Latest news with #Recommendation
Herald Sun
5 days ago
- Sport
- Herald Sun
Recommendation goes back to barrier basics for Bletchingly
Don't miss out on the headlines from Horse Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News. A barrier refresher course and weight-for-age conditions could give smart sprinter Recommendation a shot at a second Group 3 Bletchingly Stakes success. Recommendation won last year's Bletchingly Stakes during a super patch of form that included claiming the Group 3 Sir John Monash Stakes and The Heath 1100 on the Caulfield course. • 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 Ciaron Maher-trained sprinter was not disgraced at Group 1 level in the Manikato Stakes in the spring but struggled at his first attempt at international competition in the Hong Kong Sprint last December. The rising six-year-old ran fairly first-up before struggling down the Flemington straight last month but Maher's assistant trainer Jack Turnbull said some barrier work produced an improved third in the Monash Stakes on July 12. Turnbull said Recommendation gave away too much weight in his first two runs this time in before improving at weight-for-age in the Monash Stakes. The same conditions will apply in the Bletchingly Stakes. • Spring carnival worth the weight for Stockdale 'He's never really fired down the straight and he got it pretty wrong and worked up two back so there were excuses,' Turnbull said. 'Last year, prior to the Bletchingly, he'd had such a good prep so he's pretty much handicapped himself so getting back to weight-for-age will help. 'These two races (the Monash and Bletchingly Stakes) are his chance to get back to the winner's stall.' Recommendation will have blinkers back on in Saturday's Group 3 Bletchingly Stakes at Caulfield. Picture: Racing Photos via Getty Images Turnbull said Recommendation had spent time under the tutelage of noted barrier educator Julien Welsh to repair bad habits that had crept into the gelding's barrier routine. He said a fast start was vital to Recommendation's racing style but the son of Shalaa had not given himself the chance to jump quickly in recent runs. • Cherish a good track: Caulfield weather watch for smart filly 'That was his asset, stepping away from the gates and holding a prominent spot,' Turnbull said. 'He was just getting uptight, standing back in the gates and being very negative. 'They just get into bad habits. 'They might get away with something and they continue it on, they might get a bit tired or a bit grumpy or whatever it is. 'He's just a lot more comfortable in there. He stands up in the 'V' at the front of the gates, which is key, and he's very receptive to stepping away.' Turnbull said the return of blinkers to Recommendation's gear would also help the winner of nine of 26 starts regain his best form. Recommendation has firmed from $8.50 to $7.50 while the Corstens and Larkin-trained Baraqiel is the easing favourite, drifting from $2.90 to $3.20. Originally published as Trainer Ciaron Maher chasing another Bletchingly Stakes win with Recommendation
The Australian
5 days ago
- Sport
- The Australian
Recommendation goes back to barrier basics for Bletchingly
A barrier refresher course and weight-for-age conditions could give smart sprinter Recommendation a shot at a second Group 3 Bletchingly Stakes success. Recommendation won last year's Bletchingly Stakes during a super patch of form that included claiming the Group 3 Sir John Monash Stakes and The Heath 1100 on the Caulfield course. • 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 Ciaron Maher-trained sprinter was not disgraced at Group 1 level in the Manikato Stakes in the spring but struggled at his first attempt at international competition in the Hong Kong Sprint last December. The rising six-year-old ran fairly first-up before struggling down the Flemington straight last month but Maher's assistant trainer Jack Turnbull said some barrier work produced an improved third in the Monash Stakes on July 12. Turnbull said Recommendation gave away too much weight in his first two runs this time in before improving at weight-for-age in the Monash Stakes. The same conditions will apply in the Bletchingly Stakes. • Spring carnival worth the weight for Stockdale 'He's never really fired down the straight and he got it pretty wrong and worked up two back so there were excuses,' Turnbull said. 'Last year, prior to the Bletchingly, he'd had such a good prep so he's pretty much handicapped himself so getting back to weight-for-age will help. 'These two races (the Monash and Bletchingly Stakes) are his chance to get back to the winner's stall.' Recommendation will have blinkers back on in Saturday's Group 3 Bletchingly Stakes at Caulfield. Picture: Racing Photos via Getty Images Turnbull said Recommendation had spent time under the tutelage of noted barrier educator Julien Welsh to repair bad habits that had crept into the gelding's barrier routine. He said a fast start was vital to Recommendation's racing style but the son of Shalaa had not given himself the chance to jump quickly in recent runs. • Cherish a good track: Caulfield weather watch for smart filly 'That was his asset, stepping away from the gates and holding a prominent spot,' Turnbull said. 'He was just getting uptight, standing back in the gates and being very negative. 'They just get into bad habits. 'They might get away with something and they continue it on, they might get a bit tired or a bit grumpy or whatever it is. 'He's just a lot more comfortable in there. He stands up in the 'V' at the front of the gates, which is key, and he's very receptive to stepping away.' Turnbull said the return of blinkers to Recommendation's gear would also help the winner of nine of 26 starts regain his best form. Recommendation has firmed from $8.50 to $7.50 while the Corstens and Larkin-trained Baraqiel is the easing favourite, drifting from $2.90 to $3.20.
News.com.au
5 days ago
- Sport
- News.com.au
Trainer Ciaron Maher chasing another Bletchingly Stakes win with Recommendation
A barrier refresher course and weight-for-age conditions could give smart sprinter Recommendation a shot at a second Group 3 Bletchingly Stakes success. Recommendation won last year's Bletchingly Stakes during a super patch of form that included claiming the Group 3 Sir John Monash Stakes and The Heath 1100 on the Caulfield course. The Ciaron Maher -trained sprinter was not disgraced at Group 1 level in the Manikato Stakes in the spring but struggled at his first attempt at international competition in the Hong Kong Sprint last December. The rising six-year-old ran fairly first-up before struggling down the Flemington straight last month but Maher's assistant trainer Jack Turnbull said some barrier work produced an improved third in the Monash Stakes on July 12. Turnbull said Recommendation gave away too much weight in his first two runs this time in before improving at weight-for-age in the Monash Stakes. The same conditions will apply in the Bletchingly Stakes. • Spring carnival worth the weight for Stockdale 'He's never really fired down the straight and he got it pretty wrong and worked up two back so there were excuses,' Turnbull said. 'Last year, prior to the Bletchingly, he'd had such a good prep so he's pretty much handicapped himself so getting back to weight-for-age will help. 'These two races (the Monash and Bletchingly Stakes) are his chance to get back to the winner's stall.' Turnbull said Recommendation had spent time under the tutelage of noted barrier educator Julien Welsh to repair bad habits that had crept into the gelding's barrier routine. He said a fast start was vital to Recommendation's racing style but the son of Shalaa had not given himself the chance to jump quickly in recent runs. 'That was his asset, stepping away from the gates and holding a prominent spot,' Turnbull said. 'He was just getting uptight, standing back in the gates and being very negative. 'They just get into bad habits. 'They might get away with something and they continue it on, they might get a bit tired or a bit grumpy or whatever it is. 'He's just a lot more comfortable in there. He stands up in the 'V' at the front of the gates, which is key, and he's very receptive to stepping away.' Turnbull said the return of blinkers to Recommendation's gear would also help the winner of nine of 26 starts regain his best form.
The Australian
07-07-2025
- Sport
- The Australian
2025 Sir John Monash Stakes at Caulfield: Recommendation returns
Recommendation has undergone barrier re-education to help the out-of-sorts sprinter start sharper and regain form. Trained by Ciaron Maher, Recommendation burst onto the Melbourne winter circuit last year with a seven-length Group 3 Sir John Monash Stakes (1100m) demolition. He turned a blistering first-up performance into a Group 3 sprint hat-trick at Caulfield with subsequent wins in the Bletchingly Stakes and Heath Stakes. Recommendation competed solidly in higher grade last spring but then only battled abroad in the Hong Kong Sprint. • 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 five-year-old gelding returns to Caulfield third-up on Saturday to defend the Sir John Monash title after two lacklustre performances in Listed and Open company. Recommendation has not been as sharp out of the barriers this time in compared to electric starts last year. He missed the start a length at Flemington a fortnight ago and finished last of eight, beaten five lengths. Maher stable representative Leigh Allen said Recommendation had benefited from the barrier refresh. • Gilbert Gardiner's horses to follow, forgive from Flemington on Saturday 'We sent him to Julien Welsh's, had a bit of time there, and then had a piece of work (last Saturday),' Allen said. 'He'll have a little pop out on Tuesday and hopefully we're back on the right leg there. 'It's nothing bad (barrier manners), not that he's a rogue or anything, but he's missed the start and from there (he's on the back foot) as an on speed runner he needs to be thereabouts … as soon as he flops out of the barriers it's game over basically. 'We're hoping for an improved showing (in the Sir John Monash) … he'll then target races similar to last preparation.' • Revealed: Melbourne Cup set for major prizemoney boost Allen said Recommendation had taken a bit of time to get up to speed this year, following the Hong Kong trip last December. 'It probably did take a lot out of him going to Hong Kong because he had a really good prep this time of year … took him a while to get over that so we're trying to get him back in form,' Allen said. The Maher stable saddled a treble at Flemington last Saturday, including the emerging stayer Shockletz. • 'Awesome again': Stern Idol reigns supreme in Thackeray test Allen said Shockletz, a rising four-year-old daughter of Melbourne Cup winner Shocking, had the potential to advance to the spring. Shockletz has won three of her past five starts and just missed in a photo finish two back. 'She's only a little slight thing … it's all happened in a very short amount of time so she might not be one you quickly put into a good race,' Allen said. 'I'd imagine she'll have a reset (freshen up for spring).' Gilbert Gardiner Sports reporter Gilbert Gardiner is a sports reporter for the Herald Sun and Sunday Herald Sun. @gilbertgardiner Gilbert Gardiner
News.com.au
07-07-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Trainer Ciaron Maher makes a Recommendation for barrier re-education for out-of-sorts star
Recommendation has undergone barrier re-education to help the out-of-sorts sprinter start sharper and regain form. Trained by Ciaron Maher, Recommendation burst onto the Melbourne winter circuit last year with a seven-length Group 3 Sir John Monash Stakes (1100m) demolition. He turned a blistering first-up performance into a Group 3 sprint hat-trick at Caulfield with subsequent wins in the Bletchingly Stakes and Heath Stakes. Hong Kong Sprint. The five-year-old gelding returns to Caulfield third-up on Saturday to defend the Sir John Monash title after two lacklustre performances in Listed and Open company. Recommendation has not been as sharp out of the barriers this time in compared to electric starts last year. He missed the start a length at Flemington a fortnight ago and finished last of eight, beaten five lengths. Maher stable representative Leigh Allen said Recommendation had benefited from the barrier refresh. "It's daylight to the others." Recommendation returns in fine style & destroys his opposition in the G3 Sir John Monash Stakes ðŸ'¥ @cmaherracing @blake_shinn — (@Racing) July 13, 2024 'We sent him to Julien Welsh's, had a bit of time there, and then had a piece of work (last Saturday),' Allen said. 'He'll have a little pop out on Tuesday and hopefully we're back on the right leg there. 'It's nothing bad (barrier manners), not that he's a rogue or anything, but he's missed the start and from there (he's on the back foot) as an on speed runner he needs to be thereabouts … as soon as he flops out of the barriers it's game over basically. 'We're hoping for an improved showing (in the Sir John Monash) … he'll then target races similar to last preparation.' "They're not going to get to him." Recommendation becomes the third horse to complete Monash-Bletchingly double ðŸ'¥ @cmaherracing @blake_shinn — (@Racing) July 27, 2024 Allen said Recommendation had taken a bit of time to get up to speed this year, following the Hong Kong trip last December. 'It probably did take a lot out of him going to Hong Kong because he had a really good prep this time of year … took him a while to get over that so we're trying to get him back in form,' Allen said. The Maher stable saddled a treble at Flemington last Saturday, including the emerging stayer Shockletz. Shockletz responds to @HTCoffey 's urgings & claims Ant in the final bound in the Mahogany Challenge Final âš¡ï¸� @cmaherracing — (@Racing) July 5, 2025 Allen said Shockletz, a rising four-year-old daughter of Melbourne Cup winner Shocking, had the potential to advance to the spring. Shockletz has won three of her past five starts and just missed in a photo finish two back. 'She's only a little slight thing … it's all happened in a very short amount of time so she might not be one you quickly put into a good race,' Allen said. 'I'd imagine she'll have a reset (freshen up for spring).'
