June 7th, 2006

At the Sandown meeting on the Lakeside course, Kashani's daughter, Just Heaven recorded her second win in Australia when she took out the Golden Chariot Hcp (1200m). 

Just Heaven is a six-year-old mare who had a preparation in Singapore under the care of John Meagher in Singapore after her last win at Sandown in 2004. She had confirmed her ability by finishing third to Gunnamatta in the 2004 Mornington Cup (2000m). 

In Singapore she had seven runs over two preparations and Just Heaven was placed on three occasions, including once at Group Three level over 1600m, before returning to trainer Tony Noonan at Mornington. 

This campaign Just Heaven hadn't been placed in six runs for Noonan before breaking through at $15 today to take her overall record to five wins and five placings from 22 starts. 

Ridden by Stephen Baster, Just Heaven (ex Zamabar by Zamazaan) scored by a half-length from Poiym (General Nediym - Poet's Platform) with Fullta (Mookta - Fulgid) a short head away third. 

June 6th, 2006

At Flemington on Saturday, a mistake by the previously unbeaten jumper Sopratutto paved the way for the Therese Patton-trained mare Sweet Shani, ridden by the trainer's brother Patrick Payne, to land their biggest jumps win in the LV Lachal Hurdle (3400m) at Flemington.

The Barry Barnes-trained Sopratutto (Personal Flag - My Amapola by Sumayr) was setting a good speed in front in search of his fourth successive jumps win but dislodged his rider Wayne Smith at a hurdle at about 1200m from home.

True Steel then took over briefly before Tadakatsu raced clear.  Sweet Shani (ex Sterling Princess by One Pound Sterling) raced through the pack to take over after the second last hurdle to draw away and win by 2-1/4 lengths Tadakatsu (Shinko King - Secret Sound by Sound Reason) with Sissano (Last Tycoon - Tristera by Sir Tristram) finishing four lengths away third.

Patton praised her brother Patrick and her sister Cathy for doing much of the work with Sweet Shani who was sent to her by New Zealand trained Kevin "Dummy" Myers, a good friend of the Payne family.

Sweet Shani, raced by Patton, Tracy McEvoy, the mother of international jockey Kerrin McEvoy, and Dave Blackburn, has won three and finished second in the other of her four hurdle starts.

Patton said the five-year-old Kashani mare would have her next start in the Australian Hurdle (3400m) at Sandown on June 17 before tackling the $250,000 Grand National Hurdle (4300m) at Flemington on July 1, if everything "pans out".

True Steel (Jeune - How Special by Persian Heights) who was having his first jumps start, was pulled up on the home turn.