Colossalbet Blog

Category: Racing

  • Ozzmosis aiming to uphold family tradition

    Ozzmosis out to become the fourth generation Coolmore winner

    Ozzmosis has the job of continuing his family’s amazing connection with the Coolmore Stud Stakes when the $2 million Group 1 is run at Flemington this Saturday.

    The Bjorn Baker-trained colt is out to become a fourth generation winner of the 1200-metre event that has risen to become the most significant race for three-year-old colts on the Australian calendar.

    Ozzmosis is by Zoustar, who won the Coolmore Stud Stakes in 2013, five years after his sire Northern Meteor won the race.

    Back when the race was known as the Ascot Vale Stakes – before it moved to Derby Day, which coincided with its elevation to Group 1 status – Northern Meteor’s sire Encosta De Lago won it in 1996.

    Baker recognises the 19-horse field that contains the Golden Slipper trifecta of Shinzo, Cylinder and King’s Gambit, plus local stars including Stretan Angel, Steparty and I Am Unstoppable, is not going to be easy but is an obvious target for his classy colt.

    “He is a well-bred colt, he’s got a great attitude and I think he can run a big one,” Baker said.

    “It is obviously going to be a very hard race, but he is in good order.”

    Ozzmosis, a $250,000 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling, is out of the Darci Brahma mare No More Tears, who is a daughter of Ocean Of Tears.

    Ocean Of Tears (Minardi) is from the Centaine mare Procure, which makes her a half-sister to Hips Don’t Lie, the dam of Acrobat, Lake Geneva and Ennis Hill, who is the dam of one of last season’s top two-year-olds Learning To Fly.

    Ozzmosis did not debut until late May, when he won easily at Gosford, before a similarly impressive win at Randwick on June 10.

    He was then put away to be prepared for his three-year-old season and made it three from three in the Listed Heritage Stakes before a third placing in the Group 2 Roman Consul Stakes (1200m) won by Coolmore rival King’s Gambit.

    The Darby Racing-owned colt tuned up for the Coolmore with a slick Flemington jumpout win last Friday, leaving Baker and raceday jockey Rachel King happy.

    “Rachel was very happy with him, so that gives us a bit of confidence going into Saturday,” Baker said.

    “He seems to have settled in well down there and we’re very happy with him going into the race.”

    Zoustar is the only stallion represented in this year’s Coolmore Stud Stakes who is a past winner, but three others have supplied winners of the race.

    I Am Invincible, who has King’s Gambit, I Am Unstoppable and Tiz Invincible engaged, is the sire of Brazen Beau (2014), Home Affairs (2021) and In Secret (2022), Cylinder’s sire Exceed And Excel is a two-time winner of the race, while Steparty’s sire Artie Schiller produced Flying Artie to win in 2016.

  • Cummings playing it Strait in Eagle

    What began as a pipedream will become a reality when Strait Acer lines up in the Golden Eagle.

    He might have a famous racing surname, but the effort of Edward Cummings to have a Cox Plate and Golden Eagle runner in the space of eight days has been a notable feat.

    Cummings, the grandson of Cups King Bart and son of respected Sydney trainer Anthony, has a boutique team of just 22 horses in work at Hawkesbury.

    Despite his small numbers, he saddled up Duais to a luckless fourth in the Cox Plate (2040m) last weekend and will start Strait Acer in Saturday’s $10 million Golden Eagle (1500m) at Rosehill.

    While the latter is a $34 chance in pre-race markets, he arrives at the race in the form of his life.

    Stringing together a hat-trick of wins in Midway and Benchmark grade, Strait Acer stepped up to the Silver Eagle (1300m) and despite a chequered passage in the straight, he motored to the line for an encouraging second to Vienna Princess.

    If Cummings wasn’t certain he had a Golden Eagle contender going into the Silver Eagle, he was after it.

    “Even though it was the plan and we got into the race fair and square, I thought I was half-mad just for trying it because he was so far out of the handicap,” Cummings said.

    “We started his prep a month earlier than we normally do with our horses because he was that forward and because we needed to test him and get him up in the ratings quickly.

    “We had one run where we could be unlucky and the rest of them would have to be runs where he was winning, and that’s basically how it has turned out.

    “He put a few together and the last run in the Silver Eagle was really good.”

    Cummings can see similarities between Strait Acer and a horse he trained in partnership with his father, 2018 Villiers Stakes winner Sky Boy.

    After showing early promise, Sky Boy notched five successive victories during the spring and summer of that year and Cummings has used him as a barometer for Strait Acer.

    “Watching a horse like him reminds me a lot of Sky Boy when he had that prep stringing five or six wins together, culminating in the Villiers,” Cummings said.

    “We have gone on a very similar journey and that experience has informed a lot of what we’ve done with this horse.

    “The horse is in great nick, and he is just learning and improving all the time.”

    Cummings will also start Queenmaker in the TAB Handicap (1900m), the mare continuing to thrive as she prepares to line up for her sixteenth start in a campaign that kicked off in February.

    “We did give her a month freshen-up (in July), she’s had five or six starts since then and it’s only her second racing preparation. She loves it,” Cummings said.

    “Zac Lloyd goes back on and I think he’ll be riding her with a fair bit of confidence.”

  • Kovalica Waller’s Golden boy

    Chris Waller has put blinkers on Kovalica to sharpen him up for a slight distance drop.

    The Cox Plate came under serious consideration for Kovalica, but his performance in the King Charles III Stakes convinced connections the $10 million Golden Eagle was the right target.

    The Queensland Derby winner was one of the few horses to make headway from back in the field, coming from last on the corner to finish fifth behind stablemate Fangirl.

    That 1600m effort has proved the determining factor in resisting the temptation to step Kovalica up to 2040m in last Saturday’s Cox Plate and instead fit him with blinkers for a Golden Eagle (1500m) assault.

    “Had he not sprinted as hard as what he did in the King Charles, the Cox Plate would have been the logical race to go to,” trainer Chris Waller‘s racing manager Charlie Duckworth said.

    “But the fact he was reeling in older weight-for-age stars, and that he’s only four once …. the Cox Plate is still going to be there for him next year.”

    Waller won the inaugural Golden Eagle with Kolding, who like Kovalica was raced by Neville Morgan and sported the prominent owner’s blue and white colours.

    But they aren’t the only commonalities the horses share.

    Both are by Ocean Park, both won the Queensland Guineas the previous winter and like Kolding, Kovalica will tackle the Golden Eagle fourth-up and off the back of a Group 1 mile run at Randwick.

    Duckworth can make cases for all of the stable’s runners but says Kovalica’s fast finishing second in the Epsom Handicap (1600m) and his King Charles Stakes effort make him Waller’s top seed.

    “He pretty much has to be,” Duckworth said.

    “Despite only running second and fifth, you couldn’t have asked more from any horse in his last two runs.”

    The commitment of jockey Tommy Berry has also been a confidence boost.

    Berry has been retained for the Golden Eagle mount after riding Kovalica last start and hasn’t missed an opportunity to sit on his back since.

    “Tommy has come in and galloped him on the Saturday, Tuesday, (last) Saturday and again on Tuesday.

    “He is putting the hard yards in and he has got bags of faith in the horse.”

    Kovalica ($10) will lead a five-pronged Golden Eagle bid for Waller, although he has been a market drifter since landing gate 16 at Tuesday night’s barrier draw.

    His barn mates fared better with Rediener drawing three, Osipenko and Vienna Princess alongside each other in barriers eight and nine respectively, while Age Of Kings will jump from gate 11.

  • Amelia’s Jewel shining ahead of Golden Eagle

    Simon Miller is confident Amelia’s Jewel can bounce back in the $10 million Golden Eagle.

    His stable star may have been beaten for just the second time in her career last start, but Simon Miller couldn’t be happier with Amelia’s Jewel ahead of Saturday’s 1500m Golden Eagle at Rosehill.

    Beaten 5.5 lengths as a $2.40 favorite in the Group 1 Toorak Handicap (1600m) last start, Miller is confident the Group 1 winning mare is 100%, working her the Sydney way of going at Flemington on Tuesday morning.

    “Her work was brilliant, really good, strong, weights good, she’s eating up again which is what she always does. I was just waiting for her to get back on her game before I increased her work again and she did,” Miller said.

    Damian Lane will remain on Amelia’s Jewel this weekend, forgoing rides at Flemington to partner her, something Miller takes confidence in.

    “He reverse galloped her last Tuesday… it was her first time proper reverse gallop, she got on the right lead straight away and then Saturday morning she launched onto the right lead straight away and he said “mate, she’s taken to this pretty good,” Miller said.

    “He was glowing in his post-race gallop.”

    Miller puts Amelia’s Jewel’s poor performance in the Toorak Handicap down to the occasion and an “off day”, something he noticed in her demeanour pre-race.

    “We were tickled pink going to Caulfield, and then I got into the pre-enclosure and I thought we’re in a bit of trouble here, it’s amazing how externally they can look brilliant and internally there’s something not right,” Miller said.

    Originally with a tough decision between the Golden Eagle or last Saturday’s Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m), Miller and owner Peter Walsh effectively had their decision made for them after her ninth placing in the Toorak.

    “We were probably lucky we got three weeks to the Eagle… You can’t hit the Cox Plate like that… that extra week just let us idle her along so the timing was perfect,” Miller said.

    Amelia’s Jewel will travel to Sydney on Wednesday night but won’t get a feel for the Rosehill track before Saturday, set to stable her with John O’Shea.

    “I’m going to stay at Randwick, I’ve got to stay at my old bosses, at O’Shea’s, otherwise he’ll kill me… It’s interesting isn’t it, how will she go with it (Rosehill), I’m not sure. She’s pretty professional, she got around The Valley her first go… I think she’ll be fine,” Miller said.

    Miller will bring Amelia’s Jewel back to Perth after Saturday’s Golden Eagle, for which she is the $4.50 favorite, and hasn’t completely ruled out running in The Pinnacles at Ascot in December.

  • Hong Kong star claims Cox Plate

    Hong Kong’s Romantic Warrior has scored a last stride thrilling win in the Cox Plate at Moonee Valley.

    Champion James McDonald’s faith in Hong Kong superstar Romantic Warrior has been vindicated with the jockey landing a second Cox Plate victory. 

    After guiding Anamoe to success in last year’s Group 1 weight-for-age championship, McDonald had to call on all his strength to get Romantic Warrior home in the 2040m contest at Moonee Valley on Saturday. 

    McDonald never lost faith in Romantic Warrior despite the Danny Shum-trained gelding being beaten at his Australian debut in the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on October 7. 

    Starting the $3.60 favourite, Romantic Warrior scored by a nose from Mr Brightside ($9) with Alligator Blood ($6) a short-neck away third. 

    Romantic Warrior returned a win dividend of $2.80 on the World Pool. 

    McDonald made trips to Hong Kong to partner Romantic Warrior to win the lead up to the Hong Kong Cup as well as the Hong Kong Cup at the international meeting last year and was also aboard gelding to win the Queen Elizabeth II Cup in April. 

    “This horse is pretty special to me,” McDonald said. 

    “I mentioned if he came to a Cox Plate, he’d be a suitable horse. I meant what I said and credit to (owner) Peter (Lau Pak Fai) and Danny. 

    “It takes a hell of a lot of balls to come out of Hong Kong with all the prizemoney there. It is one of the best racing jurisdictions in the world and they come here and showcase their boy. 

    “I reckon he’s got more to come, too. 

    “He’s been bubbling. He showed a significant amount of improvement like I thought he would, and he loves the bloody Valley!” 

    The first three horses across the line were positioned third, fourth and fifth in the running line behind King Colorado and Zaaki. 

    McDonald elected to ease three wide racing to the 600m mark with Alligator Blood taking up his spot. 

    Romantic Warrior wobbled slightly around the turn, as did Zaaki which allowed Mr Brightside to get up on the fence to hit the front 50m out, only to be grabbed on the line. 

    McDonald said he was comfortable where Romantic Warrior was positioned in the race. 

    “I knew I was on the right horse, and I kept going, ‘he’s the best horse, he’s the best horse’ so I’d ride him like it,” McDonald said. 

    “I took a gamble about the 1000 (metres) or 1200. We elected to come back a spot and to the minute right now I believe that was the winning move.” 

    Shum said it had been a gamble to send Romantic Warrior from Hong Kong to contest Saturday’s race. 

    Romantic Warrior had to adapt to different training conditions in quarantine at Werribee having not raced since late in May in Hong Kong. 

    The gelding had an interrupted preparation before arrival in Australia missing an important trial and initially not taking to a change in feed. 

    But Romantic Warrior was able to overcome that adversity to claim Australia’s best race. 

    “I don’t know how to tell you how happy I am. I am really happy,” Shum said. 

    “I want to thank Peter the owner for giving permission to come here. James Mcdonald, all the team, all the Hong Kong fans, my wife Christine, my son Aaron. 

    “I love you! I love you!” 

    After Romantic Warrior’s first-up Australian defeat, Shum said he was a little deflated, but knew the gelding would improve with the outing. 

    “He was not really ready, but he got better day-by-day,” Shum said. 

    “I was confident he would run a good race, but it is a strong race. 

    “He overcame all of the challenges and the difficulties. James McDonald gave me a very good report.” 

    Shum said Romantic Warrior would return to Hong Kong as early as possible to prepare for the Group 1 Hong Kong Cup (2000m) at Sha Tin on December 10.

  • 32 left in Cup, penalty for Cleveland

    Monee Valley Cup winner jumps to 14th in order of entry.

    A penalty for his Moonee Valley Cup win, combined with natural attrition, has Cleveland safely in the field for next week’s $8.4 million Group 1 Melbourne Cup.

    Racing Victoria’s head of handicapping David Hegan issued the Kris Lees-trained entire a 0.5kg penalty for Friday night’s win under 55.5kg, taking his Melbourne Cup weight to 52kg.

    Placed 24th in the order of entry prior to the win, Cleveland elevated a few spots owing to several higher-weighted runners not being paid-up as third-round acceptors and now sits in 14th position after the penalty.

    “Under the set weights and penalty conditions of the Moonee Valley Gold Cup, Cleveland was allocated the base weight on Friday night,” Hegan said.

    “Thus, he came in well at the weights against some of his opposition on the night and compared to where they are in the Melbourne Cup weights.

    “Vow and Declare and Future History will now meet Cleveland 0.5kg and 3kg better respectively in the Melbourne Cup after the penalty. If the luckless Athabascan makes the field it would be a 3.5kg turnaround in his favour against Cleveland too.”

    Cleveland becomes the first Moonee Valley Gold Cup winner to receive a Melbourne Cup penalty since 2015 when The United States moved to 52.5kg with a 2.5kg penalty.

    Cleveland will be one of two Melbourne Cup runners for six-time winner Lloyd Williams and his partners after Epsom Derby winner Serpentine jumped to 22nd in the order of entry.

    In 23rd position is More Felons with True Marvel 24th but those two are not yet guaranteed a run with a ballot exemption on offer to the winner of Saturday’s The Archer at Flemington, while Wednesday’s Bendigo Cup contains two runners – Hasta La War (29th) and Interpretation (31st) – who can elevate their position in the order of entry if they win and receive a penalty.

  • Morphettville Parks Races Review on 28th October 2023

    The three-year-old gelding Give Some Lip raced away to bring up his first win at his fourth start in the 1250 metre opening event on the Parks track at Morphettville on Saturday.

    Prepared by Will Clarken and Niki O’Shea and guided to victory by apprentice Ben Price Give Some Lip  came from a worse than midfield position with a late run to take the event.

    Jason Holder continued his purple patch of form when he rode Free Vino  to a win in the 1400 metre second race.

    Coming out of the Gordon Richards and Damien Moyle stable Free Vino raced in the rear of the field before flying home to win.

    Moving his operation from Morphettville to Murray Bridge trainer Travis Doudle was well pleased with the win of Prince Jofra in the 1550 metre third race.

    Having the services of apprentice Alana Livesey Prince Jofra raced in a forward position all the way.

    Apprentice Ben Price landed his second winner for the afternoon when Manzala won his first race in 1190 days in the 1950 metre fourth race.

    Trained by Ashton Downing Manzala settled in a midfield position before ging in to win.

    Anjopin landed his second win in seven days when he took out the 1250 metre fifth race.

    Prepared by Sue and Jason Jaensch the well placed Anjopin gave apprentice Maggie Collett her first win since being injured at Ceduna last December.

    Coming off a last start second Miss Kermie went one better when she took out the 1400 meter sixth race.

    Having the services of Emily Finnegan the Phillip Stokes prepared Miss Kermie raced one off the pace in winning her fourth race from fourteen starts.

    Apprentice Sheriden Clarke was all smiles after her win on Trumpsta in the 1950 metre seventh race.

    Being under the care of Ron Stokes Trumpsta was another runner to be well placed.

    Establishing his base at Gawler in recent times trainer George Dimitropoulos was all smiles with the win of his charge Mouse Almighty in the 1000 metre eighth race.

    Having the services of Stacey Metcalf Mouse Almighty came from a midfield position with a strong run over the concluding stages.

    Foster Street was one of the few winners to come from well back when he won the 1000 metre final event.

    Being under the care of Byron Cozamanis senior and having the services of Ryan Hurdle Foster Street brought up his third win in fourteen starts.

  • Amelia’s Jewel to race in Golden Eagle

    Glamour mare Amelia’s Jewel is back on track after a shock defeat and will now progress to the $10 million Golden Eagle (1500m) at Rosehill on November 4.

    Amelia’s Jewel ran well below her best in the G1 Toorak Handicap (1600m) at Caulfield when ninth to Attrition, but a vet test cleared her of injury.

    Her worst performance in an outstanding career followed wins in the Let’s Elope Stakes (1400m) at Flemington and the Stocks Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley in track record time.

    Amelia’s Jewel had a few easy days recovering after the Toorak failure, but there were encouraging signs last week when back on her feed that she’d turned the corner.

    A strong reverse gallop at Flemington this morning (Tuesday) with jockey Damian Lane aboard was the clincher for Simon Miller, who said he’s tackling the Golden Eagle with renewed confidence.

    “She went super, worked unreal and looks great, looks amazing,” Miller told The Races WA.

    “She worked a thousand evens and home 400 and handled the Sydney way of going like a professional.

    “I knew last Thursday she’d turned the corner the way she was completely knocking her night and morning feed.

    “She’ll have another gallop next Tuesday going the Sydney way and Thursday week will get on a truck to Sydney.

    “She’s totally back on board.”

    TABtouch has Amelia’s Jewel the $4.40 favourite for the Golden Eagle. Kovalica is next at $4.80, Legarto $6, Hawaii Five Oh $6 and Obamburumai $8.

    Miller says he still has an ace up his sleeve for Amelia’s Jewel in the Golden Eagle.

    “I’m thinking of a gear change and blinkers,” Miller said.

    “I’m leaning to them as she is superior with them on.”

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  • Weekend wrap: Hot start for Toeroek continues, Jolly treble, Crowther double

    Leading jockey Jake Toeroek continued his sizzling start to the 2022-23 racing season with a riding treble at Morphettville on Saturday.

    Jake Toeroek and the Richard and Chantelle Jolly stable claimed an early race to race double with Deepfloat Diva and Pudding before the lethal combination added a third victory to another big day at the office when Aviatress proved superior later in the day.

    Toeroek is currently enjoying his most successful calendar year of riding, Saturday successes taking his record to 68 winners for 2023.

    The Price Bloodstock pair of Deepfloat Diva, who would have been Hong Kong bound if he didn’t fail a vet test, and Aviatress maintaining their unbeaten records, Toeroek confident both horses will find their way into better races.

    “He’s a very smart horse,” Toeroek said of Deepfloat Diva.

    “I’d say he’ll probably go for a break now but when he comes back in, we’re looking at a pretty nice one,” he said.

    Likewise, the leading jockey said there is also plenty of upside with Aviatress who had no problems jumping from a midweek maiden to city success.

    “She’s a smart horse, I think she’s black type,” Toeroek added.

    “I’m just glad we get to keep these ones,” he said of the pair.

    Kayla Crowther had a riding double winning with Sir Kingsford before the talented Sghirippa scored an impressive win in the final race of the big 10-race card.

    “He switched off really well and when I popped him out, he had a really good turn of foot,” Crowther said.

    “I reckon he had so much more up his sleeve,” she said.

    Jason Holder also had a riding double with Lights Of Broadway and Victorian Anilla, while the Will Clarken and Niki O’Shea stable had a training double with Silent Surrente regaining winning form before Superior Sam scored impressively.

    DOM Tourneur and Justin Potter shared riding honours at Naracoorte on Sunday.

    Tourneur combined for a double with the Aaron Bain and Ned Taylor pair of Navy Gold and Midnight Mass while Potter claimed the bookends winning the opening race with Namadji and the last with Archway To Heaven for Scott Whittle.

  • Quality entries for The Pinnacles

    Star mare local mare Amelia’s Jewel headlines a quality list of nominations from around Australia for the upcoming Carnival in Western Australia – The Pinnacles.

    The leading stables on the eastern seaboard of Australia have all nominated horses for the rich five-meeting carnival in Western Australia. 

    The Pinnacles kicks off on November 18 with Champion Fillies Day and culminates on December 16 with Damien Oliver Gold Rush Day. 

    Western Australia’s three Group 1 races – the Railway Stakes (1600m), the Winterbottom Stakes (1200m) and the Northerly Stakes (1800m) will be held on three consecutive Saturday – November 25 through to December 9. 

    Connections of horses entered in The Pinnacles will chase $10.5 million in prizemoney. 

    Chris Waller has 26 horses entered across the feature races while other eastern seaboard stables with nominations include Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, Annabel Neasham,Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman , Anthony and Sam Freedman and Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr. 

    Inaugural Quokka winning trainer Bjorn Baker, has entered his Quokka victor Overpass in the Winterbottom Stakes while runner-up, Amelia’s Jewel heads the local entry for that race along with the Damien Oliver Gold Rush. 

    A total of 94 horses have been entered for the Railway Stakes, headlined by multiple Group 1 winner Zaaki, prepared by Neasham who has also entered My Oberon. 

    Chris Waller has entered 13 horses for the race, headed by Atishu, Osipenko and Kovalica while Australian Cup winner Cascadian, a previous Perth visitor for Godolphin, is among entries. 

    Former WA-based trainer Lindsey Smith has entered Tuvalu for a return to his previous hometown. 

    Among the 68 nominations for the Winterbottom Stakes includes Asfoora, last week’s Schillaci Stakes winner at Caulfield, Espiona for the Waller stable and I Am Me, a winner of six of her last eight starts for Maher and Eustace. 

    There are 106 nominations for the Northerly Stakes including last year’s Railway Stakes winner Trix Of The Trade for local trainer Colin Webster while Waller has entered Rediener and Moody and Coleman have three entries, including Stakes winner Pounding. 

    Local gallopers Red Can Man, Resortman, Startrade, Snowdome and My Bella Mae join Amelia’s Jewel among the 104 nominations for the Damien Oliver Gold Rush that also sees Nugget, a Cox Plate entrant for Maher and Eustace among nominations. 

    Perth Racing chief executive James Oldring is delighted with the quality of nominations for The Pinnacles. 

    “We have worked extremely hard to present The Pinnacles as an Australian racing carnival, not just a West Australian feature and the calibre of horses and trainers that have nominated for our carnival highlights are a testament to our progress in that regard,” Oldring said. 

    “It’s so important for the standing of our carnival, particularly our Group 1 events, to attract the best horses, trainers and jockeys in Australia. 

    “We look forward to extending a very warm welcome to everyone that travels from the east coast to take on the best of our home team, who will no doubt be all out to ensure that the bulk of the prize money, and the bragging rights, stay right here in Perth.”