breednet.com.au

Hidden Dragon's River Racer Powers Home in Glasshouse

Mark Smith - Saturday June 29

Saturday's $175,000 Listed Glasshouse Handicap (1400m) at the Sunshine Coast was the final stakes race of the Queensland Winter Carnival and it was one for the locals.

The Les Ross-trained River Racer, a 5yo daughter of Lyndhurst Stud's veteran Danehill stallion Hidden Dragon, stormed home under Matt McGillivray to defeat the luckless favourite Niccanova (Nicconi) by one and three-quarter lengths with a short neck to dead heaters Platinum Angel (Snitzel) and Chapter and Verse (Rothesay) in third.

Ross revealed that he had a few choice words with McGillivray before the race.

"He came out with three girths and then he didn't come out and I had to send in to the jockeys room for him. I said to him I have a live chance here and you will muck it up," Ross told AAP.

"Then I said to him it was no wonder I didn't give him too many rides. But I will have to give him a lot more now."

River Racer had placed five times in stakes races before her breakthrough and Ross said it had given him a thrill to win for owner Leslie Ung, who had been a great supporter of his stable.

"River Racer has run in a lot of tough races and picked up $427,000 before today. So she goes past $500,000 now and it is because the owners wanted her to race in the best company."

Advertisement

"I could have won 15 races with her and not earned anything like that prize money."

Passed in when she failed to find a buyer willing to part with her $15,000 when offered by Lyndhurst Stud Farm at the 2015 Magic Millions Gold Coast March Yearling Sale, River Racer (pictured as a yearling ) advances her record to 5 wins, 6 seconds and 5 thirds from 35 starts with earnings of $528,525.

She is one of five winners from as many to race out of the Adelaide winning Royal Academy (USA) mare Royal Yangtze who had been purchased by Leslie Ung for $10,000 at the 2012 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale.

Royal Yangtze has a yearling gelding by Sizzling and a weanling filly by Hidden Dragon. She was covered by the highflying Better Than Ready last spring.

River Racer becomes the 8th stakes-winner for Hidden Dragon who lines up for his 14th season at Lyndhurst Farm in 2019.

Advertisment
More Reading...
Hidden Dragon's Fiery Heights Earns a Magic Millions Wilcard
Never further back than second in his last six starts, six-year-old gelding Fiery Heights earned a maiden stakes win when leading all the way in Saturday’s Listed Falvelon Quality (1100m) at Doomben.
What Stallions Can Step Up in Hong Kong?
The Hong Kong racing season is over for another year, so a look at their sire tables by earnings and winners is always interesting and there is no surprise at the top with now pensioned Deep Field claiming his fourth consecutive champion sire title, but given he is now out of the picture the big question is what sires will replace him?
Karaka Graduates Shoot for Selangor’s Seven-Figure Prize
A quality cast of four-year-olds will clash in Malaysia’s richest race this weekend, with a significant NZB influence throughout the 16-horse field.
Farnan Filly Impresses at Kembla
Selected as a foundation sire for Kia Ora Stud, Golden Slipper winner Farnan has provided a dream start for the Hunter Valley farm with a slew of smart winners from his first crop this season including Commanding Belle, who became his 11th winner on Thursday.
Big Investment Begins Paying Off
A big investment by Rosemont Stud at the 2021 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale in purchasing Group III winning mare Khulaasa for $1.35million produced a dividend on Friday, but that’s just the beginning!
Smart Winner for Hanseatic
Rosemont Stud’s Hanseatic added a fourth winner to his tally on Thursday at Kembla when the John Thompson trained gelding Sea Admiral opened his account.
Another Aussie Stakes-Winner for Lope de Vega
It’s just as well Australian owners are keen on bringing in imported tried horses to Australia or the $200,000 Listed Grafton Cup (2350m) on Thursday would have looked a very skinny event, but as it happened there was a promising young stayer on top in Don Diego de Vega (Fr).
Unbeaten Filly a New Stakes-Winner for Ghaiyyath
Darley shuttler Ghaiyyath (IRE) is not returning to Australia this year after four seasons at Darley Victoria, but he was in the news overnight with a new stakes-winner after his unbeaten three year-old filly Al Uqda won the Listed Vichy Prix Madame Jean Couturie (2000m).
Sires With Winners - Thursday July 17
Here is the full list of 40 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Breeding To Win – Crystal Ball – New Season 3YOs to Follow
Who are we highlighting this week? - Analysis of the G1 winning 3YO’s for this season has made us realise how many horses on this list took giant strides from two to three, so we are looking into the crystal ball to find some juveniles we believe could end next season as G1 performers if not G1 winners.