English import Succendam has stamped himself as a future stayer storming home over the top of his opposition for a strong win at only his second start.
The Kim Waugh trained gelding was purchased for $40,000 as a yearling in England by former jockey Paul King, the head of Orbis Bloodstock’s Australian arm.
He debuted at Scone on July 22 finishing second to Call Me Mo, but Waugh said he was very unlucky on the day after being held up for a run on the turn.
“He really should have won at Scone and would have been two from two now,” Waugh said.
“We came her pretty confident today and he didn’t let us down.
“He is still very new and very green, but he is going to grow into a lovely horse. He has really come a long way this preparation. He’s really tall and leggy and acting like a real stayer.
“To do what he has done in his first two starts has been very impressive. We sort of knew Wyong wasn’t going to be the perfect track for him, but it fitted in to what we wanted to do. He overcame all that and was still looking around a bit but was good enough.”
Avdulla, who brought up a winning double with Succendam, said there was still plenty of improvement to come.
“He ran well. There was a bit more early speed than I thought, so I just grabbed hold of him and got him to switch off. From the 1200m he was too relaxed, I think it is just immaturity at the moment.
“At one stage I wasn’t sure I was going to get there and then when he hit the front around the bend, he got a bit lost. It was good win and there is plenty of upside there.”
Waugh said she might give the four-year-old one more start before putting him out for a spell.
The victory continues the good start Waugh has had with Orbis Bloodstock, with two wins and a second from three starters in less than a fortnight.
Succendam ($2.35eqfav) took out the 1600m RAPID CLEAN CENTRAL COAST MAIDEN by a half-length, from Elotrolado ($16) trained by Evan Holland, with Fast Talking ($11), from the Graham Brown stable, third.
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A lovely ride by in-form apprentice Sam Clenton gave Tracey Bartley a winning start to the season with Defeat ($5) taking out the 1100m H & H CATERING BM64.
The I Am Invincible gelding has been plagued by problems, but Bartley seems to have found the key with the four-year-old’s return to the winner’s circle.
“Sam put him on the spot, it was a great ride,” Bartley said.
“I really thought he needed the run today so it’s encouraging to see him win. He’s a big gross horse and he had two gallops this week and worked really good the second time.
“She put him right there and let the two leaders go. It was a nice run and he’s got plenty of improvement.
“He’s a nice horse but we’ve had plenty of trouble keeping him sound. It’s not his joints, it’s been his feet, or he’s torn a muscle over his hind quarter twice.
“Other than that, he’s a really nice horse and hopefully he can just keep going forward now.”
It was the second win from six starts for Defeat, a $150,000 yearling, who beat The Patrician ($5.50) from the Robert Pearse stable, with Coffs Harbour galloper I’m A Jet ($7.50) trained by Mick O’Neill, third.
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Tim Clark believes Bold And Wild could follow in the footsteps of his famous mother and get up to 2000m after his dominant win in the 1350m H & H GROUP 4YO&UP MAIDEN.
By Redoute’s Choice, the well-bred gelding was having only his third start and put six and a half lengths on his opposition.
Clark settled Bold And Wild midfield, before looming up on the turn and drawing away in the straight.
The four-year-old is out of Once We Wild, who took out the 2010 AJC Oaks, and is raced by the same connections including John Singleton.
Clark, who brought up a race to race double with the win, said Bold And Wild could well follow the same path as his mum.
“He’s a nice horse. He hadn’t a run for a long time the other day and has obviously made good improvement,” he said.
“He did everything right today.
“He’s out of an Oaks mare and I think he will get up to 2000m. He was too good for them.”
Steve McLean, representing trainer Bjorn Baker, said it was a big win.
“John Singleton and Strawberry Hill Farm are big supporters of the stable and have given us this well-bred gelding who looks like he might go on with it now.
“He put them away easily in the end and has shown us today what he’s been doing in trackwork. It’s good to get the duck off his back.”
Bold And Wild ($2.90) beat the $1.95 race favourite Prospero, from the Waterhouse/Bott stable, with Monterey Lad ($6.50), third.
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Martha Cave was full of praise for her husband Paul and jockey Grant Buckley after The Cartoonist ($10) upset some of the more favoured runners to win the 1600m FRESKO FRUIT CONDITIONAL BM70.
The Lucas Cranach gelding has strong staying genes, but Cave said they now realised he was more ideally suited to the 1600m.
“We tried him a couple of times over 1800m and it just didn’t work for one reason or another,” Cave said.
“His last win was at Nowra over a mile in a similar sort of race. He was fit and ready to run today and a mile really seems to be his distance.
“It was a great training effort by Paul and great to see him get to the line so well.
“He’s home bred, home reared and home broken. He’s a real family affair.”
Cave said Buckley had done a “great job” on The Cartoonist.
“He had him beautifully settled throughout the race and there was a good tempo on which suits him. He pulled him out on to the better going and it was terrific to see him finish like that.”
The Bjorn Baker trained Positive Peace ($4.80) was second, a head behind the winner, with Grant Allard’s $4.20 favourite Zoffany’s Lad, third.
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The Snowden trainer Sangita ($3.80fav) is headed back to metropolitan grade after an eye-catching first up win in the 1200m SOMERSBY GARDENS ESTATE CLASS 1.
Giving Tim Clark a winning treble, Sangita came from just off the speed to storm down the straight and win by more than a length.
Colum McCullogh, representing the stable, said it was a terrific return by the Sebring filly, an $800,00 yearling purchase.
“Everything went to plan today. Tim gave her a beautiful ride and it was nice to see her put her best foot forward first up,” he said.
“She looked like the winner at the top of the turn. Timmy stalked them the whole way and he obviously had a lot of horse under him.
“I was a little bit worried when he went out wide, but her fitness and ability shone through.
“Fingers crossed she will keep getting better. She is on her way back into the metropolitan grade now. Peter and Paul have done a great job with her and hopefully it’s all steam ahead from here.”
McCullogh said it was likely Sangita would head to a mid-week metro race.
The Evan Holland trainer Allez Rev ($4.80) was second, with Clarry Connors Kariba ($8), third.
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My Sweet Fish might be pint sized but the Shamus Award filly made short work of her opponents to take out the CARLTON DRAUGHT 3YO MAIDEN over 1350m.
Trained by John Sargent and ridden by Tim Clark, the $45,000 yearling purchase came from behind before being eased out on straightening and drawing away on the line to win by a length.
“It was a nice run,” Clark said. “They found a suitable race and she showed a nice turn of foot.
“There is not much of her but she’s a genuine filly and quickened up well. It was a nice effort.”
Shane Goodwin, said the filly was ‘only tiny’ but had a ton of speed.
“Last start she was four deep the entire trip with no luck at all. She really put them away today.
“I’d say John will just take her through her grades now.”
My Sweet Fish ($3), beat the $2.80 favourite Kuzco Lad, from the Waterhouse/Bott stable, with Divine Dream ($101) three lengths behind in third.
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An impressive debut win by the Richard and Michael Freedman trained Splendid Surprise ($1.65) taking out the DE BORTOLI 4YO&UP MAIDEN by four and a half lengths.
The Showcasing gelding, having only his third start, was given an armchair ride by Brenton Avdulla, maintaining the lead throughout the 1100m.
The four-year-old, out of an Exceed and Excel mare, had been placed on the metropolitan circuit at both his previous starts.
He was sent out short priced favourite and didn’t disappoint.
Benjamin Monnier, representing the Freedman stable, said it was an impressive win.
“We thought he would race well today, and he did,” he said.
“The track was a bit too firm when he raced at Warwick Farm. He likes a soft track, and this really suited him today.
“Getting back in distance to the 1100m was also good. He was a bit keen last start, and Brenton was able to lead him roll along in front today.
“We will see how he pulls up. It’s likely he could go back to town now, but Michael will make that decision.”
Splendid Surprise beat the Portelli trained Mikhail ($51), with Eighth Immortal ($6) from the Tim Martin stable, third.
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Another nice return by the Gerald Ryan trained Beaufort Park ($5.50) to take out the 1350m GOLDFISH BAR & KITCHEN BM 64.
It was a pick up ride for Andrew Gibbons, with Ryan praising the jockey with whom he has had a long association.
“Andrew has ridden a lot for me in the past, we go back a long, long way and when the opportunity arises, I like to get him on,” Ryan said.
“When Nash couldn’t make it, I got Andrew and he did a great job.”
Beaufort Park was a $2000 yearling but has already put together three wins from six starts and more than $43,000 in prizemoney.
“He’s a horse I’ve always had an opinion of,” Ryan said.
“He did a few things wrong last time in but since he’s been back in work, he’s doing most things right now.
“He’s come back a much nicer three-year-old.
“It was a great ride and Andrew had him in a perfect position.”
Beaufort Park is by Warhead, a horse trained by Ryan for the same owner Les Cowell.
In a close finish beat Kristen Buchanan’s $3.90 favourite Neruda, with Far North ($19) trained by Jeremy Everson, third.
