A nightmare start for the Smithies family with Tactless’ breeding career has turned full circle following the emergence of high-class filly Scarlet Oak.
Under their Monovale Holdings banner, they purchased the well-related broodmare in foal to Kermadec at the Inglis Digital Sale in 2020 and the result of that mating was Saturday’s impressive Gr.2 The Roses (2000m) winner.
Dual license holder Shaun Fannin had a weekend to remember, training a double at Trentham on Saturday with Hazel Schofer, before jumping in the saddle at Woodville on Sunday to guide Champion jumper West Coast to victory.
Tayla Melvin had an afternoon to remember at Pukekohe Park on Saturday, riding her first winner in the saddle aboard the Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson-trained Devoted.
The 21-year-old is apprenticed to the Te Akau Racing trainers and made her raceday debut aboard the stable’s mare Polly Plum in mid-April at Matamata, finishing third.
Quality filly Mary Shan gave her age-group rivals a start and a beating at Pukekohe on Saturday when she cleared out for a hollow victory in the second race on the card, the Auckland Co-op Taxis 1400 (1400m) for the three-year-olds.
A strong tempo and heavy track conditions at Pukekohe Park on Saturday was the perfect winning combination for Highlighter, as the talented mare put her rivals away comfortably in the Barfoot & Thompson 1100.
While some feature-race wins are the result of months of planning and preparation, others can fall perfectly into place within the space of just 17 days.
The John Sargent-trained Casual Connection has likely earned a trip to Queensland following a hard-fought victory in the PF Civil Handicap (2400m) at Randwick on Saturday.
Fresh off a seven-month spell, promising winter sprinter Spencer produced a stunning performance to claim one of the feature events on the programme at Trentham, the Metro Interiors Autumn Sprint Final (1200m).
A frustrating North Island campaign for Prince Alby finally took a turn for the better with a determined victory in Saturday’s John Cryan (2200m) at Trentham.
Here To Shock has claimed a berth in the Gr.1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) by the barest of margins when nosing out Freedom Rally to land the Gr.3 BRC Sprint (1350m) at Doomben on Saturday.
Prepared by Ben, Will and JD Hayes, the ever-improving six-year-old continued his strong recent form which included a win in the Gr.3 Victoria Handicap (1400m) last month, prior to a close second to Dashing over a mile at Caulfield.
Victorian raider Golden Path has returned to the winner’s circle with a well-timed run to score in the PF Civil Equipment Handicap (2000m) at Randwick for trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr.
The son of Belardo was perfectly handled by jockey Chad Schofield, with Golden Path collaring Father’s Day late with Toesonthenose in third.
Recent Kiwi acquisition Scarlet Oak is repaying her new connections in spades with a hard-fought victory in the Gr.2 The Roses (2000m) at Doomben coming at just her fourth raceday start.
Scarlet Oak was an impressive Matamata winner for Ken and Bev Kelso in March before prominent Australian owner Ozzie Kheir won the bidding war to secure the prized filly privately.
