Canberra set for Wagga spoils

Submitted by byoung on Thu, 2018-05-03 08:53

The Wagga carnival kick off tomorrow (Thursday) with Canberra stables positioned to win plenty of prizemoney.

Race 1

The powerful Matt Dale yard can get off to a winning start with LANSALA (1) resuming off two promising placings. Nick Heywood rides from the perfect gate and he strikes at 35% with the stable.

The Barbara Joseph-Paul Jones trained HAVELAKA (5) also presents as a leading hope, but is cruelled by a wide gate. The booking of Matt Cahill suggests she’s pleasing.

Canberra ready for Winter racing

Submitted by byoung on Thu, 2018-05-03 09:04

With winter around the corner, the Canberra Racing Club has completed surface renovations of the all-weather Acton surface.

Club CEO Peter Stubbs says 300 tonnes of material have been laid on the track in readiness for racing on May 25.

A barrier trial will be held on the Acton before the first race on May 9 to ensure levels are 100% across the surface.

This will be the second winter utilizing the new Acton which was developed ‘in-house’ by the club using fibres imported from Germany.

Joseph-Jones Record Season

Submitted by byoung on Thu, 2018-05-03 09:14

Canberra’s Barbara Joseph–Paul Jones training partnership continues to enjoy its best-ever season.

With three and a half months of the 2017/18 racing year remaining, the stable has now racked-up 40 winners, one more that its 2016-2017 full-year total.

Its best-ever winning year was 2014 with 40 winners.

And its prizemoney earnings have also taken a leap rising from $875,000 last year to (currently) $1,170,453, in 2017/18.  

Single Gaze final parade this Friday

Submitted by byoung on Wed, 2018-04-18 09:51

Star Canberra mare SINGLE GAZE will be presented to the public for the final time at Thoroughbred Park on Friday.

Single Gaze will parade in the mounting yard 3:10pm in a fitting farewell for the capital’s most-loved racehorse.

Single Gaze was retired after her scratching from Saturday’s Sydney Cup and will now travel to Japan following her sale to powerhouse stud Northern Farm where she will join its ranks of broodmares.

It’s reported that Single Gaze will be covered by revered Japanese stallion Deep Impact in the next Northern Hemisphere breeding season.

Hot Bensley Presses For Jockey Premiership

Submitted by byoung on Wed, 2018-04-11 10:15

The 2017-18 ACT Jockey and Trainer Premierships are again shaping as terrific contests deep into the racing season.

Matt Cahill holds a four win lead in the Jockey Premiership but is facing a stern challenge from Richard Bensley who has saluted in five of his last eight rides at Thoroughbred Park.  

Bensley has won his last three for Nick Olive — and four from his last five linking with last year’s premier trainer.

Single Gaze to retire this Saturday

Submitted by byoung on Mon, 2018-04-09 11:46

Canberra trainer Nick Olive has confirmed Single Gaze will take her place in Saturday’s Sydney Cup at Randwick and will be retired immediately after.

Olive says Single Gaze has come through her Tancred Stakes run in good order and believes she can be right in the finish of the two mile feature.

“I thought there was plenty of merit in her Tancred run.

“She got a bit far back but was only two lengths from the winner and three quarters of a length from Gailo Chop — and that’s the closest she got to him all campaign.”

Fell Swoop To Return In The Star Kingdom

Submitted by byoung on Wed, 2018-03-28 13:45

Crack Canberra sprinter Fell Swoop will return off a brief freshen in Saturday’s G3 Star Kingdom Stakes at Rosehill.

Fell Swoop last raced in the Listed Bob Hoysted Handicap at Flemington and jarred up on the firm ground.  Dale skipped last Friday’s G1 William Reid Stakes at Mooney Valley to give Fell Swoop more time to get over it.

Single Gaze To Back Up In Saturday’s G1 Tancred

Submitted by byoung on Wed, 2018-03-28 13:49

Canberra-trained Single Gaze will back-up in next week’s Group 1 Tancred Stakes following her second-placing in Saturdays’ Ranvet Stakes.

Single Gaze was beaten on her merits by Gailo Chop in the Ranvet, but fought back bravely to hold second.  

Trainer Nick Olive is keen for the rematch in the Tancred and believes Single Gaze needs the 2400m at this stage of her autumn campaign; conceding that Gailo Chop is a tough nut to crack over 2000m.

Single Gaze’s Jockey Kathy O’Hara said the mare was as gallant as ever in defeat.

Golden Slipper start for Sizzling Belle

Submitted by byoung on Mon, 2018-03-19 13:23

Sizzling Belle is 16th in the Slipper Order of entry and guaranteed a start in the $3.5 million feature at Rosehill.

Olive says he’s very happy with the filly and believes she’s improved off the Black Opal run.

“I took her to the pool this morning and she looks a million dollars,” Olive says.

Showers are forecast in Sydney all week and Olive says a wet track could assist Sizzling Belle.

Almost Court delivers home town win

Submitted by byoung on Tue, 2018-03-13 09:19
Local trainers Barbara Joseph and Paul Jones celebrated a hometown victory when Almost Court claimed a brave front-running win the Listed Canberra Cup (2000m). Almost Court gave the local duo their second win in the race following Fill The Page’s success in 2012. A recent stable acquisition from New Zealand, Almost Caught raced quickly through his grades on the country circuit before winning in Sydney two starts back and running fourth at Randwick last weekend.