Simon Miller takes four heats at Monday's Belmont trials with several coming winners for the top trainer
Top trainer Simon Miller showcased plenty of coming winners at Monday's Belmont trials session, taking four heats across the morning.
Miller first exhibited dark-coated two-year-old Twisted Steel making his first public appearance since January.
The $100,000 yearling purchase scooted over to second place in the 1000m hit-out, parking outside Gentleman's Code.
With 600m to go, Chloe Azzopardi allowed the gelding to slide up and eclipse the pacesetter, travelling better as the pair made the bend.
Nudged along with 200m remaining, Twisted Steel put paid to Gentleman's Code and despite a late effort from Radiant Light, scored a handsome two-length win.
The son of Rommel showed noticeable physical improvement from his opening trial where he also shaped encouragingly with a second placing to handy filly Pony Up.
Next, Miller unveiled talented three-year-old filly Madhi Girl, who also had not been seen since the beginning of the year.
Despite being among the last to leave the gates, Giaan O'Donnell swept the daughter of Winning Rupert around the field and took a near three-length lead after 200m.
Floating along in a comfortable rhythm throughout, Madhi Girl swung the turn with a two-length buffer over Canny Coni and Kosta's Crown, who both got no closer down the straight.
Madhi Girl has already proven a prolific earner for owner Teleah Hulse, who purchased the chestnut as a yearling in 2023 for $68,000.
So far, she has amassed $280,000 in prizemoney, with career highlights including runner-up performances in the two-year-old Magic Millions and Placid Ark Prelude.
Two-time winning three-year-old Horcrux will have also pleased his new connections with his hard-fought display in heat 11.
The Miller-trained gelding was sold by his Ladbrokes Racing Club owners in February for $65,000 but the $180,000 earner was bought back by his trainer and stable connections.
Sitting outside Talk To Wyn for the duration and with Want A Winner chiming in three wide, Horcrux stuck his nose out where it mattered in a driving three-way photo finish.
A debut victor in July 2024, the son of Rommel was competitive without winning in the headline three-year-old events later that year.
Miller's final winner for the morning was fellow three-year-old Diamond Dancer, who showed her true potential with a stylish showing.
Whizzed across by O'Donnell to sit outside speedster Nonesospicy, Diamond Dancer moved up to join issue passing the 600m.
However, Nonesospicy gave a generous kick turning the bend and immediately drew almost a length in front of the chestnut.
Regathering her poise and shaken up by her rider at the 200m, Diamond Dancer focused on the task at hand and rapidly eroded the deficit within 100m.
Kept up to her work, the daughter of Long Leaf strode clear and held a late effort from Surround Me by a length and a half, with Nonesospicy a further half-length away.
Purchased for $130,000, Diamond Dancer has won just one race but has mixed it with the best of her age group in her 10-start career.
Soundly held in Group events as a two-year-old, she gave a great sight when looming to win the Burgess Queen in November last year before emptying out for a close-up fourth.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Mercury
11 hours ago
- Mercury
Headley Grange continues winning ways in Civic Stakes
Don't miss out on the headlines from Horse Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News. 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. • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! '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. • 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. • 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.'' Originally published as Headley Grange earns a shot at South Grafton Cup with victory in the Listed Civic Stakes at Randwick
The Australian
14-06-2025
- The Australian
Impressive colt stands up for Phillip Stokes after favourite scratched at Murray Bridge
Trainer Phillip Stokes looks to have a handy colt in his stable following Matahga's impressive victory in the Magic Millions Racing Rewards SA 2YO (1000m) at Murray Bridge. The son of Tivaci showed very little gate speed on debut and it was the case again at start number two after flopping out the back from a wide barrier. • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! But with the leading pack going along at a strong tempo, it allowed Matahga to get right into the race and he sprouted wings over the final 200m to steal the victory. Stokes' son, Kerrin, was on course following the victory and was rapt to see Matahga break through at his second race start. 'He's going super,' Stokes, a former A-League player for Melbourne City, said. 'He was very good on debut and he's just a horse that takes a lot of riding to get through his gears. 'Jacob Opperman has had a few sits on him now and knows him well. 'He's a nice horse.' Matahga was an $80,000 purchase for the stable at Karaka in 2024 and he was able to get a fair chunk of that back with the first placed cheque worth $57,250. They will look to notch up a similar result later this month with Stokes earmarking a Listed race for Matahga. 'He's progressive, will go to the Oaklands Plate next and it's exciting,' Stokes said. Stokes initially had the favourite for the race with Ground Control before the horse was scratched. Nothing is wrong with the talented galloper other than giving the indication he had come to the end of his preparation. 'He's just ready for the paddock and was starting to feel the pinch,' Stokes said. 'So he'll have a good spell and come back as a nicer horse.' Meanwhile, trainers Richard and Chantelle Jolly went close to winning the two-year-old feature with Mostly For Show. But 35 minutes later saw the duo take out the Racing Rewards 3YO with The Sprinkler. They also trained the third placegetter in the race with the favourite Out Of Square running on well.
News.com.au
14-06-2025
- News.com.au
Matahga wins Magic Millions Racing Rewards 2YO at Murray Bridge
Trainer Phillip Stokes looks to have a handy colt in his stable following Matahga's impressive victory in the Magic Millions Racing Rewards SA 2YO (1000m) at Murray Bridge. The son of Tivaci showed very little gate speed on debut and it was the case again at start number two after flopping out the back from a wide barrier. But with the leading pack going along at a strong tempo, it allowed Matahga to get right into the race and he sprouted wings over the final 200m to steal the victory. Stokes' son, Kerrin, was on course following the victory and was rapt to see Matahga break through at his second race start. 'He's going super,' Stokes, a former A-League player for Melbourne City, said. 'He was very good on debut and he's just a horse that takes a lot of riding to get through his gears. 'Jacob Opperman has had a few sits on him now and knows him well. 'He's a nice horse.' Matahga was an $80,000 purchase for the stable at Karaka in 2024 and he was able to get a fair chunk of that back with the first placed cheque worth $57,250. They will look to notch up a similar result later this month with Stokes earmarking a Listed race for Matahga. 'He's progressive, will go to the Oaklands Plate next and it's exciting,' Stokes said. Matahga comes from a long way back & finishes the strongest in a promising maiden win ðŸ'¥ @pstokesracing — (@Racing) June 14, 2025 Stokes initially had the favourite for the race with Ground Control before the horse was scratched. Nothing is wrong with the talented galloper other than giving the indication he had come to the end of his preparation. 'He's just ready for the paddock and was starting to feel the pinch,' Stokes said. 'So he'll have a good spell and come back as a nicer horse.' Meanwhile, trainers Richard and Chantelle Jolly went close to winning the two-year-old feature with Mostly For Show. But 35 minutes later saw the duo take out the Racing Rewards 3YO with The Sprinkler. They also trained the third placegetter in the race with the favourite Out Of Square running on well.
