Lance O’Sullivan has an enviable record in his home-town feature, and while his two representatives in tomorrow’s prized event have yet to win, there is confidence in their prospects.

The recent New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame inductee has been an integral part of his family’s success in the Gr. 2 J Swaps Contractors Ltd Matamata Breeders’ Stakes with victories aboard Ma Chiquita (1985), Morar (1990) and Tristalove (1993), that trio being trained by his father Dave and his brother Paul.

Lance, who also won the race on Phillipa Rush (1989) and Flying Babe (2001), furthered his record in the black-type contest with Satinka (2007), a filly he prepared with current training partner Andrew Scott.

Tomorrow the duo will saddle the last-start placegetters Feisty Jane and Gold Rush.

“They are both maidens, but in saying that their form is strong,” O’Sullivan said. “They are two nice fillies and they’re not going there to make up the numbers.”

Feisty Jane was beaten on debut by Kingsman, who ran third in the Listed Karaka Million at his next start, and then chased home Nova Swiss at Tauranga.

“She was a little unlucky, although she would never have won, but she should have finished a couple of lengths closer first time out and she backed that up with a solid second at Tauranga,” O’Sullivan said.

Gold Rush ran fourth in her first appearance before she beat all but the highly-rated Mongolian Falcon at Matamata.

“There’s not a lot between our two fillies and I’m confident they will both run well,” O’Sullivan said

Lance O’Sullivan celebrates yet another win at Trentham back in 2002.

Former champion jockey Lance O'Sullivan has been inducted into the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame.

Now training in partnership with Andrew Scott at Matamata, he was honoured at Thursday night's 53rd Halberg Awards.

O'Sullivan retired from the saddle at the end of the 2002-03 season with a New Zealand tally of 2358 winners, as well as success in Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, Macau and Singapore for a lifetime tally of 2479.

David Rowland

Lance O`Sullivan shortly after being inducted into the Hall Of Fame at the 53rd Halberg Awards on Thursday night.

Former champion jockey Lance O’Sullivan has been inducted into the New Zealand Sports Hall of Fame.

Now training in partnership with Andrew Scott at Matamata, he was honoured at Thursday night’s 53^rd Hallberg Awards.

O’Sullivan retired from the saddle at the end of the 2002-03 season with a New Zealand tally of 2358 winners, as well as success in Australia, Hong Kong, Japan, Macau and Singapore for a lifetime tally of 2479.

The winner of 12 New Zealand jockeys’ premierships, O’Sullivan was an inaugural inductee into the NZ Racing Hall of Fame in 2006. 

The powerful Waikato Stud operation crowned an outstanding week with race track success at their home meeting on Saturday.

Their colours were carried to a dominant win in the J Swap Contractors Breeders’ Stakes Raceday Rating 75 by the home-bred Mary Quant, whose victory followed the Matamata nursery’s dominance at Karaka.

Mary Quant Photo: Trish Dunell

They ended the NZB National Yearling Sales as the leading Premier Sale vendor by aggregate for the third consecutive year and a record top price of $775,000 for their brother to the Group One winner Diademe.

The colt is by resident stallion Savabeel, who topped the Select averages with nine horses sold at an average of $101,667 after his stock grossed more than $11 million during the Premier session.

A four-year-old daughter of Savabeel’s former associate sire O’Reilly and the multiple Group One winner Legs, Mary Quant made light work of her wide gate to lead and she had the race in safe keeping when she dashed away on straightening.

“I got away with a few nice sectionals and she kicked away on the corner,” rider Danielle Johnson said. “This is a really nice mare and she’ll pick up a good race.”

Mary Quant has now won four of her 13 starts for trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott and she may get her chance at a higher prize this season.

“When she’s out in the open she can roll along and quicken when she wants to,” Scott said.

“She’s a good mare and I’m sure she’ll crack on now. We’ll get her through the grades and we might look for a black type race toward the back end of her campaign.” – NZ Racing Desk.

Kiwi sprinter Aerovelocity (NZ) (Pins) bounced back to his brilliant best with a dominating performance to capture the HK-1 HK$8,000,000 Centenary Cup Sprint (1200m) at Sha Tin on Sunday.

The son of Pins was having his second start in six months, the seven-year-old returned with a dashing display to record his fourth win at the highest level.

“That was his best lifetime performance - he smashed them on Sunday,” commented ex-pat kiwi trainer Paul O’Sullivan. “Aerovelocity is another great product from the NZB National Yearling Sales Series. He’s certainly the best sprinter here in Hong Kong.”

Aerovelocity had missed the opportunity to defend his Group 1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint crown in December, costing him a shot at the US$1 million Global Sprint Challenge Bonus.

He had earlier claimed both the Group 1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen (1200m) in Japan and the Group 1 KrisFlyer International Sprint (1200m) in Singapore.

Ridden by regular rider Zac Purton, the pair settled in fourth place until cruising up to the leaders, after turning for home. Peniaphobia (Dandy Man) led briefly before Aerovelocity blew him away with 150m to run to comfortably win by one-and-half-lengths over race-favourite Gold Fun (Le Vie Dei Colori) in second, with one-and-three-quarters of length back to Peniaphobia in third.

“He’ll have a busy season ahead with 3-4 races in total,” added O’Sullivan. “We’ll probably prioritize the Group 1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize on May 1."

O'Sullivan believes there are plenty of options for him, including the Group 1 Queen's Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m), at Sha Tin on February 28, a return trip to Chukyo for the Group 1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen (1200m) on March 27, the Group 1 US$2 million Golden Shaheen (1200m) on the previous evening at Meydan, the Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes (1200m) in Sydney, and the Group 1 Chairman's Sprint Prize (1200m), at Sha Tin on May 1.

Aerovelocity made his debut in New Zealand, under the name Naisoso Warrior, having only one start for one win when trained by Wexford Stables’ Andrew Scott.

Owned by Daniel Yeung Ngai, Aerovelocity recorded his eleventh win from 20 starts and has now earned NZ$5,757,769 in prizemoney.

Paul O’Sullivan purchased the six-year-old gelding for NZ$120,000 at the 2010 Karaka Premier Sale from Windsor Park Stud.

Now inspecting Karaka 2016 yearlings
Please contact us for further information: 

Lance O'Sullivan - 021-4888-84
Andrew Scott - 027-360-2276
 Lou Weatherley - 027-265-0852 
email: wexford@xtra.co.nz

Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott will head back to Arawa Park on Tuesday with high expectations for Mary Quant.

The Matamata trainers produced the well-bred mare for a smart first-up victory on the course last month and they are anticipating another top showing from her in the Millennium Hotels Rotorua 1400.

Mary Quant photo: Trish Dunell

“It was pleasing to see her come back so well fresh-up over a short trip,” Scott said. “It’s a step up and a pretty handy field, but she’s trained on nicely and we’re expecting another good performance.”

By O’Reilly out of the Group One winner Legs, Mary Quant is bred to stay but her trainers believe she is sharp enough at this stage of her preparation to be competitive over 1400 metres.

“With the rain around she has drawn out in the right part of the track,” Scott said. “That might well be the best place to be.”

She will again by ridden by Lisa Allpress while the stable will also be represented by the capable Orange Peel, the mount of Michael Coleman, who was unplaced when she resumed last time out at Te Awamutu.

“She had no luck first-up and never saw any daylight,” Scott said. “She’s another one to have trained on nicely and we expect her to go well.

“She ran in some pretty strong fields last season and while she’s a bit unknown on a wet track, she has drawn in the right place as well.”

Coleman will also ride maiden contenders Delta De Lago for O’Sullivan and Scott.

Delta De Lago was a tidy debut fourth at Taupo while Warner is a multiple placegetter who was checked out of contention at Awapuni at his last appearance. – NZ Racing Desk.

I called in to see Secret Spirit at Wexford Stables this afternoon and as you can see from the photo below, she is in magnificent order a week out from the Group One 1000 Guineas at Riccarton Park.

Royally bred mare Mary Quant has provided trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott with a happy dilemma as they set about planning her upcoming summer campaign.

The daughter of super sire O’Reilly and multiple Group One winner Legs made her reappearance at the races a winning one at Rotorua on Saturday after having been off the scene since finishing well back in the Gr. 1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) back in March.

Mary Quant photo: Trish Dunell

The victory over 1200 metres in the NZB Insurance sponsored Pearl Series event was just what the doctor ordered although it did provide a few questions for her mentors as to where they should head with the mare over the next few months.

“She has come back much stronger after her winter break so we were hopeful of a forward showing on Saturday,” noted Scott after the performance.

“Lance rode her in a gallop on Tuesday and said she felt very well in herself so we expected to see her running on strongly.

“It was really a question of whether the 1200 metres might be a little short for her but a lovely ride by Lisa (Allpress) had her a perfect spot all the way and she was too good in the run home.

“On her last preparation you would suggest that she will be well suited over a middle distance later in this campaign however the turn of foot she showed could mean we are better focusing around a mile with her.

“I guess it’s a nice problem to have but we won’t be making any decisions like that until we see how she comes through this run.”

Scott also reported the stable was puzzled by the lacklustre performance of their star sprinter Whosyourmaster after he finished well back in the Gr. 3 Lochinver Station Plate later in the day.

“He never really fired a shot which just isn’t like him as he is such an honest performer,” he admitted.

“We’ll run a few tests on him during the week just to make sure there isn’t anything amiss as his work had been good leading into the race and we were expecting a bold run.”  - NZ Racing Desk

Race Images

Secret Spirit (Craig Grylls) completed a stakes fab four with a win at Ellerslie on Saturday in the Bonecrusher Stakes.

The Challenge No 2 syndicate had another huge thrill at Ellerslie on Saturday when their Swiss Ace filly won her fourth consecutive black-type race in typically tough fashion.

She looked awkwardly placed as the field thundered for home but when jockey, Craig Grylls, found clear air, she dug deep to win the 1400 metre Group III Manuka Doctor Bonecrusher Stakes.

The star filly's performance aside, there were some outstanding performances in the muddling run race with Massa Lu (second) and Thunder Down Under (third) registering eyecatching efforts. 

"At the 300 I thought today might not be her day," said Lance O'Sullivan, co-trainer with Andrew Scott.

At that point she was back and battling but Grylls got her wide, she got on the right leg, and she was in for the fight.

"She's a little racehorse - she's not much to look at but she's all heart," O'Sullivan said.

Encouraged by the win, connections will follow a path to Riccarton in November for the Group I 1,000 Guineas taking in the 1400 metre Soliloquy Stakes at Ellerslie on October 24 along the way. 

Firmer tracks than the heavy conditions experienced in her fabulous four wins, hold no fears for connections.

"We don't think she's a one trick pony," O'Sullivan said. "We think she will go on good ground."

The birdcage enclosure was bulging with the filly's owners and supporters after the win as they began making plans for similar celebrations in the roomy Riccarton birdcage in a month or so.

Determined filly Secret Spirit claimed her fourth black type race on the spin to take another important step on Saturday toward her Group One goal.

The diminutive star from the Matamata stable of Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott overcame a tough run to extend her winning sequence with victory in the Gr.3 Manuka Doctor Bonecrusher Stakes at Ellerslie.

Secret Spirit Photo: Trish Dunell

Secret Spirit won the Listed Great Northern Stakes on the Auckland course last season before she added the Listed Ryder Stakes to her record and two runs back she opened her three-year-old account with victory in the Listed O’Leary’s Fillies’ Stakes.

“She’s not really blooming or blossoming in the coat and she looks a bit rough, but she’s a real racehorse,” O’Sullivan said.

“At the 300 I thought today’s not going to be her day and she changed legs and she just kept coming.

“She’ll go to the Soliloquy Stakes in four weeks’ time and then on to the 1000 Guineas.

“She won two barrier trials on firm footing and while she has been winning on rain-affected tracks we think on top of the ground she will still be competitive.”

Secret Spirit, a $10 chance in the early Gr.1 NZB 1000 Guineas market, was again ridden by Craig Grylls and they settled on the fence from an inside gate.

“She jumped well, but they absolutely walked early and it was a muddling run race,” he said. “They all took off at the 600 and I was lucky nothing was on my outside and I got off the rail.”

Secret Spirit was widest into the straight and she finished off resolutely to beat Massa Lu and the maiden Thunder Down Under.

“She dug in deep and she’s got that will to win,” Grylls said. – NZ Racing Desk.

RACE IMAGES

Craig Grylls rides Secret Spirit to victory in the Listed O'Leary's Fillies' Stakes at Wanganui.

Alcaldesa floored punters on Saturday when she shed her maiden tag with a boilover win in the Listed HS Dyke Wanganui Guineas.

The outsider of the field turned the form book upside down with her late lunge for victory at the expense of the local hope Perfect Harmonee and the favourite Lucky Edie.

The result continued the excellent Guineas run of Alcaldesa's co-breeder, part-owner and trainer Tony Bambry.

"She's a half-sister to Lord Turbo, who won the race two years ago, and it's a race we've targeted," he said. "It's on our back doorstep."

Bambry also produced another filly in Acquisto, a maiden at the time, to finish third at long odds in the feature 12 months ago.

Alcaldesa also credited both her rider Leah Hemi and the three-year-old's Group I-winning sire Nom Du Jeu with their first black type victories.

"Leah did a great job and the further this horse goes the better she will be – she's an Oaks filly," Bambry said.

Alcaldesa, who went to Wanganui off a runner-up finish at Woodville, settled in the last trio and was still giving the leaders a decent start 250 metres from home.

"She had every excuse to stop," Hemi said. "We were wide throughout and we got a big check 700 metres from home, but she's a tough little filly and there is some great racing ahead of her."

Acaldesa hit the line strongly to beat Perfect Harmonee by half a head with Lucky Edie, who led 200 metres out, finishing third.

She overcame rain-affected going to win the Great Northern Foal Stakes and the Ryder Stakes at Listed level last season and at Wanganui on Saturday she added the Listed O'Leary's Fillies' Stakes to her record.

"She will be better suited to the better footing," Grylls said. "She's not very big, but she's got a big ticker and is just so honest."

Trained by Lance O'Sullivan and Andrew Scott, Secret Spirit settled off a strong early pace before she was flushed out when improving on the home turn.

"She was dipping in the ground at the 600 and to her credit she got out to the better ground and she really stormed home," Scott said.

The daughter of Swiss Ace came with a powerful finishing run to win by a widening two and three quarter lengths from New York Minute while the maiden Keepelo made ground along the fence to take third.

- NZ Racing Desk

Secret Spirit has three consecutive black type victories to her credit on heavy tracks but she’s no one trick pony, according to her regular rider Craig Grylls.

She overcame rain-affected going to win the Great Northern Foal Stakes and the Ryder Stakes at Listed level last season and at Wanganui on Saturday she added the Listed O’Leary’s Fillies’ Stakes to her record.

Secret Spirit Photo: Race Images Palmerston North

“She will be better suited to the better footing,” Grylls said. “She’s not very big, but she’s got a big ticker and is just so honest.”

Trained by Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott, Secret Spirit settled off a strong early pace before she was flushed out when improving on the home turn.

“She was dipping in the ground at the 600 and to her credit she got out to the better ground and she really stormed home,” Scott said.

The daughter of Swiss Ace came with a powerful finishing run to win by a widening two and three quarter lengths from New York Minute while the maiden Keepelo made ground along the fence to take third off her stablemate Heart Of Th’Castle.

Secret Spirit hadn’t run since she claimed the Ryder Stakes on her previous visit to the central districts in July, but Scott said they were more than happy with the three-year-old’s preparation.

“She had a week or so off after that and we got enough work into her,” Scott said. “She always races well with her races spaced and we were happy with her going into this.

“She always goes out and tries so hard. This was a step up and we wanted to tuck in fifth or sixth and not give them too big a start turning for home.

“She’s a tough little filly and we’ll probably head toward the Soliloquy now.” – NZ Racing Desk.

Wexford Stables are proud as punch of our team of horses, owners & staff tonight. Winners of 2 yr old of the year (SECRET SPIRIT) , Apprentice of the year ( BRENDON HUTTON) , Jockey of the year- we'll claim him too (CRAIG GRYLLS) & TRAINER OF THE YEAR ! @ the Matamata Racing Awards - superb effort!

Unforeseen circumstances have resulted in a late southern shift for the first season sire Pure Champion.

The Gr.1 Windsor Park Plate winner has been relocated to South Canterbury’s Willow Glen Stud after his initial retirement to Totara Park Stud at Whangarei.

Pure Champion photo: Race Images

"We had committed to another horse, but our deal fell through after Totara Park had secured Pure Champion,” said Barbara Cooney, who runs Willow Glen with her husband Mike.

“Totara Park’s Dirk Oberholster has sadly suffered a health issue and with the time required to make a stallion they have decided to reassess their lives and so we have taken Pure Champion with their continued full support.

“We will stand him in conjunction with them and the O’Sullivan family, who will donate their share of the stallion fees to cancer research.”

An Irish-bred son of the English 2000 Guineas winner and Group One producer Footstepsinthesand, Pure Champion is out of the Danehill mare Castara Beach.

His pedigree also features the champion English miler Nannina, Hong Kong Horse of the Year Indigenous, Sydney Cup winner Jessicabeel, Adelaide Cup winner Water Boatman and Fenomeno, who headed the extended 2013 world thoroughbred rankings, as well as successful sire Sea Anchor.

Pure Champion began his career in his native Ireland where he won the Gr.3 Solonaway Stakes, the Listed Ruby Stakes and ran Group One fourths in the Dewhurst Stakes and the Irish 2000 Guineas.

He continued his career in Hong Kong where he was the multiple stakes winner of the January Cup and the Centenary Vase and also runner-up to Military Attack in the Gr.1 Hong Kong Gold Cup.

Pure Champion subsequently raced six times in New Zealand as an eight-year-old and he won the Gr.1 Windsor Park Plate, the Gr.3 Manawatu Challenge Stakes and placed in the Gr.1 Makfi Challenge Stakes for trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott.

“He was a high-class racehorse, tough and sound, and he’s got a pedigree to suit our mares,” Cooney said.

Pure Champion’s fee has yet to be announced by Willow Glen, where he will stand alongside Minstrel Court and Saperavi. – NZ Racing Desk