Lauriston Thoroughbred Farm

Well placed by trainer Ricky Maund, Glenariff made it two in a row in a dominant display at Ballarat in yesterday’s 0-68 rating showcase race for mares over 1100 metres. Positive from the despatch, Craig Newitt allowed the mare to cross the field from her wide gate to settle outside the early race leader, Varmia. The two took up the running. The field bunched and then fanned at the turn as the back markers worked in to the race, but Froggy was swinging on Glenariff. Glenariff dashed clear in the straight and was as strong on the line as at any stage throughout the race. Glenariff won by more than a length.

It was Glenariff’s fourth win and her tenth podium position from just twenty outings. Bred at Lauriston, the six year old Jeune mare is a half-sister to Golden Rose winner Doonan.

It was Ricky Maund’s sixth win during August at a winning strike rate of 24%.

Ricky Maund

felt the 0-68 rating race at Murtoa over 1200 metres last Saturday would be ideal for Rhodamine. The track was rated dead and the weather was fine. Jade Darose, who had won on the mare on two previous occasions, was on board.

Jade took Rhodamine forward with the favourite, Polymook , settling outside her. The pair put some speed in to the race. In the straight Rhodamine was headed by Polymook. Sandler emerged as a threat. Showing grit Rhodamine fought back and won, just 0.2 lengths in front of Polymook, with Sandler, third, a further half a length behind.

The win was the Success Express mare’s seventh and took her career earnings to more than $80,000.

Show Stealer has finished her racing career in spectacular fashion, with three wins from her last three outings – the last two at city level. Today, in the seventh at Sandown, punters rallied behind Peter Moody’s Exquisite Art who had shortened from her odds on opening quote of $1.70 to $1.55 favourite. Exquisite Art had won two from two in impressive style. Conversely Show Stealer, who was carrying weight and had drawn the car park drifted in the betting to 17-1.

The race was a 0-78 rating race for mares over 1200 metres. Show Stealer wasn’t fast away, but Craig Newitt knew how to ride her. She quickly mustered speed to cross the field and take up the running.

Rounding the turn, Froggy, had them off the bit. Excellent Art chased, but it was always going to be tough to run down the in-form mare. Froggy knew it and Show Stealer knew it. Show Stealer dug deep and stuck her neck out to win by a narrow margin. It needs to be said – she stole the show.

“It’s a pity I didn’t meet her earlier in her career – I’ve won three from three on her now,” said Craig Newitt after the race. “She won her previous two starts with something in reserve, I think I found the bottom of her today about 100 from home, but she has a tremendous will to find the line.”

Trainer Ricky Maund is enjoying a purple patch. He has started the new season in the same winning style that he ended the previous season with seven winners in less than three weeks.

It will be Show Stealer’s

last race and eighth win – her third at city level. She has won from 900 metres to 1430 metres and her career earnings are just under $140,000. She will now be retired to stud where she has been booked to Exceed And Excel. Show Stealer is by Tobougg from the top producing mare Gay Performance.

Winners Are Grinners

Ricky had given Glenariff a freshen before returning her to one of her favourite tracks, Geelong, earlier today. Punters had her at top equal pick going in to the sixth – a 0-62 rating race over 1000 metres. Moving to the gates she behaved like a fresh horse. Restless, she dwelt the start and in an unfamiliar role raced from the rear. Craig Newitt tracked another fancied runner – Parisian Romance

in to the race. In the straight an opportunity presented and he pushed the big chestnut in to space. Glenariff let down and quickly closed on the leaders. She beat Parisian Romance by 0.3 length and third horse Rabati by nearly 2 lengths. 

 It wasn’t the first time that Craig had partnered Glenariff to be first past the post. “She feels really good this time in,” he explained after the race. 

“We didn’t plan to be back there,” said Ricky Maund who is enjoying a purple patch – with six winners in just eleven days, “but it won’t do her any harm. It will probably teach her to settle a bit, and it lets us know that she can race that way.” 

 Glenariff is by Jeune from Carnlough. She was born at Lauriston and is a half-sister to Golden Rose winner Doonan and Canna. Today was Glenariff’s third win.

Well bred Toubougg mare Show Stealer has been booked to Exceed And Excel this breeding season. But she doesn’t know it. She still thinks she is a racehorse and after just turning seven is enjoying her best career form. Yesterday she backed up her win just eight days previously with another stellar performance.

Ricky Maund had entered Show Stealer in the 0-72 rating mares race over 1210 metres at Mornington’s city

grade meeting. Craig Newitt, who had ridden her to victory in her previous start was on board again. In customary fashion, Show Stealer quickly found her feet after leaving the machine. “Froggy” settled her in front and allowed What A Treat to cross. But Craig was not going to make it easy for the new leader and allowed Show Stealer to move up alongside. What A Treat found the pressure too great and weakened before the turn. Craig cut the corner and suddenly there was daylight separating Show Stealer from her rivals.

The favourite Shabangabang had tracked Show Stealer throughout but could not close the margin. Craig then steered his mount toward the centre of the track where the going was better, and pushed her to the line. She won by a length made all the more impressive because she carried five kilograms more than the second horse, Belahina who had come from last, and a kilogram more than any other horse in the race.

It was Show Stealer’s seventh win and her second win at city grade taking her career earnings beyond $120,000. Ricky has started the new racing season in sizzling fashion. The win was his fifth in just eight days.

Swift Sands, Stewy, Tango Express and Brooke

Last week Ricky Maund took two horses, Show Stealer and Bedouin Express, to Geelong, both duly won. Yesterday, just one week later, Ricky took another pair of horses to the same venue. A repeat performance was always going to be difficult because they were in the same race.  

In form apprentice Katelyn Mallyon was aboard Tango Express, while Jade Darose was aboard Swift Sands. The 0-72 fillies and mares race over 1100 metres had only attracted a small field. Nevertheless, punters had the two Maund trained mares as the roughies. Katelyn took Tango Express to the front of the field. Swift Sands jumped well, yet following instructions Jade brought her back to the rear of the field.  

Rounding the turn, Tango Express left the on pacers behind and had the race all but won. But jade had other ideas. A furlong from home, Swift Sands was still clearly last, but she responded to Jade’s riding and quickened spectacularly.  

They hit the wire with Tango Express on the inside and Swift Sands outside. For a moment it appeared that Ricky had achieved the near impossible. A dead heat would give him four winners from his last four starters at Geelong. The judges adjudicated that Tango Express had outlasted Swift Sands by the narrowest of margins – 0.1length. Ricky settled for a quinella.  

Tango Express, who

was bred at Lauriston is by Success Express from Entango. Entango has a yearling colt by Lohnro.  

Swift Sands is from Danske mare Quite Astute. Quite Astute raced on five occasions in New Zealand and never finished out of a place, including the 2003 Group 1 Ford Manawatu Sires Produce Stakes.

Kathy with Coupe Express in 2008

Coupe Express became Lauriston’s fortieth individual winner when she won the 2yo 1200 metre fillies maiden plate at Warrnambool today.  With Andrew Mallyon on board she ran on the pace throughout the race. At the turn the leaders fell away, leaving Coupe Express in front. It looked all over, however Not To Bee drew alongside her. The track was heavy and it became a gritty slug fest down the straight. For a moment Not To Bee headed Coupe Express. But the chestnut responded to the challenge and doggedly regained the front when it mattered. There was more than three lengths to the third horse.

“She would be better on top of the ground and could quite possibly get a mile” reported Andrew Mallyon after the race.

Coupe Express was well placed by trainer Ricky Maund. The race was worth $15,000 and carried $9,000 VOBIS bonuses for eligible horses. It gave Ricky his third Victorian win in a row, after achieving back to back winners at Geelong last week.

Coupe Express in 2008

The chestnut filly was bred at Lauriston. She is by Rangal Park Stud’s Ne Coupez Pas from Lauriston mare Gal Express. Gal Express has only had two foals at racing age. The other is a four year old Bedouin Express who was a runaway winner at Geelong last Tuesday.

The Winners

Ricky Maund accepted with both Show Stealer and Bedoiun Express at Seymour on Tuesday. The track received too much rain, and so the races were transferred to the Geelong thoroughtrack.

Show Stealer raced in the fourth over 1200 metres, and Bedouin Express was in the fifth, a 0-62 rating race that had been reduced from 1600 metres to 1300 metres to suit the new venue.

Craig Newitt had ridden two earlier winners in the day, and he was always confident aboard Show Stealer. Jumping positively the mare quickly found the lead and from there was never really challenged. She won by ¾ of a length. The win was Show Stealer’s sixth and pushed her career earnings beyond $100,000.

Show Stealer, by Toubougg, is from the good producer Gay Performance. Combined, Gay Performance’s progeny have earned more than $1,000,000. Show Stealer’s siblings include Todman Slipper winner  Great Crusader, Listed place getter Bold Reason, Listed place getter Gay Adventure and Stolen Beauty, dam of Group 3 winner and Group 2 runner up Benny’s Buttons.

Show Stealer is now destined to join Lauriston’s broodmare band. “It was a good performance against the colts and geldings,” said Ricky earlier today “she has pulled up really well. There are a couple of races coming up soon that will suit before we pack her off to stud.”

Just thirty minutes after Show Stealer’s win, Bedouin Express was sent out as the favourite in the very next race. And he won as a favourite should. Danny Nikolic positioned the gelding beautifully along the rails behind the leaders. Rounding the turn he pushed out and when clear, set sail for the judge. Bedouin Express showed a quick turn of foot to win by three lengths.

“That was a great ride by Danny,” commented Ricky after the race. “The horse didn’t do too much wrong either. It wasn’t ideal coming back to the 1300 metres and we will be looking for suitable races over a mile for his next start.”

Bedouin Express was bred at Lauriston and is by Desert King out of Gal Express.