The opening day of The Championships 2021 delivered in style with a couple of the most dominant Group 1 wins you will see at Randwick.
The victories by Anamoe in the ATC Sires Produce Stakes and Nature Strip in the TJ Smith Stakes won’t be forgotten in a hurry while not surprisngly Jamie Kah announced herself in Sydney.
Victoria’s leading jockey guided the enigmatic Cascadian to a memorable win in the $3 million Doncaster Mile.
Another Victorian-based rider, John Allen is fast becoming the go-to jockey for a Derby – claiming a maiden Australian Derby success aboard Explosive Jack.
The Randwick track started the day rated a soft (7) improving throughout the day before being upgraded to a soft (6) following the ATC Sires Produce Stakes.
Nature Strip, Explosive Jack Stand Out in Australia
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Racing: Hawke s Bay connections get to celebrate with On The Bubbles
9 Apr, 2021 06:00 PM
8 minutes to read
On The Bubbles is out on his own as he crosses the line a dominant winner in last Saturday s Group 1 Manawatu Sires Produce Stakes (1400m) at Awapuni.
On The Bubbles is out on his own as he crosses the line a dominant winner in last Saturday s Group 1 Manawatu Sires Produce Stakes (1400m) at Awapuni.
Hawkes Bay Today
By: John Jenkins
A young Hawke s Bay stock agent and the son of well-known Hawke s Bay rugby and cricket commentator Ian Smith are among the owners of New Zealand s latest Group 1 winner, the classy 2-year-old On The Bubbles.
Trainer John O’Shea hasn’t won a Derby – but that can change at Royal Randwick on Saturday.
Lion’s Roar is set to give O’Shea his first classic success in the Group 1 $2 million ATC Bentley Australian Derby (2400m).
O’Shea has had plenty of success with three-year-olds at feature race level including two Golden Roses with Exosphere (2015) and Astern (2016), Doncaster Mile with Racing To Win (2006), Rosehill Guineas with Zabrasive (2010) and also Lion’s Roar in the Randwick Guineas earlier this year.
Despite an outstanding two-decade training career that has netted more than 1500 wins including 29 at Group 1 level, O’Shea is still to win a Derby, coming closest with Zabrasive who ran fourth to Shoot Out and Descarado 11 years ago,
Lance O’Sullivan knows the NZ Derby form hasn’t looked too flash this autumn but he’s hoping star colt Rocket Spade can buck the trend in Saturday’s Australian Derby (2400m) at Randwick.
All three of the NZ Derby placegetters will line up in the $2 million staying test on Day One of The Championships after Rocket Spade edged out Milford and The Frontman in the NZ feature last month.
Rocket Spade will have his first Australian run in the Australian Derby but it’s the performances of the other two so far across the Tasman that have created some cause for concern.
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