Promising stayer Arctic Shock continued a rich vein of form by Ontrack horses with a tremendous performance at Moonee Valley. The New Zealand-bred mare stepped out over 2000 metres for the first time in her four-year-old preparation and scored thanks to a great Craig Williams ride. Arctic Shock’s win was the sixth by runners in the all gold this November. “The win continued a great run of form for Ontrack horses with winners in November being Tactical Move, Sparkling Facet, Boss Rock, Brazen Gem and Invincore,” said Ontrack Managing Director Grant Morgan. “It’s always a thrill to win a race, but some of these wins have been especially pleasing because they have been the result of a lot of careful planning and hard work. “Arctic Shock’s been a steady improver this time in and her prep has resulted in two wins and three placings from her seven starts this season. “We bought her out of the 2017 Premier Sale in New Zealand hoping to secure a nice staying horse and it looks like she’s got a bright future over ground. “She was an unlucky third in the Group Three Alexandra Stakes behind Princess Jenni over 1600 metres at Moonee Valley as a three-year-old so she’s staring to build up a very nice record. “Being by Melbourne Cup winner Shocking out of a Group Three winner in Art Beat, it means she’s going to be a mare who simply gets better with age and racing experience so we will give her a break now and let her recharge her batteries for next year. “There will be some nice targets for her in the autumn and she could be a mare who would run well in the Queensland winter carnival. “For now, she’s done a great job for John and Chris Meagher and her record is 13 starts for three wins, seven placings and earnings of $121,000 so there’s plenty of reasons to be optimistic about her future,” said Grant Morgan. Successful rider Craig Williams was having his first sit on the mare and post-race was full of praise. “She’s a different mare to ride and you can see why the stable has experimented with different gear on her but she is a talented mare. “It was a very good win and it’s onwards and upwards for her and she’s definitely a mare capable of picking up some good Black Type races next preparation,” said Craig Williams. Congratulations to our owners: Let It Ride Syndicate (Manager Peter Ivanovski), David and Sue Worthley, Richard Stuckey, Lillian Brady OAM, O G P I C Syndicate (Manager Andrew Hawken), Leigh Holt, Lynne Brook, Edgecorp Syndicate (Manager Colin Bracken), Mark Ostermeyer, Prof James Dale AO, Vin Harink, Ailsa Morrison-Galt, Andrew Hall, Harley Hodgson, Money Team Racing (Manager Bri Hourigan), Andrew Dean, Peter Bailey Garry Batchelder Paul Blair Stephen Carroll, Zoran Havranek, Rob Hill, Andrew Kostopoulos, Sam Politi, Dan Slater, Ken Stocks, Rob Wesley. Ontrack’s troubled galloper Invincore overcame significant issues to return to the winners’ list at Grafton. Now a four-year-old, Invincore launched his career in April 2018 with a win at Ipswich in a maiden two-year-old for Gold Coast trainers Toby and Trent Edmonds. “He only had two runs at two but unfortunately suffered a broken pedal bone in a foot and that necessitated a lengthy spell,” said Ontrack Thoroughbreds Managing Director Grant Morgan. “He got over the foot injury and was ready to race in February this year when we got a bit concerned about his breathing so he went to Gatton University where a dynamic scope detected an issue which was corrected with laser surgery. “It’s been a long time off for the horse, but we’ve always had a good opinion of him so he was worth investing the time in. “He resumed over 900 metres at the Gold Coast but missed the start and never got into the race. “To step up to 1200 metres at Grafton after such a long break was a bit of a task, but his natural ability and will to win proved the key to a victory. “He’s a lovely horse to do anything with and his magnificent temperament has proved invaluable during his lengthy spells of rehabilitation. “Trever Bailey at Waverley Park and Greg Bennett at Fenwick Farms have been key factors in getting the horse back to the races and Toby and Trent Edmonds did a great job to have him fit enough to win at 1200 metres second up,” said Grant Morgan. A stallion by I Am Invincible from Yields OF Gold, Invincore was purchased by Grant Morgan for $260,0000 which was the highest price on day five of the 2017 Magic Millions Sale. Winning rider Ryan Maloney maintained a good run in the Ontrack all gold colours after winning at Lismore on Sparkling Facet last week. “He was very good today. He jumped cleanly from out wide and got over to the fence but he then wanted to go a bit keenly and took a while to settle. “That’s just a lack of racing thing and he’s going to learn a lot from today. He showed good fight when that horse came at him and he really pinned his ears back and had a crack,” said Ryan Maloney. Congratulations to our winning 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). Speedy mare Sparking Facet kicked off her five year old season in style with an emphatic win at Lismore. The daughter of Savabeel hadn’t been to the races since clearing maidens at the Gold Coast in March but she proved too speedy for her rivals over 1100 metres on the turning Lismore track. “She did a great job and won with a fair amount of authority,” said Ontrack Thoroughbreds Managing Director Grant Morgan after the victory. “The most pleasing thing was the maturity she showed pre-race and during the running and she’s finally displaying far greater physical and mental development compared to her earlier preparations. “Whereas she was inclined to get very excited pre-race, at Lismore she stood perfectly in the tie-up stalls and in the parade, she was clearly the pick of the yard. “During the race she had little favours with an outsider sitting up on the speed annoying her the whole way. Previously she would have fought her rider to race that horse but at Lismore she travelled kindly for Ryan Maloney and when asked to assert her dominance she was too good. “It’s a very encouraging return to the races and being a daughter of champion stallion Savabeel, there’s every reason to believe there’s more success in stall this campaign,” said Grant Morgan. Sparking Facet trialled at the Gold Coast in early August but her preparation was halted when she suffered a muscle issue and had to be spelled. “We sent her to Trevor Bailey at Waverley Park and he did a great job with her and the few weeks there proved to be pivotal in her successful return as she came back into work a much stronger and happier mare. “Her coat improved significantly and she put on a lot of condition and you saw the benefit of that break at Lismore. “We will find a similar race for her next outing and just work the mare quietly through her grades as there’s more successes in store,” said Grant Morgan. Sparkling Facet has raced only four times since being transferred to Toby and Trent Edmonds at the Gold Coast for two wins, a second and a fourth. The win proved a fillip for trainer Toby Edmonds who was badly hurt earlier in the day when knocked over by a runaway horse during trackwork at the Gold Coast track on race morning. “Toby suffered a nasty cut to the back of his head and bruising but is recovering well at the Gold Coast University Hospital and Sparkling Facet’s win provided a bit of enjoyment on what could have been a tragic day,” said Grant Morgan. Successful rider Ryan Maloney finished the day at Lismore with winner number five on Sparkling Facet. “She was very good today and I was impressed with the way she just came back under me when that thing pestered her during the running. “Previously she would have been pulling her head off wanting to race that horse but she travelled kindly all the way and when I asked her to sprint, she simply put them to the sword.” For Maloney it was his second five win day following a day out at Stony Creek in Victoria early in his career. Congratulations to our winning owners: Congratulations to our owners: Ontrack Quest For Quality Syndicate - Lisa Saxton, Brent Gosney, James Macmillan, Tony Mair, Ken Gordon, Mark Walker, Stephen Hurford, Gary Radel, Vin Harink, Graeme Cameron, Andrew Rebeiro, Victor Smythe, Bayles Girls Racing Synd (Pam, Amanda and Jill Bayles & Kim Arnell), Ricky Brunner, Peter Campbell, Bill Clough, Judi Gowing, Peter Guidera, Gordon Henry, Peter McClintock, Barry Tangitu, Geoff Larsen & Mark Snowden. Ontrack Thoroughbreds’ good looking galloper Boss Rock finally put it all together with a convincing staying win at Cranbourne. The black son of Melbourne Cup winner Americain was having his 12th start when he coped with a heavy 8 track to win over 2100 metres for jockey Noel Callow and trainers John and Chris Meagher. Ontrack Managing Director Grant Morgan welcomed the win, which he said came later than the norm with an Ontrack horse. “I don’t think we’ve ever had a maiden win at start number 12, but this horse has been a definite work in progress and it’s probably fair to say that his lack of racing savvy has cost him a victory on a few occasions. “Being by Americain from a Fastnet Rock mare we never imagined he would show early form, but it’s probably fair to say that he has taken longer than most horses to learn his craft. “He has proved a bit of a difficult ride in some of his starts, but that’s been caused by immaturity rather than temperament and I think a strong rider like Noel Callow has helped him concentrate. “To be fair to the horse he has had a win, two seconds and two fourths from his last five starts and he’s been close to the winner in nearly every start. “Even his first up eighth in this campaign had merit as the winner that day was the subsequent VRC Oaks winner Miami Bound. “We will assess how he comes through this Cranbourne win before making any plans but it’s nice to get the maiden out of the way and know that he is going to get a middle distance,” said Grant Morgan. Purchased out of the 2017 Inglis Melbourne Premier Sale, Boss Rock is out of the two race winner And Rock who was a juvenile winner at Moonee Valley and placed in the Group 3 Morphettville Guineas. “It’s a family that’s produced a number of useful horses up to 1600 metres, so it’s fair to say that Boss Rock has inherited a fair amount of stamina,” said Grant Morgan. Congratulations to our winning owners: Ontrack And Rock Syndicate - Victoria Maloney, Lynette Bruce, Wesley Robert, Stephen Carroll, Bebe Mawer, Gaye Hunt; Triple Jac Racing (Tony Hale), Carol Connolly, Peter & Lyn Beesley, Stephen McKay, Carol Stuart, Bobby Vucenovic, Judy Coleman, David Moretti, Mark Ostermeyer, Vin Harink, Sandy Tranter & Bill Clark. Connections of promising Ontrack Thoroughbreds galloper Tactical Move were rewarded for their patience when the big horse scored a dominant debut win at Grafton. The three-year-old son of Dissident went to the races off the back of two impressive trials and raced right up to that form with a class record win over 1100 metres. Ontrack Thoroughbreds Managing Director Grant Morgan said delaying Tactical Move’s debut to his three-year-old season had been a deliberate strategy. “He’s always been a big boy, but he needed time to fill out and mature and it’s always Ontrack’s policy to give our horses as much time as they need. “This horse has been a head turner since we bought him at the Magic Millions Sale in 2017 but large horses require time to ensure they have the strength to carry such big frames on race day. “I picked him out at the Magic Millions Sale as one of the nicest colts on the Sunday session and he was one of the final lots on the day. I wasn’t going home without him. “When inspecting him I was surprised he was not in the main session of the sale, as was his breeder Ged Nolan of Rosari Farm. “The Edmonds team have been patient with him and had him ready to do the business at Grafton. “He’s still young so we will probably put him aside for a well deserved break now and let him continue to furnish and develop. “We think he might be a nice horse to aim at some Winter Carnival targets next year,” said Grant Morgan. Jockey Ronnie Stewart was extremely complimentary about Tactical Move post-race. “He gave me a very good feel. He wasn’t entirely comfortable racing on the inside of horses but once he shouldered his way into the clear at the top of the straight, he really let down and I was confident of winning a long way from home. “With the experience of a race and a bit more time on his shoulders he looks a likely candidate for some nice races further down the track,” said Ronnie Stewart. Congratulations to our owners: David and Sue Worthley, Dennis and Del Bates, Danny Lesjak, Mark Snowden, Dan and Leanne Sullivan, Albert Cid, Kevin Wooster, Gary Andrews, Barbara and John Gilbert, Ryan Lawlor, Wayne and Paddi Muller, Ontrack Take Charge Syndicate: Micahel Byrne, Phil Day, Lester Drake, Peter Dunn, Mick Hackett, Jeff Hollindale, Kate Kelly, Diane Linnane, Ian Mathieson, Barry Muller & Glenda Newick. |
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