Sydney Rain Casts Doubt on Te Akau Fillies

Media Release - Thursday September 19

Torrential rain in Sydney has put doubts over whether trainer Jamie Richards will start quality gallopers Probabeel and Avantage in their respective races at Randwick on Saturday.

ProbabeelThe Matamata horseman has flown over to Sydney where he will keep a close eye on track conditions (rated a Heavy 9 on Thursday) before making a final decision on whether they will start this weekend.

Karaka Million 2YO (1200m) winner Probabeel is entered for the Gr.2 Tea Rose Stakes (1400m) and Richards said he was happy enough with her first-up fourth-placing in the Gr.2 Furious Stakes (1200m) at Randwick.

"I thought her first-up run was really nice over 1200m, which is short of her best," he said. "I thought she kept up a good gallop and didn't lose any ground.

"She heads to the Tea Rose, it's very testing ground, so we are just going to have a look at her today (Thursday) and tomorrow before we decide what we are going to do.

"We don't need to run, we can look at other options, but we just need to do the right thing by the horse and have a chat with Brendan and Jo (Lindsay, owners)."

Richards is also set to line-up quality mare Avantage in the Gr.3 Bill Ritchie Handicap (1400m) after her first-up runner-up performance at Ruakaka last month.

"She just had no luck," Richards said. "She jumped a little bit slower and then rushed forward and spent a bit of petrol and then got attacked, so I didn't think her first-up run was the worst.

"She goes into the race in good order, but again it's a heavy track so we will just have to wait and see.

"There are also options for her in the next couple of weeks too. She could run in the Golden Pendant (Gr.2, 1400m) for fillies and mares next Saturday or we could have a look at another couple of options as well." – NZ Racing Desk


Advertisment
More Reading...
2024 Melbourne Cup Result - It's Knights Choice
The 2024 Melbourne Cup has been run and won with Knight’s Choice, a five-year-old gelding by Extreme Choice victorious.
$6million Frankel Mare Tops Fasig -Tipton November Sale
The Fasig-Tipton November Sale, billed as the World’s Premier Breeding Stock Event, was held Monday at the company’s Newtown Paddocks in Lexington, Kentucky. Twenty-five offerings sold for $1,000,000 or more, led by a trio of Grade/Group 1 winners with international appeal.
Knights Choice a True Underdog Story
Punters were left stunned when the Queenslander Knight's Choice and Japanese visitor Warp Speed (JPN) emerged from the pack to fight out a dramatic finish to the $8,560,000 Group 1 Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington.
Sires With Winners - Tuesday November 5
Here is the full list of 145 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Kiwi Bred Grey Wins Subzero for OTI at Flemington
New Zealand-bred gelding Cloudland proved a handful for James McDonald at Flemington on Tuesday, but the champion jockey was in a forgiving mood after they had claimed top honours in the Subzero Handicap.
Kiwi Bred Gringotts Wins $3million Big Dance
Talented New Zealand-bred gelding Gringotts(NZ) (Per Incanto) delivered a big payday for his connections with victory in Tuesday’s A$3 million Big Dance (1600m) at Randwick.
Magic Nick Strikes Again – Fastnet Rock x Galileo
The Fastnet Rock x Galileo nick has been on fire in Melbourne this spring producing Cox Plate winner Via Sistina (IRE) and leading Melbourne Cup contender Buckaroo (GB) and it struck again overnight in the UK with a brand new stakes-winner in Military Academy, who captured the Listed Floodlit Stakes (1m4f) at Kempton.
Rosemont and Partners Stakes Quinella on Cup Day
Written Tycoon posted his second new stakes-winner on Melbourne Cup Day when promising three year-old gelding Catoggio took out the Listed VRC Amanda Elliot Stakes (1400m)  for Rosemont Stud and partners, who also race the second horse Bosustow.
Coolmore Set Justify Fee for 2025
Coolmore have announced the US fee for Justify in 2025 with the undefeated Triple Crown winner priced at $US250,000 to head  their roster of 16 stallions at Ashford Stud in Kentucky.
Sires With Winners - Monday November 4
Here is the full list of 21 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.