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Luciani Racing News

Lou Luciani is one of the most experienced horse trainers in WA. He offers owners a complete package, from selecting and buying a horse through to agistment, training and racing. He takes care of everything – from organizing horse floats to taking care of paperwork – so that owners can have as much or as little hands-on as they want.

Friday 30 November 2007

TIGHT FINISH IN THE LAST ON RAILWAY DAY


(Photo courtesy Hollands Photographics.)

The last race of the day on Railway Stakes day proved to be a very busy finish with many horses looking like the winner with 50m to go. That was until KING OF THE STALLS got to the outside and saw daylight. There have been few more powerful finishing efforts witnessed at Ascot this season. The way he stormed home and the way he has done since the run suggests that with a bit of luck he can repeat the effort tomorrow.

Thursday 29 November 2007

BUSY DAY IN STORE THIS SATURDAY

This weekend we head out to Ascot with six runners which is a bit unusual for my stable. Not having as many horses as we once handled, I am more inclined to head out with two or three starters. There is nothing intentional about having the six starters as I can assure you that this old bloke will be looking for a hole to lay in come the last race on Saturday. I think the most I have ever started on one day was eleven back in my busy days however we set a far more leisurely pace now days. It will be a perfect day if one of them can get over the line first.

We start the day with two year old filly SCENIC SPREE making her race debut over 1000m. This filly has only had the one short trial and I was very happy with the way she finished off her trial. The filly still has a lot of improvement in her and the race will bring her on enormously. She is well bred and was an expensive purchase but as we all know, price doesn't make them gallop!

Our next runner is FAIREST AND BEST in the second race and he has shown at his first two runs this time in that he has his hoof on the till. I would prefer to be starting him over 1200m however the program doesn't allow for that so we have kept him fresh for this race. The horse has drawn an alley for a change and will get back in the field so he will need luck in the home straight.

Race three sees us start OUTSIDE EDGE over 2400m for the first time this campaign. The horses has only had one start at the trip when he disappointed in the W.A. Derby earlier this year. The horse has matured a lot since then and he is racing in good form. Provided he runs the trip out on Saturday, this horse will be nominated for the Perth Cup.

We then go to the fourth race of the day where we saddle up last weekends long price winner, KING OF THE STALLS. This horse has had his share of problems and has a lot of toughness about him. He has done well since last weekend and is nice and bright. He is more than capable of repeating the dose.

After a quick one race break to get my breath back we saddle up SALE TOPPER in the sixth race. This horse is knee high to a grasshopper and having his third run in ten days however nobody can doubt his endeavour. He looks like 1000m would see him out but his relaxed racing style makes him an ideal candidate to get the 1800m of this race. He should have won his last two but for pilot error and hopefully we get a fair crack at them this weekend.

Our last runner is top mare ROYALE HARVEST. This mare is proving hard to place of late however she is not without a chance in this good field. The mare deserves a good win and I will be the happiest man on course if she happens to pull this one off. No matter where she runs I will be happy with her as she is the sort of horse that leaves nothing in the tank at the end of a race and I can never be disappointed with any of her efforts.

All in all a busy day ahead for us all here at LUCIANI STABLES but we wont feel a thing if we can end the day with a winner or two or.......

Good luck and happy punting!

Tuesday 27 November 2007

GREAT RAILWAY DAY

What a great day it was at Ascot on Saturday for the $1,000,000.00 Railway Stakes. The weather was hot the track was fast and there was a bumper crowd on hand to soak up the day. We had GUYNO start in the race and although he was unplaced, I could not have been happier with the run. The horse did not get the breaks he needed early in the race but still finished off the race in great style. The run suggests that he will run a forward race in the Kingston Town Classic and will be the horse to beat in the Cox Stakes.

We started the day off with SALE TOPPER in the second race of the day and he was the best of good things beaten. The little horse which was a $1,000 purchase is starting to show some worthwhile form and should not take long to break his maiden status. He is only a little bloke but he has a ton of guts.

SHASHTI ran an excellent race in the Jungle Mist Classic and will be improved by the run. She is eligible for a lot easier company and I am sure we will find some nice races for her throughout this campaign. The mare is at her best at around 1400m to 1600m so Saturdays effort was better than it looked.

The last race on the card saw a return to form of an old stable favourite, KING OF THE STALLS. This horse has now won six races in W.A. and the way he won on Saturday suggests that we haven't reached the end of the road with him yet. In fact his win on Saturday was as good an effort as we have seen from him and over a distance which he has not won over before. The horse has been best over 1200m and 1400m so the win over 1100m in a good field was first class. It was great to see the smile on KEMPY'S face after the race as the horse returned to scale. He may have been a bit disappointed after the run of Beat The Storm in the Railway but it didn't take long to get him smiling again after the win of "Charlie" in the last.

KING OF THE STALLS will continue to race at Ascot during the season where his form has always been first class. The horse has been plagued by hoof problems over the past couple of years and it is a credit to the vets and the farriers that we have him racing in as good a style as he is. I f we can keep him trouble free and sound he is capable of winning a good race.

Thursday 22 November 2007

HERE IS ONE TO KEEP YOU BUSY

My darling daughter sent me this one via email but I can't upload it so you will have to email me your answers if you think you can work it out. It took me about four goes only because I didn't have a calculator and kept adding up wrong! Its a goody!!!


How good are you in problem solving?

-There is a bus with 7 Girls
-Each girl carries 7 bags
-Inside each bag there is 7 cats
-Every cat has 7 kittens
-All cats and kittens have 4 legs each

Question: How many legs are in the bus?

Saturday 17 November 2007

OVERHEARD AT THE TRACK THIS MORNING!!

Before you get all excited, its not gossip. This is not the local gossip column here but I couldn't help liking a two liner I heard at track work this morning. It goes like this.......

"Champagne for my true friends.
"True pain for my sham friends".

I like it. Very very apt in the world of racing.

And one from the writer of my little mate "Ginger Megs"

"After the races I'm always a little horse!

Friday 16 November 2007

THREE STARTERS FOR ASCOT TOMORROW

A nice relaxing day at the races tomorrow. A runner in race one and race two then the chance for some lunch before my last runner in race six.

OUTSIDE EDGE will be trying to make it three from his last four starts when he fronts up over 2200m in race one. The horse has trained on well and appears to relish the middle distance.

ESTIARTE won in very impressive style at Ascot last week and he too has trained on well. This is certainly his biggest test to date however he is certainly not out of his depth in this even race. I have a bit of time for this lightly raced son of McFlirt.

Tough mare ROYALE HARVEST is our last runner in race six the Colonel Reeves Stakes. This is one race where I have had a lot of success over the years and hopefully we can add another victory to our collection tomorrow. In past years I have won the race with BUSINESS BEAT, HIGHWOOD, ZEDAVITE and SCOUTS HONOUR. My memory is fading but I may have even won the race with another old favourite SHEER GREY.

Whatever happens, we are heading to the races with three live chances and if we come home with a winner we will be very happy. Hopefully we can continue on our good form of late.

GUYNO FOR THE RAILWAY STAKES.

After tossing the idea around for a number of weeks, I have decided to run smart galloper GUYNO in the Railway Stakes next weekend.

I had always wanted to leave my options open with him and I must admit that my original thoughts were that the 1600m would be to short for him. A number of things have happened along the way to help me change my mind. I must admit that 1600m is as short as I would expect him to be competitive in against top company.

The first thing is that the way things were shaping up with no interstate participation, Guyno could very likely be allotted top weight of 58.0kg in the 2008 Perth Cup. Even if he isn't the best horse nominated at the time of weights, he is likely to have at least 57.0kg at acceptances. In my opinion, the horse is not mature enough to carry that sort of weight over two miles and win. I also feel that the race could spell the end for the horse as has happened to many others in the past.

The next point to consider was that, had the horse raced last week over 2200m, he would have had six races prior to the Cox Stakes, which I consider to be his grand final. Should we then decide to go to the cup he would be past his best. The horse would have had two 2200m races and one 2400m race before the Cox which I consider to be one too many hard runs for him. The horse is not a big robust type and does not take a lot of hard work to keep him at his peak.

After studying the field for the Railway Stakes with no interstate competition, I felt that I could keep the horse fresh enough for the $1,000 000.00 race where he would be racing against horses he has met and raced successfully against in the past. For that reason, a run last weekend over 2200m would have left me between a rock and a hard place. I am happy with the decision I made in consultation with my owners and I look forward to the race. I did win my first Railway with a ISLAND MORN coming back from winning the Fruit 'n' Veg Stakes over 1800m a month earlier and I feel this program suits my horse.

Depending on his performance in the Railway, GUYNO will probably go to the Kingston Town Classic next start followed by the Cox Stakes.

The Stewards inquired last Saturday as to the reason I scratched GUYNO from his engagement that afternoon. I told them that I had changed my mind about which direction I was taking with the horse but had not had the opportunity to discuss the matter with my owners until late on Friday afternoon. When questioned I also confirmed that everything was in order with the horse.

This mornings press stated that the Stewards report listed Guyno's scratching as at "the trainers discretion"' which left punters in the dark. I don't know how much more light I could have shed on the situation. Perhaps if people stop trying to read a hidden agenda into everything they may have more time to concentrate on more important issues.The story goes on to say that "Luciani refused to speak to the media". Is there any bloody wonder!!!

Thursday 15 November 2007

ROYALE HARVEST IN LATE SWITCH.

Smart mare ROYALE HARVEST has had a late change to her program. I had intended to run the mare in the Peters Quality over 1500m. After studying the order of entry into the Railway Stakes where she is 22nd in order of entry, I felt it best to stick to the short course races. The mare has a real chance in the Colonel Reeves Stakes over 1200m on Saturday instead of taking on the smart El Presidente over 1500m in a race where he looks to have his opposition covered.

The Colonel Reeves Stakes is a race I have had a fair bit of success in over the years and I am confident that ROYALE HARVEST is every bit as good as any of my previous winners. If she doesn't win at least I know that I have been able to get her into the race on a winnable weight instead of having to carry 55.0kg like she would have to in the Railway Stakes if she did gain a start!!

After all, I am sure that it is part and parcel of a trainers job to place horses in such a way on the way through, so as to get horses into big races on a weight that they can win with.

Friday 9 November 2007

OUTSIDE EDGE IS GETTING THE HANG OF WINNING


OUTSIDE EDGE has shown a new found consistency in his form this season since we have switched him to middle distance races. Here he is winning at Ascot on Melbourne Cup Day over 2200m with Jason Whiting on board. The horse was doing his best work on the line and there are more wins in store for him. (Photo courtesy Hollands Photographics)

ESTIARTE IN CRUISE MODE


ESTIARTE shows his winning style at Ascot on Thursday. (Photo courtesy Hollands Photographics)

THREE FOR ASCOT TOMORROW

Although we don't have a big team in racing condition, what we do have is performing very well at the moment. Tomorrow we head to the races with three runners, the most notable being GUYNO in the Ascot Gold Cup. We also have the consistent STRIKEN starting in the last race as well as lightly raced yet promising 3yo SALE TOPPER, starting in the fourth race over 1600m.

GUYNO is coming off a great last start victory over 1800m and I am sure that the step up to 2200m tomorrow will not pose any great problem for him. It is a handy field of middle distance performers and he is up in the weights but hopefully his class will help him to shine through at the end.

STRIKEN was again unlucky last start when getting held up in traffic on the corner before finishing his race off in very quick time at Ascot last start. With any luck in running he should once again put up a very strong performance. He doesn't win many and usually has plenty of excuses but don't get off him yet.

SALE TOPPER may be the roughy of the field but don't let his price fool you. This little guy has been improving with each hit out and is set to run a very nice race in the not to distant future. He hits the line strongly at the end of his races and the 1600m of tomorrows race will suit him down to the ground.

I will be looking forward to the weekend after the busy weeks racing we have just been through and it will be great to relax on Sunday if we can pinch another race tomorrow.

Happy punting.

ESTIARTE CAN RUN A BIT

Lightly raced three year old gelding showed by his strong win at Ascot yesterday that there are more wins in store for him. Having only his fourth race start and only his second for me, this horse sat wide for most of the race before covering extra ground on the corner then still let down in the straight to win in easy style. The horse had a good blow after the race suggesting that there is still plenty of improvement left in him.

ESTIARTE (named after a world champion water polo player) showed at his first start for me at Northam two weeks ago, that he had city class ability. The horse would have won first up, however he lost concentration in the straight after hitting the front and began to run around while waiting for his opposition. With the blinkers off and sitting back a bit further on his opposition, the horse responded in great style when asked for an effort yesterday.

Considering that this horse is still not at his peak, I am confident that he can pick up a nice race over the next few weeks.

Wednesday 7 November 2007

GOOD FORM CONTINUES.

The good run and consistent form shown by the horses racing from our stables lately, continued yesterday with another winner and second place getter from our only two runners.

OUTSIDE EDGE showed his liking for a middle distance with a strong win over 2200m in the opening race on the card. This is the horses second win at this distance and the more he goes around the better he is getting. The horse has always had a mind of his own however he has become a far more relaxed race horse this preparation and there is still plenty left in the tank. I am confident that he will become a more than handy middle distance performer with more age and experience.

Our second runner for the day was FAIREST AND BEST in the fifth race and I have no doubt that the horse should have won the race. The horse settled well back as was expected and I was very happy with the way he tracked into the race coming to the corner. The horse was tightened up at a crucial point of the race and still composed himself to run home strongly to finish second. With a clear run home he would have brought up his second win and I am sure it will not take him long to string together a couple of nice Saturday wins.

ROYALE HARVEST showed by her excellent performance on Saturday that she is far from on her mark yet and will not take long to win another race. The way she finished off her race on Saturday suggests that she is looking for a bit further at the moment and we will step her distances up over the next few weeks.

All in all I am very happy with the way the team is performing at present and I am looking forward to the coming weeks.