Tag Archive for: Waipiro

Waipiro could try again to book Derby ticket at Lingfield

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Waipiro is a possible for the Lingfield Derby Trial after his Newmarket bid was scuppered on the way to the start.

The Ed Walker-trained Australia colt, who is a half-brother to Hong Kong hero Waikuku, was set to be an intriguing runner at Headquarters after a taking seasonal debut over course and distance late last month.

The Listed Newmarket Stakes was an intended stepping stone to the Betfred Derby – but Waipiro was unable to compete as rival runner Forca Timao kicked out on the way to the start and struck the arm of jockey Tom Marquand.

Marquand sustained a wound that required stitches and he was forced to step down, causing the withdrawal of Waipiro.

Marquand is healing having escaped any broken bones and Walker reports the horse to be none the worse as the blow did not reach him.

Lingfield will now be an alterative outing, though his trainer is conscious of ground conditions and will monitor the going throughout the week.

“He’s absolutely fine, unfortunately for Tom he took the blow,” he said.

“It’s obviously a real pain for us because Lingfield looks like it’s going to be on soft ground now and that (Newmarket) was the right spot for him.

“It’s frustrating, but he’s well and he’s being trained for Lingfield at the moment.

“I’d run him on good to soft but I wouldn’t run him on soft, so it’ll be dependent on which way things go this week.”

William Buick with Military Order at Newbury
William Buick with Military Order at Newbury (PA)

Waipiro is one of 14 contenders for the near 12-furlong contest, with Charlie Appleby’s Military Order the headline act following his effortless return in a Newbury novice event last month.

He is a general 6-1 shot for Epsom and could be joined by Listed-winning stablemate Noble Dynasty, although he holds an alternative entry in Thursday’s Dee Stakes at Chester.

Gooloogong, a 33-1 chance for the premier Classic, and Bertinelli could represent Aidan O’Brien.

Newmarket Stakes second Circle Of Fire could make a swift return, while Laafi, Artistic Star and Ndaawi also feature.

Ralph Beckett’s Bluestocking made a splash on her only juvenile start and is generally available at 14-1 for Epsom ahead of her possible return in the Oaks Trial Fillies’ Stakes.

A Juddmonte-owned daughter of Camelot out of Group One winner Emulous, Bluestocking beat the colts in style on her debut in a Salisbury novice heat in September.

Karl Burke’s Fillies’ Mile third Bright Diamond is among the 14 entries along with Sunset Point and Eternal Hope for the Appleby team and O’Brien’s pair of Be Happy and Lambada.

Agartha leads the way in the Chartwell Fillies' Stakes
Agartha leads the way in the Chartwell Fillies’ Stakes (Niall Carson/PA)

Joseph O’Brien has a strong potential team for the Group Three Chartwell Fillies’ Stakes with Agartha, American Kestrel and Honey Girl mounting a three-strong challenge.

Previous Group-race winners Sacred and Sandrine also feature, for William Haggas and Andrew Balding respectively.

White Moonlight, Just Beautiful, Secret Angel and Juliet Sierra are other names to note.

Waipiro seeking to book Derby ticket with Newmarket victory

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Ed Walker’s Waipiro will look to secure his Derby place on Friday, as he returns to the Rowley Mile for the Newmarket Stakes.

The three-year-old has an eyecatching pedigree as he is by Australia and out of London Plane, the same dam who produced the Hong Kong superstar Waikuku – three times a Group One winner at Sha Tin.

Waipiro, who runs in the same silks, made his debut in a Kempton novice in December and finished sixth of 13 runners from a wide draw.

He demonstrated considerable progression in his seasonal comeback at the Craven meeting a fortnight ago, cruising to an impressive win the bet365 British EBF “Confined” Novice Stakes.

Winning by three and a half lengths over 10 furlongs from Karl Burke’s Liberty Lane, the bay now returns to the same track for a course and distance repeat at Listed level.

Waipiro (second left) winning the bet365 British EBF “Confined” Novice Stakes
Waipiro (second left) winning the bet365 British EBF “Confined” Novice Stakes (Tim Good/PA)

“He came out of his win at the Craven meeting very well. I would have loved another week or so before going into a race like this in an ideal world, but there’s no reason not to run as he’s put the weight back on and he’s fresh and well,” Walker said.

“The reason for going here was that he handles the track and the trip won’t be an issue. We want to find out sooner or later if he is a horse who could be lining up at Epsom, so really he needs to be winning this in order to do so.

“I worry that Chester and Lingfield could be quite soft ground, but I think the ground will be perfect for him tomorrow. He’s not in the Dante so via a process of elimination we’ve ended up here, but it does seem like the right move given how well he won last time.

“It was very impressive, if you were trying to take the gloss off it you could say that the first two home sat first and second the whole way and nothing else had a chance to get into it. It wasn’t the most truly run of races, but he couldn’t have done it any better. I know Karl Burke thinks a lot of his horse, who was carrying a penalty.”

Waipiro holds an entry for the premier Classic and so this race represents a crucial test of his ability, one he must pass if he is to head to Epsom in June.

“I think it was, all in all, a good performance. He’s got to take another step forwards, he took a big step forwards from his debut and he’s got to take another tomorrow,” Walker said.

“We think he’s nice and we left him in the Derby for a reason, so let’s hope he can justify that decision.”

The King and Queen Consort have a runner in Sir Michael Stoute’s Circle Of Fire, an impressive three-and-a-quarter-length victor in a Salisbury novice at the back end of last season.

John Warren, racing manager to the royals, said of the homebred Almanzor colt: “Circle Of Fire has been pleasing Sir Michael in his work and Ryan (Moore) has been complimentary having sat on him a few times.

“This is his first test in stakes company so it is going to be very interesting to see what level he is up to.”

Ralph Beckett’s Salt Bay heads the market, and was a winner on debut at Haydock in September and then a Group One third when contesting the Criterium International at Saint-Cloud the following month.

He will be joined by the Godolphin duo of Castle Way and Victory Dance – both trained by Charlie Appleby.

Castle Way was triumphant last time out in a nursery handicap, whereas Victory Dance is a Listed winner who signed off last season with a third-placed effort behind Nostrum in the Group Three Tattersalls Stakes.

Victory Dance at Newbury
Victory Dance at Newbury (Steven Paston/PA)

“Castle Way brings good course experience, having ended his campaign with a nice win on the Rowley Mile, and goes into the race in good order,” Appleby said via the Godolpin website.

“The trip is not a concern at all and we will potentially be stepping up further in distance after this.

“Victory Dance showed a high level of form as a two-year-old. This is a big step up from seven to 10 furlongs but it is something that we feel he will appreciate based on his work at home. He could be an interesting horse over this distance.”

James Ferguson is represented by Farhh colt Like A Tiger and Andrew Balding’s Relentless Voyager and Richard Hannon’s Forca Timao complete the field.

Waipiro makes waves in Derby market

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Derby entrant Waipiro turned what looked a hot bet365 British EBF “Confined” Novice Stakes at Newmarket into a procession.

Trained by Ed Walker, the half-brother to Hong Kong Group One winner Waikuku had finished sixth of 13 on his only start last year at Kempton behind Simon and Ed Crisford’s Wigmore Street.

As a result he was sent off the outsider of the whole field against three previous winners and several other bluebloods.

Running into the dip it appeared as if Karl Burke’s promising Liberty Lane was going to make all the running under Clifford Lee – but Tom Marquand was still sitting pretty on Waipiro.

When Marquand asked his mount to stretch, the Australia colt did just that and powered away from the field to win by three and a half lengths at 25-1.

He now looks bound for a Derby trial, with Paddy Power cutting him to 33-1 from 200-1 for the Classic itself.

“We left him in the Derby because we think he’s a nice horse,” said Walker.

“He had a float around Kempton last year but he was very weak. He ran fine from a bad draw, doing all his best work at the end.

“He’s been working well in the spring, but the horses hadn’t been running as well as I’d like so it was a well-needed boost for the yard.

“He is a raw horse, he behaved very badly, he was very green and physically he’s still very raw, he’s only going to get better and better so it’s exciting.

“I think we’ll run in a trial, I don’t know which one yet, I’ll see what Tom says.”