Log-Topper Captain Peg Among Ready To Run Entries
Collen Storey Rides Winner For The Gosdens
South African UK-based jockey Collen Storey has been given a chance by John and Thady Gosden lately and after riding two places in his first two rides for them he rode a superb front-running race last night to convert favouritism on the 11/10 favourite Kensington (Frankel) in a one mile and four furlong race on the Woolverhamption All Weather track.
The ride can be seen at 5:00 minutes on this highlights video: CLICK TO WATCH
Storey has to date had 4 winners in the U.K at a strike rate of 10% and hopefully his association with the Gosdens will see his career taking off.
Puller Is Trainer To Be With In Hollywoodbets Sizzling Summer Challenge
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Flightline Headed Breeders Cup Workers On Saturday
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It’s Foaling Season … Watch Fascinating Video
by Michele Wing
Nadeson Park Delivers Time And Time Again
Nadeson Park Stud, Top 10 breeders twice in the last three seasons, has a six-strong-draft coming to the 2023 Cape Racing Ready To Run and Unbroken 2-y-o Sale on 29 October at Kenilworth. They’re all be sold in the unbroken section of the auction.
Three of the Nadeson sextet are by its resident sire Time Thief and the stud’s Hassen Adams commented: “Time Thief is deserving of more recognition. He had a terrific season with 56% two-year-old winners to runners last season, in the top eight among the big guns like Vercingetorix and Gimmethegreenlight. It’s a feat of note for a stallion who only demands a fraction of the fees the leading sires stand for. He’s got a number of smart sorts in training, including Time Fo Orchids (out of Amber Orchid), one I believe will go places as a three-year-old this season.”
Nadeson offers six fillies and Adams commented: “I don’t need to touch on each one’s conformation in detail, they’re all well conformed and racy, just look at their photos and you will agree. It’s one of the best drafts of two-year-old fillies I’ve seen in a long time. I think the prices will be reasonable and buyers will have a lot of fun with them.”
He summed up: “Lot 72 (Main Picture above) Time In Paris is a beautiful Time Thief filly out of a five-time winning mare by Danzero.”
“Lot 78 Time For Katie is by Time Thief from a four-time winning mare by Fort Wood who has already produced a two-time winner by Gimmethegreenlight.”
“Lot 85 Rocking Peonie is by Captain Of All from a family of winners, I owned her grandmother. This is a family of racers and I think the mating will produce a good track horse.”
“Lot 98 Successful Lady is a very strong, bull of a filly by Captain Of All from Wafiqah and comes from a strong female line featuring bold black type in Kiribati. I think she’ll run like the wind.”
“Lot 102 Sahnish Girl is by Time Thief from Arikara, a first foal, from the family of top runners like Rock Lobster and Tellina. One of my best on the sale, a magnificent specimen.”
“Lot 105 Grecian Palace is by Potala Palace from Grecian Dancer, by Antonius Pius. I didn’t race her dam, she was the last foal of Isadora Duncan, one of the best and most prolific families in the stud book – I bought her specifically for the breeding shed. Her first foal by Time Thief has already won a race.”
Henry Devine Remembered By The Racing Industry
Henry Devine passed away this weekend at the age of 100 and will be remembered chiefly for SA racing’s most famous rags to riches fairytale, a horse called Jet Master.
Humble Takahashi’s way with horses
Anyone that has worked with Jin Takahashi – and there are plenty that have crossed paths with the likable Japanese horseman during his lengthy career in Australian racing – will know that he’s an asset to any stable he walks into.
Those same people wouldn’t be surprised to know that the humble Takahashi considers himself the lucky one.
Vision of the stable worker overcome with emotion in the mounting yard after he strapped Durston to victory in the Caulfield Cup went viral over the weekend and he said he was still coming to terms with the horse’s incredible performance.
Although he’s worked in racing stables for the best part of two decades, he’s only been a member of the Chris Waller yard for four months and only recently become acquainted with the well-traveled chestnut.
“I still cannot believe it,” Takahashi said.
“I’m still getting to know the horse because he’s just come down from Sydney.
“He’s an older horse so he’s very quiet and I was actually worried on Saturday that he was too quiet because you normally want them to switch on a bit more before they tackle a big race.
“He’s a very gentle horse.”
Takahashi had never touched a horse when he arrived in Australia more than two decades ago but a career with animals, and horses in particular, appealed to him.
An opportunity to complete an equine course in Queensland presented itself and afterwards he spent several years as a student liaison, helping other Japanese youngsters build their skills with horses.
“I came to Australia as a student and have been working as a strapper for more than 20 years,” he said.
“I had nothing to do with horses, I’d never touched a horse in Japan.
“I spent 18 months studying at an international equine school, learning general horse management.
“If it was possible, I was always thinking that I wanted to stay in Australia.
“As soon as I graduated from that school, they employed me as an instructor and an interpreter for Japanese students – I was basically a liaison officer between students and the school.”
It was a series of regular encounters with another Group 1-winning strapper, Sunline’s human partner Claire Bird, that prompted Takahashi’s move to Victoria, where he landed in the Flemington stable of Robert Smerdon, before moving to the neighbouring Danny O’Brien yard.
O’Brien sponsored his visa and he spent more than 10 years working for the Melbourne Cup-winning trainer.
“Sunline’s strapper Claire Bird used to visit the school to recruit students to go to Victoria,” he said.
“We used to send a lot of students down to Victoria and I actually wanted to do that as well so after four years, I followed her.
“She got me a job for Aquanita and I worked there for six months before they moved to Caulfield.
“My friend worked for Danny O’Brien and I didn’t want to move so I stayed there and worked for Danny for more than 10 years.
“After that I worked for Lindsay Park for more than five years and then, after a recent holiday, I started with Chris Waller Racing and I’ve only been there for four months.”
While Durston’s Caulfield Cup win represents his greatest raceday success to date, Takahashi is no stranger to working with elite horses and has led in no fewer than five Group 1 winners.
Trips to Hong Kong with Douro Valley and Royal Ascot with Shamexpress (pictured above) have been other highlights during his career.
“When I was at Danny’s stable, I had a lot of luck,” he said.
“I strapped a horse called Douro Valley, who was runner-up in the Caulfield Cup behind Master O’Reilly.
“He won the race they used to call the Yalumba Stakes, which is now the Might And Power Stakes, and that was my first ever Group 1 winner.
“He ended up going to Hong Kong and I got to go to Hong Kong for the December International meeting.
“In 2013, I strapped the Newmarket Handicap winner called Shamexpress.
“Again, somehow, I got to go to Royal Ascot and Newmarket for the July Cup with him.
“I moved to Lindsay Park in 2016 and in five years I was fortunate to have a lot of luck to strap two consecutive Australian Cup wins with Harlem and in 2020 I strapped the Oaks winner Personal (pictured below).
“My life as a strapper has been so bloody lucky.”
A career outside of a racing stable has never crossed Takahashi’s mind.
While he acknowledges the hours can be long and the work can be physically demanding, his veiw is that it makes the success all the more sweet.
“I couldn’t do anything else,” he said.
“It’s tough and hard and many people whinge about the long hours or the early mornings but for me, it’s rewarding.
“This job gives you some amazing moments.
“I love working with the people as well.”
Asked about Durston’s Melbourne Cup chances, Takahashi said he prefers to focus on his role for the stable more broadly rather than an individual horse’s prospects of winning a race.
The seven-year-old is on the fourth line fo betting at $15 ion Sportsbet’s Melbourne Cup market, which is headed by UK raider Deauville Legend at $6.
“I try not to say too much because my theory is the more you say, the less it happens,” he said.
“So I just shut my mouth and keep doing what I have to do.
“It’s exciting but I’m not worried about winning the Melbourne Cup, I just focus on doing my job.”
Mitchley, Greeff, Mxothwa Doubles
New trainer Kelly Mitchley kept up her strike rate by scoring a double on the Fairview turf today.
There were also doubles for Alan Greeff and Louis Mxothwa.
Mitchley is on seven wins for the season at a strike rate of 24.14%.
Greeff is on 28 winners at 13.08%.
Mxothwa is on 33 winners at 19.41%.
Today’s Question
Who made the following insightful statement about two-year-old handicap ratings, which a lot of SA industry people should take heed of, “When you are dealing with two-year-olds, ratings cannot tell you how good horses are, they can only tell you how bad they are not.”
Hollywoodbets Durbanville Fields
Today’s Question Answer
British handicapper Matthew Tester made that statement in 1997.
