News and Press
Rhumba is Back in Style
Grand Rhumba made a triumphant return to racing in winning a No Metropolitan Wins 1000m at Hawkesbury in a meeting transferred from Randwick. He was resuming from an eight month injury enforced lay off. Under his big weight he jumped and settled just behind the leaders. Approaching the turn Ben Vassallo started to work him up and he finished strongly out four wide to catch the leaders and have a long head advantage on the line. This was his first metro win and his eleventh win from 31 starts.
Date published: 25/08/10
Zaratone Blitzes Them at Canberra
Zaratone gave a scintillating display of sprinting in winning an Open 1206m at Canberra on the Acton track. He jumped straight to the front and was far too quick for them giving an easy lead. He led by four lengths around the turn and then finished very strongly to win by 5.5 lengths on the line giving Richard Bensely an arm chair ride. He is a very difficult horse to beat when he gets a lead and now has the impressive record of nine wins from 20 starts.
Date published: 24/08/10
Dragon Dances at Cowra
Dragon Dance won a Benchmark 60 1400m at Cowra. A little slow to begin he was squeezed out after 100m and dropped back to last. He tailed the field to just before the turn. In a great ride Richard Bensley elected to stay on the rails and he drove Dragon Dance through on the inside to grab the lead by a neck on the line coming from last to first without going around a horse. A great win over a distance short of his best and he should go well over more ground
Date published: 12/08/10
Canberra Double
Zaratone and Merci Grand scored in a nice double on the Acton track to kick of the Canberra season. Zaratone won an Open 1080m. Showing his usual early speed he soon shot to an easy uncontested lead. He led by four lengths around the turn with Richard Bensley sitting quietly and held on strongly in the run in to win by a comfortable 3.5 lengths. He has now won 8 races from 19 starts and will likely race in the metropolitan area in future.
Merci Grand won a Benchmark 55 1280m. She jumped with the leading group and Brendan Ward soon had her settled one out and one back in the runnning. She started to push up at the turn and finished strongly out wide to win by a nose in a driving finish. This Choisir mare has now won three races since joining the stable this preparation.
Date published: 09/08/10
Gypsy Woman Flaunts at Gundagai
Gypsy Woman made a great start to the new racing season in winning a 1000m Maiden at Gundagai on 1 August. On a heavy 9 she jumped well and sat outside the leader where Richard Bensley moved her to the lead approaching the turn. She finished strongly to hold off a number of swoopers and to have a length advantage on the line. A great result for the mare who has overcome some adversity and was only having her second race start.
Date published: 03/08/10
Embers Red Hot at Canberra
Glowing Embers made a scintillating race debut in winning a Maiden 1080m on the Acton track at Canberra. From the outside barrier he jumped with the field and in a very nice ride Richard Bensley worked him forward to cross a half length ouside the leader after 300m. He made a move at the turn to quickly reel in the leader and gave nothing else a chance to go on and win by 1.5 lengths. A very nice debut for a horse who has had leg problems and with hopefully with many more wins to come.
Date published: 28/07/10
Cockles'n'Mussels shells them at Gundagai
Cockles'n'Musels won a Benchmark 50 1400m at Gundagai. Jumping with the field, she soon settled just behind the leading pack in the running. Jason Collins started moving her forward from the 500m and she was up to the leaders on the turn. She finished strongly down the centre of the track to win by a half length. A very good result as she had 61kg on a heavy 8 and a bright future looks in store.
Date published: 18/07/10
Big Thanks at Wagga
Merci Grand scored a well deserved win in a Benchmark 60 1400m at Wagga. He jumped with the field but was caught a little wide and eased back to mid field to get a sit. Approaching the turn he still had a wall of horses in front of him and was momentarily held up in the straight, but Brendan Ward found an opening at the 300m where he charged through to go to the lead then held off the swoopers to win by a long head. A nice win on a heavy track by a horse thought not to handle wet tracks.
Date published: 06/07/10
Lorenzino Sparkles at Sapphire
Lorenzino affirmed the old addage that if you "go to the front and stay there you should win" in a Benchmark 60 1000m at Sapphire. Taking advantage of a good jump and an inside barrier Lorenzino was quickly in the lead and he rounded the turn two lengths in front. Under urging from Richard Bensley he finished strongly to have a 1.5 length advantage on the line. A very good first up result at juicy odds after a long lay off.
Date published: 14/06/10
Curata Time Salutes at Queanbeyan
Curata Time, in his second start for the stable, broke through for a win in a 1600m Maiden at Queanbeyan in start number nine. In a great ride, Bredan Ward worked him forward from his very wide barrier and tardy start to take him to the lead after 500m. He held the lead to the turn where he was challenged by a couple of runners but fought back very strongly in the straight to win by a head. A well deserved win by a big horse not well suited to the tight Queanbeyan track after putting the writing on the wall in his previous start.
Date published: 08/06/10
