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West Australian
21-06-2025
- Sport
- West Australian
Veteran galloper lining up for his eighth trainer wins Ipswich Cup at 48th start
Flash Aah's Ipswich Cup (2150m) victory is a story of the quintessential Aussie battler hitting the big-time, clinching the trophy at his 48th race start. Beginning his career with a Townsville maiden victory in 2018, the enduring veteran was lining up for his eighth trainer and his victories stretched from as far north as Cairns to as deep down as Cranbourne. The $31 TABtouch outsider found himself in the back half of the field as Akrotiri ($7) worked hard to hold the front with several runners keen to lead. Switched off mid-stages, Flash Aah found himself amongst horses and with only four behind at the 600m while Felix The Scat ($14) hooked around him and made a surging move. With rider Ron Stewart getting animated, Flash Aah tried to cover the run of Felix The Scat but with a sweeping bid, Mark Du Plessis sent Felix The Scat clear rounding the turn. Balancing up in the straight, Troy Pascoe's rising 10-year-old continued to chip away at the margin and as the leader began to finally flag from the long run, Flash Aah ate into the margin. In the final 100m, the son of Lucas Cranach gathered up the gutsy Felix The Scat and hit the lead with 20m remaining to win by a neck. In triumph, he snapped a 1000-day winning drought with his previous victory at Bendigo in April 2022 when trained by Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young. 'I wasn't counting, I knew that every day was closer to his next win,' his trainer Pascoe said. 'He's been all over Australia but he's in the right hands now. 'He's found his home. He loves life with us and we love him. 'He's like a big dog, like a big pet. He follows you around and he's just so relaxed. 'You get him out and he's looking at the butterflies and the rainbows. 'He just doesn't give a sh*t. He's a beautiful animal.' Despite the longshot status, Pascoe's optimism didn't wane. 'I never lost faith in him. I kept saying that this was the race I wanted to get him in. I absolutely thought he could win it,' he said. 'I was blown away at the price, I couldn't believe it. 'My staff have done an amazing job. He ran third in this race four years ago and to come back as a nine, rising 10-year-old, they should take a bow.'
West Australian
06-06-2025
- Sport
- West Australian
Magnificent Andy predicted by punters to become only the fourth dual winner of the Hyperion Stakes
Magnificent Andy is in line to join a select group of dual Hyperion Stakes winners when the hardy gelding contests the $200,000 Group 3 feature at Pinjarra. Only Cambana Lad (1974, 1975), Heron Bridge (1984, 1986) and Marasco (2008, 2010) have been repeat winners of the event, though Magnificent Andy would become the first since it was changed to be a 1600m contest. The chestnut has firmed to $2.90 TABtouch favouritism and his regular jockey Brad Parnham eagerly awaits the clash. 'I'm obviously pretty confident going into the race. His runs of recent times have been really great, and he gives 100 percent every time,' Parnham told TABradio. 'The last two starts, we've drawn awkward and have been caught wide. 'The other day, I managed to get across, but I rode him a little closer than I would've if I'd drawn a gate. 'Now we're up to a mile and we're drawn a good gate, I can probably position him where I want. 'I give him quite a big chance to go back to back.' A one-length fourth to Jokers Grin in The Quokka, Magnificent Andy has followed that performance with valiant runner-up performances in both the Northam Stakes and Belmont Sprint. Despite having 37 starts under his belt, the six-year-old has only raced over 1600m twice in his career for last year's Hyperion victory and a later fourth in the Railway Stakes. 'He's very strong at 1400m but think he's the sort of horse who might be better at the mile,' Parnham said. 'His effort last start was great. He got challenged by West Star and he started to pull him back and managed to get in front. 'To me, it seemed like The Boss Lady's turn of foot was a bit too sharp for him and she was able to get over the top of him. 'I think he's developed into that horse that's better at a mile. We'll see what he can do but he should be going very close.' His main rival could be $3.10 second fancy Western Empire, who missed the Belmont Sprint with a hoof abscess. 'It's still a bit of an ask going from 1200m to a mile but I'm pretty happy with how he is,' his co-trainer Grant Williams told SEN. 'We got to put in an extra couple of gallops. I would've liked one more, but he had a really good hit-out on Wednesday.' Williams also prepares $12 fourth fancy Hemlock Stone who he suggests will belie the maligned 'second-up syndrome', a metaphorical condition where horses underperform at their second start for a preparation after impressing at their first. 'I have got that in the back of my head about second-up syndrome because he's a stayer but generally we don't have that in our stable,' he said. 'Our stable, they generally bounce through the first one and their second one's a good run.'
West Australian
24-05-2025
- Sport
- West Australian
Two-year-old debutant takes the eye as Belmont is postponed prior to Sprint
Following two encouraging trials and hot betting support, newcomer Too Darn Stormy made a winning start to his career courtesy of a brilliant William Pike ride. From gate 11, Pike pushed his way to be prominent and wedged his way into a position one-off the fence in fifth place. The son of Too Darn Hot, who was backed from $7 down to $2.45 on TABtouch, travelled powerfully into the home bend as Moonwalk ($5.50) mastered Queen Selyse ($126). As Moonwalk committed for home 250m out, Pike unwound Too Darn Stormy down the outside, making his run with Playin'it Sweet ($5). At the 150m, both Moonwalk and Pony Up ($34) dipped while Queen Selyse stumbled noticeably, further enhancing Too Darn Stormy's already tight winning claims. Despite a gallant fighting effort from Moonwalk, Too Darn Stormy drew away to win by a half-length on his fellow debutante. Passed in as a yearling for $400,000 at a 2024 Easter Sale, the bay has an eye-catching ownership group featuring Ciaron Maher Racing and their head of bloodstock Will Bourne. Dan Morton turned out some capable youngsters earlier in the season and Too Darn Stormy appears yet another Ascot carnival prospect for the trainer later this year. 'It was a little bit sticky being wide early, but he slotted in nicely and the horse was good enough to get it done,' Morton said. 'I'll probably give him another go around. He's been well looked after to this point, so he's fit and ready to go around again. 'We'll get a couple of runs under his belt and then look at the end of the year. 'It goes a long way when they're schooled up good for you, which he has been. 'Hopefully he can keep building on that for us. He's a nice horse.' Pike also credited the attitude of the gelding, saying he was a ready-made racehorse despite his inexperience. 'Initially I thought, 'this is good, I'll get across easily' but a couple kicked up quite strongly,' Pike said. 'I was umming and ahhing on what to do, whether I give him a good kick and go around. 'Luckily for me, two-year-olds are green and they're wobbly and a couple of holes appeared, and I was able to get a nice cart up behind them. 'He was actually an absolute ripper. He jumped cleanly, came back to me when the pace steadied and, most importantly, has a lovely turn of foot. 'He trialled professionally, he's racing professionally, and there's definitely some upside there.' Upon review of the race footage, stewards were accompanied by senior jockeys and trainers to assess the portion of the track near the 150m where the three horses had stumbled. Stewards could find no identifiable reasons for numerous horses reacting to the area, but the track was deemed unsafe for racing to continue and subsequently postponed the meeting. There was no new date advertised for the Group 3 Belmont Sprint to be held. + Zaza Rock ($3.10) and Fat Roy Slim ($3f) continued their battles in the staying ranks with the scorecard now reading 2-0 in favour of the former across the last fortnight. As Zaza Rock peeled three wide passing the 600m, Fat Roy Slim latched onto her back to give chase. Zaza Rock reached the front rounding the turn and it was a case of déjà vu as Fat Roy Slim came off her heels but fell more than a length short.
West Australian
23-05-2025
- Sport
- West Australian
Bustler back in career-best form and ready to rumble first-up in Belmont Sprint
Group 1 winner Bustler will be out to show his trial form has been no fluke in the Group 3 $200,000 Swan Draught Belmont Sprint (1400m), lining up a $7 third elect in the first big race of the wet track's season. The five-year-old excited his fans when cruising to a comfortable success at an Ascot trials session almost two weeks ago, beating handy rivals including stablemate and subsequent Lark Hill heat winner September Born. His jockey, Steve Parnham, says the gelding has regained career-best form and is in rude health ahead of Saturday's clash. 'He's showing that he's near his best that won the Railway a couple of years ago,' Parnham told TABradio. 'His trackwork has been as good as back then, and his trials have been even better. 'He was quite sharp in the trial with his blinkers on, so I'd expect him to jump out as he did and put himself in a prominent spot. Some cover behind the speed would be nice, but he's a pretty adaptable horse.' Bustler sat sixth in a field of 16 to win the 2023 Railway Stakes, the closest he has positioned relative to the lead in any of his wins excepting his debut. Three-year-old tyro West Star is the $2.80 TABtouch favourite after scooting away with the Northam Stakes on May 11. He leads 2021 Railway winner Western Empire at $4.60, with Stephen Miller's Magnificent Andy - a Northam runner-up to West Star - at $9. 'He's one of those horses that does his best all the time and is not far off them in those big races,' Miller said. 'I feel that his ultimate (distance) is the 1400m, but I would have preferred barrier six or something like that. 'The horse is fit and well. He'll run well.' + Proven performers Antino and Pride Of Jenni share $3.60 favouritism for the Group 1 Doomben Cup (2000m) in Queensland. Antino routed his Hollindale Stakes rivals two weeks ago, sustaining a steamrolling run to pulverise his rivals by three and a half lengths. Pride Of Jenni, who was retired last year after a Cantala Stakes failure, has won two easier races this preparation which were split by another disappointment in the Australian Cup. + Victorian chaser Giacomo, unbeaten in four WA runs, will start favourite for the Group 2 WA Derby (520m) at Cannington. The $2.80 favourite won the Mandurah Derby three weeks ago in a brilliant 27.10 seconds before turning his attention to the series. Echoes Of Dad ($3.60) - the least experienced runner in the field - is next in betting ahead of Junk Yard Clyde ($4.60), who was the fastest qualifier in 29.47 seconds last week.
West Australian
02-05-2025
- Sport
- West Australian
One of WA's toughest horses Filthy Habits looks to continue supreme form in Ascot's Rogan Josh Stakes
Arguably one of WA's toughest gallopers Filthy Habits will line up a hot $1.75 TABtouch favourite for Saturday's $100,000 Rogan Josh Stakes (2100m) at Ascot after his last-start Albany Cup demolition. In his favourite role of pace-maker at Albany, Filthy Habits romped home to score by almost five lengths and took his earnings to near $500,000. Trainer Brandon Fiore, husband of rider Lucy Fiore, said the pair were delighted by the ease with which the five-year-old won. 'It was a really easy watch. Typically, he doesn't make it too easy, so it was nice when he was coming down the home straight,' he told TABradio. 'It was awesome to see him put away the field like that. (Lucy) was a bit shocked. He was just hands and heels and responded really well. 'She said he felt so fresh and plenty fit enough. He's recovered really well and his weight's good. His last bit of work, his heart rate and his recovery were pretty much identical to last start.' Renowned for his appetite for a rigorous racing schedule, Fiore said they had eased the bay's workload which had seen him go to another level. 'He's still on the fresher side and we're probably learning a bit more about him now,' he said. 'We're trying not to overwork him and let him do his thing and leave a bit more speed in him instead of trying to make him stay.' Filthy Habits will meet second favourite and fellow front-runner Iowa ($3.20) with a two kilo weight advantage, carrying 54.5kg to Iowa's 56.5kg. 'I think he'll be pretty hard to beat. Iowa, his runs have been really good, so he's always a good chance,' Fiore said. 'We have met before and (Iowa) has beaten him, although I think Filthy Habits is going better now. They'll be both out in front for a long way. 'After tomorrow, he'll go out for a spell. He might come back for a trial, then go out for a spell again while (Lucy and I) are in Mongolia. Then we'll aim him for the Perth Cup and the lead-up races for that.' In August, Brandon and Lucy Fiore will tackle the Mongol Derby, a 1000km race through the countryside on semi-wild horses who are changed over every 35km. + Statuario leads the market for the $1 million South Australian Derby (2500m) after a comprehensive two-and-a-quarter length win at Caulfield a month ago. The $3 grey gelding rates clearly on top in betting from American Wolf ($8), a VRC St Leger winner at Flemington last weekend. Lavalier ($8) was a half length behind Athanatos in the Chairmans at Morphettville last start, while Cranbourne winner Global Eclipse ($9.50) and last year's Victoria Derby winner Goldrush Guru ($11) are next in line.
