RACE DAYS GETTING BUSIER.

This weekend we head to the races with four runners and over the next couple of months I reckon that four runners each weekend will be fairly typical. We do not have any older horses racing apart from GUYNO so most of my runners will be two and three year olds getting ready for a crack at the Karrakatta Plate, The Oaks or The Derby. With a little bit of luck we should have a live chance in most races.

It feels strange to call GUYNO an older horse as it seems like only yesterday that the horse entered my stables as a lightly framed, woolly coated immature little two year old who would not have looked out of place at a bush riding school. Even at his first summer campaign he looked like a hairy yak! Now he has acclimatised and I have to say that his coat and condition have never looked better. GUYNO heads up our runners tomorrow when he has to carry 58.5kg in a basic $50,000 Saturday handicap, which has been added to the program to replace what should have been the running of the Pinjarra Cup on Sunday.This race should top him off nicely for the Bunbury Cup to be run on March 13th. Hopefully the handicapper can see his way clear to give him a chance to win that race by not asking him to carry the grandstand in that event.

We start off the day tomorrow with two two year olds in the first race, MAROONED AGAIN and FORWARD COURT. Both horses are racing first up tomorrow and both have shown ability at trials. I would expect them both to derive a lot of benefit from tomorrows race. MAROONED AGAIN is part of the last crop of foals by Marooned, a stallion who produced so many of my winners during the late eighties and early nineties. He is typical of the breed and I have no doubt he will make the grade as he develops and matures. FORWARD COURT is from the first crop of Zentsov Street, a stallion who stands at Yarradale Stud. There have not been a lot to race by him as yet however there are a few showing some worthwhile ability.

We finish the day tomorrow with three years old filly LA COUREUSE who will hopefully bounce back to the form she was showing prior to her last start failure. I am still at a loss to work out what happened that day. The filly wore blinkers for the first time this preparation and it was her only disappointing run. That, in addition to her being injured in the barrier prior to the race leaves me wondering just what did happen.

The filly has had the blinkers removed and replaced with winkers and her leg injuries have settled down. If the filly runs up to her earlier form I see no reason why she can't improve enough to give this race a real shake up.

All in all I am looking forward to the day but more so I am looking forward to the next few months and hopefully winning a nice race or two.

FUNNY NAME BUT SHE CAN RUN!!

GOPHER shows her winning style at Ascot on Wednesday with Dan Staeck on board. (Photo courtesy Hollands Photographics)


Lightly raced three year old filly GOPHER may have a slightly different name but when it comes to doing what she was bred to do, she is a serious little race horse.
Having only her second lifetime start, this filly took on older opposition in her 1100m maiden run at Ascot yesterday and gave them a galloping lesson.

Starting at the very generous odds of 10/1, this filly took advantage of an inside barrier draw and was positioned ready to strike when the field turned for home. The filly responded well to the urgings of rider Daniel Staeck in the straight and belied her inexperience with a very polished and workman like victory. The filly will have only a handful of starts before we ease her work and prepare her for the Belmont season.

The filly is raced by Renny Lee-Steere and without sounding to harsh, she has defied the odds by becoming a city winner. Renny is one of those owners that a trainer needs very few of!! Even Renny would gladly tell you that he is so unlucky he could stop the sun from rising if he were to bet on it happening and even he can't remember his last winner.

It was his father Sir Ernest Lee-Steere, who gave me my start as a trainer some 38 years ago and during my time with Sir Ernest I also trained a few for Rennie. Two horses I won with back then were BIB BERRY and LATERILITY. That was back in 1981 and to this day I still reckon they were the last city winners Renny has raced on his own. That's what I call a long time between drinks!!!!

AMELIA'S REASON SOLD!!!!!!

Unbeaten 2yo AMELIA'S REASON has been sold for $1.5m. This is the second horse owned by the AMELIA PARK SYNDICATE which has won the MAGIC MILLIONS STAKES and trained by me which has left the stables due to being sold. I hope that settles it for everyone!!!!

I should end the story there but I will continue. There is not a word of truth in what I have said above however that has not stopped the race course rumour mill from spinning it's usual story of mystery and intrigue with usually not a smidgen of truth to it. Ever since last Sunday at the sales, I have been hearing the same old story about the horse being sold. Even at the track during the week I have been asked. Yesterday at the races I was asked (told ) again.

I actually should have stopped after the first paragraph and not written anything else just so that I could read the headlines tomorrow morning. After all it is from sites like this and the stories that appear on the Perth Racing web page which tend to make newspaper and radio headlines in this town when it comes to racing news.

For the record, AMELIA'S REASON has not been sold nor has he joined the stables of David Hayes or Lee Freedman. He has pulled up a treat from his impressive first up win and he will be having an easy week or two as we prepare him for his next assignment the Karrakatta Plate. How many runs he has between now and then will depend on how I feel he is coping mentally with the task at hand. I am looking forward to the big race just as I am sure his large group of owners are.

QUIET DAY FOR ASCOT TODAY

After a flat out week of horse sales and races, we head out to Ascot today with only one runner in a very open race. BLESCAY, who raced in great form at Belmont during the winter, was a bit dissapointing when resuming first up a couple of weeks ago. The filly has worked well since and she is entitled to improve today. I would expect that she will improve even further on what ever she does today so she could be worth following over the next few months.

During the week we stepped out the former Kiwi horse ST PIERRE. The horse ran a mighty race at his first start for me and I expect him to continue to improve over the next month or so. The horse is being set for the W.A. Derby and at this stage he looks an ideal type. The next few weeks will tell us if he is going to take the next step and become a serious contender for the better three year old classic races.

HAPPY DAYS AT ASCOT LAST SATURDAY

A small social gathering in the mounting yard after race seven at Ascot on Saturday.

POODLE OR PIT BULL???

The name ST PIERRE seems very apt for this lightly framed son of Montjeau. After all he is built more like a sleek little french poodle than a power packed pit bull. Hopefully the reports on him are correct and the boy has the determination and fighting qualities of the latter.I have watched his three runs in N.Z. and he does look like a tough little horse.

ST PIERRE will run first up at Ascot tomorrow in a 1500m 3yo race and I hope to learn a lot more about him after the run. He has drawn a very ordinary barrier and he will need a lot of luck to figure in the placings however I am confident that there is plenty of improvement in him. Providing he does he will have his next run about two and a half weeks later. He is bred to get ground and hopefully his breeding will come to the fore as we step up the distances of his races.

At this stage the horse is fairly new and imature but he does give the impression that he could develop into a nice middle distance performer with more time and maturity.

HOW GOOD AM I??

Daniel Staeck appears to be asking the question as he cruises to the line aboard AMELIA'S REASON in th Magic Millions Classsic at Ascot on Saturday. Judging by the way he rounded up his opposition I would have to say that the answer is; VERY BLOODY GOOD!!!( Photo courtessy Hollands Photographics)

AN EXTRA REASON TO SMILE TODAY

Many people are at a loss for a response when someone says, "You don't know Jack Schitt."
Now you can intellectually handle the situation.

Jack is the only son of Awe Schitt and O. Schitt

Awe Schitt, the fertilizer magnate, married O. Schitt, a partner of Kneedeep &. Schitt Inc.

In turn, Jack Schitt married Noe Schitt, and the deeply religious couple produced 6 children: Holie Schitt, Fulla Schitt, Giva Schitt, Bull Schitt, and the twins: Deep Schitt and Dip Schitt.

Against her parents' objections, Deep Schitt married Dumb Schitt, a high school drop out. After being married 15 years, Jack and Noe Schitt divorced.

Noe Schitt later married Mr. Sherlock, and
because her kids were living with them she wanted to keep her previous name.
She was known as Noe Schitt-Sherlock.

Dip Schitt married Loda Schitt and they produced a nervous son, Chicken Schitt.

Fulla Schitt and Giva Schitt were inseparable throughout childhood and subsequently married the Happens brothers in a dual ceremony. The wedding announcement in the newspaper announced the Schitt-Happens wedding.

The Schitt-Happens children were Dawg, Byrd, and Hoarse. Bull Schitt, the prodigal son, left home to tour the world. He recently returned from Italy with his new bride, Piza Schitt.

So now if someone says, "You don't know Jack Schitt", you can correct them. Not only do you know Jack, you know his whole family!

PLENTY OF REASONS TO SMILE

AMELIA'S REASON really is very very good. That is as simple and as honest as I can be.

This two year old son of Rory's Jester had been talked about as the best two year old in town ever since his outstanding first up win last October. I said on this site last Friday that the time had now come for him to stand up to be counted. Well he not only stood to be counted, he beat the best field that could be put together in this state yesterday and in so doing confirmed my long held opinion of him.

AMELIA'S REASON is an easy horse to like. Not only because of his ability and his looks but because he is such a lout and so full of character. He can be a pain in the butt at times but he certainly can keep you on your toes with his antics. I am confident (maybe it is hope)that this boy will mature in the head as he gets older and lose his childish traits. If and when that does happen he could become quite awesome. I have never trained any of the Rory's Jester stock before and I am told that they are nothing but two year olds. I have been wrong before but I feel that managed properly, I see no reason why I can't turn him into a top class three year old.

Meanwhile I have the task of keeping this horse physically and mentally fit for the next seven weeks as we target the Karrakatta Plate with him. How many race starts he should have between now and then will be the biggest problem and could make the difference between success and failure in the big one. Either way I am sure we will have a lot more fun along the way with this boy and continue to make a very big group of owners happy.

"THE TIME HAS COME THE WALRUS SAID"

At the risk of upseting Lewis Carroll (author of The Walrus and The Carpenter) I feel that as I sit here one day out from the Magic Millions and the Champion Fillies Stakes, the line from his story regarding the walrus and the carpenter, is very very apt in regard to my horses tomorrow.

I can say that I am no carpenter and none of my horses remind me of the slovenly walrus however the time certainly has come for them to stand up to be counted. AMELIA'S REASON has had bigger wraps placed on him than the legendary "BEN HUR" since his sensational debut performance back in October. His return to the race track tomorrow after the impressive trial performance last Monday has everyone talking. Not least of all are a very excited bunch of owners involved in the Amelia Park Clud Syndicate. Well as we all know. Talk is cheap!

Tomorrow the horse needs to stand up and be counted and show he is as good as all the opinions say he is. AMELIA'S REASON has drawn nine in a field of eleven however I certainly will not be using the barrier as an excuse if he is to be beaten. There are some handy types in the race including the unbeaten Valentime Miss, and Zeda Mak whilst Babieca Noire is also one of the hardest to beat. It should be a great race.

The race prior to the Magic Millios Classic is the Champion Fillies Stakes where I have two runners in HIFALUTIN and LA COUREUSE. HIFALUTIN is likely to start favourite on the strength of her good recent form but don't let LA COUREUSE get under your gaurd. Both fillies are fit and well and ready to shake the life out of the race tomorrow.

It could be a case of boiled lollies or chocolates come the end of the day tomorrow however as I said earlier......... The time has come!

GUYNO STAYING HOME

Stable star GUYNO, who is nominated for the Australian Cup at Flemington in early March will be staying at home for the Autumn and a trip east will be delayed until the Spring.

I had been contemplating the trip east for quite a while however after discussions with the owners and puting the best interest of the horse at the top of the list, it has been decided to stay home and tackle the Bunbury and Pinjarra Cups. I know the horse will be forced to carry plenty of weight in those races however I feel that this horse has the class to carry the weight and I would still consider the horse to be a big chance and the one to beat in those races.

The horse will have a good spell during the early part of winter and I will have plenty of time to get him ready to tackle the biggest race of his career in the Spring, the 2008 Caulfield Cup. That is when I feel the horse will be fully mature and at his best.

ALL ON TARGET FOR AMELIA'S REASON

Smart two year old AMELIA'S REASON appears to be on target for his return to the race track this weekend after a very impressive trial win at Ascot on Monday. The horse was not sent out to have a hard trial as I was confident that his fitness level was where I wanted it. The trial was simply used to sharpen the horse up mentally for his return and I am pleased to say that the trial had the desired effect. Now we have to make sure we keep things all together for Magic Millions Stakes on the weekend.

AMELIA'S REASON will have only one or two more runs before the Karakatta Plate in early April and all going well we should be able to keep him up to the mark for that race. It looks like being a fairly busy time over the next few weeks with the stable having runners in most of the major races throughout the autumn including the Bunbury and Pinjarra Cups.

SHE REALY IS "HIFALUTIN"

HIFALUTIN rolls to the line at the end of her second up win over 1400m with Paul Harvrey up. Now for the big one! (Photo courtesy Hollands Photographics)

HIFALUTIN TOO GOOD.

Smart three year old filly HIFALUTIN proved too good for her rivals on Saturday and now looks a top chance in this weekends Champion Fillies Stakes. The filly carried a lot of weight on Saturday and allthough she had the run of the race from her perfect barrier, the filly was being held tight before the corner and came off the bit at that stage, just before the leaders let down. The filly then had to dig deep to get up in the last few strides to win well. The filly has come through the run well and I am looking forward to the big one this weekend.

I seem to have an affinity with the whole family of HIFALUTIN as this is now the fourth generation I have trained in relation to her family and I have won some very good races with them all. Her "uncle" KING CANUTE won a Perth Cup. Her mother GAMBEI won a magic millions, her grandmother MAROONED LADY won a Sires Produce Stakes and her other uncle REDWOLDT won a Karakatta Plate. Not a bad role call and thats just the big ones I have won with the family. There have been many other wins also. We live in hope that she can follow on the tradition and also win a nice race. The Champion Fillies Stakes would be nice!!!

GUYNO AND HIFALUTIN FOR THIS WEEKEND

Two of the stable stars in GUYNO and HIFALUTIN step out at Ascot tomorrow in what could hopefuly be a good day out. Although I have LA COUREUSE also engaged tomorrow I am leaning towards not running her as she is already forward enough and she had a hard run last week on a very hot day.

GUYNO steps out over 1800m first up in what looks an even type of race. The horse has top weight of 58.0kg which is a decent steadier in anyone's language however he is a quality horse and I expect him to put up a good performance. I don't think I will be using the 1800m first up as an excuse if he does get beaten as I feel he is forward enough for the task. He does however need an element of luck in his races.

HIFALUTIN steps out second up over 1400m and even though she has been a winner at the trip, I am concerned about her record second up. The only poor run that the filly has put in was when racing second up in her previous campaigna nd I was unable to find a genuine reason for the poor showing. I can only hope that history does not repeat. If it does I then hope it continues to as the filly was then a winner at her next two starts including a win at this distance.

ALL in all the runs by both horses tomorrow will help me to decide which way I head with them both over the next few weeks.

TIME FOR BLACK SHOWS IT'S TIME

(Photo courtesy Hollands Photographics)

TIME FOR BLACK showed what he was capable of doing when things finally went his way at Ascot yesterday. The lightly raced son of Blackfriars had only had two race starts prior to yesterday and on both occassions he failed to trouble the judges. Although he wasn't a good thing beaten in either race he certainly would have finished in the money on both occassions with any luck. He ran into a brick wall first up at Ascot then was forced to tramp four and five wide when I took him to Bunbury for a maiden.

Yesterday the horse showed the benefit of the experience and the value of racing forward at Ascot when there is a stong easterly wind blowing. The way he won the 1600m event suggests that there could be a few more wins in store for this late developing young horse. I am not sure how much more I will do with him this campaign however I am confident that he can develop into a very handy middle distance horse in the future.