Latest news with #PrideOfDubai
Courier-Mail
04-06-2025
- General
- Courier-Mail
Wagga, Taree previews: Southern Dancer eyes redemption
Don't miss out on the headlines from Horse Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News. Southern Dancer may only have one win to her name but trainer Gary Colvin is adamant her record should read much better. The three-year-old claimed a maiden win over 1175m at just her second start and has been placed in five of her next 11 starts. The latest of those placings was over 2050m at Wodonga 12 days ago when third to First Day when luck wasn't her friend. 'Southern Dancer is probably one of the unluckiest horses I've ever had,' said Colvin. 'She has had a lot of bad draws and no luck in a number of races. 'We went to Wodonga last start and she just got held up at a vital stage. 'With a 200m straight, it was too late when she got out but she hit the line full of running. 'Hopefully all the bad luck is behind her now.' The Form: Complete NSW Racing thoroughbred form, including video replays and all you need to know about every horse, jockey and trainer. Find a winner here! The daughter of I Am Immortal steps out in the Benchmark 58 Handicap (2000m) which is a Heat of the Wagga Stayers Series with Blaike McDougall to again ride. 'Blaike rode her at Canberra a couple of starts back and said she will get over 2400m metres,' Colvin said. 'I'll just stick to the 2000 metres for now but I really like her. 'Back to a big track, I'm confident she will run really well.' In the same race, he also saddles up Kerma Art who is having his first go at the 2000m. 'He won a couple of races and is usually not too far away,' he said. 'He has been running up to a mile but he's a bit of a one-pacer so I thought I would try him over the 2000 metres and see what happens. 'He's no star but he should be thereabouts. Lightly-raced four-year-old Deflector has been very good in placing at her two runs this preparation and is a leading contender in the Maiden Plate (1300m). The daughter of Pride Of Dubai resumed with a third to Master Patrick in a Wagga Super Maiden over 1000m where she was held up early in the straight. She then finished a nose second to Sundrop over 1200m at Corowa 18 days later. 'She is coming along quite nicely and I expect her to go very well,' Colvin said. 'She is a typical Pride Of Dubai, taking a bit of time to mature but she is starting to it her straps now. She is getting better with every run. 'You like to see them continuing to come on and that is what she is doing.' Another maiden who is closing in on his first win is Doc March who contests the Maiden Plate (1600m). The son of Prized Icon was runner-up in consecutive starts at Wagga before a fourth to Chilly Charlie at Canberra on May 9. 'He just got back and could make up the ground to win in a couple of races here at Wagga,' Colvin said. 'I knew he wanted a bit of ground but he is on his way and going pretty well. 'He has had about a month since his last run but he is ticking over very well.' Joining him in this race is Astern Torch who is coming off a third to Track And Field on the Wagga Riverside 12 days ago. 'He has been a very frustrating horse. He showed me ability early on but is a bit of a one-pacer,' he said 'He keeps doing enough to convince me to persevere with him.' Meanwhile, Colvin said he is pleased with stable star Another One who resumes from a long spell at Randwick on Saturday. ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ Trainer Lyndall Olson is hoping home track advantage can offset her queries as Gold Card and Zaru strive for success in one of the day's features. Gold Card and Zaru line up in the Corey Brown Cup at Taree just two weeks after the track was flooded. The heavy ground is just one query Olson has for the pair who appreciate soft tracks at this stage of their careers. 'As they have gotten older, they have shown they prefer soft tracks rather than the heavy,' Olson said. Gold Card kicked off his latest campaign with a win in the Hannam Cup over 1007m at Taree on March 17 before a five week gap into his next start when a three length seventh to Cassiel at Canterbury. He steps up to 1250m in the Benchmark 82 race where he is a perfect four from four over the track and distance. 'It was a nice win over the 1000 metres then we went to Canterbury and he wasn't disgraced at all,' said Olson. 'I'm just a bit worried about the time he has had between runs. 'It's been just over six weeks between since his last race. Whether he needs the run or not. 'We have taken the three kilos off with Leanne Boyd aboard but he well and I expect him to run a nice race.' Zaru finished down the track when resuming under 61kg at Taree on May 13 but Olson isn't reading too much into that performance. 'It was hard to make ground from back in the field with his weight and also the 1000 metres was too short for him,' she said. 'We just had to find a race for him to kick off in. 'As he has gotten older, he is a become wiser and he doesn't like the heavy going any more. 'We've got Aaron Bullock back on and he does seem to have a way with him. 'Like Gold Card, he loves his home track.' Olson has no qualms about the track rating for Gold Melody after she scored a stylish win over 1250m on a Heavy 10 at home on May 13. The four-year-old is a strong chance again in the Benchmark 58 Handicap (1300m). 'She did really well to win last start. It was a nice ride from Anna (Roper),' she said. 'She has trained on really well and I think she is a good chance again from barrier one.'
7NEWS
04-06-2025
- Business
- 7NEWS
Stallion announcement signals the end for ‘once-in-a-lifetime' champion Pride Of Jenni
Australia's reigning Horse of the Year and the country's leading stallion will meet later this year with Pride Of Jenni confirmed for a meeting with I Am Invincible. Yarraman Park Stud, in conjunction with Pride Of Jenni's owner Tony Ottobre, announced on Tuesday night that the three-time Group 1-winning daughter of Pride Of Dubai had been booked into the star resident of its Hunter Valley farm. 'I Am Invincible, what he's been able to do is incredible,' Ottobre said. 'I'm in awe of what he's been able to produce so I think we'll get a good one out of Pride Of Jenni.' The announcement effectively signals the end of Pride Of Jenni's career, which took in 39 starts for 10 wins and 12 minor placings. The seven-year-old's most recent appearance came in the Group 1 Doomben Cup on May 24, when she finished 10th of 12 in the race won by Antino. She announced herself a star during Melbourne Cup Week in 2023, when she won the Empire Rose Stakes and Champions Mile in the space of eight days, and returned in the second half of the season to win the $4 million All-Star Mile and Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes. Ottobre said like during her racing career, when Sammy Waters was the loyal companion of the Ciaron Maher-trained mare, Pride Of Jenni would have a designated carer as a broodmare. 'A horse like this only comes once in a lifetime, and she'll have her own carer throughout her entire life now,' he said. 'So, wherever she goes, there will be a carer going with her. We're bringing in Caroline Kirwin from Ireland. 'Prior to that, we had Samantha Waters at the Ciaron Maher stables. Wherever Pride Of Jenni went, Sam was there all the time, and she never left her side at the stables. 'Now I've specially employed Caroline Kirwin from Ireland, who will be arriving soon to go through the breeding journey with Pride Of Jenni — wherever Pride Of Jenni goes, she's going.' Pride Of Jenni is one of the highest-profile bookings for I Am Invincible, who is in contention for a fourth straight win in the Australian Champion Stallion award. The son of Invincible Spirit will stand at a fee of $220,000, including GST, for the 2025 breeding season.
Courier-Mail
08-05-2025
- Business
- Courier-Mail
The Everest winner Bella Nipotina fetches sale record
Mighty mare Bella Nipotina fetched a cool $4.2 million to set a new Inglis Chairman's Sale record at Riverside Stables on Thursday night. Following some frenetic bidding for the reigning The Everest winner, it was co-owner Michael Christian's Longwood Thoroughbreds that ultimately secured the four-time group 1 winner of $22.8 million in prize money. The purchase sees Christian, who bred the seven-year-old daughter of Pride Of Dubai, essentially buy out the remaining owners and ensure the once-in-a-lifetime galloper remains part of the Longwood Thoroughbreds family. READ: 'They thought I was semi-retired': How Callow became the King again 'It's great to be able to bring her home to where it all started,' Christian said. 'We knew it was always going to be tough to secure her, there was some serious bidding going on, and I'm just proud that we were able to secure her and bring her home.' The $4.2 million splurged for Bella Nipotina surpasses the previous $3.6 million record paid for Nimalee at the 2023 Inglis Chairman's Sale. Bella Nipotina retired following a glorious 57-start career winning 11 races, four at group 1 level, with her crowning glory when becoming the first filly or mare to win The Everest in 2024. Her stake earnings of $22.8 million sits only behind the great Winx ($26.5m) in the all-time record books. And while Bella Nipotina was the headline horse at Thursday night's sale, she wasn't the only mare to command big dollars. Coolmore paid $2.8 million to secure Tiz Invincible, Ciaron Maher Bloodstock parted with $2.4 million to snare Too Darn Lizzie while Coolmore were at it again when paying $2.8 million for four-year-old Estriella. Arrowfield paid $2 million to land top flight mare I Am Me while the final lot of the night, star group 1 winning mare Amelia's Jewel, fetched an eye-watering $3.8 million from new owners Coolmore. 14 mares went for more than $1 million across the star-studded catalogue. Originally published as The Everest winner Bella Nipotina fetches Chairman's Sale record $4.2 million
News.com.au
08-05-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
The Everest winner Bella Nipotina fetches Chairman's Sale record $4.2 million
Mighty mare Bella Nipotina fetched a cool $4.2 million to set a new Inglis Chairman's Sale record at Riverside Stables on Thursday night. Following some frenetic bidding for the reigning The Everest winner, it was co-owner Michael Christian's Longwood Thoroughbreds that ultimately secured the four-time group 1 winner of $22.8 million in prize money. The purchase sees Christian, who bred the seven-year-old daughter of Pride Of Dubai, essentially buy out the remaining owners and ensure the once-in-a-lifetime galloper remains part of the Longwood Thoroughbreds family. 'It's great to be able to bring her home to where it all started,' Christian said. 'We knew it was always going to be tough to secure her, there was some serious bidding going on, and I'm just proud that we were able to secure her and bring her home.' The $4.2 million splurged for Bella Nipotina surpasses the previous $3.6 million record paid for Nimalee at the 2023 Inglis Chairman's Sale. BELLA NIPOTINA (Lot 35) sells for $4.2m!!! This incredible mare from @cmaherracing draft sells to Longwood Thoroughbred Farm! Wow, what a great result! #InglisChairmans — Inglis (@inglis_sales) May 8, 2025 Bella Nipotina retired following a glorious 57-start career winning 11 races, four at group 1 level, with her crowning glory when becoming the first filly or mare to win The Everest in 2024. Her stake earnings of $22.8 million sits only behind the great Winx ($26.5m) in the all-time record books. And while Bella Nipotina was the headline horse at Thursday night's sale, she wasn't the only mare to command big dollars. Coolmore paid $2.8 million to secure Tiz Invincible, Ciaron Maher Bloodstock parted with $2.4 million to snare Too Darn Lizzie while Coolmore were at it again when paying $2.8 million for four-year-old Estriella. Arrowfield paid $2 million to land top flight mare I Am Me while the final lot of the night, star group 1 winning mare Amelia's Jewel, fetched an eye-watering $3.8 million from new owners Coolmore. 14 mares went for more than $1 million across the star-studded catalogue.
