Two Out of Three for Hard Press

Tara Madgwick - Wednesday November 27

New Zealand-bred three year-old Hard Press made it back-to-back wins when successful at Sandown on Wednesday over 1000m bringing a good pedigree update for his full brother headed to Karaka Book 1 in 2020.

Shamexpress is the sire of Hard Press

Shamexpress is the sire of Hard Press

It was just the third start for the Shamexpress colt who was lumbered with 60kg in Wednesday’s race.

“I just thought at 1000m they might be a bit sharp, but he surprised us and put himself there,” trainer Richard Laming said.

“He did a good job and had a big weight. He fought it out well and is going to improve a lot off that.

“There was a little bit of a rap on the second horse, so it was no easy assignment.

“Ben (Melham, jockey) was very confident and he only asked him to quicken in the last furlong, but he still did it very well.”

Laming is looking forward to the future with the Windsor Park Stud bred three-year-old who he said still has plenty of maturing to do.

“He is very quiet for a colt, he doesn’t even know he is one I think. He has got good mannerisms, he has got a lot to come yet. He is still immature and his coat hasn’t come out. There is plenty of upside, that is for sure.”

Hard Press was a $55,000 Inglis Classic purchase from the Edinburgh Park draft for Laming Racing and is the first winner for his dam Hardassah, a daughter of champion sire Exceed and Excel.

Windsor Park Stud  will offer the full brother to Hard Press as Lot 638 at Karaka Book 1.

Race Result - Ladbrokes Odds Boost (Bm64) 1000m

Sandown-Hillside Track: Good(3) Time: 0:56.48
1
Hard Press
- 3c Shamexpress (NZ) x Hardassah (NZ) (Exceed And Excel (AUS))
Tnr: Richard Laming Rdr: B Melham 60
2
0.3
Salome
- 3f Unencumbered (AUS) x Maybe I (AUS) (Red Ransom (USA))
Tnr: C Maher & D Eustace Rdr: Michael Poy 54.5
3
1.8
Pouting Lips
- 3f Hinchinbrook (AUS) x Fashion Rocks (AUS) (Dehere (USA))
Tnr: D T O'Brien Rdr: Craig Williams 58
4
2.3
Sukoshi
- 3f Magnus (AUS) x Junk In The Trunk (AUS) (Shinko Forest (IRE))
Tnr: D & B Hayes & T Dabernig Rdr: Lewis German 54.5
5
3.3
Arigato
- 3f Choisir (AUS) x Takanori (AUS) (Vital Equine (IRE))
Tnr: S P Nichols Rdr: J Noonan 56.5
6
4.0
Cardice
- 3f Brazen Beau (AUS) x Icy Mist (AUS) (Al Maher (AUS))
Tnr: C W Little Rdr: Patrick Moloney 55.5
7
5.5
Trygve
- 3g Magnus (AUS) x Flourishing (AUS) (Not A Single Doubt (AUS))
Tnr: R D Griffiths Rdr: M J Allen 58
8
8.3
Grafted
- 3f Reward For Effort (AUS) x Lakemba Rose (AUS) (Bel Esprit (AUS))
Tnr: Jason Warren Rdr: Clayton Douglas 58.5
More Reading...
Sires With Winners - Thursday June 19
Here is the full list of 37 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Bargain Shamexpress Filly Salutes
Ruakaka galloper Diva Express proved too swift for her two-year-old rivals when she took out the NZB Insurance Pearl Series Race (1200m) at Avondale on Thursday.
Sires With Winners - Friday June 20
Here is the full list of 40 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
One to Watch – Gosford
Hawkesbury trainer Blake Ryan is known for sourcing nice yearlings and turning them over at the two year-old breeze up sales, but a Written Tycoon colt purchased from Inglis Easter for $425,000 has remained in the stable and made a winning debut at Gosford on Thursday.
Karaka Graduates Stakes Quinella
Qiji Express NZ) (Shamexpress) and She's a Thief (NZ) (Showcasing) cost just $57,500 between them at Karaka in 2017, but they fought out the finish in a high-quality running of the $60,000 Listed Mufhasa FastTrack Stakes (1300m) at Ellerslie on Saturday.
Shamexpress Winner Impresses
New Zealand-bred gelding Gunga Din (NZ) (ShamExpress) relished a hot race tempo at Rosehill in Sydney on Saturday to street his Highway Handicap rivals and pull off another training coup for veteran Canberra trainer Keith Dryden.
Royal Ascot Day 3 – Record Smashed and Bluebloods
More glamour and galloping overnight at Royal Ascot with four Group races decided and the Coolmore juggernaut won three of them, but not the prized feature on the card, the Group I Ascot Gold Cup (2m4f) which was won in dazzling course record time.
Ka Ying Rising Stunning in G1 Centenary Sprint
The world’s best sprinter tag sits easily upon Ka Ying Rising who produced an utterly stunning display in winning the Group I Centenary Sprint Cup (1200m) at Sha Tin on Sunday.
Breeding To Win - 2025 Royal Ascot G1 Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Stakes
In the depths of our Aussie winter nights there is nothing better than tuning in to all the pomp and glory of Royal Ascot and as we have passed the halfway mark it's time to look towards Saturday night and the iconic sprint that has been won four times previously by an Aussie bred horse.
Coolmore 2YO Domination at Royal Ascot
Coolmore continued their domination of the juvenile features at Royal Ascot overnight with an impressive win in the Group II Norfolk Stakes (5f) for Charles Darwin, the full brother to 2022 Champion European 2YO Colt Blackbeard.