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Underrated three-year-old Sir Bacchus may get the opportunity of a Brisbane winter carnival campaign after thrashing his rivals first-up at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday.

The Chris Waller-trained grey won back-to-back races at Canterbury and Randwick in December, prompting a belated bid for the $1m Magic Millions Guineas at the Gold Coast on January 10.

Sadly for his horde of owners, about 60, Sir Bacchus was below his best and finished well down the order and was sent for a well earned break.

The son of Sebring has clearly benefited from his time away from racing after yesterday’s 2½-length win after a heady ride by Jason Collett.

Collett snagged Sir Bacchus ($6.50) back to last early before making the bold decision to pin his hopes along the rails rather than come around them.

Sir Bacchus sprinted quickly passing the 300m streaking away with stablemate So Willie ($41) making ground from the back to take second just ahead of Dark Steel ($6.50).

Odds-on favourite Reincarnate had the run of the race but couldn’t add to his sequence of three straight wins and finished a disappointing fourth.

Winning jockey Collett who walked the track before the first race prepared for all contingencies but not locked into a plan.

“I just sort of had an open mind as to where I’d be in the run and as to where I’d come down the straight,’’ Collett said. “Once I gave him that rein, he was off and gone and made it look easy.’’

With Waller on holidays, deputy Charlie Duckworth said the manner of Sir Bacchus’ win was enough to consider a trip away this winter. “It was very impressive,’’ Duckworth said. “He put them away with relative ease so hopefully he’ll progress up to Queensland.’’

Sir Bacchus returned to his huge team of happy owners brought together by well known syndicator Louis Mihalyka of Rebel Dame fame.

“There are about 60 people in Sir Bacchus,’’ Mihalyka said. “There are a couple of syndicates, of them only goes into grey coloured horses; they call themselves the Dirty Greys.’’

News: Shayne O’Cass, The Daily Telegraph

Images: Simon Bullard

In the small seven horse field, the John O’Shea-trained Medaglia d’Oro gelding Reincarnate, a winner of his last three starts started the clear $2.00 favourite in the $85,000 Hyland Race Colours Handicap over 1200m.

As misty rain fell on the good 4 track, In Her Time (Time Thief), the lone filly in the field flew the gates and went forward to take up the lead very comfortably from Wudang Mountain and Dark Steel who came along the rail to take up third.

Race favourite Reincarnate settled in fourth on the outside with Chris Waller’s Sir Bacchus, who was resuming from a break after a last start run in the Magic Millions 3YO Guineas at the Gold Coast, settle in last position.

Surprisingly off the pace, in comparison to his last start where he lead, Reincarnate began to track wide rounding the turn as his jockey James McDonald started to urged the three-year-old along.

At the 300m mark, Dark Steel had come along the inside of the runners to take up the lead momentarily before Jason Collett on Sir Bacchus drive the son of Sebring along the rail to hit to the front.

Surging clear, the grey pulled away to record a two and a half-length victory over stablemate So Willie (More Than Ready) in a time of 1.10.54 on the Good 4 rated track surface.

Holding on for third was the Gai Waterhouse-trained Dark Steel (Redoute’s Choice), with favourite Reincarnate back in fourth.

Starting $6.40 on the NSW TAB and $6.00 on fixed odds betting Sir Bacchus now has three wins and a place from six starts, for owners Laurel Oak Bacchus (Mgr: L J Mihalyka) F Cook, K Lowe, Mrs M Lowe, Club Bacchus (Mgr: L J Mihalyka), Dirty Grey (Mgr: M Mulligan), A Reichard, J O’Brien, Grant Bloodstock (Mgr: S Grant), M Powell, N Macdonald, Mrs R Richards, Mrs C Cook, Mrs E Grant and Boeara Holdings (Mgr: Mrs D Dunphy), with the victory taking his career earnings to $188,975.

Likely to form part of Chris Waller’s arsenal for the Brisbane winter Carnival, stable representative Charlie Duckworth was on hand to discuss the victory with Waller currently enjoying a well-deserved holiday.

“He was very impressive,” stated Duckworth.

“Obviously he had a great prep last prep and he ran well in the Magic Millions Guineas.

“Resuming today it was a dominant performance.

“He has always run well fresh and he today he put them away with relative ease so hopefully he’ll progress up to Queensland.”

When asked about a trip to the Queensland carnival, Duckworth felt the win was enough to see him on the float.

“I would have thought that would be enough,” stated Duckworth.

Jockey Jason Collett who wasn’t tied down to an specific riding instruction, produced a perfect effort to take the win.

“I kept an open mind on where I’d be in the run and sort of where I’d come down the straight,” stated Collett.

“I had a walk of the track before the first and the obvious two strips on the inner aren’t probably the best, but the way he was travelling, he made it look easy.

“Once I gave him more reign he was off and gone.”

News: Dane Squance for ThoroughbredNews

Image: Sportpix

Gary Portelli will turn to the jockey who has won more races on Rebel Dane than any other in a bid to salvage something out of a frustrating autumn campaign.

Jason Collett will be reunited with Rebel Dane in the $600,000 All Aged Stakes on Saturday – more than three years after he lost the ride when the $1.6 million earner missed out as favourite in the 2013 Randwick Guineas.

“We started off with Jason and we’re hoping the combination can kick us back into the winning form he used to be in,” Portelli said.

Collett linked with Rebel Dane when the sprinter made a winning debut at the midweeks and he steered the three-year-old through two more wins during the 2012 spring.

The association resumed where it left off with a first-up success in the Royal Sovereign Stakes (below) but it came to an end two starts later when Rebel Dane was beaten into fourth place behind It’s A Dundeel in the Randwick Guineas.

Portelli is adamant the autumn hasn’t worked out as it should because of difficult barrier draws, although he is thankful a throat operation has allowed Rebel Dane to have an extended preparation.

“Hopefully we can finally draw a good gate because the horse is in absolutely superb order,” Portelli said.

“It’s been a bit of a disastrous preparation as far as barriers go, but I don’t think I’ve ever had him this far into a preparation looking so well.”

In his past three Group One appearances, Rebel Dane has drawn eight of 11 in the Futurity Stakes, 13 of 14 in The Galaxy and the outside gate in a field of 15 in the TJ Smith Stakes.

“In the TJ Smith we drew 15 and we thought we’d go forward and try to get into a good spot. We never got closer than six off the fence,” Portelli said.

Rebel Dane wound up midfield in the TJ Smith, finishing 5-1/2 lengths from the winner Chautauqua.

There has been an early move for Rebel Dane in all-in betting on the All Aged, with bookmakers trimming the sprinter’s odds from $26 to $17.

News from AAP.

In what was a strong market for the top lots, and slightly down for the session two horses, Laurel Oak Bloodstock were fortunate enough to secure seven yearlings for clients.

The first purchase for Laurel Oak Bloodstock was from the draft of the Kelly’s Newhaven Park as Lot 150, a filly by Sebring, a stallion destined for Champion honours in the future we feel.

The filly is out of the Commands mare Absolutely Flying, herself a half-sister to stakes winning juvenile Camporella (Exceed And Excel), both daughters of the Listed winning Really Flying. It is also the family of Group 1 winners Fair King Prawn and Easy Rocking.

As the sire of Horse of the Year Dissident and the four-time Group 1 winner Criterion, the Widden Stud based Sebring is a stallion we have a lot of time for and are keen to purchase his progeny. On the other hand, Commands as a broodmare sire has been represented by six stakes winners to date – two being Group 1 winners; Politeness and Contentment.

Next up it was Lot 176 from the draft of Edinglassie Stud, a brown Sepoy colt out the Group 2-winning juvenile Amelia’s Dream, who we never got to see the best of due to injury.

A half-brother to the Laurel Oak Bloodstock part-owned Better Land, a multiple stakes performer, this colt is by a Golden Slipper winner out of a mare who was favourite for the Golden Slipper before being injured – hence he has extreme stallion appeal if he can live up to his pedigree and good looks!

To date, while Sepoy has not hit the heights everyone has expected, his most impressive winner is the Laurel Oak Bloodstock bred and sold She’s Positive.

Milburn Creek were the vendors of our next purchase, Lot 190, a filly by Sepoy out of the speedy, Listed-winning Exceed And Excel mare Baby Corn, herself a daughter of the Group 3 winner Sweet Corn.

Bred to be very much a two-year-old prospect, the mare has already produced the Group 1 Sires’ Produce Stakes and Group 1 Blue Diamond placegetter Cornrow.

Exceed And Excel as a broodmare sire has produced 11 stakes winners so far highlighted by the Group 1 winner Bounding as well as this season’s stakes-winning juvenile Scarlet Rain and Astern.

Going back to back, purchasing another Sepoy filly, Lot 191 was from the draft of Widden Stud.

The second living foal of the Listed-winning Encosta de Lago mare Bacchanal Woman, the filly is a half-sister to Laurel Oak Bloodstock’s very promising Sir Bacchus who has had two wins and a third from five starts and looks set to resume in the coming weeks for trainer Chris Waller, who was very keen to put his hand up to train this filly.

She was a much admired filly with Peter Snowden being the under bidder on this filly to buy for himself while trainer Joe Pride was also very keen to get his hand on the filly.

While having to wait quite a while for our next purchase, it was worth the wait as Lot 459 found its way to Laurel Oak Bloodstock.

From the second crop of Fastnet Rock’s Group 1-winning son Foxwedge, the colt was our second purchase from the draft of Newhaven Park.

The second foal out of the winning Tale Of The Cat mare Angel Of Avalon, the first foal of the mare is a smart winning juvenile Fox Tales, a full-brother to this colt.

Offered as part of the Middlebrook Valley Lodge draft, the Pluck filly is out of the stakes placed Danehill mare Danasierra, herself a full-sister to the multiple Group 1 winner and Champion mare Dane Ripper, who are in turn both daughters of the Group 1 winner Red Express.

Bred on a similar cross to the one that has produced Group 1 winners Benicio, More Than Sacred, Perfectly Ready and Dreamaway, Lot 483 is from the second crop of More Than Ready’s Group 2-winning son who has only been represented by one crop of runners to date in the southern hemisphere, highlighted by the smart Gasoline, a stakes placegetter in New Zealand, who was interestingly bred and sold by the same vendor as out filly.

The final purchase of the sale came towards the close of business as we secured another Sepoy to complete our seven purchases.

From the draft of Goodwood Farm, Lot 568 was bred by a Laurel Oak breeding syndicate, just like recent Magic Millions Adelaide winner She’s Positive and Group 2 winner Maygrove, and we just couldn’t let the colt go unwanted in the ring.

While he may take a little time to strength and mature, he is by Sepoy, out of the Laurel Oak Bloodstock-raced Grand Lodge mare Soul Diva, a winner of 11 races as well as being a Group 2 placegetter.

The pedigree for each purchase can be viewed by clicking the ‘Lot’ number and if you require any further information, please do not hesitate to contact the office on office@laureloak.com.au

Gary Portelli will have overwhelming support from the locals in Friday’s Orange Cup as he prepares to head back to where it all began.

Portelli has the Laurel Oaks purchased and syndicated All My Loving primed for what would be the trainer’s second Orange Cup victory, having teamed up with now SKY Racing presenter Bernadette Cooper to win the 2002 feature.

“I grew up in Sydney but Orange was where I first started training,’’ Portelli said.

“We went out there after I finished high school and my mother started training there and eventually I took over. I won the Orange Cup with Kalalycia (in 2002) who ran a track record and it’s also where Charlie Bub had his first start as a two-year-old. He won by 10-lengths and went faster than the open sprinters on the day then he came out and ran third to Choisir at his next start at Canterbury in the Skyline.

“The town is like a smaller version of Parramatta now. It’s a very commercialised place — it’s changed. I’ve got a lot of mates back there and a few other owners that have stuck by me since I’ve been down there so I’ve got some good memories of the place.’’

Portelli’s intimate knowledge of the Orange circuit could very well provide the key to victory for All My Loving who will have no problems running out the 2100m of Friday’s race having won all the way up to a mile and a half.

She’s been rock solid in her two runs since runs since winning at Goulburn in February and comes off a credible 2.9-lens fourth at home at Warwick Farm over the 2400m.

“She is a very honest mare and just goes out every week picking up prizemoney for her owners and this looks a nice for her,’’ Portelli said. “The 2100m at Orange is a tough 2100m, there is a bit of a hill involved.

“They just start to climb from about the 1000m onwards and it gets a bit serious at the 500m so it’s not a place for the faint hearted, you have to be a horse than can run out a trip so back from 2400m to 2100m won’t be a problem.’’

Portelli has accepted with All My Loving for a race at Beaumont on Saturday but is only too pleased to be headed west, not north in the float a day earlier.

“We wanted to weigh up the two races — I thought she was probably a little bit badly weighted among some of the horses there at Orange but after weighing it all up, I think she’s actually not that badly weighted and is a good chance,’’ he said.

News from Shayne O’Cass, Daily Telegraph

In-form stayer Maygrove could be in line for another trip across the Tasman later this year.

Having ridden the entire at his most recent start when fourth in the Group 1 Futurity Stakes (1400m), jockey Damien Oliver suggested to trainer Gary Portelli that the six-year-old could be better suited by heading towards the handicap conditions of Saturday $700,000 Group 1 Banjo Galaxy (1100m).

After discussions between Portelli and owner Laurel Oak Bloodstock, the decision was made to send the Group 1 winner to the race with Oliver keen to maintain his association.

A winner of three and a second place from five starts at the Rosehill track, as well as one at the distance, Rebel Dane ($14.00) has been contesting Group 1 and 2 weight-for-age races at his most recent runs, having not finished further back than fifth.

Three starts back he finished third, beaten just over a length in the Group 2 Australia Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley when racing first-up behind Holler, with that colt heading back to Sydney at his next start and winning the Group 1 Canterbury Stakes (1300m) in impressive fashion.

Among the beaten brigade in Holler’s race that day included Our Boy Malachi ($8.00), who like Rebel Dane is stepping back to the handicap conditions and is down to 56 kilos, having carried 59 at his last start.

Drawn horribly in barrier 15 of 18, with three of the emergencies drawn inside him, Oliver will need to ride a masterful race to get Rebel Dane home according to Portelli.

With a current Soft 5 track rating and drying track conditions over the next few days including a possible high of 32 degrees on Friday, the only saving graces for Rebel Dane could be that the inside of the track may get cut up during the seven prior races being run, and that being drawn wide could see him settle back before working home over the top of them.

“He’s been freshened right up for the Galaxy,” stated Portelli.

“Oliver [Damien] suggested heading to the Galaxy, and while it wasn’t my first choice, he looks well off at the handicap conditions.”

“I’m really disappointed by the wide gate, but if the wet track happens to stick around, that could play into our hands with Rebel Dane likely to have to go back from his wide gate.”

“He could really power down the outside late if the inside is off.”

“Depending on how he comes through the run, there is the Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes in April and he’s also had his needles for a trip to Hong Kong [Group 1 Chairman’s Sprint ].”

The hardest to defeat could be the lightly weighted pair of Fell Swoop (Not A Single Doubt) and English (Encosta de Lago).

An unlucky last start second in the Oakleigh Plate, Fell Swoop ($5.50) is looking to give his trainer Matt Dale his first Group 1 winner.

Race favourite English ($4.40 into $4.00) was an outstanding winner first-up last start, settling at the tail of the field before rocketing home to claim the Group 2 Challenge Stakes (1000m) at Randwick.

Having had only one start at Rosehill, when a close second to Vancouver in last year’s Group 1 Golden Slipper, the Gai Waterhouse-trained filly will need to be on her game after drawing barrier 17.

Dual Group 1 winner and last start Oakleigh Plate victor Flamberge ($14.00) along with Joe Pride’s Terravista ($7.50 into $6.50) both carry weight extremely well and are set to lump 58 kilos with forward showings expected from the pair.

While unlikely to get a run, being the third emergency, the Lee and Anthony Freedman-trained Malaguerra ($7.00) was an impressive last start winner at Listed level down the Flemington straight, and although it is a huge class rise for the four-year-old, the manner in which he won suggests the Glen Boss-ridden gelding could be one to watch should he make field.

News from ThoroughbredNews

Quality filly She’s Positive provided her sire and owner with their first winner when she scored a dashing win in the $200,000 Magic Millions Adelaide 2YO Classic at Morphettville today.

The exciting youngster, who is trained by Tony Noonan in Victoria, showed dash from the barriers and led throughout to beat local Bullion Wolf by a length and three quarters.

Mr Markou was third home, a half neck from the runner-up, while the warm favourite Dam Ready, a last start winner at Moonee Valley, was another short neck back in a dead heat with Hussy’s Glow in fourth place.

She’s Positive joined the Noonan stable after being purchased by her owner Frank Carnovale for $180,000 at last year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale from the draft of Yarraman Park Stud.

Winning rider Jake Noonan was all smiles after piloting home the filly in an important win for the connections including his father Tony.

“She’s definitely got a bit of an attitude,” a delighted Jake Noonan said.

“She can be quite full-on and has white line fever when she steps on to the track.”

“They’ve done a magnificent job to get her to this stage and make her controllable.”

Jake’s father Tony was delighted to learn as part of the victory he won a $10,000 sales credit voucher to spend at this week’s Adelaide Yearling Sale.

“That’s just fantastic – another bid,” he said with a laugh. “Jake is one of my three kids and they say he is the golden child. Well right now he certainly is.”

“We didn’t plan to ride the filly like that but full credit to Jake for a clever ride and we got the chocolates. It’s a great result.”

She’s Positive, who earned black type at her previous run when second in the listed Cinderella Stakes, is the initial winner for her sire, the Group One winning Elusive Quality stallion Sepoy.

She is from the Group Three winner Be Positive and is a half sister to the stakes placed Mr Optimistic.

She’s Positive was bred by Laurel Oak Bloodstock and Glenn Fraser, who raced her dam together, and was foaled and raised at Yarraman Park.

She is the second of only two foals for Group 3 winning Anabaa (USA) mare Be Positive, who died after foaling She’s Positive in 2013.

News from Magic Millions.

While it may have been a long time between drinks for the extremely talented Better Land, fingers crossed that his victory at Ballarat on Thursday was the confidence booster the son of Shamardal needed to get him back to the level we know he is capable of!

A winner on debut before two narrow efforts behind Scissor Kick in the Listed Rosebud (second) and the Group 3 Up And Coming Stakes (fourth), everything hasn’t really not go to plan since.

Now four, trainer Peter Moody elected to give the Inglis Easter yearling purchase almost six months away from the track and after a pleasing length and a half third when resuming, Better Land managed to put it all together at Ballarat when contesting the Sportsbet Watch Live Benchmark 70 over 1400m.

Away well from the middle of the line for jockey Linda Meech, the four-year-old went forward and settled a few lengths off leader Ballinaclash in fourth, with race favourite Satya settled in second.

With the field staying in the same formation for most of the race, Better Land started to make his run once the field rounded the final bend.

Although Meech needed to give Better Land a reminder of why he was there, in the end it was somewhat a soft long neck win from Satya, and fingers crossed for his owners that all appears back on track with the well-bred stallion prospect.

Congratulations to fellow owners; R A Pegum, Laurel Oak Shamrock (Mgr: L J Mihalyka), Ramsey Pastoral Company Pty Ltd (Mgr: S B Ramsey), D J Tamblyn, R S Willis, Mrs J M Tamblyn, D J Tamblyn, R V 8 (Mgr: R V Dulhunty), M R Tudehope, B N E Hastie, M J Forsdick, A N Fitzgerald, Rdfit Pty Ltd (Mgr: S C Cook) and A W Reichard, as well as trainer Peter Moody and jockey Linda Meech.

To watch a reply of the victory, click the below image.

Despite the small field of just six runners, apprentice Jye McNeil struck peak hour traffic aboard Anaphora by running in dead ends throughout the Caulfield straight. But with the post looming, the flashy chestnut burst through the smallest of gaps to pinch a last stride victory for Mornington-based trainer Tony Noonan.

So disastrous did the situation appear, stable representative Jack Turnbull was forewarned he was being broadcast live on national television when asked for his thoughts on the final 100m.

“She just kept running into traffic that I didn’t think she was even going to run a place,” Turnbull said.

But when the photo finish flashed up on the big screen, the mounting yard erupted into cheers of jubilation for the large ownership group managed by stable client Laurel Oak Bloodstock.

“It’s great to have so many owners on course today.

“Most of them have been with us for a long time but there’s a few new faces. It’s just great to see so many people have a good day at the races.”

Settling towards the tail of the field, the 4-year-old Dylan Thomas mare traveled kindly for McNeil who had the benefit of galloping the mare earlier in the week.

As the small field bunched upon straightening, McNeil looked to shift to the outside before being boxed in by Yellen.

Switching back to the inside, McNeil’s inside gap closed as Defrost My Heart shifted in but with further persistence, Anaphora bullocked her way through the small gap.

Running out of tarmac with the post approaching, McNeil gave himself just 30m to run down the leader once in the clear with Anaphora ($2.80F) charging late with her head down and ears pricked to claim victory in the three-way go from Yellen ($3.10) and Prepee ($26) in third.

The third win of Anaphora’s career took her earnings beyond $150,000.

Congratulations to owners Grant Bloodstock Pty Ltd Synd, Laurel Oak Bloodstock Pty Ltd Synd, Four Up Synd, A Fitzgerald, Club Number One Synd, P & Mrs J Macbeth, M Mannix, R Spargo, P Atley, B Marotta, R Lloyd, D Russell, Miss E Morrissey and Mrs E Grant.

News courtesy of Tony Noonan Racing

From a Friday night win at Canterbury to a Saturday at Royal Randwick on Boxing Day – Sir Bacchus is really stepping up!

Away well from the gates for jockey Rory Hucthings in the McGrath Estate Agents Handicap (1200m), the Chris Waller-trained Sir Bacchus settled nicely in fifth position on the outside of the Peter and Paul Snowden trained Barood, a full brother to Group 1 winner Starspangledbanner.

With the Gai Waterhouse-trained race favourite River Wild taking up the running, the pace was true from the get go and Sir Bacchus continued to travel where he was comfortable in the run.

As the field cornered into the home straight and River Wild appeared under pressure Barood went up along the inside while Sir Bacchus came out wide to make their runs.

Hitting the lead together with about 150m to go, it was clear from the hands and heels urging of Hutchings that Sir Bacchus had more to offer than his challenger, pulling away for a comfortable, and in the end, impressive half-length victory.

Still only lightly raced with four runs under his belt, the Sebring gelding has improved at each and every start, recording two wins and a second and over $110,000 in earnings.

Purchased from the Magic Millions yearling sale from the draft of Widden Stud for $130,000, Sir Bacchus is eligible to head to the lucrative $2 million Magic Millions 3YO Guineas next start with Waller weighing up his options.

Congratulations to the winning connections of Sir Bacchus; Laurel Oak Bacchus (Mgr: L J Mihalyka) F Cook, K Lowe, Mrs M Lowe, Club Bacchus (Mgr: L J Mihalyka), Dirty Grey (Mgr: M Mulligan), A Reichard, J O’Brien, Grant Bloodstock (Mgr: S Grant), M Powell, N Macdonald, Mrs R Richards, Mrs C Cook, Mrs E Grant and Boeara Holdings (Mgr: Mrs D Dunphy).

We were slightly unlucky not to make it a hat trick of wins on the day with both Anaphora and Ring Da Belle both finishing second at Caulfield in runs where luck was not on their side!

An honest second when making his seasonal debut last time out, also at Canterbury, three-year-old Sebring gelding Sir Bacchus produced a top class effort to break his maiden at just his third start.

Away well from the gates, Sir Bacchus drifted back in the field and although needing to be pulled off the heels of those in front of him a few times, and appearing to resist being restrained slightly, he still raced where he was comfortable over the 1100m.

With only two behind him in the run, it appeared as if the Chris Waller-trained runner was in trouble, but as the home turn was reached, jockey Rory Hutchings was able to find some room, and the Magic Millions graduate surged through the gap to take the lead and record a soft win in the end.

Scoring by a half-length margin from fellow Sebring gelding Supply And Demand, Sir Bacchus was purchased by Laurel Oak Bloodstock from the draft of Widden Stud for $130,000. Bred by David O’Keefe’s Lockyer Thoroughbreds, Sir Bacchus is the first foal of his stakes-winning Encosta de Lago mare Bacchanal Woman.

Congratulations to his owners; Laurel Oak Bacchus, Boeara Holdings, Mr F W Cook, Grant Bloodstock Pty Ltd, Dirty Grey, Mr K R Lowe, Mrs M P Lowe, Mr A W Reichard, Mr J T O’brien, Club Bacchus, Mr M W Powell, Mr N Macdonald, Mrs R H Richards, Mrs C M Cook and Mrs E K Grant – it looks like we have a very promising horse on our hands.

 

After 11 weeks away from the track, three-year-old Northern Meteor filly Meteora Miss started in the More Than Ready @ Vinery Maiden over 1200m at Canterbury on December 2.

After three prior starts, all against top class opposition, the Inglis Easter yearling sale purchased broke through for a much deserved win.

Trained by Anthony Cummings, the filly started well in the market and with Brenton Avdulla in the saddle, the filly was away slowly from a middle gate and settled in second last position.

With good pace set upfront by Chris Waller’s Navua Mist, Avdulla bided his time towards the tail of the field before pulling out to be the widest runner on the turn.

Although it took a few strides for the filly to realise what she was there to do, she pinned her ears back and started to accelerate impressively.

Swamping Ocean Spray and Involving on the line, Meteora Miss took her maiden victory by a short neck for owners Luskin Park Stud Racing (Mgr: P Whelan), M McGuinness, Bangaloe Stud (Mgr: Miss J Ritchie), Go U Sevens (Mgr: M Turner), Mrs S Staff, Laurel Oak Bloodstock Pty Ltd (Mgr: L Mihalyka), Grant Bloodstock Pty Ltd (Mgr: S Grant), M Codling, J Murphy, S Gregory, P Carter, M Graham, C Heraghty and S Bourke.

Bred on the same pedigree cross that has produced dual Group 1 winner Zoustar, Meteora Miss is out of the Redoute’s Choice mare Dual Diamond, and was secured at the Inglis Easter Yearling Sale from the draft of Luskin Park Stud.

From a pedigree that includes stakes performing fillies Wager, Noesis, Fashion and Dual Star, if Meteora Miss can continue on her winnings ways, we will have a filly with good residual value.

After successes at the Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast, five-year-old mare Court Martial Miss headed to Doomben on November 28 to add another win to her now impressive record.

Starting well in the market in The Blue Ribbon Group Benchmark 80 Handicap (1100m), jockey Michael Cahill jumped the mare away well from the gates before surging forward to settle in second on the rail with Mywayorthehighway taking the lead.

Under a stranglehold as they turned for home, Cahill asked the mare for her an effort and she railed like a greyhound, taking the lead and holding off all challengers.

Winning the race by three-quarters of a length, the daughter of War Pass has been a revelation since heading north, taking her record to 12 starts for five wins and one second placing for earnings of $99,500 of which $62,400 has been added since moving for Brisbane.

To view a replay of the race, click the below image and select Race 4.

Congratulations to the owners of Court Martial Miss; Grant Bloodstock Pty Ltd (Mgr: S P Grant), M A Couter, Mrs K Couter, Laurel Oak Bloodstock Pty Ltd (Mgr: L J Mihalyka), Pardon (Mgr: K G Sheppard) K Lowe, Mrs M Lowe, Mrs E Grant and G Pointon who have been rewarded for their patience.

Rebel Dane will be prepared for a full Melbourne Autumn Carnival tilt for the first time in the entire’s consistent career.

The six-year-old son of California Dane has raced 25 times for seven wins, with 15 of those starts – and one of those successes – in Group 1 company.

The 2013 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes winner has been a consistent galloper at the highest level, despite only having four top-three finishes in G1s to show for it – most recently running third behind Chautauqua in the Manikato Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley.

Trainer Gary Portelli confirmed Rebel Dane had a month off after the run behind Team Hawkes’ star and Srikandi, and will now target the likes of the Group 2 Australia Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley, plus Caulfield features the Group 1 C.F. Orr Stakes (1400m) and Group 1 Futurity Stakes (1400m) early next year.

Rebel Dane’s run in the Group 1 Manikato StakesListen to Gary Portelli discuss Rebel Dane as well as some of the other horses he trains by clicking here.

News from Racing.com

Press Release from Racing NSW

The Deputy Premier and Minister for Racing, Hon. Troy Grant MP and Racing NSW Chairman, Mr John Messara AM, today announced $21 million of increases in Country and Provincial prizemoney to take effect from July 2016.

Increases in minimum Country TAB and Provincial prizemoney as well as the introduction of Showcase Country Race Meetings will account for more than 60% of the proceeds from the second and third years of wagering tax parity and provide an enormous boost for racing in these sectors.

The increases for Country participants will see prizemoney jump to approximately $69 million per annum, up from $31.2 million in the 2011 financial year, an increase of 120% during that period.

“On behalf of the Baird Government I am delighted to announce that from 2016/17, minimum prizemoney for Country TAB meetings in NSW will be increased by $5,000 or 33% to $20,000 per race.  In addition, minimum prizemoney for Provincial meetings will be increased by $5,000 to $27,000, a rise of 23% per race,” said Mr Grant.

“Further, Racing in Country NSW will benefit by the introduction of Country Showcase Meetings to be staged throughout the State.  Approximately 40 meetings each year will be upgraded to carry premium prizemoney of $30,000 per race.

“These increases will build upon the economic and social contribution made by thoroughbred racing, especially in Country NSW,” Mr Grant concluded.

Racing NSW Chairman, Mr John Messara AM, said:  “While our first year’s receipts from parity are earmarked to fund The Championships and Highway races, we are pleased to announce this significant rise in Country TAB and Provincial prizemoney from July, 2016.

“Country prizemoney of $20,000 per TAB race along with the new Showcase meetings make for the biggest ever injection of prizemoney into Country racing.

“On behalf of the Board of Racing NSW, I would like to take this opportunity to thank Premier Mike Baird and our Racing Minister and  Deputy Premier, Troy Grant for embracing parity and placing Australia’s largest racing jurisdiction on a level playing field with Victoria over the next few years.

“Wagering tax parity is vital for the sustainability of racing in this State.  The challenge is now to ensure NSW has a competitive, vibrant and innovative racing industry,” added Mr Messara.

These latest benefits for Country and Provincial racing, follow the introduction last season of the Country and Provincial Championships of $2.3 million in prizemoney and the recently commenced Highway Races for Country-trained horses which provide a further $1.6 million in prizemoney annually for Country participants.

Racing NSW has also committed approximately $50 million for capital works at Country and Provincial race clubs throughout NSW from accumulated race fields fees.

Racing NSW Chief Executive, Peter V’landys AM also announced that from 1 July 2016 Racing NSW will launch a new Traineeship and Apprenticeship Scheme for youth in Regional NSW by committing $1 million per annum to the Scheme.

“The first priority of the Scheme will be to employ apprentice track curators throughout NSW,” said Mr V’landys.

Mr V’landys also announced a payment of $2 million per annum to race clubs throughout NSW to enable clubs to meet their operating costs and operate at best practice levels, to commence from 1 July 2016.

“Finally, in addition to their 5% share of the increased prizemoney, jockeys will also receive a further $660,000 per annum in riding fees from 1 July 2016,” Mr V’landys said.

The five year phase-in of wagering tax parity in NSW that sees the NSW Government progressively reduce its share of TAB gross wagering revenue to that of its Victorian counterpart will provide $181.6 million of additional funding to NSW Thoroughbred Racing Industry, commencing in the present financial year.

The 2016 Magic Millions Yearling Sale catalogue went online today.

Laurel Oak Bloodstock are sure to be in attendance, and if you are interested in being invovled, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Magic Millions Press Release

On behalf of breeders across Australasia, Magic Millions is proud to unveil its catalogue for the 2016 edition of the Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

Following a record year of real results in the sale ring and on the racetrack, Australia’s number one thoroughbred sales company acknowledges that its capacity to continually produce quality catalogues is dependent on the support of breeders.

“This catalogue is a product of the faith breeders have shown in Magic Millions,” Managing Director Vin Cox stated.
The unequivocal support from breeders has resulted in an exceptional offering of yearlings to be presented for sale on the Gold Coast to a global market.

“The breeders have raised the bar and elevated 2016 to the next level. Take a look at the sensational catalogue they are responsible for,” Cox added.

Real dreams begin on the Gold Coast in January with 1016 quality yearlings set to be offered over five days. Book 1 of the auction comprises 746 lots and another 270 lots have been catalogued in Book 2.

The 2016 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale will commence on Wednesday January 6 – to view the online catalogue click here or download it on your iPad via the Equineline Sales Catalog App. Printed copies of the catalogue will be available for distribution from November 23.

After three winners in the last few days for Laurel Oak Bloodstock horses, the well-bred Auckland Beauty made it four!

Winning last time out over 1200m to break her maiden, the Peter Moody-trained Redoute’s Choice mare started the race favourite in the field of eight at Sale.

Going forward after jumping away from the second widest barrier, jockey Linda Meech kept the mare where she was comfortable, and that appeared to be striding freely, about four – five wide.

As they tracked even wider around the home turn, the leading duo were closer to the outside rail than the inside.

Giving her head down the centre of the track, Auckland Beauty didn’t appear to have any issues with the slow rated surface as she continued to charge to the line, winning the race by almost two lengths from Powerossa with a long neck back to Rubyone.

To watch the footage of the race, click on the below image to be taken to Racing.com website.

By Champion Sire Redoute’s Choice out of the Group 2 AJC Shorts winner Fritz’s Princess, Auckland Beauty was purchased earlier this year at the Inglis Broodmare Sale and is looking like she was a good buy!

Congratulations to our fellow owners Grant Bloodstock Pty Ltd (Mgr: S P Grant) and Carpe Diem (Mgr: K R Lowe).

While it wasn’t the Melbourne Cup – which was an amazing race in itself, Laurel Oak Bloodstock horses did manage to secure two victories on the day; in Canberra with Bid Of Faith and at Kembla Grange with Tuscan Falls.

Off a very good second at her last start, improving three-year-old Zizou filly Bid Of Faith headed back to her home track of Canberra for trainer Keith Dryden where she contested the Ttm Secutity Maiden Plate over 1200m.

Starting the favourite based on her half-neck second last time out, jockey Brendan Ward wasn’t able to get her in from a wide gate, but she still travelled extremely well within herself during the run.

Rounding the home turn it was clear she would be in the finish, but had the wide run taken its toll?

Charging away from the field, Bid Of Faith broke her maiden by an impressive two and a quarter lengths for owners; Laurel Oak Bloodstock Pty Ltd Syndicate, F W Cook, Mrs C M Cook, B L J Syndicate, G J McAllister, Goolabri 1 Syndicate, Mrs J E Wise, Club Dryden Sydney Syndicate, Trapper Syndicate, G K Syndicate, S R Syndicate, Ms D M Van Meegen, M G Houston, G C Harders, B J Speering and K P Griffiths.

Our second winner of the day came via the Gary Portelli-trained Tuscan Falls (below) in the Waples marketing Handicap at Kembla Grange over 1000m.

Fourth as favourite at his most recent run, Nicconi gelding Tuscan Falls settled mid field on the rail with jockey Shaun Guymer in the saddle.

With the home turn reached and the runs starting to come, Tuscan Falls had drifted off the fence, but after no runs appeared, Guymer charged back towards the inside, finding a gap between the leading duo.

Joined by Cashenti, the two went head for head down the straight, with luckily Tuscan Falls getting his head in front when it counted – recording his second career win for owners Laurel Oak Bloodstock Pty Ltd Synd (Mgr: L J Mihalyka), Hon. W R Haylen, J M Ryan, J T O’Brien, N Macdonald, S C Cook, Mrs K Fraser, M R Tudehope, D Monch, M J Baumann, K Macdonald, J R Wilson, C J Reynolds, R H Spee, W A Chalker, S M Sandridge, M J Clift, R I Cullen and P McKenzie.

An impressive winner last time out when scoring by two-and-a-quarter lengths at the Sunshine Coast, our five-year-old War Pass mare Court Martial Miss has really shown that she hass appreciated some ‘sun on her back’, giving rewarding her owners with another exciting victory.

Contesting the Nucon Concrete Handicap over 1100m at the Gold Coast, jockey Daniel Griffin had the mare settled handy in the run, just like at her last start, before she was too powerful at the finishing, charging away for a length victory.

Defeating Brigadoon Legend by a length with the same margin back to Italian Storm in third, the Liam Birchley-trained Court Martial Miss has now recorded four wins from 11 starts for Grant Bloodstock Pty Ltd (Mgr: S P Grant), M A Couter, Mrs K Couter, Laurel Oak Bloodstock Pty Ltd (Mgr: L J Mihalyka), Pardon (Mgr: K G Sheppard) K Lowe, Mrs M Lowe, Mrs E Grant and G Pointon.

With a nice pedigree, being out of the stakes performed Zeditave mare Grand Juror, the more success the mare has on the track, the better her broodmare prospects are come yearling sale time, if connections decide to sell her offspring.

Fingers crossed she can keep up her winning momentum at her next start – best of luck to everyone involved!

Rebel Dane’s best chance of winning a Group I this preparation will be Friday night’s $1 million Group I William Hill Manikato Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley according to trainer Gary Portelli.

More than two years have passed since Rebel Dane’s first and only Group I success in the 2013 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) and Portelli believes now is the time for the six-year-old to claim a second victory at the elite level.

Rebel Dane has excelled at Moonee Valley despite a deceptive record of one win from four attempts. In his four starts at the unique circuit, Rebel Dane has been beaten a combined margin of less than 4-1/2 lengths, and each of those runs were in Group I company.

Portelli is also buoyed by a recent wind operation on the horse which has proven a huge success in two outings this preparation. A brilliant first-up win in the Group II Shorts (1100m) at Randwick on September 19 was followed by a fast-finishing second behind Manikato Stakes rival Terravista in the Group II Premiere Stakes (1200m) at the same venue.

The son of California Dane travels down to Melbourne on Wednesday evening.

“That’s been his routine every time,” Portelli said. “And I think he’s going as good as ever.

“He usually peaks at his third run in so hopefully he gets a bit of luck this year.

“He galloped last Saturday and we’ve just kept him fresh since.

“The whole preparation has been centered on this race and Moonee Valley certainly plays into our hands, if he’s going to win a Group I this preparation this is his chance.”

Portelli also revealed that Rebel Dane has been vaccinated in case of a trip to Hong Kong for the Group I International Sprint (1200m) in December.

“There’s Hong Kong on the table, he’s been vaccinated so we’ll see what happens. Obviously Friday night will tell us a bit more,” he said.

News from Racenet

Purchased at this year’s Inglis Broodmare Sale for only $50,000, the well-bred Auckland Beauty went part way to repaying that purchase pricing by breaking her maiden!

By Champion Sire Redoute’s Choice out of the Group 2 AJC Shorts winner Fritz’s Princess (pictured below), the mare had been placed prior to her purchase at the sale on multiple occasions, but since that time has had three starts for new owners Grant Bloodstock Pty Ltd (Mgr: S P Grant), Carpe Diem (Mgr: K R Lowe) and Laurel Oak Bloodstock Pty Ltd (Mgr: L J Mihalyka) and has produced two second placed effort before a spell, and then followed that up with an impressive maiden victory at Bairnsdale on Monday.

Trained by Peter Moody, the now four-year-old jumped away well from barrier three and went forward to settle in fourth place, right behind the leading trio.

Short-priced favourite Golden Cropper, a More Than Ready half-sister to Group 2 winner and now Coolmore stallion Rubick, started to make her run rounding the home turn, going to the leader and looking as if she would go on with it, but jockey Vlad Duric aboard Auckland Beauty had started to get our mare going and she responded very well.

With a few “taps” from the whip, Auckland Beauty set out after the leading duo, catching them with about 30m to run to take the race by three-parts-of-a-length from Golden Cropper with Little Bita Spunk a long head back in third.

With a win and six second placed performance from nine starts to date, it is clear that the mare has ability, and fingers crossed she goes on with it now, as once she retires from the track she is very well-bred and will make a great broodmare prospect being bred on the Danehill x More Than Ready cross.

Congratulations to our fellow owners.

Sent to Eagle Farm trainer Liam Birchley, after initially starting her career with Gary Portelli down in Sydney, the now five-year-old War Pass mare Court Martial Miss was having her second start for her new trainer and was quite impressive with her two-and-a-quarter length victory.

Having run second over 1110m when racing first-up for Birchley back in August, the mare had a nine week break and headed to the Sunshine Coast on Sunday where she contested the Lindsay Consulting Handicap over 1000m.

Away from barrier three with Michael Cahill in the saddle, the mare went forward and settled in third position behind leader Cannizzaro who had flown the gates and went a couple of lengths clear.

Getting a lovely run in transit sitting on the rails, when the home turn was reached and Cannizzaro began to weaken; Court Martial Miss was reminded what she was there for and surged through a gap between the tiring leader and One In One Out who was on her outside.

Pulling away to win the race quite easily, it was a reminder that the mare does have some talent and now that she has broken through, it is likely she will step up in class and could possible head for a Saturday race.

Congratulations to our fellow owners Grant Bloodstock Pty Ltd, Mr K R Lowe, Mrs M P Lowe, Mr M A Couter, Mrs K Couter, Mrs E K Grant, Pardon and Mr G A Pointon.

To view the race replay, click the above image and go to Race 5.

Rebel Dane’s trainer Gary Portelli has made a compelling case for why the Group II Premiere Stakes (1200m) should be elevated to Group I status.

The recent honour roll of the Premiere Stakes features the likes of Triple Honour, Hot Danish, Red Tracer, and Famous Seamus, all of which are Group I winners.

This year’s edition is littered with Group I-class gallopers and Portelli, who has Rebel Dane starting on Saturday, believes the $300,000 weight-for-age event meets the criteria of an elite level race.

“It’s an interesting race, there’s five Group I winners in it, two Group I-placegetters and there are only nine acceptors,” Portelli said.

“Should it be a Group I? It probably should.

“I think if it had Group I status you would get even better horses in it so I think they’ve got to look at that.”

Rebel Dane is coming off a brilliant first-up victory in the Group II The Shorts (1100m), his first run since undergoing a wind operation during the winter.

Portelli said all indications point to a similar performance second-up over the Randwick 1200 metre course where he will clash with Joe Pride’s Terravista.

“He seems to be in great order, certainly no reason why he can’t run up to his best second-up,” Portelli said.

“Although he has sometimes run a bit flat second-up so we’ve got that in the back of our mind.

“His track work was brilliant on Tuesday morning.

“If he turns up I think he’ll be hitting the line strongly but whether he’s good enough to catch Terravista, we’ll soon find out.

“He’s beaten Terravista once, at the Valley, and Terravista has beaten us once and that was down the straight at Flemington so we’ll see what happens.”

Following Saturday, Portelli intends to travel Rebel Dane down to Moonee Valley for a third crack at the Group I Manikato Stakes (1200m) on Cox Plate eve.

FLASH IN THE DARK and ATLANTIC SENTINEL provided a tremendously enjoyable double in Canberra on 25 September. This was Tony Campbell Cup Day, which is always a very enjoyable day of racing, honouring and remembering the very popular Canberra racecaller, who died ten years ago. The meeting also has the Canberra Premiership presentations, so with all that entertainment, we had three Laurel Oak tables at the luncheon that day. Capping that off with two winners was a perfect piece of timing.

Atlantic Sentinel won the first on the day to score his maiden win at his fourth race start. He is the first foal of the former talented Laurel Oak racemare, CUT AND RUN, and he looks to have a promising future. While his win was at 1400m, he looks set to be even better at 1600m and perhaps beyond, but we will have to wait until next preparation to find that out, as he has now gone for a spell. Last month we reported in on Canberra’s Capital Cash prizemoney boost at every second meeting, and Atlantic Sentinel won the first of these races, which was an $18,000 maiden.

Flash In The Dark book-ended the day by winning the last, giving trainer Keith Dryden a treble for the day. She was resuming from a spell, and this made it two wins from three starts for this well-bred filly. The win was perfect timing to go to the first of the Sydney metropolitan Highway Races. While originally announced to start in December, there was a Racing NSW announcement on the morning of the 25 September Canberra meeting that the concept was being fast-tracked and that the first race would be held at Randwick on 16 October as a Class 2 1200m race for country-trained horses.

This was perfect in terms of class and distance for Flash In The Dark, so Keith Dryden targeted that race, but that is where the “perfection” ended, as she was badly interfered with in the race and the occasion got to her, so she finished well back. She may now run in Canberra on Melbourne Cup Day.

In an era where the red carpet is rolled out for any colt within a breath of a group 1 win, how refreshing for a six-year-old stallion to still be on the track.

In truth, Rebel Dane has been all dressed up as a group 1 winner for two years now. It is just that no one has really wanted to come to his party. At least not recently.

“We’ve had enquiries, but we’ve never had a firm offer for him,” shrugged managing part-owner Louis Mihalyka. “Just at the time he would have been ideal for going to stud he stopped winning.

“While he has been running thirds and fourths in group 1 races, he hasn’t won a race since the Rupert Clarke two years ago. With that the interest and enquiries stopped.

“A couple of agents said when you retire him let us know and we had a few interested parties in May or June and they all dropped off. Now we just thought we’re going to enjoy him and let what will be be basically.”

Small and scrawny, with a breathing problem now amended, you can’t blame studmasters from shying away from Rebel Dane. But if there was ever an advertisement for his niche market post-racing days, The Shorts at Randwick on Saturday was it.

“I would have been a bit disappointed if he got beat today, to tell you the truth,” trainer Gary Portelli said after Brenton Avdulla lifted Rebel Dane to a last-stride win from Ball Of Muscle in the group 2 sprint.

“I hadn’t said it out loud, but I couldn’t see how these horses were going to beat him if he came back. He’s the only group 1 horse in the race and his qualifications have him [racing well] against the top group 1 horses.”

Which is exactly the same path Rebel Dane will plot this spring, en route to another Manikato Stakes showdown with Chautauqua and Terravista, a race-day scratching from The Shorts due to a waterlogged track.

It left Shiraz an overwhelming favourite at Randwick, but Tony McEvoy’s emerging sprinter laboured a little in third as Rebel Dane mowed down Ball Of Muscle to score by a half-head, showing no ill-effects from a recent throat operation.

“My legs are like jelly,” Portelli said. “When he was racing as a three-year-old he was 440 [kilograms]. He’s come a long way physically and looking at him I thought he might have even been a bit big, but that’s what we needed for 1100 [metres]. It was a lot easier to saddle him [today] – he didn’t try to kill us as badly as what he usually does.”

Avdulla had no qualms when overnight rain on Friday plunged the Randwick track into the heavy range before an upgrade earlier in the day.

“Doing his form and tapes [Friday] night and [Saturday] morning, he has had two goes on heavy tracks, he was beaten by Pierro one time and the other one was behind Lankan Rupee in the TJ Smith,” Avdulla said.

Joe Pride was forced to replace the three little letters he likes to attach to the Terravista name, “WBS”, with “SCR” on Saturday, but would have been forgiven for thinking it didn’t matter as Ball Of Muscle shot clear close to home.

“He’s never missed a place and he always run a good race,” he said. “We’ll go to the Moir because it’s the right race at the right distance.”

News from Adam Pengilly, SMH

Rebel Dane will return to the races in the 2015 The Shorts and trainer Gary Portelli is hopeful that the throat operation the six-year-old received during his stint in the spelling paddock will help him return to his best form.

Rebel Dane has not recorded a race win since his narrow victory in the 2013 edition of the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes.

Rebel Dane started his autumn campaign with a slightly disappointing sixth in the Group 1 William Reid Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on March 27 and jockey Blake Shinn informed connections that the California Dane entire had trouble breathing when he finished 11^th in the Group 1 All Aged Stakes (1400m) at Royal Randwick on April 18.

Portelli told RSN that Rebel Dane had responded well to the tie-back operation and he said that he could not be happier with his star galloper ahead of The Shorts this weekend.

“We couldn’t be happier with him,” Portelli said.

“He has had the perfect little prep.

“He had a tieback operation, his throat was a problem last campaign but he is really going well and he is a really happy horse.

“I am looking forward to the weekend, but it will be a tough race.

“I haven’t had that many.

“I’m All The Talk was one that was done as a three-year-old and he came out and ran second to Terravista and ran a couple of good races after that.

“They are never really 100 percent, but the way Rebel’s throat was at the end of last campaign we will certainly see good improvement at the start of the campaign at least.

“He is breathing really well and he is really attacking the line in trackwork.”

Rebel Dane recorded his only win at Group 1 level when he claimed a narrow victory in the 2013 edition of the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes and Portelli believes that 1400 metres is the ideal trip for the six-year-old.

Portelli believes that Rebel Dane was not getting enough oxygen to his lungs during his autumn campaign to run out a strong 1400 metres or beyond, but he is hopeful that the throat operation will help the entire bounce back to his best.

“I actually think we could go the other way because he is going to get more air down and you will be able to get him over a little further because he will be able to sustain a sprint longer,” Portelli said.

“That will give us more options in terms of placing him, he is a very high-rated horse now and it makes it hard to place him.

“You couldn’t put him in a handicap, so he is basically stuck in set weights races and weight-for-age races, which doesn’t give you too many starts in the year.

“If we can get him over a little bit further it opens him up for some of the other weight-for-age races.”

Photo by The Raceller Twitter

Story by Thomas Hackett, Oze Form

Tony Noonan’s Mr Optimistic is among a host of Spring Carnival hopes kicking off their campaigns when racing returns to the turf track at Racing.com Park on Wednesday.

A good performance from promising colt Mr Optimistic in the Run To The Rose will be enough to convince trainer Tony Noonan to tackle the Group One Golden Rose.

But Noonan said it would take a supreme optimist to believe Mr Optimistic could win the 1200m Group Two feature at Rosehill on Saturday.

Mr Optimistic will take on the Chris Waller-trained duo Japonisme and Press Statement, as well as Godolphin pair Exosphere and Holler.

“There are some nice horses in it that are better credentialled than him,” Noonan said.

“The horse is going to measure up at some stage, but this is nice race that will test him out.”

While Noonan has a high opinion of Mr Optimistic (pictured below as a yearling), he says he wants to see him match it with top-class horses before he looks to the $1 million Golden Rose.

“He’s such a raw type of animal and it’s hard to evaluate those horses sometimes,” he said.

After a Queensland winter carnival campaign which included a Listed placing, Noonan opted to spell Mr Optimistic in the winter sunshine.

“Years ago the great Victorian trainers used to race horses in Queensland during the carnival and then send them for a spell up there,” Noonan said.

“Over 25 years, all the good horses I’ve trained have got to Queensland and they normally come back better horses.”

Multiple Group One winner Ortensia is just one of the Noonan-trained former stars to have enjoyed a Queensland winter.

Mr Optimistic is the first foal from another Noonan-trained Group winner, Be Positive.

“Some of the people that were involved in Be Positive kept the mare and bred the horse, so there will be a pretty good crew there on Saturday,” he said.

Just Horseracing

With three second placed efforts so far this time in, all were confident that Wide Acclaim, affectionately known as Harry, would break his maiden anytime now.. and that day was Tuesday when the two-year-old contested Race 2: Farrar Legal 2YO C& G Maiden Plate over 1100m.

Team Hawkes saddled up race day favourite Elemenohpee who had had three barrier trials winning all three including defeating Sir Bacchus, the other Laurel Oak runner in the race on Tuesday.

Ridden by Winona Costin, the Gary Portelli-trained Wide Acclaim started the second favourite in the race and from barrier five jumped away well before being restrained and allowed to drift to a mid-filed position.

Sir Bacchus, who had the inside gate was slowly away and settled with only a few runners behind him.

At the 700m mark Wide Acclaim had pulled himself out of the pack and was travelling in three wide position without cover.

Continuing on his forward path, Wide Acclaim found himself hitting the lead at the top of the straight, while the race favourite Elemenohpee was trying to find a gap to set out after Wide Acclaim.

But the son of Congrats had too much on the race favourite as he continued to pull away for an impressive two-and-a-quarter length victory. To view the race win, click the below image.

Sir Bacchus worked home solidly to finishing fifth and with the run acting as an educational experience, trainer Chis Waller is confident he will return a much stronger 3yo.

Racing for a large group of owners; Laurel Oak Bloodstock Pty Ltd, Mr M B Sandblom, Grant Bloodstock Pty Ltd, Mr C P Keane, Mr N Macdonald, Mr B Carlstein, Club Dryden Sydney, Mr R R Cocks, Mr J Racovalis, Mr J V Camilleri, Mr G L Barker, Mrs K A Fraser, Mr R A Wise, Mr K Macdonald, Mr M J Baumann, Mr D A Russell, the Magic Millions Yearling Sale purchase from the draft of Vinery Stud has recorded five top three placed finishes from six starts to date and the manner in which he won suggest a horse with a bright future!

In the past few days, Racing NSW has announced some significant changes to the Benchmark system, as well as a number of initiatives to improve the competitiveness of country-performed horses.

The changes are designed to increase field sizes in Sydney, which have for a long time been way too small. These changes are particularly pleasing to me personally because racing horses regularly in both country and city NSW, we have understood the reasons why metropolitan fields have been so small for so long, and years of lobbying have proven to be very frustrating. Having the opportunity to contribute in a non-official capacity to a consultative process that took place early this year and came up with a raft of recommendations, it is pleasing that many of our suggestions have now become policy. For the sake of racing in NSW, I hope they work!

Without going into fuller detail, the key changes are an increase to the minimum top weight in benchmark races from 59kg to 61kg, with the minimum staying at 54kg. This means that in any given benchmark race, the range of horses that can compete at their correct handicap weight now has a 7kg or 14 benchmark points spread, rather than 5kg or 10 benchmark points. While that may not seem a lot, it is a 40% increase in the available pool of correctly-handicapped horses, so it has to have a natural flow-on benefit to field sizes.

Due to the increased weight that horses will be regularly asked to carry, changes have been introduced to allow apprentices to keep their claims longer, which will give trainers more opportunities to use apprentices and reduce the actual weight to be carried by the horses.

In NSW, metropolitan fields have for some years been drawn exclusively from metropolitan-trained horses. This is simply because country-performed horses were at a huge disadvantage when competing against metropolitan-performed counterparts under the benchmark system. In a simplistic example, a horse may win three races at a country centre like
Taree or Moruya, and be penalised four points for each win. Suddenly, after, say, three wins and a few placings after ten career starts, a handy bush horse has a benchmark rating of 70.

Meanwhile back in the city, a horse may win a provincial maiden and then a midweek race, and throw in a few placings, and it, too, gets penalised four points for each win. However it may now be on a benchmark rating of 66 because it has won two races only compared to the country winner’s three races, even though the former has earned much more prizemoney. So when the country horse came to town for a benchmark 70 midweek race, it would be carrying 59kg under the benchmark handicapping system, while the provincial/metro winner was carrying only 57kg, despite being a far superior horse and having earned more prizemoney. The latter would start near favourite and perform accordingly, while the former would start at 50/1, and invariably perform accordingly.

So in time country horses simply stopped coming to the city as they had little or no chance to be competitive. While I have been pushing this barrow for some years now, because it has been so obvious, there are now finally some rules in place that will hopefully make country-performed horses competitive again against their city-performed counterparts. The key to the changes are that the handicapper now has discretion to alter the weight of a horse moving from the country to the city, or vice versa, from its standard benchmark-linked handicap.

In our example above, if the Taree/Moruya winner now comes to the city, the handicapper has the discretion to give it up to a 6kg weight relief. While we will now see to what extent this will be applied, the reality is that that horse is now much more likely to be carrying 54kg when it comes to town, rather than 59kg. What this will do is make country-performed horses more competitive in the city, which will have the flow-on benefit of more country-performed horses actually coming to the city to have a go because of the greater likelihood that they will be competitive.

Similarly when the 66-rated provincial/city winner went to the country, it wasn’t penalised in any way under the current system, so it invariably started short-priced favourite and stifled betting, because its form was so superior, and it was so generously handicapped. Now the handicapper has the discretion to penalise those horses heading from the city to the country several kilos to give the locals much more chance of remaining competitive.

Further, Racing NSW has announced the introduction of “highway” races. Starting from December, there will become a ninth race on Sydney Saturday race programs run for midweek prizemoney, and exclusively for country-trained horses. This is another huge filip for country-trained horses to help boost their earning potential and indeed give their connections the opportunity of enjoying an exciting day in Sydney.

There are other nuances to the changes, but they are the key points. Racing NSW will review the impact of the changes after six months.

News from Louis

While the temperature might have been a little ‘Arctic’ at Echuca on Tuesday, it was a ‘Dream’ result for her owners as four-year-old mare Arctic Dream broke her maiden status.

Having finished third last time out over 1580m, the step up to the 2100m of the Betfair Murray Mallee Winter Stayers Series Heat 5 really aided the Peter Morgan and Craig Widdison-trained mare.

From the outside barrier in the field of 12, jockey Billy Egan took the mare forward where she sat on the outside of Speed ‘N’ Reef.

A mid-race move came from back in the pack as Gold A Plenty charged around the field to try and wrestle the lead from Speed ‘N’ Reef.

As the field rounded the home turn, Gold A Plenty had got the better of the race leader, and began to assert his superiority and was pulling away from the field.

Having enjoyed a good trail just behind the leaders, Arctic Dream began to make her move and with about 20m to go she got her head in front to record a half-length win, breaking her maiden.

To view a replay of the gutsy performance, click here.

Set to head to stud this season, it was a great to get a win on the board for the well-related daughter of Sebring, as she is also a half-sister to the Group 2-winning, Group 1 placed Hallowell Belle (Starcraft) as well the Group 3-winning Fuddle Dee Duddle (Red Ransom), all daughters of the Beautiful Crown mare Bella Inez, herself a full-sister to the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas winner In Top Swing.

Congratulations to all fellow owners on the win of the well-bred mare; Mr M B Christian, Mr B Johnson, Mr B G Christian, Mr R H Soussa, Maniana, Mr A N Fitzgerald, S & K Dean, Mr M W Bristow, Dr P D Braude, Ms J Marretta, Mr D A Russell and Mrs R C Fitzgerald.

While we all love to highlight success, we are confident that ‘Harry’ will make the grade in the coming weeks after recording her third consecutive second placed finish this time in!

Wide Acclaim as he is officially known, returned from a spell to finish second over 1000m at Kembla Grange on June 16, before finishing in the same position just over two weeks later when stepped up to the 1100m at Hawkesbury.

Starting race favourite at Kembla on Tuesday, Wide Acclaim was ridden by leading jockey Blake Shinn and after settling down in third position in the run where upon entering the home straight looked a live chance of taking the win.

With the race favourite, the well-spruiked Egyptian Symbol still in front of him, Wide Acclaim was doing a few things wrong but still set out after the leader.

Narrowing the margin to a half-neck on the line, it was a great effort from Harry and we are confident that it won’t be too long before the son of Vinery stallion Congrats finds himself crossing the line in front!

To view his run from Tuesday, click here.

With five runs under his belt for four placed effort, Wide Acclaim, will slightly frustrating, is proving to trainer Gary Portelli that he is at least consistent.

Purchased from the draft of Vinery Stud at the 2014 Magic Millions Yearling Sale, Wide Acclaim is out of the Hussonet mare Dirty, a winner of the Listed BTC Vo Rogue Plate during her career.

Congrats to fellow the fellow owners in Harry and we hope to be writing about his maiden win in the coming weeks!

Sky Dazzle produced a big effort to lead all the way on debut at Sale for Mornington-based trainer Tony Noonan and triple her purchase price in earnings from just one race.

“She was a $5,000 yearling purchase so Louis Mihalyka at Laurel Oak Bloodstock has really outdone himself by picking out this lovely filly,” said Alfred Chan, Racing Manager for Tony Noonan.

“She’s shown a lot of ability in her jumpouts at home and the Super VOBIS bonus today just makes the win all the more sweeter for her owners.”

Jumping well from gates, Sky Dazzle showed excellent tactical speed under rider Jake Noonan to drift across from barrier 7 and find the lead.

Travelling sweetly, Sky Dazzle ($8.50) gave a kick in the straight to hold on by a head from Magna Rossa ($26) and Rillito ($7) a further two lengths back in third. To view a reply of the race, click here.

“She’s a really nice filly,” Noonan said after the victory.

“I’ve got to give credit to Michael Carson who rides trackwork for Dad and has done a lot of work with this filly.

“He’s always had an opinion of her and he’s done a really good job educating her.”

The win continues the excellent partnership Laurel Oak Bloodstock are having with Noonan-trained horses for Sky Dazzle to be the 7th individual winner for the major syndicator in the Noonan stable this season.

Secured from the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale from the draft of Ultra Thoroughbreds, Sky Dazzle was was offered to clients as part of the Tony Noonan Club Syndicate 2 – moral of the story – take notice next time!