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September 27, 2014September 28, 2014 by laureloak

Top effort by our Dane..

Contesting the Group One Moir Stakes on Friday night, there was clearly a lot against our Group One winner Rebel Dane – 1200m, an extremely small field, and once they jumped away from the gates and he found himself back in the field, it was always going to be hard.

But once again, he knuckled down late and flew along the inside for jockey Craig Williams to be beaten into third, a short head behind the World’s Top Rated Sprinter Lankan Rupee who was second, beaten a short head being Buffering in first.

All in all it was a very sound run considering he was coming off a seven week let up and we are looking forward to the rest of his campaign!

Congrats to trainer Gary Portelli and all involved with Rebel Dane.

Rebel Dane on the inside finishes a gallant third in the Group One Moir Stakes

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September 25, 2014September 26, 2014 by laureloak

Trainer Gary Portelli was hoping for bigger field for Rebel Dane in Moir Stakes at Moonee Valley

ONLY four rivals – including Lankan Rupee – was the last thing trainer Gary Portelli wanted for Rebel Dane in tomorrow night’s Moir Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley.

“He needs a fast run race but when it’s stop and start and tactical it makes it harder for him to use his powerful closing sprint,” Portelli said.

“Looking at Friday night’s field, he might have to contend with that again.

“I’m not scared of Buffering as there’s not much between them when they’ve met, but if Lankan Rupee brings his A grade form then that’s another story. Lankan Rupee gave us a fair touch-up in the T.J. Smith Stakes. In the small field we’ve got a fair task ahead of us.”

Lankan Rupee has opened at $1.50 with TAB, and Rebel Dane is fourth favourite at $7.50.

Portelli said he was looking forward to Rebel Dane returning to Moonee Valley.

His only run at the track was last year’s Manikato Stakes when he finished fifth, beaten a length behind Buffering when he came home strongly off a slow pace.

Trainer Gary Portelli says a small field in the Moir Stakes will hamper Rebel Dane’s powerful closing sprint.

“I go in confident that he handles the track well,” he said.

Portelli said a perfect example was Rebel Dane’s only run this time in when he finished third in the Missile Stakes, which also developed into a sprint home .

Portelli said he was also happy to have the tactical nous of jockey Craig Williams in a small field.

Portelli said Rebel Dane’s spring preparation was hampered by a stone bruise before the Tramway Stakes and it flared up again before the Memsie Stakes.

“After that we regrouped and decided to head to the Moir and then the Manikato and then the Darley Classic,” he said.

Portelli said he did not consider Rebel Dane trying to make it back to back Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes on Sunday because he would get too much weight.

“Our aim is to try and win a Group 1 sprint with him, but it’s going to be hard taking on Lankan Rupee every start,” he said.

Portelli said Rebel Dane would have to be in a big field in a race run at a fast pace to win a Group 1 weight-for-age sprint.

“It’s hard to make ground when everyone is recording fast closing sectionals,” he said.

He said he was looked forward to taking on Lankan Rupee in the Darley Sprint Classic (1200m) as he believed the big field and the straight would suit Rebel Dane.

News from Herald Sun

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August 30, 2014September 6, 2014 by laureloak

Warinda’s Winning Ways

Having not finished worse that fifth in his ten runs since his last win, our four-year-old War Pass gelding Warinda mange to get his head down when it counted, winning his second career victory when taking out the Bottle Mart Plate (1600m) at Canberra on August 29.

Starting the race favourite based on his utter consistency, the Keith Dryden-trained Warinda settled midfield before producing and effort to win the race by a half head margin from Sindariya with a length back to the third placed Bank On Henry.

A graduate from the Widden Stud draft at the 2011 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale, Warinda has never finished further back that fifth, and while everyone would like him to win more often, he is very consistent and now that he has managed to secure another victory, we hope he can now go on with it.

Out of the Woodman mare Tolinda, herself a half-sister to South Africa’s Champion Two-year-old Male Tytola (Last Tycoon), both out of the dual Group Three-winning, Group One placed Tolanda, Warinda’s extensive list of owners include; Laurel Oak Bloodstock Pty Ltd Synd (Mgr: L Mihalyka), D & Mrs C Jeffery, D Caldwell, W Seay Jnr, R Wise, D Emmerick, K Hudson, P & Mrs A Hickey, S Cottle, Ms L Hanrahan, D Ulrich, P Hart, Mrs J Murray, G Luton, B Luton, M Duncan, G Hargraves & Redbank North Pty Ltd Synd (Mgr: J Middleton) and we would like to congratulate them on the victory.

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August 26, 2014 by laureloak

Better Land to stay in Sydney

Last Saturday’s desperately unlucky runner Better Land will stay in Sydney and take his chance on making the field for the $1 million Golden Rose.

Trainer Peter Moody has decided the fourth placegetter in the Up And Coming Stakes is better off staying in Sydney and chancing his arm on getting a start.

BETTER LAND_5_RW_09082014__B081.jpg

When the ATC released the latest Order Of Entry into the field yesterday, Better Land was in 59^th position, but there are many horses above him who will not start in the race.

This morning (Tuesday) at Caulfield, Moody told TVN’s Bruce Clark he had decided to roll the dice with the horse and hope he could squeeze into the final field.

He finished fourth in a rough-house affair last Saturday behind Scissor Kick, when he looked a ‘good thing beaten’.

A win in the Up And Coming would have assured Better Land of a place in the Golden Rose field, to be run at Rosehill Gardens on September 13.

“If he doesn’t make the Golden Rose field there is a Listed race at Flemington over 1400 metres on the same day, so he’ll run in that race if he misses a start in Sydney,” Moody added.

Reported by Neale Donnelley on The Racing Network

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August 26, 2014August 26, 2014 by laureloak

Scratch Me Lucky Ready For Spring Return

Brisbane’s newly-crowned premier jockey Tim Bell will return to Sydney to ride Group One placegetter Scratch Me Lucky in the Run To The Rose.

Bell, 21, served most of his apprenticeship in NSW and capped his first season as a senior rider with the Brisbane premiership and his first Group One win on Tinto in the Queensland Oaks.

Bred by by Ramsey Pastoral Co Pty Ltd and Laurel Oak Bloodstock, the Paul Perry-trained Scratch Me Lucky finished second to Peggy Jean in the ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes and just missed a place in the Champagne Stakes.

Both races were run on wet autumn tracks and the same conditions have been forecast for Saturday’s Rosehill meeting.

Perry has entered Scratch Me Lucky for several major spring races including the Epsom Handicap and the Cox Plate but says he will take it one race at a time.

“He has grown into a darn nice horse. He has had two easy trials to get ready for the Run To The Rose,” Perry said.

“Tim Bell is coming down to ride him.

“We want to get him started and see where we are at. If he goes well on Saturday and then runs in the Golden Rose we will look at things after that.

“He could go to Melbourne for the Caulfield Guineas Prelude or he could stay here.

“The weather will play a part because we know how good he is in the wet.”

The colt was one of 14 entries taken on Monday for the Group Three 1200m sprint as the three-year-olds scramble for berths in the $1 million Golden Rose (1400m) two weeks later.

The nominations are headed by the Gai Waterhouse-trained Almalad, the only colt to win a juvenile Group One race last season when he beat Brazen Beau in the J J Atkins in Brisbane.

Brazen Beau will be among his rivals on Saturday with trainer Chris Waller also nominating Law and Sniper Fire.

Gerald Ryan, who enjoyed a stellar season with two-year-olds in 2013/14, entered Washington Heights and Ygritte.

He gave thought to nominating Bachman but said he would stick to his plan to go to the Golden Rose first-up.

Bachman has risen in the order of entry after Saturday’s Up And Coming Stakes during which some of his potential opponents were knocked out of the prize money by the wayward Liberation.

News from Caryl Williamson, AAP

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