Category Archives: Statue of Liberty

Hay List to face vet’s exam before Group 1

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Eight runners have accepted for Friday night’s Group I William Reid Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley but a cloud hangs over the Newmarket Handicap winner Hay List’s fitness.

Hay List (Statue Of Liberty – Sing Hallelujah, by Is It True) won the Newmarket Handicap despite racing under unfavourable weight terms in the $1 million sprint.

The giant gelding has the weights to suit in the William Reid Stakes¬† but must past a vet’s exam on Thursday afternoon if he is to take his place in the $400,000 sprint.

Hay List’s trainer John McNair advised Racing Victoria stewards Hay List has sustained a bruised heel in the past few days. McNair said he has treated the sprinter’s issue but Hay List faces a race against time to be fit for the final Group 1 race of the Melbourne Festival Of Racing.

Below is the full field for the Group 1 William Reid Stakes.

No Horse Trainer Jockey Barr Weight Sire
1 HAY LIST John McNair Glyn Schofield 4 58.5kg Statue Of Liberty
2 BUFFERING Robert Heathcote Michael Rodd 3 58.5kg Mossman
3 WOORIM Robert Heathcote Damian Browne 8 58.5kg Show A Heart
4 REKINDLED INTEREST Jim Conlan Dwayne Dunn 6 58.5kg Redoute’s Choice
5 BEADED Peter Snowden Kerrin McEvoy 2 56.5kg Lonhro
6 LONE ROCK Robert Smerdon Craig Williams 5 56.5kg Fastnet Rock
7 MID SUMMER MUSIC Peter G Moody Luke Nolen 7 56.5kg Oamaru Force
8 FOXWEDGE John O’Shea Nash Rawiller 1 56kg Fastnet Rock

Mighty Hay List

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Hay List (6 g Statue Of Liberty – Sing Hallelujah, by Is It True) shrugged off the absence of Black Caviar to win the $1 million Lexus Newmarket Handicap (1200m) in brave style at Flemington on Saturday.

Hay List raced up the centre of the track and under his 58.5kg top-weight looked to be destined for another Group 1 second place but his fighting qualities dug in and he wore down Buffering (Mossman) in the final strides. Foxwedge (Fasnet Rock) finished third ahead of Phelan Ready, who finished hard for fourth.

“John (McNair) had him so well, he wanted to over-race with the big weight and I didn’t want him to do too much too early,‚Äù Schofield said.¬†”I didn’t really want to make him carry his weight the whole way. I just wanted to make him carry it inside the last furlong.”

Schofield was at pains to pay tribute to Hay List and the Gosford-based McNair, who nursed the horse back to health after an illness that almost claimed the gelding’s life last year.

“He hit the front inside the last furlong and he felt it (the weight),‚Äù Schofield said. “Fortunately, he didn’t have one mare (Black Caviar) to chase down today.¬†This fellow deserves his day in the sun. He is his own history maker today.”

“Full marks to John. He brought this horse back from death’s door, stuck with him, kept him up to the mark.‚Äù

Caviar against eight in Lightning Stakes

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Bel Esprit’s (Royal Academy – Bespoken, by Vain) greatest representative Black Caviar (Bel Esprit – Helsinge, by Desert Sun) will face eight rivals as the champion mare bids for her 19th straight win in Saturday’s Group 1 Lightning Stakes (1000m) at Flemington.

Black Caviar will back up seven days after her last start for the first time in her amazing career. The Peter Moody-trained mare will face a dual-pronged attack from Fastnet Rock’s progeny (Danehill – Piccadilly Circus, by Royal Academy).

Group 1 winner Lone Rock (Fastnet Rock – Pride Of Pine, by Lion Cavern) and promising three-year-old colt Foxwedge (Fastnet Rock – Forest Native, by Forest Wildcat) will begin their autumn campaigns in the $750,000 race.

Eliza Park sires look to have a tight hold on the Lightning Stakes quinella with another famous export from the Victorian operation Hay List (Statue Of Liberty – Sing Hallelujah, by Is It True).

Below is the field for the Group 1 Lightning Stakes (1000m) at Flemington.

NO RUNNER TRAINER JOCKEY SIRE
1 Phelan Ready Jason McLachlan Brad Rawiller More Than Ready
2 Hay List John McNair Glyn Schofield Statue Of Liberty
3 Buffering Robert Heathcote Michael Rodd Mossman
4 Temple Of Boom Tony Gollan Dan Nikolic Piccolo
5 Secret Flyer Mark Young Dwayne Dunn Secret Savings
6 Metallurgical John Thompson Craig Williams Redoute’s Choice
7 Black Caviar Peter Moody Luke Nolen Bel Esprit
8 Lone Rock Robert Smerdon Glen Boss Fastnet Rock
9 Foxwedge John O’Shea Nash Rawiller Fastnet Rock

Eliza Park double

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Eliza Park Stud stallions enjoyed another winning double around Australia on Thursday.  The Gai Waterhouse trained Crystal Empire (3 f Statue Of Liberty РMy Little Girl, by Danehill) won the $16,000 PKP & Associates Maiden over 1350m at Wyong while the Robbie Griffiths trained Spirit Of Pompeii (4 m Bel Esprit РPompeii Glory, by Pompeii Court) proved a length and a half too good for her rivals in the $15,000 Come To Life Maiden over 1200m at Ballarat.

Gooree-homebred Crystal Empire came away at the finish to defeat Alta Floresta (Testa Rossa) by three and a quarter lengths on her sixth start.

A half-sister to stakes performed Solar Antiquity (Desert Sun), Spirit Of Pompeii sold for $60,000 as a yearling from the draft of Fulmen Park at the 2008 Inglis Premier Sale

Long-distance doubles for Eliza Park and Widden

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Victorian operation Eliza Park’s stallions went to great lengths to produce a winning double on Tuesday with successes at each end of Australia.

The Neil Dyer stable produced the first leg of Eliza Park’s dual success when Bel Shandy (Bel Esprit – Mrs Bently, by Euclase) won the Rex Gorell Volkswagen Handicap (1200m) in Victoria. Manhattan Skyline (Statue Of Liberty – Kylie’s Waltz, by Secret Savings) completed Eliza Park’s double with a win more than 3000km away in Townsville in the Cup Calcutta Thursday @ 6pm Handicap (1200m).

Eliza Park is home to the sires of Australia’s two highest rated sprinters. Eliza Park stands Bel Esprit (Royal Academy – Bespoken, by Vain), the sire of world champion speedster Black Caviar (Bel Esprit – Helsinge, by Desert Sun) while Statue Of Liberty is the sire of Hay List (Statue Of Liberty – Sing Hallelujah, by Is It True).

Widden Stud stallions completed a similar feat with wins at the Geelong and Townsville meetings. Twitchintime (General Nediym – Forest Flame, by Twig Moss) won the Pro-Ride Handicap (1300m) at Geelong before Beaux Strata (Stratum – Mysterious Times, by Carry The Crown) claimed the Book Now For Cup Day Handicap (1630m) at Townsville.

Three for Bel Esprit in Victoria

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A treble to Black Caviar’s (Bel Esprit – Helsinge, by Desert Sun) sire Bel Esprit (Royal Academy – Bespoken, by Vain) has laid the platform for a quartet of successes for Victorian breeder Eliza Park on Saturday.

Two of Bel Esprit’s wins came at the Flemington meeting in Melbourne. Promising filly Bolisimo Miss (Bel Esprit – Yarraliss, by Rokosz) started the day in fine style for the sire with her win in the AFL Life Members & Carbine Club Handicap (1100m).

Adelaide gelding Belfast Boy (Bel Esprit – Fast Dolly, by Bureaucracy) ¬†completed Bel Esprit’s Flemington double after the three-year-old outslugged Nicholls Court (Mujahid – Another Shot, by Keltrice) to claim the Henry Bucks Best Dressed Handicap (1200m).

Northern Gem (Bel Esprit – My Jaspa, by Heroicity) made it a treble for Bel Esprit in his home state when the filly claimed the Brian Clarke Vet Practice Maiden Plate (1000m). Bel Esprit’s trio of wins took his season’s tally to 109.

Statue Of Liberty (Storm Cat – Charming Lassie, by Seattle Slew) completed the quartet for Eliza Park stallions when French Gift (Statue Of Liberty – Our Twig, by New Regent) won the South Newcastle LC Maiden Plate (2300m) at Newcastle.

Former Eliza Park resident Black Hawk (Nureyev – Silver Lane, by Silver Hawk) provided the quinella to the $150,000 Banjo Paterson Series Final (2600m) at Flemington. The Robert Smerdon-trained Black And Bent (Black Hawk – Summer Gambit, by Bestebreuje) edged out Swooper (Black Hawk – Killorellin Belle, by Final Card) to claim the prize.

Bel Esprit will stand at Eliza Park for $27,500 in the upcoming season while Statue Of Liberty will command a $17,600 service fee. Black Hawk now stands at the Breeders Stallion Station at Hokkaido in Japan.

Eliza Park fees

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After announcing earlier in the week it will be standing the Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver (USA), Eliza Park Stud released the rest of its fees for 2011 yesterday.

Lonhro stakes winner, Dissolved will also stand his first season in 2011 and will stand at a fee of $5,500 alongside Black Caviar’s sire Bel Esprit ($27,500), current leading Australian First Season Sire, Written Tycoon ($11,000), Statue Of Liberty ($17,600), Wanted ($38,500), Magnus ($22,000), Super Saver ($16,500), Bushranger ($9900), Shinzig ($8800), Sharkbite ($5500) and Gods Own (On application).

Nominations to each stallion come with a transferrable free return and payment of service fees is extended to March 31st, 2012.