Honeycreeper Brilliant in Adrian Knox

Mark Smith - Saturday April 2

Godolphin’s Teofilo (IRE) filly Honeycreeper could finish no better than third in the Tasmanian Oaks but will head to Randwick next week with a favourites chance in the ATC Australian Oaks after annihilating a field of three-year-old fillies in Saturday’s Group III Adrian Knox Stakes (2000m) at Randwick.

Easy for Honeycreeper (image Steve Hart)

Ridden by Hugh Bowman for James Cummings, Honeycreeper revelled in the heavy conditions. The further they went, the further she increased her margin, which stopped at three and a quarter lengths ahead of the Cable Bay (IRE) filly Charity Spirit with a further three lengths back to Godolphin’s Medaglia d’Oro (USA) filly Mamounia in third.

Honeycreeper has covered plenty of ground in her 11-start career.

A maiden winner at Newcastle at two, the daughter of Teofilo owns placings at Warwick Farm, Randwick, Cranbourne and Launceston. She started an odd-n favourite in the Tasmanian Oaks after winning over 1600m at Sandown.

Bowman was impressed by the win and put his hand up for the ride in the Oaks.

“She won well, she was in a beautiful rhythm. I thought the pace wasn’t frantic, but it was genuine, particularly for this type of ground, it was very testing,” Bowman said.

She seemed to travel through it very well, and they were starting to peel off the fence. I had a lap full of horse and I just let her increase within herself and found myself on the back of the leading bunch, and she did the rest.

Honeycreeper Hugh Bowman (image Steve Hart)

“I presume she’s in the Oaks next Saturday and funnily enough I don’t have a ride, so who would’ve thought.”

Advertisement

James Cummings said Honeycrepper was likely to back up nest week.

She got up in very dominant fashion to suggest she’s got to be an Oaks contender off the back of that,” Cummings said.

“Acceptances are 8am Tuesday morning I think, so we’ve got a few days to make sure we’re happy with her.

“We’ll take the entire week to make sure she’s perfect before we head down that path. But heavy 9 today over a mile and a quarter and we’re talking about a mile and a half AJC Oaks next Saturday, it’s certainly going to look like a pretty good lead-up to that isn’t it.”

Honeycreeper is the first foal of the talented Lonhro mare Painted Firetail, whose dam Blue Finch (Anabaa) is a half-sister to Group 1 Middle Park Stakes winner Zieten (Danzig) and Group 1 Cheveley Park Stakes winner Blue Duster (Danzig).

Painted Firetail has a 2yo Sidestep colt named Serin and a weanling filly by Epaulette. She was covered by Exceed And Excel last spring.

Honeycreeper is the 103rd black-type winner for former Darley shuttler Teofilo (IRE).

Advertisment

Race Result - Tab Adrian Knox Stks Gr3 2000m

Randwick Track: Heavy(9) Time: 2:12.03
1
Honeycreeper
- 3f Teofilo (IRE) x Painted Firetail (AUS) (Lonhro (AUS))
Tnr: James Cummings Rdr: J Bowman 57.5
2
3.3
Charity Spirit
- 3f Cable Bay (IRE) x Magrosso (AUS) (Magnus (AUS))
Tnr: G Portelli Rdr: A B Collett 55
3
6.3
Mamounia
- 3f Medaglia D'Oro (USA) x Marrakesh (AUS) (Lonhro (AUS))
Tnr: James Cummings Rdr: Jamie Kah 54.5
4
6.4
Taizai
- 3f Maurice (JPN) x Brazilian Pulse (NZ) (Captain Rio (GB))
Tnr: John Thompson Rdr: Regan Bayliss 54.5
5
7.2
Roots
- 3f Press Statement (AUS) x Arctic Success (AUS) (Big Brown (USA))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: J B Mc Donald 58
6
7.4
Mauricently
- 3f Maurice (JPN) x See Line Woman (NZ) (Zabeel (NZ))
Tnr: K A Lees Rdr: R Dolan 54.5
7
7.8
In De Summertime
- 3f Sebring (AUS) x Stormy Publisher (ARG) (Bernstein (USA))
Tnr: K R Dryden Rdr: Rachel King 54.5
8
9.2
Mikasa
- 3f Maurice (JPN) x Transit Moscow (AUS) (Fastnet Rock (AUS))
Tnr: John Thompson Rdr: Brock Ryan 54.5
9
11.6
Achira
- 3f Maurice (JPN) x Swift Lady (NZ) (O'Reilly (NZ))
Tnr: Lee & Cherie Curtis Rdr: B Avdulla 56
10
12.2
Empress El
- 3f El Roca (AUS) x Empress Wu (AUS) (General Nediym (AUS))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: J Ford 54.5
11
14.9
Secret Glamour
- 3f Sebring (AUS) x Palace Whispers (AUS) (Snippetson (AUS))
Tnr: C Maher & D Eustace Rdr: John Allen 55.5
12
16.7
Ninyo
- 3f Scissor Kick (AUS) x Fernande (AUS) (Galileo (IRE))
Tnr: Aaron Laing Rdr: Dean Holland 54.5
13
19.4
Chenin
- 3f Pierro (AUS) x Sookie (AUS) (Casino Prince (AUS))
Tnr: Mark Newnham Rdr: Tom Sherry 54.5
14
31.3
I'm Divine
- 3f Roman Emperor (NZ) x Novena (AUS) (Street Sense (USA))
Tnr: Edward Cummings Rdr: Tommy Berry 54.5
15
33.4
Prophet's Pride
- 3f Divine Prophet (AUS) x Sequential Miss (AUS) (Dubai Destination (USA))
Tnr: P J Facoory Rdr: Jean Van Overmeire 54.5
More Reading...
First Godolphin Winner for Maher
Champion trainer Ciaron Maher saddled his first winner for Godolphin at Kembla on Thursday and he did it with a blue-blood colt by Too Darn Hot (GB).
Breeding To Win – Crystal Ball – New Season 3YOs to Follow
Who are we highlighting this week? - Analysis of the G1 winning 3YO’s for last season has made us realise how many horses on this list took giant strides from two to three, so we are looking into the crystal ball to find some juveniles we believe could end this season as G1 performers if not G1 winners.
Above the Clouds Wins $100,000 Polytrack Championship
It proved to be a long but fruitful day for Kelly Myers on Friday, with the now Central Districts-based hoop riding home Above The Clouds to win the $100,000 TAB Polytrack Championship (2000m) at Cambridge for local trainer Ralph Manning.
Wootton Bassett Set to Blast Out of Winter
Many people may have anticipated Wootton Bassett (GB) would have been our Champion Australian First Season Sire last season and while that didn’t quite eventuate, he did finish the season with a wealth of horses holding spring potential and several were in action at the trials this morning.
Sires With Winners - Friday August 8
Here is the full list of 39 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
One to Watch – Geelong
Team Hawkes were the guiding force behind the racing career of Group I ATC Doncaster Mile winner Brutal and have also prepared his first Group I winner as a sire in Nepotism and they unleashed a debut winner by him at Geelong on Friday.
Melbourne Cup on Radar for Sons and Lovers
Joseph O’Brien knows what it takes to win a Melbourne Cup and that was mentioned as a possible goal for progressive young stayer Sons and Lovers, who won the Group III Ballyroan Stakes (1m4f) at Leopardstown overnight.
Ozzmosis First Born is Feeling Frisky!
Group I VRC Coolmore Stud Stakes winner Ozzmosis was in demand at Newgate last spring covering 192 mares and his first born foal that arrived on July 31 at Alma Vale Thoroughbreds is the source of great pride for owners Ian and Cathy Mathieson.
Sires With Winners - Thursday August 7
Here is the full list of 36 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Breeders Paradise - Inglis Digital August (early) Online
An abundance of high-quality broodmares – many in foal to some of the hottest young stallions in the Southern Hemisphere – and broodmare prospects headline a “breeders’ paradise’’ in the Inglis Digital August (Early) Online Sale.