Budgies on full display in Caloundra Cup romp
Emerging stayer Thebudgiesmugla (NZ) (Redwood) is fast becoming a fan favourite, with the Kiwi import coming from well back to land the A$500,000 Listed Caloundra Cup (2400m) in dominant fashion as a well-supported $2.35 favourite.
The New Zealand-bred son of Redwood has wasted little time in making an impression since crossing the Tasman less than a year ago to join Bjorn Baker’s Warwick Farm stable.
He put together back-to-back wins over 2400m at Rosehill in October and November, then returned to that form with another convincing victory over that distance at Randwick on May 23.
After stepping up to stakes level last start to snare the Listed Queen Elizabeth II Cup (2400m) at Rosehill, Thebudgiesmugla extended his unbeaten record over 2400m to five.
Winning rider Dylan Gibbons postponed a trip to Fiji to ride the five-year-old gelding and his decision paid dividends.
“Fair play to Bjorn, they wanted me to ride him like he was the best horse in the race and he showed he was,” Gibbons said.
“We didn’t want to ride him too close so we had to trust the horse and trust the plan. I didn’t anticipate being that far back, so I was a little concerned but it didn’t matter. There aren’t too many horses that can pop out at the half mile mark and circle the field and still get there too soon.
“I’ll really enjoy it when he learns to put a race away, but his turn of foot is exciting for a stayer, which is what is winning him these races. He put a space on them then when they came back at him, he was off and gone again.
“He’s a ripper and I’m just glad to be a part of it.
“It was definitely worth postponing the trip to Fiji because it’s all paid for after today.”
Thebudgiesmugla is another successful private purchase from New Zealand by syndicator Darby Racing.
"Thebudgiesmugla just keeps improving,'' trainer Bjorn Baker said.
"He's only lightly-raced, he's a typical Kiwi stayer who is still maturing and he will be even better again next season.
"There is some thought to going to the Grafton Cup and, although you never make decisions on raceday, I'm leaning to giving him a break and setting him for the spring carnival.
"I'll have to sit down with the owners and work out what we do with this horse, you can't run in everything, but we don't know how good he is just yet because he keeps raising the bar every start.''
The gelding had four starts for two wins in his native New Zealand for trainer Jo Rathbone, winning a maiden highweight over 2200m at Ellerslie and a Rating 65 also over 2200m at Te Aroha this time last year.
Purchased for just $3,000 on gavelhouse.com by Rathbone as a broken-in unnamed three-year-old, Thebudgiesmugla was bred by Bradbury Park and is by Redwood out of the Keeper mare Hot Pants.
Thebudgiesmugla is a half-brother to Bella Bonita, a two-year-old filly by Noverre who caught the eye when third in the Listed Champagne Stakes (1600m) at Ellerslie in May.
Now the winner of seven of his 13 starts, Thebudgiesmugla advanced his career earnings to A$642,724. - NZ Racing Desk
Winner: Thebudgiesmugla (NZ) 2020
Owners: Darby Racing, Mrs L Bender, Mr F J Biviano, Mr H Cooper, C & M Gunton, Mr T J Henderson, Miss P Holcombe, Mr M J Humphrys, Mr A Leung, M & M Joyce , Snr K M Kelly, Mrs C A Mathieson, Mr M T Mathews, Happy Racing, Longshot Rock, Mr D Wilden-Constantin, Thebudgiesmugla, Mr J P Stevens
Trainer: Bjorn Baker (Warwick Farm)
Breeding: by Redwood (GB) out of Hot Pants by Keeper (AUS)
Breeder: Bradbury Park Ltd
Cellarmaster storms home to claim Winx Guineas
New Zealand-bred Cellarmaster (NZ) (Bivouac) produced a powerful finishing burst to capture Saturday's Gr.3 Winx Guineas (1600m) at the Sunshine Coast for trainer Tom Charlton.
Settled towards the rear by Ryan Maloney, the son of Bivouac launched down the outside in the home straight after the Lisa Latta-trained Platinum Pantheon (Hanseatic) had dashed clear and looked to have the race in his keeping.
However, Cellarmaster continued to lengthen stride and reeled in the gallant New Zealander in the shadows of the post to claim the A$300,000 feature by less than half a length.
Charlton admitted there was a point where he thought the race had slipped away.
“I thought we were beat,” Charlton said.
“But our horse probably maps a bit stronger at the mile. He’s been improving and he probably enjoys being ridden a bit quieter, we learnt that with him recently.
“It’s a good performance and I think he’ll keep improving. Ryan had a really good understanding of him when I spoke to him this morning, and I think he’s a chance of running a bit further in time as well.”
Charlton also believed Cellarmaster's previous fifth placing in the Gr.3 Gunsynd Classic (1600m) was better than it appeared and a strong form race.
Already stakes placed and the winner of three of 11 starts, Cellarmaster's immediate future remains under consideration.
“He is Magic Millions eligible, so whether we target a late summer prep into the Magic Millions or give him a couple of weeks and bring him back for the spring, we need to figure that out,” Charlton said.
Maloney said the gelding had enjoyed a much smoother run than at his previous start and was confident he was aboard the right horse.
“He was a victim of circumstance last time. He ran really well at Eagle Farm but he was never able to make a proper impact from where he was in the run,” Maloney said.
“I thought he was the best horse in the race, and when we got cover I was pretty pleased with myself.
“When we got out I thought we were going to run a nice second, because I saw Ben Thompson fly past me at a rate of knots on the other horse.
“But it’s a nice long straight here and once he hit top gear I was delighted, so credit to the horse for digging deep and getting the job done.”
Cellarmaster was bred by Marie Leicester and is another member of her famed ‘Belle’ family.
The gelding is by Bivouac out of the Tavistock mare Moet Belle (NZ), a half-sister to the 14-time Group One winner Melody Belle (NZ) (Commands). – NZ Racing Desk
Winner: Cellarmaster (NZ) 2022
Owners: Finemore Thoroughbreds, Mr E J Lucas, Mrs J A Canceri, Mr R S Canceri, Mr M J Buffier, Peake Racing, Mr P C Eichhorn, Mr J D Melick, Mr A R Smith, D & L Alford, Mr M Angelos, Farah Racing , Mr P V W Kruining, Mr J R Lundberg, Mr I D Sutherland
Trainer: Tom Charlton (Randwick)
Breeding: by Bivouac (AUS) out of Moet Belle by Tavistock
Breeder: Mrs N M Leicester
Jack explodes late to claim overdue win
The form guide certainly didn't read positively for Detonator Jack's (NZ) chances in the VRC-CRV Winter Championship Series Final (1600m) but a combination of factors saw the seven-year-old son of Jakkalberry find his best.
Winless in 952 days prior, Detonator Jack failed to beat a runner home the start prior in the David Bourke Handicap but improved sharply third up to take Saturday's Listed mile feature by a short neck over Freedom Rally ($31) with ¾ of a length back to Just Folk ($15) in third.
Sent out a $20 chance under John Allen, Detonator Jack notched up his first victory since winning the A$1million The Gong at Kembla Grange in November 2023 and assistant trainer Jack Turnbull said the stable had used a myriad of training methods to recapture his old form.
"There were a lot of elements of the race today that worked for Jack in the sense of fitness, he was third up, blinkers were on, we got a nice cut in the ground and we drew low," Turnbull said.
"Still a little bit hesitant whether or not he wanted to be there or not, but credit to the whole team, we've been playing around them at home, treadmill, jumping, different track gallops, just trying to rejuvenate him and we got it done.
"Treadmill training was a big factor, Track Kat (Katrina Anderson) had a bit to do with him there, and we've just schooled him down at Cranbourne.
"Obviously it's been a long time between drinks, but we've kept saying that at home he's wanted to be there, and he wants to do it, we just hadn't seen it race day.”
Turnbull also noted the specific booking of John Allen who rode the horse to victory three times early in his career, albeit Allen said he was skeptical of the horse being able to turn his form around so quickly.
"He's always had good ability and he's obviously won better races than today," Allen said.
"I was very skeptical looking at his run the last day. I thought it was very plain, but Ciaron said he'd changed a few things up during the week and done a bit of schooling with him and stuff, just trying to sharpen him up and it's certainly done the trick."
Bred by Craig Dunphy and his wife Steph, Detonator Jack is a son of the late Jakkalberry and the No Excuse Needed mare Red Delicious, who is also the dam of the Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) and Gr.1 Levin Classic (1600m) winner Madison County.
Detonator Jack races for Australian Thoroughbred Bloodstock, which was previously owned by Darren and Liz Dance and sold earlier this year to Stephen Everett and Tash Blakley’s SCT Syndications.
Darren Dance was involved in the ownership of the international top-flight winner and Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) placegetter Jakkalberry, who retired as the foundation sire at Luigi Muollo’s Novara Park in 2014, but sadly succumbed to an intestinal infection four years later.
Detonator Jack was purchased privately by Dance following a recommendation by Mike Rennie to secure the previously Mark Brooks-trained galloper. - NZ Racing Desk
Winner: Detonator Jack (NZ) 2018
Owners: Australian Thoroughbred Bloodstock Pty Ltd, Mr R Menchise, Mr G J Ferguson, Ms G A Peirson-Jones, Mr M J Eastmure, Mr G D Sheehan, Brittain Racing, Jaybeeque Racing, Mr A J Brown, Mr B J Devlin, Mr P M Lynch, Mrs A M Lynch, Mr K Heffernan, Mr D W Spicer, Mr K B Thompson, Mr W F Johnstone, Mrs B R Johnstone, Mr P J Gallivan, Mr M G Hunt, Mr J E J Ciurlionis
Trainer: Ciaron Maher (Cranbourne)
Breeding: by Jakkalberry (IRE) out of Red Delicious by No Excuse Needed (GB)
Breeder: C P & S A Dunphy
Hello Captain bounces back with dominant Rosehill win
New Zealand-bred three-year-old Hello Captain (NZ) (Hello Youmzain) returned to winning form with a dominant performance in Saturday's Find Your Stakes Winner @ The Chase Handicap (1300m) at Rosehill.
The Chris Waller-trained son of Hello Youmzain was sent out the $1.65 favourite and justified the support, settling comfortably before apprentice Siena Grima produced him and the gelding proved far too good for his rivals.
Waller believes the sky is the limit for Hello Captain should he be able to extend out in trip.
"In terms of distance, I think he can get to a mile and if he can get to a mile, he can get to a good race. Maybe an Epsom Handicap (Gr.1, 1600m)," Waller said.
"Timing-wise, it's hard to predict when he gets there, and distance-wise we're still learning about the horse.
"But he's settling better than he has ever settled before and he's showing a good turn of foot."
Given time to find his feet by stable apprentice Siena Grima, Hello Captain ($1.65 fav) enjoyed an unimpeded run down to score by 2-1/4 lengths over Sequista (D’Argento) ($7.50), who ran her usual honest race, with Attractiveness (NZ) (Hello Youmzain) ($9) third.
The gelding's win made amends for his last start fourth to Cheeky Smirk (All Too Hard) when he was badly strung up for a run before flashing home when finally given clear air.
While Waller believes Hello Captain has the potential to measure up to stakes grade, in the short term he is content for the horse to ply his trade in Saturday company and build his bank account.
"Sydney races, they're worth $160,000 every Saturday, fifty-two weeks a year," Waller said.
"It's hard to knock it back when they're on every week, so I think we keep going through his grades.
"Maybe he doesn't have to run every two weeks like we normally do. We can pick out a race in three or four weeks, and we might get longevity out of him that way."
Hello Captain gave Grima a double after her earlier win aboard exciting two-year-old Omolong (Extreme Choice), drawing her level with Braith Nock in the race for the Sydney apprentices' premiership.
The son of Hello Youmzain was purchased for $425,000 by Chris Waller Racing and Mulcaster Bloodstock from the draft of Cambridge Stud at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale, and is raced by Christchurch owner Glenn Ritchie.
The talented galloper is out of the Pivotal mare Steer By The Stars who has produced four winners from five foals to race, including the European stakes victor Never Look Back while full brother Persian Wonder was runner-up in the Gr.3 Baillieu Handicap (1400m) in March for David Payne. - NZ Racing Desk
Winner: Hello Captain (NZ) 2022
Owners: Ritchies Racing
Trainer: Chris Waller (Rosehill)
Breeding: by Hello Youmzain (FR) out of Steer by the Stars (IRE) by Pivotal (GB)
Breeder: B J Lindsay MNZM & Mrs J E A Lindsay
Sales: 2024 National Yearling Sale - Book 1 V: Cambridge Stud $425000 P: Chris Waller / Mulcaster B/stock
NZ Racing Desk
Joshua Smith
Joshua Smith
Joshua Smith
