Latest news with #TobyLake
News.com.au
04-07-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Fieldelo aiming to upstage She's An Artist in Creswick Stakes at Flemington
Emerging Bendigo trainer Toby Lake is spoiling for an upset with Fieldelo in the Listed AR Creswick Stakes (1200m) on Saturday at Flemington. Last-start runner-up Fieldelo finished 3¾ lengths behind She's An Artist, the short-priced favourite to win the Creswick Stakes, but Lake is happy to be an underdog in the bid to flip the result. 'A few people seem to think the race has already been run and won,' Lake said. 'Hopefully, without that added pressure we can cause a bit of an upset.' She's An Artist, trained by Ciaron Maher, is the $1.55 favourite from Fieldelo ($4.60) and Soft Love ($7). Lake said the rise in distance from 1100m to 1200m and rain-affected soft track would help Fieldelo. 'We get a small swing in the weights (1kg better than last start) and I could expect to sit closer to it in the run,' Lake said. 'I think both fillies are open to improvement off the other day … both rising stars to some extent. 'We're getting to our right trip, third-up, we're going to be hopefully peaking on Saturday. 'Like I said to the owners, if there's a chink in the other filly's armour on the day hopefully we're the ones to get over her late.' Lake has obvious black-type ambitions for Fieldelo on Saturday and beyond. 'It's pretty clear she's a stakes filly in the making, it's just a matter of how you get there,' Lake said. Fieldelo has travelled nicely at the start and finish of her three starts to date, including a brilliant seven-length Bendigo romp, but hit flat spots mid-race on each occasion. 'I thought she was lost a little bit (last start at Flemington) when they joined the course proper, she hit a little flat spot but she was strong late,' Lake said. 'Gave me confidence to go again this Saturday, up in trip, thinking she'll be better suited at 1200m.' Lake said Fieldelo would not be drawn into a drag race with She's An Artist on Saturday. 'We still want to do the right thing by our horse,' Lake said. 'It's not the be all end all Saturday, as much as we'd like to win we don't want to go out and ride our filly any differently and do anything that could be detrimental to her chances. 'Tactics wise, I'm not sure, we'll have a good look at the race … the good thing about our filly is she's very tactically versatile, she's able to take a sit or she's able to lead, she's able to be back in the field. 'We're really looking forward to getting there.'
News.com.au
23-06-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Vets advised owners to put down Dandruff but brave galloper continues to thrive for trainer Toby Lake
Dandruff didn't win at Wagga on Sunday, but the Bendigo galloper ticked off a major milestone for a horse that wasn't expected to live long, let alone race as a six-year-old. The Toby Lake -trained Dandruff broke through the $100,000 prizemoney threshold with his third placing in a 2000m race at Wagga, something the stable never thought would happen. Luck deserted Dandruff as a young horse when multiple infections racked his facial structure, requiring surgeries just to save his life. Racing wasn't a thought as vets initially thought their efforts to keep Dandruff alive would fail. 'He should be dead, this horse,' Lake said. 'He's had two sinus operations, and he's got a big chunk of bone missing out of his face. 'It was all infected and he had a bone infection as well. 'He also had a bit of bone sticking out. 'After a couple of operations, the vet advised the owners to put him down.' Thankfully Lake and Dandruff's owners didn't immediately take veterinary advice. Instead, they decided to let the gelding relax in a paddock while they worked out what to do with the son of Written Tycoon. However, Mother Nature had a surprise in store for Lake a few months later. • Richard Callander: Yes, the Brits do racing well … but not as well as us 'Anyway, we just went back to nature, and he went out into the paddock with some young horses for about six months and we just forgot about him,' Lake said. 'We went out to the farm when the six months was done, and he trotted up to us in the paddock and his face had healed. 'It had all healed over. Sometimes time just heals everything. 'We brought him back into work and he's been a great money-spinner ever since.' Dandruff showed staying ability in his first few starts before achieving what was thought impossible a year earlier when he posted his maiden win in emphatic fashion at Swan Hill in April last year. "Dandruff is head & shoulders above its opposition." Poetry from Adam O to start the day 🎙ï¸� @TLakeRacing @chookahope — (@Racing) April 9, 2024 While not being a world beater, Dandruff posted a second win at Swan Hill last year and victories at Ararat and Albury this year. 'He's just been an honest old horse and a few more of them would be great for any stable,' Lake said. 'He's earned everything he's got. 'He's tough and he's brave.' Lake said Dandruff has attracted his own following as he travels from his Bendigo base to tracks in Victoria and southern New South Wales. There's a great story behind all of them, but this horse has been amazing. 'He's got a little bit of a cult following on the country circuit,' Lake said. 'Every time we're at the races, everyone is asking about him. 'He's just a ripper that old horse.' — (@Racing) March 27, 2025 Punters can expect to see Dandruff on a wet track in the coming weeks. 'We've been waiting for wet ground and now the rain has come, there's plenty of options for him,' Lake said. 'He doesn't take much work between runs, but we're sort of weather-dependent with him.'
News.com.au
22-06-2025
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Monday Racebook: Gilbert Gardiner's horses to follow and forgive from Flemington on Saturday
Form expert Gilbert Gardiner analyses Saturday's Flemington Community Race Day, revealing his horses to follow as well as five to forgive. • 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! â– â– â– â– â– FIVE TO FOLLOW SPLASH BACK (1-length 1st of 12, Race 7): How could you not? Savage turn of foot late to nail TERRESTAR and the plucky SASSY BOOM after being hemmed away in an almost impossible position third last in traffic. Her win at Caulfield the start prior was equally impressive. Spring beckons for the rising six-year-old mare. SPLASH BACK FROM THE CLOUDS 🤯 🤯 She might be pretty good! Splash Back comes from nowhere to the delight of the punters, giving Tom Prebble a race to race double! @Grahame_Begg — 7HorseRacing ðŸ�Ž (@7horseracing) June 21, 2025 FIELDELO (3.8-length 2nd of 11, Race 9): Crashed into a rising star in SHE'S AN ARTIST, who smashed the clock to win the 1100m Three-Year-Old Handicap by 3 3/4 lengths. Tracked the winner to the 800m but unable to quicken as sharply when She's An Artist sprinted clear. Fieldelo, trained by Toby Lake, stuck to her task to run second. BRIDAL WALTZ also gallant in third. She's An Artist shares a resemblance to a certain sprinter & she might share some of that ability... ðŸ'©â€�🎨 The bald-faced filly trounces her opposition under hands & heals. @CWilliamsJockey @cmaherracing — (@Racing) June 21, 2025 RELENTLESS VOYAGER (4.5-length 6th of 12, Race 8): Expect to see more of him in coming weeks and months. A lovely Australian debut, albeit luckless, by the imported stayer, twice stakes' placed in England last year. The Ciaron Maher-trained gelding had not raced for 10 months before last Saturday. Held up multiple times inside the last 200m and barely got out of second gear. "What a day for team Payne!" Jimmy The Bear atones for an uncharacteristic poor run last start, bounding away with the David Bourke Handicap ðŸ�» Michelle & Patrick Payne have a quartet & their apprentice, Tom Prebble, has a treble 🤩 — (@Racing) June 21, 2025 FROM A DISTANCE (0.8-length 2nd of 11, Race 4): Worked into contention nicely in the straight but snookered between horses on the heels of winner TAKEN. The Symon Wilde-trained gelding got clear air eventually, inside the last 75m, and surged into second position. Could be hard to hold out next start at 1600m. Stablemate DARKBONEE (3rd) saved best work late after being held up. Taken lugs 60kg to extend his winning-streak to four ðŸ'Œ @CWilliamsJockey collects his first winner of the afternoon. @MickPriceRacing — (@Racing) June 21, 2025 HARD TO CROSS (4.3-length 8th of 13, Race 5): Wet track, 1600m third-up could be a nice recipe for the typically consistent performer. Posted wide without cover last Saturday in the second half of the field and shunted deeper again in the straight. BRIGHT STRIPES (3.1-length 7th) an eye-catching run late. Cafe Millennium collects an elusive second victory after going winless since his debut ðŸ¤� @lindsayparkrace has their galloper humming since joining the team this preparation. @LukeCartwrightt — (@Racing) June 21, 2025 • â– â– â– â– â– FORGIVE RED GALAXY (6.4-length 11th of 16, Race 5): Travelled outside leader FREAK OF NATURE (11.2-length 13th of 13) and both weakened in the straight. Jockey Craig Williams told stewards Red Galaxy made an abnormal respiratory noise on pulling up. A post-race endoscopy detected a throat condition that may have affected Red Galaxy's performance. Freak Of Nature also pulled up with signs of a throat condition. AVEBURY (4.6-length 8th of 12, Race 7): Faded out of contention late but potentially reached the end of her preparation. Raced consistently of late, with big weights, including a Caulfield win four starts back. OBSERVER (6.4-length 5th of 8, Race 1): Won too impressively the start prior at Sandown, bolted in by five lengths, to sack off one blemish. The two-year-old colt appeared to travel well at Flemington but wilted when jockey Craig Williams asked for an effort as BUCCLEUCH (1st) and MILLENNIUM BLADE (3rd) challenged at the 300m. Buccleuch surges away from his fellow 2yos under the guidance of @TheBeeegan ðŸ'Œ @mj_payne — (@Racing) June 21, 2025 â– â– â– â– â– STEWARDS SAY Jockey John Allen reported ST LAWRENCE (Race 8) failed to respond under pressure and was disappointing. A post-race veterinary examination did not reveal any significant findings. Trainer Gavin Bedggood could offer no explanation for the performance. Stewards will follow up with the stable.
The Australian
17-06-2025
- Sport
- The Australian
Unbeaten filly Fieldelo on trial for stakes target in Flemington test
Many trainers have to wait a lot longer than two years for a horse like Fieldelo. Former picnic rider Toby Lake will get a guide on whether he has a stakes contender after Fieldelo runs in Saturday's fifth heat of the Creswick Sprint Series (1100m) at Flemington. • 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 three-year-old will be on trial for a start in the Listed AR Creswick Stakes (1200m) at Flemington early next month should she perform up to expectations in her maiden city assignment. 'Saturday just determines her next step, whether we go to the Creswick Final in two weeks or whether we wait for something else thereafter,' Lake said. 'We're going to learn a lot about her on Saturday but she's going to line up in really good order. 'We don't know where her ceiling is.' • Coffs apprentice takes on Victorian riders … and Ballarat winter Lake has spaced Fieldelo's two runs. The Deep Field filly won on debut at Kilmore last November but blitzed her opposition when a seven-length winner when resuming at Bendigo on May 30. 'It worked out there was a soft option at Bendigo for her so we went there,' Lake said. 'She's a young horse and as we saw at her first start, she did a lot wrong but was still able to win. 'We just thought, if we took her to the softest option and she did it again, she might get away with it, but she blew them away.' Trainer Toby Lake with Harry Coffey after Fieldelo's easy first-up win at Bendigo last month. Picture: Racing Photos via Getty Images Lake, who received his licence to prepare his small team at his Bendigo base less than two years ago, said Fieldelo arrived at his stable needing some work before she got to the races. 'She came to me a bit over 12 months ago and she was half broken in,' Lake said. 'The breakers had a bit of difficulty with her and through a friend and good client, Mark Schiavello, she arrived at my stables basically with the plan to just get her back on track. 'She needed to have some education and get her career on the right path.' • Bedggood set to unveil St Lawrence at Flemington Lake said Fieldelo learned quickly with the trainer having the benefit of getting to know the sprinter from riding her in daily trackwork. He said Fieldelo's long education process had started to show, with a constantly improving attitude to her racing aiding her development. 'I could see very early on that she was a very sharp filly and she was a point-and-shoot type,' Lake said. 'I only had to show her something once and she'd pick it up so we let her come around. 'She was a little bit hot and cantankerous when she first started but she's starting to really enjoy her racing as she showed at Bendigo. 'We just nurtured her along and gave the best start to life we could and she's ready for the next step.'
News.com.au
17-06-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Unbeaten filly sprinter Fieldelo faces Flemington test on Saturday
Many trainers have to wait a lot longer than two years for a horse like Fieldelo. Former picnic rider Toby Lake will get a guide on whether he has a stakes contender after Fieldelo runs in Saturday's fifth heat of the Creswick Sprint Series (1100m) at Flemington. The three-year-old will be on trial for a start in the Listed AR Creswick Stakes (1200m) at Flemington early next month should she perform up to expectations in her maiden city assignment. 'Saturday just determines her next step, whether we go to the Creswick Final in two weeks or whether we wait for something else thereafter,' Lake said. 'We're going to learn a lot about her on Saturday but she's going to line up in really good order. 'We don't know where her ceiling is.' Lake has spaced Fieldelo's two runs. The Deep Field filly won on debut at Kilmore last November but blitzed her opposition when a seven-length winner when resuming at Bendigo on May 30. 'It worked out there was a soft option at Bendigo for her so we went there,' Lake said. 'She's a young horse and as we saw at her first start, she did a lot wrong but was still able to win. 'We just thought, if we took her to the softest option and she did it again, she might get away with it, but she blew them away.' Lake, who received his licence to prepare his small team at his Bendigo base less than two years ago, said Fieldelo arrived at his stable needing some work before she got to the races. 'She came to me a bit over 12 months ago and she was half broken in,' Lake said. 'The breakers had a bit of difficulty with her and through a friend and good client, Mark Schiavello, she arrived at my stables basically with the plan to just get her back on track. 'She needed to have some education and get her career on the right path.' • Lake said Fieldelo learned quickly with the trainer having the benefit of getting to know the sprinter from riding her in daily trackwork. He said Fieldelo's long education process had started to show, with a constantly improving attitude to her racing aiding her development. 'I could see very early on that she was a very sharp filly and she was a point-and-shoot type,' Lake said. 'I only had to show her something once and she'd pick it up so we let her come around. 'She was a little bit hot and cantankerous when she first started but she's starting to really enjoy her racing as she showed at Bendigo. 'We just nurtured her along and gave the best start to life we could and she's ready for the next step.'
