Champion mare helps alleviate Bishara’s lockdown blues

Media Release - Friday September 17

Auckland's extended lockdown is wearing thin with trainer Nick Bishara but the anticipation of another big weekend of racing is giving him some respite.

Trainer Nick Bishara. Photo: Trish Dunell

Bishara will have to be content watching the action from home as his star mare Verry Elleegant looks to add to her tally of eight Group One wins in Saturday's A$1 million Gr.1 George Main Stakes (1600m) at Randwick, while Rising Ransom tackles the Reliable Man Trophy (2000m) on the undercard of the Gr.1 Tarzino Trophy (1400m) at Hastings.

"I'm over this lockdown but at least I've got the racing to look forward to on Saturday," Bishara said.

"Rising Ransom is going super and he'll be a big chance at Hastings but I am very worried about Verry Elleegant drawing barrier two at Randwick. She's a mare that wants galloping room and doesn't like being cluttered up. 

"I would have loved to see her drawing out further in barrier six or seven or eight but we'll leave that up to JMac (expat Kiwi jockey James McDonald). He's the best in business and he knows her so well."

The Chris Waller-trained Verry Elleegant began her career in Bishara's stable, winning two of her three starts in his care before she was sent to Sydney.

Breeder-owner Don Goodwin sold down his holding in the Zed mare, with Bishara becoming a part-owner at that point. Verry Elleegant has gone on to win 13 of her 30 starts, earning more than A$8.68 million.

To cap another memorable season, Verry Elleegant was named Victorian Racehorse of the Year earlier this week.

"I was thrilled to bits with the Victorian award and she'd have to be odds-on to pick up the Australian Horse of the Year title too," Bishara said.

Bishara had further good news on that front too with Verry Elleegant's older half-sister Black Lace, that he co-owns, giving birth to a Zed filly, a three-quarter sister to the champion mare, at New South Wales' Arrowfield Stud this week.

"She's the spitting image of Verry Elleegant too. Black Lace will go to Dundeel now," Bishara said.

Advertisement

On the home front, Bishara was optimistic of a bold run from Ekraar gelding Rising Ransom at Hastings after a determined Te Rapa win last start.

"It was a super win at Te Rapa and he's come through that huge. You just don't sit three wide in a staying race and do what he did," Bishara said.

"He's up in grade at Hastings but he's a happy horse in a happy place at the moment. He won his maiden on a heavy 11 so he can handle it wet, though he seems to prefer slightly better tracks now. The way he stretched out at Te Rapa was fantastic. He should go a good race."

With Bishara locked down in Auckland, Hastings trainer Patrick Campbell will saddle Rising Ransom and attend to him.

"He couldn't be in any better hands than with Patrick," Bishara said.

Auckland's COVID-19 lockdown is not only proving demanding on the racing front but it's also proving a headache for Bishara with the education of young horses.

"We've got some really nice ones coming up and we've got them through the wooden gates at home but I can't get them over to Pukekohe to go through the gates there. Anybody out of Auckland is getting the jump on us. It's pretty frustrating," he said.

Bishara has sold three horses out of his stable over the past month, most notably with impressive Cambridge debut winner Bold Bourbon sold to Victorian interests, the three-year-old by The Bold One bought to target the Gr.1 Victoria Derby (2500m) at Flemington this spring.

Rising Renown has headed to South Australia to join Morphettville trainer Travis Doudle, while another The Bold One youngster has headed to Hong Kong.

"We've just got to trade horses with the way everything is. With the bills I've got coming in every week, it just makes financial sense," Bishara said. - NZ Racing Desk

Advertisment
More Reading...
King of Roseau Wins G3 Aurie’s Star
Placed in the Listed VRC Poseidon Stakes at Flemington last spring as a three year-old behind Growing Empire, Capitalist gelding King of Roseau returned to the same venue on Saturday to capture the Group III VRC Aurie’s Star Handicap (1200m).
Winning Hat-Trick for Progressive Pierro
Richard and Will Freedman probably have more talented horses in the stable than Pierro gelding Cold Brew, but few have the consistency of this four year-old who landed a winning hat-trick at Rosehill on Saturday.
Crossbow Takes Aim At Flemington To Score
With quality efforts behind handy horses in his first three starts, trainer Chris Waller crossed the border to Victoria with instant success for the Star Thoroughbreds raced Crossbow, with the well-marked son of Better Than Ready breaking through for an impressive win.
Shooting to Win Relocating to Yarradale Stud
Yarradale Stud has purchased Group 1 racehorse and sire Shooting To Win to cover his first book at its Gidgegannup property this season.
Sliding Doors Moment Delivers Feel Good Winner at Rosehill
Two fillies were born at Yulong in 2021 sired by Alabama Express from imported North American daughters of Street Cry, one of them is triple Group I winner Treasurethe Moment and the other is the feel good winner of the day at Rosehill on Saturday.
Sires With Winners - Thursday July 31
Here is the full list of 23 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Bountiful and Many Men to be Offered at Tattersalls Online Southern Hemisphere Pop-Up Sale
The high-class pair BOUNTIFUL (Zoustar) and MANY MEN (Study of Man) have been catalogued for the Tattersalls Online Southern Hemisphere Pop-Up Sale to be held in collaboration with Inglis Digital Australia on Wednesday 6th August to Thursday 7th August. Full details of the sale which will take place on the Tattersalls Online website are now available to view at www.tattersallsonline.com.
Impressive New Winner at Goodwood for St Mark’s Basilica
Coolmore shuttler St Mark’s Basilica (Fr) had a number of high profile yearlings sold at the European sales last year and one of them was a filly from Angelic Light that made 600,000 guineas at Tattersalls October Book 2.
Kosciuszko calling Rosehill winner Elson Boy
Dubbo-trained Elson Boy was back in the winner’s circle after a 412-day absence when leading throughout to land the Jockeys Celebration Day Handicap (1400m) at Rosehill in the hands of apprentice William Stanley.
Dual Group Winner Too Darn Good At Flemington
A dual group winner during the Spring of her 3yo season, talented mare Too Darn Discreet showed an electric turn of foot, charging home over the top of them to win the Melbourne Cup Carnival On Sale (1620m) at Flemington on Saturday.