Newcastle preview: An unusual failure can soon be forgotten as consistent gelding Rush Attack is well placed at home
Rush Attack settled midfield on the fence bit failed to run on and beat just three home behind Enter The Dragon on April 9.
Prior to that run, he won a Benchmark 72 Midway at Rosehill before a nose second in another Midway at Randwick behind Pocketing.
'There are some horses who go to Hawkesbury but just don't handle it,' said David Dyson, racing manager for Nathan Doyle.
'His previous form was very good in town which holds him in very good stead here.'
The gelding drops back to a Benchmark 58 and gets in well with 59kg on his back after the claim of Mollie Fitzgerald.
Rush Attack attacks the line to win the Midway second up at Rosehill for @ZacLloydx and @ndoyleracing! 🙌 @aus_turf_club pic.twitter.com/2E7lt5xSLM
â€' SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) February 22, 2025
'He is one of the most consistent horses in the stable,' Dyson said
'He has had a little gap between run hence why we trialled him on Monday just to get him ready.
'There's a bit speed in this race and he has drawn to get a beautiful run just behind them.
'One thing this horse does is try and he will put himself in the finish. That's just what he does.'
Queen's Rhapsody kicked off her campaign on a bright note with a length win at Hawkesbury on May 15.
While she won comfortable in the end, feedback from jockey William Stanley was that she floated once she hit the front.
Doyle has put visors on the three-year-old this week to help her focus and she looks extremely hard to beat in the Class 1 Handicap (1250m).
'We have put the visors on this week to help he concentrate a little bit more,' Dyson said.
'She worked in them about 10 days ago and was really good. She was very sharp. They seemed to have taken her to the next level.
'Once again, we have opted to claim again. Mitch Stapleford takes three kilos off which gets her into the race beautifully.'
Bohemian Art looked to have the race won at the 200m on debut when she hit but just didn't know how to put them away and Impressionism kicked back to narrowly beat her.
She then went to Kembla where she was a well beaten fifth to Monte Veebee but was found to have bled from one nostril.
Having galloped to stewards satisfaction since then, the stable expects her to bounce back in the Maiden Plate (1400m) for fillies and mares.
'Put a line through that run,' Dyson said.
'She galloped for the stewards here last Friday over 1000m to clear that embargo and she worked very strongly.
'We are very happy with her we think she is back to where she was at her first-up run.'
Doyle also has two youngsters making their debut in the 2YO Maiden Handicap (1200m).
Divo is a grandson of Makybe Diva by Capitalist who has shown plenty of ability winning his two trials this preparation.
Just Response is by Justify and like his stablemate, has won both his trials.
'Divo has got a lot of speed. My one query with him is the long time between his last trial on April 24 and his race debut,' said Dyson.
'It would be great if it could get back to somewhere near a soft because the drier the better for him.
'Just Response isn't as sharp as Divo but he has got the fitness edge on his side. He trialled on the Beaumont on Monday and went very well.
'The wet track was absolutely no issue to him so he is one horse we know will get through it.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Telegraph
an hour ago
- Daily Telegraph
Wallabies vs British and Irish Lions: Third Test live stream, preview, how to watch
Don't miss out on the headlines from Rugby. Followed categories will be added to My News. This Lions tour was said to be the first step of Rugby Australia turning a $36.8 million deficit into a profit. That may still be the case, with tens of thousands of touring fans pouring through the turnstiles for all three Tests. But where will a series whitewash leave the game as a whole in Australia? FOLLOW THE BUILD-UP AND THIRD TEST IN OUR BLOG BELOW Aussies love a winner, but the Wallabies haven't been doing much of that recently. The U8s running around suburban grounds in Sydney and Brisbane don't care about RA's bank balance. They want to see their heroes winning games and lifting trophies. That's the only way to ensure the next generation grows up throwing a Gilbert around rather than a Steeden or a Sherrin. JOSEPH-AUKUSO SUAALII'S BEST POSITION Suaalii has played well enough on attack – his break to set up Tom Wright's try in Melbourne last weekend was a perfect example. But he has repeatedly been caught out defensively. At times, so has his midfield partner Len Ikitau, who has been moved to inside centre rather than his preferred spot at outside to accommodate Suaalii. Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii is brought to a halt during the second Test. Despite growing calls for Suaalii to be switched to the wing so the Wallabies can select a proven centre pairing of Hunter Paisami and Len Ikitau, head coach Joe Schmidt is sticking with his same midfield combo for game three but he can expect some criticism if it doesn't work out. THE BENCH Harry Potter's injury was a hiccup – and the Lions have much more depth that Australia – but Andy Farrell's supporters will argue that he also out-coached Joe Schmidt at the Melbourne Cricket Ground last weekend. Owen Farrell came on in the final quarter and provided an instant impact, off the ball as much as on it. Meanwhile, Ben Donaldson – who has several years more experience at Test level than Tom Lynagh - was left stranded on the bench as Australia desperately tried to hang on but couldn't, raising questions about Schmidt's tactics. Question marks were asked after Ben Donaldson watched on from the bench in Melbourne. Strangely, Schmidt picked a 6-2 forwards-backs split for Melbourne in the belief that it would rain, but when there wasn't a drop in the sky, it gave the Lions the advantage because they went with a traditional 5-3 split. But this week, with heavy showers forecast for Accor Stadium, the Lions have added an extra forward as a precaution for the weather while the Wallabies have returned to the 5-3 split they abandoned last week. THE WHISTLEBLOWERS Georgian referee Nika Amashukeli and his assistants will be under intense scrutiny this week after the controversial ending to the second Test when the match officials opted against penalising the Lions' backrower Jac Morgan for his clean-out on Carlo Tizzano. Schmidt launched a blistering attack over the ruling, saying it went against the game's pledge to player safety, which drew a sharp rebuke from World Rugby, which is trying to protect referees from the vile abuse they sometimes cop on social media. Nika Amashukeli shows Owen Farrell a yellow card. Regardless, with matches regularly stopped while Television Match Officials pore over replays of contentious incidents, the whistleblowers will be under more pressure than usual this weekend. TACKLE, TACKLE, TACKLE All the complaining in the world won't change the result from the first two matches but there is one area that might make a difference if they fix things up. When the Wallabies were the best team in the world, the cornerstone of their success was their outstanding defence. When they last won the World Cup, in 1999, they famously conceded just one try in six matches in the entire tournament. But in the two Tests against the Lions so far, they have given up eight tries, three in Brisbane then five in Melbourne, while also repeatedly falling off tackles. In Brisbane, the Wallabies missed 29 tackles in an eight point loss then missed 23 tackles in their three point loss in Melbourne. If they can plug those holes, they won't need to worry about blaming officials because they might just win. Originally published as Wallabies vs British and Irish Lions: Third Test preview, how to watch
Daily Telegraph
an hour ago
- Daily Telegraph
AFLW: Chloe Molloy, Kate Hore and Ally Anderson open up about league's future ahead of 2025 season
Don't miss out on the headlines from Stellar. Followed categories will be added to My News. Posing on set for Stellar's shoot in Sydney's eastern suburbs is worlds away from the footy field, yet Chloe Molloy – co-captain of Sydney Swans' AFLW team – embraces being out of her comfort zone. 'I can respect what models do,' Molloy tells Stellar with a laugh. 'I get so awkward – I'm not camera shy but then … I am slightly camera shy.' Molloy, who grew up in the Victorian town of Whittlesea, made her AFLW debut in 2017 – and won the AFLW Rising Star Award, was named All-Australian three times, and nabbed a Best and Fairest at her former club Collingwood, before signing with the Swans in 2023. Ahead of the start of the 2025 AFLW season – marking the league's tenth overall (two seasons were played in 2022) – Molloy and her cohorts, Brisbane Lions dual premiership player Ally Anderson and Melbourne captain Kate Hore – reflect on how the league has changed since its inception in 2017. Ally Anderson, Chloe Molloy and Kate Hore on Stellar's set. Picture: Steven Chee for Stellar 'The game has evolved a lot,' Molloy says. As for what she would like to see in its future? 'I'd love for there to be more analysis [of matches]. I'd love more camera angles [during broadcasts]. I think you can get caught up with what we don't have … and forget how far we have come.' The trio is hopeful that, like them, more AFLW players will be able to earn a full-time salary from playing in the coming years – an ambition shared by the AFL. '[The AFL] is committed to us being full-time,' Molloy notes. 'When that is, hopefully sooner rather than later. There's growth in the game that's happening and still needs to happen. Salaries not only for the players but salaries around [for support staff]. Hopefully in the next few years [there will be] full time wages not just for the players, but for everyone around us.' Molloy, 26, is on track to make her return to the Swans after an Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injury ruled her out of last season. 'It was very hard to process that I had even done it,' Molloy says. 'And you just know straight away that you are on the sidelines for so long. I didn't realise how mentally taxing it would be: 10, 11 months. One that I wouldn't wish upon anybody. It is a rehab beast – at times, it definitely defeated me. Now, I look ahead and everything that I have been through. It kind of makes me think, I just want to play football. I don't have a return date set. Fingers crossed [for a round one return].' The trio discuss the future of the AFLW ahead of its milestone tenth season in a Stellar exclusive. Picture: Steven Chee for Stellar Brisbane Lions midfielder Anderson, who played in two premierships with the club and is a three-time AFLW All-Australian, is firmly focused on avenging the Lions crushing Grand Final loss to North Melbourne last season. 'It was super devastating and a bit emotional,' Brisbane-born Anderson – a proud Gangulu / Wakka Wakka woman – tells Stellar. 'And it wasn't the first Grand Final that we'd lost,' the 31-year-old adds. 'I have been on both sides and it never gets any easier. You sort of have a really big break in the off-season away from footy. 'As a team, we have worked together. The position we have put ourselves in throughout the whole pre-season to … get back to what we were and do one better. 'We all want to redeem ourselves.' Swans co-captain Chloe Molloy, right, takes on the Pies at North Sydney Oval last season. Picture: Phil Hillyard Molloy, left, with teammate Sofia Hurley (centre). Picture: Phil Hillyard 'It never gets any easier.' Ally Anderson of the Brisbane Lions on THAT Grand Final loss. Picture: Getty Images Picture: Getty Images Like Molloy, Anderson made her AFLW debut in 2017 and she adds: 'I've played every game since'. The winner of the 2022 AFL Women's best and fairest award, Anderson notes: 'I'm one of the lucky ones – for the past 3-4 years, I've been able to dedicate myself to footy. I've been able to work on my fitness and I have had a lot of improvement over the past few years. I never thought I'd be a full-time professional athlete.' Ahead of the new season, Hore says she is more aware than ever about being a role model to the next generation 'It definitely took me a bit of time for it to sink in,' the 30-year-old says. 'My idols in footy growing up were all male, so for young girls to now have AFLW athletes to look up to is pretty cool. 'The saying 'you can't be what you can't see' resonates with me.' Kate Hore is the captain of Melbourne's AFLW team. Picture: Getty Images 'A big part of our lives!' Kate Hore, right, in action during Melbourne's clash against GWS last season. Picture: Getty Images Hore, a three-time All-Australian player, Best & Fairest winner, and the league's leading goalkicker in 2023, is in a relationship with Corey Maynard, a former footballer who now works in player development at North Melbourne – and the couple share their Melbourne home with a Golden Retriever puppy, Benny. 'Footy is obviously a big part of our lives but we love getting out of the footy bubble whenever we can,' Hore says. 'We are both very competitive, so when either of our teams lose we're probably not much fun to be around. He's incredibly supportive of my footy career.' The 2025 NAB AFLW Premiership season starts on Thursday, August 14. See Read the full interviews with Chloe Molloy, Ally Anderson and Kate Hore and see the shoot inside Sunday's Stellar, via The Sunday Telegraph (NSW), Sunday Herald Sun (Victoria), The Sunday Mail (Queensland) and Sunday Mail (SA). For more from Stellar, click here.
ABC News
3 hours ago
- ABC News
Rugby League 26 video game developer hits back at criticism from players who 'should know better'
The boss of video game developer Big Ant Studios has hit back at criticism of the newly launched Rugby League 26 game, following high-profile players slamming the release. Some players, including Sydney Roosters prop Millie Elliott and State of Origin star Kennedy Cherrington, have criticised their likeness in the game, while issues with the gameplay and the inability to use players in their real-world positions have also caused backlash. Issues ranged from retired players being highly rated, to stadiums being in the wrong cities, while gameplay was also highlighted on social media. Ross Symons, chief executive of Big Ant Studios, hit back at the criticism of likenesses in Rugby League 26. "The ones that are talking should know better because, frankly, they've made statements that really are reasonably outrageous, because we have gone around the world, even to the north of England, just to scan women in game," he told the ABC. "Eighty per cent of our sponsorship money goes to women's sport. We take it extraordinarily seriously. "We actually travelled to capture NRLW players specifically in captures up to Townsville and everywhere. "They were told, 'Please, please be at the shoot because if you're not at the shoot, you won't look like you'. We were very clear. Symons said Big Ant Studios would be attending the NRLW Magic Round to conduct more facial scans to add to the game. "We have offered to capture as many players who would like to sit in the chair. And sitting in the chair takes 45 seconds," he said. Rugby League 26 was highly anticipated, as it came eight years after the last iteration, Rugby League Live 4. Cherrington described the game as "half-finished", while social media was flooded with gamers reporting glitches and errors. Symons said some of the issues stemmed from a compressed rollout timeline, which required the developers to submit the game for disc printing two months before the launch date. He also said that despite calls from the public, delaying was "not an option we were given" and that online multiplayer feature issues were temporary. "Then the product we want people to have is ready with a day one patch, because things change," he said "Even in sport itself, just the nature of sport where things change, where rosters change, injuries occur, ratings change." Big Ant was also criticised for its inability to manage demand on its servers, which locked players out for hours. Symons said the demand for the game was six times higher than expected, and said it had outsold video game franchise members Assassin's Creed: Shadows, Death Stranding 2: On The Beach and Donkey Kong Bananza. "It is number one by a margin and our servers also had that problem." Despite the backlash about Rugby League 26 from users, the fact there is a game for a code played predominantly in just three countries is noteworthy. A large part of that, and the reason for an eight-year hiatus, was the commercial viability of making a game for a relatively small market. Big Ant Studios was the recipient of the Digital Games Tax Offset (DGTO), introduced in 2023 to encourage local game development studio investment in Australia, which allows companies to claim back 30 per cent of qualified Australian expenditure. This funding model is similar to other schemes designed to encourage local filmmaking, and Symons says this program "allows us to take risks that we otherwise couldn't take". "The world would call the AFL, the same with NRL and to some extent cricket, a niche sport. It's our lifeblood and we love it, but no one else wants to make these sports games. "That's where the DGTO really, really does help, it enables to tell Australian stories and in particular, Australian sport because I don't think Australian sport gets a title if it's not for things like the DGTO because it just becomes not commercially viable." Big Ant Studios also made the AFL and cricket video games, as well as a tennis game based around the Australian Open. The Sydney Roosters were approached for comment but did not respond before publication.
