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Anaphora booked a trip to the Group 1 Queensland Oaks (2200m) with a last-stride victory in Saturday’s $80,000 No Fuss Events Handicap (1600m) at Caulfield.

Trainer Tony Noonan said he went into the race confident despite the fact the daughter of Dylan Thomas was beaten as favourite last start at Seymour.

“I always knew that she was going to be better back on the firm ground and her work during the week was really good so we were really confident that she’d come here and run well,” Noonan said.

“Gee I was a bit worried along the side, I know they were going along at a good clip but she was giving them a big start so it was a good effort.

“We’ve always had a good opinion of her and she’ll be even better as she gets over more ground.”

After settling at the tail of the field, Anaphora ($12-$8) produced a powerful finish under jockey Vlad Duric to win in a photo over Violent Snow ($12), with Tears Of Joy ($7.50) a further two lengths away in third.

Noonan said Anaphora may have one more run over 2000m at Caulfield in a fortnight before heading north.

“She’ll only have one more run before the Oaks but I don’t think a mile-and-a-quarter (2000m) will worry her,” he said.

“The Oaks is only 2200m this year and she’s got to improve a lot still but she’s lightly-raced and on the up.”

A special congratulations to the connections; Grant Bloodstock Pty Ltd, Laurel Oak Bloodstock Pty Ltd, Four Up, Mr A N Fitzgerald, Club Number One, Mr P J Macbeth, Mrs J E Macbeth, Mr M S Mannix, Mr R T Spargo, Mr P A Atley, Mr B Marotta, Mr R A Lloyd, Mr D A Russell, Miss E Morrissey, Mrs E K Grant and trainer Tony Noonan.

News from Racing.com

Always having held this colt in high regard, as evident by his debut run in the Group 2 VRC Sires’ Produce Stakes at Flemington (1400m) back in March, the Tony Noonan-trained Mr Optimistic has been in Queensland for a few weeks and made his local debut today at the Gold Coast.

Starting the clear favourite, jockey Luke Dittman jumped the colt away well from the inside barrier in the 12 horse field and he settled back on the rail with cover.

Working home when it mattered, Luke Dittman got the best out of Mr Optimistic to hit the lead with 150m to go, winning the race by a length and three quarters to break his maiden at just his third career start.

Trainer Tony Noon was clearly elated with the victory, “We’ve always had an enormous opinion of this colt which is why we bought him up to Queensland,” Noonan said.

“He’s been doing a few things wrong in his races but he jumped well today for the first time and Luke (Dittman) did an excellent job to get off the fence when he did.”

With no firm plans in place as to where the colt will head now, with Queensland riches just around the corner, it could be tempting to aim the colt at some stakes races during the carnival.

By Darley stallion Domesday, Mr Optimistic is out of the Anabaa mare Be Positive, a mare we raced to Group 3 victory in the Victoria Plate in partnership with various owners with Tony a few years back.

Congratulations to trainer Tony Noonan, jockey Luke Dittman and to owners Laurel Oak Norman (Mgr: L J Mihalyka), Boeara Holdings (Mgr: Mrs D A Dunphy), S P Reilly, M J Birrell, A N Fitzgerald, Bobbin Along (Mgr: A Cork), Mrs S M Ridgway, A Mavridis, Miss S J Collins, W H A Rigg, P A Innes, Club Number One (Mgr: L J Mihalyka), Mrs N C Birrell and B D Bryant on the victory.

The Keith Dryden-trained duo, WARINDA and CRUSADER GENERAL, were both poking along in reasonable form in their own grade in February, when the decision was made to target them both for the Country Championships Qualifier at Goulburn late in March, which we hoped would flow on to a run in the Country Championships at Randwick during The Championships.

Both horses fell short in that ambitious program, so we “resumed normal programs” with both of them.

With Warinda we established at the end of last preparation that 1600m seemed his ideal distance. However with the distraction of The Championships over 1400m, we kept him at shorter distances for longer than we otherwise would have. Once we had moved on from that plan, he ran a fast-finishing fourth over 1600m in a strong race at Goulburn, and the decision was made to try him over 2000m. That didn’t work at all, as he pulled too hard in the slow tempo, and didn’t finish off.

Back to 1600m in Canberra for what was only his third attempt at his “best distance”, at his 20th career start, jockey Brendan Ward had him perfectly placed and travelling sweetly on the fence behind the leaders. When he got into clear running 300m from home, Warinda quickly joined the leaders and had the race in his keeping to come away for a comfortable 1.5 length win. With two wins and a good fourth now at that distance, we will certainly be sticking to it, and there is a chance that he may back up into another 1600m race at Wagga this coming Thursday, 30 April.

Meanwhile Crusader General was going for the Laurel Oak double two races later. Once he had moved on from The Championships objective, he won his next start in Canberra on Golden Slipper Day. Then a poorly-judged ride saw him finish well back in Canberra two weeks later, before having another go over 1400m last Friday.

With his drawing wide in the small six-horse field, jockey Kathy O’Hara’s instructions were to get cover, and the only way she could do that was to go back to last. In a clever piece of riding, Kathy cut the corner as they turned for home to go underneath two horses rather than around them. However she was still three lengths off the leaders and not coming quickly enough. Fortunately Crusader General stoked up under Kathy’s riding, and was flying at the finish.

With three horses across the track in front of him, with about fifty to go he was most likely going to finish either first or fourth, but  more likely the latter. Thankfully he really motored in the last 50m and arrived in time to score a long-neck win in a four-way finish, to make it two wins from his last three starts.

As we reported on his previous victory in last month’s edition of Grandstand View, getting him back to winning form was very satisfying for everyone concerned, as he was coming back from a double knee injury that had him off the scene for eighteen months.

Keith will now look for another suitable race for him.

The double took Keith to a five-win lead in the local trainers premiership, with three meetings to go to the end of the season, so we hope he can hang on to win another premiership. It has been a great season for Keith, as his main opposition in Canberra includes talented young trainers, Nick Olive and Matt Dale, and the strong Barbara Joseph stable, all of whom have good-sized racing teams.

News From Grandstand View

Secured from the 2014 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale by Laurel Oak Bloodstock for $130,000 from the draft of Broadwater Thoroughbreds, two-year-old Northern meteor filly Flash In The Dark travelled from her Canberra base to Wagga to make her debut on Sunday in the Alert Handicap over 1000m.

Given barrier 12 of 13 in a field of mainly unraced juveniles, the race day favourite was the Nick Olive-trained Lock The Doors who last campaign had finished just under five lengths from Ottoman, with Pride Of Dubai in third – both of those two-year-olds going on to claim stakes races during the carnivals.

Finding the 900m of a barrier trial in November too short, the Laurel Oak Pink Syn, F W Cook, T D Millard, Back To The Bay Syn, B L J Syn, Club Dryden Syd, H R Wallace, M G Houston, M K Graham, V A Elvin and C J Elvi–owned filly was well supported for her racetrack debut, but as she was having her first start, there is always the unknown of racing, plus added fact it is two-year-old racing!

Settling just behind the leaders getting a perfect run, jockey Brendan Ward asked the filly for an effort about 300m from home, and she surged through a gap to defeat Our Project by a head with a neck back to the race favourite in third.

Trained Keith Dryden was suitably impressed by the performance post-race stating that while he felt the filly would run well, she would be better over further.

Set to head to a lucrative Inglis Bonus race next time out, best of luck to her connections!

Returning to the track after a 12 week break, the Tony Noonan trained Anaphora (Dylan Thomas x Power of Love) scored a very classy two-and-a-quarter length win in Perco Australia Maiden Plate (1200m) at Mornington.

Recording two placed efforts from her four starts last time in, the three-year-old filly clearly appreciated the break, and after settling well back in the run, produced an exciting turn of foot to break her maiden with jockey Jake Noonan in the saddle.

With gate 15 of 15 proving no problem for the 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 owned filly, Noonan has always held this filly in high regard.

“This was a very deserving win for her connections,” Noonan said.

“They have been very patient and she really should have won before today so it’s a great result.”

“I’ve always said she is a Saturday class filly so it’s great for her to get the monkey off her back because she’s just had no luck in her past runs.”

Starting to make her run 600m from home, the Dylan Thomas filly powered strongly in what was a performance of a filly who can get further as her dam Power Of Love, who was raced in similar ownership was a winner up to 1600m and was placed up to 2000m.

It has been a great few days for the Laurel Oak Bloodstock and trainer Tony Noonan, having scored a victory a few days back with Swiftly Red at Bendigo.

A graduate of the 2012 Magic Millions Yearling Sale, Swiftly Red (Testa Rossa x General Resolve) recorded her second win, from her last four starts, scoring by a short head in the Andy’s Earthmovers Handicap over 1400m for trainer Tony Noonan at Bendigo.

Raced by a large group of owners; Laurel Oak Jane Syndicate (Mgr: L J Mihalyka), A N Fitzgerald, Mrs M D Turnbull, Boeara Holdings Syndicate (Mgr: Mrs D A Dunphy), D A Jeffery, Mrs C J Jeffery, Miss A L Goble, K E O’Brien, Mrs T O’brien, P W Hickey, Mrs A M Hickey, Mrs M V Horrigan, P Sutton and Mrs R C Fitzgerald, Swiftly Red, now a four-year-old mare, has improved this time in and Noonan feels she will continue to improve, especially as the tracks get a bit wet underfoot during the Winter.

Holding off a late challenge in the final 50m of the race, Swiftly Red held on to record her fourth consecutive top four finish.

“I’ve got to give a lot of thanks to my foreman Viv Bertrand and Lisa Jones who manages our farm,” Noonan said.

“They have done a lot of work with the mare who has had blood enzyme problems in the past and a lot of people have worked extremely hard and got a lot out of her.”

Ridden by leading jockey Nick Hall, he continued his perfect record on the mare, two rides for two wins!

Jumping from barrier 1, Swiftly Red pinged out of the gates forcing Lilian to work hard in the early stages to find the lead.

Settling Swiftly Red in the run, Hall eventually gave up the lead but gave his mare the dream run in transit on the fence, one behind Lilian.

Peeling out at the top of the straight, Hall peeled out and balanced up Swiftly Red ($4.60) who was strong to the line to score by a head from Deeming ($6.00) and Ungreatful Ellen ($2.70) in third.

“I was happy to switch her over to the left and it really got her through the line,” Hall said.

There is not as much prestige and a considerable difference in stakes than the obvious alternative.

But for Sydney sprinter Rebel Dane and his trainer Gary Portelli, winning the William Reid Stakes at Moonee Valley promises to be just as significant as a victory in the TJ Smith Stakes.

Looking to Rebel Dane’s future beyond the racetrack, Portelli and the horse’s syndicate of owners have chosen the lesser of two Group One sprint races run eight days apart in setting the entire for a first-up Melbourne win.

Rebel Dane is also already a Group One winner but another success at racing’s elite level would add value to his career as a commercial sire.

“We are probably a better chance of winning a Group One if we go to Moonee Valley rather than go to Randwick and be a ten-to-one shot and run another place in the TJ Smith,” Portelli said.

“The William Reid is a Group One race, he’s a stallion and it’s very important for him if we can get him over the line.”

Rebel Dane earned $450,000 in finishing second to Lankan Rupee in last year’s TJ Smith and he gets $240,000 for a William Reid win.

“It would have been great to race him in both because it’s hard to turn your back on a race worth two and a half million dollars,” Portelli said.

“We ran second in the TJ last year with him but it wasn’t going to be any easier this year. Terravista is going to be there and so is Chautauqua.

“Around the Valley he’s been competitive against Lankan Rupee and Buffering but on the bigger tracks they’ve just had that little bit on us.”

Rebel Dane was among a host of unlucky runners when figuring in a blanket finish behind Lankan Rupee in last year’s Manikato Stakes at Moonee Valley and Portelli says his horse is due for a change of fortune at the track.

“He’s had a couple of goes at the Valley and he’s been unlucky so hopefully his turn comes this time,” Portelli said.

“The field is a rung below the TJ Smith but there’s still genuine Group One horses like Angelic Light and Famous Seamus so it’s not going to be a walk in he park for anyone.”
News from Just Horse Racing

In what was a really good sale for Laurel Oak Bloodstock, we were fortunate enough o secure four yearlings, outlined below.

Lot 113: Fastnet Rock x Dance To My Tune colt from the draft of Newgate Farm (as agent for Morning Rise Stud) was purchased from the Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale for $140,000.

The colt is the first living foal of the dual Listed-winning, Group One placed Stravinsky mare Dance To My Tune.

Mares by Stravinsky have produced four Group One winners to date, and three are bred on the Danehill-line x Stravinsky cross – Lankan Rupee, Mosheen and Pataques, while the other is the three-time Group One winner Rip Van Winkle.

To view Pedigree, please click here.

Lot 269: Fastnet Rock x Valkyrie Diva filly from the draft of Milburn Creek (as agent for Makybe) was purchased from the Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale for $280,000.

Out of the Group 3 winner Valkyrie Diva (Jade Robbery), a half-sister to none other than Makybe Diva, as well as stakes winners Musket and La Amistad, this colt is a three-quarter brother to the Listed winner Wales (Redoute’s Choice).

This pedigree cross of Fastnet Rock x Jade Robbery mare has produced one winner from one runner, the Group 3 Sweet Embrace Stakes winner Jade Marauder.

To view Pedigree, please click here.

Lot 319: Reward For Effort x Lickety Lemon colt from the draft of Chatswood Stud was purchased for $60,000 from the Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale.

From the second crop of the Group One Blue Diamond winner Reward For Effort, the colt is the second foal out of the Listed winning Lemon Drop Kid mare Lickety Lemon, a half-sister to Street Cry’s Listed winner Cry Of Freedom.

From the family of Group 1 winners Seven Springs, Distant View, Regal State, Pleasantly Perfect and Elusive Kate, mares by Lemon Drop Kid have produced almost 40 stakes performers.

To view Pedigree, please click here.

Lot 697: Star Witness x Long Long Ago colt was purchased for $85,000 from the draft of New Zealand vendor Henley Park (as agent) on the final day of the Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale.

From the second crop of the dual Group 1 winner Star Witness, this colt is the first foal out of the winning Lonhro mare Long Long Ago, herself a daughter of a sister to Group 1 winners Universal Prince and Universal Queen.

To view Pedigree, please click here .

The saying “I’ve been everywhere man”….really applies to our four-year-old Fastnet Rock mare Posh Rock, having done her earlier racing in Victoria before a few runs in New South Wales and then back to Victoria where she was successful at winning the Racing.com Maiden Plate over 1400m at Ballarat on Thursday for trainer Tony Noonan.

Finishing just over two lengths in fourth position when racing fist-up this time in, the step up in trip really helped the mare to break her maiden and start to show some promise.

Jumping away with the rest of the field, she went forward to settle in fourth position with the favourite on her inside.

Never letting the well-backed runner out of his sight, jockey Jake Noonan had the favourite pocketed and kept him there, stuck right behind the leading duo with nowhere to go.

Posh Rock surged late to take the event by a head with favourite backers left wondering what may have been.. but oh well.. Posh Rock won and that is all that matters!

Purchased from the Magic Millions Yearling sale from the draft of Newhaven Park Stud, Posh Rock is a full-brother to the Group Three-winning, Group One placed We’re Gonna Rock from a family that includes the Group One Dubai World Cup winner Monterosso.

Not only do the connections take home the first place prize money collect, but the also had an additional $20,000 VOBIS Gold bonus added in!

Well done to Laurel Oak Harriet (Mgr: L J Mihalyka), Mystery Downs (Mgr: F W Cook), A N Fitzgerald, Glenloth Racing (Mgr: P W Hickey), T D Millard, A R Bennett, J D C Allen, Grant Bloodstock Pty Ltd (Mgr: S P Grant), Talbot Racing (Mgr: E T Aldridge), Ms C Munnich, R J Barker and Mrs R C Fitzgerald on the victory of the well bred mare.

A special mention to trainer Tony Noonan, with the victory of Posh Rock foillowing on from the recent wins of Grand Orator and Swiftly Red in the past month!

Swiftly Red went on to finish third two races after Posh Rock was successful at Ballarat.

When it was made public that shares were available in Group One winner Dissident as a stallion prospect, Laurel Oak Bloodstock jumped at the chance to secure a small share.

On Saturday we were rewarded when the Peter Moody-trained runner crossed the line in front, claiming his fourth Group 1 victory – the CF Orr Stakes.

Below is The Racing Network’s report on the victory.

Dissident added a fourth Group 1 victory to his name after winning Saturday’s $400,000 C.F. Orr Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield.

Settling fourth with cover away from the fence, Dissident ($2.80 favourite) sprinted best to overrun early leader Entirely Platinum ($13) by 1½ lengths.

Mourinho ($21), who settled behind the leader, finished third a further long neck away.

Java ($8.50) raced outside Entirely Platinum in the lead and stuck on admirably for fourth in the on-pace dominated race.

Dissident’s victory provided Moody with his fifth win in the C.F. Orr Stakes in the past six years.

Moody has won the race with Typhoon Tracy (2010 and 2011), Black Caviar (2012) and Moment of Change (2014).

“I’m just proud of the horse, he has done a tremendous job,” Moody said.

“It’s good to see him bounce back from the Valley (when third in the Australia Stakes) and over seven furlongs to a mile he is almost unbeatable, certainly under these conditions.”

Dissident has raced 19 times for six wins and seven placings with prizemoney now just below the $2.1 million mark.

The four-year-old entire by Sebring will have his next start in the Group 1 Futurity Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on February 28 before being sent to Sydney for a tilt at races such as the Group 1 George Ryder Stakes (1500m) and Doncaster Mile (1600m).

However Moody is mindful of protecting his stud value and should the weather deteriorate during Sydney’s autumn carnival, he might be retired to stud immediately.

“It’s not a matter of not running him in races he can’t win, it’s a matter of not running him in conditions he can win as he’s not at his best on soft ground,” Moody added.