Daily News Wrap

9 min read

Bossy back a winner

Glen Boss secured his first Sydney winner since returning back home with an easy success on the regally-bred Girl Tuesday (Street Cry {Ire}) for Chris Waller.

Having the first start of her 5-year-old campaign, Tuesday Joy, the daughter of the four-time Group 1 winner Girl Tuesday (NZ) (Carnegie {Ire}) impressed in the Spring Preview Hcp, winning by a widening 1.8l.

Glen Boss secured his first Sydney winner since returning home

"It's nice to be home," Boss said. "Sydney is the toughest school in the world but that's part of the challenge."

"I'm like a dog off a chain, I'm so excited."

Boss rode Brutal (NZ) (O'Reilly {NZ}) to win this year's G1 Doncaster Hcp, but has only returned permanently from Singapore in the last couple of months.

First American SW for Pharoah

Another Miracle (USA) took to the turf with aplomb, winning Saratoga’s Skidmore S. in his first try on turf. He is the second black-type winner for American Pharoah (USA) and his first in America.

American Pharoah (USA) | Standing at Coolmore Australia

As for what’s next, trainer Gary Contessa said, “I don’t know that I need to stretch him out because of the Breeders’ Cup [Juvenile Turf] Sprint facing us. We’ll have to win one of those ‘Win And You’re In’ races, so probably [the $200,000 Indian Summer S. Oct. 6] Keeneland next out.”

Leonard and Jonathan Greens bred Another Miracle under their DJ Stables moniker as part of a large group and bought out their partners for US$210,000 at Keeneland September. American Pharoah is currently standing his third SH season at Coolmore Australia.

Pippie aiming for black type

Impressive Caulfield winner Pippie (Written Tycoon) will be sent back to stakes company in the G3 Cockram S. at the same track on August 31.

Pippie backed up her dominant win at Doomben last month with a three-length all-the-way win in an 1100m BM84 race on Saturday under Ben Melham.

"We knew she was going well, she's a high-class mare and we couldn't be more pleased," co-trainer Chris Meagher said.

"We will send her to the Cockram here in a fortnight and then all going well into the (G3) How Now S. (September 21), which were races we won with Savanna Amour (Love Conquers All) (in 2017)."

Pippie has now won three of her five starts. She was a $60,000 2017 Classic Sale buy by Dan Meagher for her owners at Heran Racing, who have been great supporters of the Meagher family.

No panic with Pandemic

Black-type targets later in the spring await the progressive Godolphin 3-year-old Pandemic (Sepoy), who took his record to two wins from as many starts in the Everest Carnival Hcp at Kensington on Saturday.

The gelding was super impressive, overcoming considerable bother to win by 1.3l from Maddi Rocks (Fastnet Rock) and Exotic Ruby (Snitzel), but does not hold a nomination for either the G1 Golden Rose S or the G1 Caulfield Guineas.

"He's been a late maturing type, being by Sepoy," stable representative Darren Beadman said. "To see him do what he do today, they didn’t look to go that hard early, but they ran time, he's a proper racehorse."

Jockey Tommy Berry felt Pandemic would easily measure up to stakes company later in his preparation.

"I felt like I had a standing start at the furlong and a half, and he picked them up and gobbled them up in one stride," he said. "He's a very exciting colt going forward."

"I'm not sure what sort of limits he’ll get to, but definitely much better than this."

Pandemic is a half-brother to G1 Golden Slipper S. winner Earthquake (Exceed And Excel) and fellow stakes winner Palomares (Commands) out of Cataclysm (Marauding {NZ}).

He was one of two winners by Sepoy for Godolphin on the day, with fellow 3-year-old gelding, the superbly-bred Landstrasse, breaking his maiden at Kembla Grange.

Wolfe hunts Cups

Adrian Bott confirmed the G1 Caulfield and Melbourne Cups are very much on Wolfe's (Jpn) (Novellist {Ire}) radar after the Japanese import's win in Saturday's Premier's Cup Prelude on the Kensington track.

Wolfe took his record to five wins from six starts with a 0.8l win over 1800m and will likely step into stakes company now.

The G1 Caulfield and Melbourne Cups are on Wolfe's (Jpn) radar

“Obviously the Melbourne spring is high on our radar,” Bott, who trains with Gai Waterhouse, said.

“There is a couple of nice races here that we would like to pick off first before heading that way but the Cups are high on our radar that’s for sure.”

“We do need to get that rating up and work our way towards that and get the miles in his legs.”

Glory Days resumes with fifth placing

Last season’s G1 Auckland Cup winner and Sydney Cup placegetter Glory Days (NZ) (Red Giant {USA}) resumed with a fifth placing in the Vets on Riverbank H. at Otaki on Saturday.

Carrying 61.5kg over 1400m, the 6-year-old loomed ominously behind the leaders approaching the home turn, but came to the end of her run in the straight in extremely heavy ground.

Glory Days (NZ) resumed with a fifth placing

Trainer Bill Thurlow intends to send Glory Days across the Tasman next month for a campaign aimed at the Melbourne Cup.

Saturday’s race was won by Mauna Kea (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}). Trained and part-owned by Paul Moseley, the 7-year-old has now had 22 starts for seven wins and seven placings.

Lambrusco completes hat-trick

After two unsuccessful sale attempts and then being pencilled in for a jumping career, Lambrusco (NZ) (Cape Blanco {Ire}) is becoming a star performer on the flat for Cambridge trainer Samantha Logan.

The $35,000 Karaka yearling purchase recorded the sixth win of his career, and third in a row, in Saturday’s Valachi Downs 2100 at Te Rapa.

Despite apprentice jockey Ashvin Goindasamy dropping his whip early in the home straight, the 6-year-old Lambrusco surged over the top of Suliman (NZ) (Redwood {GB}) and Athena Baby (NZ) (Swiss Ace) to win by a short neck.

Lambrusco has been a surprise package for Logan, whose mother Donna has won multiple Group 1 races in New Zealand and Australia and is now based in Singapore.

“When he dropped his stick, my heart dropped,” she admitted. “But Ash rode him beautifully and is a beautifully balanced rider. He just kept him balanced and finding the line. The horse is genuine and fit, and he was able to run over the top of them.

“Ash is a really hard worker, he rides work for me every morning, so he really deserves the success he’s getting.

“This horse just keeps progressing. I obviously underestimated him, thinking he’d be a jumper. He’s taken a while to develop, but now, as a 6-year-old, he’s switched on, matured and strengthened up.

“I bought him as a yearling off Wentwood Grange, who retained a share in him. We were going to sell him at the Ready to Run Sale, but he didn’t get there. Then we had him sold off a trial, and he didn’t get there either. So he’s had a story, and he’s one of my best mates now.”

A half-brother to the stakes-placed Hannah Mary (NZ) (Dubawi {Ire}), Lambrusco comes from the family of multiple Group 1 winner Prince Salieri (Salieri {USA}).

Polly Grey the gift that keeps on giving

A generous gift from a stalwart of the New Zealand thoroughbred industry is getting better and better for Kylie Fawcett.

With a hard-fought victory in the Skycity Hamilton 1600 at Te Rapa on Saturday, talented mare Polly Grey (NZ) (Azamour {Ire}) collected the fourth win of her 11-start career.

Fawcett trains the 5-year-old at Matamata, and she also shares ownership with her brother Brook Fawcett and her brother Robin Joyce.

“I was given this horse by Barbara Perry when she died, so she’s a bit special to us,” Fawcett said.

Perry, who died in December of 2015, bred numerous black-type performers and was renowned as a hard-working, voluntary supporter of the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association.

Polly Grey comes from one of Perry’s finest thoroughbred families. Her dam Allanah (NZ) (Zenno Rob Roy {Jpn}) won four races and is a half-sister to Group 1 winner Pasta Post (NZ) (Postponed {USA}) and Group 3 winner Don Domingo (NZ) (Don Eduardo {NZ}). There are swathes of Group 1 form further back in the pedigree, particularly in South Africa.

The best could be yet to come for Polly Grey, who will now be given a short break.

“I was really happy to see her a bit handier this time, it was a great ride by Michael (Coleman) and a good result,” Fawcett said. “I’m going to put her out for a freshen-up now. She’s still been eating everything up and working well, but she’s just lightened off a little bit.”

Stakes successes for Starspangledbanner, Fastnet Rock

Starspangledbanner secured his 11th stakes-winner and his second in Ireland with the victory of Millisle (Ire) in the Listed Curragh S. at The Curragh.

Starspangledbanner | Standing at Rosemont Stud

The 2-year-old filly, trained by Jessica Harrington, and homebred by Stonethorn Stud, made it two wins form three starts to give her Rosemont Stud based sire his first stakes winner of 2019. Isabeau (Ire), who is by Woodside Park's shuttler Cable Bay (Ire) was second.

Elsewhere, Coolmore's Fastnet Rock secured stakes winner No.149 with the victory of Orlaith (Ire) in the Listed Byerly Stud S. at Newbury.

The 2-year-old filly is trained by Iain Jardine and has won two of her six starts.

Buckhurst victorious for Lloyd in Royal Whip

Lloyd Williams has savoured more Group success in Ireland with his promising 3-year-old Buckhurst (Ire) (Australia {GB}) winning the G3 Royal Whip S. at The Curragh.

Williams and Melbourne Cup winning trainer Joseph O'Brien united again for Buckhurst's second stakes success with the colt having won over the same track and distance in the G3 International S. in June.

Jockey Donnacha O'Brien praised the courage of Buckhurst in the narrow victory.

"I always thought he was going to hold on, he was just getting a little bit idle in front. I'm sure he could be on his travels but I'm not sure about any plans for him,"

Buckhurst holds an entry for the G1 Cox Plate at Moonee Valley in November.