Month: November 2024

Richard Litt heads to Wyong this Saturday with two very different prospects. 

He saddles up debutant Montevecchio in 1600m Super Maiden and progressive mare La Signora Dane in the 1000m BM64. 

Litt is keen to see how the daughter of Star Witness copes with her first attempt at provincial grade and equally as excited to see what Montevecchio can do as he launches his career. 

The three-year-old is the son of LItt’s most successful horse to date, dual Group 1 winner Castelvecchio, who amassed almost $3 million dollars in prizemoney from his 13 starts.

He now stands at Arrowfied and with the success of his early progeny including Group 1 winner El Castello, is regarded as the leading second season sire in Australia. 

Montevecchio caught the eye of Litt at the Inglis Classic yearling sales, and he purchased him for $45,000.

“I liked the look of him from the start. He stood out for me and obviously knowing the sire I was confident he could have ability,” he said.

“We have had to be patient with him.  He’s a little bit green and we are starting him off over a mile, but we have given him three trials, so I think he’s ready.

“This will basically be just a learning experience for him. He should find his best over more ground. 

“I think he’s a pretty nice horse, so fingers crossed he races well.”

Litt believes La Signora has earned the chance to step up to the provincials, with two wins from just four starts, and expects her to perform well. 

The lightly raced five-year-old put together successive Canberra victories to kick off her second preparation before finishing fifth on the same track over 1200m last start, beaten a length. 

She drops back to the 1000m, where her two career wins have come and will benefit from Braith Nock’s three-kilo claim. 

“I think she should run well,” Litt said. “She has a bit of ability and is ready to take the next step. This looks like a good race for her.”

The first of eight races gets underway at 1.30pm, with the track currently rated a good 4. 

SELECTIONS:

Race 1 – 1.30pm: WYONG LEAGUES GROUP BM64 (2000m): 1 CORMAC, 2 Oakfiedl Mamselle, 3 Coto De Caza, 4 Just Boogie.

Race 2 – 2.05pm: TAB.COM.AU CLASS 1 (1600m): 1 JACK OF ACES, 2 Stylebender, 3 Pasima, 4 Waterville.

Race 3 – 2.40pm: MECURE KOOINDAH WATERS SUPER MAIDEN (1600m): 1 LADY JUSTICE, 2 Samphire Green, 3 Neviim, 4 Hardash.

Race 4 – 3.15pm: DE BORTOLI PROVINCIAL BM68 (1600m): 1 JACK DUGGAN, 2 Guzumped, 3 Oakfield Prince, 4 Without You.

Race 5 – 3.50pm: DOMELAND BM64 (1000m): 1 ZEALOUSLY, 2 La Signora Dane, 3 Zoe Shark, 4 Not Written Off. 

Race 6 – 4.30pm: COTTER ACCOUNTANTS MAIDEN (1000m): 1 MISS TRENTINO, 2 Puerto Banus, 3Magnolia Jewel, 4 Royal Armada.

Race 7 – 5.05pm: WYONG EQUINE CLINIC MIDWAY MAIDEN (1200m): 1 SYNERGIZE, 2 Artifactx, 3 Suncone, 4 Overland. 

Race 8 – 5.45pm: SKY CHANNEL CLASS 1 (1200m): 1 CREEK, 2 Plaza, 3 Ohtani 4 Oakfield Triumph.

A failed sale to Hong Kong is set to become a welcome windfall for Wyong’s Allan Kehoe. 

He had been offered a lucrative deal to sell Prince Of Sorts to an Asian buyer on the basis of two mid-year trials at Hawkesbury and Newcastle where he blitzed his opposition. 

But the Tassort three-year-old failed the rigid veterinary tests required to export horses to Hong Kong and lines up for the stable at Wyong tomorrow.

“I really think he could be the best horse I’ve ever trained,” Kehoe said. “He’s as sound as anything and his three runs to date have been good.”

Prince Of Sorts opened his account with a sixth at Wyong on August 4 before his debut win at Dubbo the following start. 

He was then spelled before finishing third at Port Macquarie when resuming over 1006m on October 27.

He returns to the home track on Saturday in the 1200m Class 1 and Kehoe expects him to be in the finish. 

“It was just a bit of fitness that cost him the win at Port last start,” he said. “He had missed his main gallop heading into the race and that set him back a bit.

“We were treating it as a trial, and he got to the line really strong.”

Kehoe said apprentice Olivia Chambers will ride Prince Of Sorts on Saturday.

“He’ll appreciate the claim and I really think he will be hard to beat. He’s a really nice horse, and I don’t think we’ll see the best of him until he gets out to 1400m and a mile.”

Kehoe’s partner Kimberley Clarke purchased Prince Of Sorts as a $22,000 yearling and he has already repaid her and her fellow owners with $32,000 in prizemoney. 

Lord Bob is Kehoe’s other runner on the program, the trainer hopeful he can help continue their great start to the current season with another win.

The six-year-old lines up in the 1100m BM64, having put together two wins and a second from his five runs this preparation. 

“He’s getting toward the end of his preparation, but in saying that he’s not showing any signs of tiredness. 

“He keeps stepping up to the next level and I think he will step up even further next preparation.”

Kehoe has had a super start to the 2024/25 season with six wins and eight placings from 30 starters, giving him an impressive winning strike rate of 20%.

‘It’s been a really good start and hopefully we can build on that. We have some nice two-year-olds coming through as well who can hopefully be winners.”

The first of eight races gets underway at 12.45pm, with the track currently rated a soft 5.

SELECTIONS:

Race 1 – 12.45pm: ABBEY TIMBER – GARY TURNER MEMORIAL 4YO&UP MAIDEN (1000m): 1 ARTIFACTX, 2 Cryptonic, 3 Pombia, 4 Magnolia Jewel.

Race 2 – 1.20pm: GOSFORD MASONIC CENTRE 3YO MAIDEN (1000m): 1 MANUSCRIPT, 2 Eagles Beware, 3 Highwire Flyer, 4 Algarve.

Race 3 – 1.55pm: RENTOKIL INITIAL SUPER MAIDEN (1200m): 1 INQUE, 2 War Star, 3 Rainbow Goddess, 4 Apollo Ridge. 

Race 4 – 2.35pm: WIDELINE WINDOWS AND DOORS CLASS 1 (1350m): 1 SOCRAZYINLOVE, 2 Snatchreilly, 3 Rennata, 4 Lucilago.

Race 5 – 3.15pm: WYONG LEAGUES GROUP – THE ROOS FOUNDATION PROVINICAL MAIDEN (1600m): ! LIKE LUKEY, 2 Hardpoint, 3 Finger Bun, 4 Zeema. 

Race 6 – 3.55pm: PETER MAC’S SERVICE CENTRE BM64 (1600m): 1 WATERVILLE, 2 Zip On By, 3 Jack Of Aces, 4 Oakfield Prince. 

Race 7 – 4.35pm: FREEMASONS ON THE CENTRAL COAST MIDWAY CLASS 1 (1200m): 1 PRINCE OF SORTS, 2 Rose Water, 3 American Starlet, 4 Invaida Prince.

Race 8 – 5.15pm: CENTRAL COAST KIDS IN NEED BM64 (1100m): 1MERCHANT LADY, 2 Don’t Doubt Merlin, 3 Accredited, 4 Ivy Diva