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Laurel Oak are absolutely thrilled to have secured the Fastnet Rock colt out of the Group One winning mare Zarita, from the Magic Millions Sales, for Tony Noonan to train.
Our Fastnet Rock/Zarita Colt
Fastnet Rocks were on the initial inspection list without any real expectation to buy. This colt was Laurel Oak’s top pick after pedigree analysis and vet check and we did not have any expectation to be able to buy him. Rather we went through the protocols in case a trainer we knew bought the horse and we could take an interest.
As we were sitting with Tony watching the sale as he came and both of us commented how much we had liked the horse. The way the Fastnets had been selling we expected to be observers only. When bidding started to stall at $200k we decided to chime in and have a go, and were able to outbid David Hayes buy him at $250k plus GST.
We were thrilled to be able to get him and he is arguably the best-pedigreed horse that we have ever bought, and he has a real stallion’s pedigree if he can succeed on the track.
While all shares in this exciting colt have been allocated, Laurel Oak will be actively buying at the upcoming yearling sales around Australasia, and, if you would like to join the Laurel Oak team, please contact our office to find out how.
Return Journey’s owners were delivered a late Christmas Present when she won impressively at the Caulfield Boxing Day meeting.
Despite heading to this race looking to settle off a hot speed, Return Journey, ridden by Jake Noonan, ended up jumping too well and settled right on the speed.
Approaching the turn, Jake brought the Dylan Thomas filly out to clear galloping room and she quickly set up a lead and never looked like being beaten, where she came away for an impressive 1.75 length victory, at the juicy odds of $31!!
All along we have been expecting this filly to excel once she reached distances of a mile and beyond, and if this is the case, we are in for an exciting career.
Return Journey took her record to 3 starts for two wins and a third and $58,600 prizemoney.
The filly has now headed for a well deserved break and will be much improved next time in.
Roman Alliance scored his third win from eleven starts with a gutsy Canberra victory on 30 November at his first run for the month.
After finishing last as favourite, having been trapped wide at Queanbeyan at the end of October, this KEITH DRYDEN-trained galloper returned to the track ridden by Grant Buckley. Although Roman Alliance over-raced early, Grant managed to get him to settle well enough and then, under vigorous riding in the straight, prevailed over favourite, Paramount Pete, to score a good win.
Roman Alliance’s victory was another success for a Laurel Oak breeding syndicate as he was bred by the Miracle Queen syndicate, and bought by Keith Dryden and Laurel Oak at the Melbourne Premier Sale.
After a good debut third at Kyneton on their Cup Day, Return Journey returned to that track for her second start. Ridden by apprentice Brad Wallace, this Tony Noonan-trained filly did everything with a bit of authority. Having been trapped wide early from her wide draw, Brad took her up outside the leader, and on straightening she quickly put the issue beyond doubt.
The filly is somewhat of a conundrum as she has brilliant natural speed yet is bred to run 2400m, so we don’t quite know yet how far she will ultimately get.
We would like to race her with cover, but until now the horses she has trialled against haven’t been fast enough to keep up with her, so the next stage of her learning curve will be back over 1000m at Caulfield on Boxing Day, where she is more likely to find faster horses to give her a chance to get some cover.
Return Journey was one of three winners for Tony over two days, and one of four for him over the week, so it was good to see his stable back to its winning ways.
Return Journey will likely have only the one more start before going for a break to consolidate what she has learned so far.
Return Journey wins at Kyenton
Eye Of The Needle is another horse that had lost his way and had come off an unsuccessful, by his standards, three-start preparation. Keith Dryden then freshened him up, and he resumed in a benchmark 69 1200m race in Canberra.
Local apprentice, Kayla Cross, rode him and rated him perfectly in front, and he kept going to win by 1.3 lengths. That was his sixth career victory from 22 starts, and we hope he can add to that this preparation.
Eye Of The Needle Saluting at Canberra
One of the biggest-sized trophies in the south-east of NSW is for the Defence Force Cup, which is run at Queanbeyan. Mass Exodus won the race a couple of years ago, and this year it was Reigning Rhythm’s turn.
Reigning Rhythm was having his seventh start for the preparation, and we were disappointed that he had not added to his winning record as he won three races in the south-east last preparation. Two placings out of his six starts indicated that he was not far off a win, and on this occasion, in a small field, jockey Kevin Sweeney had settled him back in last place.
With a slow tempo he whipped around the field to take the lead before the corner and kept going strongly to win the Cup by a length and a half.
One win over a staying distance pretty well pays for his preparation as he collected $13,200, including the BOBS Extra bonus.
It was very pleasing to see Beckon return to the winners stall with a comprehensive victory at the ATC meeting at Gosford this afternoon, in what was his first Sydney outing.
Trainer Peter Moody decided to try something different to snap Beckon out of his seeming lethargy as he has shown much more ability than that in the past.
After working him the reverse way of going he decided to bring him to Sydney for a metropolitan midweek race.
Back to 1200m in what was a solid tempo, jockey Jason Parr had him perfectly poised behind the two leaders, and he pulled out at the right time in the straight and then did the job well to come away for a one-length victory from a fast-finishing field.
After winning his first two career starts Beckon has lost his way somewhat but it is good to see him back in the winners’ circle for his second metropolitan victory from ten career starts.
While we are not getting carried away with his upside at this stage, he will stay in Sydney and we will look for further suitable races over sprint distances.
REBEL DANE continued on his winning way at Rosehill for his third win in as many starts.
This most recent win, however, was quite remarkable.
Rebel Dane was burdened with 59kgs, when no horses rated higher than he nominated for the race, and Jason Collett took the ride again.
After drawing well and having a good run in transit as favourite, which was understandable following his first two impressive wins, Rebel Dane was suddenly in big trouble when he was hemmed in a pocket on the fence and had a real problem getting out.
Jason Collett aggressively shouldered his way out, and Rebel Dane clipped heels, almost fell, lost momentum, and Specific Choice had come from behind Rebel Dane and gone past him to have a length lead.
Rebel Dane was able to pick himself up from a standing start with 59kgs and run the other horse down in what was quite remarkable, and drew rave reports from everyone watching.
It was a brave effort, and a well-celebrated win, and certainly one that almost got away!
The win took Rebel Dane’s earnings to $167,380 from his three career starts, and $50,000 of that are BOBS bonuses.
Rebel Dane is obviously a tremendously exciting horse and he will now go to the paddock for a break before returning where we hope that he can continue the excitement into his next preparation.
We will test the water with him, and if he is up to the standard we will chase the Group 1 Randwick Guineas on Saturday 16 March with him.
Off the Canvas!! Rebel Dane three for three.
Rebel Dane’s happy owners
Exciting 3yo Colt Rebel Dane made it two wins from two starts when winning at Rosehill this afternoon. Today’s event was over 1400m, and Rebel Dane had no problems rising to the challenge of Saturday grade, winning with authority.
Once again ridden by Jason Collett, who rode him at his first start, he was well-placed in transit, and on straightening he pulled to the outside so he had clear running and mowed down the leaders to come away for an impressive victory.
Trainer, Gary Portelli, will now decide if Rebel Dane has one more start this preparation or if he will be put away with an Autmn program in mind.
Rebel Dane wins his second start with authority