SUNDAY 23 NOVEMBER 2014
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KELLY COMES BACK TO WIN BREEDERS’
AS MOOCHI AND PUSSY MEET TROUBLE
Kelly O’Reilly (green cap) comes again for Leith Innes to snatch victory from the ill-fated Moochi Me and Michael Coleman.
T
ony Pike would have been more than satisfied if Kelly
O’Reilly (NZ) (O’Reilly) had run a place at Avondale
yesterday so he was understandably overjoyed when
the mare exceeded his expectations.
Race
Counties RC Auckland Thoroughbred
Breeders’ S. Gr.2 1400m
Winner
Kelly O’Reilly (NZ) 2009
Owners
Mrs V A & W K Pike
Trainer
Tony Pike (Cambridge)
Breeding
by O’Reilly out of Grace by Pins (Aus)
Breeder
Mrs V A & W K Pike
The Cambridge trainer savoured a great family result when
the five-year-old showed her courage to post a determined
victory in the Group Two NRM/Auckland Thoroughbred
Breeders’ Stakes.
Kelly O’Reilly is raced by his parents Wayne and Vicki and
as breeders her black type success has significantly boosted
her future value when time is called on her racing career.
“She’ll obviously be going to stud at some stage so a win
like this is very special,” Pike said.
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NZTM News
SUNDAY 23 NOVEMBER 2014
KELLY COMES BACK TO WIN BREEDERS’
AS MOOCHI AND PUSSY MEET TROUBLE
(Continued from page 1)
Kelly O’Reilly had looked like she might be playing a minor
role in the race when Moochi Me (Dubawi) swept to the front
but she lifted for Leith Innes in the closing stages to take the
thick end of the stake.
“I was hoping she would hold on for second and then she
stuck her head down and came back,” Pike said.
“I thought there would be plenty of speed in the race
and Leith rode her perfectly. She really deserves this – she’s a
good, honest mare.”
Now the winner of seven races, Kelly O’Reilly had weighed
in three times from her four lead-up starts and had a genuine
excuse for the sole failure.
“Last time out at Ellerslie she was in season so we gave her
a week in the paddock to freshen up,” Pike said.
“Jason Waddell rode her during the week and he said her
work had been fantastic. She can’t handle too many runs
on firm tracks but there will be a nice race for her over the
Ellerslie carnival.”
Triumph turned to tragedy for the connections of Moochi
Me, who handled a sharp rise in class to finish second, when
she was found to have bled during the race.
Kisses (NZ) (Iffraaj) took advantage of an inside draw to
race in the first four throughout, held the lead for a time in
the straight and fought on well for third.
The luckless runner was Pussy O’Reilly (NZ) (O’Reilly),
who did well to run fourth after a slow getaway and was
subsequently declared a late scratching as her barrier was
slow to open.
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SUNDAY 23 NOVEMBER 2014
WARRIOR ROCKS PUNTERS IN CUP BUT
ROGAN HAPPY WITH SEASON’S FIRST
Veteran stayer Noble Warrior clings to his lead as Nothing Trivial belies his low rating with a strong challenge in an outsiders’ finish to
yesterday’s Counties Cup.
T
he widely travelled Noble Warrior (NZ) (Le Bec Fin)
went close to causing a massive upset when runner-up
in the Group Three Counties Cup twelve months ago
and yesterday he again tossed the form book aside when
going one better.
Just nabbed by Annie Higgins a year ago when starting
at better than 50-1 odds, the veteran got his career payday in
the Chep Pallecon-sponsored feature at Avondale, where he
staged a major form reversal to win at 62-1.
While punters were rocked by the result, it was warmly
welcomed by jockey Rogan Norvall, who had been winless in
42 previous rides for the season.
Race
Counties RC Counties Cup Gr.3 2100m
Winner
Noble Warrior (NZ) 2006
Owners
W K Noble and Mrs I J Shaw
Trainer
G & T Shaw (Waiuku)
Breeding
by Le Bec Fin out of Our Kuini Rose by Justice
Prevails (Aus)
W K Noble
Breeder
“I’ve had placings and been all around it and it’s nice to
get one in a race like this,” he said.
Well off the pace in the Listed Metropolitan Trophy and
the Group Three New Zealand Cup in his recent Riccarton
campaign, Noble Warrior was ridden positively by Norvall to
sit upside with the leader.
“I followed Tempelten across and we got away with a few
soft sectionals,” Norvall said. “He got the wobbles a bit at the
end but he’d tried really hard.”
Noble Warrior, who has won as far north as Ruakaka and
in the south at Riccarton and Hokitika, got to the front early
in the run home and had enough in reserve to see off the late
charge of Nothing Trivial (NZ) (Elusive City).
Tempelten (NZ) (Johar) finished third ahead of the wellfancied The Tidy Express (NZ) (Volksraad) and her stablemate
Delago’s Secret (Encosta de Lago).
The eight-year-old Noble Warrior is trained by Grant and
Tana Shaw, who race the gelding with his breeder Wally
Noble.
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SUNDAY 23 NOVEMBER 2014
FLYING FILLY ON A MISSION TO MILLION
M
atamata juvenile Windborne (NZ) (Darci Brahma)
is giving every indication that she can follow her
older sister’s lead and make an impact at the top
level.
Her sibling and stablemate Darci’s Dream won the Listed
Canterbury Belle Stakes last month and went on to finish
a game runner-up in the Group One New Zealand One
Thousand Guineas.
“This filly has a bit more speed,” trainer Jason Bridgman
said of Windborne. “She’s not overly big and she is quite a
natural two-year-old type.”
The precocious youngster moved further up the
qualifying ladder for January’s Listed Karaka Million when she
Race
Counties RC Murdoch Newell S. L 1100m
Winner
Windborne (NZ) 2012
Owners
Fortuna Windborne Syndicate (Mgr: John
Galvin)
Jason Bridgman (Matamata)
Trainer
Breeding
Breeder
Sales
by Darci Brahma out of Sweet Dreams Baby by
Van Nistelrooy (USA)
D C Ellis & K W Fenton-Ellis
2014 National Yearling Sale, Select Session;
V: Goodwood Stud, P: Fortuna Syndications;
$100,000
won yesterday’s Listed Murdoch Newell Stakes at Avondale to
keep her perfect record intact.
“She was a bit green when she hit the front and it was an
impressive performance,” Bridgman said.
A debut winner at Ellerslie last month, Windborne sat off
the two leaders before Matt Cameron angled her into the
clear on straightening and she quickly lengthened stride to
score by a length and a half.
“There’s plenty of improvement in her and she’s only had
one bit of serious work since she last raced,” Bridgman said.
“She’s doing it all on natural ability.”
Like her sister, Windborne was bred by Te Akau principal
David Ellis and his wife Karyn Fenton-Ellis and was a $100,000
Karaka purchase for Fortuna Syndicate’s John Galvin.
“She went through the sale and was bought by John and
syndicated,” Bridgman said. “She’s an outstanding type of filly
with a lot of class and has a terrific temperament.”
The Karaka Million is her goal and she is likely to make one
more appearance leading up to New Zealand’s richest race at
Ellerslie on January 25.
“She’ll probably go via the Eclipse Stakes into the Million,”
Bridgman said.
Windborne arrives at the finish post a clear-cut winner of yesterday’s juvenile stakes.
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SUNDAY 23 NOVEMBER 2014
IN STYLE ON TRACK FOR RAILWAY AFTER
PROVING TOO SWIFT FOR SLIPPER PAIR
I
n Style (NZ) (Fast ’n’ Famous) yesterday kept her Group
One hopes alive when she opened her black type account
at Avondale with a defeat of a pair of former Golden
Slipper runners.
Trainer Danica Guy said the mare had to stand up and be
counted in the Listed IMG Counties Bowl to remain on target
for one of the country’s premier sprints.
“She’s going toward the Railway and she’s proven she’s up
to the class now.”
A key factor to her latest success was the improved surface
after she had been tripped up by rain-affected going at her
previous start at Ellerslie.
“She needs it with no moisture in it,” Guy said. “She got the
Race
Counties RC Counties Bowl H. L 1100m
Winner
In Style (NZ) 2009
Owners
P W & Mrs S J Ryan
Trainer
Danica Guy (Matamata)
Breeding
by Fast ‘n’ Famous (Aus) out of Ribadesella by
Centaine (Aus)
P W Ryan
Breeder
conditions to suit here and she’s done the job.”
In Style jumped well to trail the leaders for jockey Michael
Coleman and rounded off strongly in the straight to beat
Ruud Awakening (Bernardini) and Shelford (Redoute’s
Choice).
“What a wonderful ride,” Guy said. “She jumps the gates so
well and he did a great job.”
Ruud Awakening, who was making her sixth appearance
since she was unplaced in last year’s Golden Slipper,
delighted trainer Stephen Marsh with her front-running effort
for second.
“We’re rapt and she’s had a really good blow,” he said. “She
will improve a lot and she’ll probably run in the Newmarket
next.”
Shelford turned in an excellent effort for third after
covering extra ground from the wide gate in his second start
for trainer Tony Pike.
The five-year-old entire has won only two races but was a
consistent performer in Sydney and was twice stakes placed
as a two-year-old before he ran seventh in the 2012 Slipper.
In Style (pink colours) finishes too well for former juvenile stars Ruud Awakening (white cap) and Shelford in the Counties Bowl.
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SUNDAY 23 NOVEMBER 2014
BELLINO ADDS TO COLLETTS’ AUSSIE
WIN WHEN DEREK PRODUCES A PEACH
Striding clear at the finish of the Rating 85 stayers’ race on yesterday’s Avondale card, Bellino puts himself in the frame for a Waikato Gold Cup tilt.
S
even-year-old stayer Bellino (NZ) (Bertolini) yesterday
confirmed a tilt at a major summer prize when he
capped a good couple of days for the Collett family
with a lower grade win at Avondale.
The topweight’s defeat of Bachelor’s Dream (NZ) (Bachelor
Duke) in the Rating 85 BNZ Partners 2200 Handicap showed
he was ready for the sharper end of competition.
Bellino is prepared at Pukekohe by Richard Collett, who
enjoyed an Australian success with Turret Hill (NZ) (Show a
Heart) at Hawkesbury on Friday.
Race
Counties RC BNZ Partners H. 2200m
Winner
Bellino (NZ) 2007
Owners
Ms E M Butterworth, R D Collett, G W Hill, A K
Michl, A, F, D & M Quirk, D P Whiteman, W P
Williams and G D Witters
Richard Collett (Pukekohe)
Trainer
Breeding
Breeder
Sales
by Bertolini (USA) out of Bella Bambina by
Rhythm (USA)
Ms E M Butterworth & A F Quirk
2009 Ready to Run Sale; V: Kaipira Lodge, P:
Collett Racing Stables Ltd; $46,000
The four-year-old is part-owned by Collett and his wife
Judy and was ridden to victory in a $A22,000 middle distance
event by their son Jason. Turret Hill is in New South Wales
with stablemate Hot Mustard (NZ) (Lucky Owners), who was
recently an unlucky third at Goulburn.
Bellino is being aimed at the Group Three Waikato Gold
Cup on December 13 and but for a last-start disappointment
he may well have taken his chance in yesterday’s Counties
Cup.
“He let me down a bit at Ellerslie,” Collett said, “but the
2400 metres at Te Rapa will suit him.”
The gelding settled midfield in a slowly run race at
Avondale and pushed through between runners for Derek
Nolan in the straight for a convincing win, the seventh of his
forty-start career.
“It was a peach of a ride from Derek,” Collett said. “He came
to me four or five years ago from Ireland and couldn’t even
ride jumpers and now he can ride with the best.”
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SUNDAY 23 NOVEMBER 2014
BELLINO ADDS TO COLLETTS’ AUSSIE
WIN WHEN DEREK PRODUCES A PEACH
(Continued from page 7)
Auckland and Wellington Cups nominee Show The World
(NZ) (High Chaparral) had won his last two outings in style
and co-trainer Murray Baker wasn’t downhearted with his
third placing.
“It was only a sprint and he couldn’t get off the fence,” he
said. “They just crawled and sprinted home.”
News in Brief
Comeback continues for Dragon
Ambitious Dragon (NZ) (Pins) is already assured of
his place in the pantheon of Hong Kong’s great horses
but trainer Tony Millard’s pride and joy is not done yet.
The eight-year-old, back this term after eighteen months
on the sideline, has a whole new batch of rising stars to
put in their place and his trainer is hoping the old champ
can give them all at least a taste of what they’ve been
missing in today’s Group Two Jockey Club Mile.
The two-time Horse of the Year has the Hong Kong
Mile on 14 December as his prime target and warmed
up with a smart comeback run for a close third behind
Military Attack (Oratorio) and Gold-Fun (Le Vie Dei Colori)
Baker and training partner Andrew Forsman had much
better luck in the following event when the progressive
Sakhee’s Soldier (NZ) (Sakhee’s Secret) won the Franklin Long
Roofing Handicap.
“I’ll have a look for another mile for him but I do see him
running over ground,” Baker said.
against just about the best around in last month’s HK-2 Sha
Tin Trophy.
Since then, Millard’s charge has impressed in a 1000 metre
barrier trial a week ago when he cruised over the top of
inferior rivals in a time of 58 seconds, with today’s jockey
Gerald Mosse keeping a firm hold as his mount eased past the
post.
“His barrier trial was good, I was very happy with that warmup, he’s sharpened up,” said Millard. “He’s still a little bit on
the heavy side and this race will hopefully put him right. I’m
very happy with him and I think whatever he does there’s still
going to be improvement in him for the Internationals.”
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SUNDAY 23 NOVEMBER 2014
WIDE DRAW KEY FOR DRAGON FORCE
L
ow-key Singapore trainer Mohd Yusof is this year
enjoying one of his best seasons and collected another
winner courtesy of Dragon Force (NZ) (Postponed) in
the S$60,000 Class 4 1100 metre race at Kranji on Friday night.
While his annual tallies in the past five years have never
tipped over the twenty-win mark, the 61-year-old’s current
score of 23 could rise even higher with seven meetings still
remaining. But Yusof is not known as a stats keeper; his
Race
Singapore TC Class 4 H. 1100m
Winner
Dragon Force (NZ) 2010
Owners
Tan Gim Guan
Trainer
Mohd Yusof (Kranji)
Breeding
by Postponed (USA) out of Trudy Tee by Chief
Bearhart (Can)
Mrs C J & M A Taylor
Breeder
Sales
2012 Ready to Run Sale; V: Hapeta Racing,
P: Mr Soon Hock Lee; $50,000
emphasis is firmly seeing his thirty-odd horses do their best
and keeping the operation ticking over.
“This horse runs better when kept fresh. I put him away for
six weeks and he’s scored first-up,” said Yusof of Dragon Force.
“The other thing is he always wins when he draws a bad
barrier.”
On this, Yusof was spot-on – which somewhat disproves
the theory he pays no attention to trivia – the sprinter having
scored his previous three wins by jumping from the awkward
alleys 6, 9 and 11. The other common factor to all four wins is
jockey Danny Beasley.
The Australian said Dragon Force was another living
testament to the reclusive trainer’s polish.
“This horse has had so many problems with his legs but
Yusof is so good at patching them up. To me, he’s one of the
Continued on page 11
In a Kiwi-bred finish, Dragon Force (blue hood) holds off the challenge of Duty Free.
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SUNDAY 23 NOVEMBER 2014
WIDE DRAW KEY FOR DRAGON FORCE
(Continued from page 10)
best trainers around,” said Beasley. “I learn a lot from him.
“Yusof is right about the horse doing better when he is
drawn off the track. When he gets a low draw he gets crossed
too quickly and that’s where he loses his races.
“When he is out wide, he gets less kickback and that’s how
it worked out tonight. It took a furlong for him to find a spot
but once he travelled forward he was okay.”
Duty Free (NZ) (Keeninsky) looked to have the race at his
News in Brief
Newcomer increases Laurie’s lead
Laurie Laxon, the current leader in the Singapore
trainers’ premiership, may have been back in his native
New Zealand for a short trip but his team at Kranji on
Friday night ensured his quest for a ninth title is kept
on track with newcomer Stirling (NZ) (Chinese Dragon)
increasing to six the gap he maintains over Alwin Tan.
A barrier trial winner at Te Awamutu last April when
in the care of Ruakaka trainers Donna and Dean Logan,
the Silver Fern Racing Stable-owned debutant began
brilliantly to show the way in the eleven-horse field
of the S$65,000 Initiation race over 1200 metres. And
though still a little green around the bends, the result
was never in doubt once jockey Danny Beasley turned
mercy when he overcame a wide trip at the rear to come with
a barnstorming run inside the last furlong but Dragon Force
was gallant in fighting off the challenge to score by a neck.
From the Chief Bearhart mare Trudy Tee, a three-time
winner and placed in the 2006 Matamata Breeders’ Stakes for
trainer Stephen McKee, the four-year-old took his winning
record to four from fifteen and stake earnings above the
S$160,000 mark.
up the heat at the top of the straight. Lucius Vorenus (Encosta
de Lago) issued a challenge at the 300 metre mark but was
left reeling when Stirling raced away to post an impressive
4½-length win.
Assistant trainer Shane Ellis said the original script did not
include “take the lead”, but the four-year-old showed such
blistering gate speed that Beasley decided not to let such
hidden talent go to waste. “Looking at the way he ran away
from the others in the straight, he should definitely get
further, probably 1400 to 1600 metres,” Ellis said. “This is a
horse Laurie’s son Roger owns with a group of friends. They
call themselves Rhinestone and I’m sure they will be pleased
with that win tonight.”
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