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Clarken Racing | Clarken Racing News 53824 Clarken Oshea Chasing Savic Features

Clarken, O'Shea chasing SA/VIC features

Clarken, O'Shea chasing SA/VIC features

Will Clarken and Niki O’Shea will chase a two state feature race double on Saturday.

South Australian racing’s newest partnership head to Melbourne for the $350,000 Group 2 Australia Stakes (1200m) with Ironclad while they’ve opted to keep Beau Rossa in Adelaide for the $107,250 Listed Durbridge Stakes (1100m) at Morphettville where he’ll be joined by stablemates Parsifal and He’s A Balter.

Ironclad comes off a successful summer campaign where he finished second in the Group 1 Northerly Stakes before running third in the Group 2 Ted Ven Heemst Stakes over 2100m in Perth.

“He’s going very well, he’s been working really nicely the last couple of weeks,’’ O’Shea said of the horse who is also among All-Star Mile nominations.

Clarken and O’Shea had their first winner in combination at Murray Bridge last Friday with Siyata and also take another stable newcomer Jean Valjean to Melbourne alongside Ironclad.

Jean Valjean was impressive winning first-up for the stable before running second and heads to Melbourne on the back of a soft jump-out with Jamie Kah booked to ride both horses.

Beau Rossa endured a luckless WA campaign when he was only beaten 3.28 lengths behind Paulele in the Group 1 Winterbottom Stakes before running down the track in the Group 3 Gold Rush.

“He trialled quite well the other day, he hasn’t had a lot of luck, he just needs a bit to go his way,’’ O’Shea said.

Fellow South Australian horseman David Jolly has also opted for the Australia Day Stakes at Moonee Valley with Calypso Reign.

The talented grey who won the Group 3 Spring Stakes at Morphettville back in August and hasn’t raced since running fourth behind Shamino in the Listed W H Wylie Stakes in September.

RELEVANT NEWS

Kuroyanagi back to Caulfield

A return to Caulfield looks imminent for Blue Diamond third placegetter Kuroyanagi. The South Australian daughter of Written Tycoon, who will turn three on Thursday, is being set for the Group 3 Quezette Stakes (1100m) against her own age and sex on August 17, after a pleasing return run in last Saturday's Lightning Stakes. Kuroyanagi was brave but ultimately beaten by a fit horse, Lingani, on a testing Soft 7 surface in the Listed feature for two and three-year-old runners. "We were delighted with her to be honest," said Niki O'Shea, who trains in partnership with Will Clarken. "The horse that beat her has been running all winter and is hard fit, so we were very pleased. "I think the ground wasn't exactly what she was looking for but she handled it all right and has come through the run well. "We're talking about going to Caulfield in three weeks' time for the Quezette, that's a loose plan, it gives her three weeks to bounce back because it was hard work first-up." Two of Kuroyanagi's four career starts have been at Caulfield, where she ran second in the fillies Blue Diamond Prelude and third in the Blue Diamond - both races which were won by Hayasugi.Story from Racing.com (Tim Yeatman)

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Kuroyanagi 'could be anything'

One of the finds of the autumn returns to the races this weekend with endless possibilities ahead of a spring campaign. South Australian filly Kuroyanagi was somewhat of a surprise packet rocketing into Blue Diamond calculations after a scintillating jump out at Murray Bridge and eventually ran third in the two-year-old classic behind winner Hayasugi and runner-up Lady Of Camelot who would go on to win the Golden Slipper. Those form lines have trainers Will Clarken and Niki O’Shea brimming from ear to ear as spring nears. “She’s the most exciting horse we have, she could be absolutely anything,” O’Shea said. “It’s great to have her back, we’re delighted with the way she’s been going, hopefully we can kick off her preparation on the right note.” The $390,000 daughter of Written Tycoon resumes in the Listed Lightning Stakes (1050m) for two and three-year-old gallopers at Morphettville this Saturday off a trial at Balaklava which featured talented open class horses. “She was in pretty good company that day and she’s worked well since then so she’s on the right track,” O’Shea said. “It would be great to win but obviously it’s hard against the older horses, first up, and on presumably testing ground.” When looking ahead at the spring calendar, O’Shea says there are many races suitable for Kuroyanagi, but one thing needs to be determined first. “I don’t really think anyone knows what her best trip is yet,” O’Shea said. “You’d assume she gets 1400m no worries but the way her action is you’d say she could be a Guineas filly, but then she’s also got a lot of speed so she might not want that far. “That’s something we’ll have to figure out or let us tell her, so we won’t be making any firm plans.” Kuroyanagi is an $8 chance to win the Thousand Guineas in November with Sportsbet. Clarken and O’Shea also have Hajra and Desert Dancing nominated for the Lightning Stakes.

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Kuro's low-key return

A home-state, black-type win is the immediate aim for South Australia's most-exciting young horse Kuroyanagi, but Will Clarken admits it's hard not to dream about spring features in both Melbourne and Sydney. The Blue Diamond placegetter made a low-key return to the track in a 600-metre jump out at Thomas Farms Racecourse Murray Bridge on Thursday, pleasing both her trainer and jockey Ben Price. Clarken said the Listed Lightning Stakes (1050m) at Morphettville later this month shapes as the perfect kick-off race and a suitable chance for the filly to secure a Stakes win, after her Group 1 and Group 2 placings over summer. "All being well, we'll get a good trial into her at Balaklava in seven days' time and then a nice gallop on some Good ground, we'll look to kick her off in the Lightning," Clarken said. "It'll come down to her first-up performance but races in both Melbourne and Sydney are definitely there as options. "It was such a vintage year of juveniles, so we'll just have to pick our way through and dodge a few of them. "We just want to get a black-type win next to her name, so we'll just chase little fish to start and build into it. "But we cant hide our excitement about her." During her first racing campaign, Clarken maintained that the daughter of Written Tycoon was far from the finished product and he said he's satisfied with the physical development she's made since the Blue Diamond. And while her early targets are likely to be in the 1000-1200-metre range, he's excited at the prospect of stretching her out in trip. "She's got a lot stronger in her time off," he said. "We did the right thing by stopping after the Diamond, so she got a really good spell into her. "Skeletally, everything has settled down because she was just feeling her shins off and on last prep. "I'd love to see her rolling over seven furlongs because I just think she's got this amazing action. "Brenton (Avdulla) gave us some amazing feedback that she felt like a horse that would get further after he rode her in the Diamond."Story from Racing.com (James Tzaferis)

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