Press Coverage
Capital Commander Draws Barrier One
Capital Commander has drawn perfectly in barrier one for the $163,000 Fillies and Mares Quality handicap (1300M) at the Magic Millions meeting on the Gold Coast tomorrow. The four-year old will be Canberra's only representative on Magic Millions Day. Capital Commander has been in brilliant form this preparation, winning in two of her three starts including a last start win at Warwick Farm on December 17. The Commands mare's third race this preparation was a length second to Viva Las in the $50,000 Snake Gully Cup at Gundagai in November. "She has been going really well," trainer Nick Olive said. "She won last start in Sydney and since than I reckon she has improved again so I am really happy." Capital Commander travelled up to the Gold Coast last Friday and has acclimatised well to the warmer Queensland conditions. "She travelled up here well and she has done everything right," Olive said. Capital Commander has run into a hot field which includes ten last start winners. "It is a pretty strong field but I think she is going to be in the top four chances." One of Sydney's leading jockeys, Glyn Schofield, has been booked the the ride, with Olive labelling Demanding Miss and Miss Marx as the main dangers in tomorrow's race. Reprinted from the Canberra Times, Friday 13 January 2012.
Date published: 16/01/12
Top Combination Lands Winning Treble
Canberra trainer Nick Olive made another Murrumbidgee Turf club meeting his own when he landed a winning treble at Saturday's Christmas Party race meeting. Olive has an outstanding strike rate at Wagga and enjoyed his finest moment in racing when Voice Commander took out the Gold Cup earlier this year. His success at MTC continued on Saturday when he landed three wins on the eight-race program. Reel swagger ($6.40), The Conqueror ($4.10) and Zar Express ($5.80) were all triumphant as Olive enjoyed success with three of his five runners for the day. The treble came as an unexpected surprise for the leading Canberra trainer. "I didn't expect it to all come together like that," Olive said. "None of them surprised me but everything went right on the day. I knew they were all chances, but I didn't expect to get three. Everything just went right." Former Southern District premiership-winning jockey Brendan Ward rode all three winners for Olive. Reel Swagger and The Conqueror both broke through for maiden victories while it was Zar Express's second win since joining Olive's stable. No win stood out more than the other for Olive. "They all won pretty well." Olive said. "The conqueror has plenty of upside to him. All three won well though are capable of winning more." As for the secret to Olive's success at Wagga, he is not sure of the exact reason. "I try and place my horses in the right races," Olive said. "The good thing about Wagga is that it's a fair track and every horse gets its chance. "You know that if the horse is in the right race and going well then they're a big chance." Reprinted from The Daily Advertiser, Wagga, Monday 5 December 2011
Date published: 21/12/11
Devon and Olive a Tasty Combination
The former Lloyd Williams owned Devon is a horse going places for Canberra trainer Nick Olive. The son of Galileo, purchased for $12,000 at a Magic Millions tried stock sale, lines up at Albury tomorrow in the Wilson Transformer Benchmark 60 Handicap over 1600m. Part-owned by Neville Hambrook - who is also involved in the syndicate that races multiple country cups winner Voice Commander - Devon backs up after winning a Canberra 1400m maiden on October 14 at his third run for Olive. "He's a bloody nice horse, a cracking type" Olive said. He's big and strong, eats everything in sight. I really like the horse. He's got a good future." Olive said that Devon, who is out of the Fasliyev mare Danilova, had continued to improve since winning at Canberra. "He's done really good, definitely gone forward," he said. "The 1600m should suit but he's probably looking for 200m even now. He's a great doer, hasn't left a grain. "He's had plenty of long, solid work, Devon loves it. He's thriving. When he first came to us he was in good order, it just took a while to get him fit. He works nice, has got a decent stride, but I don't overtax him on the track. I know he's only just won his maiden but I think he's capable of winning in Sydney. He's a horse with a future." Devon was given two preparatory runs by Olive at Queanbeyan (900m) and Kembla Grange (1200m) to get some racing mileage into his legs. It was the Kembla run on September 27 that indicated Devon had his hoof right on the till. The four-year-old gelding, after racing three wide, fought on strongly to finish third to Battles and Millenium Ruler, beaten by a nose and long neck. Devon's Canberra win, though it was narrow, showed his tenacity. "Really the horse is just starting to learn how to race," Olive said. "He's going to be an even nicer horse next preparation. Even though he's up sharply in grade I expect him to run very well tomorrow. Reprinted from The Canberra Times, Thursday 3 November 2011.
Date published: 11/11/11
Ward and Olive team up for Winning Thoroughbred Park Double
Jockey Brendan Ward and trainer Nick Olive teamed up for two winners at the YouthCARE Canberra Race Day at Thoroughbred park on Friday. Ward started the meeting in perfect style, riding the Olive trained McGovern to a one and half length victory over the $2.15 favourite Servante in the Queanbeyan Leagues Club maiden handicap. The three-year old bay filly,coming off a four-month spell, jumped to the lead early in the race and was too strong for the field. "I was just able to jump straight to the lead and maintain it from there." Ward said. "She toughed it out better than the rest of them which was very pleasing." Ward's second win came in the Vale Jim Murphy AO Maiden Plate. The race was fiercely contested with the top seven finishing horses separated by only two and half lengths. The four-year-old bay gelding Devon came from behind to pip the favourite Rock Speed by a neck. Ward said the field was surprisingly strong for a maiden. "We knew that there was a fair bit of form around that race before it started and it really ended up living up to those expectations," he said. "They were two very good races for us because the fields in both were quite strong, but we were always confident we would be in for a strong showing in both. "Both horses have shown that they are more than capable" Ward and Olive had slow starts to the new season after comfortable winning the jockeys and trainers premierships last season. "It's been a while since I last got two winners here, but I'm still very happy with my current form." Ward said. "I've ridden about 10 winners in the past fortnight so things are going the way I want them." Ward is in second place in the Canberra Jockeys Premiership with four wins for a strike rate of 15 per cent. the current leader, fellow experienced jockey Jeff Penza has one more win and a strike rate of 17 per cent. Olive's two winners have finally put him on the board of the Canberra Trainers premiership, six meetings into the season. Reprinted from the Canberra Times 16 October 2011.
Date published: 28/10/11
Olive Hopes Dry Run Over for Voice Commander
Premier Canberra trainer Nick Olive will contest the Seymour Cup (1600m) with Voice Commander on Sunday if the rain clouds hovering over Victoria disappear later this week. It'd be the seven-year-old's second crack in the state in as many starts and Olive expected a much better showing than his 10th at Moonee Valley on Manikato Stakes night. Just forget he went around the other day," Olive said. "He really is flying but he won't go down unless the track's dry. His third-up run's probably his best run of his campaign normally." After resuming with a ninth placing in the Sebring Sprint last month, Voice Commander debuted in Victoria on a sodden Moonee Valley track and didn't handle the going despite leading early, finishing 10 lengths off winner Ginga Dude in a mile-long handicap. Stable mate Zaratone also raced that night at Moonee Valley, finishing sixth to Definitely Ready in a 955m open handicap.The speedy grey will join fellow Olive runner Grand Rhumba at Randwick on Saturday in the Lightning Handicap (1100m). Since winning the Starlight Stakes first-up, Zaratone is unplaced but Olive said the horse was primed for an impressive effort. "He ran a pretty good race the other day, he only got beaten three lengths and he missed the start so it wasn't a bad run." Olive said. "He needs things to go a certain way and if it does go his way he'll be very hard to beat again. Zaratone will likely go forward and set the pace which Olive hoped would allow Grand Rhumba to work into the contest. Reprinted from The Canberra Times, Tuesday October 11, 2011
Date published: 12/10/11
Voice back on track as eager Olive eyes spring
Last month trainer Nick Olive stood in a room filled with Sydney racing's biggest names and accepted the NSW Country Horse of the Year award on behalf of his stable star Voice commander. Voice Commander is racing for the first time since claiming that honour in tomorrow's Group 2 Sebring Sprint (1300m) at Rosehill. Despite having low expectations for his return outing, Canberra-based Olive can't wait for the preparation ahead. "It certainly was a big thrill," Olive said of collecting the award. "Being a country trainer, just being a part of that whole night was fantastic. I think he definitely deserved the award." Voice Commander has been an integral part of Olive's start to his training career in Canberra - the gelding, and before him Group 1 - placed filly Zenarta, have helped build the trainer's profile. "For a country stable, to have had horses like that has been fantastic," Olive said. "I've been lucky because I've always had a good horse in the stable." Voice Commander won four races last season including the listed Frank Underwood Cup (2000m) at Rosehill and Listed Wagga Wagga gold Cup (2000m). Olive said the son of Commands had returned in fine fettle but his spring program had yet to be finalised. "I 'm really happy with the way he has come back," Olive said. "He's nowhere near his peak yet and he's still got a bit of a wintery' coat but I'm really happy with him and his work has been terrific. "I don't think he's going to be a chance in this race (tomorrow) but he needs to kick off somewhere. "I haven't really decided what races we'll target but we'll probably get him down to Melbourne and try to go for some of the fringe races at Listed level." Continuation of this article can be found in the Canberra Times Friday 9 September 2011.
Date published: 12/09/11
Zaratone
KATHY O'HARA has clocked up the miles in her car this week and also the winners. Zaratone gave her a third city winner with a display of sustained speed in the Starlight Stakes at Rosehill yesterday. ''It has been a good week but a long week and I will be having a sleep-in in the morning,'' O'Hara said. ''I had rode trials and at the [Randwick] races on Tuesday, went to Kembla on Wednesday before Canterbury then [Warwick Farm] trials before Goulburn and back for the awards night on Thursday.'' Zaratone's trainer, Nick Olive, picked up the country horse of the year award with Voice Commander on Thursday after his success in the Wagga Cup when ridden by O'Hara. ''We have had a bit of luck together,'' O'Hara said. ''Nick did a great job with Voice Commander and is doing a very good job with this fella as well.'' Zaratone used his impressive gate speed from barrier 11 to cross group 1-winning speedster Gold Trail and lead on his own yesterday. From there he made it a one-act affair, leaving some handy sprinters in his wake as he beat Royal Discretion and Atomic Force. ''I knew I would have a bit of a race on my hands to the first turn but he got across Gold Trail,'' O'Hara said. ''Nick had told me that Zaratone races better on the fence and I wanted to get there. He has such a high cruising speed and gave me a really good kick off the turn. They were never going to get him. There is still a bit of improvement left in him.'' Trainer Olive was not on track for the win because of his brother's surprise birthday party. Galaxy winner Atomic Force made a good return and impressed Nash Rawiller. ''He was awesome,'' Rawiller said. ''He got hampered by the winner early on but just kept on coming under the big weight.'' The continuation of the article is available at the Sydney Morning Herald Website Date published Sunday 14 August 2011
Date published: 15/08/11
Trainer Olive Thrilled With Win
After a successful year of racing, local trainer Nick Olive will get his reward when he claims the ACT trainers premiership for the third year in a row after today's meeting at Thoroughbred Park.
Olive, who holds an unassailable lead at the top of the table with 25 wins, 121/2 seconds and 14 thirds, isn't resting on his laurels and is still fielding six starters at the Acton track today.
"It's always a big thrill to win," Olive said. "It indicates the fact that you've had a successful season and I suppose it means that little bit more that I was born and bred in Canberra, so it does mean a lot."
The continuation of the article is available at the Canberra Times website.
Date Publised Friday 22 July 2011
Date published: 31/07/11
