Gentian Blue Aims Up at Caulfield

Media Release - Thursday August 15

Cambridge trainer Maxim van Lierde dreamed of campaigning a horse in Melbourne when he spent time at Lindsay Park last year, and now that has turned into a reality.Gentian Blue will contest the Vale Catherine Rae (1400m) at Caulfield on Saturday.  Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images

“Last year I took a horse called Henry Robin over to Lindsay Park and I spent over two weeks with them,” van Lierde said.

“I got on quite well with Will (Hayes, co-trainer) especially because I did quite a lot of track work with him. We have become good friends over the last year and the knowledge that they have got is second to none. He is very giving with his advice and knowledge, which has helped us immensely.”

With victory at Ellerslie on Derby Day in March and a fifth placing in the Gr.3 Cuddle Stakes (1400m at Trentham a fortnight later, Gentian Blue identified herself as a possible candidate to campaign in Melbourne, and that fate was sealed with a pleasing first-up placing over 1400m at Ruakaka in June.

The six-year-old mare travelled to Melbourne earlier this month where she beat just the one runner home in her Australian debut over 1620m at Flemington, but van Lierde said she can be forgiven for that run.

“It didn’t look very good to the eye but she was five weeks between runs and she had a bit of a virus when she got there,” van Lierde said. “We were on the back foot a little bit, but she has come on immensely from the run.”

Van Lierde’s wife, Samantha, is currently across the Tasman with their two-win mare, who is set to line-up at Caulfield on Saturday in the Vale Catherine Rae (1400m) where she will jump from barrier six with good friend Daniel Stackhouse aboard.

“Dan Stackhouse is a good friend of my wife, Sam, they grew up riding ponies together. It is a bit of a full-circle moment having him ride a horse for us,” van Lierde said.

Advertisement

“We probably rode her a little outside her comfort zone last start with the hot speed in the race, so we are just going to let her find her feet and hit the line. We are back in trip with the blinkers on, so we are expecting a much better performance.”

Initially set to be a two-run campaign, van Lierde said they may extend that on the advice of their Australian host.

“The initial plan was to head home after this run, but talking with Will he said the time we had with the virus, she is essentially only second-up on Saturday, so he thinks she will peak third-up over there,” van Lierde said. “We might as well look at one more run, but we will just see how she comes through Saturday.”

Van Lierde said they have enjoyed their Australian experience and he is hoping they can find another horse that is capable of testing their talent in the competitive racing jurisdiction.

“If we have got a horse that measures up, we will go over there and chase some prizemoney,” he said. – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk

Advertisment
More Reading...
Two Highest Priced Yearlings in World This Year Highlight Tattersalls October Day 1
The opening day of Book 1 of the Tattersalls October Yearling Sale saw two colts realise 3,700,000 guineas and 3,600,000 guineas, both exceeding the highest price for a yearling sold anywhere in the world in 2025, and five seven-figure lots.
National Thoroughbred Week invites support through GoFundMe campaign
National Thoroughbred Week (NTW) is calling on the thoroughbred community and broader public to be part of history, with the launch of a GoFundMe campaign to help bring this inaugural celebration to life.
Everest Runner/New G1 Horse for Hellbent as Invincible Legacy Surges
Hellbent has made a solid start to the new season with 25 winners racking up over $2million in earnings and he will have a runner in the $20million The Everest in two weeks time with Magic Time confirmed for the Inglis slot, while at Randwick last Saturday he added another G1 performer to his tally.
Wrote SW on Comeback Trail
Robbie Patterson had high Classic hopes for Read About It last season before his rising young star’s progress was halted by illness.
Gimcrack Winner Bred By Cornerstone
THE "BACKSLAPPING" in the backwaters of the Barossa on Saturday afternoon, paled into insignificance when compared to the celebrations of the connections of SHIKI that won on debut!
Briasa Boost as More Youngsters Impress on HIT Sale Eve
The timing couldn’t be better for a sale page's pedigree boost, with Briasa announcing himself as one of Australia’s most exciting sprinters following his dominant victory in Saturday’s $1 million Group Two Premiere Stakes (1200m) at Randwick.
OTI Racing officially enters New Zealand market
OTI Racing is officially going trans-Tasman, with the Australian syndicator becoming a licensed New Zealand syndicator this week.
Sires With Winners - Tuesday October 7
Here is the full list of 25 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Shamus Award Mare Chasing Another G1
Adverse weather has forced multiple Group One winner Quintessa to take an unorthodox route to next Saturday’s Gr.1 Livamol Classic (2040m), with the mare appearing at the Awapuni trials on Monday afternoon.
Wootton Bassett G1 Double on Arc Day
The shattering loss of Wootton Bassett (GB) has been highlighted at Longchamp in France on Arc Day where the champion sire added two new Group I winners to his tally in 2YO colt Puerto Rico and the former Aussie owned 3YO colt Maranoa Charlie.