ELIZA PARK RACING’S SPRINGBOARD

The thrilling victory of Mick Price’s brilliant colt, Instinction (above), in the Hilton Stakes-LR on the final day of the Cup carnival has capped off a marvelous Melbourne spring for Eliza Park’s Racing Division.

Instinction is just one of seven racehorses to shine in recent weeks: all graduates of Eliza Park’s breaking in and/or pre-training facility.

Instinction has now won two of his six outings and will now be targeted at the Sandown Guineas-G2 this Saturday. It was indeed a gutsy performance in the Hilton and in post-race celebrations, Price hinted that the Sandown Guineas could well be followed up by the Australian Guineas-G1 in the autumn.

The Weber family owned, Testa My Patience, continues to shine and the 5YOs score at Caulfield on 8 October was followed up a fortnight later – on Cox Plate Day – with a resounding victory in the Crystal Mile-G2 at Moonee Valley.

The Webers have certainly been patient over the years and Testa My Patience is just reward for their perseverance. He has now won seven of 15 outings with six placings and $343,664 in stakes.

Michael Moroney’s Sabrage (below) has been something of a revelation this spring with his last three runs producing a third in the Stutt Stakes-G2 at Moonee Valley, a thrilling victory in the Norman Robinson-G2 at Caulfield and, finally, a tremendous third in the VRC Derby-G1 at Flemington.

For a horse that raced for the first time in May before spelling for three months, Sabrage has gone from strength to strength and has picked up a cheque in all but one of his six outings (for $277,325 prizemoney overall).

Secret Hills had four runs in the spring and couldn’t crack it for a win but did pick up a third in the Mitchell McKenzie-LR, a third in the Henry Bucks-LR and a second to subsequent Cox Plate favourite Helmet in the Caulfield Guineas Prelude-G3. He has now stepped out in stakes company on five occasions for three placings.

Platinum Passion will have an opportunity to notch up her second win (and her first stakes victory) of the Melbourne spring when she competes in the Eclipse Stakes this Saturday.

Platinum Passion, who already has two seconds and a third in black type company, won at Caulfield over 2000m on 24 September before leading for most of the journey – over the same course and distance – in the time honoured Coongy-G3 on the Caulfield Cup program.

This outstandingly bred grey clearly has a big future at stud … particularly if successful in the Eclipse.

Fastnet Rock – sire of Eliza Park’s boom sire, Wanted – has been carrying all before him of late and 3YO filly, Roxit, could easily add to his black type tally following her comfortable win on debut at Moonee Valley on 28 October … a star filly in the making.

And last, but certainly no least, is the Bel Esprit 3YO, Sir Fernando, who ran into all sorts of trouble on debut at Seymour on the first day of spring, but still won comfortably before putting in a real eye-catching performance when second over 1100m at Caulfield behind Adamantium (who subsequently ran fifth to Sepoy – beaten just on two lengths – in the Coolmore Classic-G1).

Sir Fernando finished right on Adamantium’s flank at Caulfield after being held up in the straight and didn’t find space until the final furlong. Big future!

“Such consistency throughout the nation’s premier carnival, speaks volumes for Sue Ellis (Eliza Park General Manager Racing) and her team,” Eliza Park CEO Cameron Croucher points out. “To have seven graduates of the pre-training and breaking in division compete at such a level is a real milestone.”

Want to join the winning team?

A full time position is now available for an experienced breaker, based at Eliza Park’s Kerrie (Macedon Ranges) headquarters.

Excellent wages and conditions apply and interested parties should forward their CV to Sue Ellis at sellis@elizapark.com.au