Latest news with #Benchmark58
News.com.au
17 hours ago
- Sport
- News.com.au
Murwillumbah preview: Trainer Ethan Ensby is optimistic as in-form mare Rainbow Lass faces a new challenge
In-form mare Rainbow Lass isn't just chasing a hat-trick of wins, she is on trial for a possible feature race target at next month's Grafton carnival. Following two solid wins over 1000m and 1200m on her home track at Casino, trainer Ethan Ensby feels to time is right to test Rainbow Lass over a longer distance in the Benchmark 58 Handicap (1550m). 'She is going enormous at the moment,' said Ensby. 'She is obviously stepping up to the 1500m for the first time and being by Pariah, she probably isn't bred to get that far but at home, my partner rides her work and she is showing us she is that 1400m to a mile type. 'She sat three-wide working up the hill at Casino over the 1200 metres last start which is like running 1300 or 1400 metres. Hare Street flies home to cause a boilover at Ballina! ðŸ'° â€' SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) April 8, 2025 The Form: Complete NSW Racing thoroughbred form, including video replays and all you need to know about every horse, jockey and trainer. Find a winner here! 'She does like a wet track so the Soft 7 will suit her. My only concerns are the weight, she carriers 58.5kg after Izzy's (Neale) claim, and the gate if she happens to blow the start like she has been known to do. 'If she gets out and into a good position, she should be very competitive. 'If she happens to win this race, I might aim her at the Grafton Guineas.' Ensby is looking forward to seeing Mahuika Maroi make her race debut in the Country Boosted Maiden Handicap (1200m). The three-year-old has been safely beaten in both her barrier trials but Ensby said things didn't go as he'd hoped on either occasion. 'When she trialled at the Gold Coast, it was supposed to be on the B Grass but they switched to polytrack which I wasn't very happy about. 'I didn't want to trial on the poly but with the weather the way it was, she had to go around and use it as a bit of a gallop and hope for the best. 'She wasn't put under any pressure that day. 'We then went to Grafton for her next trial and she slipped coming out of the gates on the wet track and tweaked a muscle hence while it's been a while until her first start. 'She finds a really nice race start off in and although the 1200 metres will be short of her best, I think she will run a nice race with the expectation she will be better for it.' Ensby has Shez Mysterious and Gold Puma in the Maiden Handicap (1550m) but is leaning towards splitting the pair and saving the later for either Port Macquarie or Lismore during the week. Shez Mysterious failed on her home track on May 30 but Ensby feels it is worth forgetting that run and judge her on her first two starts. The daughter of So You Think debuted with a fourth to Rainbow Lass on a Heavy 10 at Casino before coming from a conspicuous last when beaten just over a length in fourth place at Inverell on May 23. 'I think the heavy track and the quick back-up went against her last start. She just didn't handle it,' he said. 'I think it would pay to forgive her for that. 'I've given her a bit of time since then and the beauty of training at the farm is it allows me to put her out during the day. 'He first-up run at Casino was encouraging then second-up, she stood like a deer in the headlights in the barrier at Inverell and came out a clear last. 'She really closed of strongly though. 'I give her a really good chance with Ben Looker on board from barrier 1.' ADAM SHERRY'S TOP SELECTIONS BEST BET Race 6 No. 1: SAXINOUE Unbeaten second-up and steps up to a suitable trip. NEXT BEST Race 8 No. 11: LUCKY NEKO Led all-the-way last start and can go back-to-back. VALUE BET Race 4 No. 7: FEATHERTOP Handy effort after a wide run last start. Looking for the extra trip. QUADDIE Race 5: 2, 5 Race 6: 1, 5 Race 7: 1, 3, 5 Race 8: 2, 11 JOCKEY TO FOLLOW Hard to go past JETT NEWMAN in the TAB Jockey Challenge with her strong book of rides. INSIDE MAIL – MURWILLUMBAH RACE 1: MURWILLUMBAH CUP AUGUST 22 COUNTRY BOOSTED MAIDEN HANDICAP 1200m HERALD ANGEL (2) settled midfield and worked home nicely between horses to finish a neck second behind the tough Diva's Reign on debut at Grafton. Will take benefit from the experience. GAVIN (3) finished a couple of close placings along with two fourths last campaign. MAHUIKA MAROI (4) is a first starter by Redwood. Wasn't pushed when third to Olivershare on an unsuitable synthetic track in her Gold Coast trial. Bred to get over further. â– â– â– â– â– NO RAGRETS (5) broke through with a big win from Barron at Ballina last start. Led and kicked away to win by nearly four lengths. Will take plenty of confidence out of that. ODETTE'S ORCHID (6) likes to lead or be right up on speed. Forced to settled near midfield when last on a Heavy 10 at Ballina first-up. Will be fitter for the run, appreciate a firmer track and can bounce back. HUMPHREE BEAR (2) missed the kick and was well back throughout first-up. Chance on Grafton win from Rainbow Lass. â– â– â– â– â– SIGLO DE ORO (1) raced outside the leader and boxed on well for a two length fourth behind Make A Call when resuming over 1110m at Doomben. Back to 1010m and was beaten a nose at his only run at this trip. DARE TO LOVE (5) finished a half-length in front of Siglo De Oro when third in that Doomben race. Buffeted at start and worked early when seventh at Doomben last start. Will find this easier. MISS LINNY (7) will be better over further but can run well first-up. â– â– â– â– â– FEATHERTOP (7) ran handy races in his first two runs back at Doomben. Raced three-wide midfield when a two length seventh to Fiorsum Fred in a 1600m Highway at Scone on May 17. Up to 2000m now. Stablemate FULL OF SINCERITY (1) resumed with a good win at Ballina before a long neck third at Ipswich. Just behind the placegetters over 2200m in two runs since. Gets a 2kg claim. SHERRIFF CODY (6) jumps up to 2020m and has placed in four from six at the trip. Bet: Feathertop each-way â– â– â– â– â– SILENT CALL (2) had his chance when a neck second at Benalla over 1600m in February. Resumed for a new stable with a closing fifth at Doomben over 1200m. Step up in trip suits. ALMALIKAT SARAH (5) has improved with each run. Came from well back when fifth at Grafton on debut. Led when second at Beaudesert six week later then just caught by Rick For Reward at Ballina last start. CASTERLY ROCK (3) was held up on the home turn when third to Jillaroo at Doomben last start. Bet: Silent Call to win â– â– â– â– â– SAXINOUE (1) settled well back before closing off nicely despite finishing seventh when resuming over 1200m at Grafton. Jumps up to 1550m. He is unbeaten second-up including a win here on his home track. ALL ABOUT ARTIE (5) has had a long campaign which started with a win at Ipswich in January and he continues to race well. Was a three-quarter length third at Warwick two starts back before a half-length second to Monastery at Ballina. BETTER YET (4) drop sin grade from his win and fourth at Ipswich at his past two starts. Bet: Saxinoue to win â– â– â– â– â– INSINUATE (3) recorded her maiden win over this track and distance in February. After a couple of unplaced Eagle Farm runs, dropped back to country grade with a big win at Casino followed by a third last start both over 1400m. RAINBOW LASS (5) was just pipped at Ballina before winning her next two starts nicely at Casino over 1000m and 1200m. Up to 1550m for the first time which is a query but her dam won up to 1600m so worth a try. CAPITAL BOSS (1) has claims on his Gold Coast two starts back. â– â– â– â– â– LUCKY NEKO (11) was caught three-wide without cover when fifth to Ultimate Say at Grafton first-up. Jumped straight to the front and scored by over a length from Rock The Machine over 1400m at Casino last start. Drops back to 1200m but drawn well and gets a 2kg claim again. FLAME TREE STAR (3) resumes here and has placed in both first-up runs. Was beaten a short half head by Neil over 1100m fresh up last time in. SUPERZOOM (6) had a tough run at Warwick last start and has been freshened. Is a winner this track and distance.
The Australian
07-06-2025
- Sport
- The Australian
Newcastle preview: Home track has Nathan Doyle's gelding set to Attack
Connections of Rush Attack are putting his last start failure down to not handling the Hawkesbury track and expect to see him return to form back on home turf. Rush Attack settled midfield on the fence bit failed to run on and beat just three home behind Enter The Dragon on April 9. Prior to that run, he won a Benchmark 72 Midway at Rosehill before a nose second in another Midway at Randwick behind Pocketing. • 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! 'There are some horses who go to Hawkesbury but just don't handle it,' said David Dyson, racing manager for Nathan Doyle. 'His previous form was very good in town which holds him in very good stead here.' The gelding drops back to a Benchmark 58 and gets in well with 59kg on his back after the claim of Mollie Fitzgerald. 'He is one of the most consistent horses in the stable,' Dyson said 'He has had a little gap between run hence why we trialled him on Monday just to get him ready. 'There's a bit speed in this race and he has drawn to get a beautiful run just behind them. 'One thing this horse does is try and he will put himself in the finish. That's just what he does.' Queen's Rhapsody kicked off her campaign on a bright note with a length win at Hawkesbury on May 15. While she won comfortable in the end, feedback from jockey William Stanley was that she floated once she hit the front. Doyle has put visors on the three-year-old this week to help her focus and she looks extremely hard to beat in the Class 1 Handicap (1250m). 'We have put the visors on this week to help he concentrate a little bit more,' Dyson said. 'She worked in them about 10 days ago and was really good. She was very sharp. They seemed to have taken her to the next level. 'Once again, we have opted to claim again. Mitch Stapleford takes three kilos off which gets her into the race beautifully.' Bohemian Art looked to have the race won at the 200m on debut when she hit but just didn't know how to put them away and Impressionism kicked back to narrowly beat her. She then went to Kembla where she was a well beaten fifth to Monte Veebee but was found to have bled from one nostril. Having galloped to stewards satisfaction since then, the stable expects her to bounce back in the Maiden Plate (1400m) for fillies and mares. 'Put a line through that run,' Dyson said. 'She galloped for the stewards here last Friday over 1000m to clear that embargo and she worked very strongly. 'We are very happy with her we think she is back to where she was at her first-up run.' Doyle also has two youngsters making their debut in the 2YO Maiden Handicap (1200m). Divo is a grandson of Makybe Diva by Capitalist who has shown plenty of ability winning his two trials this preparation. Just Response is by Justify and like his stablemate, has won both his trials. 'Divo has got a lot of speed. My one query with him is the long time between his last trial on April 24 and his race debut,' said Dyson. 'It would be great if it could get back to somewhere near a soft because the drier the better for him. 'Just Response isn't as sharp as Divo but he has got the fitness edge on his side. He trialled on the Beaumont on Monday and went very well. 'The wet track was absolutely no issue to him so he is one horse we know will get through it.'
News.com.au
06-06-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Newcastle preview: An unusual failure can soon be forgotten as consistent gelding Rush Attack is well placed at home
Connections of Rush Attack are putting his last start failure down to not handling the Hawkesbury track and expect to see him return to form back on home turf. Rush Attack settled midfield on the fence bit failed to run on and beat just three home behind Enter The Dragon on April 9. Prior to that run, he won a Benchmark 72 Midway at Rosehill before a nose second in another Midway at Randwick behind Pocketing. 'There are some horses who go to Hawkesbury but just don't handle it,' said David Dyson, racing manager for Nathan Doyle. 'His previous form was very good in town which holds him in very good stead here.' The gelding drops back to a Benchmark 58 and gets in well with 59kg on his back after the claim of Mollie Fitzgerald. Rush Attack attacks the line to win the Midway second up at Rosehill for @ZacLloydx and @ndoyleracing! 🙌 @aus_turf_club â€' SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) February 22, 2025 'He is one of the most consistent horses in the stable,' Dyson said 'He has had a little gap between run hence why we trialled him on Monday just to get him ready. 'There's a bit speed in this race and he has drawn to get a beautiful run just behind them. 'One thing this horse does is try and he will put himself in the finish. That's just what he does.' Queen's Rhapsody kicked off her campaign on a bright note with a length win at Hawkesbury on May 15. While she won comfortable in the end, feedback from jockey William Stanley was that she floated once she hit the front. Doyle has put visors on the three-year-old this week to help her focus and she looks extremely hard to beat in the Class 1 Handicap (1250m). 'We have put the visors on this week to help he concentrate a little bit more,' Dyson said. 'She worked in them about 10 days ago and was really good. She was very sharp. They seemed to have taken her to the next level. 'Once again, we have opted to claim again. Mitch Stapleford takes three kilos off which gets her into the race beautifully.' Bohemian Art looked to have the race won at the 200m on debut when she hit but just didn't know how to put them away and Impressionism kicked back to narrowly beat her. She then went to Kembla where she was a well beaten fifth to Monte Veebee but was found to have bled from one nostril. Having galloped to stewards satisfaction since then, the stable expects her to bounce back in the Maiden Plate (1400m) for fillies and mares. 'Put a line through that run,' Dyson said. 'She galloped for the stewards here last Friday over 1000m to clear that embargo and she worked very strongly. 'We are very happy with her we think she is back to where she was at her first-up run.' Doyle also has two youngsters making their debut in the 2YO Maiden Handicap (1200m). Divo is a grandson of Makybe Diva by Capitalist who has shown plenty of ability winning his two trials this preparation. Just Response is by Justify and like his stablemate, has won both his trials. 'Divo has got a lot of speed. My one query with him is the long time between his last trial on April 24 and his race debut,' said Dyson. 'It would be great if it could get back to somewhere near a soft because the drier the better for him. 'Just Response isn't as sharp as Divo but he has got the fitness edge on his side. He trialled on the Beaumont on Monday and went very well. 'The wet track was absolutely no issue to him so he is one horse we know will get through it.'
Herald Sun
01-06-2025
- Sport
- Herald Sun
Diwali springs a surprise in Sandown Cup
Don't miss out on the headlines from Horse Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News. Developing stayer Diwali caused a minor upset in the Listed Sandown Cup (3200m) on Sunday. Diwali, aptly-named and trained for success on Australian Steeplechase race day, capitalised on the slowly-run Sandown Cup and finished better than favourites Through Irish Eyes and Alma Rise. A horse named Diwali, trained by the late Rick Hore-Lacy, won the 1982 Australian Steeplechase. Former jumps jockey-turned-trainer Gavin Bedggood, who trains the current Diwali, rode three Australian Steeplechase winners including Mazzacano (2007 and 2009) and Vindicating (2011). 'He presented well, he'd (Diwali) been running well… and the race was there,' Bedggood said. 'We thought it was probably going to end up like it was, horses from the Andrew Ramsden, a few jumpers… we were untried at the distance range but we thought with the right run in transit it should work well for him.' Diwali won a 2400m Benchmark 58 Handicap at Moe three back and most recently placed second at Sandown over the same distance in a midweek Benchmark 70. The four-year-old worked smartly last week, which convinced Bedggood to go for the Sandown Cup. 'We came here today with reasonable confidence, obviously a horse with a low benchmark rating but on fresh legs I suppose,' Bedggood said. Bedggood said the Deane Lester Flemington Cup (2800m) on July 19 at Flemington could be viable winter finale for Diwali. 'We got six weeks, we'll probably send him to the beach tomorrow and give him a week to freshen up a little bit,' Bedggood said. 'Maybe look for a 2500m run at Flemington in between time, we might get three weeks, three weeks into that race (Flemington Cup) and use it as our final.' Experienced jockey Joe Bowditch praised Bedggood's placement of Diwali. 'Can't this bloke train a racehorse? Never put anything past Gavin,' Bowditch said. 'I won a Benchmark 58 at Moe on (Diwali) three starts back, he was impressive but I wouldn't have thought we'd be here… full credit to Gavin.' Bowditch had the race won a long way out on Diwali, who turned for home with plenty to offer. 'Once we came past the winning post (the first time) the anchor went out and everything steadied up,' Bowditch said. 'I was quite glad to see Linda (Meech) take off and get going and that just allowed me to get away from the fence and get off the back of Glentaneous. 'Bided my time and once Declan (Bates) got going I was able to get a beautiful cart up… I was a bit worried I was going to get there a little bit too soon. 'The horse was travelling that well I didn't want to stop his momentum over this trip, stop start on him, I just kept letting him flow and he was too good.' Originally published as Diwali relishes the step up to two miles in the Sandown Cup
Sydney Morning Herald
18-05-2025
- Sport
- Sydney Morning Herald
Warpainted set to get back to winning ways after stable switch
The strength of the three-year-old ranks at the recent Wagga Cup carnival goes on the line at Monday's Corowa meeting. Progressive Albury three-year-old Warpainted is very well-placed to get back to winning ways fourth-up in a Benchmark 58 Hcp over the mile. It will only be the gelding's second run for leading border trainer Donna Scott after a rapid-fire stable switch from Gary Colvin at Wagga in between the Guineas Prelude and the Listed Final just 17 days ago. Warpainted, a dominant Class 1 winner back on Australia Day, was at big odds when having just his sixth start, finishing only three lengths from smart Guineas Prelude winner Dupli Kate. That was in the Colvin yard before he was abruptly transferred to the Scott camp at Albury, and only a couple of weeks later again produced a brave effort in the Wagga Guineas showdown, finishing just over two lengths from Dupli Kate again. Given the obvious depth of that race run at BM 74 level, Warpainted's immediate big drop in grade here makes him hard to beat on a track that should remain firm having sidestepped all the rain that is hammering the NSW East Coast. A tough on-speed son of 2018 Group 1 Rosehill Guineas (2000m) winner D'argento, Warpainted has drawn ideally to roll forward, with Blaike McDougall taking over in the saddle. It would certainly snap a recent frustrating run for the Scott stable which hasn't tasted success in nearly five weeks, although a double at Albury on April 17 had capped eight individual winners from her last 22 starts through the first half of autumn. The race, though, is the last and clearly strongest of three consecutive BM 58 battles to close the Corowa meeting.
