Cambridge Stud Mare Finding Form

Media Release - Monday December 9

Quality mare About Time returned to the winner’s circle at Ellerslie on Saturday and her trainer Lance Noble is hoping to continue that trend on Thursday with a trio of runners.

A four-year-old owned and bred by Brendan and Jo Lindsay of Cambridge Stud, About Time performed well in her three-year-old term, placing in the Listed Trevor and Corallie Memorial 3YO (1500m), before taking out the Gr.2 Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes (2000m).

About Time is another winner for Cambridge Stud - Race Images

After working through the distances this prep, she finally struck her favoured middle-distance trip in the Dunstan Horsefeeds Stayers Championship Qualifier (2100m) and in the hands of Warren Kennedy, she found a comfortable position midfield. Kennedy eased off the fence turning for home and pinning her ears back, the mare found plenty in the straight to run down Final Return by a head.

Noble was pleased with the performance, while praising the efforts of the starting crew at Ellerslie who kept the mare calm prior to the jump.

“It was a good win, she’s just a handful at the starting gates which is a bit of a concern,” he said. “The guys at the starting gates do a fantastic job with her.

“It was her first time back over ground this prep and she won nicely, so hopefully we can push on to the Dunstan Stayers Final on Boxing Day.”

The daughter of American Pharoah is set to take her place in the Dunstan Horsefeeds Stayers Championship Final (2400m) at the course in three weeks’ time, while the Gr.3 Queen Elizabeth II Cup (2400m) is also a possibility on New Year’s Day.

“The Cup is more of an option at this stage, we’ll probably run her in the Dunstan, and if she came through it well, we might consider backing her up and she has backed up well before,” Noble said.

“She does get in well in the Dunstan, so we’ll probably just target that.”

The Cambridge Stud contingent will head back to the northern headquarters on Thursday with a trio of three-year-old fillies, including impressive last-start winner First Dance.

Advertisement

At her third race-day appearance last time out, the Zousain filly made light work of her maiden rivals, and remaining at the 1200m distance, she could earn herself a black-type opportunity in the Cambridge Stud 1200.

“Her last start was a very good run, she had a second then got a strong win at Ellerslie,” Noble said.

“We gave her a couple of weeks off after that and she’s come back really nice and bright, she may need the run on Thursday but I think she’ll go pretty well, and there are some nice races over Christmas and New Years back at Ellerslie.

“At the moment, I think the 1200 suits her, and if she went really well, we may look at the Auckland Guineas (Gr.2, 1400m) on Boxing Day.”

Love Symbol and Venetian have both been nominated for the Entain/NZB Insurance Pearl Series (1400m) and the Barfoot And Thompson (1400m), the latter in their own age group. Love Symbol has recorded two placings in her last two starts, with the step-up in distance expected to suit the daughter of Savabeel.

“She’s been a bit of a work in progress, she’s wanted to over-race and do a few things wrong, but with a bit of practice, I think she’s learned what to do,” Noble said.

“She’s put a couple of nice races together, so hopefully with the extra distance, she can go pretty close.

“Venetian has had a few runs, she’s not big and robust at the moment, but I think she’ll run well.

“We’ll give her a little spell after this meeting on Thursday.” – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk

Advertisment
More Reading...
Too Darn Hot Mare Claims Third G1
Too Darn Hot (GB) will be a returning superstar to Darley NSW this spring and there is no doubt he can get an exceptional horse with Fallen Angel capturing her third Group I in France on Sunday when taking out the G1 Prix Rothschild (1m) at Deauville.
Zed 9YO Wins G3 Winter Cup
Saturday’s $110,000 Group Three Winning Edge Presentations Winter Cup (1600m) at Riccarton continued an incredible ride for the connections of Chase (NZ) (Zed), who bought him for only $9,000 from Book 3 of Karaka 2018. Originally a $6,000 purchase by JD Corcoran when offered as a weanling from Valachi Downs in the 2017 National Weanling, Broodmare & Mixed Bloodstock Sale.
Blue Gum Farm Welcome First Foal of the Season
Victorian nursery Blue Gum Farm announced on Monday the arrival of their first foal of the season and there is no mistaking the sire of this gorgeous filly.
G1 Plans for Wexford Stable Mares
Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott have their sights set on the opening Group One of the season with a pair of talented mares, both of which appeared at the Taupo trials on Monday.
G1 Guineas Goal for Unbeaten Snitzel Filly
A quartet of well-performed fillies from Stephen Marsh’s stable took their first steps toward upcoming age group features when they stepped out at the Taupo trials on Monday.
Three in a Row for Cambridge Stud Owned About Time
American Pharoah (USA) mare About Time continued her love affair with the new Ellerslie track as she completed a hattrick of victories when taking out the Victoria Racing Club (2200m) open contest on Saturday.
Cambridge Stud Homebred Wins Dunstan Stayers Championship Final
About Time was a rising star in the staying ranks as a three-year-old, and 12 months later, the Cambridge Stud mare collected another holiday feature with a powerful display in the $125,000 Dunstan Stayers Championship Final (2400m) on Boxing Day.
Nominees Announced for Australian Racehorse of the Year Awards
The nominees for the prestigious 2024/2025 Australian Racehorse of the Year awards have been announced today by Racing Queensland in association with Racing Australia.
Te Akau Stars Warm Up at Taupo Trials
Perennial bridesmaid Qali Al Farrasha headlined a strong contingent of trialists out of Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson’s stable at Taupo on Monday.
Sires With Winners - Monday August 4
Here is the full list of 26 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.