KING BOOKED FOR ZOUMON
The following article written by Jay Rooney was published in The West Australian:
"One of Australia’s top female jockeys, Rachel King, has been booked to ride Zoumon in Saturday’s Ted Van Heemst Stakes and the $1 million Perth Cup at Ascot.
The British-born, Sydney-based hoop is riding on a high after booting home three Group 1 winners and finishing a close second in the World All-Star Jockeys series in Japan in this year.
King will make her second appearance at Ascot after riding in the inaugural $4m The Quokka (1200m) in April, with her mount Shades Of Rose running ninth behind Overpass.
She has ridden Zoumon three times, including a dominant Grafton Cup (2350m) win in July and close second in the $2m Five Diamonds (1800m) at Rosehill last month.
“It’s always been the plan for her to come over and ride Zoumon,” Zoumon’s co-trainer Adrian Bott said.
“She’s had a good association with him previously.
“The cup is the race we’ve always set him for and he should be right on target for that.”
Bott, who trains in partnership with Gai Waterhouse, expects Zoumon to improve on his last-start ninth when ridden by Damien Oliver in the Group 1 Northerly Stakes (1800m) at Ascot.
“It was his first time at Group 1 weight-for-age level and at a distance short of his best,” Bott said.
“He had a sticky gate (15) but he closed off well.
“It (Ted Van Heemst Stakes) is a good stepping stone towards the cup.
“He’s down in grade and up in trip and they are two big factors.”
Zoumon, who races in the Mt Hallowell Stud colours of WA part-owner Craig Thompson, is the $3.60 Perth Cup (2400m) favourite with Ladbrokes.
WA hoop Clint Johnston-Porter has been booked to ride Sydney raider Numerian in the Ted Van Heemst Stakes (2100m).
The Annabel Neasham-trained import ran close seconds in Group 1s the Australian Cup (2000m) and Doomben Cup (2000m) earlier this year.
“He’s in good order,” Neasham’s racing manager Rob Archibald said.
“CJP rode him in a track gallop last week to get to know him, which was good.
“He’s proven at this distance and we’re expecting him to run well.”
Johnston-Porter is expected to ride Be Optimistic in the Perth Cup on January 1, leaving the ride on Numerian up for grabs.
Jarrad Noske is the new rider of Casino Seventeen in the Ted Van Heemst Stakes. The Grant and Alana Williams-trained gelding is the $4.20 second favourite for the Perth Cup."
FRESH START
AVOIDANCE returned to the races this weekend looking fresh and determined after a 3 month spell, winning by 0.8L over 1000m at Albany.
HALLOWELL BRED SHEEZA BELTER SELLS FOR $1.35 MILLION
Article by Thoroughbred Breeders WA:
"Mt Hallowell Stud owners Craig and Rose Thompson bred and sold Sheeza Belter for $50,000 as a yearling at the 2021 Perth Magic Millions and they were just as thrilled as her owners when she changed hands a second time for $1.35 million on Thursday.
Sheeza Belter (4m Gold Standard – Saxabelle by Saxon) was the first Group 1 juvenile-winning filly to be auctioned in seven years when she was purchased by Yulong Investments at a Magic Millions Virtual Sale yesterday. The bidding opened at $300,000 and rose in $50,000 increments until auctioneer Clint Donovan knocked her down to Yulong’s Highway Farm.
“It’s nerve-racking selling a horse at that level,” managing part-owner Justin Warwick said. “She has taken all of us on such a wonderful ride.”
That journey was initiated by Mt Hallowell at Denmark and it reached a crescendo winning last year’s Group 1 J J Atkins Stakes (1600m) at Eagle Farm. She had transferred east after swamping her rivals in the RL Magic Millions WA 2YO Classic (1200m) at Pinjarra.
“Sheeza Belter was a standout foal at the farm from the outset,” Craig Thompson recalled. “She was initially passed-in as a yearling but we did a deal with Justin through David Houston at Magic Millions. She earned $1.88 million in prizemoney and brought a whole lot of joy to Justin and the owners. Good luck to them.”
Craig is Chairman of the Thompson Shipping Group in Fremantle and it’s no secret Saxabelle is one of his favourite mares at Mt Hallowell.
She won twice in town and is a younger half-sister to Special Kiseki (Special Bond) who foaled the multiple-Stakes winners Special Reward, Showy Chloe and El Rijes.
“Her 3yo is a More Than Ready (USA) colt named Call Of Duty with Grant and Alana Williams,” Thompson said. “He’s exciting and I thought he was the pick of our crop that year. Call Of Duty won a trial at Lark Hill last month and we’re hoping he will be right to debut at Ascot in a fortnight.”
Saxabelle’s yearling is a colt by Brave Smash (Jpn) that will be retained and, after missing to So You Think (NZ) last year, she has just been tested in foal to Gold Standard again.
The Thompsons raced Gold Standard to a Group 2 victory in the 2017 Stan Fox Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill and sent him to Melbourne for that year’s spring carnival only to see him go amiss in the G1 Caulfield Guineas.
“We retained 10 lifetime shares Gold Standard after selling him to stand at stud in Victoria. He’s a son of Sebring who is by one of my favourite sires More Than Ready. Sheeza Belter’s older half-sister Grand Design (Master Of Design) will also go back to Gold Standard this season.”
Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trained Gold Standard and they have progressive stayer Zoumon (Zoustar) ready resume after a winter campaign that garnered Listed victories in the McKell Cup (2000m) at Rosehill, Caloundra Cup (2400m) at the Sunshine Coast and Grafton Cup (2350m) carrying Mt Hallowell’s gold and purple silks.
Zoumon won a Randwick trial over 1200m last month and, apart from the Sydney and Melbourne carnivals, Waterhouse has also raised the possibility of a start in the $1 million G2 Perth Cup (2400m) at Ascot on New Year’s Day.
Mt Hallowell’s Perth contingent includes Sisu Warrior (Gold Standard) who won the final two starts of his Belmont prep last month. He’s trained by Team Williams as is his 3yo half-brother Saulok (Santos) who was a front-running winner on debut at Belmont on September 27. Between those results, their dam Porto Cristo (Encosta De Lago) delivered another colt by Gold Standard."
ALL OKAY FOR SAULOK
In his debut start, SAULOK led from barrier to box for an impressive win by 1.96L over 1300m at Belmont yesterday.
2023 BREEDING SEASON
The 2023 breeding season is now in full swing with the birth of our second foal, a beautiful filly by Gold Standard out of Retosona.
We are expecting 10 foals this season and their sires include Dundeel, Maurice, and Brave Smash who is the current leading Australian first crop sire by winners.