THREE IN A ROW FOR ‘RUDY’ – TESTAMENT TO SPICER’S EUROPEAN YEARLING PROJECT
An exciting back half of the current racing season awaits lightly-raced northern hemisphere five-year-old Rudhyar, who stretched his winning sequence to three at Warrnambool’s meeting that was transferred to Coleraine on August 5.
Having just his fifth start, Rudhyar continued his progression through the grades by overcoming negatives to emerge an authoritative winner of a Bench Mark 70 event.
As Spicer Thoroughbreds prepares to make another foray into the European yearling market, Brad Spicer continues to be delighted with Rudhyar and Fueurmond, the first pair speculated upon in 2018. Trainer Lindsey Smith has brought them along patiently for a combined tally of six wins.
Smith is keen to stretch Rudhyar out to 2400m, but missing a race due to a distance change forced the trainer’s hand to saddle up at the tight Coleraine circuit when Warrnambool was deemed too wet.
“I didn’t think Coleraine would suit him but he needed the run and he will have another start before he is turned out for the spring,” Smith said.
“I think he’s time is early next year. He’s still immature and we’ll let him develop.”
Depending on the speed of his development, the Adelaide Cup in March or the Warrnambool Cup in May could loom large on Rudhyar’s program.
Internationally-regarded jockey Brett Prebble has forged an association with Smith and Spicer in recent months. Prebble travels to the south western district tracks to ride Smith’s horses in trials and has developed an affinity with the imported gallopers that grew up on Australian soil and acclimatised to our conditions.
“Rudhyar is a really nice horse, a progressive horse and he is going to make a really nice stayer,” Prebble said, adding the manner of the performance suggested it may be the makings of the horse.
“He will certainly be more street smart for it. He had to really earn his position on the home turn and really want it.
“He still floated all the way up the straight, never opened up at all. He’s still got a lot left under the bonnett. I haven’t felt it and you haven’t seen it. In six-months’ time he could be a horse we all know about.”
Smith is happy with the class of 2019 yearlings that are close to racing and believes it is only a matter of time before Spicer Thoroughbreds and the Smith stable enjoy feature success.
“Brad has got a good eye and he’s already had 10 Group 1 wins … hopefully the next Group 1 winner is in my yard,” Smith said.
Those wishing to learn more about the up-coming plans to purchase yearlings in Europe, contact Spicer Thoroughbreds for more details.
BEST LIES AHEAD FOR ASTUTE NZ PURCHASE SACRED PALACE
Sacred Palace, an impressive winner at Caulfield on Saturday (July 24), rounded out a meticulous plan drafted by Spicer Thoroughbreds, which purchased the three-year-old in early 2021 from New Zealand to target the winter months that form the back end of the Melbourne metropolitan season.
“We purchased him from Raffles Racing in New Zealand, who are great breeders and in fact raced Sacred Palace’s sire Sacred Falls, who was a dual winner of the Doncaster and Mile and a three-time Group 1 winner,” Brad Spicer said.
“He only had a handful of starts and showed good ability, but wasn’t switched right on in his races. He just needed the penny to drop. Trainer Lindsey Smith has done a great job working this boy out.
“It’s a real credit to that beach training set-up which has seen Sacred Palace improve all throughout his preparation. He’s been quite unlucky and could of easily won 4 races this prep, just his racing pattern has conspired against him.”
A get back, run-on type that really lends itself to needing clear running in the latter stages of a race, Sacred Palace illustrated his effectiveness when ridden that way at Caulfield by jockey Brett Prebble –content to cover ground so long as his mount could blend into the finish.
“He’s on an upward climb. He’s a really enjoyable ride, he travels strong and gives you a lovely kick when you want it,” Prebble, the beneficiary of regular rider Declan Bates’ suspension, said.
Spicer said Lindsey Smith will spell him now as he has had a long prep and get ready for his 4 year old season.
STONE MOTHERLESS LAST TO FIRST SACRED PALACE IS NO COMMONER
Sacred Palace, a private purchase out of New Zealand by Spicer Thoroughbreds, looks to have a very bright future in Australia after circling the field in the straight to win a Bench Mark 64 at Bendigo on July 1.
“He hasn’t had the best of luck in a handful of runs thus far, but he showed he has a great motor when he gets clear-running,” Brad Spicer said after the blistering performance.
“Credit where credit is due. After he failed to run out a strong 1300 last start, (trainer) Lindsey Smith freshened him and dropped back to 1100 metres. That was a masterstroke.”
Declan Bates rode him cold early before launching a barnstorming run down the outside to ecord an impressive win.
“We were quite happy for him to come back from the wide gate and unleash down the outside. He had to be good to win from where he was really. Hopefully the horse takes a bit of confidence from that,” Bates said.
A winner on debut at New Plymouth on New Zealand’s north island in October last year, the Bendigo triumph was Sacred Palace’s second in seven starts. The brown gelding is a son of two-time Doncaster Mile winner Sacred Falls.
Trainer Lindsey Smith will consider some races for three-year-olds in the metropolitan area in the run up to the end of the season on July 31 as good options for Sacred Palace.
The Bendigo victory triggered a run of success for Spicer Thoroughbreds and Smith. A winning hat-trick at Geelong the following day signaled the team havea big month ahead.
PRESS STATEMENT: IT’S NO LONGER CLASSIFIED WA DERBY WINNER’S GRAND-DAUGHTER HAS BRIGHT FUTURE
Brad Spicer, of Spicer Thoroughbreds, has built a successful Bloodstock business by identifying hidden gems at yearling sales, the progeny of value stallions yet to have found their niche.
Spicer latched onto Choisir and put many clients into winners by the Australian sprinter-miler that pioneered the assault on the June meeting at Royal Ascot
It is early doors but Caulfield Guineas winner Press Statement is shaping as the latest young sire to click with Spicer. Incredulous Dream registered a black-type success in April – the Nitschke Stakes at Morphettville her fourth win in 11 starts.
Fast forward to July 2 at Geelong and Spicer’s faith in Press Statement has not wavered with It’s Classfied breaking her maiden status at start three.
“She made up for her close second at Ballarat in June with a dominant win and prove to Lindsey Smith what he had thought all along … that she is a city class filly/mare in the making,” Spicer said.
Winning jockey Brett Prebble decided “to take luck out of the equation” from the wide barrier, camping three-wide without cover just off the leaders.
“She travelled sweet, she was the only one you wanted to be on at the 600 (metres). She was going to win a long way out,” Prebble said.
“She’s learning her trade but she’s a nice filly going forward.”
It’s Classified was an Inglis Gold purchase and she will prove to be a cheap buy in time, once she stretches out in distance which she is bred to do on her dam side.
“She will most likely head to a Bench Mark city grade fillies race next start and hopefully she can put a few wins together,” Spicer said.
It’s Classified is out of Encosta De Lago mare Kim Classic, who did all her racing in WA and was a four-time winner at Ascot, while her grandam Kim Angel was victorious in the Group 1 WA Derby – one of 12 wins from 32 starts.
LE DON DE VIE WINS WARNAMBOOL CUP
There is no more joyous scene than that of a large group of owners reveling in a moment of sheer bliss, generated when their horse is triumphant.
Brad Spicer has experienced the euphoria associated with victories at all levels under his Spicer Thoroughbreds banner. With an eclectic group of owners that have won Australia’s richest races, they celebrated success with imported galloper Le Don De Vie in the Warrnambool Cup earlier this month.
“It was great to be a part of a good group to win the Warrnambool Cup with our import Le Don De Vie. He certainly showed his class, carrying topweight, and treated his rivals with contempt, clearing out for a stylish win,” Spicer said.
“He was originally purchased with a Royal Ascot start in mind during their 2020 carnival but when COVID-19 hit and racing shut down in England, he was rushed out to Oz. He was a terrific second at his Australian debut in the Geelong Cup.
“His impressive win has now earned him a trip north for the Queensland carnival and he has now passed the ballot for the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups, which could come on the agenda with some natural improvement.”
Le Don De Vie will have two starts including the Group 2 Brisbane Cup (2400m) on the Queen’s Birthday weekend.
FREDERICK GETS GREATER
When Frederick The Dane was placed in a Group 3 Blue Diamond Stakes lead-up on debut, there was reason for all associated with the gelding to be optimistic, even excited about what lay ahead.
If only it were that easy.
Frederick The Dane broke through for his first win at his fifth start and it be another five starts before he would taste victory again.
The speedy son of Danerich broke through for his long overdue second win at Cranbourne. After showing so much promise early on, the quirky type has taken quite a bit to work out.
A one-eyed blinker coupled with the drop back in distance did the trick, seeing him back in the winner’s circle over 1000 metres in a Bench Mark 64 event.
Ben Hayes had indicated that he was ready to move into the doghouse if he couldn’t get ‘Fred’ back winning due to the pressure applied by the No.1 ticket holder. Racing.com’s Grace Ramage, Ben’s partner in life, is part of the ownership group along with his mother Prue.
Experimenting with blinkers, headgear worn by horses featuring a cup over each eye to restrict peripheral vision, can have a positive impact. However, the Hayes family – from patriarch Colin, to David and brother Peter – have used a one-eyed blinker to great effect.
Every horse is an individual and it is a matter of establishing what helps them to focus on the task at hand. So far so good,
Frederick The Dane will most likely head back to Cranbourne in a couple of weeks for another suitable 1000 metre race, which should set up well for him.