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Herald Sun
15 hours ago
- Sport
- Herald Sun
Peter Snowden aiming to turn Queensland winter carnival fortunes around in Eye Liner Stakes
Don't miss out on the headlines from Horse Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News. Sydney trainer Peter Snowden hopes another gear change will do the trick for his underperforming gelding Xidaki in the $200,000 Listed Eye Liner Stakes at Ipswich on Saturday. The Ciaron Maher-trained Warnie ($2.40) is definitely the horse to beat in the 1350m race but Xidaki poses a genuine threat if he can rediscover the form that led to his last victory, in the $300,000 Group 3 Winx Guineas (1600m) at Caloundra last July. Snowden decided to put a cross-over nose band on the gelding this campaign because the four-year-old was 'over-racing badly' but the results have been lacklustre. • 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! Xidaki finished seventh in the Group 3 Hall Mark Stakes (1200m) at Randwick in April, ninth in the Listed Takeover Target Stakes (1200m) at Gosford on May 10 and seventh in the Group 3 BRC Sprint (1350m) at Doomben two weeks later. He is rated as a $7.50 chance in the Eye Liner Stakes behind Warnie and the Tony Gollan-trained Devastate ($7). • Warnie can honour cricket legend with consolation victory 'I've had a cross-over noseband on him this time in because he was struggling last time in and I felt it cost him a couple of races,'' Snowden said. 'But it seems he has been resenting it this preparation because he's been getting too far back in his races. 'So I've taken the noseband off for Saturday and hope he can settle closer in the run. 'Ipswich is a track where you have to stay positive and he has drawn five. I don't want him to get too far back from there. 'I'm confident he has the tactical speed to be in the first five or six in the run. 'He's going great at home and I can't believe he won't be running well on what he has been showing me in his trackwork.' Xidaki last win was in the Group 3 Winx Guineas in July last year. Picture: Trackside Photography. Lindsay Park star War Machine emphatically won the BRC Sprint before impressively taking out the $3m Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) three weeks later at Eagle Farm. Xidaki crossed the winning post almost five lengths behind War Machine in the BRC Sprint but on the bright side, Snowden was pleased with how his galloper hit the line. 'He got too far back last start and had a lot of work to do but he was one of those finishing hardest late,'' Snowden said. 'The horse that won it (War Machine) went on to win the Stradbroke Handicap. 'If he can hold his spot on Saturday it will go a long way to helping his chances at Ipswich.'' • Lipp out to fulfil $40m Lotto winner's spring carnival dream It will also comfort Snowden knowing that Xidaki was a narrow runner-up to Ostraka in the $1m Group 3 Silver Eagle (1300m) at Randwick last October but finished ahead of the Ben, Will and JD Hayes-trained War Machine. It's fair to say that Snowden is due for some luck in this Queensland winter carnival. His mare Tashi has twice just missed the chocolates - in the Listed Helen Coughlan Stakes (1200m) and Group 2 Dane Ripper Stakes (1300m) - while the appropriately named gelding Need Some Luck finished half a length behind winner Compelling Truth in the Listed Hinkler Handicap (1200m) last Saturday at Eagle Farm. Originally published as Trainer Peter Snowden banking on gear change bringing out best from Xidaki in Eye Liner Stakes
Courier-Mail
12-06-2025
- Sport
- Courier-Mail
2025 Stradbroke Handicap: War Machine unders, owner says
Don't miss out on the headlines from Horse Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News. Prominent owner Rupert Legh says his Stradbroke Handicap favourite War Machine is silly odds in the betting market and he couldn't possibly back him in the famous Queensland Group 1 on Saturday. Legh knows he has a talented and progressive horse on his hands but can't believe bookmakers have the Lindsay Park galloper the raging $2.70 favourite with a huge gap to anything else in the Stradbroke market. While War Machine was dominant in winning the Group 3 BRC Sprint, Legh said he was unproven at Group 1 level and was far from the finished product. He questioned whether War Machine's stranglehold on Stradbroke betting spoke more to the quality of the field in the $3m race. It doesn't shape as a vintage Stradbroke. • 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! 'I won't be backing him, I think he's 'unders',' Legh told Racenet. 'Is that a true price? 'I think it must be a reflection of the actual quality of the race. 'Given another three or four starts with some more experience, he will get better and better this horse. 'But is still unproven in this sort of class.' • Stradbroke Handicap field and news In War Machine's only previous Group 1 attempt, he finished 11th when being beaten almost eight lengths by fellow Stradbroke contender Kimochi in last November's Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes at Caulfield. War Machine races in Legh's striking colours and the owner is aiming to score his fourth Stradbroke. He has previously claimed Stradbroke glory with Tofane (2021), Santa Ana Lane (2018) and Mr Baritone (2008). Legh has never been on track at Eagle Farm to witness any of his Stradbroke wins and he said maybe it was a good luck omen that he would not be there again, instead heading to England for the famous Royal Ascot carnival. Lindsay Park is searching for its first Stradbroke but it should not be forgotten that the Hayes boys – Ben, JD and Will – got to train War Machine after legendary trainer Mike Moroney's sad passing earlier this year. • 'Pressure is your friend': Cejay's tip to conjure Stradbroke fairytale It would be an emotional moment if War Machine won and Legh said his great mate Moroney always thought he had a special horse in the making. 'We got War Machine out of New Zealand and Mike gave me a call one day and said 'I think I have got the right horse for us',' Legh recalled. 'He had a big opinion of him, he really liked the horse. 'He is a horse who used to over-race a bit and the reality is, he is still learning his craft. 'Mike thought he was a horse who could one day stand up and run in a big race, but could he get to a Group 1? 'No owner or trainer knows until you go through the grades and start racing against better horses, which is what he is doing. 'He couldn't have done any more than what he did last start, it was a pretty dominant sort of win. 'You would like to think there's more to come and he will only get better. 'But this is a big Group 1 – it's a Stradbroke.' War Machine was elevated to Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap favouritism after his dominant win in the BRC Sprint. Picture: Grant Peters / Trackside Photography • Grafterburners primed for JJ Atkins decider against Cool Archie War Machine has won five of his 12 starts and rocketed into Stradbroke favouritism when destroying the Group 3 BRC Sprint field in a blistering two-and-a-half length win. War Machine carried 56.5kg in the BRC Sprint and now drops to 53kg in the Stradbroke with Tim Clark to ride. The four-year-old gelding, a son of Harry Angel, drew barrier 13 at Tuesday's night's barrier draw function. 'I don't actually mind barrier 13, it gives Tim Clark more options,' co-trainer Ben Hayes said. 'There will be a lot of horses crossing from out wide, so he should be able to get into that three-wide line and get a nice run in transit.' Originally published as 'I won't be backing him': Owner Rupert Legh questions odds for his 2025 Stradbroke Handicap favourite War Machine
Mercury
08-06-2025
- Sport
- Mercury
Rise At Dawn given the go ahead for the Stradbroke
Don't miss out on the headlines from Horse Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News. Lindsay Park may never get a better chance to break its Stradbroke Handicap duck after co-trainer Ben Hayes gave Rise At Dawn the green light to join a vaunted attack on Queensland's greatest race. The famous racing dynasty has never won the Stradbroke but has raging $2.80 favourite War Machine, the sizzling winner of the BRC Sprint, and $8 second betting fancy Rise At Dawn. Rise At Dawn finished 2-1/2 lengths off Joliestar in Saturday's Group 1 Kingsford Smith Cup and Hayes, who trains in partnership with his brothers Will and JD, is keen to give him a Group 1 shot seven days later. Rise At Dawn carried 59kg in the Kingsford Smith Cup, but now plunges to 52.5kg in the Stradbroke. 'I was quite happy with his run on Saturday as he was racing at short of his best trip and was racing at weight-for-age against some of the best sprinters in Australia,' Hayes said. 'He sat in behind the speed, he held his run right to the line and looks to have pulled up well. 'He now drops a stack in weight so that's a huge thing.' READ: Zac on rare quest to score consecutive Stradbroke Handicaps Can Ben, Will and JD Hayes (L to R) upstage dad David Hayes, pictured here with his wife and the boys mum Prue Hayes, by winning a Stradbroke Handicap on Saturday? Photo :. There have been few Stradbroke contenders in history who have been a shorter price than what War Machine is six days out from the great race. Hayes indicated War Machine had improved from the last time he was seen at the races, when blowing away his opposition and stamping his Stradbroke ticket when dominating his rivals by 2-3/4 lengths in the BRC Sprint. Hayes said both War Machine and Rise At Dawn had golden chances in the $3 million Group 1 handicap. READ: Inquiry into jockey altercation set to resume in Stradbroke week 'Fingers crossed, you can have the two favourites but you can still get beat, but to be honest I couldn't be happier with both of these horses,' Hayes said. 'Either one of them could win. 'The big boy (War Machine) is well. 'His last run was a perfect tune-up for the Straddy and he is a very progressive horse who gets in with 53kg. 'He's a horse who is a bit lazy in trackwork, like Mr Brightside, but he turns up race day.' War Machine was elevated to Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap favouritism after his dominant win in the BRC Sprint. Picture: Grant Peters, Trackside Photography. * Roughie king Maloney strikes again with Derby pick-up ride In other Stradbroke-related news: * Chris Waller gave boom three-year-old colt Angel Capital an exhibition gallop at the Gold Coast races on Saturday. It is likely Angel Capital would make the Stradbroke final field cut-off, but Waller is undecided about whether to race the Yulong owned youngster. * Matt Dale is strongly considering giving evergreen veteran Front Page a shot at the Stradbroke after winning the Moreton Cup on Saturday. Connections would need to pay a hefty late entry fee and Dale will decide in the next 24 years whether to unleash the rising nine-year-old on the Stradbroke. Dale has never tested Front Page over 1400m but the prospect of a weaker Stradbroke and a week of fine weather may convince connections to deploy the proven Group 1 performer. * Tony Gollan is holding out hope that Transatlantic will sneak into the Stradbroke field. Transatlantic will jump over other contenders in the ballot order after his win in the Listed Spear Chief Handicap on Saturday at Eagle Farm. After narrowly missing the Stradbroke field with Antino and Freedom Rally in the last two years, Gollan hopes Transatlantic has done enough to make the field. He is now a $13 chance. * Trainer Rob Heathcote says Rothfire 'trotted up 95 per cent sound' on Sunday morning in his recovery from a foot injury. 'He's only a slim chance of racing in the Straddy, but he's still a chance,' Heathcote said. Originally published as Lindsay Park's second seed joins vaunted attack on Stradbroke Handicap
News.com.au
24-05-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
2025 BRC Sprint: War Machine books Stradbroke Handicap berth with dominant win
The Lindsay Park dynasty has a golden chance to win its first Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap after War Machine proved he was a machine by blowing away his opposition in the Group 3 BRC Sprint. With the race offering a golden ticket into next month's Stradbroke, War Machine was sent out the well-backed $2.40 favourite and did the business under Blake Shinn. It was the icing on the Doomben cake for Shinn who not long earlier had won a record-breaking fourth Group 1 Doomben Cup, riding Queensland freak Antino to glory. War Machine's BRC Sprint triumph prompted bookmakers to elevate the four-year-old – who had been trained by the late Mike Moroney prior to his death – to outright $5 Stradbroke favourite. Lindsay Park founder Colin Hayes never won the Stradbroke Handicap, nor did his son David but grandsons Ben, Will and JD Hayes will now chase Queensland's biggest race. 'That was an unbelievable effort by the horse,' JD Hayes said. 'We've only had him a short time. 'He came in incredible condition from Ballymore and we've been very lucky to inherit him. 'It looked like we'd get a beautiful run from the barrier and he's let down well. 'He had his ears pricked on the line and we're really looking forward to the Stradbroke.' A race-to-race double for @blake_shinn as War Machine wins the last at Doomben in impressive fashion! @lindsayparkrace — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) May 24, 2025 • Man of the moment Shinn paid tribute to the late Moroney. 'I had a little bit to do with this horse when Mike Moroney trained him and he did a great job nurturing him in his early days,' Shinn said. 'The Hayes boys are the beneficiary of that. 'If he runs in the Straddy, I think he'll be hard to beat.' While War Machine was dominant, Far Too Easy also stood up to be counted in finishing runner-up and Murwillumbah trainer David McColm indicated a Stradbroke mission was on the cards. Far Too Easy is the fairytale horse who has survived deadly floods and bacterial infections and surged to glory in last year's $2m The Kosciuszko at Randwick. He has since produced a couple of lacklustre runs but his BRC Sprint effort was much better and his rating will almost certainly get him a Stradbroke berth. 'The winner was too good today but I thought my horse's effort was great,' McColm said. 'He did what we know he can do. 'Assuming he goes to the Stradbroke, the weight difference in that race will be a big difference for him. 'He needed to do something today to go towards the Stradbroke. 'We had been disappointed with his last two runs but we have had a lot of wet weather in New South Wales and it's been a hard slog these last six months 'I think we have got him back.'
The Australian
24-05-2025
- Sport
- The Australian
2025 BRC Sprint: War Machine wins for Lindsay Park
The Lindsay Park dynasty has a golden chance to win its first Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap after War Machine proved he was a machine by blowing away his opposition in the Group 3 BRC Sprint. With the race offering a golden ticket into next month's Stradbroke, War Machine was sent out the well-backed $2.40 favourite and did the business under Blake Shinn. It was the icing on the Doomben cake for Shinn who not long earlier had won a record-breaking fourth Group 1 Doomben Cup, riding Queensland freak Antino to glory. War Machine's BRC Sprint triumph prompted bookmakers to elevate the four-year-old – who had been trained by the late Mike Moroney prior to his death – to outright $5 Stradbroke favourite. Lindsay Park founder Colin Hayes never won the Stradbroke Handicap, nor did his son David but grandsons Ben, Will and JD Hayes will now chase Queensland's biggest race. • 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! 'That was an unbelievable effort by the horse,' JD Hayes said. 'We've only had him a short time. 'He came in incredible condition from Ballymore and we've been very lucky to inherit him. 'It looked like we'd get a beautiful run from the barrier and he's let down well. 'He had his ears pricked on the line and we're really looking forward to the Stradbroke.' • 'That was serious, wasn't it?': Antino makes Doomben Cup a one-act affair Man of the moment Shinn paid tribute to the late Moroney. 'I had a little bit to do with this horse when Mike Moroney trained him and he did a great job nurturing him in his early days,' Shinn said. 'The Hayes boys are the beneficiary of that. 'If he runs in the Straddy, I think he'll be hard to beat.' While War Machine was dominant, Far Too Easy also stood up to be counted in finishing runner-up and Murwillumbah trainer David McColm indicated a Stradbroke mission was on the cards. Far Too Easy is the fairytale horse who has survived deadly floods and bacterial infections and surged to glory in last year's $2m The Kosciuszko at Randwick. He has since produced a couple of lacklustre runs but his BRC Sprint effort was much better and his rating will almost certainly get him a Stradbroke berth. • Nash Rawiller makes bold Stradbroke prediction after Doomben demolition 'The winner was too good today but I thought my horse's effort was great,' McColm said. 'He did what we know he can do. 'Assuming he goes to the Stradbroke, the weight difference in that race will be a big difference for him. 'He needed to do something today to go towards the Stradbroke. 'We had been disappointed with his last two runs but we have had a lot of wet weather in New South Wales and it's been a hard slog these last six months 'I think we have got him back.'
