Latest news with #KemblaGrange
Sydney Morning Herald
07-07-2025
- Sport
- Sydney Morning Herald
Dale puts faith in hoop Heywood to help Al Flores break duck at Goulburn
Local trainer Matthew Dale will rely on jockey Nick Heywood to get promising mare Al Flores to break through with an overdue victory at Goulburn on Tuesday when she contests the GG Engineering Country Boosted Maiden Plate (1200m). The former Ron Quinton-trained daughter of Exceed And Excel and Dixie Blossoms has had two starts since joining the Dale stable and finished second in each of them at Goulburn and Wagga. She previously finished third three times when in the care of Quinton. Heywood was aboard Al Flores when she resumed with her second at Goulburn at the end of May, while Pierre Boudvillain took the reins when she ran second as favourite at Wagga on June 22. Heywood and Al Flores are reunited in Tuesday's $30,000 event, while the jockey also has two other rides at the Goulburn meeting in the shape of Thoughtful for Dale in the Doyles Seafood Restaurant Benchmark 58 Handicap (1100m), and Wexford Miss for Danielle Seib in The Country Outfitters Country Boosted Benchmark 58 Handicap (1400m). In addition to Al Flores and Thoughtful, Dale has one other runner at Goulburn with last start Wagga winner Loch Erin contesting the Laterals Accounting Benchmark 66 Handicap (1200m) with Ashley Morgan taking the ride. Loading Jockey Alysha Collett has a handy book of three rides at Goulburn, starting with the Blake Ryan prepared Calgary King, which lines up in Loch Erin's event. Calgary King was placed in two Kembla Grange runs after a spell before a last start Hawkesbury flop. Collett will also be on the Richard and Will Freedman trained Crimson Wings in the Divalls Earthmoving Maiden Handicap (1100m), while her last mount of the afternoon is the Matthew Smith runner Omaha Sand in the Kilpatrick Metal Recyclers Maiden Plate (1600m). Crimson Wings is on debut after winning a recent trial at Canterbury. Omaha Sand has been midfield in two runs at Scone and Wyong since resuming from a spell.
The Age
07-07-2025
- Sport
- The Age
Dale puts faith in hoop Heywood to help Al Flores break duck at Goulburn
Local trainer Matthew Dale will rely on jockey Nick Heywood to get promising mare Al Flores to break through with an overdue victory at Goulburn on Tuesday when she contests the GG Engineering Country Boosted Maiden Plate (1200m). The former Ron Quinton-trained daughter of Exceed And Excel and Dixie Blossoms has had two starts since joining the Dale stable and finished second in each of them at Goulburn and Wagga. She previously finished third three times when in the care of Quinton. Heywood was aboard Al Flores when she resumed with her second at Goulburn at the end of May, while Pierre Boudvillain took the reins when she ran second as favourite at Wagga on June 22. Heywood and Al Flores are reunited in Tuesday's $30,000 event, while the jockey also has two other rides at the Goulburn meeting in the shape of Thoughtful for Dale in the Doyles Seafood Restaurant Benchmark 58 Handicap (1100m), and Wexford Miss for Danielle Seib in The Country Outfitters Country Boosted Benchmark 58 Handicap (1400m). In addition to Al Flores and Thoughtful, Dale has one other runner at Goulburn with last start Wagga winner Loch Erin contesting the Laterals Accounting Benchmark 66 Handicap (1200m) with Ashley Morgan taking the ride. Loading Jockey Alysha Collett has a handy book of three rides at Goulburn, starting with the Blake Ryan prepared Calgary King, which lines up in Loch Erin's event. Calgary King was placed in two Kembla Grange runs after a spell before a last start Hawkesbury flop. Collett will also be on the Richard and Will Freedman trained Crimson Wings in the Divalls Earthmoving Maiden Handicap (1100m), while her last mount of the afternoon is the Matthew Smith runner Omaha Sand in the Kilpatrick Metal Recyclers Maiden Plate (1600m). Crimson Wings is on debut after winning a recent trial at Canterbury. Omaha Sand has been midfield in two runs at Scone and Wyong since resuming from a spell.
Daily Telegraph
20-06-2025
- Sport
- Daily Telegraph
Kembla preview: Wild Thoughts set to shine despite draw
Don't miss out on the headlines from Horse Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News. Local trainer Kerry Parker is optimistic of a good days racing, not just about the chances of his home track quartet but also his lone city runner. Parker has a good opinion of lightly-raced three-year-old Wild Thoughts who made his debut at Kembla back in January when third behind Modella. Put away, the Proven Thoroughbreds-owned son of So You Think has returned in very good order with an all-the-way trial win on his home track last month. 'That was a terrific preparation for him last time in,' said Parker. 'He trialled nicely at Warwick Farm and then ran well on debut before going for a spell. 'It was good education for him and this is now the start of his first real preparation.' Parker's confidence was dented a little when Wild Thoughts drew barrier 11 in the Midway Maiden Handicap (1200m). 'Unfortunately, he has drawn a bad gate so he is going to need some luck. 'We will just have to ride him conservatively early with cover. 'If the race is run at a suitable tempo, I expect him to finishing strongly and make his presence felt.' Parker was tickled pink with the first-up run of Tom Cruising when runner-up behind Miss Stalwart at the Sapphire Coast over an unsuitable distance. He feels the son of American Pharoah is in with a great chance when he steps up to his ideal distance in the Benchmark 68 Handicap (1600m) where he has drawn barrier 3. 'It was the first time I have ever run him over 1200 metres and it was a sensational run,' he said. 'I only took him there because it looked a nice race to start him off in on soft ground on a big track. 'He zipped up the inside really well in the straight. 'He has come back this time in a good frame of mind and is feeling well so I have no problem stepping him out to a mile which is more to his liking. 'I expect him to run really well again.' Why Why Why ran well on debut when third to Jared at Goulburn and followed up with a two-and-a-quarter length sixth to Shalaa Jet at Wyong. With a big drop in weight thanks to the 4kg claim of stable apprentice Ryan Bradley, the three-year-old gelding should be very competitive in the Maiden Plate (1600m). 'He is still learning his trade. He's only a little fella so getting the four kilo apprentice on will definitely help him,' Parker said. 'I was really pleased with his first run at Goulburn. 'We probably tried to ride him a bit cute and make use of the inside barrier at Wyong last start. 'They ran along the first half of the race pretty slick and he was under pressure a fair way out. I think they ran something like nine lengths faster than the other mile race for the first half (mile). 'He kept grinding away and wasn't beat that fare so he still went alright.' Bradley will also partner the stayer Cosmos Factory who resumes in the Class 1 Handicap (1400m). 'Naturally he will be better as he gets out over more ground but it looks a nice enough race for him,' said Parker. 'With that weight off his back, he could run a place in a race like this with no surprise.' Parker's day starts off at Randwick with consistent mare Callistemon in the Midway Handicap (1600m). 'Callistemon and Let's Go Again have been running on alternate weeks and placed in the last four (Midways) between them. 'It would be nice if the luck turns our way and we can knock one off.'
Sydney Morning Herald
17-06-2025
- Sport
- Sydney Morning Herald
Fit and rested Harry's Bar chases second success at Canterbury
If Harry's Bar was a shade vulnerable first-up, that will not be the case when the reliable mare chases her second career win at Canterbury on Wednesday. Trainer Paul Murray said the four-year-old will be significantly fitter going into the Vinnie Three Time Champion Sire Handicap (1200m) on the back of a third at Rosehill at the end of May. On that occasion, Harry's Bar finished 1-3/4 lengths from Lady Extreme, and Murray said the most promising part of the run was how she rallied when the pressure went on. 'I was very impressed with it, on a heavy track, and she only had the one trial,' he said. 'I wanted to give her another one but we ran out of time. She'd had enough probably about the 250m but, at the 100m, you could see her really dig deep and have a crack.' Murray said the run was tough on Harry's Bar which is partly why he elected to give her a few extra days by opting not to race in Midway company again last weekend. 'I was going to go Saturday but it was a similar sort of field as the other day and this one popped up without the three-year-olds,' he said. 'It gave me a few extra days, I could get a bit more work into her and she's drawn ideally.' Loading Jean Van Overmeire rides Harry's Bar for the second time and Murray feels the race sets up well for her on paper. She has six top-three finishes but has won only one race from eight starts, which was at Canterbury last August. But the way she's recovered and come on from her run has made the Kembla Grange trainer a little bullish that win number two isn't far away.
The Age
17-06-2025
- Sport
- The Age
Fit and rested Harry's Bar chases second success at Canterbury
If Harry's Bar was a shade vulnerable first-up, that will not be the case when the reliable mare chases her second career win at Canterbury on Wednesday. Trainer Paul Murray said the four-year-old will be significantly fitter going into the Vinnie Three Time Champion Sire Handicap (1200m) on the back of a third at Rosehill at the end of May. On that occasion, Harry's Bar finished 1-3/4 lengths from Lady Extreme, and Murray said the most promising part of the run was how she rallied when the pressure went on. 'I was very impressed with it, on a heavy track, and she only had the one trial,' he said. 'I wanted to give her another one but we ran out of time. She'd had enough probably about the 250m but, at the 100m, you could see her really dig deep and have a crack.' Murray said the run was tough on Harry's Bar which is partly why he elected to give her a few extra days by opting not to race in Midway company again last weekend. 'I was going to go Saturday but it was a similar sort of field as the other day and this one popped up without the three-year-olds,' he said. 'It gave me a few extra days, I could get a bit more work into her and she's drawn ideally.' Loading Jean Van Overmeire rides Harry's Bar for the second time and Murray feels the race sets up well for her on paper. She has six top-three finishes but has won only one race from eight starts, which was at Canterbury last August. But the way she's recovered and come on from her run has made the Kembla Grange trainer a little bullish that win number two isn't far away.
