Latest news with #AndrewAdkins
News.com.au
12-07-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Joseph Pride's progressive young sprinter King's Secret continues his hot form with an impressive win at Randwick
Private Eye's little brother King's Secret enhanced his growing reputation as an emerging star in his own right with another super sprinting performance at Royal Randwick on Saturday. The Joseph Pride -trained galloper continued his remarkable preparation when scoring his fourth victory in six starts in the Petaluma Benchmark 72 Handicap (1100m). Jockey Andrew Adkins has forged a hugely successful partnership with King's Secret throughout his preparation and produced a peach from an awkward alley to get the gelding home again. 'Joe and the team keep raising the bar and he keeps saying how high,' Adkins said. 'He is going super this preparation. He has really come to and is maturing. 'I was a bit worried going to the gates, that is the calmest he has ever been, I thought if he'd had enough or not. 'It is just him maturing and switching on and learning to the do the right things and all the basics. 'He's got the hang out if and is winning with style now.' King's Secret had been beaten two starts ago but has bounced back to his best in a big way with victories at Rosehill Gardens and Randwick at his past two. 'You have to take your hat off to Joe, he knows his horses so well,' Adkins said. 'Two back sort of went amiss, I said I don't know what's going on with him but Joe said we had him too fresh. 'They took him back home and sorted him out. Gave him a bit of work and he came back and won.' King's Secret had to give weight to his rivals with the topweight of 60.5kg but it did little to stunt his momentum. He three-wide early but Adkins was able to put himself in the perfect spot, one out and one back. King's Secret wins again! A fourth win for the preparation ðŸ'° Andrew Adkins with an early double at Randwick ðŸ'�ðŸ'� @PrideRacing @ProvenTbreds â€' 7HorseRacing ðŸ�Ž (@7horseracing) July 12, 2025 • Tomato Toastie triumphs in thrilling finish King's Secret ($6.50) let down powerfully from the furlong pole, holding off the Bjorn Baker -trained Stardeel ($3.90 favourite) by a half-length with Godolphin's Celerity ($6.50) close up in third. 'He puts his best foot forward and Andrew rode him brilliantly today,' Pride's stable representative Orla Pearl said. 'He knows him so well now. 'Before the race he said, 'we won't be riding the race, we'll be riding the horse' and that's exactly what he's done. 'And the horse, he is just so versatile and he has proved that.' 'It's impressive. To see a mare throw horses like that again and again and to have the family in the stable, it's something special.' King's Secret is a son of Shalaa out of Confidential Queen, which produced Private Eye. Private Eye has been a revelation for Pride and Proven Thoroughbreds throughout his career with more than $12 million in prizemoney earned. The son of Al Maher was placed in the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap during the Brisbane winter carnival. The leader holds on! 🙌 Aberlour wins at double figure odds with @AlyshaCollett in the saddle for the @PrideRacing stable! â€' SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) July 12, 2025 • Maher smells more success with unbeaten filly Just how high King's Secret reaches remains to be seen but Adkins, who had an earlier winner aboard Pensativa, is adamant the future is bright. 'He has carried topweight there against some good gallopers and has done a terrific job so I really don't know (what his ceiling is),' he said. 'It will be interesting to see after a spell how he develops and matures again and how he comes back, then we could probably tell.' His latest victory seals the BOBS horse the year crown for the stable and owners for consecutive years after In Flight claimed the title by winning the same race. King's Secret has banked $73,125 in bonuses this season. Pearl confirmed King's Secret will now be headed for a well-deserved spell with a fantastic record of four wins and three placings from eight starts. Pride, who was in Melbourne to watch In Flight in the Group 3 Sir John Monash Stakes, enjoyed a quick fire double in Sydney with Aberlour also scoring in the Toyota Forklifts Benchmark 78 Handicap (1800m). It was Pride's third Saturday metropolitan double in the past four weeks with Estadio Mestalla and Storm The Ramparts both scoring for the stable last weekend. His in-form galloper Headley Grange will attempt to qualify for the $3 million Big Dance when he contests Sunday's South Grafton Cup at Grafton.
News.com.au
04-07-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Trainer Matthew Smith plots feature race boilover with Astero in the 2025 Winter Stakes at Rosehill
Trainer Matt Smith is adamant Astero is going well enough to win Saturday's Listed $200,000 Winter Stakes (1400m) but concedes his consistent sprinter is going to need everything to go right at Rosehill Gardens. Smith is preparing to chase a two-state stakes double with Millie De Lune ($4.40) set to chase a valuable black type victory in the Group 3 $300,000 Winx Guineas (1600m) at the Sunshine Coast. Astero ($26) is a knockout hope in Sydney where the son of Zoustar will be chasing a maiden stakes victory in partnership with jockey Andrew Adkins. Smith believes Astero is more than capable of claiming a feature win and his seven-year-old wasn't far away last start when finishing 1-1/2 lengths off Headley Grange with a third in the Listed Civic Stakes. An awkward draw in barrier 10 makes life tougher this time around. 'He just hasn't had much luck with the gates,' Smith said. 'You kind of need luck in these races. 'It's a fairly even field with not much between them. Headley Grange, which beat him the other day, has beaten him a couple of times but we still haven't had a decent run. 'He is still not getting beaten far and has the ability to win one of these races but just needs everything to go right like a few others in the field. 'He is going good but the barrier is just no help to him.' Headley Grange adds the Listed Civic Stakes to his impressive record, and it's a Randwick treble to Jason Collett! 🙌 @PrideRacing @aus_turf_club — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 21, 2025 Smith will have a strong hand at Rosehill Gardens with World Alliance ($5.50 favourite) is pole position to make it back-to-back victories in the Foundation Female Member Benchmark 88 (1200m). World Alliance added to his fantastic winning record last start when scoring his sixth victory in 16 starts with a slashing success over 1100m at Canterbury. Jockey Jason Collett will continue his association with the son of Rubick. 'He was bloody good last start and is going good too,' Smith said. 'I am really happy with him. His work has been great and he is going well. 'His weight is right. We have given him a month between runs and he is fresh and well. 'I think he will run very well again.' Heavily-backed favourite World Alliance knuckles down late and records a strong win for @mcsmithracing with Jason Collett in the saddle ðŸ'° — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) July 10, 2024 • Clinton Payne's race-by-race tips, analysis for Rosehill Gardens on Saturday Golden Straand is another Smith galloper in winning form. The smart son of Snitzel is only lightly-raced as rising four-year-old with both of his starts coming this preparation. Golden Straand faced greenly on debut when second at Wyong before keeping his find on the job for an emphatic maiden victory at Gosford. He will get the chance to back up the win with Jay Ford aboard in the The Agency Real Estate Benchmark 72 Handicap (1300m). 'He is a nice horse but starting racing a little bit later, he lacks a bit of racecraft and smarts in a race environment,' Smith said. 'I probably would have liked to find something easier for him but he will run there and is a nice horse, going well. 'He is doing some stupid things but it's probably just racecraft. 'He did it easier the other day but we saw what he did the other day when he ran all over the joint. 'I really like the horse and I think he will get there but you have to keep racing horses like him while they are fit and well.' Anythink Goes ($23) is expected to run a bold race in the Asahi Super Dry Benchmark 78 Handicap (1400m) after running a close second to in-form sprinter Thunderlips at Royal Randwick last start on June 7. In Queensland, Millie De Lune is dropping back in trip in pursuit of valuable black type following her fast-finishing fourth over 1800m at Royal Randwick last month.
The Australian
31-05-2025
- General
- The Australian
From setback to success: Andrew Adkins shines with Lord Mayor's Cup success
A new improved model of jockey Andrew Adkins reaped the rewards for his hard work at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday when success in the Listed Lord Mayor's Cup was one of his two winners. Adkins, 27, had done it tough since he was involved in a horror fall in 2020 when he broke his leg in four different places, punctured a lung and broke a collarbone. He returned to the saddle eight months later but the opportunities started drying up and in 2024 he made the decision to change tact and move his riding career in a different direction. • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! 'I was coming to town, riding two or three 100-to-one chances, and I just spoke to the manager and we decided to try a different path,' Adkins said. 'We decided to take a step down, go back and get full books of chances at the provincials rather than coming to town on a Saturday and things have gone really well. 'The last 18 months or so, I've really been enjoying my riding and things have been going really well. 'Then you have a day like this, and you know you've done the right thing.' After riding less than 40 winners in each of the previous two seasons, Atkins is closing in on 60 race winners at a career best strike rate of 12.3 per cent for the 2024/25 season with two months still remaining until it draws to a close on July 31. 'Any Stakes winner is rewarding but to get two winners back in town today is very satisfying and it helps build that confidence,' he said. 'I've been back at the provincials for a while now and I've had great success there. 'It's been great for my confidence and now as we head into the winter months, the opportunities to come back and ride in town are opening up and like today, I've made the most of some really great opportunities.' • Eagle Farm to host Super Saturday after Derby Day washout Atkins win earlier in the day was aboard the impressive Joe Pride-trained King's Secret in the Toyota Forklifts 3&4YO Benchmark 72 Handicap (1100m) but his steer on the sometimes tricky Touristic in the Lord Mayor's Cup (2000m) was that of a mature rider at the peak of his powers. Touristic, a sometimes barrier rogue, jumped swiftly and rolled forward with Adkins finding a spot in the first three pairs of the field, switching him mount off to conserve energy before wheeling out four wide from the top of the straight and surging to the front 200m from home. 'The main thing for him today was to begin well, which is something he's not really known for, so that was box one ticked early on and from there I just wanted to have the most economical run as I could so that was another box ticked,' Adkins said. 'He had a really fluent run and he was always going to be strong late and he'd been crying out for a wet track like we've got today. 'He's a fit horse that was never going to stop so once he got the first half right, I was pretty confident he'll take some beating and that's the way it played out.' Touristic ($9) defeated Major Beel ($6) by two-and-a-quarter lengths with the $3.60 favourite Glory Daze another three-quarters of a length back in third. • McMurray's magic moment with first Saturday Sydney success Winning trainer Peter Snowden said the son of former British superstar Frankel was deserving of the victory while also praising the piloting skills of Adkins. 'He won well and he's done a really good job,' Snowden said. 'He's a horse that needs things to go right for him in a race and Andrew executed perfectly. 'He's a genuine enough horse but with cut in the ground, he relished the conditions and when he got put into the race like he was, he was always going to take some beating. 'Really happy for Andrew too. A genuine good guy that can ride light. 'He listens, works hard and we've had quite a bit of success over the years so yep, very happy for him.' Snowden said while Touristic 'has been up for a while' he would see how he comes through the run and consider a trip to Queensland for a race on the first weekend in July. 'A race like the Caloundra Cup might suit him,' he said. 'He can run a mile and a half. 'He ran second to Deny Knowledge in the Grafton Cup last year so he can get a trip and that might be on the cards.'
News.com.au
31-05-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
Jockey Andrew Adkins' strategic shift yields stakes success in Lord Mayor's Cup at Rosehill Gardens
A new improved model of jockey Andrew Adkins reaped the rewards for his hard work at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday when success in the Listed Lord Mayor's Cup was one of his two winners. Adkins, 27, had done it tough since he was involved in a horror fall in 2020 when he broke his leg in four different places, punctured a lung and broke a collarbone. He returned to the saddle eight months later but the opportunities started drying up and in 2024 he made the decision to change tact and move his riding career in a different direction. • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! 'I was coming to town, riding two or three 100-to-one chances, and I just spoke to the manager and we decided to try a different path,' Adkins said. 'We decided to take a step down, go back and get full books of chances at the provincials rather than coming to town on a Saturday and things have gone really well. 'The last 18 months or so, I've really been enjoying my riding and things have been going really well. 'Then you have a day like this, and you know you've done the right thing.' After riding less than 40 winners in each of the previous two seasons, Atkins is closing in on 60 race winners at a career best strike rate of 12.3 per cent for the 2024/25 season with two months still remaining until it draws to a close on July 31. 'Any Stakes winner is rewarding but to get two winners back in town today is very satisfying and it helps build that confidence,' he said. 'I've been back at the provincials for a while now and I've had great success there. 'It's been great for my confidence and now as we head into the winter months, the opportunities to come back and ride in town are opening up and like today, I've made the most of some really great opportunities.' See the sights! Touristic wins the Listed Lord Mayors Cup at Rosehill, and that's a double to Andy Adkins today! 🙌 ðŸ�† @SnowdenRacing1 | @aus_turf_club â€' SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) May 31, 2025 • Eagle Farm to host Super Saturday after Derby Day washout Atkins win earlier in the day was aboard the impressive Joe Pride -trained King's Secret in the Toyota Forklifts 3&4YO Benchmark 72 Handicap (1100m) but his steer on the sometimes tricky Touristic in the Lord Mayor's Cup (2000m) was that of a mature rider at the peak of his powers. Touristic, a sometimes barrier rogue, jumped swiftly and rolled forward with Adkins finding a spot in the first three pairs of the field, switching him mount off to conserve energy before wheeling out four wide from the top of the straight and surging to the front 200m from home. 'The main thing for him today was to begin well, which is something he's not really known for, so that was box one ticked early on and from there I just wanted to have the most economical run as I could so that was another box ticked,' Adkins said. 'He had a really fluent run and he was always going to be strong late and he'd been crying out for a wet track like we've got today. 'He's a fit horse that was never going to stop so once he got the first half right, I was pretty confident he'll take some beating and that's the way it played out.' Touristic ($9) defeated Major Beel ($6) by two-and-a-quarter lengths with the $3.60 favourite Glory Daze another three-quarters of a length back in third. What's next for Touristic after his Lord Mayors Cup win? Find out from Aaron Lau and Andy Adkins ðŸ'� @SnowdenRacing1 | @aus_turf_club â€' SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) May 31, 2025 • McMurray's magic moment with first Saturday Sydney success Winning trainer Peter Snowden said the son of former British superstar Frankel was deserving of the victory while also praising the piloting skills of Adkins. 'He won well and he's done a really good job,' Snowden said. 'He's a horse that needs things to go right for him in a race and Andrew executed perfectly. 'He's a genuine enough horse but with cut in the ground, he relished the conditions and when he got put into the race like he was, he was always going to take some beating. 'Really happy for Andrew too. A genuine good guy that can ride light. 'He listens, works hard and we've had quite a bit of success over the years so yep, very happy for him.' Snowden said while Touristic 'has been up for a while' he would see how he comes through the run and consider a trip to Queensland for a race on the first weekend in July. 'A race like the Caloundra Cup might suit him,' he said. 'He can run a mile and a half. 'He ran second to Deny Knowledge in the Grafton Cup last year so he can get a trip and that might be on the cards.'
News.com.au
31-05-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
Private Eye's little brother King's Secret proves his mettle with a stellar performance at Rosehill Gardens
King's Secret, the younger half-brother to top galloper Private Eye, has started his career in a similar winning vein to his illustrious sibling. Like Private Eye, King's Secret is trained by Joe Pride and he scored his maiden city win in the Toyota Forklifts 3&4YO Benchmark 72 Handicap (1100m) at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday. While King's Secret took five starts to win in the metropolitan arena, Private Eye did it at start four but he too won his first Saturday city race in his fifth trip to the races. • King's Secret, a three-year-old son of Shalaa (IRE), relished a strongly run race with Power Of The Brave highballing out in front before King's Secret got down to business in the straight, skipping across the heavy surface to score in impressive fashion. 'He travelled sweetly a couple of horses back from the lead and he's really starting to get more professional with every run,' winning jockey Andrew Adkins said. 'He switched right on today, showed good speed, travelled the whole way and when I asked for him, there was plenty there. 'He showed a good turn of foot so that's nice to know that he can handle a wet track like that. It's opens more doors going forward.' King's Secret ($8.50) defeated Codetta ($5.50) by three-quarters-of-a-length with the same margin back to Ellipsis ($4.80) in third. Pride said the win has made him 'have a rethink' initially indicating a spell was most likely for King's Secret but the ease of the win combined with the gelding's ability to handle rain affected ground on the eve of winter has the trainer hedging his bets. It's no secret that King's Secret has a bright future! ðŸ'' He wins at Rosehill for @PrideRacing and Andrew Adkins! @aus_turf_club | @ProvenTbreds â€' SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) May 31, 2025 • Zebra Finch eyes JJ Atkins glory after Rosehill triumph 'I think we'll get him home and make that decision after we see how he comes through the run,' Pride said. 'Either way he's a nice horse going forward so we'll what's best by the horse but it's good to know he's effective on wet tracks.' The $3.80 favourite, Don't Forget Jack blew his chances at the start, sitting down in the barriers as the starter let them go, missing the jump before finishing ninth. King's Secret is the third horse out of the mare Confidential Queen that Pride has trained and the three-year-old's younger sister Confidentiality is showing early signs of following in her older siblings footsteps. 'She's been a really good mare (Confidential Queen) to our stable,' Pride said. 'The first one I got was a horse called Royal Witness, he won $400,000, Private Eye speaks for himself and now King's Secret is doing everything right and looks to have a bright future. 'I just sent their sister Confidentiality to the paddock after a couple of trials and I really like her too.'
