NZ news briefs – Summer’s spring Passage set in Melbourne
SUMMER Passage will make his next Australian appearance in the Group Three Caulfield Guineas Prelude on October 1.
Trainer Lance O’Sullivan, who co-trains group one winner alongside Andrew Scott, said the race will dictate which feature they elect insert the gun runner into.
“After that we will make the decision as to whether he goes to the Caulfield Guineas or the Coolmore,” O’Sullivan said.
Summer Passage was far from disgraced in the Group Two Danehill Stakes at Flemington on Saturday according to the trainer, which was impeded by a falling runner.
“The run was a lot better than it looked,” O’Sullivan said. “He was a bit lost down the straight and Mark Zahra had to take a hold of him when Limestone fell.
“He’s come through the race very well and he will improve with it.”
Hurdle hero on easy list
The jumping find of the winter is now enjoying his time in the paddock.
Monarch Chimes won its first three starts over fences before the horse finished fourth in testing conditions in the Great Northern Hurdles.
“He struggled in the ground at Ellerslie,” co-trainer Emma-Lee Browne said.
“He came a long way in a short time though and did a super job.”
Death of Pentire’s trainer
Multiple classic-winning trainer Geoff Wragg, who prepared Rich Hill Stud’s successful foundation stallion Pentire, has died at the age of 87.
Under Wragg’s guidance, Pentire won six of its seven starts as a three-year-old, including the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot, the Great Voltigeur at York and the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown.
The following year the son of Be My Guest returned to Ascot to win the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes.
Michael Hills partnered Pentire, who has sired 16 individual group one winners, to all but one of the horse’s eight career victories.
“I worked for Geoff for six years and we had the most amazing time,” he said.
“He was a fantastic trainer and a great man who was always an absolute pleasure to ride for.”
Grylls bound for Melbourne
Former Kiwi jockey Bridget Grylls is set to try her luck in Melbourne after some success in the sunshine state.
The 24-year-old was a leading apprentice in Brisbane following her move from New Zealand in 2014 and has since ridden 123 winners.
Grylls is from a well-known New Zealand racing family of jockeys, including her grandfather John Grylls, father Gary and brother Craig.
“A few of the horses I have been riding for John Meagher are in Victoria and he asked me to come down for a look,” she said.
“At this stage I am going for a look and will only stay a few weeks. I will have to weigh things up then.”
Niagara’s first foal a winner
The Oaks Stud stallion Niagara hasn’t wasted any time in opening its stallion account.
After just a handful of representatives, Lord Of Cloud was successful for the horse over 1400m at Kranji in Singapore on Friday night.
On debut for trainer Leticia Dragon, the colt was the son of Encosta de Lago’s first foal and first trial winner.
Lord Of Cloud began his education in New Zealand with Hastings trainers Guy Lowry and Grant Cullen and won a trial at Waverley last season, beating subsequent Listed O’Leary’s Fillies’ Stakes winner Dijon Bleu.
Out of the Masterclass mare Miss Jean Brodie, he was bred by Lime Country Thoroughbreds who are major shareholders in Niagara and previously stood the stallion before their move to Australia.