Striking filly Savanna Amour made a stunning start to her second season when scoring a highly impressive Doomben win. Savanna Amour was lightly tried at two and was placed at the Sunshine Coast and Eagle Farm in June before breaking her maiden with an emphatic 4.3 length win back at the Sunshine Coast in July. Trainers John and Chris Meagher sent the filly to spell following that win and she resumed in the Zouki Group QTIS Handicap for three-year-olds at Doomben on the strength of two nice jumpouts. Ontrack CEO Grant Morgan was impressed with the winning return and announced intentions to lift the bar with Savanna Amour. “We have always had a very good opinion of this filly and we have targeted the $100,000 Mode Plate at Eagle Farm because it is a listed race restricted to three-year-old fillies and we are always keen to secure black type status for our fillies and mares. “Savanna Amour has always shown plenty of ability but we elected to give her plenty of time before racing her. She is a filly that needed to develop mentally and the patient approach shown by the Meaghers is now bearing fruit because she makes significant progress each time she races.” A $100,000 purchase at the 2015 Inglis Classic Sale, Savanna Amour is from the five time winning Stravinsky mare Savanna La Mer and was a standout filly, according to Grant Morgan. “She was a stunning yearling and really sold herself. I shortlist yearlings on type and then check the pedigree and thankfully her page was strong and so I was pretty set on taking her home.” Trainer John Meagher started his training career in Melbourne and he is likely to return to his home state next year provided Savanna Amour continues to make the progress expected of her. “She’s a very, very promising filly and if we look after her this spring there are a host of great races for fillies in Melbourne in the late summer and autumn and I have no doubt this filly will be good enough to prove very competitive in them. “She’s a great filly to do anything with and I’m just grateful that Grant bought her and has allowed us to go along quietly with her because that patient approach has been the key to getting her to race so well,” said John. Adding merit to Savanna Amour’s win was the time of 1.03.10 for the 1100 metres which smashed Skating on Ice’s class record of 1.03.33 set in 2011 and came close to the course record of 1.02.95 set by the flying sprinter Star of Florida in 2002. Congratulations to the winning connections of Savanna Amour: Dennis Bates, Laraine Blades, FRF Racing (David Fitzpatrick), Haimes Racing, Rob Harvey, Rob Hill, Paul Kitching, Bill Knobel, Phil and Anne Leonard, Danny Lesjak, Paul McGavin, Dave Moretti, Barry Muller, Mark Ostermeyer, Darren Smeath, Dennis and Colleen Walker, Dale Watts and Peter Hanan. Well bred New Zealand mare Brassy Belle rewarded the patience of her large group of owners by breaking her maiden in good style at Newcastle. Prepared by champion trainer Chris Waller, Brassy Belle was well ridden by top provincial rider Chad Lever. Resuming from a spell, Brassy Belle was placed in 1 of 3 starts in her first preparation last time in but quickly got the runs on the board this time around by scoring first up. Bred by famed New Zealand nursery Windsor Park Stud, Brassy Belle is half-sister to the talented but sometimes erratic Photon Willie, who now races in Hong Kong after being prepared by Chris Waller. A daughter of Rip Van Winkle, Brassy Belle was purchased at the New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Sale at Karaka in 2014 by Grant Morgan of Ontrack Thoroughbreds for $120,000. “Brassy Belle has always been a big strong filly. But her mental aptitude has probably meant she has developed slower than what we would have hoped,” said Grant Morgan. “But you don’t mind waiting for these New Zealand bred middle distance types as sometimes it just a question of being a bit patient.” “She has a great group of owners who have really enabled the mare to develop at her speed. Hopefully she can continue to improve from here on in and make it to Metro level over a bit more ground,” said Morgan. Congratulations to owners Ontrack Sorestan Syndicate, BB Racing, Lucky Nine Racing, D Moretti, M Ostermeyer, JABA Synd, Keating Racing Synd, Beau River Racing Synd, G Cameron, J Macmillan, L Matthews, M & D Power, P Quinlan, D Smeath, K Stocks, M Walker & Haimes Racing Synd. A gutsy effort by improving three year-old Girl Sunday at Newcastle has earned her a tilt at the $400,000 Inglis Scone Guineas in May. Prepared by Gerald Ryan, Girl Sunday was well rated in front by Brenton Avdulla to score a narrow but decisive win extending her record to 2 wins from 5 starts. “She was quiet a big filly as a yearling. She hasn’t gone out of whack as some big yearlings can do. She has good size and is a nicely balanced filly with a great attitude whilst she obviously moves pretty well,” said Grant Morgan of Ontrack. “We didn’t exepct her to be an early type and hoped that she would be the type of filly who would have some longevity as an older horse.” “The Encosta De Lago breed normally only gets better with time, whilst this filly will one day make a lovely broodmare given her size and pedigree.” “Hopefully we can get some black type with her going forward.” The next assignment for Girl Sunday will be at Warwick Farm at Warwick Farm on 4 May, before aiming at the $400,000 Inglis Scone Guineas (1400m) on 14 May at Scone. Girl Sunday was a $100,000 yearling purchase by Grant Morgan's Ontrack Thoroughbreds from the 2014 Inglis Premier Sale in Melbourne. Congratulations to owners Lang Brothers Racing No 3 Synd, Pam Bayles, Lucky Nine Syndicate, Ricky Kim, Keating Racing, Ken Stocks, Michael Walton & Paul Crisp. Progressive Queensland sprinter Real King provided an instant reward for a group of new owners at Doomben. Now the winner of his last three starts, Real King will head to the spelling paddock to be prepared for a tilt at Saturday grade after the Winter Carnival. “He has done a super job this time in. He is really starting to put it all together mentally and he might be a handy horse going forward,” said Ontrack principal Grant Morgan. Morgan welcomed several new owners into Real King less than seven days before the Doomben win. “We like to release shares back to the market in horses we have confidence in. There is no better way to get people into ownership by pitching a tried horse like this which is about to race.” “The last time we did one of these it was just before Faster Son debuted. He won by 6 lengths and went on to win 7 races, was stakes placed and ran in an Oakleigh Plate.” said Morgan “There are some similarities between Real King and Faster Son. Both extremely fast horses out of the gate, both tough and both a bit quirky.” Real King is now the winner of 4 of his 8 starts with a further 3 placings. Congratulations to the original ownership group of Vicky Heathcote, Bill Clough, John O’Leary, The Oakleigh Boys Synd (Arthur Rickard), Glynton Chislett and Andrew Black. Welcome and congratulations to new owners Lauren Clough, Christine O’Leary, Ian Mathieson, Neville Sforcina, Haimes Racing, Beau Nunan, Eddy Brown, Darren Smeath, Peter Dunn +Synd, J & K Farrell Synd, Tony Holland + Synd and Dan McHugh. Consistent three year-old Asera broke through for a well deserved maiden win for top Caulfield trainer Mick Price. After being runner up at his past two starts, Asera broke his maiden a start 4 over the 1400m course at Terang courtesy of a smart ride by the talented Mick Dee. Asera came off a 37 day gap between runs courtesy of a troublesome hoof abscess. “Mick had to back off him after his last start second over 1740m and get his foot right. This makes todays win back to 1400m all the better,” said Ontrack principal Grant Morgan. “He is such a relaxed horse, he looks like he will get 2000m later on.” Asera is well bred 3yo gelding by Encosta De Lago out of the Fastnet Rock mare Tropicana Lady, a full sister to Group 1 winner Irish Lights. A late foal born on 14 November, Asera has been a slow maturing type who was secured by Ontrack at the 2013 Inglis Premier Sale. Asera was a $120,000 purchase from the draft of Bell River Thoroughbreds, who also consigned this year’s Blue Diamond Winner Extreme Choice, also from the Mick Price stable. Congratulations to Asera’s winning owners Tony Allen, Bruce Burnell, Judi Gowing, B & L Racing Syndicate (B Grogan), Haimes Racing Synd (J Haimes), Gordon Henry, Wayne Muller, Jan Quinlan & Ken Stocks. Progressive gelding Real King continued the impressive strike rate of Ontrack Racing Syndicates in recent months by recording another soft victory at the Sunshine Coast. Real King’s back to back wins continue a sparkling recent success rate for Ontrack, the largest Queensland based licenced syndicator. In recent months Ontrack has produced impressive maiden winners in three states. Encosta De Lago filly Girl Sunday won for Gerald Ryan, Savabeel filly Cruising Speed scored strongly for John Meagher, whilst well bred Encosta De Lago gelding Asera is a recent winner for the all conquering Mick Price yard. Best known for its former star sprinter Brazen Beau, the Ontrack team is building strongly. “We are developing a very nice team of young horses. We have a large number of two year-olds and three year-olds who are all developing nicely,” said Ontrack principal Grant Morgan. “I’m very confident that we will close off the current season very strongly and lay a very good platform for next season. Ontrack currently has 32 horses on its books spread between Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne. Leading Group 1 winning trainers Mick Price, Chris Waller, Darren Weir, Bjorn Baker, John Meagher, Gerald Ryan, John Thompson and Robert Heathcote currently prepare horses for Ontrack, along with up an coming Tamworth trainer Leon Davies. Real King also continues an amazing run for globe trotting trainer Robert Heathcote. Like Buffering, Real King is part owned by Heathcote’s wife Vicky. Real King has now won 3 of his 7 starts, with a further 3 placings. His lone unplaced effort came on debut at Doomben after being spooked at the start. Congratulations to the winning owners of Real King Bill Clough, John O’Leary, Glynton Chislett, Andrew Black & The Oakleigh Boys Syndicate (Arthur Rickard) & Vicky Heathcote. Birdsville maiden winner Real King confirmed his poor barrier manners are hopefully a thing of the past after a sharp win at Ipswich. The Rob Heathcote prepared four year-old was sent to Roma trainer Craig Smith to mend his wayward barrier manners as a three year-old. “He always showed ability and was a good barrier horse before he started. Something went wrong for him at his first start at Doomben where he developed a phobia of the gates,” said Grant Morgan from Ontrack. “Rob tried everything to get him over it, and in the end recommended sending him out west to do some mustering and basically just get away from whatever it was that he was so scared of in relation to the barrier stalls.” After being taught ‘to be a horse again’, Smith put the Real Saga gelding on a float and sent him to Birdsville where he won his maiden in good style. That was followed by another venture to Surat where he placed second, before Real King headed back to the big smoke and Heathcote’s Eagle Farm stable. “Full credit to Craig Smith for getting this bloke right as he obviously has a good deal of ability. It goes to show that sometimes you have to think a bit left field to get the best out of some horses,” said Morgan After two placings in strong Class 1 grade at the Sunshine Coast, Real King was very well placed in BM 0-60 grade at Ipswich where he was sent out a warm $1.50 favourite. His first attempt on a soft racing surface, Real King gave backers and connections little concern bouncing straight to the lead and holding a commanding advantage throughout before scoring a soft 2.8 length win. The fast overall time of 1:10.59 and a last 600m split of 34.86 on a Soft 7 surface indicate that Real King may have a bright future. Real King was purchased privately as a broken in two year-old by Ontrack Thoroughbreds for a group of existing clients. Congratulations to owners Vicky Heathcote, Bill Clough, John O’Leary, Glynton Chislett, Andrew Black & The Oakleigh Boys Syndicate (Arthur Rickard). |
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