February 2015

The saying “I’ve been everywhere man”….really applies to our four-year-old Fastnet Rock mare Posh Rock, having done her earlier racing in Victoria before a few runs in New South Wales and then back to Victoria where she was successful at winning the Racing.com Maiden Plate over 1400m at Ballarat on Thursday for trainer Tony Noonan.

Finishing just over two lengths in fourth position when racing fist-up this time in, the step up in trip really helped the mare to break her maiden and start to show some promise.

Jumping away with the rest of the field, she went forward to settle in fourth position with the favourite on her inside.

Never letting the well-backed runner out of his sight, jockey Jake Noonan had the favourite pocketed and kept him there, stuck right behind the leading duo with nowhere to go.

Posh Rock surged late to take the event by a head with favourite backers left wondering what may have been.. but oh well.. Posh Rock won and that is all that matters!

Purchased from the Magic Millions Yearling sale from the draft of Newhaven Park Stud, Posh Rock is a full-brother to the Group Three-winning, Group One placed We’re Gonna Rock from a family that includes the Group One Dubai World Cup winner Monterosso.

Not only do the connections take home the first place prize money collect, but the also had an additional $20,000 VOBIS Gold bonus added in!

Well done to Laurel Oak Harriet (Mgr: L J Mihalyka), Mystery Downs (Mgr: F W Cook), A N Fitzgerald, Glenloth Racing (Mgr: P W Hickey), T D Millard, A R Bennett, J D C Allen, Grant Bloodstock Pty Ltd (Mgr: S P Grant), Talbot Racing (Mgr: E T Aldridge), Ms C Munnich, R J Barker and Mrs R C Fitzgerald on the victory of the well bred mare.

A special mention to trainer Tony Noonan, with the victory of Posh Rock foillowing on from the recent wins of Grand Orator and Swiftly Red in the past month!

Swiftly Red went on to finish third two races after Posh Rock was successful at Ballarat.

When it was made public that shares were available in Group One winner Dissident as a stallion prospect, Laurel Oak Bloodstock jumped at the chance to secure a small share.

On Saturday we were rewarded when the Peter Moody-trained runner crossed the line in front, claiming his fourth Group 1 victory – the CF Orr Stakes.

Below is The Racing Network’s report on the victory.

Dissident added a fourth Group 1 victory to his name after winning Saturday’s $400,000 C.F. Orr Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield.

Settling fourth with cover away from the fence, Dissident ($2.80 favourite) sprinted best to overrun early leader Entirely Platinum ($13) by 1½ lengths.

Mourinho ($21), who settled behind the leader, finished third a further long neck away.

Java ($8.50) raced outside Entirely Platinum in the lead and stuck on admirably for fourth in the on-pace dominated race.

Dissident’s victory provided Moody with his fifth win in the C.F. Orr Stakes in the past six years.

Moody has won the race with Typhoon Tracy (2010 and 2011), Black Caviar (2012) and Moment of Change (2014).

“I’m just proud of the horse, he has done a tremendous job,” Moody said.

“It’s good to see him bounce back from the Valley (when third in the Australia Stakes) and over seven furlongs to a mile he is almost unbeatable, certainly under these conditions.”

Dissident has raced 19 times for six wins and seven placings with prizemoney now just below the $2.1 million mark.

The four-year-old entire by Sebring will have his next start in the Group 1 Futurity Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on February 28 before being sent to Sydney for a tilt at races such as the Group 1 George Ryder Stakes (1500m) and Doncaster Mile (1600m).

However Moody is mindful of protecting his stud value and should the weather deteriorate during Sydney’s autumn carnival, he might be retired to stud immediately.

“It’s not a matter of not running him in races he can’t win, it’s a matter of not running him in conditions he can win as he’s not at his best on soft ground,” Moody added.

Grand Orator proved too strong on his home track for Mornington-based trainer Tony Noonan who is having a stellar week with his third winner in five days.

Settling at the back of the field in the Chadwick Grimmond Engineers Handicap over 1200m under New Zealand apprentice Michael Dee, Grand Orator created a few nervous furlongs for Noonan and connections.

“Coming into the turn, you’d have probably ripped your ticket up but on his home track, we knew he was capable of doing that uphill work in the straight and Michael rode him with good confidence,” Noonan said.

“He’s still only lightly raced for a 6-year-old and he’s one of the most honest workers you can find in a stable.

“It’s just a great win for Louis (Mihalyka) at Laurel Oak and his entire team.”

Giving the leader eight lengths at the top of the straight, Dee pulled Grand Orator out to be the widest runner upon straightening.

Once balanced up, Dee pulled for the whip 100m from home where the Grand Orator ($6) responded gallantly to produce an electric burst of speed to score by half-a-length from Spencer Street ($8) and Count The Interest ($13) in third.

The win was Dee’s second metropolitan win for Noonan from as many rides for the stable since the apprentice’s arrival in Australia.

“We watched him (Dee) a lot in New Zealand and were amazed that he could claim 3(kg) in the city,” Noonan said.

“He did the job for us on Saturday and again today so I have no doubt he is going places.”

Today’s win brought Grand Orator’s prize money earnings to $119,223 from 22 starts.

News from Tony Noonan Racing

If you take a look through the Steward’s Report of Swiftly Red (Testa Rossa) you can see that she has had excuses in many of her races, but in what was a great effort, the mare finally produced the goods to win the Sale Signtorque Maiden Plate over 1205m (even though the jockey lost the whip!!)

The now four-year-old mare appears to have matured and could be back on track to show the promise that everyone always felt she has possessed.

Jumping away well from barrier 6 in the large field of 16 runners, it looked as if the Swiftly Red was going to have a hard luck story once again as she started to over race, but jockey Nick Hall managed to get her to settle and she started to travelled well once she went forward.

Getting some clear running, a gap appeared and the mare raced through it, accelerating away to hit the lead with about 150m to go before holding off Sequins ‘N’ Spice to record a nice length and three-quarter victory.

Trainer Tony Noon had set the mare for this race, and was reward with the win.

“With the VOBIS bonus available here, we targeted the mare at this race and it’s just a great feeling when plans come to fruition like this because we knew she had the ability to win and it was just a matter of getting her to focus.

“At the start of the prep, I was confident that she would be racing in the city by the end of this prep so I look forward to seeing her work through the grades.”

A special congratulations to trainer Tony Noon and to her patient owners; Laurel Oak Jane Syndicate (Mgr: L J Mihalyka), A N Fitzgerald, Mrs M D Turnbull, Boeara Holdings Syndicate (Mgr: Mrs D A Dunphy), D A Jeffery, Mrs C J Jeffery, Miss A L Goble, K E O’Brien, Mrs T O’brien, P W Hickey, Mrs A M Hickey, Mrs M V Horrigan, P Sutton and Mrs R C Fitzgerald.

Now that she has broken through, fingers and toes are crossed that she can continue her winning ways!