Tag Archives: Eliza Park

First Stakes winner for Shinzig

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The $10,000 purchase Psychic Mick (Shinzig – Super Fund, by Bianconi) became the first Stakes winner for Eliza Park stallion Shinzig (Danehill – Shindig, by Straight Strike) with his comfortable success in Saturday’s Listed Vain Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield.

The Adelaide-trained three-year-old earned the name Psychic Mick after his part-owner Mick Duffield has a “premonition” about buying Lot 118 at the 2011 Adelaide Magic Millions Yearling Sale.

Trained by Daniel Clarken, Psychic Mick won three races in Adelaide before taking on the Victorians on a heavy Caulfield track. The sodden ground proved no problem for Psychic Mick when the gelding sprinted clear of his opposition after racing on the speed under the guidance of jockey Chris Symons.

“It’s hard to line up the form from Adelaide, but he couldn’t have done any more at home and his trial the other day was very good,” Clarken said.

“He travelled well to the corner and really let down nice.”

Psychic Mick is one of two winners from the first racing crop of Shinzig, who won the Group 1 C F Orr Stakes (1400m) in 2008 for the Mick Price stable.

Shinzig will stand for $6600 (inc GST) during the 2012 breeding season.

Five winners in two days for Bel Esprit

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Eliza Park resident Bel Esprit (Royal Academy – Bespoken, by Vain) has shot out of the blocks in the news season with five winners in the opening days of 2012/13, including four on Thursday.

Bel Esprit’s progeny claimed three races on Thursday’s Bendigo card, including the gutsy all the way win of the Colin Little-trained Work The Line (Bel Esprit – My Sweet Pamela, by Kenmare) in the Horizon House Handicap (1600m).

Glen Boss took the gelding across the field from a wide gate before Work The Line prevailed in a driving finish, giving Little the impression her has a talented type on his hands after the grey scored his third win from seven starts.

“He’s a bit like an early three-year-old instead of a four-year-old,” Little said. “He’s obviously got a bit of ability. He might keep improving.”
Drifting Spirit’s (Bel Esprit – Get Around, by Xaar) win at Gawler made it four for Bel Esprit on Thursday before the $62,500 yearling purchase Cubic Inches (Bel Esprit – Gazania, by Encosta De Lago) continued the stallion’s good beginning with his win in the Ipswich Jets Leagues Club Maiden (1350m) at Ipswich.

 

Third Stakes win for Written Tycoon

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Eliza Park stallion Written Tycoon (Iglesia – Party Miss, by Kenmare) enjoyed success at the perfect time when Howmuchdoyouloveme (Written Tycoon – Betula Belle, by  Celtic Swing) won Wednesday’s Listed Ramornie Stakes (1200m) at Grafton.

Written Tycoon will stand his first season at Eliza Park’s new Queensland operation in 2012. Howmuchdoyouloveme produced a terrific advertisement for his sire to his new marketplace with his all the way win at the northern NSW track.

Howmuchdoyouloveme jumped straight to the lead in the $150,000 contest, allowing jockey Brenton Avdulla to dictate proceedings before sending the gelding clear of his opposition at the 200 metres.

The three-year-old strode home to record a 3-3/4 length win, which was Howmuchdoyouloveme’s fourth from five starts for Sydney trainer Con Karakatsanis, whose father Tony paid just $5000 for the horse at the 2010 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale.

“He jumped and was right on the bunny,” Con Karakatsanis told Sky Racing World. “We don’t know how good this horse is. He’s an absolute superstar at this stage. He just runs on raw ability.

“He’ll have a short little break after this. I’m sure there’s some nice races for him in Melbourne.”
Written Tycoon will stand for $15,400 (inc GST) during the 2012 breeding season.

 

Eight for Black Hawk after Sunshine Coast Guineas

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Tuskegee Hawk (Black Hawk – Cosi Fan Tutte, by Snippets) became the eighth individual Stakes winnerfor former Japanese star Black Hawk (Nureyev – Silver Lane,   by Silver Hawk).

The three-year-old was part of Black Hawk’s final Australian crop sired at Eliza Park Stud in Victoria. The Len Treloar-trained filly lived up to the reputation of Black Hawk’s progeny when she relished a wet track to score convincingly.

“The winter carnival staying races next year will be ideal for her but what we do in the meantime remains to be seen,” Tuskegee Hawk’s trainer Len Treloar said.

“I was in Singapore when I saw this filly was available for sale as a yearling and I bought her after my son Russell gave her a good report.

“But she suffered from travel sickness on the way up from Victoria and we had to nurse her back to health.”

The victory was Tuskegee Hawk’s fourth from nine starts and took her prizemoney tally to more than $97,000.

Desert Sun passes away at Eliza Park

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Desert Sun (Green Desert – Solar, by Hotfoot I), the dam of one champion and the damsire of another, has passed away at Eliza Park on Monday at 23.

Desert Sun moved to the Victorian stud in 1999, just as his superstar daughter Sunline (Desert Sun – Songline, by Western Symphony) assumed her mantle as Australasia’s best racehorse of the day with her wins in the Cox Plate and Doncaster Mile of that year.

Sunline repeated her Cox Plate and Doncaster Mile victories before the New Zealand-trained mare won the Hong Kong Mile in 2000 before retiring in 2002 with 32 wins from 48 starts.

Desert Sun’s 2000 mating with Group class sprinter Scandinavia produced Helsinge (Desert Sun – Scandinavia,  by Snippets). Helsinge went on the foal the undefeated megastar Black Caviar (Bel Esprit – Helsinge, by Desert Sun), who continued her sire’s legacy with her win in the Group 1 Golden Jubilee Stakes (6f) at Royal Ascot.

Black Caviar’s half-brother All Too Hard (Casino Prince – Helsinge, by Desert Sun) could give the family another Group 1 success during his three-year-old season in the Caulfield Guineas.

Black Caviar scrapes home in Diamond Jubilee

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Black Caviar (Bel Esprit – Helsinge, by Desert Sun) posted her 22nd straight win in heart-stopping circumstances in Saturday’s Group 1 Golden Jubilee Stakes (6f) at Royal Ascot.

Having her first start outside Australia, Black Caviar raced on the speed before breaking two lengths clear of her opposition at the furlong pole.

The break gave jockey Luke Nolen the idea the race was in Black Caviar’s keeping. Nolen stopped riding the superstar without realising Moonlight Cloud (Invincible Spirit – Ventura, by Spectrum) and Restiadargent (Kendargent – Restia, by Montjeu) were charging up on her outside.

Nolen flung the reins at Black Caviar, asking her to bail him out of trouble in the final five strides, before the mare lifted just enough to prevail by a head. Moody and Nolen both said Black Caviar looked and felt nowhere near her invincible best in the Diamond Jubilee Stakes but were relieved the mare’s unbeaten run remained intact.

“She had had enough and her big engine had sort of died down,” Nolen said. “It’s unfortunate because it will overshadow what was a very good win. “I tried to shut her down. It was brain fade… but I just got it wrong.

Moody reminded the world Black Caviar had won the race, declaring the margin was irrelevant in such trying circumstances.

“We never ask her for dominance… We’re very proud of her. She’s 22 out of 22 [races]. It’s never about margins, it’s never about dominance. I’m an extremely proud Aussie.”

Moody immediately ruled Black Caviar out of the Group 1 July Cup (6f). The trainer said Black Caviar would enter quarantine on Sunday before returning to Australia in 28 days.

Caviar pleases Moody at first UK look

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Top Australian trainer Peter Moody says undefeated champion Black Caviar (Bel Esprit – Helsinge, by Desert Sun) has pleased him in his first look at the superstar since arriving in the UK.

Black Caviar arrived in England last week for her tilt at the Group 1 Diamond Jubilee Stakes (6f) at Royal Ascot. Moody joined the mare’s support team in the UK on Thursday and was pleased with what he saw.

“She looks super, really pleased when I saw her under saddle this morning,” Moody told the Racing Post.

“I thought it was the same horse I saw seven or eight days ago. That was most important for me.”

Moody has often questioned the need for Black Caviar to travel to prove her greatness after 21 straight wins in her home country. The trainer made the point again to the UK media on Friday morning local time.

“It would be the crowning glory on a record that she has built,” Moody said. “I have said it before with chats with some of your commentators on this side of the world.

“It is strange that we have to travel three quarters of the way around the world to race inferior opposition for inferior prize-money for her to stamp her greatness.

“That does not make a lot of sense to me. Horses of her ilk do not normally go out of their comfort zone.

“I think the owners are to be congratulated for risking her great record. There is no doubt it is a massive risk for her to come here and compete here – really, for very little gain.”

Black Caviar is a long odds-on favourite to continue her amazing winning run at Royal Ascot next Saturday.