Latest news with #KellySchweida
News.com.au
5 days ago
- Sport
- News.com.au
Prince of Boom could be retired if he doesn't show enough in Wednesday's 2025 Ramornie Handicap
Ramornie Handicap contender Prince Of Boom could be retired unless he can rediscover his old form in the $200,000 Listed race over 1200m at Grafton on Wednesday. The Robert Heathcote -trained gelding, who has been battling hoof issues, hasn't won since taking out the Group 3 WJ Healy Stakes (1200m) two years ago. And jockey Aaron Bullock faces a monumental challenge to win the time-honoured sprint on the six-year-old after Prince Of Boom drew gate 20 (including emergencies). Heathcote's fellow Brisbane trainer Kelly Schweida scratched Metalart from the Ramornie on Monday afternoon after the last-start WJ Healy Stakes winner drew barrier 19. Metalart was a $5.50 chance with bookmakers before the barrier draw. The race favourite is the Richard Litt -trained gelding Barber ($4, barrier four), with the ex-Godolphin sprinter's most recent victory coming in the $250,000 Listed Takeover Target Stakes (1200m) at Gosford on May 10. Heathcote spoke to Racenet on Monday from the Rocky Mountains in Canada, where he is holidaying with his family, and admitted Prince Of Boom faced a rocky future if he couldn't turn around his fortunes on Wednesday. The son of Spirit Of Boom finished last in the WJ Healy on June 28 at Eagle Farm. Heathcote will also saddle up The Big Goodbye in the Ramornie, which the gelding won as a five-year-old in 2023. The Big Goodbye has been freshened up nicely after suffering a stone bruise in his hoof that led to an infection, similar to what happened to star stablemate Rothfire in the lead-up to the $3m Stradbroke Handicap last month. 'It's fair to say they're past their best but if they can recover some of their past form then they're going to be competitive,' Heathcote said about his pair, who are both $11 in the market. Prince Of Boom goes bang in W.J Healy Stakes! @clarkyhk the king of front running rides delivers again for Robert Heathcote who trains the quinella. — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 24, 2023 'Prince Of Boom is a $1.4 million earner and on his best day, he would beat these but he's a horse that suffers from chronic hoof issues. 'He's an ongoing source of frustration but I reckon we've got him right going into this race. 'I can shout from the highest mountain saying 'he's spot-on' but we won't really know until he's under pressure at the 300m mark. 'It's a hard race so my two will have to step up and be counted. Certainly Prince of Boom, his future is clouded unless he can recover his old form. 'His desire is still there but his feet are causing him problems.' The Big Goodbye overhauls a very brave Ranges in the 2023 Ramornie! Martin Harley with a peach for the Robert Heathcote yard! — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) July 12, 2023 Schweida had never entered a horse into the Ramornie Handicap before this week but he was ready to have a crack with Metalart until the barrier draw cruelled his hopes of vying for the winner's $109,000 in prizemoney. In a wide-open race, there are five gallopers in the market at $8 or under. They are Barber ($4), Compelling Truth ($5), Midnight In Tokyo, Sha Of Gomer and Tribeca Star (all $8). Leading Sydney trainer Peter Snowden has won the Ramornie six times, either solo or with his son Paul, including last year with Ka Bling, but does not have a horse in this year's edition.
News.com.au
26-06-2025
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Kelly Schweida confident El Morzillo can defy her price to deliver him a third Group 1 Tatt's Tiara triumph
Kelly Schweida has made a pair of decisive strikes in the Group 1 Tatt's Tiara and he thinks bookmakers have offered up a tantalising price for filly El Morzillo to land a knockout blow on Saturday. The wily Eagle Farm trainer has won the Tatt's Tiara in 2016 with Miss Cover Girl and in 2007 with Nova Star. He will have another crack at the race on Saturday with three-year-old grey filly El Morzillo, who is not among the betting fancies as a $23 chance to score the last Group 1 of the Australian racing season. El Morzillo, who won a $1m restricted race down the Flemington straight in March, has hit the winter carnival scoreboard once with a win but has been unplaced in three other tries. However, Schweida thinks she has been racing well and points out she finished fourth behind Floozie in the Group 2 Dane Ripper Stakes with Firestorm finishing third. Chris Waller mare Firestorm is a $4.20 chance in the Tatt's Tiara. 'Floozie was good the other day and Firestorm was good, but I thought my filly's run was fine,' Schweida said. 'Going into the Tatt's Tiara, my filly is big odds whereas Firestorm who finished one ahead of us the other day is $4. 'I know my filly won this carnival when she was up on the speed, but that's not normally her go. 'The plan on Saturday will be to ride her quiet and let her finish off strongly. 'This race has been the idea for her the whole way through.' Meanwhile, Schweida will back-up Miss Joelene from her sixth-placed finish lumping 60kg in last Saturday's Ipswich Cup, which was won by bolter Flash Aah. Miss Joelene will race as a $4 chance in the Listed Tatt's Gold Crown (2100m) with the luxury weight of 56.5kg. Schweida expects Metalart to be a strong contender in the Group 3 Healy Stakes (1200m) after an eye-catching third behind stablemate Vodka Martini in the Listed Lightning Handicap. 'This is a strong race, but he has got a good barrier,' Schweida said. 'I thought his run in the Lightning was good, he got held up twice but he kept trying. 'He has won seven of his 13 starts and he probably should have won nine, he has got a good record. 'Jason Collett will ride, but that wasn't Plan A. 'Michael Rodd was Plan A, but he broke his hand. 'Jason is a very good replacement.' Metalart is a $7.50 chance in the Healy, in a betting market which has Need Some Luck and Hidden Wealth as the leading fancies.
Daily Telegraph
10-06-2025
- Sport
- Daily Telegraph
2025 Stradbroke Handicap: Cejay Graham to ride The Inflictor
Don't miss out on the headlines from Horse Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News. Pressure is your friend. Young jockey Cejay Graham has those words ringing in her ears as she prepares for the 'pinch myself moment' of riding in her first Stradbroke Handicap. The words were delivered by Graham's mentor, trainer Kelly Schweida, after the young jockey came from Port Macquarie on the New South Wales mid-coast to be Schweida's apprentice in the big smoke in Brisbane a couple of years ago. And never have they been more fitting as Graham, 26, prepares to ride Queensland fairytale horse The Inflictor in Saturday's $3m Stradbroke at Eagle Farm. • 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 best bit of advice Kelly has given me was that pressure is your friend,' Graham said. 'You've got to absorb the pressure and embrace it. 'That's one thing he said to me that really stuck, because coming from a few knock-backs early in my riding career I wasn't initially too confident with some things and he just said 'don't let the pressure get to you'. 'If you don't have pressure, you probably aren't going really good, are you? 'So when you put it like that, you want the pressure, don't you? 'It is a pretty cool saying that is stuck in my head.' The Inflictor winning The Gateway at Eagle Farm to collect a golden ticket into the Stradbroke Handicap. Picture: Trackside Photography • J-Mac confirmed for Rothfire's incredible Stradbroke bid Graham might hail from New South Wales, but she now considers herself as Queensland as the Great Barrier Reef. And that's just as well because a lot of Queensland will be supporting her – and the remarkable story of The Inflictor and his 60-year-old truck driving hobby trainer Craig Cousins – in the Stradbroke. • Pride taking on Stradbroke history with Private Eye The Inflictor is the home-bred hero who qualified for the Stradbroke by winning the ballot exempt race of The Gateway at Eagle Farm last December. Graham rode the four-year-old gelding to win that day and a lot of water has gone under the bridge since then. She is pinching herself that she has a chance to ride him to glory in the Stradbroke, in a race which will be her fourth career Group 1 ride. • Stradbroke Handicap field: Gollan's gun only second emergency 'Craig was pretty adamant he wanted to stick with me straight after The Gateway, so it's great that he has done that and its fantastic to be given the opportunity,' Graham said. 'It's real pinch myself kind of stuff. 'I think there will be a lot of Queenslanders cheering for us on the day. 'I've done a lot of work with him behind the scenes, I definitely know the horse inside and out. 'He is tough when he leads, but he doesn't have to lead. 'I think he's got a great chance. • Comeback star can give Cummings a Golden send-off in Stradbroke 'And I've really got to thank Kelly (Schweida) for his support as I wouldn't have got the gig riding up in Brisbane without him. 'And if it wasn't for his continued support coming out of my apprenticeship, I might have struggled a bit. 'He has backed me 100 per cent and I owe him everything.' Originally published as 'Pressure is your friend': Jockey Cejay Graham's tip to conjure 2025 Stradbroke Handicap fairytale with The Inflictor
News.com.au
10-06-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
‘Pressure is your friend': Jockey Cejay Graham's tip to conjure 2025 Stradbroke Handicap fairytale with The Inflictor
Pressure is your friend. Young jockey Cejay Graham has those words ringing in her ears as she prepares for the 'pinch myself moment' of riding in her first Stradbroke Handicap. The words were delivered by Graham's mentor, trainer Kelly Schweida, after the young jockey came from Port Macquarie on the New South Wales mid-coast to be Schweida's apprentice in the big smoke in Brisbane a couple of years ago. And never have they been more fitting as Graham, 26, prepares to ride Queensland fairytale horse The Inflictor in Saturday's $3m Stradbroke at Eagle Farm. 'The best bit of advice Kelly has given me was that pressure is your friend,' Graham said. 'You've got to absorb the pressure and embrace it. 'That's one thing he said to me that really stuck, because coming from a few knock-backs early in my riding career I wasn't initially too confident with some things and he just said 'don't let the pressure get to you'. 'If you don't have pressure, you probably aren't going really good, are you? 'So when you put it like that, you want the pressure, don't you? 'It is a pretty cool saying that is stuck in my head.' • J-Mac confirmed for Rothfire's incredible Stradbroke bid Graham might hail from New South Wales, but she now considers herself as Queensland as the Great Barrier Reef. And that's just as well because a lot of Queensland will be supporting her – and the remarkable story of The Inflictor and his 60-year-old truck driving hobby trainer Craig Cousins – in the Stradbroke. 🎥 | Truck driver and hobby trainer Craig Cousins chats to @bendorries76 about his fairytale Stradbroke Handicap contender The Inflictor. STORY: — Racenet (@RacenetTweets) June 4, 2025 The Inflictor is the home-bred hero who qualified for the Stradbroke by winning the ballot exempt race of The Gateway at Eagle Farm last December. Graham rode the four-year-old gelding to win that day and a lot of water has gone under the bridge since then. She is pinching herself that she has a chance to ride him to glory in the Stradbroke, in a race which will be her fourth career Group 1 ride. Racenet's @bendorries76 was at Breakfast With The Stars at Eagle Farm this morning as Stradbroke Handicap contenders strutted their stuff. Here's The Inflictor with Cejay Graham in the saddle ... and you can read more about the fairytale galloper here ðŸ'‡ — Racenet (@RacenetTweets) June 9, 2025 'Craig was pretty adamant he wanted to stick with me straight after The Gateway, so it's great that he has done that and its fantastic to be given the opportunity,' Graham said. 'It's real pinch myself kind of stuff. 'I think there will be a lot of Queenslanders cheering for us on the day. 'I've done a lot of work with him behind the scenes, I definitely know the horse inside and out. 'He is tough when he leads, but he doesn't have to lead. 'I think he's got a great chance. "He said, 'don’t worry about mine, yours is a genuine chance'." Larrikin trainer Craig Cousins has extra confidence in his Stradbroke horse The Inflictor after a chance encounter with Chris Waller. @bendorries76 @Racing_QLD — Racenet (@RacenetTweets) June 4, 2025 'And I've really got to thank Kelly (Schweida) for his support as I wouldn't have got the gig riding up in Brisbane without him. 'And if it wasn't for his continued support coming out of my apprenticeship, I might have struggled a bit. 'He has backed me 100 per cent and I owe him everything.'
News.com.au
09-06-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Grafterburners primed for round three against Cool Archie in Group 1 JJ Atkins at Eagle Farm
Group 1 JJ Atkins favourite Cool Archie was too good for fellow Queenslander Grafterburners the last time they met, but Kelly Schweida has made a case for the result being reversed on Saturday. Chris and Corey Munce -trained Cool Archie, who has won his last four, and Schweida's colt Grafterburners are the top two betting picks in Saturday's JJ Atkins at $3 and $6 respectively. Cool Archie has had the measure of fellow two-year-old colt Grafterburners the last two times, including in their last meeting in the $1m BRC Sires' Produce Stakes where Cool Archie won from last and Grafterburners finished sixth. But Grafterburners, who scored the $500,000 QTIS Jewel in March, has endured luckless wide runs the last two times he has raced. And it didn't help his cause when jockey Jason Collett dropped the whip approaching the 200m in the Sires'. A barnstorming win by Cool Archie in the G2 BRC Sires' Produce Stakes, and that's four in a row to the @munceracing galloper! 🙌 @BrisRacingClub — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) May 31, 2025 'The winner (Cool Archie) was too good on the day and won easy and he deserves to be favourite in the JJ Atkins,' Schweida said. 'But my horse has just had no luck the last two runs. 'And the jockey dropped the stick (whip) last time, which probably doesn't help on the heavy track we saw that day. 'I guess though I can make all the excuses I like, but my horse still didn't win. 'But we definitely should have finished closer the other day.' Legendary jockey Craig Williams gets the call-up to partner Grafterburners in the JJ Atkins (1600m). Grafterburners has never stretched out beyond 1400m but two-time Group 1-winning trainer Schweida suspects the mile won't be a problem. Although he concedes he won't know for sure until he tests him in the JJ Atkins. Grafterburners is a class above for @CejayGraham1 — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) March 15, 2025 He has high respect for Cool Archie but Schweida would love a soft barrier draw and a bit of luck for Grafterburners. 'All you can do is win and that is what the Chris Munce horse has been doing,' Schweida said. 'That horse definitely loves the wet but I think it goes good on the dry too. 'He's won four on the bounce, he's a good horse, and I don't know anyone who would be bagging a horse that keeps winning. 'As for my horse, I think he will run a mile but it's hard to say until he has a go. 'He just needs a cosy run rather than getting stuck out on a limb in his races like he has been.' In all-in JJ Atkins betting on TAB fixed odds, ahead of Tuesday's final field and barrier draw, Chris Waller 's Yulong-owned colt Hidden Achievement is on the $6 line with Grafterburners. The others other double figures in betting are Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott -trained colt Farnicle, runner-up behind Cool Archie in the Sires', and Michael Freedman 's gelding Aerodrome. Both are $8 chances.
