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News.com.au
5 days ago
- Business
- News.com.au
Qld winter carnival wagering hopes ‘washed away' by Group 1 Derby day weather
Queensland winter carnival wagering turnover copped a $20m black hole because of the Group 1 Queensland Derby day washout, however Racing Queensland insists there were still positive wagering pointers. Racing Queensland CEO Lachlan Murray said that overall winter carnival turnover had dipped from $384m to $357m (a seven per cent decline) but on a per race basis it was a 2.7 per cent drop-off seeing as not as many races were staged this year. Group 1 Queensland Derby Day on May 31 was a drama for wagering numbers with the second half of the card rescheduled due to bad weather conditions, including the Fred Best Classic being moved to a Wednesday midweek affair at Doomben. 'On the wagering front, our hopes of eclipsing last year's numbers washed away, quite literally, when we had to reschedule the second half of the Queensland Derby Day card to midweek and a Super Saturday in conjunction with the Oaks,' Murray said. 'We dropped $20 million in forecast turnover on those days alone. 'When we normalise the activity, stripping out Derby Day and Oaks Day, this year's Carnival was narrowly up on last year's carnival. 'On a per race basis, we were up 1.5 per cent so we're starting to see a few green shoots which we're hoping will hold during the new racing season.' The Derby Day situation wasn't ideal for wagering and weather is out of the control of racing authorities. However there were reasons for positivity. Wagering turnover on Caloundra Cup Day ($31.1m) was the biggest improver of the carnival as it was up 37.4 per cent, admittedly with an extra race than the year before. After many feature Sunshine Coast race meetings in recent years have been hit by bad weather, the sun finally shone on the day and the crowd of more than 6000 was up more than 50 per cent. Murray pledged that RQ would review the performance of the winter carnival. 'The final month of the carnival was also our best from an attendance standpoint – the Ipswich Cup and Caloundra Cup both eclipsed last year's figures – which showed that people were happy to vote with their feet when the sun came out,' Murray said. 'There's a lot to be positive about, but we always want it to be bigger and better, so we will review what worked and what didn't and we will look to make next year's carnival even better. 'Overall, it was another exciting and strong edition of the Queensland winter carnival.' The strongest wagering in the winter carnival was on Stradbroke Day ($55.2m), Queensland Oaks Day ($51.4m), Doomben Cup Day ($44.7m), Doomben 10,000 Day ($39m) and Tatt's Tiara Day ($37.7m).
Courier-Mail
08-06-2025
- Sport
- Courier-Mail
Zac booked for mission to score consecutive Stradbroke Handicaps
Don't miss out on the headlines from Horse Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News. Young Sydney riding gun Zac Lloyd has a golden opportunity to become the first jockey since the great Jimmy Cassidy more than three decades ago to win back-to-back Stradbroke Handicaps. But Lloyd, who scored his first Group 1 when pinching last year's Stradbroke on Stefi Magnetica, must help haul three-year-old colt Bosustow back to the imposing form which saw him be a six-length winner two starts ago. Bosustow, the three-year-old colt who destroyed his opposition in the Gold Coast Guineas, was single figure odds in Stradbroke betting markets before he was well beaten in the rescheduled Group 3 Fred Best Classic at Doomben last Wednesday. Bosustow started the $2.45 Fred Best favourite but finished sixth, 1-1/2 lengths behind the Toby Edmonds and Stephen McLean-trained filly Spicy Martini which qualified for the Stradbroke with the win. Annabel and Rob Archibald are pushing on with Stradbroke plans for Bosustow which has now drifted to be a $15 chance in Queensland's greatest race next Saturday. Managing owner Anthony Mithen points out that Bosustow was beaten about the same margin in the Fred Best as Stefi Magnetica was a year earlier, before that horse came out and won the Stradbroke with Lloyd on board. Lloyd has been booked for Bosustow and now gets a chance to be the first jockey since Cassidy won the Stradbroke on the mighty Rough Habit in 1991 and 1992 to score consecutive Stradbroke triumphs. Lloyd will link with Bosustow for the first time and Rob Archibald remains convinced the colt can be a major player in the Stradbroke. 'Maybe the Fred Best run was just a little bit below what we expected, but we weren't too disappointed,' Archibald said. 'He was a month between runs and the race was rescheduled and things were mucked around a little bit. 'He may have been just a touch underdone second-up, but he can certainly bounce back third-up in the Stradbroke. 'He gets into the Stradbroke with a nice weight (51.5kg) although it's all relative I suppose. 'Zac hasn't ridden him before, but he did win the Stradbroke last year and we are really happy to have him on.' Bosustow wins the Gold Coast Guineas. Picture: Bethany Allday/Trackside Photography. Lloyd will jet into Brisbane on Tuesday morning and give Bosustow a spin around Eagle Farm at the Stradbroke 'Breakfast With The Stars' trackwork session. There is a week of fine weather forecast for Brisbane and the prospects of a rain-affected Eagle Farm track on Stradbroke day look slim. Bosustow was dominant in the Gold Coast Guineas on a heavy (9) track but the camp say he is much more than just a wet tracker. On the morning of the Guineas, they had even been considering scratching Bosustow because they weren't convinced he would handle the sloppy surface. 'He ended up handling the wet track on the Gold Coast really well,' Archibald said. 'But I don't think we can really say yet what his preferred track conditions are, because he is fairly lightly raced.' Originally published as Zac Lloyd on rare quest to score consecutive Stradbroke Handicaps
Mercury
04-06-2025
- Business
- Mercury
$8000 filly earns shot at Stradbroke Handicap with Fred Best Classic win
Don't miss out on the headlines from Horse Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News. The Stradbroke Handicap has its latest rags to riches fairytale … and she walks like a duck. Three-year-old filly Spicy Martini, who was snapped up for a barely believable price of just $8000 as a yearling by Gold Coast trainer Toby Edmonds, surged into Queensland's most prestigious race by scoring the Fred Best Classic at Doomben on Wednesday. Spicy Martini went through an online sale and was sold at a bargain-basement rate because of concerns over her X-rays, despite being a daughter of US champion Justify. • 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! But Toby Edmonds backed his judgement and secured the filly for a fraction of Justify's $250,000 yearling sales average at the time. Spicy Martini now has a shot at the $1.8m first prize of the Group 1 Stradbroke at Eagle Farm on Saturday week, with her win in the Fred Best earning her a golden ticket into Queensland's most prestigious race. Edmonds has won the Stradbroke before, snaring his first Group 1 when Tyzone claimed the 2020 edition although that was a vastly different race with Covid restrictions playing their part. Toby Edmonds trained the 2020 Stradbroke winner with his son Trent but now Toby and new training partner Stephen McLean have a shot at claiming Queensland racing's biggest prize. Spicy Martini's Stradbroke odds were slashed from $101 to $21 after her Fred Best win and the filly will carry the featherweight of just 49.5kg. Spicy Martini will need a new jockey with Craig Williams unable to make 49.5kg but that was the least of Edmonds' worries on Wednesday as he was overcome with emotion. 'If you have a look at her, she walks like a duck,' Edmonds said. 'She has quite a few issues and takes a lot of managing, but she is very quick. 'We found her online, a Justify filly, which we generally weren't able to buy because they were too dear, but this one just came up. 'This one was one that (breeding giants) Coolmore couldn't put through the sales. 'She is workmanlike, there's nothing flash about her at all. 'She is honest, she is in the Stradbroke now with 49.5 (kg) and I'm very keen to run her as long as she pulls up well.' The Fred Best for three-year-olds was rescheduled from last Saturday when an Eagle Farm downpour and poor visibility caused several races to be called off. Champion jockey Williams said the rescheduling of the race added to the stature of the win. He predicted Spicy Martini would make her presence felt in the Stradbroke. Craig Williams with trainer Toby Edmonds after the win of Spicy Martini. Picture: Trackside Photography 'Everyone that was in this race today had the challenge of being there last Saturday but coming back today,' Williams said. 'It's a great intuitive by Racing Queensland to have this race exempt from ballot from the Stradbroke. 'Toby and his team now have 10 days to get this filly to the Stradbroke in good form. 'Toby asked if I could ride at 49.5 (kg), I said I could have when I was 18 but I can't now.' There had been strong late money for Spicy Martini in the Fred Best, backed from $15 into $10. Bosustow, who won the Gold Coast Guineas by six lengths at his previous start, finished a disappointing sixth after appearing to have every chance. Annabel and Rob Archibald's Queensland stable foreman Todd Pollard said there were no post-race issues found with the colt. Bosustow eased from $9 to $21 in Stradbroke betting and now connections must decide whether to tackle the Stradbroke. Exciting Lindsay Park galloper War Machine firmed even further as Stradbroke top pick on Wednesday without even racing, now a $3 favourite after starting the day at $4. Originally published as $8000 filly earns shot at Stradbroke Handicap with Fred Best Classic win
News.com.au
04-06-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
$8000 filly earns shot at Stradbroke Handicap with Fred Best Classic win
The Stradbroke Handicap has its latest rags to riches fairytale … and she walks like a duck. Three-year-old filly Spicy Martini, who was snapped up for a barely believable price of just $8000 as a yearling by Gold Coast trainer Toby Edmonds, surged into Queensland's most prestigious race by scoring the Fred Best Classic at Doomben on Wednesday. Spicy Martini went through an online sale and was sold at a bargain-basement rate because of concerns over her X-rays, despite being a daughter of US champion Justify. But Toby Edmonds backed his judgement and secured the filly for a fraction of Justify's $250,000 yearling sales average at the time. Spicy Martini now has a shot at the $1.8m first prize of the Group 1 Stradbroke at Eagle Farm on Saturday week, with her win in the Fred Best earning her a golden ticket into Queensland's most prestigious race. Edmonds has won the Stradbroke before, snaring his first Group 1 when Tyzone claimed the 2020 edition although that was a vastly different race with Covid restrictions playing their part. Toby Edmonds trained the 2020 Stradbroke winner with his son Trent but now Toby and new training partner Stephen McLean have a shot at claiming Queensland racing's biggest prize. Spicy Martini's Stradbroke odds were slashed from $101 to $21 after her Fred Best win and the filly will carry the featherweight of just 49.5kg. Time to celebrate! That's a spicy win for Spicy Martini in the G3 Fred Best Classic at Doomben 🙌 🌶ï¸� @CWilliamsJockey | @EdmondsRacing | @BrisRacingClub â€' SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 4, 2025 Spicy Martini will need a new jockey with Craig Williams unable to make 49.5kg but that was the least of Edmonds' worries on Wednesday as he was overcome with emotion. 'If you have a look at her, she walks like a duck,' Edmonds said. 'She has quite a few issues and takes a lot of managing, but she is very quick. 'We found her online, a Justify filly, which we generally weren't able to buy because they were too dear, but this one just came up. 'This one was one that (breeding giants) Coolmore couldn't put through the sales. 'She is workmanlike, there's nothing flash about her at all. 'She is honest, she is in the Stradbroke now with 49.5 (kg) and I'm very keen to run her as long as she pulls up well.' The Fred Best for three-year-olds was rescheduled from last Saturday when an Eagle Farm downpour and poor visibility caused several races to be called off. Champion jockey Williams said the rescheduling of the race added to the stature of the win. He predicted Spicy Martini would make her presence felt in the Stradbroke. 'Everyone that was in this race today had the challenge of being there last Saturday but coming back today,' Williams said. 'It's a great intuitive by Racing Queensland to have this race exempt from ballot from the Stradbroke. 'Toby and his team now have 10 days to get this filly to the Stradbroke in good form. 'Toby asked if I could ride at 49.5 (kg), I said I could have when I was 18 but I can't now.' There had been strong late money for Spicy Martini in the Fred Best, backed from $15 into $10. Bosustow, who won the Gold Coast Guineas by six lengths at his previous start, finished a disappointing sixth after appearing to have every chance. Annabel and Rob Archibald's Queensland stable foreman Todd Pollard said there were no post-race issues found with the colt. Bosustow eased from $9 to $21 in Stradbroke betting and now connections must decide whether to tackle the Stradbroke. Exciting Lindsay Park galloper War Machine firmed even further as Stradbroke top pick on Wednesday without even racing, now a $3 favourite after starting the day at $4.
New Paper
03-06-2025
- Business
- New Paper
Jenni's Meadow all set for G1 Queensland Oaks
BRISBANE - An excellent lead-up run on May 24 has given Lindsay Park every indication Jenni's Meadow is one of the horses to beat in the A$700,000 (S$584,000) Group 1 Queensland Oaks (2,200m) at Eagle Farm on June 7. For all its success in Victoria, the famous Lindsay Park Racing operation - now run by the Hayes brothers, Ben, and twins J.D. and Will - has not yet won a Group 1 race in Queensland since the days of their father, David, and grandfather, Colin. Jenni's Meadow will spearhead a strong team for the Hayes brothers, on a day where the A$1 million Group 1 Queensland Derby (2,400m), A$1 million Group 1 Kingsford Smith Cup (1,300m) and the Listed Helen Coughlan Stakes (1,200m) will also be run. Due to the ongoing wet weather and jockeys' concerns over the kickback and poor visibility, authorities decided to postpone the remaining four races - the Queensland Derby, Kingsford Smith Cup, Group 3 Fred Best Classic (1,400m) and Helen Coughlan Stakes - from the Queensland Derby day on May 31. While three of the races will be run on June 7, the Fred Best Classic will be held at Doomben on June 4. The Hayes brothers will be represented in all three Group races on June 7, with Rise At Dawn in the Kingsford Smith Cup and filly Chase Your Dreams taking on the boys in the Queensland Derby. Ben Hayes believes Jenni's Meadow - a daughter of Brutal - has been trained to the minute for the Queensland Oaks off her slashing last-start second to Philia in the Group 2 The Roses (2,000m) at Doomben on May 24. "We're very happy with her," Hayes said of the three-year-old filly. "It was a huge run in The Roses, and I think, arguably, she was probably the run of the race. She was strong to the line, made a long, sustained run, and it looked perfect for 2,200m." After Jenni's Meadow drew outside barriers 13 and 14 in her last two starts, Hayes thought she could have beaten the David Vandyke-trained Philia in The Roses, and is looking forward to a rematch, especially after pulling out marble one this time. "She's been a bit unlucky this prep with wide barriers, and it has cost her. I think with a couple of better barriers and better runs in transit, she would have gone close," said Hayes. "I don't think the barrier is all important, but a gate would definitely help, and I know (jockey) Ethan (Brown) was rapt with her run in The Roses. "But she's building up beautifully. This has always been the target with her; to hopefully try and get her to a race like the Queensland Oaks. So we're arriving fourth-up, ready to go. "She's a Listed winner as a young horse, placed in a Group 3 last preparation and now she's placed in a Group 2, so we need to get that good 'black type' win. "She deserves to be there and has a great chance." Jenni's Meadow, who finished second in the Group 3 Ethereal Stakes (2,000m) in 2024, is a 6-1 chance on the third line of betting for the Queensland Oaks. Brown will take the ride on her again. Philia, who holds favouritism at 5-2 despite drawing barrier 16 for jockey Kerrin McEvoy, will jump from gate 13 if the emergency acceptors fail to get a run. The Glen Thompson-trained Benagil is the second favourite at 5-1, and has drawn barrier 5 with regular jockey Mark Zahra aboard. While Jenni's Meadow prepares for her first shot at Group 1 glory on Saturday for connections of Cape Schanck Racing, managed by owner Tony Ottobre, her better-known stablemate Pride Of Jenni is returning to Melbourne for a spell after her last unplaced run in the Group 1 Doomben Cup (2,000m) on May 24. Trained by Ciaron Maher, the 2024 Australian Horse of the Year led in the field of 12 but quickly capitulated upon turning into the straight, fading to run 10th behind eventual winner Antino. Pride Of Jenni also did not fare well in her other Group 1 assignment, the Australian Cup (2,000m), in 2025. She finished ninth to stablemate Light Infantry Man at Flemington on March 29. Ottobre has dispatched one of his staff members to Queensland to accompany Pride Of Jenni back to his property on the Mornington Peninsula. The memorable runaway winner of the 2024 Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2,000m) will be joined by stablemate Jennilala on the trip home. Ottobre wants to get the seven-year-old daughter of Pride Of Dubai back to his farm to assess her before a final decision is made on her future. But retirement plans are the furthest thing from his mind at this stage as he hopes to have the 10-time winner in Sydney for the Group 1 King Charles III Stakes (1,600m) at Randwick in October. "I know she's really good at 1,600m. We're in it for racing. We're not in it for anything else but we'll be making sure the horse is fine," said Ottobre. "But to go to something like the King Charles, she has to be in great order, and she has to be in a mood of wanting to race. "If she's in that way, I will ask Ciaron's permission to train her for that. At this stage, nothing is off the deck." Since resuming this year, Pride Of Jenni has produced one of her finest performances first-up in the Group 2 Peter Young Stakes (1,800m) at Caulfield on March 15, followed by another win in the Listed Anniversary Vase (1,600m) at Caulfield on May 3. SKY RACING WORLD
