Lauriston Thoroughbred Farm

Following Rhodamine’s last start victory, trainer Ricky Maund elected to drop the Success Express mare back in distance to 1000 metres in a showcase race at Cranbourne. Jade  Darose rolled Rhodamine forward and wide before crossing to sit just off the early leader Super Swell. Rating Rhodamine well, and patiently biding her time, Jade only began punching her mount out to the line in the closing stages. Rhodamine won by a length. It was her sixth career win and brought her prize money tally to more than $70,000.

Drawn wide, Jade Darose pushed Rhodamine forward to cross the 0-62 rating field at Bairnsdale over 1200 metres last Sunday. Jade then eased the mare handing up the lead to Smooth Coupez. Regaining the lead at the turn and well rated by Jade, Rhodamine was never troubled in the straight.  She won by nearly two lengths. It was the Success Express mare’s fifth career win. Trainer Ricky Maund explained that after a long break she has returned in tremendous condition. Each of Rhodamine’s four starts this preparation have been of merit.

CAN HE RUN?

He sure can!

You would have all seen his 3.8 length victory over a Class 1 field last Friday, New Year’s Eve.  For those that didn’t see it, tap into the attached Canna’s Last Start and see for yourselves.

Canna is an enigma, a bit like his namesake, Bruno Cannatelli.

He takes for granted his everyday chores, – training, eating, swimming, eating, exercise, eating and more eating, – but come race day, well that’s a different scenario, that’s a work day, and the Bruno influence comes out: I’M GONNA WIN.

And win he does, with consummate ease albeit in his own class.

Canna by Bel Esprit may have just needed time to mature and understand that racing was his domain. After all he was an orphan foal and needed a lot of TLC, which he got from both Kathy and Paul Eden, the Lauriston Breeding operators that saw Canna, nee Bruno, develop to become a racehorse.

Certainly the move to Toowoomba has enhanced his opportunities, and with Neville Saunders as his trainer and Phillip Wolfgram as his rider, Canna will make the most of those opportunities.

I believe all of us at Lauriston and the Riding for Disabled Victoria are pretty pleased with Canna’s performance to date.

And it gives us, at Lauriston, great satisfaction to be forwarding our donation to The Riding for the Disabled, Victoria Division.

Congratulations to all concerned.

Photographer Bruno Cannatelli became was taken by

the orphaned foal the moment he saw him, and so the Bel Esprit colt was stable named Bruno and later Canna became his registered race name.

At a charity function for Riding for the Disabled – Victoria, Canna’s owners Tanith and Kevin O’Brien announced that they would donate a percentage of Canna’s race earnings to that organisation.

Unfortunately Canna was injured early in his career and did not commence his racing until he had fully recovered.  Yesterday, stepping out in only his fourth start, the four year old gave every indication that he may be a good race horse.

With blinkers on, he raced fiercely, and did not settle until he got to the lead. At the turn Canna was two lengths ahead of the field, and while the other jockeys were busy on their mounts, Phillip Wolfgram was sitting quietly on Canna. He effortlessly stole a break and coasted to the line to win by more than five lengths.

The 1300 metre maiden was on a feature race day at Toowoomba and hopefully will be the first of many more wins for Canna.

Canna became the thirty-fifth individual winner bred at Lauriston Thoroughbred Farm. He boasts a strong pedigree.  He is the son of Victoria’s leading sire, Bel Esprit, who is also the sire of sprinting sensation Black Caviar. Canna’s dam Carnlough who sadly passed away after foaling Canna, is the dam of Golden Rose winner Doonan.

Click on the attached link for more information about the Riding for the Disabled – Victoria

Sorisam’s first career start was just 30 days ago at Mornington where he ran on into fourth. Two weeks later, in his second start, he was a convincing winner at Stony Creek, box seating and finding the line strongly over 1100 metres. Today, back to 1000 metres in the last at Bairnsdale, Sorisam made it two wins from his three starts. He missed the jump, and was last upon settling. Left

with little choice, pick up rider Peter Mertens rode Sorisam for luck along the rails. Making good ground at the turn, Sorisam pounced on the lead to win by one a length and a half, eased up on the line. The win gave Peter Mertens a running double.

“He has done really well this preparation and will now have a break” reported Ricky Maund about his immediate plans for the lightly raced Sequalo gelding.

Watch The Show had been unlucky not to break her maiden status earlier, finishing runner–up on five occasions in her thirteen previous starts. Accordingly she was sent out as favourite in the Chinchilla 1300metres, QTIS maiden. With Neville Saunder’s apprentice jockey Takahiro Ide on board, Watch The Show did not let her supporters down. Watch The Show strung out the eight horse field to win by more than five lengths with the third place getter a further five lengths behind the second horse. The win should be a confidence booster for the Show A Heart mare.

Trainer Ricky Maund aimed two of his charges – Complete Control and Identify at the 0-68 rated fillies and mares race over 1200 metres at Traralgon last Sunday. They ran the quinella.

Identify, ridden by Rhys McLeod, jumped well on this occasion, and raced handy just off the leaders.  Meanwhile, with Brian Park aboard, Complete Control, settled with only four horses behind her before pushing up through the field. Entering the straight she found space. Identify had headed for the judge and Complete Control set chase. After drawing level with her stable mate, Complete Control suddenly found an extra gear.  She was very strong on the line, winning by more than two lengths finally erasing any doubt from this writer’s mind that she can get six furlongs. Identify, despite running on the pace held on for second, half a length ahead of In Gods Time.

Complete Control had been unlucky in her previous two starts, at Ballarat and Werribee. She finished second and despite suffering interference from the winners lost her protests on both occasions. This time there was no interference. It was a terrific and confident ride by Brian Park. The win gave him a winning treble.

Complete Control, who was born at Lauriston, is a half sister to Maribyrnong Plate winners General Truce and Arctic Command and a beautiful six week old Testa Rossa filly. The win brings her stakes earnings to more than $130,000.

Tango Express went back to back and Gold Lining and Sorisam both broke their maiden status for trainer Ricky Maund at Stony Creek on Saturday.

There was much to like about Gold Lining’s previous start at Sale, where he showed improvement from his earlier efforts. Ricky Maund sent him over the 2100 metre trip in the first at Stony Creek. Jockey, Rowan Waymouth, rode the gelding rigorously from the gates to land in the box seat.  After taking an inside run at the corner Gold Lining was quick to put two lengths on his nearest rival. Race favourite Gravitas set after Gold Lining, but was a length in arrears at the post.

Lightly raced Sorisam has always hinted at his potential, and his fast finishing debut run at Mornington did nothing to change opinion. In only his second career start he showed that he may have a promising future. Ridden by Rhys McLeod in the third at Stony Creek, Sorisam box seated and after straightening was disappointed for an inside run when race leader Carsons Creek shifted in. Changing tactics, Rhys steered his mount across the back and around Carsons Creek to find the line three quarters of a length ahead of the late finishing and short priced favourite Dash for Viz.

Tango Express with partner in crime, Jade Darose, franked their previous start win with a scintillating display in the last over 1100 metres. As usual the Success Express mare was quick from the gates and, well rated by Jade, settled five lengths behind the leader, Set Shot. After turning, Tango Express reeled in the tear away leader to win by a length and a half. Tango Express was bred at Lauriston from Entango. Entango has a Lonhro colt at foot.

Meanwhile on the other side of Melbourne at Werribee, Complete Control was unlucky not to provide Ricky Maund with his fourth winner for the day. Complete Control has almost made finding trouble an art. Wide at the turn, Complete Control found herself in a bumping dual with the short priced De Lady Royale. The two drew together and battled toward the post. Near the 100 metre mark Complete Control was brushed and taken in one horse by De Lady Royale which had shifted in. De Lady Royale held out Complete Control by 0.3 of a length.  Complete Control’s jockey Brian Park lodged a protest against the favourite – however the protest was dismissed. The incident was similar to Complete Control’s previous start at Seymour where she ran second to Cinnamon Sticks after Cinnamon Sticks had interfered with Complete Control, causing Complete Control to be eased at a critical stage of the race just after she had commenced her run. Again the protest was dismissed. Complete Control is a half sister to Maribyrnong Plate winners General Truce and Arctic Command. Her dam, General Resolve’s fourth foal is a four week old Testa Rossa filly.

Lonaro made it back to back wins after taking out the first in Toowoomba yesterday by a length and a half. Phillip Wolfgram eased Lonaro out of the early speed battle in the 1300 metre class 1 race. Despite rigorous encouragement from Phillip, it wasn’t until stage of the race that he really knuckled down to hit the line. “He is doing everything right so far” explained trainer Neville Saunders, “he looks like he may get

over further ground. I will try to find a suitable midweek race in town for him.”