Tassort 2YO Wins on Debut in NZ

Media Release - Thursday June 19

Shaune Ritchie and Colm Murray wouldn’t usually present a horse to the races without a trial, but that indicated how much they thought of Love The Sort, and she bolted in on debut at the Cambridge Synthetic on Wednesday.

The filly’s success was the first leg of a winning double for the stable, with Ritchie on course while Murray celebrated his birthday in the warmer climes of Queensland.

Love The Sort winning at Cambridge on Wednesday.  Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images)

“I’ve just got back from the States and had a fantastic experience over there, and Colm took off this morning to go to the Gold Coast,” Ritchie said. “Really, he’s done the hard work on the horses winning today, and I get to stand there and count the money.”

An unknown to the public, Love The Sort opened at a decent price in the Waipa Earthworks 970, and after getting as short as $4, she closed at double figures. With a featherlight 51.5kg under Rihaan Goyaram, the two-year-old fired through the pack to find the lead and she never looked like being caught, gliding clear by two lengths from Rocky Mountain.

“I think it’s the first time in as long as I can remember that we’ve presented a horse at the races without having a barrier trial,” Ritchie said. “She’s shown us plenty of speed, and now that she’s used to the poly, we knew she had a great turn of foot on it.

“In the couple of jump-outs she’s had, she’s been a little ginger out of the gate, but we were prepared to take the risk on that, knowing how fast she was.

“After missing the kick slightly, she’s managed to get on to the fence, and we know she can rail like a little bit of a greyhound. I just love the way that she pinned her ears back and wanted to find the line, you can’t train that into them.”

A daughter of Tassort, Love The Sort was a A$42,500 purchase by Ritchie at the Magic Millions’ Gold Coast Yearling Sale, and she carries the same silks as her Group Two-winning stablemate Tuxedo.

“She just looked like a real runner to me,” he said. “Colm and I are aware that our best results have come in the staying races, with Cups and Oaks, and we probably prefer to train stayers, but having said that, we’ve got to keep up with the times. 

“She’s just average-sized, but she’s built like a bullet, and we wanted to develop a sprinting type. As a two-year-old, that didn’t come up for us, we had to back off for maturity reasons, and that’s paid us back a little bit today.

“The horse is owned by a bride of different people, but the main owner of Tuxedo, Grant Barnett, likes his colours and owns a nice share in this horse. He got a bit of money to pay training fees off the TAB today, which is great, because that’s a part of the enjoyment of racing, putting a bet on your own horse.”

Ritchie indicated the filly would be off to the paddock at short notice, but she would be back for the early spring. 

“She’ll almost certainly go for a break now, and then we’ll look at some three-year-old fillies races for her,” he said.

“She may be limited to that 1200m, so we’ll probably have to take the season early, because as we know with the three-year-olds, the distances step up the further you get into the summer.”

Advertisement

Later in the meeting, it was the turn of Hot Line Bling, who missed the start considerably, but was good enough to run down Radradra right on the line to collect his maiden over 1550m.

“I thought his run was impressive, given that we really feel he is a 2000m-plus horse,” Ritchie said.

“When he missed the start, it looked like it was all over, but after finding the right gap at the top of the straight, you’ve got to admire the way that he attacked the line in the last 200m. He wanted to win the race and he’s a beautiful style of an animal, he just looks like a really good staying sort of horse.”

The success came at his 11th start and was a welcomed reward for connections, after a tough journey with the four-year-old.

“When we presented him as a three-year-old he was racing quite well, he was only beaten narrowly at Whangarei, but he got an infection in the eye,” Ritchie said. “We had to make a decision and ask the owners whether they would pay for a pretty expensive operation, to get blood back into the retina so he could keep his eye, let alone race again.

“It’s cost them a pretty penny to get to this point, so it’s nice to see them rewarded.

“In his case, he’ll keep going through the winter, and if we can get him to a race like a New Zealand Cup (Gr.3, 3200m) on a light weight, I think that might be the sort of race within his range. I don’t think he’ll be stopping winning today.”

Meanwhile, excitement is building in the stable with the recent return of not only Tuxedo, but also Tajana, a Group One-performing juvenile this season.

“We’re very excited for Tajana and Tuxedo, they’ve both just come back into the stable and are going through some slow work at the moment,” Ritchie said.

“Tuxedo has put on 40-50 kilos, he’s now got a hind quarter like an open sprinter, rather than a mile and a quarter Group Two winner. I think we’ll keep him to 1400m and a mile this preparation, he was right there in a Karaka Million and won two Group races, so he was just off the top echelon of three-year-olds.

“With that natural strength, we expect him to be improved again, and we look forward to the Group races in the spring.

“Tajana has run third in a Sires’ Produce and is Group Two-placed, so she’s another exciting filly from The Oaks Stud.

“She’s getting ready for a 1000 Guineas (Gr.1 1600m), so we’ve got some classy horses to work with.” – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk

Advertisment

Race Result - Waipa Earthworks Mdn 970m

Cambridge Synthetic Track: Synthetic Time: 0:54.82
1
Love The Sort
- 2f Tassort (AUS) x Siyaadeh (AUS) (Written Tycoon (AUS))
Tnr: S Ritchie & C Murray Rdr: Rihaan Goyaram 51.5
2
2
Rocky Mountain
- 3g Cosmic Force (AUS) x Crescent (AUS) (Fastnet Rock (AUS))
Tnr: C K Ormsby Rdr: M J Mc Nab 58.5
3
2.3
Watch Me Go
- 3g Cosmic Force (AUS) x Shopping Paradise (AUS) (High Chaparral (IRE))
Tnr: C J Wood Rdr: Gareth Lahoud 54.5
4
4.1
Super Star Dragon
- 3g U S Navy Flag (USA) x Stitch (NZ) (Pins (AUS))
Tnr: Samantha Logan Rdr: Sam McNab 54.5
5
4.3
Ballbeena
- 3f Ardrossan (AUS) x Yardstick (NZ) (A P Ruler (USA))
Tnr: P S Richards Rdr: A Lawson-Carroll 55.5
6
5.3
Agile
- 3f Swiss Ace (AUS) x Kilderry (NZ) (Mossman (AUS))
Tnr: Team Rogerson Rdr: B E Grylls 56.5
7
5.5
Que Syrah Syrah
- 3g Proisir (AUS) x Cabsav (NZ) (Savabeel (AUS))
Tnr: M G Forbes Rdr: T C Moodley 57.5
8
6.3
Rosie's Rendevous
- 3f Shalaa (IRE) x Rosetta (NZ) (Pins (AUS))
Tnr: Ms P Gerard Rdr: V A Colgan 56.5
9
7
Another Destiny
- 4g Eminent (IRE) x It's My Destiny (NZ) (Magic Ring (IRE))
Tnr: Joshua King Rdr: B D Rogerson 56.5
10
7.8
Seduire
- 3f Shalaa (IRE) x Romantic Vision (NZ) (High Chaparral (IRE))
Tnr: M & K Murdoch Rdr: C R Barnes 56.5
11
9.2
La Luna
- 3f Shocking (AUS) x Gemima (NZ) (Casual Lies (USA))
Tnr: R & R Rogers Rdr: L H Satherley 56.5
12
9.5
Vanbrugh Belle
- 2f Vanbrugh (AUS) x Petit Leon (NZ) (Shamexpress (NZ))
Tnr: N P Bishara Rdr: K R Hercock 53.5
More Reading...
New Star for Hellbent – Savvy Hallie Wins G2 Silver Shadow
Yarraman Park’s Hellbent has made his name with brilliant Group I winning mares Magic Time and Benedetta with exciting filly Savvy Hallie adding her name his list of stakes-winners with a stylish victory in the Group II ATC Silver Shadow Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on Saturday.
Sterling Express Wins G2 Foxbridge Plate
Sterling Express stepped up to Group level for the first time in Saturday’s Gr.2 Waikato Stud Foxbridge Plate (1200m) at Te Rapa, and a stunning last-to-first performance showed that he belongs.
Jenni Lets Loose At The Valley
Smart staying mare Jennivamoose recorded her third victory at The Valley when winning the Simpson Construction Handicap (2500m) in similar fashion to her previous victory at the venue.
Winning Return for the Best in Australia - Via Sistina
Set to be crowned Australia’s Horse of the Year for last season, the mighty Fastnet Rock mare Via Sistina (IRE) returned on a rain soaked track at Randwick on Saturday to win the $1million Group I ATC Winx Stakes (1400m).
Third Black Type Win For Snitzel’s Lazzura
A member of the Waller team to hold a dual acceptance leading into Saturday’s Randwick meeting, it was the Group 3 Show County Quality (1200m) where 4yo Snitzel mare Lazzura came out on top, recording her third black type victory.
Wuddzz Caps Fine 24 Hours For Dwyer
Handy stayer Wuddzz came with a well-timed run under Tim Clark to land the Gold Coast Turf Club Trophy (2400m) at Randwick.
Sires With Winners - Saturday August 23
Here is the full list of 106 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Unbeaten Run Continues For Autumn Glow
Resuming off the back of two solid barrier trials efforts, Chris Waller’s Autumn Glow (The Autumn Sun) stepped up to open company for the first time, with the $1.8m yearling purchase extending her unbeaten run to five with victory in the Group 3 ATC Toy Show Quality (1100m) at Randwick.
First Black Type Victory For Nellie Leylax (IRE)
Not a bad way to break through for your first Australian victory as the Annabel and Rob Archibald trained Nellie Leylax (IRE) cleared out by more than two lengths to claim the Group 3 ATC Premier’s Cup (2000m) at Randwick.
Carlyon Stakes To Baraqiel – Second SW For Snitzel
Successful in the Group 2 McEwen Stakes (1200m) last time in, Sniztel’s 7yo son Baraqiel continued his outstanding record at the Moonee Valley circuit, resuming to win the Listed Carlyon Stakes (1000m) first up, highlighting potential Group 1 spring aims.