Ones to Watch – Bendigo

Tara Madgwick - Thursday September 14
There were four promising three year-old winners at Bendigo on Thursday and all have been nominated for either the Group I MRC Caulfield Guineas or Thousand Guineas.

First to salute was the Anthony Freedman trained Tavistock gelding Tavistock Abbey, who bolted away to win the 1600 metre maiden y by nearly four lengths at his third start.

Tavistock Abbey as a yearlingA $200,000 NZB Premier purchase from the Rich Hill Stud draft for Freedman Racing, Tavistock Abbey might be entered for the Guineas, but connections would also be thinking Derby at some point during this season given his pedigree.

Tavistock Abbey is the second winner for Surreal, a Zabeel full sister to stakes-winning stayer Royal Era from the family of numerous Group I winners including Oaks winners Our Tristalight and Midnight Oil.

The Tavistock x Zabeel nick has produced an impressive 17 winners from 19 runners including four stakes-winners headed by Derby winners Tarzino and Werther.

Promising High Chaparral (IRE) filly Anchor Bid was next to taste success.

The Darren Weir trained filly chased home boom colt Royal Symphony when second in a Listed race at Flemington in July and has now won both her starts since then.

She won this Benchmark 70 event over 1600 metres for fillies carrying 58.5 kg by half a length as favourite and is clearly going places.

A homebred for Jonathan Munz's Pinceliff Racing, she is bred for further as is the previous winner Tavistock Abbey.

Anchor Bid is from Group III winning Zabeel mare Zapurple, who won the SA Fillies Classic over 2500 metres.

Darren Weir saddled the next of our interesting winners with Street Cry (IRE) filly Leather'n'lace scoring her second win from three starts when leading throughout to win over 1300 metres by the best part of a length.

A homebred for David Moodie's Hesket Bloodstock, Leather'n'lace looms as an almost certain future stakes-winner given she's the latest offspring from stellar producer Hard Rider.

The stakes-placed Maroof (USA) mare has left eight winners headed by Group III winner Big Chill as well as stakes-winners Hard Stride and Utah Saints.

Last but not least was progressive gelding Sully, who warranted a news story when he won last start as the first Australian winner for his dashing grey sire Reliable Man (GB).

Prepared by Natalie Young and Trent Busuttin, Sully kept up the good work to score a tenacious short head win against older rivals as favourite and has now won two of four starts.

A $36,000 NZB Select Sale purchase from the draft of Wentwood Grange for BD Racing, Sully is a half-brother to stakes-placed Deedee Panache and is the third winner for Casual Lies (USA) mare Lady Winifred.



Advertisment
More Reading...
Spring Trial Watch – Caulfield
With a plethora of Group racing for colts and geldings last weekend and fillies to take centre stage Sydney on Saturday for the Group II ATC Furious Stakes it was interesting to see a Caulfield trial on Tuesday morning that featured six stakes-winning 3YO’s.
Waller Stable Hold the Key to Melbourne Cup
Champion Sydney trainer Chris Waller has 27 of the 120 entries for this year’s $10million Melbourne Cup, which equates to more than 20 per cent of the total, so it’s probably worth having a closer look at them.
Consecutive Wins As Cantiamo Defeats The Boys
With 60kgs on her back against the boys, it’s clearly evident there are bigger and better things ahead for the Kris Lees trained Cantiamo as the 3yo daughter of Too Darn Hot went back-to-back, winning the Precise Air Handicap (1200m) at Warwick Farm.
Vale, G1 winning horseman Tony Dennis
A member of one of New Zealand racing’s most famous and successful families has died, with the recent passing of Tony (Anthony) Dennis, aged 86.
Winning Debut for Blueblood Cox Plate Dreamer
At the start of August we ran a story about the 3YO’s that were entered for this year Cox Plate and aside from the usual suspects there were some ‘Cox Plate’ dreamers and one of them was unraced Lonhro colt Attica, who made a winning debut at Warwick Farm on Wednesday.
Vivid Sun Shines Bright At Sandown
Recording her second win in as many starts, 3yo The Autumn Sun filly Vivid Sun looked something special as she resumed from a spell at Sandown to trounce her rivals by more than two lengths on Wednesday, signalling a step up to black type races during the Spring.
First Foals for Lofty Strike
One of the most interesting young stallions that we saw on the recent Victorian stud tour was at Swettenham Stud and it has not taken long for the big baldy face of Lofty Strike to find it’s way on to one of his first foals.
Sunlight’s Sister Clean Energy Retired
The most expensive yearling filly sold in Australia in 2023 when fetching $2.6million for Widden Stud at Inglis Easter, Clean Energy has been retired to stud.
Engine of War Wins for MyRacehorse at Sandown
VRC Derby aspirant Engine Of War made a winning Australian debut from the quarters of Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr when saluting at Sandown on Wednesday over 1500m.
NZB Filly of the Year Series Springs to Life with Gold Trail Stakes
One of the traditional signs that spring racing has arrived in New Zealand is the running of the first leg of the NZB Filly of the Year Series, the Group Three Gold Trail Stakes (1200m). The $150,000 race looks a little different this year in a temporary new home, but it will still give us that same first look at the latest crop of fillies vying for the coveted title.