News & Media

23 October 2008 First Target for Hot Sprinter's Summer Campaign

While the weight-for-age championship of Australasia — the W.S. Cox Plate — will be held at Moonee Valley this Saturday October 25 it is only fitting Ascot showcases some of our finest weight-for-age gallopers in the Group 3 $125,000 Bottlemart-Prince of Wales Stakes (1200m).

Last year’s Prince of Wales Stakes quinella Idyllic Prince and Grasspatch Girl are back again, however, they face a major stumbling block in the form of the brilliant Bunbury four-year-old Dark Target.

The Chris Stelmach-trained son of Danetime showed he was ready for the big time when destroying his Hubon Sprint (1000m) rivals first up at Belmont Park on Saturday October 11, scoring by six lengths and coming within 0.13 seconds of Pago Escort’s 1990 track record.

William Pike, who piloted Dark Target in his first-up Belmont win, will again partner the gelding.

A measure of Dark Target’s class is that he was the only horse to defeat the Group 1 Kingston Town Classic winner Megatic in 2007, when proving too slick in the listed Rosemount-Fairetha Stakes last November.

Prince of Wales Stakes Previous Winners (PDF 51KB)

Interange on the Frontline in Country Cup

One of the toughest customers in training gets his chance to record his first city win in over 12 months when he lines up in the $60,000 Community Newspaper-Country Cup (1500m) at Ascot this Saturday.

The Michael Pateman-prepared Interange has recaptured his best form in recent times, winning three of his last four outings including the $20,000 Toodyay Cup on Sunday October 5.

The Country Cup is restricted to horses that have raced at least three times outside the metropolitan area in 2008 and looks an ideal race for the natural front-running six-year-old.

Interange will face strong opposition from last-start winners Clarecastle and Goldy Junior, and will benefit from apprentice Chloe Chatfield’s 2.0kg claim. Chatfield has ridden the son of Eternity Range in four of his 11 wins.

Amazingly, Interange will have his 77th start this Saturday which means he has raced (on average) every 18 days since beginning his career at Belmont on January 1, 2005.

Babies Back in Action at Ascot

Our two-year-olds return to the track in the Wanneroo Times Plate (1100m) at Ascot this Saturday, two weeks after making their seasonal debut at Belmont Park.

Oratorio filly Gold Rocks couldn’t have been more impressive when showing tremendous gate speed to lead and run her rivals ragged over 1000 metres on October 11, scoring by 3 ¾ lengths.

The Peter Giadresco-trained Gold Rocks, who goes up 2.0kg under the set weights plus penalties conditions, will again be partnered by the in-form Patrick Carbery.

Maynard and McGruddy Dare to Win Northam Cup

The Avon Valley comes alive this Sunday October 26 with the first running of the new look $100,000 XXXX Gold-Northam Cup.

The highlight of the Northam season has been reduced from its traditional 2300-metre distance and has attracted an even 13-horse field, including in-form established handicappers Mikaldico (runner-up last year) and Jinx King as well as emerging trio Capuchin, Shipyard and Yippyia.

Favourite for the race is likely to be the Frank Maynard-trained Shaun McGruddy-ridden Doyoudare. The five-year-old Langfuhr gelding is backing up quickly after his encouraging listed Northerly Stakes (1400m) performance when finishing ninth behind Megatic, beaten only 1 3/4 lengths.

This year’s topweight (58kg), evergreen nine-year-old Who Did It, is having his second crack at the Northam Cup after finishing fifth behind Rosskaen in 2007.

For more information contact:

David Hunter
Manager Thoroughbred Racing
Email: david.hunter@rwwa.com.au
Telephone: (08) 9445 5277
Mobile: 0417 918 190