A Bit of Retail Therapy Pays Off for Nigel Blackiston

Mark Smith - Sunday August 6

A small but highly competitive benchmark 64 over 1200m for three-year-olds proved a dramatic way to open Grand National Hurdle Day at Sandown-Lakeside on Sunday.

Subrising arrives in time (image Brett Holburt/Racing Photos)

The drama began shortly after the start when the highly regarded Justify (USA) gelding Naval Academy clipped heels, unseating apprentice Luke Campbell.

With less than 100m to run, the Needs Further filly Subrising was still last before unleashing a strong finish under Robbie Downey to defeat the sensationally backed Better Than Ready gelding  Let's Get Down by a nose. The Bolt D’Oro (USA) filly Elderberry was a length back in third.

Trainer Nigel Blackiston thought highly enough of Subrising to make her career debut in the Group II Blue Diamond Prelude at Sandown-Hillside in February. Last early, Subrising was doing her best work in the final 100m despite a checkered run. At her following start  Subrising again finished solidly for fourth behind Beauty Rising over 1200m at Sandown Lakeside in March.

Blackiston said the stable has a big opinion of the daughter of Needs Further, the longest-priced runner in the field.

“She has always shown very nice ability. She had two runs as a 2yo to give her a bit of race experience,” Blackiston said.

Subrising a $20,000 Inglis Great Southern Weanling

“I bought her here as the ground is a bit softer. I did not want to run her on the synthetic at Ballarat earlier in the week.

“I thought she could come here and run a nice race, and she ran a super race.

Advertisement

“She has nice ability and is still raw with much to learn. She is still a bit on the tubby side, so whatever she did today, she will take benefit from it.

“After my accident, I was feeling a bit sad and down, so I did a bit of retail therapy and bought her as my first weanling.

“I think we paid about $20,000 for her, but she is a lovely style of filly, and there is something special about her.

“She will go through the grades and hopefully make a nice miler.”

Consigned by her breeder Ron Beadle to the 2021 Inglis Great Southern Weanling Sale, Subrising was a $20,000 purchase for her trainer.

She is the second winner from four to race for the Savoire Vivre (GB) mare Grisbi's Run. A 3-time winner for Redgum Racing, Grisbi's Run died in 2022.

Armidale Stud’s Needs Further (Encosta De Lago) stands at $5,500 in 2023.

Advertisment

Race Result - Ladbrokes Odds Surge (Bm64) 1200m

Sandown-Lakeside Track: Soft(5) Time: 1:11.19
1
Subrising
- 3f Needs Further (AUS) x Grisbi's Run (AUS) (Savoire Vivre (GB))
Tnr: N A Blackiston Rdr: R Downey 56
2
0.1
Let's Get Down
- 3g Better Than Ready (AUS) x Second Date (AUS) (Rothesay (AUS))
Tnr: P Stokes Rdr: B Shinn 59.5
3
1.1
Elderberry
- 3f Bolt D'oro (USA) x Essence Of Terror (AUS) (Reward For Effort (AUS))
Tnr: A & S Freedman Rdr: M J Dee 57.5
4
1.3
Mount Olympus
- 3c Invader (AUS) x Euryale (AUS) (Lonhro (AUS))
Tnr: T & C McEvoy Rdr: H Coffey 59.5
5
3.3
Charmed Passage
- 3g Charm Spirit (IRE) x Lalonde (AUS) (Fastnet Rock (AUS))
Tnr: Clayton Douglas Rdr: Craig Williams 59.5
More Reading...
Sale Cup Winner Adds to Fastnet Rock Super Weekend
It’s been quite the weekend for the late great champion sire Fastnet Rock with a Cox Plate quinella on Saturday and then on Sunday he produced a new stakes-winner when seven year-old gelding El Rocko captured the $200,000 Listed Sale Cup (1600m).
Wootton Bassett and Camelot 2YO Colts Win Final French Group Ones
The last French Group I races of their flat season were run on Sunday and Aidan O’Brien produced the winners of both the Group I Criterium International (1600m) and Group I Criterium de Saint Cloud (1800m).
Cream Rises at Trentham
A half-sister by Hello Youmzain (Fr) to dual Group I winner Mustang Valley, exciting filly Cream Tart is set to line up in one of the major three-year-old races over New Zealand Cup Week following her impressive win in Sunday’s Upper Hutt Car Sales LTD Three-Year-Old (1400m) at Trentham.
Transatlantic Takes $1million Five Diamonds Prelude
Transatlantic’s lucrative spring carnival continued at Randwick with an arrogant victory in the $1m Five Diamonds Prelude.
From FNQ To Sha Tin - Aussie Bred Sprinter Wins G2 Premier Bowl
Some horses arrive in Hong Kong with a very different back story - Fresh from winning the $20million The Everest with Ka Ying Rising, David Hayes was back in the winner’s list at Sha Tin on Sunday when Tomodachi Kokoroe won the Group II Premier Bowl (1200m).
Undefeated 3YO King of Light Wins Listed Belgravia
Dan Morton's exciting three year old King Of Light (Earthlight) remains unbeaten in three starts, as the gelding graduated to stakes company with a scintillating first up victory in the Listed Belgravia Stakes on Cox Plate Day at Ascot.
Sires With Winners - Sunday October 26
Here is the full list of 74 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Hi Yo Sass Bomb Wins G3 on Sunday
Kim Reid bypassed a Group One in favour of Sunday’s Gr.3 Gee and Hickton Funeral Directors Thompson Handicap (1600m) at Trentham with Hi Yo Sass Bomb, a decision that paid dividends when the mare led from the outset to claim her third stakes success.
Doubtland 2YO All On Red Smashes Them Again at Ascot
Widden Stud's Doubtland has a potential 2YO topliner in Perth in the shape of exciting WA colt All On Red, who remains undefeated from two starts after another comprehensive Ascot Saturday win.
Yes Yes Yes 3YO Shooting for G2 on Monday
Last year’s Gr.2 James and Annie Sarten Memorial (1400m) set Savaglee up for Group One glory in Christchurch, and Matamata trainer Pam Gerard is hoping to follow a similar blueprint in 2025 with her Yes Yes Yes 3YO Affirmative Action..