Pride aims to break down barriers for more winter success at Randwick

Joe Pride believes there is a 'culture of scratching' because of wide barriers in Sydney racing, but maintained he is not about to follow the trend.
The Warwick Farm trainer heads to Randwick on Saturday with nine runners, including two on the seven-day back-up and six with double-figure barriers, as he eyes another memorable day at the track where he had a winning treble two weeks ago.
His team includes Accredited, Excelladus and second emergency Cosmonova in an extremely competitive benchmark 94 handicap (1200m) to finish the program. Accredited ($9 Sportsbet) has drawn 16, while Excelladus ($34) has gate 21.
'It's this time of the year and I have these horses up, and I'm happy to run them,' Pride said when asked if all would take their place.
'There's a bit of a culture of scratching horses in Sydney racing at the moment, but I look over the box in the morning and if the horse is fit and well, I send them around.
'Good barrier, bad barrier, you have good luck or bad luck from any of those, so I just like running the horses. That's what they are there for. They are not ornaments.
'They don't always win when you expect them to, so the more opportunities you get to run them, the better.
'My old boss [John Size], a long time ago now in Sydney, he would very rarely scratch a horse because of the barrier. So much can unfold once those barriers open … trying to second guess what's going to happen out there is fraught with danger.'

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News.com.au

10 hours ago

• News.com.au

Headley Grange earns a shot at South Grafton Cup with victory in the Listed Civic Stakes at Randwick

Headley Grange, racing's 'Mr Reliable', has surged through his grades this season and is now a stakes winner after he scored at Royal Randwick on Saturday. Trainer Joe Pride 's talented sprinter has forgotten how to run anything but at his very best as he claimed the Listed $200,000 Civic Stakes (1400m). In a nine-race streak that began almost 12 months ago, Headley Grange has not missed a top two finish, winning five times. 'It's crazy,'' Pride said when asked to comment on Headley Grange's remarkable consistency. 'He was good again, it was nice to see him step up that higher grade today. 'It was a tough win and that's never easy to do in a high pressure race with plenty of opposition. 'But he's a quality horse and he has come through the grades really well.'' Headley Grange, confidently baked into $2.45 favouritism, gave Jason Collett the third leg of a winning treble when he comfortably held off Welwal ($26) to win by a half length with Astero ($51) three-quarters of a length away third. The Bjorn Baker -trained Raikkonen ($5) settled outside Headley Grange early but then lost his position when stablemate Iknowastar came across in front of him. Raikkonen then ended up on the rail behind Headley Grange but when the winner eased away from the inside to make his finishing run, Baker's sprinter stayed close to the inside and rallied late to finish an unlucky fourth. But Headley Grange was a deserving winner - and he's not finished yet. Pride revealed plans to set Headley Grange for the South Grafton Cup (1600m) on July 13. The South Grafton Cup is one of a series of races where the winner is eligible to gain a start in the $3 million The Big Dance (1600m) at Royal Randwick on the first Tuesday in November. Headley Grange adds the Listed Civic Stakes to his impressive record, and it's a Randwick treble to Jason Collett! 🙌 @PrideRacing @aus_turf_club â€' SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 21, 2025 • It's A Knockout stuns rivals with dominant victory 'He's come back particularly well this preparation and we will go to the South Grafton Cup next,'' Pride said. 'We will try and qualify him for one of the Dances.'' Headley Grange has now scored successive wins to start his winter campaign after a brilliant first-up effort over 1300m at Royal Randwick two weeks ago. 'I don't think he was quite as sharp today as he was off that hot tempo the other day,'' Pride said. 'Maybe just second up he was a little bit vulnerable today but I would say he will bounce out of this win. 'I don't know if his best trip is 1400m or a mile (1600) yet. We want it to be a mile as there are not as many races around for 1400m races.'' Collett, who completed his treble on Headley Grange after his earlier wins on Callistemon and Lulumon, wasn't legged into the saddle on the Pride sprinter until the Civic Stakes field came out onto the track. Pride, who trained a double in successive races when Accredited won the closer, had made application to Racing NSW stewards to have Headley Grange walked out riderless from the Theatre of the Horse to the course proper. 'At the end of last preparation and again last start, when the jockey mounted Headley Grange he started to suck back and play up a bit in the yard,'' Collett explained. "Nice to see him step up to that higher grade today." Hear from @PrideRacing and Jason Collett on Headley Grange, who won the Civic Stakes today! @aus_turf_club â€' SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 21, 2025 • Brave One's wide run no obstacle in Randwick triumph 'Joe asked the stewards if he could have me legged on last and be last onto the track and that way he is always moving forward and not in that environment. It worked as he was able to stay relaxed.'' The Civic Stakes proved an easy watch for Headley Grange backers as Collett gave the ever-consistent sprinter the smoothest of rides. 'The tempo was solid through the middle section and I had a horse travelling 'lovely' when the opportunity arose pretty early in the straight to pop off,'' Collett said. 'I did although it was a long way from home, especially at that tempo, but he just found another gear. 'When they came to him at the 150 (metres) he went again so that's a really good sign.'' Collett agreed with Pride's assertion that although Headley Grange's win wasn't as dynamic as his first-up effort, the rising five-year-old gelding showed there are better wins in store after he improved his race record to eight wins from 18 starts and nearly $600,000 prizemoney. 'The tempo of that race was different to last start,'' Collett said. 'It was genuinely run but Headley Grange has quickened off it and then he's had to tough it out. 'Both starts he has done it either way. Last start, a turn of foot and today he has had to show he was tough under pressure. They're great attributes to have – he's a really nice horse.''

News.com.au

21 hours ago

• News.com.au

The Last Say: Tips, market movers and inside mail for Saturday's racing on June 21, 2025

Headley Grange has been confidently backed to win the Listed $200,000 Civic Stakes (1400m) at Royal Randwick and Warnie has attracted heavy market support for the Listed $200,000 Eye Liner Stakes (1350m) at Ipswich on Saturday. The Joe Pride -trained Headley Grange, an impressive first-up winner at Randwick two weeks ago, has firmed from $4.60 to $3 favouritism with TAB Fixed Odds while his odds with Ladbrokes have been slashed from $4.50 to $2.90 including bets of $500 at $4.40 and $1000 at $3.10. Warnie, trained by Ciaron Maher, has been a big mover with Ladbrokes punters backing the sprinter from $3.20 to $2.60 favouritism after bets of $900 at $3.20, $1000 at $3.10, $1000 at $3.05, $1000 at $2.90, $2000 and $1000 at $2.85, $1100 and $750 at $2.80 and $780 at $2.70. But this betting plunge pales in comparison with the sheer weight of money invested on Splash Back in the Brian Beattie Handicap (1420m) at Flemington. Grahame Begg 's promising mare has firmed from $2.70 into $1.80 favouritism after Ladbrokes took a string of big bets including six bets of $1180 and four bets of $1000 at $2.70, four bets of $1670 plus $1600, $1100 and four $1000 bets at $2.20, and a $2000 wager at $1.85. The Ladbrokes betting plunge for Godolphin two-year-old Observer in the Flemington opener, the TAB We're On (1420m) has also been significant as he's firmed from $2.15 into $1.60 with some big bets including $1750 twice and $1700 at $2.15, $1570 and six $1000 bets at $2, $2100 twice, $2000 and $1800 at $1.95 and $2100 at $1.80. England's famous Royal Ascot carnival finishes tonight with plenty of Australian interest in Storm Boy who runs in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes (1200m). There has been a confident push from Coolmore that crack colt Storm Boy will bounce back to his best with the three-year-old expected to challenge French raider and Golden Eagle runner-up Lazzat for favouritism. Storm Boy is currently at $5.50 with Lazzat heading betting at $3.60. â– â– â– â– â– ROYAL RANDWICK Weather: Cool, mostly sunny day and a forecast top temperature of 18c. Track: Soft (5). Rail: 3m out. FLEMINGTON Weather: Cold, most sunny day with a forecast top temperature of 15c. Track: Good (4). Rail: 11m out. IPSWICH Weather: Warm, sunny day with light winds and a forecast top temperature of 25c. Track: Good (4). Rail: 0.5m out. MORPHETTVILLE Weather: Cool, mostly sunny day with a forecast top temperature of 19c. Track: Soft (6). Rail: 13m out from 1200m to the winning post. "He could well go to another level. I figure he has a ceiling there somewhere." Civic Stakes favourite Headley Grange can scale new heights at Royal Randwick on Saturday. @PrideRacing — Racenet (@RacenetTweets) June 20, 2025 • â– â– â– â– â– BE WARY: Royal Randwick is rated a soft 5 and likely to move into the good range at some stage during the meeting. The rail is out 3m but the track should race fairly. Flemington's into the good range for winter racing but the rail is out 11m. Watch for any discernible track bias in early races. Ipswich's rail is out half a metre with the track in the good range for Cup Day and the likelihood the track will race evenly. 'AS A PARTY, IT STANDS ALONE' @IpswichTurfClub and @Racing_QLD officials expect a bumper crowd of more than 12,000 people at Saturday's iconic Ipswich Cup meeting, which last year was almost lost due to a grandstand fire. Story: @bendorries76 ðŸ'‡ — Racenet (@RacenetTweets) June 20, 2025 â– â– â– â– â– ROYAL RANDWICK TIPS BEST BET: Race 3 No.4 BRAVE ONE was a $300,000 Easter Yearling Sale purchase who has only had five starts for a debut Randwick win last July and two recent second placings at Canterbury and Rosehill since resuming. Promising three-year-old who didn't shirk his task when second to a smart older horse in Kerguelen last start. Brave One has drawn a little awkwardly but Team Hawkes has found the right race for him and with even luck in running he's going to be very hard to beat. Kerguelen gives @JamesCummings88 and @KPMcEvoy a Rosehill double! ðŸ'° @godolphin | @aus_turf_club — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) May 31, 2025 THE NEXT BEST: Race 2 No.1 SHROPSHIRE LAD came off a brilliant first-up win at Scone with an unlucky second to Bengal in a Randwick Highway over 1100m. He was three-wide albeit with cover most of the way loomed up to win only to be edged out by a narrow margin. Drawn wide again and will need things to go his way but he's at his peak after two runs from a spell and finds himself in a winnable race. Bengal hangs on in the TAB Highway for Luke Pepper and @brodie_loy ðŸ'° @aus_turf_club — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 7, 2025 VALUE BET: Race 1 No.6 HOOLIGAN TOMMY has returned in good order this campaign with two wins and two placings from five starts. He comes to Randwick off a career-best effort at Kembla Grange where he gapped his rivals, winning by a widening margin of more than three lengths when shouldering 60.5kg in heavy going. Hooligan Tommy drops 2.5kg, gets onto a more suitable firmer track and he's at value odds near $8. Hooligan Tommy Kembla Grange win on the 31st May 2025 Congratulations to all connections — John Sargent (@jsargentracing) June 2, 2025 THE WHISPER: Race 9 No.13 HEADLEY GRANGE was resuming over the Randwick 1300m two weeks ago and was held up for a run from the top of the straight until the 200m when he gained a split and sprinted through for a brilliant first-up win. Headley Grange's final 200m split of 11.59s was the best of the day. Headley Grange goes out to 1400m for the Civic Sakes which is his best distance. The drying track conditions are in his favour, he hasn't missed a top two finish in eight starts, winning four, and he has drawn perfectly in barrier four. He ticks all the boxes. Headley Grange wins first up to give @PrideRacing a Randwick double! 🙌 @aus_turf_club — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 7, 2025 â– â– â– â– â– FLEMINGTON TIPS BEST BET: Race 1 No.2 OBSERVER shaped promisingly on debut when he for home before finishing a close second at Pakenham but made significant improvement going out to 1400m at Sandown at start when he led throughout and bolted in by five lengths. Godolphin has unearthed a promising rising three-year-old in Observer who can get favourite backers off to a winning start. Observer makes an absolute mess of his opposition to break his maiden in dominant style 😤 @godolphin — (@Racing) June 4, 2025 NEXT BEST: Race 7 No.6 SPLASH BACK was dynamic first-up at Caulfield, coming from off speed early with a brilliant burst of acceleration to seep clear of her rivals and win by a widening margin of more than two lengths. Her sectional times were very impressive as she improved her record to five wins from just 11 starts. She's been sensationally backed to win again. The well-supported Splash Back pins the ears back & storms away to win first-up after a long spell ðŸ'¥ @Grahame_Begg — (@Racing) May 31, 2025 VALUE BET: Race 6 No.5 BOLD SOUL won three stakes races including the Tasmanian Derby last season but struggled to regain top form over summer. There has been more encouraging signs from Bold Soul this campaign as he has improved in each of his four starts including a narrow loss to Muktamil over this course and distance last start. He's ready to win. Muktamil thrives on the mile & a half test, throwing himself over the line under @daniel_moor 🙌 @busuttin — (@Racing) June 7, 2025 THE WHISPER: Race 9 No.9 FIELDELO is protecting her unbeaten record here. She won at Kilmore last November when making her debut and then resumed at Bendigo when she carried 62.5kg but toyed with her rivals, winning by seven lengths in fast time. She looks a talent and there is plenty of market confidence to suggest she will maintain her perfect race record. Fieldelo wins like a classy horse on debut for @TLakeRacing & @JyeMcNeil ðŸ¤� — (@Racing) November 24, 2024 • â– â– â– â– â– TAB FIXED ODDS BIG BETS AND MARKET MOVERS – ROYAL RANDWICK Race 1: Callistemon $6-$4.20, Piraeus $8.50-$4.60 Race 2: Shropshire Lad $5-$4.80, Satin Stiletto $8-$5.50 Race 3: Lunaite $5.50-$4.60, Bengal $21-$12 Race 4: Millie De Lune $4-$3.80, Piggyback $8-$6 Race 5: Hopper $8-$5, Rotagilla $11-$5.50 Race 6: Quantum Cat $4.60-$3.10, Zaphod $5-$3.20 Race 7: Storm The Ramparts $3.80-$3.50, Gitalong $4.80-$4 Race 8: Raikkonen $3.40-$3, Fiddlers Green $11-$7.50 Race 9: Headley Grange $4.60-$3, Grebeni $19-$10 Race 10: Fully Lit $19-$7, Pereille $16-$9.50 'THAT IS A GREAT RECIPE' Trainer @JamesCummings88 is cooking up a Randwick rout, with four top chances in the closing event on Saturday. But there's one of the quartet he is particularly confident in. Story: @RayThomas_1 ðŸ'‡ — Racenet (@RacenetTweets) June 20, 2025 LADBROKE BIG BETS AND MARKET MOVERS – ROYAL RANDWICK Race 1: Hellfire Express $1000 at $5.50, Aix En Provence $500 at $9.25, Callistemon $6-$3.90 after a $400 wager at $6 Race 2: Satin Stilleto $7.50-$6.50 after a $300 bet at $7.50, Exit Fee $600 at $5.15 Race 3: Zielle $71-$41 Race 4: She's Unusual $23-$6.50 with a bet of $500 at $7 Race 5: Hopper $8.50-$5, Rotagilla $15-$5 with bets of $140 at $15, $625/ $1000 at $9.75/$3.10, Stallone $27-$15 Race 6: Zaphod $4.80-$3.20 after a bet of $530 at $4.80, Race 7: Lulumon $15-$8.50 with a bet of $145 at $15 Race 8: Raikkonen $3.20-$3.50-$3.10 after bets of $800 at $3.50, $650 and $500 at $3.30, $910 at $3.20, Fiddler's Green $12-$7.50 Race 9: Headley Grange $4.50-$2.90 after bets of $500 at $4.40, $1000 at $3.10 Race 10: Accredited $500 at $9.75, $500 at $8.75, $1000 at $8, Kerguelen $3-$3.50-$2.80 He’s been racing consistently without winning this preparation but trainer Gerald Ryan is confident that’s all about to change for Grebeni in Saturday’s Listed $200,000 Civic Stakes (1400m) at Royal Randwick. Story: @RayThomas_1 — Racenet (@RacenetTweets) June 20, 2025 LADBROKE BIG BETS AND MARKET MOVERS – FLEMINGTON Race 1: Observer $2.15-$1.60 with some big bets including $1750 twice and $1700 at $2.15, $1570 and $1000 6 times at $2, $2100 twice, $2000 and $1800 at $1.95, $2100 at $1.80, Buccleuch $8-$5 with a bet of $290 at $8 Race 2: American Wolf $17-$12, Shockletz $910 at $3.20, $500 at $3.15, $1000 and $680 at $3, Vellasmachine $11-$6 with bets of $500 at $9.75, $250 at $8.5, Frontline Action $15-$11 Race 3: Cleo Cat $2.80-$3.15-$2.35 with bets of $500 at $3.15, $1000 and $500 at $3, $1050 and $520 at $2.90, $1100 at $2.80, $500 at $2.40 Race 4: Taken $500 at $3.10, $1050 at $2.90, From A Distance $13-$7 with a bet of $250 at $9 Race 5: Cafe Millenium with bets of $500 at $4.60, $590 and $500 twice at $4.50, Hard To Cross $500 at $28, Freak Of Nature $18-$10 with a bet of $120 at $18 Race 6: Bold Soul $5.50-$6-$5.50 including a big bet of $4000 win/place at $6/$2.15, Diwali $9-$6.50 Race 7: Splash Back $2.70-$1.80 with bets of $1180 6 times, $1000 4 times at $2.70, $1670 4 times, $1600, $1100 and $1000 4 times at $2.20, $2000 at $1.85 plus many others Race 8: Jimmy The Bear $5-$4.40 with a bet of $500 at $5 Race 9: Salsa Fellow $14-$7 after a bet of $180 at $12, Bridal Waltz $10-$6.50 with a bet of $222 at $10, Fieldelo $3.40-$2.80 after bets of $1000 a $3.55, $1000 at $3.45, $1000 at $3.40, $870 4 times, $640, $540 and $500 twice at $3.30, $950 and $600 at $3.10, She's An Artist $500 at $6 Craig Williams has an impressive book of rides tomorrow at Flemington, with a number of his runners at the top of the market ðŸ�‡ How many will salute? ðŸ¤' — Racenet (@RacenetTweets) June 20, 2025 • Laurie's Longshots: $20 value play on Tassie raider LADBROKE BIG BETS AND MARKET MOVERS – IPSWICH Race 1: No significant bets or market movers Race 2: Boy's Night Out $3.90-$3.10 Race 3: No significant bets or market movers Race 4: Taltarni Fields $4-$2.60 with bets of $1000 at $4.15, $670 at $4, $1000 at $3.90, $830 at $3.40 Race 5: Deep Respect $11-$6.50 with bets of $200 at $11, Just Flying $17-$8.50 with a bet of $145 at $15, Restonica $13-$8 with a bet of $165 at $13, Poseidon Ruler $18-$9.50 after a $120 at $18 Race 6: No significant bets or market movers Race 7: Poetic Drama $9-$6.50 with a bet of $250 at $9, Raf Attack $13-$9 after a bet of $165 at $13 Race 8: Warnie $3-$3.20-$2.60 with bets of $900 at $3.20, $1000 at $3.10, $1000 at $3.05, $1000 at $2.90, $2000 and $1000 at $2.85, $1100 and $750 at $2.80, $780 at $2.70, Devastate $14-$7 with a bet of $180 a $12 Race 9: Kin $9-$6, Gerringong $2.70-$3.10-$2.60 with bets of $525 at $2.90, $590 at $2.70 Trainer James Ponsonby says Philipsburg may be “no world beaterâ€� but is quietly confident the gelding can cause an upset in the Ipswich Cup. — Racenet (@RacenetTweets) June 20, 2025 â– â– â– â– â– INTERSTATE MAIL Ipswich Race 2 No.9 BOYS NIGHT OUT Ipswich Race 7 No.4 OSMOSE Ipswich Race 8 No.2 WARNIE Ipswich Race 9 No.16 GERRINGONG Morphettville Race 3 No.3 STARTS NOW The party-style atmosphere on Ipswich Cup day may not be the ideal sweet spot for a ‘delicate' filly but it is where John Singleton's youngster Gerringong can make a spring carnival statement. Story: @bendorries76 ðŸ'‡ — Racenet (@RacenetTweets) June 20, 2025 â– â– â– â– â–

The Age

a day ago

• The Age

Lees looks for Zaphod to hit back and lead another interstate double

Kris Lees expects to see the best of Zaphod at Randwick, after a forgive run, when the Newcastle trainer tries to score another Sydney-Queensland city double on Saturday. Lees, who has had a satellite stable on the Gold Coast since 2018, won his second Queensland Oaks in three years when You Wahng repeated the feat of 2023 winner Amokura on June 7. Loch Eagle also won at Randwick to cap a memorable day for the stable. 'It's been a great asset to the stable,' Lees said of the Gold Coast operation. 'Mandy Jupp does a wonderful job and it works very smoothly. She runs a very tight ship.' Lees has genuine metropolitan chances across the states again on Saturday. Lutetia ($14 Sportsbet) contests the TL Cooney Stakes and Bubba's Bay ($11) is in the listed Gai Waterhouse Classic at Ipswich, while Bestower ($3.50) and Barazin ($11) are other runners on the program. 'Bubba's Bay, she was just taken on all the way last start [when sixth], but now third run in, she should run up to her best,' he said. 'I can see her really turning her form around. 'Bestower is a bit hard to catch but she could easily run well there, and Lutetia is racing consistently and she should run well.' Zaphod looks Lees' best chance across the meetings. The import, with three wins and three placings in nine Australian starts, was a $3.10 shot in the sixth, an 1800m benchmark 88 handicap.