Hellbent Gelding Shooting for Another Win

Media Release - Tuesday May 20

Lhasa has matched up in quality sprinting fields on the turf this campaign and he will pay for that success at Cambridge Synthetic on Wednesday as a clear topweight in the Ride For Jimmy 1300.

Lhasa will contest the Ride For Jimmy 1300 at Cambridge on Wednesday.  Photo: Peter Rubery (Race Images Palmerston North)

The son of Hellbent announced himself a proper racehorse with four victories on the polytrack, and while bringing that form to the turf up in grade is not an easy task, Lhasa did just that at Trentham in March, defeating open-class gallopers down the chute.

The gelding followed up that effort with a tidy placing behind former Champion Two-Year-Old Velocious at Te Aroha, and his trainer Mark Treweek felt the gelding deserved another opportunity after a tough effort for sixth last time out at Te Rapa.

“He’s great, which is the reason why we’ve kept him going,” Treweek said.

“We were going to turn him out after his last race, but he didn’t get the best run there and has done so well since, and he goes really well on the poly tracks, so we thought we’d give him one more run.

“I’ve spaced his races a lot, he hasn’t been overtaxed.”

The five-year-old is rated 15 points higher than his nearest rival on Wednesday and that is reflected in the weight scale, being assigned a 63kg impost, which has been slightly bettered by Rihaan Goyaram’s three-kilogram claim.

“It’s a lot of weight, we’re claiming three with Rihaan who is riding really well, so that brings him back to 60,” Treweek said.

Advertisement

“He’s still going to be giving most of the field a hell of a lot of weight, but he’s drawn well (2) and goes well on that track so hopefully his class carries him a long way.”

While Lhasa may be heading for a spell at short notice, Treweek is keeping the synthetic innovation races in mind through August, with options in both the Central Districts and South Island.

“The 1200m is still in Christchurch so it’s doubtful we’d go down there with him, but we would possibly consider it,” he said. “The 1400m is at Awapuni, so we’ll keep that in mind and tick him over, keeping him fresh.”

His stablemate Seamsew has also tasted success on the surface, with two wins and four placings from seven attempts across Cambridge and Awapuni. The son of Brazen Beau has mixed his form on the turf this preparation, but is rated among the favourites in the TAB 970 and Treweek is hopeful of a bold showing.

“He’s a big, strong horse and can be a difficult ride, so we’ve gone for Vinnie (Colgan, jockey) and not a claimer,” he said.

“The weight (60kg) is a little bit of a worry, but he’s won with close to that before and the shorter trip will help. He’s drawn out wide, so I’m hoping he can get away well and be competitive again.

“He’s very well so I’m expecting a good run from him too.” – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk

Advertisment
More Reading...
Hellbent Sprinter Salutes in NZ
Talented sprinter Lhasa was at the peak of his powers on the Cambridge Synthetic on Wednesday, schooling his rivals despite a hefty weight impost.
Five Lots Announced for Tattersalls Online Barrier Trials Pop-Up Sale
Tattersalls Online, Europe’s leading online thoroughbred sales platform, will break new ground when offering for auction five lots who took part in the ITM Irish EBF Barrier Trials at Leopardstown Racecourse earlier this week. The sale which takes place on 3rd – 4th September can be viewed on the Tattersalls Online website www.tattersallsonline.com.
Spring Trial Watch – Caulfield
With a plethora of Group racing for colts and geldings last weekend and fillies to take centre stage Sydney on Saturday for the Group II ATC Furious Stakes it was interesting to see a Caulfield trial on Tuesday morning that featured six stakes-winning 3YO’s.
Tara Talks Racing - We Chat with the Breeder of Raging Force
The Group III ATC San Domenico Stakes was won last Saturday by exciting Cosmic Force gelding Raging Force, so this week we’re chatting to his breeder Dr Richard McClenahan of Mullaglass Stud, who has a self-confessed ‘mare addiction’!
Vale, G1 winning horseman Tony Dennis
A member of one of New Zealand racing’s most famous and successful families has died, with the recent passing of Tony (Anthony) Dennis, aged 86.
First Foals for Lofty Strike
One of the most interesting young stallions that we saw on the recent Victorian stud tour was at Swettenham Stud and it has not taken long for the big baldy face of Lofty Strike to find it’s way on to one of his first foals.
Hellbent Winner at Trentham
Talented sprinter Lhasa is a force to be reckoned with on Cambridge’s synthetic track and he brought that form to the turf at Trentham on Sunday, taking down a quality field in the IRT 1200.
Winning Debut for Blueblood Frankel Filly
We usually associate the Mark Walker stable with the tangerine colours of Te Akau racing, but it was John Camilleri’s Fairway Thoroughbreds colours in the frame for the astute Kiwi trainer trainer at Benalla on Tuesday carried by blueblood Frankel filly Chateau Eze.
Sires With Winners - Tuesday September 2
Here is the full list of 30 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Waller Stable Hold the Key to Melbourne Cup
Champion Sydney trainer Chris Waller has 27 of the 120 entries for this year’s $10million Melbourne Cup, which equates to more than 20 per cent of the total, so it’s probably worth having a closer look at them.