We finished off the 2023 /2024 racing season in great style!!
Our final meeting of the season was at Sapphire Coast on the 28th July where we had 2 winners, a second placing and 4 x third placings.
Tartana continued her consistent form, easily winning The Eden Cup which was the main race on the program.
Mulvader came out in the next race and demolished the field by 4.5 lengths !!!
It was great way to finish the 2023/2024 racing season with a winning double at Sapphire Coast Turf Club yesterday and some fantastic runs by the rest of the team . Tartana claimed the feature race:The South Coast Timber Eden Cup in fine style whilst Mulvader demolished his opposition in the next race to win by 4 1/2 lengths.
Both were ridden superbly by Jess Taylor and the win aboard Tartana brought up our 80th win together . The wins also saw Jess claim the Jockeys Premiership for the Sapphire Coast season . Sassy Missile just missed in the final race of the program whilst Skaifee ran fantastic and was very unlucky not to win in finishing 3rd. Gunnaheadovski returned in fantastic order from a long spell to run 3rd whilst Mystic Diva resumed with an eye catching 3rd with Kickamushu close behind her in 4th placing.
A huge thank you to our whole team that have worked hard all season and looking forward to the season ahead . Congratulations to all owners and we look forward to celebrating more winners
– Theresa Bateup
It was also a race to race double for Invader with both our winners being sired by him. We have a number of Invader’s in the stable including Vain Invader and Ghaznavi. There are still shares available in our Invader / Reiby Rainbow gelding who is going back into pre training this week.
Sassy Missile looked as though she was going to hold on to make it 3 for the day in the final event, but just got headed in the final strides to finish 2nd . In the same race, Skaifee dead heated for 3rd but arguably should have won. He was still looking for room between runners on the line.
Mystic Diva was also a touch unlucky, having to bullock her way into the clear and hit the line strongly to finish 3rd whilst Gunnaheadovski returned to the races after a year off, with a solid effort to finish 3rd.as well.
Both our Sapphire Coast winners were ridden by Jess Taylor The win aboard Tartana gave Jess the Sapphire Coast Jockeys Premiership and was also our 80th winner together. Going back through the archives, Jess’s first win for the stables was aboard Freedom Call in July 2016.
The script couldn’t have been written any better for Hope Uno’s final race start. Travelling to Tamworth on the 5th July, she settled mid field over 1600m then worked into the clear around the home turn. Under the urgings of Anna Roper, Hope hit the front and held off challengers to finish her racing career on a winning note. However, she did add some extra flavour to the day when drifting out slightly over the concluding stages and having to survive a protest!
Coincidentally, Hope won her Maiden at Tamworth in 2022 (also with Anna Roper in the saddle) where she defeated stable mate, Vain Invader. She retires sound having had 44 race starts for 5 wins, 5 x seconds and 15 x third placings and total prizemoney of $178,555. Hope was placed in town on several occasions including a 3rd in a Randwick Midway. Hope was a very consistent and honest mare and we will miss her in the stable. She is now off to be a broodmare and we look forward to seeing her foals. With a bit of luck they will inherit her big heart.
The refurbishment of the B grass at Kembla continues to progress with turf being laid over the past couple of weeks.
The Kooringal Stud Open Day will be held on the 25th August. It’s a great day for those interested in having a look at the farm and a parade of their stallions: Merchant Navy, Prized Icon, Finance Tycoon, Sandbar and The Brothers War.