Mr Miller takes next step towards Group One goal
With bigger and better things pencilled in for later in the spring, the lightly raced Mr Miller (NZ) (Almanzor) continued his impressive progress through the grades with another easy win in Saturday’s A$160,000 Bankstown Sports Handicap (1500m) at Rosehill.
The New Zealand-bred Almanzor gelding was a debut winner in April and continued to catch the eye in three subsequent starts, recording another win along with two second placings to prompt trainer Chris Waller to identify the Gr.1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) at Randwick on October 3 as a potential spring goal.
Saturday’s performance gave Waller no reason to deviate from those plans. Mr Miller was sent out as a $1.90 favourite and duly delivered in style, cruising to the lead in the straight for jockey Tommy Berry and going clear to score by three lengths from his stablemate Invader Zim (Invader).
“He’s a real natural, this bloke,” Berry said. “He’s very fast out of the machines, and then as soon as you put him in a spot, he switches off.
“I loved how he picked up around the bend, and he feels like has so many gears.
“He hit the front a long way out and wanted to have a look around, but I still made him find the line, because he will be up against bigger races and stronger opposition soon.”
Mr Miller’s five-start career has now produced three wins, two seconds and A$217,300 in stakes.
“He should be five wins from five starts,” Waller’s stable representative Darren Beadman said. “He’s a very push-button type of horse and puts himself into the right spots in his races. He has the turn of foot to put them away quickly.
“I think his rating might be too low to get into an Epsom at the moment, but he could get there through one of those qualifying races.
“Chris has given him plenty of time, and everything this horse has done so far has been very impressive.
“He is certainly a horse that is getting everyone to take notice of him.”
Bred by Graham and Helen-Gaye Bax of Blandford Lodge, Mr Miller is by Cambridge Stud stallion Almanzor out of the winning Pins mare Miss Miller.
He was offered through Blandford Lodge’s draft at the 2024 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 1 Yearling Sale at Karaka, where he failed to meet his $80,000 reserve.
Mr Miller subsequently remained in New Zealand and was purchased privately by Kheir and his partners after catching the eye in a Taupo trial before joining Waller’s Sydney stable. - NZ Racing Desk
Winner: Mr Miller (NZ) 2022
Owners: Mr A Kheir, Mr B J O'Brien, Cookie Racing, Mr J A O'Neill, Gaijin Horse Club 2, Mr A Guoga, Mr S S Roth, Mr T R Maddern, A K Racing, Carty Racing, Mr J Docherty, Cos Port Racing, Mr T J Storey, S and D Racing, Mr S A Lewin, Mr W G Bax, Mrs H Bax
Trainer: Chris Waller (Rosehill)
Breeding: by Almanzor (FR) out of Miss Miller by Pins (AUS)
Breeder: Mrs H G & W G Bax
Rosehill redemption for Transcend
Transcend’s (So You Think) connections could be forgiven for having déjà vu through the closing stages of the Mounties Group Handicap (1500m) at Rosehill on Saturday, but this time the talented mare deservedly took home the winner’s share of the A$160,000 stake.
The Michael Freedman-trained Transcend had been first past the post in a tight finish to a 1400m race at the same venue two weeks ago. However, she ducked in shortly before the finish and bumped the runner-up Mind Ya Bizz (Heroic Valour), leading to a reversal of the result in the inquiry room.
There were some striking similarities on Saturday as Transcend found herself in another close finish, this time as she slowly but surely got the better of the front-running Glasgow Lass (Alabama Express).
Again Transcend was wayward under pressure, and again the two rivals came together in the closing stages. But this time it was insufficient to change the placings, and after viewing replays the connections of the runner-up didn’t even lodge a protest.
“She might send me grey a little early if that keeps happening,” Freedman said.
“But I thought today was another step in the right direction. The ear muffs are definitely getting her to switch off in her races now, which is good, because we were having a lot of trouble with that early on. If I take them off now, she might go back to her old ways. So we’ll just see how she comes along.
“I think she’ll go up in trip now, which is good, because it opens up a few more options for her. I thought today was a big step in deciding what direction we’ll take with her.”
A daughter of So You Think and the Snitzel mare Transversale, Transcend was pinhooked out of Rushton Park’s 2023 Inglis Great Southern Sale draft by Devcich Bloodstock for A$80,000.
They subsequently offered her under their Henley Park banner in Book 1 of Karaka 2024, where she was purchased by the TAB Racing Club and Ritchie Murray Racing for $150,000.
Transcend began her career in the Cambridge stable of Shaune Ritchie and Colm Murray, for whom she had three starts for two wins and a second.
Subsequently purchased by MyRacehorse, Transcend has now had 11 starts for three wins, three placings and A$206,352 in stakes. - NZ Racing Desk
Winner: Transcend (AUS) 2022
Owners: MyRacehorse No. 1, Mrs C Scerri, Mr A Scerri, Mrs J L Steendyk, Dr J F Kinnear
Trainer: Michael Freedman (Randwick)
Breeding: by So You Think out of Tranversale (AUS) by Snitzel (AUS)
Breeder: Mr H Newton
Sales: 2024 National Yearling Sale - Book 1 V: Henley Park $150000 P: TAB Racing Club/Ritchie Murray Racing
Fancify leads all the way at Caulfield
A return to 1400m around Caulfield brought the very best out of the Group Three-winning mare Fancify (NZ) (Niagara), who bounced back to winning form with a dominant front-running performance in Saturday’s A$150,000 Evergreen Turf Handicap (1400m).
Previously a seven-race winner including the Gr.3 HKJC Stakes (1400m) at Flemington on Melbourne Cup Day in 2024, Fancify had gone winless in 10 starts through the 21 months since that triumph.
She left Michael Hickmott’s stable earlier this year to join the powerful Ciaron Maher operation, and her first four appearances from those new quarters produced a sixth in the Listed Straight Six (1200m), second in the Gold Topaz (1200m), ninth in the Leilani Series Final (1400m) and seventh in the Gr.3 Aurie’s Star Stakes (1200m).
Saturday’s race was only Fancify’s second start at Caulfield, having won over the same course and distance back in May of 2024, and it proved to be a winning formula again.
The seven-year-old daughter of Niagara was ridden by Jamie Melham, and after breaking well from her wide gate, she moved forward to take up the lead.
That was where the $16 outsider stayed, kicking hard in the straight and putting herself out of reach of the chasers. Fancify went on to win by two and a half lengths from Aztec Ruler (Universal Ruler) and the Maher-trained Ten Commandments (Palentino).
“The plan was to be positive on her today,” Melham said. “When she jumped so well, and there was no one else pushing forward, I was happy to take up the lead – especially with the way the track has been playing today.
“The straight (1200m) course at Flemington doesn’t really suit her, in my opinion. She gets her head up and does a bit wrong. Today’s race suited her perfectly.
“She trialled really well the other day. The team's got her going fantastic. She got a bit of a breather halfway, she settled and relaxed well, and she was strong to the line.”
Fancify has now had 24 starts for eight wins, seven placings and A$604,400 in stakes.
“We haven’t had her for long, so it’s been a bit of a working-out process,” Maher said. “She’s flicked around a few of our locations to keep her mentally stimulated. I think she looks fantastic. She presented well today.
“Her fitness was key. The track is racing very fair, but it’s had a bit of racing, so you’ve got to be fit to get through it. She was given a good, positive, flowing ride by Jamie, and it’s great to get the result. I’m sure she’ll race on well from here.”
Fancify was bred by leading New Zealand racing photographer Trish Dunell, who remains a shareholder in Fancify’s sire Niagara. Saturday’s win capped a highly successful day for Dunell, who also co-bred and part-owns the four-year-old Darci Brahma gelding Okaycee (NZ), a debut winner at Wanganui earlier on Saturday afternoon.
Fancify is out of Laced Up, a Keeninsky half-sister to Group One winners Jimmy Choux (NZ) (Thorn Park) and Miss Wilson (Stratum). Fancify is a sibling to three other winners including Unlaced (NZ) who was fourth in the Gr.2 Lowland Stakes (2100m). - NZ Racing Desk
Winner: Fancify (NZ) 2019
Owners: Mr H Yao
Trainer: Ciaron Maher (Cranbourne)
Breeding: by Niagara (AUS) out of Laced Up by Keeninsky
Breeder: Mrs P A Dunell
Oaks prospect Proxima Dea remains unbeaten
Promising staying three-year-old Proxima Dea (Tarzino) extended her perfect record to three out of three with an irresistible finish in Saturday’s A$120,000 Midway Handicap (1800m) at Rosehill.
The David Payne-trained Proxima Dea had made a winning debut over 1400m at Rosehill on July 11, and she followed that up with another victory in a 1600m race at Gosford on August 6.
That impressive start to her racing career prompted Payne to label the Tarzino filly a Gr.1 VRC Oaks (2500m) prospect, and she was sent out as a $4 second favourite on Saturday behind the $3.40 market leader Doradus (Adelaide).
The latter adopted the same tearaway tactics that carried him to an impressive win in his previous start, opening up a big lead during the middle stages of the race while Proxima Dea settled in fourth.
Doradus kicked off the home turn but began to tire in the final 200m, and Proxima Dea was the one to take advantage. She warmed into her work stylishly for apprentice jockey Braith Nock and finished over the top of the favourite in the closing stages to score a narrow but impressive win.
“David told me she stays, so that gave me some confidence,” Nock said. “I peeled off on the turn and thought we’d run a nice second, but she knuckled down and reeled him in. The further we went, the better she was. She’s got a bright future.”
Proxima Dea is a full-sister to Gr.1 Queensland Oaks (2200m) winner Gypsy Goddess (NZ) and will continue along her own classic path this spring.
“I think she’s an Oaks filly, the VRC Oaks,” Payne said. “She just keeps getting better and better.
“There’s a lot of options leading up to the Oaks for her, both here and in Melbourne. I might run her here in the Gloaming (Gr.3, 1800m) and then work out what race to lead her into the Oaks.
“She’s a filly with plenty of upside, so I do think the best is still to come.”
Proxima Dea was bred by Transtasman Breeders Pty Ltd and is by Tarzino (NZ) (Tavistock), who himself won the Gr.1 Victoria Derby (2500m) at Flemington as a three-year-old. Tarzino has gone on to a successful stallion career at Westbury Stud, where his 126 winners include nine at stakes level, headed by classic winners Gypsy Goddess, Jungle Magnate (NZ) and Willydoit (NZ).
North Bloodstock offered Proxima Dea at the 2025 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, where she was bought by Ciaron Maher Bloodstock for A$300,000. She has now had three starts for three wins and A$158,500 in stakes.
The dam of Proxima Dea is the Redoute’s Choice mare Invisible Coin, whose five other winning progeny include Gypsy Goddess and the Listed Gingernuts Salver (2100m) placegetter Bitcoin (NZ) (Tarzino). - NZ Racing Desk
Winner: Proxima Dea (AUS) 2023
Owners: Mr A P Giles, Ms C L Vincent, Mr H Docherty
Trainer: David Payne (Rosehill)
Breeding: by Tarzino out of Invisible Coin (AUS) by Redoute’s Choice (AUS)
Breeder: Transtasman Breeders Pty Ltd
Kevin Robertson
Kevin Robertson
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