Latest news with #MooneeValley
News.com.au
4 days ago
- Sport
- News.com.au
Harness racing: Trainer Chris Svanosio has belief Arcee Phoenix can realise Inter Dominion dream
Chris Svanosio's hunger to win an Inter Dominion has been building for 33 years. The emerging Romsey horseman was just 10 years old when he watched the great Westburn Grant fend off a luckless Franco Tiger to win the 1992 Inter Dominion pacing final at a packed Moonee Valley. 'I got the bug, big time,' he said. 'I remember being crammed up the back of the grandstand and having to stand on my tippy toes to watch. 'I've been lucky enough to have a few runners in Inter Dominion heats, but I've never had a finalist. 'For people my age (43), the Inter Dominion is the ultimate, especially now the prizemoney has been boosted for this Brisbane series.' • 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! All that looks set to change with by far the best trotter Svanosio has trained, the exciting Arcee Phoenix. The six-year-old lived in the shadow – like so many others – of the great Just Believe for a year or so, but burst out of it with the biggest win of his career in the $NZ600,000 TAB Trot at Cambridge in New Zealand's North Island on April 4. Yes, he didn't have the now retired Just Believe to contend with, but Svanosio knows his horse has improved, too. 'I left that same race a year earlier knowing he had to find a couple of lengths to be one of the very best and I think he's done that,' he said. Arcee Phoenix steps out for his first race since that Cambridge win when he tackles a very competitive Yabby Dam Farms Trotters' free-for-all (1720m) at Melton on Saturday night. Fitness won't be an issue judging by the six-year-old's sparkling Melton trial win last Tuesday week. 'I'm know horses like Don Hugo and Leap To Fame have already had a couple of races since going to Cambridge, but I had to do what's right for my horse and he needed some extra time out,' he said. 'I was really happy with his trial and now he's got this run before we head north and get ready for the first round of (Inter Dominion) heats (on July 5).' The Aussies have done it! 🇦🇰 Arcee Phoenix (C Svanosio) takes out the $600,000 The TAB Trot in Cambridge, New Zealand, leading home an Australian trifecta, with Queen Elida second and The Locomotive third. Congratulations to connections. — The Trots (@TheTrotsComAu) April 4, 2025 Arcee Phoenix is an old hand at travel now, having had three return trips to NZ over the past 15 months and Brisbane trip two years ago. 'All those things have helped him develop,' Svanosio said. 'That last trip to Cambridge was the best he's handled it. It gives you a lot of confidence heading to Brisbane again. 'It's also great he's been up there (Brisbane) before and had a sighter at the track.' That was in July, 2023 when Arcee Phoenix ran a fantastic second to London To A Brick – who will be a key rival again this trip – in the Group 1 Greatg Square. Svanosio confirmed he would take his improving US-bred mare Aldebaran Acrux north with Arcee Phoenix. 'She's earned it. Last week was her D-Day and she won really well at Melton,' he said. Two of Arcee Phoenix's major Inter Dominion rivals – star Kiwi pair Oscar Bonavena and Bet N Win – also step out on Saturday night. Oscar Bonavena, who opened his Queensland raid with an easy Albion Park win last Saturday, should repeat the dose at the same track, while Bet N Win will be a commanding favourite in a 2300m trotting free-for-all at Menangle.
News.com.au
04-06-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Trainer Kris Lees to run Brudenell at Randwick on Saturday after weighing up Eagle Farm option
Racing history might be weighing heavily against Brudenell but trainer Kris Lees wants to give the sprinter his chance in the Listed $200,000 Bob Charley AO Stakes (1100m) at Royal Randwick on Saturday. Brudenell has been burdened with 59kg, an impost which has proven beyond all but four horses in the last 50 years of the Australian Turf Club's feature winter sprint, formerly known as the June Stakes. Classique Legend had 60kg when he won the Randwick sprint in 2020 en route to his triumph in The Everest, Jungle Edge won under 60.5kg in 2018, and Avoid Lightning (2014) and Oranmore (1977) both carried 59kg. Lees did nominate Brudenell for the Group 2 Moreton Cup at Eagle Farm as well but he felt the Bob Charley Stakes was the more winnable race. 'I will keep Brudenell for Randwick,'' Lees said. 'He's not great on a long float trip anyway. 'I know he has plenty of weight at Randwick but he has probably earned it. He goes to Saturday's race in very good form.'' Brudenell won the Listed Abell Stakes at Moonee Valley earlier this campaign and more recently ran a close second to Barber in the Listed Takeover Target Stakes at Gosford before a last-start third to The Instructor in the Listed Luskin Star Stakes at Scone. It's Brudenell's Abell Stakes, careering away for a classy victory ðŸ'« Mark Zahra & Kris Lees combine for Listed success at The Valley ðŸ¤� — (@Racing) February 28, 2025 The Bob Charley Stakes has attracted a final field of 15 with Front Page, who is co-topweight with Brudenell, also in the Moreton Cup. Also at Eagle Farm, Lees is chasing a third win in the Group 1 $700,000 Queensland Oaks (2200m) with either You Wahng or Eclair Encore. You Wahng, who ran a close third in the ATC Australian Oaks during the Sydney autumn carnival, has maintained her form as evidenced by a solid last start fifth to Philia in The Roses. 'This will probably be a more high pressure Oaks than what we had in Sydney but we know our filly can stay,'' said Lees, who has won the Queensland Oaks previously with Amokura (2023) and Vitesse Dane (2005). An epic win by Treasurethe Moment in the G1 Australian Oaks! She nabs the Victorian-Australian Oaks double in the final strides! 🙌 @mattlaurierace | @LaneDamian | @aus_turf_club | @WorldPool — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) April 12, 2025 Eclair Encore is also in the Group 1 $1m Queensland Derby (2400m) but Lees said she would contest the fillies classic. 'I'm thinking the Oaks for Eclair Encore despite the bad barrier (18),'' Lees said. 'I feel it is slightly the better option for her. We did consider splitting them up but we have to do what is best for both fillies.'' Amokura has had only five starts since her Oaks success and is resuming after nearly 12 months off in the Sydney Roosters Partners Handicap (1600m) at Royal Randwick. Lees explained Amokura had 'some bone bruising' which kept her out of racing for an extended period but said the mare has had a trouble-free preparation ahead of her comeback on Saturday. Amokura reigns supreme in the Queensland Oaks! ðŸ'' @Leesracing wins his second Queensland Oaks, while Damien Oliver scores his 128th Group 1 victory. — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 3, 2023 'Amokura's had a long build-up but she is going well,'' Lees said. 'I'm only going to give her a couple of runs and then bring her back for the spring.'' Lees also has Loch Eagle taking on stablemate Akomura in the mile race with the gelding impressing the trainer with his first-up eighth behind stablemate Tavi Time in the Scone Cup. Stardom in the Listed Woodlands Stakes.
