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Maher imports kick off at Caulfield

The Cups campaigns of two Ciaron Maher-trained imports will commence at Caulfield.

OKITA SOUSHI.
OKITA SOUSHI. Picture: Tom Dulat/Getty Images

Two European imports that the Ciaron Maher stable has Cups ambitions for, are set to start their spring campaigns at Caulfield

St George kicks off in the Listed Heatherlie Stakes (1700m) on Saturday with Okita Soushi set to run in the Quayclean Handicap (2000m). 

Both are entered in the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) on October 19 with St George also among nominations for the Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley on October 26. 

With nominations closing for the Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington next Tuesday, both St George and Okita Soushi are expected to feature. 

St George is a lightly raced galloper that has not been seen in action since finishing third at Newmarket in July last year. 

Maher's assistant trainer Jack Turnbull said St George was a 'nice colt with a lot of quality'. 

"He's coming along well and in the third jump-out he probably lacked that sharpness he showed in his first two," Turnbull said. 

"The first one was over a half mile, and he was never going to be in contact, his second was better, and now he rises 500 metres on his last one in the Heatherlie. 

"He's a Cups horse that will be out the back and running on hopefully and then we can go to 2000 metres and go on from there. 

"He's a nice colt with a lot of quality and is one out of the box." 

Okita Soushi arrived in Australia last year as part of the Joseph O'Brien assault on the Melbourne Cup, finishing 11th behind Without A Fight

Turnbull said Okita Soushi was an out-and-out stayer and Saturday's race at 2000m will be the shortest trip the seven-year-old has raced over in his 14-start career. 

"He's a horse that wants ground and the 2000 metres is the absolute minimum," Turnbull said. 

"He's still an entire and his fitness is good and it's just a matter of getting the miles into his legs. 

"He's been hard to get a guide on. If I was to compare him to something we already have, he's an Interpretation type. 

"They're true staying horses and unfortunately there's not many true staying races for that class and there's even fewer at two miles." 


Racing and Sports



Caulfield Saturday, 31st August 2024

1m99y TURF GOOD
AUD $200,750

Tile Importer Heatherlie Stakes (LR)

AUD $200,750
Type: OPEN
1m99y TURF GOOD
FP Silk Horse, Age & Sex
Sire & Dam
Jockey
Trainer
SP
WT
1st 13. RISE AT DAWN (NZ) 4yo G
ALMANZOR (FR) - KAY'S AWAKE (NZ)
MICHAEL DEE
BEN, WILL & JD HAYES
$2.5
54kg
Lindsay Park Bloodstock (Mrs S Steel), B Douthie, B Hogan, T Cox, R Featherston, T Lane, Dropped Catch Racing (A McHugh), M Canavan, C Rotherham, Ms T Harvey, B Webb, TPJB Racing (J Blight), T Simms, Lindsay Park 17 (Mrs P Liebenberg), S Manousopoulos, FGL Racing, M Poole, J Poole & B Rouge-Serret

Sales Information

2nd 14. POSITIVITY (NZ) 4yo M
ALMANZOR (FR) - PUSSY O'REILLY (NZ)
HARRY COFFEY
ANDREW FORSMAN
$18
54kg
C W Kwok

Sales Information

3rd 8. FUTURE HISTORY (GB) 6yo G
SHOWCASING (GB) - LIKELIHOOD (USA)
DECLAN BATES
CIARON MAHER
$51
56kg
P Trainor, M J Burns, B S David, A R E Investments, Parsons Creek, A P Carney, Mrs A Carney, Mrs T A Carney, Halo Racing Services Pty Ltd, Mrs J McKenna, R & C Legh Racing Pty Ltd & Exset Racing

Sales Information

4th 1. MUNHAMEK (GB) 8yo G
DARK ANGEL (IRE) - CADENZA (FR)
JAMIE MOTT
NICK RYAN
$6
60.5kg

Sales Information

5th 2. QUE TEMPESTA (IRE) 5yo G
TERRITORIES (IRE) - TIPPERARY BOUTIQUE (IRE)
MARK ZAHRA
BEN, WILL & JD HAYES
$9
59.5kg

Sales Information

6th 5. JIMMY THE BEAR (AUS) 6yo G
JIMMY CREED (USA) - BELVEDERE ROAD (AUS)
BILLY EGAN
PATRICK PAYNE
$3.75
56.5kg
7th 3. BANKERS CHOICE (NZ) 7yo G
MONGOLIAN KHAN (AUS) - SIGNORINA (NZ)
DAMIAN LANE
MICHAEL MORONEY & GLEN THOMPSON
$14
58kg

Sales Information

8th 11. SAINT GEORGE (GB) 4yo H
ROARING LION (USA) - LADY DRAGON (IRE)
JAMIE KAH
CIARON MAHER
$12
54kg

Sales Information

9th 12. DON'T DOUBT DORY (AUS) 8yo G
FIORENTE (IRE) - DOUBT NO MORE (AUS)
MS CARLEEN HEFEL
JULIEN WELSH
$61
54kg

Sales Information

10th 6. LOFT (GER) 6yo G
ADLERFLUG (GER) - LABRICE (GB)
LUKE CURRIE
BEN, WILL & JD HAYES
$151
56.5kg

Sales Information

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