Kiwi Mares Flying the Flag for Leading Nurseries

Media Release - Friday August 14

Two of New Zealand’s leading thoroughbred nurseries will be keeping close tabs on Randwick on Saturday where trainer John O’Shea will kick-off the spring preparations of their talented mares.

Group One performer Rondinella will carry the colours of co-breeders and part-owners Haunui Bloodstock in the Spring Preview Handicap (1400m).

Rondinella

It will be her first raceday outing for O’Shea and he is happy with the six-year-old mare after her two recent unplaced trials over 1040m and 850m.

“She has trialled well and she is going well, so I expect her to race well on Saturday,” O’Shea said.

“But her campaign is not based on Saturday’s run, it’s about what is going to happen in a couple of months’ time. It’s about getting started on Saturday and having a positive outing.”

Rondinella has drawn barrier 17 on Saturday and O’Shea said she will be taken back by jockey Sam Clipperton to find some early cover.

“She will go back and get cover and it might not be that big of a disadvantage at that stage of the day to be wide anyway,” he said.

Rondinella has had success in Sydney with previous trainers Roger James and Robert Wellwood, running third in the Gr.1 Tancred Stakes (2400m) before finishing fourth in the Gr.1 Sydney Cup (3200m) last year, and she is once again on a Group One path.

“Her main goal initially will be the Metropolitan (Gr.1, 2400m) and beyond that we will see what comes,” O’Shea said.

Advertisement

Earlier in the day O’Shea will contest the Everest Carnival On Sale Handicap (1400m) with All Saints’ Eve, who will carry the silks of Waikato Stud’s Mark and Garry Chittick, who co-bred and part-own the exciting four-year-old.

She has won two of her six starts to date and O’Shea expects her to add to that tally at short notice.

“All Saints’ Eve is a talented mare evidenced by her record. She looks to be well placed and has got a bright future,” he said. “We expect a pretty forward showing on Saturday.”

The daughter of Sacred Falls placed in the Gr.3 Kembla Grange Classic (1600m) and she is being set to try and add a stakes victory to her burgeoning CV this preparation.

“She will have a couple of runs after Saturday and then she will head into stakes company,” O’Shea said.

O’Shea is looking forward to Saturday and said he is delighted to have a strong association with the two New Zealand thoroughbred farms.

“I have been a big fan of New Zealand racing for a very long time and it’s always an honour to train for such great nurseries like Waikato Stud and Haunui Farm,” he said. – NZ Racing Desk

Advertisment
More Reading...
Sires With Winners - Saturday June 7
Here is the full list of 123 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Sires With Winners - Friday June 6
Here is the full list of 31 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
First Group Victory For $3.5m Earner Front Page
Having raced at Flemington, Rosehill and Ascot at his last three starts, the Matthew Dale trained Front Page travelled to his fourth different state in as many starts, winning the $300,000 G2 BRC Moreton Cup at Eagle Farm.
Lucrative Pay Day For Adiella In Magic Millions National Classic
Coming off a last start second in the Group 3 Magic Millions Fillies & Mares Mile (1600m), the Improving 4yo The Mission mare Adiella recorded her sixth carer victory, adding the $500,000 Magic Millions National Classic to her record.
Bold Maison Louis Resolute In Queensland Derby
The training partnership of John O’Shea and Tom Charlton continues to flourish as evidenced by a stable quinella in Saturday’s Gr.1 Queensland Derby (2400m) as Maison Louis defeated King Of Thunder in a perfect result for the Sydney trainers.
North Pacific 2YO Ready to Win
Byerley Park trainer Steven Cole will head to Ellerslie with a quartet of runners on Saturday, and he is particularly upbeat about the chances of Pacific Breeze in the Network Visuals 1200.
Another Day, Another Stakes-Winner for Wootton Bassett
A homebred for Marc Chan, quality Wootton Bassett (GB) colt Green Impact closed out his juvenile season winning the Group II Champions Juvenile Stakes at Leopardstown and he bounced back into the winner’s list at the same venue overnight.
Third Group 1 Victory For Zoustar’s Sensational Joliestar
Cambridge Stud's outstanding Zoustar mare Joliestar was simply sensational, charging late to win the $1m BRC Kingsford-Smith Cup (1300m) at Eagle Farm, her third Group 1 victory.
New Stakes-Winner for Snitzel – Stradbroke Possible
The Listed $160,000 BRC Spear Chief Quality (1500m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday delivered a new stakes-winner for champion sire Snitzel with progressive four year-old gelding Transatlantic taking victory as a well backed favourite.
Kicked out of Australia - Jan Brueghel Wins G1 Coronation
The horse kicked out of Australia last spring as not having suitable scans to race in the Melbourne Cup, Jan Brueghel showed just what we missed out on seeing when taking out the Group I Betfred Coronation Cup (1m4f) at Epsom overnight.