Australia Possible for Babylon Berlin

Media Release - Wednesday May 1

Plans for Babylon Berlin are yet to be locked in, but a trip to Australia is high on the wish list for the top-quality sprinter.

The multiple Group-winning daughter of All Too Hard hasn’t raced since she finished out of the money in the Gr.1 Railway (1200m) at Pukekohe on New Year’s Day, after which she underwent a wind operation.

Babylon Berlin winning at Te Rapa in November.   Photo: Race Images

The Ben and Ryan Foote-trained mare, who is tentatively booked to cross the Tasman later this month, took a pleasing step toward a return to competition on Tuesday when she was untouched to win her open heat over 850m at the Te Awamutu trials.

“I was pretty certain that everything was back to normal, so I expected that,” said Ben Foote, who shares in the ownership of the six-year-old.

“It was a bit of a relief of course, but I certainly thought she was back to her old self. She just stretched her legs for the last 100m or so and had a good blow.”

Babylon Berlin showed her customary gate speed to make the running and lengthened stride the run home for rider Courtney Barnes to coast home by four and a-half lengths.

“I’m not sure if she will have another trial or race here before she goes to Australia,” Foote said.

“She has got a booking on the flight to Brisbane on May 25 so we might go there, but nothing has been set in stone just yet.”

Babylon Berlin has won eight of her 27 starts, including Group Three successes in the Concorde Handicap (1200m), King’s Plate (1200m) and Cambridge Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) and a brace of Listed wins.

The only missing credit on her resume is a Group One victory after placings at the top level in the Telegraph (1200m), twice in the Railway (1200m) and BCD Sprint (1400m).

Advertisement

Meanwhile, Babylon Berlin’s progressive stablemate The Odyssey is still on a break after a lucrative spring and summer campaign.

The Zacinto four-year-old broke his maiden at Rotorua in October and added two wins at Te Rapa before success in the inaugural $350,000 Remutaka Classic (2100m) at Trentham.

“He will be back in work in two weeks, I didn’t want to bring him up too early,” Foote said.

“He was always a horse that was going to take a bit of time, his mum (Macavelli Miss) won the Thorndon (Gr.1, 1600m) as a five-year-old.

“We’ve got a few targets in the spring for him, the Counties Cup (Gr.3, 2100m), Wanganui Cup (Listed, 2040m), Waikato Cup (Gr.3, 2400m), Manawatu Cup (Gr.3, 2300m) are some of the races we can try and get him in with lighter weights.

“It depends how he comes up, we could also look at the Livamol (Gr.1, 2040m) but he’s a long way from that yet but you never know.”

The Odyssey’s stake earnings of more than $240,000 from nine starts is also a welcome reflection of the increased stake money that has been injected into the industry.

“One thing I’ve never really worried about is the trainers’ percentage every fortnight, but now it makes a difference and certainly a lot better than any time during my career,” Foote said. – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Aussie 2YO SW for Tivaci
New Zealand-bred colt Matahga stamped himself as an exciting spring three-year-old prospect with a hard-fought victory in the A$120,000 Listed David Peacock Oaklands Plate (1400m) at Morphettville on Saturday.
Better Than Ready’s Metalart Wins Group 3 W J Healy Stakes
Improving off a third in the Listed Lightning Handicap at Eagle Farm recently, 4yo Better Than Ready gelding Metalart stepped up to 1200m to record his first black type success, winning the Group 3 W J Healy Stakes.
Promising 2YOs for Pike
Tony Pike found it difficult to split his juvenile charges the last time they took each other on and it’s the same story at Ruakaka.
Private Eye’s Half-Brother King’s Secret Wins Again
Although he may never reach the heights of his older half-brother Private Eye, a Group 1 winner and earner of more than $12m to date, connections of King’s Secret (Shalaa) are sure to have plenty of their own fun with the 3yo gelding winning at Rosehill on Saturday.
Almanzor Stayer wins G3 Tattersalls Cup
It's been a long time since the  2022 Victoria Derby and some may have wondered whether the winner Manzoice was ever going to win again!
Vinery Stud Announce Adam White as Interim Manager
From the 1st of July, Vinery Stud is pleased to announce the appointment of Adam White as Interim General Manager, following the resignation of Peter Orton. A dedicated and long-standing member of the Vinery team, Adam brings a wealth of experience and an in-depth understanding of both the business and the industry to this pivotal role.
Sires With Winners - Friday June 27
Here is the full list of 48 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Miss Joelene Achieves Millionaire Status
This time last year, Miss Joelene was highlighting herself as one to watch for the future, having placed in the Group 2 The Roses and the Group 1 Queensland Oaks, and after a few runs behind the outstanding Antino (Redwood) this time in, a class drop on Saturday saw her record victory in the $200,000 Listed BRC Tattersall’s Gold Crown (2100m) at Eagle Farm.
Corumbene Stud Homebred Tashi Wins G1 Tatts Tiara
From the last crop of foals sired by Widden Stud’s much missed Golden Slipper winning sire Sebring, five year-old mare Tashi may also be his final Group I winner as she produced a career best performance at Eagle Farm on Saturday to win the $700,000 Group I Tatts Tiara (1400m).
Tattersall’s Mile For The Inflictor - Under The Louvre’s Second SW
Third at Listed level before winning at Doomben, the Craig Cousins-trained The Inflictor (Under The Louvre) then tackled the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap, and while not in the same league as winner War Wachine (Harry Angel), the 4yo gelding showed his class on Saturday to win the Listed BRC Tattersall’s Mile (1600m) at Eagle Farm.