Harbour Grey has been racing consistently since joining the stable of Stephen Brown proved a class above his rivals in winning the Straight Draw Handicap at Flemington yesterday.

He has only been out of the money once in six starts, the only time he has missed a place was on debut at Sale back in March.

English apprentice, Kieran Shoemark, on loan from Andrew Balding to Danny O’Brien, made sure he was going to ride his first winner at Flemington; he scouted wide on the home turn giving the grey gelding every chance of winning.

Harbour Grey winning at Flemington

Harbour Grey, a New Zealand bred four year old gelding, is lightly raced with a definite future, he should have no trouble getting at least a mile.

The grey had the race won a long way from home, he was travelling sweetly throughout the trip, it became a matter of how far in the straight.

His trainer, Stephen Brown, thought he was a fraction unlucky when finishing second to Goodbye Toulouse at Moonee Valley, a night fixture three weeks ago.

Brown, who hails from Darwin, where he was premier jockey and leading trainer before he located to Flemington, he has had a steady stream of winners since coming to Victoria. 

Kieran Shoemark - First winner at Flemington

Having accepted, with two runners in the New Year Plate at Flemington, paid off for the training partnership of Mathew Ellerton and Simon Zahra, when Sword Of Light had to be withdrawn as they still had a live chance in Want To Rock.

At the time of scratching Sword Of Light was a warm favourite $2.50, whilst first starter Want To Rock was showing $11, after opening at $9.

Even if Sword Of Light had been declared a starter, she may have had her work cut out to defeat her stable mate, as Want To Rock was pretty impressive.

She led for most of the trip and could have been headed once or twice in the straight, but to her credit she stuck to her guns, winning by a half neck after hard riding from Katelyn Mallyon, another winner closer to reducing her allowance.

Simon Zahra, representing the stable, said, “we have always had a good opinion of the filly, she showed good natural ability when trailing at Werribee, she also had a nice trial here that influenced us to run her,” he said.

The win was a great lift for her sire, Wanted, he has taken a little time to find his straps; he is represented by four yearlings in the Magic Millions yearling sales this week. 

Want To Rock winning the first race at Flemington for 2016 

It was hard to wipe the smile off the face of Mitchell Beer, after winning his first city race at Caulfield with Jacqui’s Joy.

Yet he is no stranger to racing, having followed his father, Les, about while he was riding at country meetings over various courses in Victoria and the Riverina.

Mitchell has since joined a training partnership with Max Hinton at Mornington; he acted as the silent partner in the operation.

The filly remains unbeaten since coming from New Zealand, she was coming off an impressive win at Kilmore and it was no surprise to see her well supported at Caulfield.

She had been racing on heavy tracks in New Zealand, that really didn’t suit her, and while Caulfield had a fair bit of rain in the early morning, the track was basically unaffected.

There looks to be exciting times ahead for Jacqui’s Joy, with suitable races, extending in distance, leading into the Adelaide Oaks.

She is by the former smart two year old Real Saga, a winner of four of his six starts at that age, defeating the subsequent Golden Slipper winner, Phelan Ready, in the Group 2 STC Todman Slipper.

Real Saga has an exciting draft to represent him at the Magic Millions Sales, in particular lot 357, the half sister to the crack two year old Capitalist.

Mossvana, the dam of Jacqui’s Joy, is by Mossman, she has a double cross in her of Star Kingdom, through Biscay and Kaoru Star.

Jacqui's Joy - First city winner for Mitchell Beer

Colt Lives Up To His Name

Hell Of An Effort lived up to his name and kept his unbeaten record intact, winning the Joe Brown Plate at Caulfield.

The success of the colt momentarily took some pressure off Peter Moody, and the satisfaction as he trained the colt’s sire, Reward For Effort, to win the Blue Diamond Stakes.

Hell Of An Effort improved dramatically on his previous win at Geelong, if he shows the same improvement by the end of January, he may have to be considered as a worthy Blue Diamond Stakes contender.

Surprisingly, he was the only winner in the field of nine runners, yet two unraced youngsters were preferred to him in betting.

The colt was well ridden by Linda Meech, a very much underrated jockey, she has never been afraid to travel the length and breadth of Victoria to ride, and she has proved a successful jockey trainer combination, Peter Moody has supported her at every opportunity.

Moody has also supported the progeny of Reward For Effort well, the horse he trained to win the Blue Diamond Stakes.

Hell Of An Effort wins with ease

Weir’s Boxing Day Treble

Darren Weir trained a treble at Caulfield on Boxing Day, but it was the quinella of Signoff and Lidari, in the Swettenham Stud Lord Stakes, that gave him the most satisfaction.

There was a case to be proved with both horses, whether Signoff had fully recovered from an injury sustained during the autumn, and Lidari has had a change of stables.

It was not a crash hot field by any sense of the imagination, however, both horses came through without a scratch; it is press on from here now.

Signoff’s could be on a trail to the Adelaide Cup, and Lidari could follow him on there are no firm decisions set as yet.

Signoff defeating his stable mate Lidari

Weir describes himself as a bushie, but soon recognised the best of both worlds, the excellent training facilities at Ballarat with its straight track and Warrnambool, by the sea, that has worked miracles.   ,

He has a huge advantage over the city trainers, the facility of salt water has great healing powers, but city beaches have long been off limits for animals.

Darren Weir can lay claim to being the most successful trainer we have known, training outside of the city limits at any one time in Australia.

Tuscan Sling splitting the second leg of Weir"s treble receives a pat from her owner Gerry Ryan

Capitalist, the unbeaten colt after two starts, winning the Breeders Stakes at Randwick and the Magic Millions Classic at Wyong last Thursday, is a firm favourite to win the Magic Millions Classic on the Gold Coast.

He looks the real deal now after his easy win at Wyong, it was simply a walk in the park, he didn’t even raise a sweat.

Claro El Banco, who led all the way to win at Ballarat, showed the same pace at Wyong until the home turn but wilted soon after.

The best that Jason Petch can expect from Claro El Banco is minor stake money, he will be safely held by the favourite Capitalist.

Bookmakers are currently quoting $1.60, he only needs to draw a favourable gate and he will shorten further.

A win in the Millions does not necessarily mean that he will run in the Golden Slipper, there are nine weeks between both races and it is not really ideal, it may even test the skills of Peter Snowden.

An unbeaten colt with a good pedigree has sound residual value as a potential sire, more so if his race record remains unblemished.

The only horse to win the Magic Millions and the Golden Slipper Stakes was Dance Hero, he was a gelding.

Peter Snowden, who excels with two years olds, is a master of his trade, he seldom gets carried away with horses, he knows only too well they can let you down when you least expect it.

Capitalist, a $165,000 yearling purchase was bought on type, and he did look the goods earlier this year at the Gold Coast sales and has already squared the ledger, it is all up from here.

Bred by Jan Clarke at Daandine Stud, this year she is offering a half sister to Capitalist, by Real Saga, on the second session of the sales as Lot 357.

She would be an excellent addition to any breeder as it is a very sound family, enhanced by the presence of Capitalist, this is an outstanding female family, it does not get much better than Bold Promise , Merlene, Dear Demi and Miss Pennymoney.

Eileen Ryan was a special quest of Illawarra Turf Club, at Kembla Grange race course, on the occasion of her 100^th birthday on Saturday.

She had been in hospital all week suffering with a case of pneumonia, however, when she heard a race was being named in her honour, she sought leave of absence from her doctor, to attend the races for a short a while.

The race club programmed the event as the second race on the card as the Eileen Ryan 100^th Birthday Maiden over 1200 metres.

Eileen was accompanied by her daughter Joanne, with the firm promise her mother would be returned to the hospital within reasonable time of the race being run.

Seated in the grandstand she received a steady stream of well wishes and friends to mark her special day.

The winner of her race was won by Bold Adventure, trained by racings first lady, Gai Waterhouse.

The day proved a great success, she was overwhelmed by the occasion and when jockeys, Grant Buckley and Jeff Penza, fully attired in their racing silks, each handed her a card, one from the Queen and the other from the Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull, her day then was complete.