Prism
Please wait...

Login

Clarken Racing | Clarken Racing News 53060 Ironclad Primed To Make An Impact In Cranbourne Cup

Ironclad primed to make an impact in Cranbourne Cup

Ironclad primed to make an impact in Cranbourne Cup

He's already got a Golden Mile under his belt and now Ironclad is eyeing another Victorian feature, with trainer Will Clarken saying he's got the veteran going as well he can ahead of Saturday's Listed Cranbourne Cup.

The seven-year-old resumed with an eye-catching third in the Group 2 Linlithgow Stakes at Flemington on Derby Day and the South Australian handler is thrilled with how he's come through the run.

Ironclad can be a tricky horse to manage at times but Clarken believes he's ready to produce a peak run, in a similar vein to his Golden Mile victory at Bendigo last year.

"It was terrific (his run at Flemington) – unfortunately it looked like there was really good speed in the race but the scratchings came out and so did the speed and we had to go back and take our medicine," he said.

"He ran home well – he really tried – his head was nice and low and you could tell he put in.

"He went over there a bit underdone and he's really thrived since then. We've got him in a really happy place now.

"I haven't had the horse this good since he won the Golden Mile and hopefully we can see a similar performance on Saturday."

Clarken is less thrilled with the barrier draw for the $500,000 contest, with Ethan Brown having to navigate gate 13 of 15.

"We've been given the short end of the stick," he said.

"I would've just loved him to draw five or six, he could stay in his lane and we wouldn't have to go back.

"There are a couple of horses that have to be ridden one way and hopefully they bowl along and there's some tempo in it."

Ironclad is rated a $10 chance with the TAB with Uncle Bryn and Visinari sharing favouritism at $5.

Clarken is also taking He's A Balter across the border for the Apache Cat Classic, the six-year-old having his first start since a campaign in Meydan where he collected a second and a Group 2 fourth.

"He's paying for his consistency – he's got quite a high rating and he really came from nowhere – he out-tries his ability," the Sellicks Hill trainer said.

"But I couldn't be happier with his two latest trials, he looks to have come up well for a horse who was on the other side of the world."

Clarken has had plenty of success travelling horses over the years – he's also sending Beau Rossa to Perth for the Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes later this month – and has the systems in place to ensure they can compete at their best.

"For Ironclad and Beau Rossa, their ratings basically rule them out for 99 per cent of the races in South Australia, so they have to travel," he said.

"For stakes-grade horses, you could leave a horse here for a race like the City of Marion Stakes, but they're not worth as much as a metro race in Melbourne now.

"That's a bit sad and it's a bit hard on the owners so realistically, if we're going to have these sort of horses in our yard, they're going to have to spend a lot of time interstate.

"Older geldings like that are amazingly tough. Once they get used to the travel, they are incredibly resilient."

RELEVANT NEWS

Rising Hong Kong Superstar for Wandjina

Larneuk Stud in Victoria is home to value sire Wandjina, whose talented son Galaxy Patch has been acclaimed as the next rising superstar in Hong Kong racing following his dominant return in the Group II Sha Tin Trophy (1600m) on Sunday. Trained by Pierre Ng and ridden by Vincent Ho, Galaxy Patch was second in the Hong Kong Derby back in March and then finished his season with a pair of Group wins in June. Tuned up with a series of recent trials, Galaxy Patch was fit and ready to fire first up over a mile and powered clear of Group I winner Voyage Bubble to win by a length and a half. “He (Galaxy Patch) has got great talent and he will be the next future star, I would say,” said Vincent Ho, who partnered Champion Miler Golden Sixty to 26 wins from 31 starts. “At the moment, he’s only 70% fit – based on his form last-season, he would have smashed them easier today, but it was enough for him to win today by just stretching out by himself.” Settling in second last place in the nine-horse field led by Beauty Eternal (131lb), Galaxy Patch loomed on the home turn before Ho angled into the middle of the track, clocking 22.11s for the final 400m without fully extending. The LONGINES G1 Hong Kong Mile (1600m) in December is the target  race Pierre Ng hopes to claim this season with Galaxy Patch and Ho believes Galaxy Patch has the attributes needed to emulate Golden Sixty. “He (Galaxy Patch) is a horse that (will) probably replace Golden Sixty at the mile. He’s still maturing, of course. Once he relaxed, he can put the race to sleep and he also had a great turn of foot. It’s early-season, the first race for him, and the preparation is (going) very well,” Ho added. Ng will aim Galaxy Patch at the G2 BOCHK Private Wealth Jockey Club Mile (1600m) on 17 November as a stepping stone to the G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile on 8 December. “He’s the right horse that every trainer wants to train,” Ng said. “We’re very pleased. With four trials, we just wanted him to be settled and he was today. Of course he’s not 100 per cent fit, but we just tried to get him fit enough for today and he did very well. “With his stride length, he definitely looks improved from last season. Racing-wise, he’s more professional, more relaxed and if he can be more relaxed in the parade ring, I’ll be a bit happier. “Definitely he’s got the potential – it’s how we manage to get him up there. We’ll just do it by each race and hopefully he can go further and better.” Galaxy Patch was a $50,000 Magic Millions Adelaide purchase for Will Clarken/Suman Hedge Bloodstock (FBAA)/David Jolly from the Summerset Park Stud and won his debut in Adelaide before his sale to Hong Kong. He now has the overall record of nine wins from 15 starts. Bred and sold by Summerset Park, Galaxy Patch is a half-brother to stakes-placed Comearoundsundown and Creativity being the best of eight winners from unraced More Than Ready (USA) mare Voltara, who died last year.Galaxy Patch is one of seven stakes-winners for Wandjina, who stands at Larneuk Stud this spring at a fee of $6,600. Story from Breednet

Read more

Former Aussie HK's next superstar?

Synonymous with Golden Sixty’s towering feats, Vincent Ho has anointed Galaxy Patch as Hong Kong’s “next future star” after the gelding’s dominant HK$5.35 million G2 Sha Tin Trophy Handicap (1600m) victory at Sha Tin on Sunday. Ho piloted Galaxy Patch (129lb) to an emphatic one and half length win over Group 1 winner Voyage Bubble (135lb) and rising talent Chancheng Glory (115lb) in 1m 33.49s in another confirmation of Galaxy Patch’s extraordinary talent. By Wandjina, Galaxy Patch raced only once in Australia as Gulinga Spirit, winning a Morphettville maiden race over 1100m for Will Clarken and Niki O’Shea before transferring to Hong Kong, where he has now won seven of 13 starts and prizemoney of more than HK$25 million. “He (Galaxy Patch) has got great talent and he will be the next future star, I would say,” said Ho, who partnered Golden Sixty to 26 wins from 31 starts, crowned by a Hong Kong record 10 Group 1 triumphs and world record prizemoney haul of HK$167.17 million. “At the moment, he’s only 70% fit - based on his form last-season, he would have smashed them easier today but it was enough for him to win today by just stretching out by himself.” Settling in second last place in the nine-horse field led by Beauty Eternal (131lb), Galaxy Patch loomed on the home turn before Ho angled into the middle of the track, clocking 22.11s for the final 400m without fully extending. Voyage Bubble was brave in defeat after covering ground, while Chancheng Glory held on well for third as stayer Straight Arron (125lb) charged from the rear for fourth. Ho combined with Golden Sixty to win last December’s LONGINES G1 Hong Kong Mile (1600m) – the race trainer Pierre Ng hopes to claim this season with Galaxy Patch – and Ho believes Galaxy Patch has the attributes to emulate Golden Sixty. “He (Galaxy Patch) is a horse that (will) probably replace Golden Sixty at the mile. He’s still maturing, of course. Once he relaxed, he can put the race to sleep and he also had a great turn of foot. It’s early-season, the first race for him, and the preparation is (going) very well.” Extending his lead at the top of the trainers’ championship, Ng will aim Galaxy Patch at the G2 BOCHK Private Wealth Jockey Club Mile (1600m) on 17 November before the G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile on 8 December. “He's the right horse that every trainer wants to train,” Ng said. “We're very pleased. With four trials, we just wanted him to be settled and he was today. Of course he's not 100 per cent fit, but we just tried to get him fit enough for today and he did very well. “With his stride length, he definitely looks improved from last season. Racing-wise, he's more professional, more relaxed and if he can be more relaxed in the parade ring, I'll be a bit happier. “Definitely he's got the potential - it's how we manage to get him up there. We'll just do it by each race and hopefully he can go further and better.” Story from Racing.com

Read more

8 Ellis Ave Morphettville SA 5043

bloodstock@clarkenracing.com

Copyright (c) 2021 Clarken Racing. All rights reserved.