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Monday Wrap-Up 31.12.18

The year finished on a winning note for Curraghmore after adding a new winner to the tally during the festive racing period. Trial winner You’re Welcome (Camelot) saluted on debut in the K R Bell Electrical Maiden (1200m) on December 29 at Matamata. After working forward to settle outside the leader, You’re Welcome gained an advantage inside the 200m when asked to extend and had his rivals covered to win. “He had to work early, but he came back to me beautifully and didn’t over race,” ...

Boxing Day Runners 26.12.18

Good luck to connections of CM graduates running on Boxing Day:Caulfield- Race 7 Christmas S. L, A$120500 1200m Manolo Blahniq (NZ) 2013 (G. by Jimmy Choux-Floramour) (trainer: A W Noonan) Ellerslie- Race 4 Uncle Remus S. L, NZ$60000 1400m In a Twinkling (AUS) 2015 (G. by Fastnet Rock-Moment in Time) (trainer: J W Richards)                 Race 6 Eight Carat Classic Gr.2, NZ$100000 1600m Rip Em Up (NZ) 2015 (F. by Rip Van...

Weaponry Goes Back to Back

Curraghmore graduate Weaponry (Declaration of War) remained unbeaten when taking out the Seasons Greetings Rating 65 (1400m) at Ruakaka on Tuesday. A debut winner on at Rotorua in November, Weaponry showed to have derived enormous benefit in the manner of his victory up in grade. Partnered again by Opie Bosson Weaponry was given time to find his feet from barrier one, settling fifth on a genuine tempo. Looking to ease away from the rail at the 600m, when standing the leader seven lengths, he tra...

Belle Du Nord upsets at Te Rapa

Belle Du Nord (Reliable Man) upset the applecart when she produced a storming finish to snatch victory in the Gr.2 Cal Isuzu Stakes (1600m) at Te Rapa on Saturday. Settled in the rear by rider Vinnie Colgan, Belle Du Nord swooped down the outskirts of the track to out-finish race favourite Lizzie L’Amour. Group One placed in the Levin Classic (1600m) last season, the Reliable Man mare delivered on the promise she had shown during a somewhat frustrating three-year-old campaign to capture her se...

Weekend Wrap Up- 10.12.18

A weekend of positive race results have updated Curraghmore's winner’s tally and provided some nice pedigree updates for the 2019 New Zealand Bloodstock draft. Theanswermyfriend impressed when successful fresh-up in the Sportsbet Racing Form Handicap (1200m) at Pakenham on Saturday. The Darren Weir-trained son of High Chaparral recorded his eighth career win and impressed jockey John Allen with kick and ability to hold off the opposition in the closing stages. “I was a little bit worried, I ...

Pacific Coast secures third win

Te Akau Racing took just the one horse north for the Counties meeting on Wednesday and that was enough for them to secure victory at the South Auckland track. Pacific Coast made it three wins from just eight starts when he got the bob on the line in the closely contested Ssangyong 1200. The four-year-old gelding jumped away well from barrier four before jockey Opie Bosson settled him midfield before pulling him wide at the turn to run down Air Centre to win by a nose. “There was a bit of speed...

Weekend Wrap up- 19.11.18

The weekend produced several smart performances from Curraghmore graduates that added to the winner's tally for the season.Don't Plead Guilty (Encosta de Lago) notched up his sixth career win when successful at Cranbourne on Saturday over 1600m. The eight-year-old gelding was purchased out of Curraghmore's 2012 New Zealand Bloodstock yearling draft and he is proving to be a versatile, sound horse that continues to perform.It was terrific to see another honest run from Long Leaf (Fastnet Roc...

Long Leaf set to tackle Sandown Guineas

Lindsay Park Racing will line up Long Leaf (Fastnet Rock) in the final feature three-year-old race of the spring carnival at Sandown on Saturday. Long Leaf will back up in the Gr.2 Sandown Guineas (1600m) after taking on the sprinting three-year-olds in the Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) finishing sixth. Co-trainer Tom Dabernig is not sure how Long Leaf will handle the rise to a mile having disappointed the stable at that distance in the Gr.1 Champagne Stakes at Randwick as an autumn two-year-old....

Long Leaf freshened for Coolmore mission

Long Leaf's (Fastnet Rock) family features a host of classy sprinters and connections of the talented colt believe a decision to save him for the stallion-making Gr.1 Coolmore Stud Stakes can be rewarded at Flemington. "We've come to the conclusion we think he's a really good fresh sprinter," co-trainer Ben Hayes said. Long Leaf, who was purchased by BBA Ireland from Curraghmore's 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock draft, is by Coolmore stallion Fastnet Rock who was a star sprinting three-year-old whos...

G3 challenge for Cannon

Curraghmore graduate Loose Cannon will step out at Ellerslie on Saturday in the Gr.3 Soliloquy Stakes (1400m). The Tavistock filly in aiming to enhance her claims for the Gr.1 Gavelhouse.com 1000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton on November 17, for which she is at $14 in the futures market. "If she goes well here, she'll go to the 1000 Guineas," trainer Stephen Marsh said. "She had 10 days off after her last run but her work has been good and this race will clean her up nicely for Riccarton. "M...

Weekend Runners- 24.10.18

AUSTRALIA FRIDAY Moonee Valley Race 7 Manikato S. Gr.1, A$1015000 1200m Tulip (AUS) 2014 (F. by Pierro-Musidora) (trainer: D & B Hayes & T Dabernig) SINGAPORE FRIDAY Race 4 Open Maiden S., S$20000 1400m Heart of Courage (AUS) 2014 (G. by Fastnet Rock-Myrrh) (trainer: M WALKER)Race 6 Open Maiden S., S$20000 1400m Cloudburst (NZ) 2014 (G. by Pour Moi-November Rain) (trainer: M WALKER) NEW ZEALAND SATURDAY Ellerslie Race 6 Soliloquy S., Gr.3, NZ$70000 1400m Loose Cannon (NZ) 2015 (F. by Tavistock-H...

Hayes looks for career best from Tulip

Tulip (Pierro) will have to produce a career best if she is to win the Gr.1 Manikato Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley on Friday night according to co-trainer Ben Hayes. The Curraghmore graduate has won twice at Moonee Valley, including the Gr.3 Typhoon Tracy Stakes (1200m) last February."She'll have to run a career-best but her work is good," Hayes said."She has run fifth in an Everest last year, so if she's at her best she can definitely mix it with them. She's got an awkward barrier in ten...

Classy mare Unforgotten sent for a spell

Australian Oaks winner Unforgotten (Fastnet Rock) will take no further part in this year's Melbourne spring carnival, with trainer Chris Waller deciding to send the mare to the paddock. Unforgotten won the Gr.2 Chelmsford Stakes second-up this spring at Randwick before finishing third in the Gr.1 Handicap at the same track. At her most recent start, the four-year-old finished unplaced in last Saturday's Gr.1 Caulfield Stakes (2000m). Waller has told Racing Victoria stewards the mare, who was pur...

Weekend Runners- 20.10.18

Good luck to the connections of CM graduates running over the long weekend including: MELBOURNE SATURDAY: - Race 8 Caulfield Cup Gr.1 , A$5150000 2400m Mighty Boss (AUS) 2014 (C. by Not a Single Doubt-Bullion Mansion) (trainer: M G Price) NEW ZEALAND SATURDAY:- Ashburton RC Race 8 Ashburton Cup, NZ$35000 1200m Jazzman (NZ) 2009 (G. by One Cool Cat-Mystical) (trainer: H B Tapper)                          Race 10 Ashburton MSA Liquor...

Weekend Wrap Up- 15.10.18

Asgard Massif (Fastnet Rock) scored a timely win on Sunday when successful in the Maiden Plate at Cranbourne over 1400m.Asgard Massif was sold for $400,000 out of Curraghmore's 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run draft, and the farm will breeze-up five two-year-olds this week ahead of the 2018 edition of the sale.It was Asgard's Massif's third start, and while he only won the maiden by 0.2l, co-trainer Ben Hayes felt he had taken a significant step forward. "It was a great performance, he ...

Cox Plate or Caulfield Cup options for Unforgotten

Chris Waller hasn’t ruled out a Caulfield Cup start for Group One-winning mare Unforgotten (Fastnet Rock) but it is more likely she could tangle with star stablemate Winx in the Cox Plate. Waller says he won’t decide Unforgotten’s spring carnival path until after she runs in Saturday’s Gr.1 Caulfield Stakes (2000m) in which she is rated a $5 chance. The Cox Plate, the Caulfield Cup and the Myer Classic are Group One targets that could potentially be on the agenda for the talented fo...

Weekend Runners 13.10.18

Good luck to the connections of Curraghmore graduates running this weekend including:SINGAPORE FRIDAY:Race 4 Maiden S., S$20000 1200m Heart of Courage (AUS) 2014 (G. by Fastnet Rock-Myrrh) (trainer: M WALKER)Race 6 Kranji S., S$125000 1400m Distinctive Darci (NZ) 2013 (G. by Darci Brahma-Distinctive Lass) (trainer: M WALKER)Race 7 Class 3 H., S$80000 1400m Justice Glory (AUS) 2014 (F. by Fastnet Rock-Tavarnelle) (trainer: M WALKER) AUSTRALIA SATURDAY- Caulfield Race 8 Caulfield S. Gr.1, A$100275...

Walker thinks out of the box for Darci

Polytrack expert Distinctive Darci will be coming out for a bit of an “experiment” in Friday’s S$125,000 Kranji Stakes A race over 1400m. While the switch to turf is a test in itself, the Darci Brahma five-year-old has been there and done that, without much success, but the rise to seven furlongs is uncharted waters. Distinctive Darci’s nine wins all came on the all-weather. He ran seven times on turf in 25 starts, yielding two seconds early doors while his more recent attempts have bee...

Options open for Unforgotten

Chris Waller has revealed that options remain open for Curraghmore graduate Unforgotten (Fastnet Rock) after she contests Saturdays Gr.1 Caulfield Stakes (2000m), but was almost certain she will run only once more this campaign. “It was my intention at the start of the prep not to over-race her," Waller said. "If I was to back her up in the Caulfield Cup, I wouldn't be setting out to achieve what I said I was going to do, so that's not my preference.""At this stage it's unlikely. If she h...

Weekend Runners 06.10.18

Good luck to CM graduates running this weekend including:AUSTRALIA SATURDAY- Doomben  Race 7 CJA Meat Steaks H., A$70000 1200m Power Rush (NZ) 2015 (F. by Power-Maid of Tralee) (trainer: K A Lees)- Flemington Race 5 Turnbull S. Gr.1, A$502500 2000m Mighty Boss (AUS) 2014 (C. by Not a Single Doubt-Bullion Mansion) (trainer: M G Price)                     Race 9 Blazer S. Gr.2, A$202000 1400m Tulip (AUS) 2014 (F. by Pierro-Musidora) (trai...

Waller delays Unforgotten decision

Chris Waller is undecided as to whether to step Unforgotten (Fastnet Rock) back up to 2400 metres this spring. The four-year-old mare, who was sold out of Curraghmore's 2016 New Zealand Bloodstock draft, will be nominated for the Gr.1 Caulfield Stakes (2000m) next Saturday but Waller says there are still several options being considered.  "She is down here in Melbourne and we are just working out where she heads next and it will either be the Caulfield Stakes with a slight chance ...

Weekend Wrap-Up 01.10.18

There were two Curraghmore graduates running at stakes level in Australia over the weekend, and both put in good runs to finish in the placings. Unforgotten (Fastnet Rock) returned to Randwick on Saturday, where she was a last-start winner of the Gr.2 Chelmsford Stakes (1600m), for the Gr.1 Epsom Handicap (1600m). The Chris Waller-trained mare made up good ground weaving through the field and finished third, less than a length behind winner Hartnell. "It was a big run," said jockey Kerrin McEvoy...

Weekend Runners 30.09.18

Good luck to the connections of the following CM graduates running over the next few days:SINGAPORE FRIDAYRace 5 Jockey Clube of Turkey Trophy, S$20000 1100m Cloudburst (NZ) 2014 (G. by Pour Moi-November Rain) (trainer: M WALKER)AUSTRALIA SATURDAYRandwick Race 7 Epsom H. Gr.1, A$1007000 1600m Unforgotten (AUS) 2014 (F. by Fastnet Rock-Memories of You) (trainer: C J Waller) NEW ZEALAND SATURDAYAvondale Race 5 Magness- The Mighty Train H., NZ$25000 2100m Marbles (NZ) 2014 (F. by Jimmy Choux-My Par...

Weekend Wrap Up 24.09.18

Curraghmore graduates performed well on both sides of the Tasman over the weekend, headlined by New Zealand Bloodstock graduate Tulip (Pierro).The four-year-old mare missed out on a start in the Group One feature at Caulfield but was impressive when winning the Punters.com.au Living Legends Handicap (1400m).  Lindsay Park Racing have marked her as one to watch in the future and have the Gr.1 Myer Classic (1600m) for fillies and mares in their sights, with the Gr.2 Blazer Stakes (1400m) at F...

Tulip misses G1 start, wins on undercard

After missing a start in the Gr.1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes, quality mare Tulip (Pierro) has claimed a consolation in a race on the undercard at Caulfield. Tulip was left stranded as fourth emergency for Saturday's Rupert Clarke so instead connections ran her in the Punters.com.au Living Legends Handicap for mares and she carried top weight to victory. With apprentice Ethan Brown claiming 1.5kg off Tulip's 60.5kg, the four-year-old worked forward to sit outside the lead in the 1400m race then dug...