Stable favourite hits back
Premier trainer Chris Waller was delighted to see stable favourite Lindermann bounce back and hold on for victory in the group 2 Chelmsford Stakes (1600m) at Randwick.
Nash Rawiller wins on Lindermann on Saturday.Credit: Getty Images
Lindermann had finished down the track in his past three starts, all in elite company, but he thrived back on a good surface on Saturday in a front-running effort under Nash Rawiller to down Sir Delius by a head.
Waller was pleased for owner Debbie Kepitis and Rawiller, who stuck with Lindermann.
“He’s a beautifully natured horse, he’s been with us since he was a yearling, he won a race at two, he won a Rosehill Guineas,” Waller said.
“He’s been thereabouts ever since, running against the Fangirls and Via Sistinas.
“He’s got the best nature and he’s your best mate. ”
It was an eighth Chelmsford win for Waller, who said Lindermann would likely next go to the 7 Stakes (1600) in two weeks at Randwick. Via Sistina is also heading to that race after owners Yulong changed plans to avoid a clash with their newest superstar Treasurethe Moment in the Makybe Diva Stakes.
Freedman’s faith repaid
Former Golden Slipper “No.1 seed” Apocalyptic repaid the faith of trainer Michael Freedman when she burst through the pack late to win the group 2 Furious Stakes (1200m) at just her second start on Saturday.
The Extreme Choice filly, a $4.80 chance under Tommy Berry, was first-up since a luckless second on debut at Randwick on December 28 last year. The performance put her high in the market for the Slipper before Freedman, who went on to win the $5 million race for two-year-olds with Marhoona, tipped her out because of a “nasty” foot abscess.
Apocalyptic wins at Randwick on Saturday.Credit: Getty Images
Freedman opted to give her a tough task in the three-year-old fillies feature on Saturday, and she more than lived up to expectations to beat Tupakara by a half-neck. He believed she would be even better over further, potentially in the Tea Rose Stakes (1400m) and Flight Stakes (1600m).
“It’s probably a bit unconventional,” Freeman said of the maiden resuming in the group 2.
“But I’ve got a lot of faith in what I’ve seen at home, right the way through this prep she’s done everything to suggest she’s of pretty good quality. I thought she was our No.1 seed for the Slipper.”
He said he was dejected when Apocalyptic’s autumn run was cut short “but it wasn’t to be and it might have been a blessing in disguise”.
“There’s a lot of her and she’s still furnishing, so I’m excited about what we’ve got but hopefully about what might be to come, even in the autumn.”
He said Marhoona, which originally was to race this weekend, will trial on Tuesday and potentially resume in The Shorts.
Ethan Brown, the rider of Kujenga, was suspended for careless riding.
Inquiry into Hyeronimus ride adjourned
Racing NSW stewards adjourned an inquiry into Adam Hyeronimus’ ride on Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained Vauban, which finished third behind Lindermann and Tim Clark-ridden stablemate Sir Delius in the City Tattersalls Club Cup.
Stewards quizzed Hyeronimus and Bott about the ride on Vauban and the tactics and instructions given. Hyeronimus gave a spirited defence of his ride across multiple appearances in the stewards room.
“The matter we are dealing with today is whether or not your riding has advantaged the stablemate, Sir Delius, which was cast out three wide and ultimately was able to obtain a position one out, one back,” chief steward Tom Moxon said.
“Due to the serious concerns the stewards have, your phone has been reviewed and at this stage there were no integrity concerns identified on your phone, but for completeness we feel the matter will be adjourned to allow stewards to exam all aspects of the race, which will include the wagering on the race.”
Baker scores Godolphin breakthrough
Warwick Farm trainer Bjorn Baker said it was a huge thrill after Pericles landed the group 2 Tramway Stakes (1400m), giving racing superpower Godolphin its first stakes victory since the move this season away from a private training model.
Josh Parr wins on Pericles at Randwick.Credit: Getty Images
Pericles, the 2023 Tramway winner, raced just behind the leaders for jockey Josh Parr before finishing over the top of leader and favourite Private Eye for a one and a quarter-length win.
The first-up success of Pericles follows a run of great run for Godolphin since the dispersal of stock to several trainers, but it was their first outside of benchmark grade.
“Some of his work at home has been sensational,” Baker said.
“He’s been very laid-back, very straightforward and it’s huge to win for Godolphin.”
Lees tactics bring change
Newcastle trainer Kris Lees was looking to The Metropolitan – and the Melbourne Cup – with import Changingoftheguard after a patient approach and daring tactics broke his maiden in Australia.
James McDonald took the seven-year-old to an eight-length lead in the listed City Tattersalls Club Cup (2400m) before favourite Travolta made a late charge to go down by three-quarters of a length. The rest of the field were more than nine lengths away.
The breakthrough was the Lloyd Williams-owned import’s sixth run across 13 months in Australia.
“That was always the plan, to try to make it as genuine a staying test as we could, and he still come home in 35.45, so he’s rated him so well,” Lees said.
“No decision today, but four weeks [to the Metropolitan] is probably a nice progression.
“He’s lightly raced and it took him a year to settle in, to be fair to him. He just needed time.”
Davies uncovers star potential
Gosford trainer Angela Davies has the Provincial Midway Championships in mind for Denman Star after the five-year-old won at Randwick on Saturday.
Favourite Denman Star was warming up late under James McDonald to race through a gap and win the 1400m Midway by a half length. It was a fourth victory in eight starts under Davies’ care for the former Ciaron Maher-trained $30,000 yearling buy for Capri Racing.
It was also a fifth career win for Denman Star, meaning one more will make him ineligible for next year’s Provincial Midway series.
“It depends how many races he’s won, but you would think a provincial championship might not be out of the question,” Davies said.
“I won one with Through The Cracks, who got to last that day, and this horse could do a similar thing. Toying with the idea, anyway, of maybe looking at that, but let’s just keep him going.”
Smart talent on the rise
Canberra trainer Todd Smart was eyeing a rapid ascent to the $2 million The Kosciuszko with So Magnificent after the four-year-old gave him a first Highway Handicap victory.
So Magnificent ($8.50 Sportsbet), coming off three successive country wins after a third on debut, made the most of a rails run from gate one under Billy Owen to take over at the 300m mark and beat Zumbo by one and a quarter lengths in the 1200m class three.
He opened at $101 (TAB) on Saturday for the October 18 Kosciuszko and was into $26 after the win. Slot-holders are drawn on Wednesday.
“I think he’s got a lot more to come and look out in the next couple of weeks,” Smart said.
“We’ll just see. The Kosciuszko … we probably only need a trial into a race like that, and he’s going to improve.”
