He may have been in hospital when his horse qualified for a start, but Kembla Grange conditioner Paul Niceforo was trackside to receive the biggest thrill of his training career when Territory Express won the $1 million ATC Polytrack Provincial-Midway Championship Final at Randwick last Saturday.
Connections and stable supporters were cheering loudly as Territory Express surged to the front to defeat consistent runners Strait Acer (by Headwater) trained at Hawkesbury by Edward Cummings second, with the Kim Waugh, Wyong, trained Shadows Of Love (Dissident) third.
"I've been around for a long time, and I've never had a horse as good as this bloke," Mr Niceforo said following the win.
"He is such a nice horse; he just tries."
Territory Express is a home-bred horse for the Cram and Roddy families and race the horse in partnership.
The galloper has now returned four wins from 14 race starts and almost $900,000 in prizemoney.
Sydney stakes placed at his previous start, Territory Express is by former Godolphin shuttler Territories, which shuttled to its Australian-based farms for six stud seasons from 2016.
While known for her front-running talent, you could hear the huge crowd gasping in awe and excitement as Pride Of Jenni blazed a trail in front of her eight rivals by almost 100 metres at one point during the running of the program's 2000 metre highlight, the $5 million Queen Elizabeth Stakes-G1.
It was an amazing performance by the Ciaron Maher trained, and Declan Bates-ridden Pride Of Dubai mare continuing to the post to win by six lengths.
Shades of Vo Rogue?
HTBA Yearling Sale fast approaching
Our Boy Ollie, who won the Tamworth Cup Prelude, a Benchmark 82 race earlier this month, is a recent headliner to highlight the success of Inglis' next NSW auction, the Hunter Thoroughbred Breeders Association (HTBA) Yearling Sale, scheduled for Sunday, April 28.
Formerly known as the Inglis Scone Yearling Sale and conducted in Scone, the equivalent HTBA Sale, which consists of 224 catalogued lots, will be held at Inglis' Riverside Stables at Warwick Farm.
By Exceed And Excel horse Outreach, Our Boy Ollie, trained at Tamworth by Michelle Fleming, has won five races and $119,000, which is a good return after he sold for $9000 at the 2020 Scone Yearling Sale.
Stepping up a class, Tintookie became a stakes addition of successful sales graduates after winning the ATC Wenona Girl Stakes-G3 last month.
A $30,000 buy for Hawkesbury conditioner Brad Widdup, the ill-fated Tintookie (by Winning Rupert) won five races, had seven placings, and won $494,500.
Two-year-old filly and $14,000 HTBA Yearling Sale graduate, Canamble (by Aylmerton) won her first start, then finished third in the $200,000 Wellington Boot last Sunday.
Four-year-old, Winning Point, a $6000 sale graduate, won the Bega Cheese Showcase Cup in February to take his earnings to $138,000. Trained at Kembla Grange by Paul Murray, the Bull Point mare is now eligible for a start in the $3 million The Big Dance at Randwick on Melbourne Cup day.
While 2024 HTBA Yearling Sale horses are eligible for the $12.55 million Inglis Race Series, graduates are also eligible for the popular $200,000 Inglis Challenge, run each year on the Scone Cup carnival program.
Bowness success
Viewing recent results from Sydney Royal, I spotted that the North family's Bowness Stud notched a memorable win when its home-bred and raised Zounate won the Pope Cup, an event for the best hack geldings to show Thoroughbred qualities, and measuring more than 15 hands.
Now carrying a show name of Chorus, the horse was also awarded the champion hack title.
An eight-year-old, Zounate was sold via Bowness Stud for $80,000 at the Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale in 2018, after which he won three races and had 13 placings (from 32 starts) for $77,680 in prizemoney.
After finishing his race career in North Queensland, Zounate found himself in the care of leading Queensland show rider Riley Kent, the flashy chestnut now excelling in the show ring under his new name, giving his champion Widden Stud-based sire, Zoustar, another headline in horse showing.
