Avondale feature on Soriano’s radar; HK Vase runner-up joins Matamata trainers; Southern stay ensured; Barman bags healthy bonus; Filly on well-earned break

Avondale feature on Soriano’s radar

Dual Group One winner Soriano, who has been confirmed in foal to Pins, will back up at Avondale this Saturday.

She has come through her winning run in the Tauranga Stakes in fine order and she will chase another Group Two success in the Auckland Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes, according to co-trainer Graeme Rogerson.

She is then likely to head to Trentham for the Gr.1 Captain Cook Stakes and later defend her Group One titles in the Zabeel Classic at Ellerslie and the Herbie Dyke Stakes at Te Rapa before retirement.

HK Vase runner-up joins Matamata trainers

Another overseas Group One performer has joined the stable of Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott.

The Matamata trainers recruited the now-retired Pure Champion from Hong Kong to win last year’s Windsor Park Plate and they now have the Irish-bred Willie Cazals on their books.

“He’s out spelling and we’d like to have him back for the late autumn,” Scott said. “He’s got a few aches and pains and we’re hoping a bit of time heals everything.”

A two-time winner in Italy, Willie Cazals subsequently joined Tony Cruz’s stable and while has he won only one further race he did finish runner-up in the Gr.1 Hong Kong Vase last December, in which Melbourne Cup runners Red Cadeaux and Snow Sky were unplaced.

Southern stay ensured

Flaming’s New Zealand Cup carnival success has earned the four-year-old an extended stay in the South Island in her quest for black type.

She was a convincing Rating 75 sprint winner at Riccarton to add momentum to her chase for a stakes victory.

“We’re thinking of a Rating 75 race over 1200 metres at Cromwell for her and then she could sneak into the Listed open sprint at Wingatui on Boxing Day with a nice weight,” said Jamie Richards, who prepares the daughter of Bachelor Duke with Stephen Autridge.

Barman bags healthy bonus

Who Shot Thebarman’s New Zealand owners celebrated a bonus windfall with the stayer’s runaway victory in the Gr.2 Zipping Classic.

Not only did the Chris Waller-trained seven-year-old bolt away with the first prize of $A180,000 at the weekend, he also earned brothers Dan, Humphrey, Michael and Shaun an extra $A100,000.

The six figure bonus was on offer to any Gr.1 Caulfield Cup runner that went on to win the weight-for-age feature on the Sandown-Hillside course.

Filly on well-earned break

Prolific stakes winner Secret Spirit didn’t come through her unplaced run in the Gr.1 NZ 1000 Guineas unscathed.

“She got a few bangs and was galloped on, but nothing major fortunately, and she’ll have a good break now,” co-trainer Andrew Scott said. “She’s done a great job.”

Secret Spirit strung together four consecutive black type wins and a placing before finishing out of the money at Riccarton.