Sydney is Calling for Australian Oaks winner Pennyweka

Media Release - Wednesday September 13

A trip to Sydney is on the cards for Oaks darling Pennyweka.

The winner of last season’s Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) and Gr.1 Australian Oaks (2400m) had her first run as a four-year-old when 13th in last Saturday’s Gr.1 Tarzino Trophy (1400m), a distance well short of her best.

Pennyweka is a two time Oaks winner - image Steve Hart

Trainer Jim Wallace was pleased with what he saw from his mare and has decided to bypass the Gr.1 Arrowfield Stud Plate (1600m) and Gr.1 Livamol Classic (2040m) in favour of chasing the spring riches on offer in Sydney next month.

“She has come through Saturday’s run very well, we are very happy with her,” said Wallace, who co-bred and co-owns the mare.

“She was very strong through the line and that is what I expected. It was going to be too sharp for her at 1400m and I just wanted to see her go through the line. She was three-quarters up the back straight before Kate (Hercock, jockey) was able to pull her up, so I was very happy with it.

“She will go to Sydney early next month so she won’t be at Hastings for the next two legs (of the Hawke’s Bay Spring Carnival).

Advertisement

“There are a couple of races there. The Hill Stakes (Gr.2, 2000m) at Rosehill on October 7 will be her next run. It is a A$2 million weight-for-age race, it’s a nice race for her so we will have a crack at that.”

While Australian targets beckon Pennyweka, the A$5 million Gr.1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) won’t be one of them.

“We didn’t make the second payment for the Caulfield Cup. If we go to Melbourne we might go to the Moonee Valley Cup (Gr.2, 2500m) or something like that,” Wallace said.

“I always wanted to give her a very easy time this spring. There is nothing easy about a Caulfield Cup preparation, so that can wait for another year.

“The autumn and the following spring I think will be her best time and we are just playing it patiently with those periods in mind.” – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk

Advertisment
More Reading...
Too Darn Hot nomination realises $255,000 in August (Late) Sale
A nomination in exceptional young stallion Too Darn Hot has topped today’s Inglis Digital August (Late) Online Sale, selling for $255,000.
Sires With Winners - Wednesday August 27
Here is the full list of 42 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Wootton Bassett Colt Salutes at Sandown
Overdue for a win, talented Wootton Bassett (GB) colt Yamashita’s Gold shook off maiden status with a determined victory at Sandown on Wednesday for the Gavid Bedggood stable.
Black Type Potential for Zoustar Colt
Tony and Calvin McEvoy have  plans to tackle Black Type races with promising Zoustar colt Prestar, who scored his second win from just five starts at Randwick on Wednesday.
Sires With Winners - Tuesday August 26
Here is the full list of 28 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Trial Winner for Captivant
Captivant’s early promise was on full display at today’s Waipa trials when Capital Express stormed to victory in Heat 4. The Paul Pertab-trained 2YO colt impressed early, showcasing the speed and class expected of his G1 Champagne Stakes-winning sire in a performance that marked him as one to watch.
Al Riffa Aiming Towards Melbourne Cup for Australian Bloodstock
The exceptional qualities of Coolmore shuttler Wootton Bassett (GB) are such that he can get fast juveniles and also high class older horses over a distance and we are set to see a taste of it this spring as media reports suggest Australian Bloodstock have purchased his top class 5YO stallion Al Riffa.
Spring Trial Watch – Hawkesbury
There was an interesting set of trials at Hawkesbury on Monday that featured heat winners including Golden Slipper winner Marhoona, Randwick Guineas winner Linebacker as well as the Waterhouse Bott stable Cups contenders Sir Delius (GB) and Vauban (FR), plus we may have seen an Everest horse.
Last to First – He’s Seriously Hot!
Sent to the paddock after just one placing from five starts at two that included three attempts in stakes company, Siriusly Hot returned a gelding at Randwick and it certainly made a difference!
Finding the Perfect Match for Your Mare
Now that the first foals of the season have hit the ground at farms across the country, breeders are finalising stallion bookings and searching for the perfect match for their mares.