepstakes handicap and Tye Angland has been booked for the ride. The race is for non metropolitan winners.   Three stable runners will go to Newcastle and Robert Thompson has been engaged to ride one with Dale Spriggs another. Think Money (Thompson) and Pegembak will clash in the 1400m Maiden Plate and, although she has yet to break the ice and will be better suited over longer than the 1400m, Think Money has very sound credentials for a maiden event. She finished fourth to Samantha Miss in the VRC Oaks in the spring of 2008, before a close third to The Sportsman and Irazu in the 2600m Moonee Valley Cup last year. In the autumn of 2009 she finished a 2.3 lenghts second to Daffodil in the AJC Oaks. Dale Spriggs will be on Think Up in the 1850m class 1.   Two runners at the Canterbury meeting on Wednesday will be Jewelled Crown, in the benchmark 75, for fillies and mares over 1200m and Breeze Up, to start in the 1550m three-year-old Maiden Plate.

NEWS COULD MAKE HEADLINES 22nd April 2010

Latin News will make his long awaited reappearance on Thursday when he contests the Listed Gosford Guineas, a sprint run under penalty and allowance conditions. The 1200m three-year-old event carries prizemoney of $150,000 and trophies worth $1500. This promising colt hasn’t raced since an unlucky fourth in the Magic Millions on the Gold Coast last January but he has pleased in his work and performed well in a barrier trial during his leadup for this late autumn and winter campaign.   At Randwick on Saturday’s final day of the autumn carnival we’ll have a seven horse team, headed by Precedence and Moatize in the feature, the $425,000 Sydney Cup. Although Precedence appeared disappointing last start, those who supported him should stick solid as the way the race was run made him perform out of character, racing near the lead and inside horses, on the slowest part of the track. He’ll be given more time to settle back in the field over 3200m and shown some daylight when the pressure is applied. Moatize turned in a very pleasing trial for this race at his last appearance and all his recent performances have indicated the Cup distance, which he relished in the 2008 Melbourne Cup, will give him the chance to really live up to the staying promise he has always shown. Luke Nolen will ride Precedence and Blake Shinn Moatize. Riva San, who was previously trained by Peter Moody and hasn’t raced since the Premier’s Cup at Doomben last winter, will make her initial appearance for thestable in the 1400m Gr.1 All Aged Stakes and Steven Arnold will be the rider. Nolen will also have the mount on Halleys in the Gr.2 Emancipation Stakes and Michael Rodd will be on Dariana when she runs in the Gr.3 Packer Plate. Our other runner at Randwick will be God’s Hand and Michelle Payne has been booked for him in the Listed Hall Mark Stakes.   Robert Thompson will make a rare trip to Kembla Grange to handle the majority of our runners there. Landlord was withdrawn from Canterbury on Wednesday after drawing a bad barrier and he will contest a 1600m benchmark 65 and Onlyinthedark a 2000m class 2 while Thompson will handle Excelsis Deo in the 1300m maiden for entires and geldings in which Shakit All will also start with Dale Spriggs the rider. Thompson’s other rides will be Femmena in the 1500m maiden plate and Modana a recent trial winner, in the 1000m three-year-old maiden.   At the Randwick trials on Tuesday we’ll saddle up several runners with the most prominent being Related, Tolaga Bay, Mr. Edison, Validated and Ancestor.   At Canterbury next Wednesday, Blake Shinn will be on Assertive and Hugh Bowman Javasea when they clash in a 1250m benchmark 75 and two other runners at the meeting will be Brightnight in a three-year-old 1900m benchmark 70 and Coustelette in the two-year-old for non-metropolitan winners, over 1250m.   Tamanu Park, a highly promising young horse who scored in impressive style recently at Ballarat looks to have a bright staying future, will take on the 2800m VRC St. Leger at Flemington on Sunday and Steven Arnold will be his rider. Sunday Rose will resume racing at Sandown on Wednesday next (28th April) contesting a 1000m benchmark 72 for three-year-old fillies.

BRIGHTNIGHT LOOKING TO STAR 15th April 2010

Three stable runners will go to Hawkesbury on Friday, with Daniel Ganderton booked for two and Blake Shinn to handle the third. Brightnight will saddle up in a 1600m three-year-old maiden with Shinn the rider. Ganderton will handle Lovely Lonny in a maiden over 1000m and King’s Flyer, who will tackle the same grade over 1300m.   At the Canterbury trials on Friday Tolaga Bay, Validated and Kim Divine are scheduled to have hit outs over 900m and Shinn and Ganderton will again share the riding. Ganderton will be on Kim Divine while Shinn has been engaged for the other pair. Also on Friday we’ll have a runer at the Ballarat meeting with Tamanu Park to contest a 2200m benchmark 62 with Chris Symons his rider.   Things will spark up at Randwick on Saturday when the stable staff will have a busy Doncaster day. Our hope in the feature event, which carries prizemoney of $1.5m and another $11,500 in trophies, will be Allez Wonder, who has hit her hopples at the right time and will be ridden by the latest Group 1 queen, Michelle Payne. The pair combined to win the Toorak at Caulfield last spring and Michelle became the first female jockey to win a group 1 at Randwick when she won last week’s Sires’ Produce Stakes. We have the wonderful filly Faint Perfume to represent us in the AJC Oaks, with Michael Rodd, who has formed a formidable combination with her, again in the saddle as she attempts to add the classic to her VRC Oaks win. He will also ride Riva San, who will have her first start for the stable in the 1400m benchmark 95. Dandaad will also run in the sprint and Luke Nolen will have the ride. Moatize will be our representative in the 2000m JRA Association Plate, with Blake Shinn the rider and Michelle Payne will be on Breeze Up in the South Pacific Classic, a Group 3 for three-year-olds over 1400m. In the 1600m Fernhill Handicap, for two-year-olds, Luke Nolen will see if Kudakulari can live up to his name, in Indonesian meaning “My Fast Horse”. Gold World will go to Kembla Grange on Saturday and Dale Spriggs will be the rider in a 1200m bewnchmark 60 for fillies and mares.   Antidotes is to run at Canterbury on Wednesday, in an 1100m benchmark 85 while last start winner Landlord will saddle up in a 1550m benchmark 70 and Yaqubi a 1900m similar benchmark rating. Two other runners at Canterbury will be Elle and Wild Oats. Elle, whose last run suggested she’s close to a win, will contest a 1200m non metropolitan win for three-year-old fillies and Wild Oats will saddle up in a similar race for colts and geldings.

HALLEYS GETS A CHANCE TO SHINE 8th April 2010

Under the lights at Canterbury on Thursday, Halleys is in the right environment to make her presence felt. She is to contest the benchmark 75 for fillies and mares. That race will be run over 1550m and competent 3kg claiming apprentice Josh Adams will have the ride reducing the mare's weight to 56.5kg. Glyn Schofield will be the jockey on our other two runners at the meeting- the appropriately named Elle (whose dam is Classy Choice) who will step out in the 1100m maiden for three-year-old fillies and Wild Oats, set to sail in the colts and geldings maiden over 1100m. The heavy track conditions was the reason for Wild Oats being a late scratching last week and hopefully things will have improved by Thursday night.   On Friday we’ll have a runner at the Geelong meeting, with Tamanu Park to line up in the 1700m maiden plate with Michelle Payne the jockey.   Derby Day at Randwick will see six of the stable reps in action. In the Gr.1 classic we’ll have the Australian Guineas winner Rock Classic, who is tuned to the minute in his attempt to turn the tables on his Rosehill Guineas conqueror Zabrasive. He is to tackle several other highly promising young stayers in the $1.3m Derby. Some negative reports followed a gallop early in the week, but he’ll be fit and well and full of fight on Saturday. Stablemate Suyama, who shaded Rock Classic in the much discussed workout, will line up against him, with Michael Rodd to handle Rock Classic and Michelle Payne Suyama. Two of our other good stayers, Precedence and Dandaad will also run at the meeting. Precedence, who has hit a new high since being gelded and resuming is a winner at three, two in Melbourne and one in Sydney, and will attempt the quartet in the Chairman’s Handicap (2600m). The 2600m should be tailor made for him and while he is in form, so is his rider, Luke Nolan, who has been carrying all before him in the south and brought his winning form here last week, winning the Queen Of The Turf on Typhoon Tracy. Dandaad will be having his first run since the spring, when he tackled the best stayers over the high profile southern carnivals, but he has been pleasing in his work since coming to Leilani Lodge for his autumn and winter preparation. Nolen will be his jockey in the 1600m Royal Parma Stakes. Dariana is back from Melbourne, where she had no luck at her only start, and she’ll saddle up in the Gr.3 Adrian Knox Stakes of 2000m, a distance which will suit her with Michael Rodd her rider. The winner of the race is exempt from ballot on the AJC Oaks. If she won it and backed up in the classic, Dariana would match strides with stablemate Faint Perfume. Our other runner at Randwick will be Skorost, in the Sires Produce and Michael Rodd will handle him.   One of our largest teams to travel out of town for a while will head for Newcastle on Saturday when six horses will go north. Onlyinthedark is to contest an 1850m benchmark 70 and Robert Thompson will be the rider. He’ll also handle Landlord in a 1500m maiden plate and Femmena in a 1200m fillies and mares maiden, in which she will clash with Soft Landing, to be ridden by Dale Spriggs. Spriggs has also been booked for Miss Hinze in a 1200m benchmark 65 for fillies and mares. Shakit All is in a 1200m maiden for entires and geldings in which he will be handled by Grant Buckley.   A 1550m benchmark 70 will be the next target for Think Up at Wednesday’s Canterbury meeting.

HEAVY TRACKS BOG RACE PLANS 1st April 2010

The recent rain and prediction of more has thrown a good deal of confusion into the plans for a number of our team, with the chance of rescheduling races for them – depending on the weather. Lovely Lonny was to run in a 1200m three-year-old maiden at Hawkesbury on Thursday with Blake Shinn the jockey but has been withdrawn. Shinn will also be the rider of Redoubtebelle when she goes around in a 2000m class 2.   We’ll have a team strong in class as well as numbers at Rosehill on Saturday. In the BMW Glyn Schofield will ride Moatize, who is working into top form for the long races ahead while important changes of gear should see the right Roman Emperor stand up in the same race. He’ll be handled by Michael Rodd, who will also be on the top filly Faint Perfume, in the Gr.1 2000m Vinery Stud Stakes.. She is the winner of the Wakeful Stakes and VRC Oaks last spring before a sizzling Kewney Stakes win before coming north. She has been improved by her run in the recent 1500m Coolmore Classic. Suyama (Tulloch Stakes) and Kroner, who, under the conditions, should start to show his true form in the Star Kingdom Stakes of 1100m, both will be ridden by Rodd while Schofield will be in the saddle on Breeze Up in the three-year-old Darby Munro Quality of 1200m. Allez Wonder (Hugh Bowman) runs in the Gr.1 1500m fillies and mares Queen of the Turf Stakes while Kudakulari runs in the Listed 1400m Schweppervescence with Glyn Schofield the rider.   Lovely Lonny will probably run at Kembla, in a 1200m  maiden plate, in which Champagne King and Shakit All (scratched) who has drawn off the course in 17 are also acceptors. Lovely Lonny will be ridden by Christian Reith and Champagne King by Jon Grisdale. Grant Buckley has been booked for Redoubtebelle if she contests the 2000m benchmark 65.   Again, the weather will determine if King’s Flyer goes to Gosford on Sunday , to run as he has been granted no favours in the barrier draws, with 13 at Hawkesbury and 14 at Gosford.   Consistent but unlucky Dariana is to run at the Caulfield meeting on Saturday and Michelle will be her rider in the Bill Collins Handicap over 1800m for three-year-olds.   At the Canterbury meeting next Monday we have three booked to run and Michelle Payne has been engaged for Yaqubi in the benchmark 80 over 1900m. Glyn Schofield will ride Assertive in a benchmark over 1100m and Michael Rodd will be the Jockey to handle Antidotes in the 1250m benchmark 88.

TRIAL TEAM TO TEST STRENGTH 25th March 2010

We’ll have another big team in action at the Randwick barrier trials on Friday with probably 20 plus to flex their muscles in preparation for engagements over the autumn and winter carnivals at home and in Queensland. As well as some inexperienced young ones the lineup will include the proven performers Dandaad, Riva San, Antidotes, Assertive, God’s Hand and Think Money.   Also on Friday we’ll have a runner at the Geelong meeting with Tamanu Park in a 1503m maiden plate. Michelle Payne will have the mount .   We have some very talented horses scheduled to take on the big guns at Rosehill on Saturday. Rock Classic, who has come up the ranks in a very short time will take a step further in the $500,000 Gr.1 2000m Rosehill Guineas with Michael Rodd, who rode him in his Australian Guineas win at Flemington, again the jockey. Skorost was an extended entry for the Pago Pago Stakes and Glyn Schofield has been booked for him while he will also again handle Griffon in the 1200m Luskin Star Handicap – a benchmark 90 sprint. Griffon is untapped as far as the big time goes but is a young sprinter who has displayed great potential in his limited racing career. He has won three on the trot since he resumed and has shown plenty of authority in those victories. Precedence, who has come back in fine style this preparation and has been in winning form in Melbourne, will start in the Listed Manion Cup over 2000m and Luke Nolen will ride him.   Onlyinthedark and Brightnight are to race at Newcastle on Saturday with Onlyinthedark to contest a 1600m maiden and Brightnight a 1500m maiden. Dale Spriggs will ride both horses.   Wild Oats is to run at the Warwick Farm meeting next Wednesday, in a benchmark 75 for three-year-olds over 1400m with Glyn Schofield his rider.

RODD WON’T BE SPARED 18th March 2010

At Thursday’s meeting on the Kensington course we’ll saddle up one runner – Suyama in the Benchmark 70 of 1800m and Glyn Schofield, will have the ride. Dale Spriggs will be on our runner at Newcastle’s Saturday meeting – Shakit All in the 1200m three-year-old maiden.   Michael Rodd, with whom we’ve had a successful association, will be legged aboard three stable hopes at the Rosehill high profile meeting. Glyn Schofield’s mounts will be Moatize, responsible for an outstanding effort in the Australian Cup, Skorost, Sir James and Breeze Up. Skorst, by Charge Forward, is a half brother to the 2008 Breeders’ Plate, Golden Slipper – Sire’s Produce Stakes winner Sebring, who beat Samantha Miss in the Sires’ before going under a head to her in the Champagne Stakes. Skorost indicated he has inherited some of the breed’s ability with a recent trial win and it won’t be any surprise if he runs well when he makes his debut in the Todman Stakes. Sir James is to run in the 1900m Sky High Stakes and Breeze Up in th 1100m benchmark 80 for three-year-olds. Rodd’s rides are Roman Emperor, who will clash with Moatize in the Gr.1 Standard Weight For Age Ranvet Stakes. Kroner (Maurice Mc Carten Stakes of 1100m) and the VRC Oaks winner Faint Perfume, who began her autumn campaign with a courageous win in the Kewney Stakes over1400m at Flemington a fortnight ago, which will run in Saturday’s Gr.1 Coolmore Classic. Although she’s probably looking for longer than Saturday’s 1500m she’s been kept nice and fresh, is all class and will let the opppsition know she’s in business over the last 200m.   Michael Rodd will be kept up to the mark at Kembla Grange’s Sunday meeting, where he has been booked for two or our runners. They are Yaqubi, in a 1500m benchmark 70 and Redoutebelle, who will contest a 2000m benchmark 60. She raced below expectations at Canterbury last start and, although she has won and raced well there, should be more at home on the wide wpen spaces on the roomier south coast track. Landlord is also to run at Kembla and Glyn Schofield will be the jockey in a 1300m maiden plate for entires and geldings. He has also been engaged for Think Up in a 1600m maiden.   We will be taking advantage of Kody Nestor’s 3kg allowance with Halleys at the Warwick Farm weeting o Wednesday, when she contests a 1300m benchmark 75.

TRIO TO HAWKESBURY - 11th March 2010

Three of the stable “lesser lights” will be in action at the Hawkesbury meeting on Thursday and Glyn Schofield has been booked for each.  Lovely Lotty has shown enough in her work and a barrier trial win to suggest she could open her account in the three-year-old for fillies over 1000m.  The other two are Onlyinthedark in a 1400m for entires and geldings and BrightNight to contest the maiden plate over 1300m.  BrightNight who will be making his debut is a three-year-old by Savabeel while Onlyinthedark will be having his first run back after 14 months on the sidelines. We won’t have runner at the Randwick meeting on Saturday, with Rock Classic to throw down the gauntlet to Denman at Flemington, after a busy morning at headquarters the day before.  Eighteen of the stable reps are scheduled to step out at the barrier trials with the most prominent of our autumn and winter hopefuls being Dandaad, former Peter Moody trained Victorian Riva San, Halleys, Antidotes and Breeze Up. While we’ll give Randwick a miss on Saturday two of the Flemington stable’s residents will make the trip to Geelong.  They are Cash Melody, to run in a 1700m maiden plate and Tamaru Park, who will also step out in maiden plate but that race will be over 1500m.  Luke Currie will ride both horses. As well as Rock Classic, in the Australian Guineas at Flemington, the other stable runners to miss out after the unbelievable hailstorm last week resulted in the Guineas and Australian Cup being postponed, our duo to run in the race, Sirmione and Moatize will fulfil that engagement this week with Luke Nolen on Sirmione and Clare Lindop riding Moatize.  Nolen will also be on Precedence, who is doing everything right this preparation after being gelded, in the 2000m open handicap. A 1200m maiden for entires and geldings, at Newcastle next Wednesday, has been earmarked for the chance of King’s Flyer opening his account.

BELLE TO PUT IN CARBON 4th March 2010

Redoutebelle, a last start Canterbury winner, will attempt to serve up a second dose on Thursday night. She will be ridden by Glyn Schofield when she progresses from her impressive maiden victory to a 1900m benchmark 70 and she has gone along well enough to suggest she should again be right in the thick of things at the finish.   At the feature Warwick Farm meeting on Saturday we expect to have five runners and Schofield has been engaged for four. His mounts are Sir James in a 2200m benchmark 90, Roman Emperor, who has gone along nicely since his good first up fifth in the G2 1400m Apollo Stakes, Allez Wonder, resuming after her successful spring campaign and the highly promising Griffon. Griffon will run in the 1100m benchmark 95 and his performance, against better opposition than he has met so far, will give us a good guide on his future program. Our other starters will be Kroner (Liverpool Cup) and Daniel Ganderton will handle him. Ganderton hasn’t ridden Kroner since he won the 2009 June Stakes on him. Allez Wonder won the Toorak Handicap at Caulfield in the spring but she hasn’t been done any favors in to the Gr.3 Liverpool City Cup (1300m). The mare has been given 58.5kg which she was allotted on a 109 rating under the precent handicapping system. In Melbourne in a similar Gr.3 Handicap she would be given 3kg less after the allowance for mares.   Rock Classic’s big step up in grade to tackle the 1600m Gr.1 Australian Guineas at Flemington and matching strides with Denman and co will also determine his immediate future. We’re confident he’ll make a bold showing in the event which carries $750,000 in stakes and a further $5,000 worth of trophies. Michael Rodd will be the rider. Clare Lindop, who rode Moatize for the first time in the 2008 Melbourne Cup, when he finished a very creditable sixth to stablemate Viewed, will be back on him in Saturday’s Gr.1 Standard Weight For Age 2000m. Moatize has tightened up after two runs since a lengthy spell. Sirmione will attempt to record his second win in the race and Luke Nolen has been engaged for him. Our very good filly Faint Perfume, who won the Wakeful Stakes- VRC Oaks double in the spring, will make her return in the Gr.2 1400m Kewney Stakes for three-year-old fillies and we expect her to run will first up and enjoy a successful autumn campaign. Michael Rodd has also been booked for her.   At Monday’s Warwick Farm meeting Schofield and Ganderton will again line up with the stable runners. Schofield will be on Sibling and Ganderton Think Up, with the pair to clash in the 1400m three-year-old maiden for colts and geldings.   Yaqubi has rejoined the Sydney team, after resenting the hard tracks down south and on Wednesday is due to start in a 1550m benchmark 75 with Glyn Schofield the jockey. Wild Oats, a three-year-old colt and a full brother to Gr.1 winner “God’s Own” makes his race debut in a three-year-old no metropolitan win race with Glyn Schofield his rider. At the Sandown meeting on Wednesday Dariana, an impressive last start winner before going to Melbourne in search of suitable races, will run in a 72 rating handicap for three-year-olds over 1600m.

DARIANA DODGES DAY TO SEE THE LIGHT 18 February 2010

A change in race conditions at Canterbury’s Thursday evening program has resulted in a change of plans for Dariana, originally scheduled to go to Newcastle Saturday. She will now start under lights at Canterbury on Thursday night. Glyn Schofield has been booked to ride her in a 1550m maiden for fillies and mares and she will be our sole representative at the fixture.   On Saturday Roman Emperor will contest the 1400m Gr.2 weight-for-age Apollo Stakes at Rosehill, after an exhibition gallop on the course proper at Randwick last Saturday and Mondays Randwick trials were called off. He could have used the track and kept well out from the rail but the stewards considered the going was “too slow” to allow him to work on it. Tim Clark has been engaged for Roman Emperor and will also be the rider of the highly promising Rock Classic for whom we have expectations during his autumn campaign. Rock Classic runs in a 1500m three-year-old Benchmark 71 while Sir James (Glyn Schofield) runs in the 2000m Parramatta Cup.   At the Newcastle meeting Suyama, who missed the Kembla meeting last week because of the very heavy track, will now go to Broadmeadow and run in a Class 1 over 1850m. The 58kg is a tester but, in a benchmark handicap, the opposition would have been considerably stronger. Dale Spriggs will be the jockey. In And Away, who was also scratched from the Kembla meeting and missed a run when Hawkesbury was called off, will now saddle up in the 1500m maiden at Newcastle and Robert Thompson will have the mount.   Three of the stable’s big autumn hopes in Melbourne will take on Saturday’s weight-for-age St George Stakes Gr. 2 over 1800m at Caulfield. It carries $200,000 in prize money and $1000 worth of trophies. Our three stayers to fly the flag will be the Melbourne-Caulfield Cup winner Viewed, Sirmione, who has an Australian Cup and Mackinnon Stakes to his credit and an excellent first up third to Typhoon Tracey in the Orr Stakes at Caulfield and Moatize. Steven Arnold will ride Viewed, Luke Nolen Sirmione and Kerrin McEvoy Moatize.   Wyong on Sunday will be the next stop for Comet Watch, who will run in a 2100m Benchmark 60, with Josh Adams the rider. Comet Watch is another of the team to miss a run at the washed out Hawkesbury meeting.   We’ll also have a couple of runners at Bendigo on Sunday. Mark Zahra will ride both Tamanu Park in a 1300m maiden and Cash Melody, also in a maiden, but over 1600m.   We’ll have a busy morning at the re-scheduled Randwick barrier trials on Monday next. The most prominent of the team, which will probably consist of about 18, will be the Toorak Handicap winner Allez Wonder, Halleys and Riva San, previously trained by Peter Moody in Melbourne.

BREEZE UP HOPES FOR A WIN 11th February 2010

Tim Clark has been booked to ride Breeze Up in the 1250m three-year-old for non metropolitan winners at Friday’s Canterbury meeting, at which Redoutebelle will be also a runner. Hugh Bowman has been engaged for the ride, in the 1900m maiden for four-year-olds and over.   Our two runners at the Randwick meeting on Saturday will be Kroner and Occurrence and Glyn Schofield will be the rider for each. Kroner’s mission will be the 1200m Southern Cross Stakes, Gr.3 worth $125,000 and run under quality handicap conditions. The Gr.2 Breeders Classic, the race in which Occurrence will resume carries $150,000 in prize money and $1800 in trophies. It’s a race for mares, also run over 1200m, with penalty conditions.   Suyama, scratched from an 1800m 64 benchmark at Wednesdays Randwick meeting will tackle a 2000m 60 benchmark at Kembla on Saturday. Suyama has a consistent record in his only seven starts, with a solid effort run in metropolitan company and a win over 1850m at Newcastle two starts back. In the same race Suyama will clash with stablemate Maillot Vert, who will be handled by Grant Buckley. Dale Spriggs will also ride our other runner at the Kembla meeting, Formermissuniverse, who will start in the 1600m maiden plate. At Monday’s Randwick barrier trials we expect to have 14 triallers including the Toorak handicap winner Allez Wonder and a recent to the stable, Riva San, formerly trained in Melbourne by Peter Moody.   The following day, at Hawkesbury meeting our runners will be Comet Watch, who showed plenty of fight when he won at Newcastle last start. He’ll start in the benchmark 75 over 2000m with Tim Clark his rider. In And Away will run in a 1500m maiden after drawing badly at Kembla Grange on Saturday.   Warwick Farm on Wednesday will see Sibling and Think Up, who will be making his debut, both line up in the 1300m maiden three-year-old for colts and geldings.   We’ll also have a runner at the Kilmore meeting on Sunday with Steven Arnold booked for Tamarn Park in the 1200m three-year-old Maiden Plate.

FINN CLASS READY TO SAIL(At Randwick Next Wednesday)04/05/2010

At Friday’s meeting in the Kensington track the exciting Griffon is in a 1150m benchmark 70 but he is also in a benchmark 85 at Rosehill the following day. He blitzed his rivals at only his second race start and his first after a very long spell and hasn’t put a foot wrong since. We’re expecting him to go on to much better things. Glyn Schofield will be the rider in the race selected for him and he has also been engaged for the mounts on Breccia in the 1800m race for fillies and mares and Breeze Up, who is to clash with Sibling (Corey Brown) in the 1300m maiden plate.   As well as Griffon- if he runs at Rosehill- Schofield will handle Sir James, who deserves another win after a couple of unlucky runs, in the 2000m benchmark 80 and Dreamcoat in the two-year-old over 1100m. Tim Clark has been booked for Rock Classic, to contest the 1400m benchmark 75 for three-year-olds.   We’ll open fire with some of our hopefuls at the Caulfield meeting on Saturday. Caulfield Cup winner Viewed will step out in the 1400m Gr. 1 Standard Weight for Age Orr Stakes which has seen several of the major spring cup winners come up trumps in it. Leilani (Caulfield Cup winner and second to Think Big in the Melbourne Cup) won the Orr in 1975 while Hyperno, Let’s Elope and Saintly all showed their versatility by winning both races. The 2008 Australian Cup and 2007 MacKinnon Stakes winner Sirmione will also run in the Orr while Moatize and Precedence are to start in the 1400m open handicap. Steve Arnold is to handle Viewed and Moatize, Dwayne Dunn Sirmione and Luke Nolen Precedence. All these horses did well during their spells, particularly Precedence, who will be racing as a gelding for the first time.   On the Kensington track on Wednesday Suyama and Finn Class will be runners in an 1800m three-year-old Non Metropolitan Winners for three-year-old fillies. The same day, at Sandown, Cash Melody will be a runner in a benchmark 68, a 1400m race for three-year-olds.   Assertive and Roman Emperor will head  to Warwick Farm to trial on Monday

TWO KINGS SEEK TO ACE 29th January, 2010

King’s Pride and King’s First are set to match strides at Randwick on Saturday when each attempt to prove top of the pack in the 1600m Benchmark 80. Glyn Schofield has been booked for King’s Pride while King’s First will be handled by Blake Shinn. King’s First was to have a run at Randwick’s Australia Day meeting on Tuesday but came up with the horror barrier drawn of 19 in the 20 horse field and, although there were eight scratchings, six would also have been posted “out to Siberia” at the start, which wouldn’t have been any help to our bloke. Our only other runner on Saturday was to be at Kembla Grange with Dariana in a three-year-old maiden plate over 1300m. However she has drawn barrier 15 and will now be kept for a 1400m maiden at Newcastle on Saturday 6th February.    The programming schedule makes it hard to keep some stablemates apart and, at Canterbury on Wednesday, Comet Watch and Vilayet are to clash in the 1900m event for horses who have not won more than one metropolitan race.

ATTEMPTING TO STAR 21st January 2010

Comet Watch will be one of two stable runners we’ll send to Gosford for Thursday’s meeting, with the 2100m class 2 the mission and Tim Clark the rider. The other rep to saddle up there will be Finn Class, who will start in a 1600m maiden for three-year-olds and Glyn Schofield is to have the mount.   Glyn Scholfield will also ride two of our runners at Rosehill on Saturday. He has been engaged for Sir James in the 2000m benchmark 85 and Breeze Up, whose race will be the benchmark 80 for three-year-olds over 1200m. Brenton Avdulla will be the jockey when Indirect saddles up in the 1300m benchmark 85, a race for mares.   Newcastle will be the venue for two contenders on Saturday and Robert Thompson has been booked for the pair. In the 1850m benchmark 60 Domargo will carry the flag while Gold World will start in the 900m maiden plate for three-year-olds.   King’s First will run at Randwick’s Australia Day meeting on Tuesday next, at which we have five likely starters. He will start in the benchmark 70 over 1600m with successful country based apprentice Timothy Bell his rider. Tim Clark has been engaged for Formermissuniverse in the 1300m benchmark 70 for three-year-old fillies and Glyn Schofield for Suyama in the 1800m 75 benchmark for three-year-olds.   Breccia, who was quite impressive in a last start win at Kembla on Saturday last will start in the 2000m benchmark 75 with Glyn Schofield her rider. Schofield will also ride Dreamcoat, the first progeny of God’s Own to represent the stable, in the 1000m two-year-old maiden plate.   Maillot Vert will be our only runner at the Wyong meeting on Wednesday, running in a benchmark 60 over 1600m.

ROCK IS READY TO ROLL AGAIN 14th January 2010

Rock Classic