Things You Might Have Missed - April 29
Here's a few things you might have missed in the wide world of racing from the past week.
QUIRKY (from abroad)
Cup contender emerges with 8L romp (France)
Look, its not overly quirky but it is off-Broadway for many so we'll pop this in here as you might have not caught it.
Prominent syndicators OTI Racing might have unearthed another good one, after the jog, trot and canter by Sevenna's Knight in this Group Three at Longchamp in France on Sunday (local time).
The Camelot entire is out of a Galileo mare so has some fairly stout breeding lines - the same sire has produced the likes of Sir Dragonet, Cleveland and King Of Leogrance to Australian feature wins - and OTI will be hoping Sevenna's Knight can eventually add his name to that list.
He's had 11 starts for three wins, and only been outside the top-four once - when he travelled to Meydan for the two-mile Dubai Gold Cup (sixth, beaten 6.25L).
In his first start back on French shores, Sevenna's Knight gave them a short, back and sides in the Prix de Barbeville, careering away to an eight-length win.
The runner-up Shembala belongs to the Aga Khan - a renowned breeder, to say the least - so Sevenna's Knight has really marked his territory here with this win over 3000m.
Dunaden (2011) and Marmelo (2017) are names Aussie punters are familiar with that are on the honour roll of the Prix de Barbeville, while Sheraz placed in this race in 2021 (before going on to be a Melbourne Cup placegetter last year).
🥇Talented 4yo entire SEVENNA’S KNIGHT storms home in the Group 3 Prix de Barbeville @Longchamp and wins by an impressive margin.
— OTI Racing (@OTIRacing) April 28, 2024
His path towards a possible Melbourne Cup run later in the year looks to be right on track 👀
Congratulations to all connections!@mickaelbarzalon… pic.twitter.com/7YXp3bW8eB
Debut win for expensive yearling (Ireland)
Bought for about AUD$2.4m, this colt obviously had some expectations to live up to - and a debut win was a nice kick-off point.
The Aidan O'Brien-trained Camille Pissarro was bought for £1.25m as a yearling, and the colt claimed victory at the first time of asking over six furlongs (1200m) at Navan on Friday by 1.5L.
He's a half-brother to Golden Horde, probably why he was a steep price, but he's now in the Coolmore blue and pointing in the right direction it would seem.
Of his 10 rivals, only two got within 6.5 lengths of him on the line as he stretched the field right out.
Camille Pissarro gets off the mark nicely to win the 1.45 2YO Maiden at Navan he becomes the first winning Ballydoyle Juvenile of the season (The race was won by River Tiber in 2023)
— AIDANOBRIENFANSITE (@aobrienfansite) April 27, 2024
Did that well very green but job done pic.twitter.com/vEuqmlyNH1
No persuader, no problems (NZ)
Jockey Madan Singh was forced to use his hands-and-heels riding powers to get Trav home, after his whip pushed the eject button at the top of the straight on Saturday.
With about 400m to play out of the 2040m event, Madan Singh's mount Trav hit the front - but the persuader was left behind.
It didn't matter as Trav had enough in the tank to hold off his rivals with a 1L margin on the line anyway.
Madan Singh lost the whip around the turn but it didn't matter as Trav shot to the lead and won@CambridgeStud pic.twitter.com/1AzNUF2gfG
— Trackside NZ (@TracksideNZ) April 27, 2024
QUIRKY (from Australia)
Twenty-one-start maiden resumes with a bang
After 21 starts, the patience would've been tested with connections - but the quaint and enjoyable name of Gus The Bus was in the winner's frame at Gold Coast on Saturday.
Given the run of outs, 'Gus' flashed up as much as $114 on the totes as he saluted with his first run since November.
It was his fourth go on the Polytrack at Gold Coast and comfortably his best outing, with the horse evidently appreciating the spell.
Poignant victory for NSW greyhound
The death of rugby league icon Terry Hill at age 52 rocked the sporting world last week.
But in a touching tribute, his reliable greyhound Shall Not saluted at the pooch's favourite track - the Richmond Straight - to honour his late owner.
Shall Not has now won 48 of his 69 career starts, but remarkably at Richmond, he has won 30 races alone - including streaks of 14 and 16 (active).
Terry Hill’s Shall Not got his 30th win at the Richmond Straight this morning, making it 16th wins in-a-row! ðŸ‘ÂÂÂ
— TAB (@tabcomau) April 27, 2024
Terry would have enjoyed that one! ðŸ™Â pic.twitter.com/dlEK7XlNBa
Horse flies late in staying contest
There's swooping wins, and then there's this.
With 100m to go in the 2520m contest at Cranbourne on Friday night, 5YO grey Dodgy One looked set to miss the minor money.
But he appeared to be shot out of a cannon for the final half-furlong, as he motored late to win under Beau Mertens.
Adding merit to the short-burst sprint was the fact he was the race's clear topweight with 61.5kg.
He still had three horses to catch at the 50m mark, but it was a well-timed dive from the horse and rider to nab victory.
Granted, the early tempo may have set it up for a swooper, but regardless, he had the impost to carry late to run them down.
Dodgy One from the clouds! 🔥
— Racing.com (@Racing) April 26, 2024
What a win over 2520m from the grey ðŸ˜Â @beau_mertens @GavinBedggood pic.twitter.com/vWGCIIbYJV
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