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While on paper it appeared as if our Charge Forward six-year-old had been having a bad run of late, but all things were turned around on Saturday when Beckon thundered out of the pack and held off all challengers to win the St Johns Park Bowling Club (1100m) at Rosehill Gardens.

Showing plenty early on in his career when winning his first two starts, things went slightly awry after that and the well-bred Beckon was gelded to help keep his mind on the job! A full-brother to Group One winner Headway, the Peter Moody-trained Beckon had not won since November 2012 when winning at Gosford with the beaten brigade that day including Masterstroke, who was also competitor on Saturday.

Forced to take a 45 weeks spell, Beckon resumed his current campaign in May of this year and while it has taken a few months for everything to fall into place, they finally did on Saturday and his large group of owners could not have been more excited!!

Ridden by Josh Parr, Beckon settled up handy in about fifth position on the rail from barrier two. With last start winner Runway Star ensuring there was a good tempo in the race, Parr pulled Beckon out wide as the field rounded the home turn to start to chase down the leader.

With Maroon Bay going to the inside of the leader and Beckon on the outside, these two pulled away from the rest of the field with Beckon getting his head in front of Maroon Bay to take the win, Masterstroke worked home well into third.

With four wins and a five placed efforts from 21 starts to date, Beckon was secured from the 2010 Magic Millions Yearling Sale from the draft of Turangga Farm and is raced by Laurel Oak Bloodstock Synd (Mgr: L J Mihalyka), Lanista Thoroughbreds Synd (Mgr: S C Cook), D J Daniel, A N Fitzgerald, G S Tucker, A G Charlton, S M Sandridge, S W Hackney, W Gest, K C Ooi, M D Jackson, Mrs K J Hanckel, Ms N Mayhew & Mrs R C Fitzgerald.

For more images, head over to the Laurel Oak Facebook page by clicking here.

Heading to Royal Randwick on Saturday with two live chances in black type races is always great, and although neither crossed the finish line in front, both ran extremely positive races and highlights what hopefully will be a fruitful campaign for both.

The first of the team to head to the starting gates was our three-year-old Shamardal colt Better Land who was having his second career start, stepping up to the Listed Rosebud over 1200m against a handy line up of runners.

Trained by Peter Moody, the Inglis Easter yearling sale graduate was unfortunately planted three-wide in the run after jumping from the outside gate, but produced a brilliant turn off foot when it mattered to go down by three-quarters-of-a-length to last start winner Scissor Kick – pictured below.

Producing what many considered to be the run of the race, it is interesting to note that 12 month prior, trainer Peter Moody also finished second in the race, also with a horse that jumped from barrier 8. That horse was Dissident, who would go on to win the Group One Randwick Guineas and become a very valuable commodity!

We can all hope that down the track we are in the same situation as our son of Shamardal is extremely well-bred being out of the former high-class juvenile Amelia’s Dream who could have been anything!!!

The very next race of the day saw Rebel Dane start first up in the Group Two Missile Stakes over 1200m with new jockey Blake Shinn in the saddle.

Starting the race favourite, the Gary Portelli-trained Rebel Dane settled mid-field in fourth while the four-year-old mare Sweet Idea got a cosy lead.

When the field headed for home, jockey Blake Shinn produced the now five-year-old to make his run, charging at the leaders to be beaten a long head x long head into third, with promising galloper Messene finishing second to Sweet Idea.

With both horses putting in great runs, all at Laurel Oak Bloodstock are excited to see how they progress during this campaign and fingers crossed we will be reporting about victories at their next starts #onwardsandupwards

Heading back to Wyong after her narrow last start second, our Fastnet Rock mare Posh Rock once again produced a very encouraging run to finish second.

Starting one of the race favourites in the Moneywise Super Funds Maiden over 1350m, the Tony Noonan-trained mare jumped away a little slowly from the inside barriers before jockey James McDonald drove along the rail to sit in third position on the rail behind the leader Crimson Ruby.

With the leader getting a good run in front, when the field turned for home, Crimson Ruby kicked and while Posh Rock continued to make ground on the leader the whole way down the straight, the three kilo weight difference came into play.

Finishing a half-length second, Posh Rock has now recorded back to back second placed efforts and fingers crossed the Magic Millions graduate can go one better next time out as she steps up in trip.

Peter Moody is giving blueblood three-year-old Better Land an early opportunity to prove precisely how good he is.

The champion Melbourne trainer is giving the son of Shamardal and former brilliant filly Amelia’s Dream a crack at the $100,000 Listed The Rosebud (1200m) at just his second start.

The only time the colt has been to the races was for a three-length Sale maiden win in April and while Moody is not convinced he will measure up to the top level, he said he might have struck the right year to have a crack at the early three-year-old features.

“He’s like everyone’s three-year-olds; we’re just hoping they improve sufficiently to measure up to the better grade,” Moody said.

“Probably all of this season’s three-year-old colts are in the same bracket because none of them actually shone at two.

“The two best two-year-old colts (from last season) are maidens – Jabali and Cornrow – so anyone with a three-year-old that they’ve got any opinion of are entitled to have a crack at what is supposedly the better grade.

“Is it six months too soon? Yes, I think it is, but to get seasoned he’s going to be taking on the better class.”

Better Land will tackle a Rosebud field full of horses in a similar boat. None of the field have had any more than three starts and two rivals – John O’Shea-trained favourite Sarajevo and Gai Waterhouse’s Echo Prince – have had just one start for a win in maiden grade.

Inkling, Bold Circle and Scissor Kick are other last-start winners in the race, while the remaining runners – Nayeli and Hero I Am – are also winners.

None of Better Land’s rivals are as well-travelled as the $400,000 purchase from last year’s Inglis Easter Yearling Sale (pictured as a yearling).

Sent out to the far east of the state for his debut run and spent the bulk of the winter spelling in Queensland, where he trialled before heading down to Moody’s Randwick stable late last month.

How he performs in The Rosebud, in which he will be ridden from Kerrin McEvoy and start from the outside barrier in the field of eight, will determine future plans but Moody did use last year’s race to launch the campaign of Dissident, who went on to run second to Zoustar in the Group 1 Golden Rose.

“I did a similar thing with Dissident, but bear in mind he was a bit more experienced,” Moody said. “He’d had a couple of runs and ran in a Blue Diamond, so he was more seasoned.

“But this guy is a well-bred colt that I’ve always had a good opinion of.”

The Rosebud is the key support race on an exciting Randwick program that includes a sterling edition of the Missile Stakes.

Boban, Hawkspur, Kirramosa and Weary are among the possible Spring Racing Carnival stars who will launch their campaigns in the event that also contains Group 1 winners Rebel Dane and Laser Hawk and classy types Messene, Sweet Idea and Thump.

Story by Brad Bishop, Racing Victoria

The Sportsman’s Ray Hickson speaks to Rebel Dane’s trainer Gary Portelli about his chances first up in Saturday’s G2 Missile Stakes.

Trainer Gary Portelli admits his star sprinter Rebel Dane could be at a crossroads if he doesn’t finish in the first two, or maybe three, when
he returns at Randwick tomorrow.

The five-year-old looked in for a big autumn and winter when he chased home Lankan Rupee in the TJ Smith Stakes during The Championships but came up winless in three subsequent runs.

Added to that is the surprise defeat in his barrier trial a couple of weeks back that Portelli is hoping was just due to being “a bit fat”.

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