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Pride eyes Big Dance ticket after Headley Grange lands stakes win

Sydney Morning Herald

41 minutes ago

Sydney Morning Herald

Pride eyes Big Dance ticket after Headley Grange lands stakes win

Collett earlier won on Jason Coyle-trained Lulumon and Kerry Parker's Callistemon. It's A Knockout up for challenge The Ciaron Maher stable will target the listed Winter Challenge (1500m) with It's A Knockout after the four-year-old mare blitzed her rivals by four lengths off a freshen-up at Randwick. The stakes-placed daughter of Dundeel ($6) raced forward of midfield under apprentice Braith Nock in the 1400m benchmark 78 before idling to the front at the 200m and racing clear. Maher assistant trainer Johann Gerard-Dubord said the win was a boost for Steve Freeman, who owns a 70 per cent stake in the horse and has been hit hard recently by floods. Gerard-Dubord said the Winter Challenge, held on July 19 at Rosehill, looked a suitable target given It's A Knockout's liking for a gap between runs. 'She's got some black-type already, but she's not a stakes winner yet, so it's probably the right race,' Gerard-Dubord said. Fresh approach brings breakthrough The Chris Waller camp will look to keep Quantum Cat fresh and happy for his next assignment after he ended his Australian drought as part of a double for the premier Sydney stable at Randwick. Premierships leader Waller went to 170 winners in NSW and 132 in Sydney for the season with victories from Quantum Cat and Rotagilla. It was import Quantum Cat's ($2.80) first win in 13 Australian starts, while three-year-old Rotagilla made it a third career victory. Zac Lloyd gave five-year-old Quantum Cat, coming off a four-week freshen up, an ideal run behind the leaders in the 1800m benchmark 88 before he took over at the 250m mark en route to a three-quarter length win over fast-finishing Hollywood Hero. 'He's just a hard horse to catch,' Waller assistant trainer Charlie Duckworth said. 'His work always seems to be decent at home, but I think the key is to try and help him be fresh and make sure he's enjoying his work, and that seemed to work today.' Duckworth said Quantum Cat was a stable favourite because of his unusual, white-spot markings he developed as a younger horse when a bout of ringworm left scars and led to his hair changing colour. Earlier, Tim Clark-ridden Rotagilla overcame a three-wide run to win the 1600m benchmark 72 by the same margin. She's Unusual building to black type Co-trainer Tom Charlton wanted to see She's Unusual repeat her winning performance before looking to black-type level after she led and kicked clear for a dominant 1800m win at Randwick on Saturday. The five-year-old ($5.50), third up off two placings, won for the first time in 11 months, easily putting a space on her rivals in the benchmark 78 for fillies and mares for a one and three-quarter lengths victory under Tommy Berry. Charlton, who trains with John O'Shea, said She's Unusual had been hit with minor setbacks through previous preparations. 'If she can get up to that benchmark 88 grade, then she might be able to compete at that black-type level at a mile and a quarter, but I want to see her do it again,' Charlton said. 'I feel like we haven't had a proper crack with her yet. 'She was getting into her preparation and she had a little setback last time, and now off that hopefully we can build forward and get more racing into her.' Parker mare scores deserved win Kembla Grange trainer Kerry Parker was hoping for another Midway Handicap run with Callistemon after the four-year-old mare cruised to an arrogant win at Randwick on Saturday. Callistemon ($3.30) stalked the leaders in the benchmark 72 1600m Midway before powering to a one-length win over pacesetter Forecaster. It was her fourth attempt at Midway grade and followed two placings at the level at Randwick this preparation. 'When she landed where she did and just got left alone, it was just like watching a piece of trackwork really,' Parker said. 'She was due one of these, she's been racing really well. Hopefully the handicapper isn't too bad to her and we can get another Midway with her.' Parker, meanwhile, said the promising Flying Bandit was spelling in Queensland before a spring campaign aimed at the Metropolitan. Calico Miss on rapid rise after setback Patience paid off for Armidale trainer Stirling Osland when filly Calico Miss made the most of a rails run to break through at Highway Handicap level at just her fourth start at Randwick on Saturday. The three-year-old had almost a year off between her first two trials after suffering shin soreness, but she has since had wins at Quirindi and Scone, either side of a second at Inverell. Loading From gate one, Mikayla Weir gave Calico Miss ($4.40) a perfect run on the fence behind the leaders in the 1200m class 3 before she was strong late to defeat favourite Exit Fee by a half-length. Weir, who has ridden the filly at every trial and start, said Calico Miss had plenty of ability and more to come. 'She had a bit of a setback as a young horse, and that's why there's a long time between her trials and when she first kicked off, but I think she will keep progressing,' said Weir, who scored her first city win of the season.

The Age

an hour ago

The Age

Pride eyes Big Dance ticket after Headley Grange lands stakes win

Collett earlier won on Jason Coyle-trained Lulumon and Kerry Parker's Callistemon. It's A Knockout up for challenge The Ciaron Maher stable will target the listed Winter Challenge (1500m) with It's A Knockout after the four-year-old mare blitzed her rivals by four lengths off a freshen-up at Randwick. The stakes-placed daughter of Dundeel ($6) raced forward of midfield under apprentice Braith Nock in the 1400m benchmark 78 before idling to the front at the 200m and racing clear. Maher assistant trainer Johann Gerard-Dubord said the win was a boost for Steve Freeman, who owns a 70 per cent stake in the horse and has been hit hard recently by floods. Gerard-Dubord said the Winter Challenge, held on July 19 at Rosehill, looked a suitable target given It's A Knockout's liking for a gap between runs. 'She's got some black-type already, but she's not a stakes winner yet, so it's probably the right race,' Gerard-Dubord said. Fresh approach brings breakthrough The Chris Waller camp will look to keep Quantum Cat fresh and happy for his next assignment after he ended his Australian drought as part of a double for the premier Sydney stable at Randwick. Premierships leader Waller went to 170 winners in NSW and 132 in Sydney for the season with victories from Quantum Cat and Rotagilla. It was import Quantum Cat's ($2.80) first win in 13 Australian starts, while three-year-old Rotagilla made it a third career victory. Zac Lloyd gave five-year-old Quantum Cat, coming off a four-week freshen up, an ideal run behind the leaders in the 1800m benchmark 88 before he took over at the 250m mark en route to a three-quarter length win over fast-finishing Hollywood Hero. 'He's just a hard horse to catch,' Waller assistant trainer Charlie Duckworth said. 'His work always seems to be decent at home, but I think the key is to try and help him be fresh and make sure he's enjoying his work, and that seemed to work today.' Duckworth said Quantum Cat was a stable favourite because of his unusual, white-spot markings he developed as a younger horse when a bout of ringworm left scars and led to his hair changing colour. Earlier, Tim Clark-ridden Rotagilla overcame a three-wide run to win the 1600m benchmark 72 by the same margin. She's Unusual building to black type Co-trainer Tom Charlton wanted to see She's Unusual repeat her winning performance before looking to black-type level after she led and kicked clear for a dominant 1800m win at Randwick on Saturday. The five-year-old ($5.50), third up off two placings, won for the first time in 11 months, easily putting a space on her rivals in the benchmark 78 for fillies and mares for a one and three-quarter lengths victory under Tommy Berry. Charlton, who trains with John O'Shea, said She's Unusual had been hit with minor setbacks through previous preparations. 'If she can get up to that benchmark 88 grade, then she might be able to compete at that black-type level at a mile and a quarter, but I want to see her do it again,' Charlton said. 'I feel like we haven't had a proper crack with her yet. 'She was getting into her preparation and she had a little setback last time, and now off that hopefully we can build forward and get more racing into her.' Parker mare scores deserved win Kembla Grange trainer Kerry Parker was hoping for another Midway Handicap run with Callistemon after the four-year-old mare cruised to an arrogant win at Randwick on Saturday. Callistemon ($3.30) stalked the leaders in the benchmark 72 1600m Midway before powering to a one-length win over pacesetter Forecaster. It was her fourth attempt at Midway grade and followed two placings at the level at Randwick this preparation. 'When she landed where she did and just got left alone, it was just like watching a piece of trackwork really,' Parker said. 'She was due one of these, she's been racing really well. Hopefully the handicapper isn't too bad to her and we can get another Midway with her.' Parker, meanwhile, said the promising Flying Bandit was spelling in Queensland before a spring campaign aimed at the Metropolitan. Calico Miss on rapid rise after setback Patience paid off for Armidale trainer Stirling Osland when filly Calico Miss made the most of a rails run to break through at Highway Handicap level at just her fourth start at Randwick on Saturday. The three-year-old had almost a year off between her first two trials after suffering shin soreness, but she has since had wins at Quirindi and Scone, either side of a second at Inverell. Loading From gate one, Mikayla Weir gave Calico Miss ($4.40) a perfect run on the fence behind the leaders in the 1200m class 3 before she was strong late to defeat favourite Exit Fee by a half-length. Weir, who has ridden the filly at every trial and start, said Calico Miss had plenty of ability and more to come. 'She had a bit of a setback as a young horse, and that's why there's a long time between her trials and when she first kicked off, but I think she will keep progressing,' said Weir, who scored her first city win of the season.