Latest news with #DoncasterMile
Herald Sun
6 days ago
- Sport
- Herald Sun
Chris Munce makes big call to miss spring carnival with gun colt Cool Archie
Don't miss out on the headlines from Horse Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News. Chris Munce has made the call to skip the spring carnival with his exceptional young Group 1-winning colt Cool Archie, with exciting dreams of next year's Group 1 Doncaster Mile potentially in mind. Cool Archie took the Queensland winter carnival by storm, winning five races on the bounce culminating in the Group 1 JJ Atkins. • 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! The young colt showed amazing versatility, winning on wet and dry tracks and races from 1000m to 1600m, and he would be a great pick to score Australian 2YO horse of the year honours. Cool Archie could have been a major spring carnival player in elite three-year-old races but Munce, who co-trains with his son Corey, has made the call to opt out of the spring. Munce had been contemplating resting Cool Archie from the spring for several weeks, but said he had not made the definitive call until now. He is wary the young colt had a bumper 2024/25 season, with a five-race winter carnival mission and also a summer campaign when he raced in the Gold Coast Magic Millions 2YO Classic in January. • Truck-driving hobby trainer sets sights on Sydney first Munce, the legendary former jockey turned trainer, said he will most likely bring Cool Archie back for a couple of runs in the summer and then the autumn carnival. The prestigious Doncaster Mile could be a target. 'I'm mindful that he has had a long two-year-old campaign and I don't think I should be rushing him back just because it's the spring carnival,' Munce said. 'He will probably only have a couple of runs over the summer and concentrate more on the autumn. 'We would look at a race like the Doncaster, if he is going well enough, three-year-old horses have a good record in it. • 'Took my breath away': How Angela Jones wowed Gai Waterhouse 'Realistically, I think this could be what works for him. 'My heart is in the position where I just want to look after him for the moment, considering he did such a good job over the winter and he had some pretty hard runs. 'Not only that, but he had been campaigning for the Magic Millions, which then rolled into the winter. 'The horse has always looked to be like he is going to be a better three-year-old anyway.' JJ Atkins winner Cool Archie won't be seen this spring. Picture: Trackside Photography Given Cool Archie's stunning CV, Munce believes the dynamic colt should be strongly considered for Australian 2YO horse of the year honours. 'I think if they (judges) are fair dinkum, he has to be,' Munce said. • 'What a thrill': Husband-wife team lands historic win in Ramornie 'It's been a long time, probably since the likes of a horse like Dance Hero, since a two-year-old has been as dominant as Cool Archie has been. 'I'm not saying he is the same as Dance Hero. 'But what I am saying is this season, he has probably been the dominant two-year-old. 'How many other two-year-olds this season have won five consecutive races on different surfaces, different conditions and different distances? 'He's gone from a maiden to a Group 1.' Originally published as Chris Munce will rest Cool Archie during spring for possible tilt at the Group 1 Doncaster Mile next year
News.com.au
6 days ago
- Sport
- News.com.au
Chris Munce will rest Cool Archie during spring for possible tilt at the Group 1 Doncaster Mile next year
Chris Munce has made the call to skip the spring carnival with his exceptional young Group 1-winning colt Cool Archie, with exciting dreams of next year's Group 1 Doncaster Mile potentially in mind. Cool Archie took the Queensland winter carnival by storm, winning five races on the bounce culminating in the Group 1 JJ Atkins. • 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! The young colt showed amazing versatility, winning on wet and dry tracks and races from 1000m to 1600m, and he would be a great pick to score Australian 2YO horse of the year honours. Cool Archie could have been a major spring carnival player in elite three-year-old races but Munce, who co-trains with his son Corey, has made the call to opt out of the spring. Munce had been contemplating resting Cool Archie from the spring for several weeks, but said he had not made the definitive call until now. He is wary the young colt had a bumper 2024/25 season, with a five-race winter carnival mission and also a summer campaign when he raced in the Gold Coast Magic Millions 2YO Classic in January. • Munce, the legendary former jockey turned trainer, said he will most likely bring Cool Archie back for a couple of runs in the summer and then the autumn carnival. The prestigious Doncaster Mile could be a target. What a run, what a horse â�ï¸� Cool Archie takes out the G1 Ladbrokes JJ Atkins for Team Munce & Martin Harley ðŸ'� — Ladbrokes Australia (@ladbrokescomau) June 14, 2025 'I'm mindful that he has had a long two-year-old campaign and I don't think I should be rushing him back just because it's the spring carnival,' Munce said. 'He will probably only have a couple of runs over the summer and concentrate more on the autumn. 'We would look at a race like the Doncaster, if he is going well enough, three-year-old horses have a good record in it. • 'Realistically, I think this could be what works for him. 'My heart is in the position where I just want to look after him for the moment, considering he did such a good job over the winter and he had some pretty hard runs. 'Not only that, but he had been campaigning for the Magic Millions, which then rolled into the winter. 'The horse has always looked to be like he is going to be a better three-year-old anyway.' Given Cool Archie's stunning CV, Munce believes the dynamic colt should be strongly considered for Australian 2YO horse of the year honours. 'I think if they (judges) are fair dinkum, he has to be,' Munce said. 'It's been a long time, probably since the likes of a horse like Dance Hero, since a two-year-old has been as dominant as Cool Archie has been. 'I'm not saying he is the same as Dance Hero. 'But what I am saying is this season, he has probably been the dominant two-year-old. 'How many other two-year-olds this season have won five consecutive races on different surfaces, different conditions and different distances? 'He's gone from a maiden to a Group 1.'
New Paper
25-06-2025
- Sport
- New Paper
McDonald aims to equal record with Tiara crown
BRISBANE New Zealand jockey James McDonald will bid to equal Australia's national riding record that has stood for 45 years. Based in Sydney, McDonald has a final chance to equal the riding record for most number of Group 1 wins in a season, when he combines with Firestorm in the A$700,000 (S$580,000) Group 1 Tattersall's Tiara (1,400m) at Eagle Farm on June 28. The 2024 Longines World's Best Jockey has claimed 15 Group 1 races in the 2024-25 racing season. If he wins the Tattersall's Tiara - the final Group 1 race of the season -he will equal the feat of 16 Group 1 wins achieved by champion jockey Malcolm Johnston in 1979-80. Firestorm remains a 16-5 favourite despite drawing barrier 19, and will be one of four runners for Sydney premier trainer Chris Waller, along with Olentia, Konasana and emergency acceptor Gumdrops. Assistant trainer Charlie Duckworth believes the Satono Aladdin mare has the right profile for the race and just needs a genuine speed to produce her best. "She has got exceptional form behind Lady Shenandoah in the Coolmore (Classic) and then in the Doncaster Mile. They just didn't go quick enough for her. She needs a bit of tempo on," he said. "Her first-up run the other day was brilliant. It wasn't a very hard run so she has bounced through that. "She went to the farm for a couple of days and came back and she has done really well." Firestorm won the Group 2 Millie Fox Stakes (1,300m) and beat all but stablemate Lady Shenandoah in the Group 1 Coolmore Classic (1,500m), before her unplaced run in the Group 1 Doncaster Mile (1,600m). She finished third to Tattersall's Tiara rival Floozie in the Group 2 Dane Ripper Stakes (1,300m) last start. Duckworth expects McDonald to be hungry, not only to equal Johnston's record, but also to ensure his afternoon is worthwhile. "James is only riding three on the day, so he is going to have to make them all count," quipped Duckworth. Zoustar mare Olentia ran a disappointing 10th in the Dane Ripper Stakes, but Duckworth has put a line through that. "She is a better horse than that," he said. Konasana ran fourth in two New Zealand Group 1 races, the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders' Stakes (1,600m) and the Otaki-Maori Classic (1,600m), earlier this year and connections are keen to have another throw at the stumps. "She was unlucky not to win a Group 1 in New Zealand, so she is on the hunt for that elusive race," said Duckworth of the Dundeel mare. SKY RACING WORLD
Rhyl Journal
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Rhyl Journal
Liberty Lane sparks Festival celebration
Last year's Cambridgeshire victor was a fine second to recent Lockinge hero Lead Artist in Group Three company at Newmarket in October and was making it third time lucky this term. After blowing away the cobwebs in the Doncaster Mile, Karl Burke's five-year-old gelding was a staying-on third behind The Foxes in the Group Two Huxley Stakes at Chester and was sent off at 3-1 for this 10-furlong contest. Market leader Silver Knott was prominent at the two-furlong pole but the writing was on the wall for his supporters when Liberty Lane loomed up alongside him. Clifford Lee kicked for home and that proved a decisive move, as he got first run on Meydaan and was always doing just enough to hold on by a neck. Lee told Racing TV: 'He did everything right today, he jumped nicely, I was always in a lovely position, going a nice gallop. 'He can be quite keen, so because he was nice and relaxed, I thought we were going to have a nice run. 'Going through the three to the two, once I switched out and made headway a little bit, he's travelled really well and seen the trip out nicely. 'He obviously won the Cambridgeshire off top weight and this is a step up to Listed class, so this will probably be his best career effort so far, he's improved and I think he'll probably even stay further.' Liberty Lane's best form has come with a bit of cut underfoot and Lee felt the watered good ground at the Sussex track suited his mount well enough. He added: 'I felt like it was just riding on the easy side, it was kicking up a little bit, but maybe if I was on a different horse, it would feel a bit quicker. 'For my lad, I knew cantering to the start he would enjoy this ground today. 'He travels so well and that soft ground probably just slows them down a little bit and it also stops the other horses as well. 'But he's a lovely, big horse and we're looking forward to the rest of the season with him.'
South Wales Guardian
23-05-2025
- Sport
- South Wales Guardian
Liberty Lane sparks Festival celebration
Last year's Cambridgeshire victor was a fine second to recent Lockinge hero Lead Artist in Group Three company at Newmarket in October and was making it third time lucky this term. After blowing away the cobwebs in the Doncaster Mile, Karl Burke's five-year-old gelding was a staying-on third behind The Foxes in the Group Two Huxley Stakes at Chester and was sent off at 3-1 for this 10-furlong contest. Market leader Silver Knott was prominent at the two-furlong pole but the writing was on the wall for his supporters when Liberty Lane loomed up alongside him. Clifford Lee kicked for home and that proved a decisive move, as he got first run on Meydaan and was always doing just enough to hold on by a neck. Lee told Racing TV: 'He did everything right today, he jumped nicely, I was always in a lovely position, going a nice gallop. 'He can be quite keen, so because he was nice and relaxed, I thought we were going to have a nice run. 'Going through the three to the two, once I switched out and made headway a little bit, he's travelled really well and seen the trip out nicely. 'He obviously won the Cambridgeshire off top weight and this is a step up to Listed class, so this will probably be his best career effort so far, he's improved and I think he'll probably even stay further.' Liberty Lane's best form has come with a bit of cut underfoot and Lee felt the watered good ground at the Sussex track suited his mount well enough. He added: 'I felt like it was just riding on the easy side, it was kicking up a little bit, but maybe if I was on a different horse, it would feel a bit quicker. 'For my lad, I knew cantering to the start he would enjoy this ground today. 'He travels so well and that soft ground probably just slows them down a little bit and it also stops the other horses as well. 'But he's a lovely, big horse and we're looking forward to the rest of the season with him.'
