Month: June 2021

IT wasn’t a feature meeting by any means – but it is one RACHEL KING won’t easily forget.

The expatriate English woman, who has made an outstanding success of her Australian riding career, reached a milestone when she hit a century of winners for the first time in a season.

And she produced a typically brilliant performance to post her 100^th winner when she scored on favourite TANGIER in the opening event.

King began riding in her adopted country only in March, 2015 when she rode her first winner Run Cannon Run at Tamworth, and her previous best season performance had been 88 winners in 2016-17.

Now a Group 1 winner, she is firmly entrenched in Sydney’s riding ranks. 

This was CLUBSNSW Central Coast Itty Bitty Charity Race Day, held to raise important funds to brighten the lives of sick and disadvantaged children on the Central Coast.

There was no shortage of excitement with the day’s shortest-priced favourite, Kristen Buchanan’s OAKFIELD CHEROKEE scraping home in a tricky photo-finish which had many thinking he had gone under, and two races later the judge this time was unable to separate favourite BUDHWAR, from the Damien Lane stable, and second favourite GENERAL DUBAI in another enthralling battle to the post.

While not one trainer or jockey dominated the program, Sam Clipperton did best by winning the second race on Stonesthrow for Wyong’s Tracey Bartley and then dead-heated on GENERAL DUBAI for Peter Robl. 

RACE 1 – AINSWORTH GAMING TECHNOLOGY (AGT) MAIDEN HCP (1600m)

THE betting ring action was mirrored on the track though at the end it really wasn’t a two-horse race at all.  James Cummings’ TANGIER ($2fav) and Mark Newnham’s ANGEL SISTINA ($2.60) clearly dominated discussions pre-post, and it was the former who proved too good for her main rival. TANGIER enjoyed a perfect run cruising along on the inside under Rachel King and the breaks went her way at exactly the right time when she got into the clear and eased around the heels of the two leaders, MANDALONG FLAG ($61) and ANGEL SISTINA, on the home turn. Once she gained her momentum, TANGIER had no trouble overhauling ANGEL SISTINA and was strong through the line without being pressured. The Medaglia D’Oro filly was having only her third start and looks capable of stretching out over more ground. A daughter of Exceed and Excel mare ESSAOUIRA (who raced only twice and won at Moonee Valley as a two-year-old), TANGIER is a sister to the Group 1 winner ASTERN, who now stands at stud for Darley. ANGEL SISTINA was game after doing work from her outside barrier in the field of seven, and MANDALONG FLAG battled on well. RIVER TYCOON ($8) ran last after being slow out and stewards are waiting to hear an update on the gelding’s progress from trainer Mark Cross before deciding any further action.

RACE 2 – CONSULATE FINANCE 4YO&UP MAIDEN PLATE (1100m)

IF the first was for the “out of towners”, this was definitely one for the locals. Wyong trainers Tracey Bartley and Damien Lane saddled the two favourites – and they fought out the finish. Bartley’s heavily-backed favourite STONESTHROW ($2) was cleverly ridden by Sam Clipperton, bouncing well from her outside draw and then being restrained to sit off Lane’s BUCKIN RIPPA ($3.10) and MISTER RIPLEY ($5). When the pace surprisingly eased mid-race, Clipperton took the bit between his teeth and raced his mount to the front. STONESTHROW responded by comfortably holding out BUCKIN RIPPA, who notched his 10^th placing from 22 starts – and connections must be wondering when a breakthrough will come? MISTER RIPLEY hung on for third for another local Rod Bailey, making it an all-Wyong result. STONESTHROW, a four-year-old daughter of 2013 Royal Randwick Listed Dulcify Quality, 1600m winner Rock Hero (by Fastnet Rock), was having only her third start, as with the opening winner, and her trainer was confident she would be hard to beat first-up on the back of two recent good trials and believes she will probably manage further later. “I expect she is in for a really good preparation,” Bartley said. BUCKIN RIPPA’S rider Aaron Bullock, when queried afterwards by stewards, agreed he should have allowed his mount to set a more genuine tempo in the early stages.

RACE 3 – THE ARY TOUKLEY 3YO MAIDEN HANDICAP (1100m)

THE Bartley stable played up its winnings with an attempted long-priced coup on first-upper EMPOWERMENT ($19 to $5.50), but fourth was the best the filly could do. Gosford trainer Adam Duggan took the honours, producing debutant SYZYGY STARS ($8.50) to kick off her career in the best possible manner. Rider Josh Parr had the three-year-old daughter of 2015 Golden Slipper winner VANCOUVER (beaten only once in five career starts) in touch with the leading group throughout and brought her to the centre of the track on straightening. She finished with real determination to overhaul SARANDOS ($7.50) right on the post. The runner-up almost gave his dam, Doomben Cup winner Streama, two Provincial wins within a week as his older half-sister PENSERA scored at Newcastle last Saturday. SYZYGY STARS was a $65,000 buy at the 2019 Australian Easter yearling sale; a fair bit cheaper than $400,000 2019 Magic Millions buy SARANDOS. Duggan, a smart man with a horse, was concerned beforehand the 1100m on the tight track might be a bit short for his filly, so she should be worth following. Another first starter DA NANG STAR went to the post a $2.50 favourite and had his chance, weakening in the run home to finish fifth. His rider Rachel King suggested the addition of blinkers and a step up in distance may lead to a better showing next time.

RACE 4 – SEVEN STAR VENDING MAIDEN PLATE (1350m)

TRAINER Gary Moore devised front-running tactics to upset odds-on favourite VOLTERRA – and who better to carry them out than Tim Clark, who has no peer when it comes to dictating pace up front. Clark had no trouble assuming the front on Moore’s LUCKY TO WIN ($5.50), who broke through at his 10^th start. He was never really in any danger, holding out LEKVARTE ($8) and CONTAMINATION ($5.50). Moore, recovering from a recent knee operation, was convinced his horse couldn’t stay and told Clark to lead and “go for home at the 400m”. “I have made some adjustments with his feeding, and his work indicated he was in great order and ready to go,” Moore explained. LUCKY TO WIN when third had finished a decent way behind VOLTERRA (2^nd) in a recent 1400m race at Warwick Farm, but Clark’s tactics enabled him to turn the tables – and how! The winner was pinhooked for $33,000 as a weanling and later fetched $210,000 when offered at a 2yo’s in training sale at the Gold Coast in 2019. Punters won’t easily forgive VOLTERRA ($1.80), who went back to last from his outside draw in the small line-up of six and never looked likely to raise his backers’ hopes, finishing fourth. A $1.3m yearling buy, he has a long way to go to recoup such an outlay. Stewards questioned rider Brenton Avdulla, who said he had been instructed to ride the gelding conservatively and anticipated settling last. He added VOLTERRA raced keenly and, in his opinion, was not suited by the moderate tempo and as a result didn’t finish the race off as expected.

RACE 5 – SYNERGY FM 4YO&UP CLASS 1/MAIDEN PLATE (2100m)

PHEW! Thrill seekers who dived in to take the prohibitive odds about hotpot OAKFIELD CHEROKEE ($1.35) must have been shaking in their boots, especially when race caller Mitch Manners intimated $12 chance ZAK might have kicked back and won the day. Thankfully, there was a narrow margin for the favourite, a younger brother to now retired multiple Group 1 winner LUCIA VALENTINA, in a finish which virtually fooled everyone. Trainer Kristen Buchanan said it took an astute ride to win at Wyong and stressed upon rider Aaron Bullock “not to miss the boat”. A $155,000 yearling buy, the lightly-raced four-year-old is starting to hit his straps after overcoming heart arrythmia issues earlier. A trip to the Grafton July carnival for a 2200m Rural Plate is now on the cards for the gelding.

RACE 6 – THE ENTRANCE LEAGUES CLUB CLASS 1 HANDICAP (1100m)

IN his first season, Newcastle apprentice Dylan Gibbons keeps kicking goals. This was his first ride for trainer Annabel Neasham and he took full advantage of $2.60 favourite OSAMU’S inside draw to boot through and lead. OSAMU had garnered a “loser” tag with eight minor placings before breaking through at Newcastle on May 1 for senior jockey Rory Hutchings, and Gibbons made sure another placing didn’t arise by booting the gelding clear on straightening and then holding off BEAUCHAMP ($7). Gibbons’ 3kg claim proved invaluable lessening the gelding’s 62.5kg, and the youngster chalked up his 67^th winner; an outstanding effort in any circumstances given his relative inexperience. Second only to Scone’s Reece Jones (86.5 wins) in the State’s junior riding premiership, he is obviously a star of the future. It wasn’t the best of days for another rising star, Neasham, who was fined $7000 by stewards in Sydney and had Cox Plate favourite ZAAKI disqualified from his second placing in the Group 3 JRA Plate at Royal Randwick in April, having presented him to race with a prohibited substance analysed in his pre-race blood sample. OKAY OKAY was a late withdrawal at the barrier when found to be lame in the off-hind leg. 

RACE 7 – THE RACE TO SHELLY BEACH GOLF CLUB BENCHMARK 64  (1350m)

The judge couldn’t separate favourite BUDHWAR ($1.75) and PRINCE OF DUBAI ($6), who had stalked him throughout and switched around his heels on straightening to issue a challenge. Jason Collett tried hard to squeak home on heavily-backed BUDHWAR for local trainer Damien Lane, but it wasn’t to be. GENERAL DUBAI’s rider Sam Clipperton had won earlier on STONESTHROW for Tracey Bartley and this time got Peter Robl a share of the major spoils. In a bustling finish, evergreen local sprinter ISORICH ($7.50) was a close third at his 134^th start. The rising 11-year-old continues to beat time and has earned his connections more than three quarters of a million dollars in prizemoney.

RACE 8 – GOSFORD RSL CLUB BENCHMARK 64 HANDICAP (1600m)

BRENTON Avdulla could not have produced a better ride to send favourite backers’ home on a happy note. DUNDEE LEE ($3.10 after $4 was offered earlier in the day) became the fifth favourite to score, and of course another, BUDHWAR, dead-heated. On a day where it was important to be up on the pace (the rail was 3m out), Avdulla put the Newcastle mare in a winning position from the outset, then got a split on straightening. Vigorously ridden, DUNDEE LEE held on to defeat ACHI BABA ($12 to $7.50) and SALSA MAN ($8.50), who invariably races well at Wyong. The five-year-old daughter of DUNDEEL has now won six races for her connections, and added to a couple of good days for Newcastle’s KRIS LEES, who also won races at Doomben and on the Kensington track yesterday.

Kristen Buchanan carried the flag for the locals on a day of competitive racing at the Wyong Roos Foundation Race Day. 

Buchanan has her eye on a Provincial Championships campaign for her progressive filly Oakfield Arrow, who brought up her second career win from start six in the 1350m Fillies & Mares BM64.

The track held up well under consistent drizzle and there were several impressive winners with Gary Moore’s Light Up My World scoring a dominant five length victory over 1600m.

John O’Shea’s New Zealand import Comme Bella Fille also looks like a progressive stayer in the making taking out the 2100m race.

Race 1 – WYONG ROOS FOUNDATION MAIDEN PLATE (1000 METRES)

Gary Portelli’s long and successful association with Elite Thoroughbreds continued with Walkin’Talkin’ breaking through for his debut win. 

Portelli trained the gelding’s sire, I’m All The Talk, a winner of the Group 3 Skyline in 2013 and has four of his progeny currently in his stable. 

Elite Thoroughbreds purchased Walkin’Talkin’ for $45,000 at the Perth Magic Millions sales and look to have made a good investment.

Portelli said I’m All The Talk, who stands in Western Australia, is one of the leading second season sires in Australia.

“I really liked him when I trained him, and he seems to be doing very well as a sire,” he said. 

“I was pretty confident coming here today. He was coming out of a very strong race last start.”

Walkin’Talkin’ debuted at Scone on May 14, finishing fourth over 1000m.

“He got the wobbles when he got to the front that day. He was three deep most of the way and wasn’t quite there on the day. 

“I was impressed with the turn of foot he showed today. I was little concerned with the slow tempo but when Rachel (King) asked him to quicken she had some horse there. 

“I liked the way he went through the line and think he will be better when he gets up to 1100m to 1200m. He’s got a motor and he’s got ability and it’s great to get another winner for Elite.”

King settled Walkin’Talkin,’ the $1.95 favourite, just behind the leader hugging the rails, taking the lead on straightening, and drawing away to win by almost two lengths. 

Tracey Bartley’s Compassionate ($3.50), who had a wide run throughout, was second, with the fast finishing Buckin’ Rippa ($11), from the Damien Lane stable, third.

Race 2 – BELLBIRDS PROV & CTRY MAIDEN HANDICAP (1100 METRES)

Comonic continued a winning week for Scott Singleton and Jay Ford, the Nicconi gelding bringing up win three for the combination.

Singleton and Ford scored a double at Scone on Monday and continued the run 

three days later at Wyong with Comonic, a three-year-old having his third race start. 

Ford took luck out the equation, leading on Comonic throughout. He looked to be 

cruising coming to the turn and drew away to win by a length. 

Ford was full of praise for Comonic, believing he will go on to win better races. 

“His future is pretty bright long term and it’s good to knock the maiden out of the way today,” he said.  

 “This fellow is only lightly raced but going really well. He ran a good second the other day at Gosford and today was his day to break through.

 “He’s very natural in what he’s doing but at the same time he’s pretty green.”

Comonic was the second favourite of the day to win, having started at $2.40. 

He beat Nick Mitchell’s Miss Checkoni ($31) who was eye-catching on debut, with 

Minniti ($4.20) from the Sam Kavanagh stable, third. 

Race 3 – CENTRAL COAST VOLUNTEER RESCUE ASSOCIATION MAIDEN HANDICAP (1600 METRES)

Gary Moore had Queensland Oaks aspirations for his filly Light Up My World who was a dominant five length winner over the 1600m.

The Toronado filly, a $42,500 yearling, was having her third start for the stable and her fourth career run. 

Moore had intended on targeting the Queensland Oaks but ran out of time and decided to keep the three-year-old racing in NSW. 

She was second at her last start at Hawkesbury over 1500m on May 20 and really hit her straps at Wyong, blitzing her opposition in the final stages. 

Tim Clark had positioned Light Up My World just behind the leader, hitting the front on the point of the turn and drawing away to the line.

James Moore, representing the stable, said it was good to see the filly put it all together. 

“We were initially aiming her towards the Oaks at Queensland but probably got her a little late to rush her into that target.

“She put it all together today. She’s a lovely filly, great to do anything with, very relaxed and bred to get 2000m to 2400m so there will be bigger plans for her.” 

Light Up My World earned strong late support and was sent out $2.35 favourite. She beat Mark Newnham’s Angela Sistina ($2.40), with $101 longshot Minneapolis, trained by Colin Besters, putting in a much-improved run to finish third. 

 Race 4 – WE CARE CONNECT CLASS 1 & MAIDEN PLATE (2100 METRES)

John O’Shea looks to have a promising stayer on his hands with Comme Bella Fille ($1.90) who continued a good day for favourites. 

The daughter of Complacent made short work of her opposition, courtesy of a confident ride by Tommy Berry.

He settled the three-year-old mid-field, taking off just before the turn and hitting the lead on straightening. 

He was able to ease up in the final stages and still record a convincing win.

Comme Bella Fille did her early racing in New Zealand where she recorded a win at Matamata, before being purchased by OTI Racing and transferred to O’Shea. 

She has had two starts for the new stable, with a sixth at Wyong over 1350m on April 29 and was runner-up over 1600m at Newcastle on May 18.

Stable foreman Tom Charlton said they had a good opinion of the filly. 

“She’s going for a break now and will come back in the spring. I think she will have a lot to offer in the future,” he said.

“She could be a promising stayer. She will take a lot out of today’s win and the confidence will do her good.”

Berry agreed the filly had potential. 

“She’s a nice filly going through her preparation. I still think she’s a preparation away and is still a bit raw and a bit new.”

Kristen Buchanan’s Oakfield Cherokee ($6.50) finished strongly into second, with Upscale ($7) trained by John Sargent, third.

Race 5 – CENTRAL COAST KIDS IN NEED 4YO&UP MAIDEN PLATE (1350 METRES)

It was a welcome return to the winner’s circle for Scone based Sam Kavanagh after Dulcero’s tough breakthrough victory over 1350m. 

The Dawn Approach mare, a $180,000 yearling previously raced by Godolphin, had been racing consistenly leading up to the win and was coming off a second at Muswellbrook over 1500m on May 23. 

Kavanagh said it had looked like another “horror story” after Andrew Gibbons was caught three wide from the outside draw.

“I was a little concerned, but Gibbo knows her well and produced her at the right time. 

“These owners have been brilliant, and we’ve been waiting a whole year to get a win with them. 

“She was one of the first horses we brought but had a lot of feet issues and problems so it’s rewarding to finally win for them. 

“Our horses are running terrific but just haven’t been getting to the line first, so I’m tickled pink for them.”

Dulcero ($4.80) was produced late in the straight but managed to run down the locally trained River Tycoon ($4.60) from the Mark Cross stable. 

The $2.30 favourite Exterminate, from the Tim McIntosh yard, looked to have every chance and finished third, a length behind the winner. 

Race 6 – WYONG LEAGUES CLUB GROUP F&M BENCHMARK 64 HANDICAP (1350 METRES)

A win for the locals with Kristen Buchanan’s promising filly Oakfield Arrow bringing up her second win from six starts.

It was heart on the sleeve stuff for Buchanan with the three-year-old having to sustain a long run in the straight before scoring a narrow win. 

She now plans to spell the Press Statement filly and will bring her back for a tilt at the Provincial Championship Series in 2022. 

“I’m really happy but I didn’t think she was going to get there,” a relieved Buchanan said. 

“She had a bit of a hard time behind the slow tempo but got there in the end. 

“It was a really good ride by Aaron (Bullock) and he got job done. 

“I think she’s got a really bright future, so I’ll spell her now and bring her back for the spring. 

“She’s tenacious enough and genuine enough to run in the Provincials and I’d like to have a go at it.” 

Bullock described it as a “good win.”

“When I got cover, she relaxed good and when I got clear air and running, she got the job done. 

“It was a good win. You get a good feel for horses going to the barriers and she gave me a great feel and all credit to Kristen.” 

Runner-up, Matthew Smith’s Latina Beauty ($7.50) was the hard luck story of the race, having been caught wide throughout. 

Oakfield Arrow, a $170,000 Magic Millions yearling, eased in the betting late, still starting $2.20 favourite. 

Hard Faith ($10) from the Nathan Doyle stable, was third.

Race 7 – WYONG ROOS FOUNDATION CG&E BENCHMARK 64 HANDICAP (1350 METRES)

The Jeremy Gask trained Tim’s Principal got the nod in an exciting finish, bringing up back-to-back wins for the seven-year-old.

It was a patient ride by in-form apprentice Reece Jones, who had to weave a passage in the final stages bursting through on the line to win by a neck.

Gask said it was great to see the gelding return to winning form. 

“It was three years between wins and then he goes back-to-back. It terrific he’s in good form,” he said.

“He had a few hiccups during the drought and fires and had real trouble respiratory wise, so he had a long time off.

“He came back, and things didn’t go right but he’s in really good form now. 

“It was a great ride by Reece. He gets on really well with the horse – he’s a good lad.“

In the closest finish of the day, seven horses finished within a length of the post, with Tim’s Principal ($4.60) getting the nod over Damien Lane’s $2.80 favourite Budhwar. 

Lake Tai ($12) from the Bjorn Baker stable, was third. 

Race 8 – WYONG BOWLING CLUB CONDITIONAL BENCHMARK 68 HANDICAP (1100 METRES)

A downgraded track didn’t affect the chances of the Stephen Jones trained Toro Toro despite the concerns of the stable. 

The Time For War four-year-old proved he has no problem with rain affected tracks, relishing in the conditions to overhaul his rivals on the line for a strong win. 

Tracy Rodger, representing the stable, said the horse’s only other experience in the wet was on a heavy track at a Muswellbrook trial. 

“He did win the trial that day but was too good for them so we didn’t think that gave us a good guide as to whether he would handle it,” she said.

“He’s always been handy and has done super in the last two weeks and we thought we had a good chance until we saw the rain.

“He got through it well and it was a good win. It’s great to have Matty (Palmer) at Scone and riding our horses.”

Palmer said he also been surprised how well Toro Toro handled the track.

“It took me by surprise. He’s a huge horse and is pretty heavy so I thought he might just sink but he kicked away and was too good.” 

Toro Toro ($7.50) beat Matthew Smith’s undeniable ($15), with Tamworth galloper Cassy’s Sister ($11) from the Troy O’Neile stable, third.

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