Latest news with #RaconteurStakes
West Australian
26-06-2025
- Entertainment
- West Australian
Opportunistic out to claim next leg of three-year-old feature series in Belmont Guineas
Brilliant Raconteur Stakes winner Opportunistic will look to clinch another leg of the three-year-old feature series in Saturday's Listed $125,000 Belmont Guineas (1600m) at Pinjarra. At Bunbury a fortnight earlier, Opportunistic was sent out a $5 elect with the Grant and Alana Williams-trained Storyville a popular $2.25 favourite. Settling towards the rear of the field, Clint Johnston-Porter launched the Michael Grantham-prepared gelding wide and began a stirring run which soon carried him past Storyville at the the 200m mark. Rushing to the front, Opportunistic now had Elite Missile appearing to his outside after peeling from his back but the inexperienced son of So You Think fought manfully to hold his final challenger by a head. Despite beating Storyville that day and with the rise from 1400m appearing no object, Opportunistic is an easing $3.80 TABtouch second fancy behind the filly, who has been supported from $3.30 down to $2.75. Elite Missile, who opened as short as $3.40, has now drifted to be a clear third fancy at $4.20 with all other runners at double-figure prices. Redback Flyer ($10), a hulking son of Playing God, was especially impressive in his three most recent starts which have all reaped victories. He has since been freshened before trialling on June 16 at Lark Hill when defeated in a three-way throw to the line and the addition of bar plates will be a worry to most punters. Earthstorm ($11) was badly held up for most of the home straight last weekend and hit the line well once finally clear behind Arcadia Knight. This is understandably harder but despite winning only one of her 12 race starts, she has frequently mixed it with the best of her age. Wind And The Lion ($17) is on trial at the mile but although he couldn't match the turn of foot from Opportunistic last start, he found the line with purpose late. Fifth Essence ($17) shoved his way through the pack before unleashing a terrific turn of foot to settle his June 18 contest at Bunbury and shows high potential notwithstanding the fact he will meet a substantially more difficult lineup. King Hit ($34) plugged away OK in the Raconteur and would need to lift noticeably, while the rest of the field bar Showlas ($61) and Quick Cookie ($126) are coming out of maidens. Showlas won a Class 1 at Northam last start, while Snipperando captured her fourth career win in a Class 3 on the same day. Impressive Jewel ($81) was chinned in a maiden behind Romantic Ruler and Icandoit Onmyown ($201) broke through for her first success in a Bunbury maiden on June 18. Earlier in the programme, some promising two-year-olds will do battle in the second race with Mardusa ($2.60f) leading the call. The son of Maurice hacked up at his first run this preparation - the second of his racing tenure - when scoring by three lengths despite being slowly into stride at Northam on June 4. He meets speedy Bunbury winner Baby Pearl ($5.50), who looks suited by drawing barrier one, and Aberdeen Flyer ($5.50), who looked useful in two starts earlier this year. Aberdeen Flyer, an imposing sort, has had two eye-catching trials in preparation for this, the last of which was a three-length romp at Belmont on June 9. His rider, Brad Parnham, will also renew his association with sprightly three-year-old Repossession ($2.25f) in race three after Ryan Houston's three-kilo claim was utilised at his prior run. On that day, Houston was bailed up in traffic but secured a seam late for the Sessions gelding to burst through and seal the race by a widening two lengths. The Chris and Michael Gangemi-trained youngster now comes up against older rivals such as Celestial Storm ($6), Supersession ($7), Hanchi ($7.50) and Cool Memory ($8). Supersession's younger full-sister, Supernatural ($12), goes around in race six where Want A Winner ($3.80f) leads the market. A victor at his only two starts, Want A Winner ran third in a three-way photo at Belmont trials on June 9 behind Horcrux ($4.40). Horcrux, while still trained by Simon Miller, has changed ownership since his last race in the 3yo Magic Millions and teams up with William Pike for the first time. Lightly raced five-year-old My Hidden Universe ($5.50) is next in line and will be much better served rising to 1200m after playing second fiddle to the fleet-footed Desert Whisper two weeks ago. + Four-year-old Firestorm ($4.20f) is top of the betting for the Group 1 Tattersall's Tiara (1400m) at Eagle Farm after a fast-finishing third in the Dane Ripper a fortnight ago. It was the daughter of Satono Aladdin's first run for the preparation and will again be partnered by James McDonald in a bid to turn the tables on the in-form Floozie ($4.40), who beat her last start. Floozie is on a hot-streak with victories at all four of her starts this campaign and is trained locally by leading trainer Tony Gollan with Angela Jones to take the mount. Tashi ($7.50) was runner-up in the Ripper and had also placed second in her two starts prior. Somewhat frustratingly for connections, she has placed second at 10 of her 25 career appearances for just four wins. The now Yulong-owned Grinzinger Belle ($11) makes her reappearance having last been seen down the track in the Queen Of The Turf in April. + Bezzecchi ($2.80) and Aston Smokey ($3.80) enter Saturday's Paradise Street Trophy (601m) at Cannington in peak form with both boasting three-long winning streaks heading into the clash. Although Bezzecchi is likely to start favourite, he will only do so under the circumstance that second reserve West On Sidney ($2.40) fails to get a run. West On Sidney was a highly unlucky fifth in their heat last week and missed qualification as Bezzecchi held Sunset Comanche ($6) to win by a head. Aston Smokey surged to an early lead and was not for catching in his heat, scoring by more than two lengths despite running a length and a half slower than Bezzechi. He must lead again to win and certainly can do so but his task has been made tougher by drawing box eight, while Bezzecchi is in five. Paul Stuart, who trains Bezzecchi, has an able second-stringer with Vinales ($4.60) sneaking into the final when fourth behind Aston Smokey. He appears much better suited from box one with Sunset Serengeti ($7) rounding out those under double figures.
West Australian
12-06-2025
- Sport
- West Australian
Top filly Storyville out to upstage boys in Saturday's Raconteur Stakes at Bunbury
Classy filly Storyville is predicted to upstage the boys in Saturday's Listed $125,000 Raconteur Stakes (1400m) at Bunbury and is just one of two from the fairer sex in the line-up. The $2.35 TABtouch favourite was last into stride and from her wide barrier, settled back last on the fence at her opening preparation run on May 28 at Pinjarra. For almost the duration of the home straight, she was clambering over heels in front of her but made some noticeable progress through the line, beaten less than three lengths by Luvnwar. This week, she has fared much better in barrier two and should appreciate both the second-up fitness and rise from 1200m to 1400m. The only other filly in this weekend's event is $31 outsider Precious God, who had shown lots of talent but must considerably on her seven-length tenth behind Mt Shirataku at Pinjarra two and a half weeks ago. Storyville's trainers Grant and Alana Williams have shown that girls can beat the boys in this race with their 2021 victor Graceful Girl doing just that. Their previous winner in the race was the 2013 triumphant Western Blaze when the race was held over 1500m for a 10-year period before reverting to 1400m in 2020. The nearest challenger in the Raconteur market is Elite Missile ($5.50), who appreciated a freshen-up to salute on May 24 at Belmont when powering home from the second half of the field. A wide barrier leaves rider Brad Parnham with a conundrum, however, the gelding defeated subsequent winner Pond Master ($8) on that occasion. Elite Missile's trainer Stephen Miller will be looking for another success in the race to follow Variation's 2017 effort. With William Pike sticking with Storyville, the door has opened for Lucy Fiore to pick up the ride on Pond Master, with Pike in the saddle for that May 31 win. Fiore has experienced joy in recent times with pick-up rides and this looms as another prospect, with Pond's Master's recent showing demanding respect. After bombing the start and settling last, the son of Saxon Warrior revealed a sparkling turn of foot to gather up his rivals and win by a narrow margin. Wind And The Lion ($9.50) was a positive first-up second at Ascot last month before being beaten by Pond Master in that Pinjarra event last fortnight. After being unable to find a front-running position, the son of Written By went back to settle three wide with cover before peeling at the top of the straight. But his run was just fair and Pond Master came around him to beat him by more than a length. There will undoubtedly be improvement in the gelding and despite drawing poorly in gate 11, he commands attention. Opportunistic ($9.50) was off the boards to win at his debut on May 28 at Pinjarra when backed from double-figure odds down to $2.90 come start time. He didn't let the punters down, shooting down the outside to win easily by over a length. The So You Think bay must elevate again against these opposition, though he remains untapped. Awesome Boy ($12) was specked and delivered comfortably two starts ago, romping home by three lengths on April 26 at Ascot. But after going off $1.55 at his next start, he failed to convert, and needs to rebound to his previous form to play a part. God's Gate ($14) gave a sight at Pinjarra and although he was headed early in the straight by Sunbronzed, he showed fight to hold second after looking in trouble 500m out. King Hit ($31) grabbed victory in a Bunbury midweek last week and was four and a half lengths behind Elite Missile prior to that, meaning he must lift to threaten. Patron Express ($31) has found Rally The Troops too strong at his last two and loses the blinkers now. He has more to give but hasn't recaptured that earlier promise just yet. One-time winners Ripper Farooq ($41) and More Heroic ($41), who has only had one start, round out the assembly. + Million-dollar earner Cool Archie ($3.70f) leads the betting for the Group 1 J J Atkins (1600m) at Eagle Farm and will look to keep an unbeaten preparation in tact after earlier victories in the Darello, Champagne Classic and Sires' Produce. Prior to that, the son of Cool Aza Beel shed his maiden tag on April 16 at Doomben first-up, breaking his duck at his third racing preparation as a two-year-old. He was purchased for just $100,000 while second favourite Hidden Achievement ($6) was a $675,000 Ready 2 Run buy. The son of I Am Invincible has had just three starts since beginning his career on April 21 for one win and earnings of $100,000. Grafterburners ($8), a son of Graff, was sixth and four and a half lengths behind Cool Archie in the Sires' Produce after being beaten a half-length by him in the Champagne Classic. Ciaron Maher's Navy Pilot ($9), also a son of I Am Invincible, was ironically passed in for a very similar fee to Hidden Achievement at $670,000. He was third in the Phoenix at Eagle Farm last week behind Sunrays. Promising four-year-old War Machine ($3f) leads the call for the time-honoured Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap later on the card adter winning his last two starts. A cosy win in a benchmark 100 event at Caulfield on May 10 was followed by an even easier two-and-a-half length victory at Doomben two weeks on in the BRC Sprint. With Blake Shinn out indefinitely after suffering bone bruising in his foot, Tim Clark takes the reins from gate 13. Golden Mile ($8.50) went down in a thrilling three-way photo finish to Joliestar in the Kingsford Smith Cup last weekend and is the only other runner at single-digit odds. Fifth in that race was Rise At Dawn ($11) and Kimochi ($13) was fourth, while Private Eye ($15) will take on this race first-up despite having had four trials. Rothfire ($15) ran one of his greatest ever races in the Doomben 10,000 when chinned by Sunshine In Paris but the hometown hero gets another chance at feature glory as a seven-year-old. The Instructor and The Inflictor (both $15) are next, while Transatlantic could be a good roughie at $18. Transatlantic was declared a Stradbroke horse last year by trainer Tony Gollan and shot to form when winning the Spear Chief by a length last Saturday.
West Australian
19-05-2025
- Sport
- West Australian
September Born impresses in second trial, warming up for winter three-year-old feature raid
Classy colt September Born continued his ascendance towards a racing preparation with a dynamic victory at Monday's Lark Hill trials, defeating the multiply Group-placed Miss Skyhigh in a 950m heat. The imposing son of Playing God sat midfield, bang on the back of capable type Hell I Am in a three-wide position. Cornering at the 450m, Brad Parnham eased the three-year-old four wide to chase down early leader Pompey and the youngster's big engine clicked into gear, making sustained progress down the outside. With 200m to go, he had mastered Pompey but now had Miss Skyhigh making inroads after finding a run against the rail. Despite the mare's electric burst, September Born kept up the gallop to score by a long neck with only half a length separating three Grant and Alana Williams-trained runners behind (Miss Skyhigh, Pompey and Hell I Am). It was September Born's second trial in as many weeks after he closed off in style behind stablemate Bustler at Belmont, showing noticeable physical progression from his previous preparation which featured a Fairetha Stakes win last November. After that trial, trainer Neville Parnham reported the entire to have come through the trial well but was 'extremely gross' and had a 'high heart rate', necessitating the need for Monday's hit-out. He will now aim the untapped sort at a campaign of 'two or three runs', beginning in an $80,000 three-year-old set weights and penalties event over 1200m on May 31. He will then look to emulate his full-sister Kay Cee by winning the Raconteur Stakes (1400m) and Belmont Guineas (1600m) on June 14 and 28 respectively. Earlier, Quokka winning duo Bernie Miller and Pat Carbery combined to salute in the fourth heat with a clever showing from two-year-old Forever Elite. Among the last to leave the gates, the daughter of Maschino quickly recovered along the fence to be only four lengths from leader Leg Godt at the 600m. Cuddled into the straight by Carbery, he finally poked the filly's head through a gap at the 200m and she quickened attractively, making smooth progress on Leg Godt instantaneously. Once shaken up nearing the 100m, Forever Elite steamed past the pace-maker and careered clear, scoring by a length and three quarters. It was the unraced youngster's second trial after taking the eye in a Lark Hill trial when third to Arctic Snow two weeks previous. Her mother, Brave Queen, won just once over 900m at the Gold Coast on a Heavy 10-rated track in March 2010. Shifting to WA later that year, Brave Queen had six starts at Esperance and beat just seven runners home in all of those starts cumulatively. + Junk Yard Clyde, who posted a brilliant 29.47 win to be the fastest WA Derby heat winner on Saturday at Cannington, has drawn box eight in the final. Nominal pre-series favourite West On Sidney missed a start after placing third in his qualifier.
