Hawkes colt heading to the Hunter Valley Star three year-old Ole Kirk will enter the breeding barn at Vinery Stud when his racing career concludes. He looks set to race on in the Autumn for the family training partnership of John, Michael and Wayne Hawkes. A son of in-form stallion Written Tycoon, Ole Kirk has already registered Group 1 wins in the stallion making Golden Rose and Caulfield Guineas. One of the most historic properties in the Hunter Valley, Vinery Stud is owned by a partnership which includes Gerry Harvey and managed by highly regarded horseman Peter Orton. “We are obviously delighted to be involved with Ole Kirk and to have secured the breeding rights for when he retires to stud,” said Peter Orton. Ole Kirk was bred by astute Victorian Rick Jamieson, the man behind champion sprinter Black Caviar who also forms a cornerstone in Ole Kirk’s female pedigree. Jamieson retained an interest in Ole Kirk, and races the colt together with managing owner, Neil Werrett. Ole Kirk was as $675,000 yearling from Jamieson’s Gilgai Farm draft at the 2019 Inglis Premier Sale.
“As breeder and part owner of our most exciting horse Ole Kirk, I am thrilled to have Vinery come in as a partner in the colt,” commented Jamieson. “Ole Kirk has the genetic potential and the elite racetrack performance to play a major role in the ongoing development of the Australian Thoroughbred industry. He is from one of the most successful pedigrees in the Australian Stud Book, descending back to the blue hen mares Scandinavia and Helsinge. “His sire line traces back through to Last Tycoon and Try My Best, making him a great genetic match for mares carrying Danehill in their pedigree. “We had great interest from a number of studs for him but after many detailed discussions we settled on Vinery, as their team headed by Peter were very keen to land him for stud duties and made a compelling proposal. "With the support of all current owners as well as that of Vinery and their loyal clients he will be supported with a great line up of mares when he begins his stud career. "Personally I believe we have been fortunate and put our foot on a future great speed stallion and can’t wait for him to begin the next phase of his exciting career,” said Rick Jamieson. Boutique stable suits son of Ocean Park Lightly raced five year-old Senrima Tide is appreciating the small stable environment with John and Chris Meagher at their Eagle Farm base. Senrima Tide scored his first win for Meagher Racing at the Gold Coast last week at his fourth start for the stable. The Gold Coast win also showcased the talents of underrated young rider Jag Guthman-Chester. Senrima Tide had been troubled by frustrating minor issues in recent seasons, but looks to have finally turned the corner under Team Meagher. Ontrack’s Grant Morgn also paid tribute to the work of John and Noreen Mott at Kilto Park, who looked after Senrima Tide during a prolonged spell prior to his current preparation. “The team at Kilto Park put a great deal of effort to getting this fellow right before he headed back into training at Eagle Farm,” said Grant Morgan. “Since arriving at Eagle Farm he has really thrived. He is enjoying his racing now and the Gold Coast win showed a good deal of determination in what was a small, but useful field. “We will continue to keep him a bit on the fresh side and keep his races at the 1400m-1600m range. It’s tempting to stretch him out in trip but he just may race better on the fresh side,” said Grant Morgan. A lightly framed first crop son of highly successful New Zealand sire Ocean Park, Senrima Tide was originally prepared at Caulfield with Mick Price before being sent North. His prior victories came at Sandown and Wangaratta. Meagher Racing operates boutique stables at both Mornington (Victoria) and Eagle Farm (Queensland). Headed by Hall of Fame and Melbourne Cup winning John Meagher, Meagher Racing also retains a highly successful Singapore stable under Daniel Meagher. “COVID has certainly presented its challenges for the stable with travel restrictions placing further responsibility on Eagle Farm foreman Andy Kermond. “Full credit must go to Andy and his team who have put a lot of effort into getting Senrima Tide back to being a happy and healthy horse who is most importantly relishing being a racehorse,” said Grant Morgan. Despite its small numbers, the stable has enjoyed a successful year with the talented sprinter Pippie who has won twice at Group 1 level in 2020. Ontrack and Meagher Racing have enjoyed good success since the Meagher Racing re-established itself in Australia in 2013 after a highly successful period in Singapore. Black type performers for the combination have included Savanna Amour, Arctic Shock, Harada Bay, Cymbalism and Cruising Speed. ‘Raw’ Captivant dominates at Randwick Highly touted first season sire Capitalist recorded his first winner when his son Captivant scored a dominant win on debut at Randwick on Everest day. Like his Golden Slipper and Magic Millions winning sire, Capitalist is prepared by the clever father and son training duo of Peter and Paul Snowden. Operating both stables at Randwick and Flemington, Captivant had been educated in both yards prior to his debut win. Demonstrating his toughness, the colt had been earmarked to debut in Melbourne only to draw wide at Caulfield, prior to being sent back to the Sydney stable. Peter Snowden told AAP that few two year-olds would cope with such a demanding preparation. “To do that with a two-year-old, you wouldn’t do it. Only with the ones you think can handle it and obviously he can,” Snowden said “That’s why it gives me so much confidence knowing that he has so much more to give. He is nowhere near where he needs to be. “He’s that raw he’s still frozen.” Captivant may have his next run in the $1m Golden Gift (1100m) at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday 7 November. The $2m Magic Millions 2yo Classic at the Gold Coast on 16 January 2021 is another race that would come under consideration for connections of the promising colt. Captivant was a $550,000 yearling purchase from the 2020 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale from the Ashleigh Thoroughbreds draft. He is now raced by a partnership headed by Henry Field’s Newgate Farm as well as the China Horse Club. Capitalist was bred in Queensland by Jan Clark from her Daandine Stud near Warwick. Despite carrying only a small broodmare band, Daandine can boast not only Capitalist, but also his sire Written Tycoon who were both bred and reared in Queensland. Capitalist stands at Newgate Farm in the Hunter Valley and has been favoured by many to take out the first season sire honours this year. Ole Kirk the latest star for veteran sire Black Caviar’s sire Bel Esprit is fast becoming a leading broodmare sire following a second group 1 victory by his brilliant grandson Ole Kirk. Ole Kirk is rated one of the hottest young stallion prospects in Australia thanks to Group 1 victories in the stallion making Caulfield Guineas and Golden Rose. Genetically, Bel Esprit has a great deal to offer as a broodmare sire. He brings dominant female influencing stallions Royal Academy and Vain to the table. Bel Esprit’s daughters have already produced 11 individual stakes winners and a further 14 stakes placegetters. Prior to Ole Kirk’s arrival, champion Hong Kong galloper Beauty Generation (ex Stylish Bel) was the main flagbearer for Bel Esprit’s many daughters now at stud. By Road to Rock (by Fastnet Rock), Beauty Generation has won more than $19m AUD from his 20 wins, 8 of them at Group 1 level. Costa Viva is another Group 1 winner for Bel Esprit, being out of the talented Group 3 winner Vivacious Spirit. Other good recent performers for Bel Esprit’s daughters include Immortal Love (by Snitzel), Swat’s That (by Shamus Award) and Sylvias Mother (by Snitzel) Now a veteran sire, Bel Esprit is also enjoying another strong season and is still producing headline acts.
His current star is Queensland 3yo filly Kisukano (ex Kiss For Gran by Show A Heart) who was amassed prizemoney of almost $700,000 with 6 wins from 9 starts. Best known for producing champion sprinter Black Caviar, Bel Esprit is far from being a one trick pony. He has produced 728 individual winners from 1053 individual starters, which gives him an amazing winners to runners ratio of almost 70%. Bel Esprit will stand his 18th season at stud this season. He resides at Sun Stud, Victoria and stands at a fee of $7,700 (inc GST). 4 wins from 10 starts for son of I Am Invincible Slick speedster Invincore scored his first win as a gelding after landing an all the way win at Ipswich. Gelded prior to the start of his current preparation, Invincore is starting to deliver on his earlier promise after a frustrating career which promised so much. Throat surgery and feet issues have contributed to a truncated career with Invincore having just his tenth start in his five year-old year. He was gelded late in his career in his four year-old season. This weeks victory extends Invincore’s Ipswich record to two wins from two starts. He scored at the track on debut as a two year-old. His other wins have come at Grafton and Murwillumbah. Invincore was purchased by Grant Morgan of Ontrack Thoroughbreds from the 2017 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale for $260,000. The son of I Am Invincible was bred by Southern New South Wales breeders Neil & Denise Osborne form Mane Lodge, Sutton. Congratulations to owners: Steve Mauger, Pat Crotty, Sandra and Lindsay Hitchener, Barbara Gilbert, David Worthley, Dennis and Margaret Frew, Gordon Henry, Jenny and Jim Edington, Mark Ostermeyer, Mark Snowden, Bayles Girls Racing (Pam, Amanda and Jill Bayles and Kim Arnell), Gold Seven Syndicate (Peter Battersby, Greg Bowers, Hamish Coleman, Greg Goodman, Ron Grantham, Ryan Lawlor, Stefan and Luisa Marinkovic, Dan Paton, Damian Pound, Josh Ryan, Lisa Saxton, David Sutherland), Runaway Bay Sports Centre Syndicate (Phil Day, Mark Doran, Kenny Edwards, Geoffrey Illich, Jason Kelly, Steven Ralph, David Vertullo, Matthew Whitehouse, Kevin Willetts, Tom and Gill Wyld, Ted Gregorski). First starter a winner for promising first season sire Newgate Farm’s Flying Artie has sired his first winner as Princess Bojack scored on debut at Eagle Farm last week. Prepared by Toowoomba trainer Michael Nolan, Princess Bojack backed up her strong trial form with an all the way win over 1000m. Ridden by Michael Cahill, Princess Bojack defeated Stellar Magic (by Star Turn) and Headlander (by Better Than Ready) in one of the first two year-old races in Queensland for the season. “We bought at the sales, she’s been in and out a couple of times and we brought her back in with the Magic Millions in mind,” Michael Nolan said. “She is small but nice and racey and she has been a good filly to train. “We might give her a bit of a break now and see what we do.” Princess Bojack was a $50,000 yearling purchase from Tim Nolan’s Murulla Stud draft at this years Magic Millions Gold Coast yearling Sale.
She is out of the Testa Rossa mare Catseye Surprise who is from the family of blue hen mares Cotehele House (GB) and Eight Carat (GB). Flying Artie stands at a fee of $16,500 (inc GST) at Newgate Farm this spring. A son of Artie Schiller, Flying Artie won the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes and also placed in the Golden Slipper and Blue Diamond. Flying Artie has covered big books at stud. He saw 186 mares in his first season, followed by 148 in year two and 105 in the normally tough third season. Track upgrades & night racing locked in The Gold Coast Turf Club is a step closer to becoming the ‘Happy Valley’ of Australian racing after receiving key support to light up Aquis Park. Earlier today, the Palaszczuk Government announced a $31.5 million commitment to the multimillion-dollar redevelopment at Bundall which would deliver a full refurbishment of the racing surfaces, along with lights, an in-field tunnel and an all-weather synthetic track. “The Gold Coast is one of Queensland’s most magnificent tourism drawcards and the turf club is already home to the internationally renowned Magic Millions Carnival, including the January yearling sale and its raceday,” Racing Minister Stirling Hinchliffe said. “Now it needs a turf club to match, which is exactly what a re-elected Palaszczuk Government will be able to deliver.” Funded out of the Racing Infrastructure Fund, the Gold Coast tracks and lights project is an essential component of the RQ Infrastructure Plan and is expected to deliver increased commercial returns to the club and industry through the creation of new and exciting timeslots, improved racing infrastructure and enhanced amenities for stakeholders.
With the club also committing $5 million to the project, RQ Chairman Steve Wilson AM said today’s announcement was significant for the Queensland racing industry. “The Gold Coast tracks and lights project is at the heart of RQ’s night racing strategy and is a gamechanger for our industry,” Mr Wilson said. “We want the Gold Coast to be our very own Happy Valley – showcasing the city to the world by unlocking new and exciting timeslots – whilst establishing itself as the most impressive night racing venue in Australia. “This will give visitors and locals at Australia’s favourite holiday destination the chance to have a night out whilst loving the thrill of our thoroughbred superstars sprinting down the upgraded track. “Just as importantly, the all-weather synthetic track will provide the Gold Coast with a much-needed wet-weather racing option, which will increase wagering returns through greater surety - and flexibility - in race scheduling.” Kembla Grange return for in form Vandyke Trainer David Vandyke is planning a return to his former home track Kembla Grange, whilst his white hot form streak continues in Queensland. Two months of the new season down and Sunshine Coast based David Vandyke’s sensational form shows no sign of stopping. A Group One winning trainer in Sydney, David Vandyke made the bold move of pulling up stumps and re-establishing himself at the Caloundra track in 2016. As expected, it took a while for David to get used to the new environment but he trained 20 metropolitan and 28.5 provincial winners during the 2016-17 season. He’s been a top 10 trainer with tallies of 60, 52 and 49 in the following seasons. But the 2020-21 season is now two months in and David sits behind champion trainer Tony Gollan on the premiership board. David has lined up 31 metropolitan runners for 13 wins and 11 placegetters for a winning strike rate of 42% and 77% placegetters. Tony Gollan has won 21 metro races from 84 starters for what in any normal season would be considered an excellent 25% winning rate. The Vandyke stable is even more dominant in provincial racing where his 16 runners have won 8 races (50%) and placed 5 times (81%). His winning strike rate for all runners so far this season is a staggering 44.6%. There’s no doubt that David’s decision to reinvent himself at the Sunshine Coast is behind these figures. In 2016 he had a team of around 80 in work in two barns at the Corbould Park track but after a couple of seasons he made the decision to dramatically cut back his team and focus on quality rather than quantity. These days Vandyke trains stable star Alligator Blood and the big winner is poised to take David back to where it all started. David’s career as a trainer began as a 21 year old at Kembla Grange where he won the local Training Premiership in 1989 as a 22-year-old. This title was under his original name of David Hayes, he changed his surname to his mother’s maiden name Vandyke in 2010 to avoid confusion with fellow trainer David Hayes, son of Colin Hayes. While his 10 years or so at Kembla Grange coincided with some very tough times, he’s excited at the prospect of returning to Kembla with stable star Alligator Blood in the $1 million The Gong in November. Alligator Blood is due to arrive in Sydney soon for the $500,00 Silver Eagle (1300m) at Randwick on October 10 then on to the Golden Eagle (1500m) three weeks later. Safely through these races it’s off to The Gong. “It was great memories, though I wasn’t as well back then as I am now,’’ he said. “I was in one of the first big stables that was built at Kembla around 1988 and Keith Nolan ran the club, there was no big grandstand and he bought the club out of dire straits. “Having won the premiership there it would be wonderful to go back there and win the biggest race on the track. “I never imagined there’d be an Everest or a Golden Eagle or any of these races. “Each year there were the same races and we planned towards them. The Illawarra Classic, or the Brambles Classic it was called, was the big race and I never imagined there’d be any other big race. “They used to have a Calcutta the night before, it was the biggest day of the year and we were all pretty comfortable with the way things were. “It’s a different world now. Nothing surprises me now but if you’d said to me back then there’d be a $1m race I wouldn’t have expected it,” said David Vandyke. |
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