Unlucky Solidify ready for Eagle Farm rematch

Promising two-year-old Solidify emerged unscathed from the home straight interference that counted him out of the finish of Saturday’s Gr.2 BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m).

The stakes winning son of Redwood finished ninth in the Eagle Farm feature after he copped a buffeting 350m from home.

Co-trainer Graeme Rogerson has taken a glass half full approach and thankful Solidify came through the race well and is looking forward to a rematch in the Gr.1 JJ Atkins (1600m) on Saturday week.

“I think he is the making of something really special, he’ll give them a fright in the mile and then that will be it for the season,” he said.

“It could have been a lot worse, I’ve been in racing long enough to know you get your disappointments. We’ll live to fight another day.

“He came out of the race okay and just had no luck, he got flattened and Ryan (Elliot) thought he was going really well turning for home and said if he got the run he would have been right in it.

“It was still a good effort from the horse to pick himself up in the last 50m to get going again to the line.”

Solidify won two of his three starts in New Zealand, including the Listed Waikato Equine Veterinary Centre Stakes (1200m) at Te Rapa before departing for the Queensland winter carnival.

Four for Santos

Highview Stud's new recruit Santos sired a double on Sunday which took his tally of Individual first-crop winners to four, headed by Group One winner Ulanova.

Santos gelding Sandual won the bet365 Maiden Plate (1400m) at Horsham in emphatic fashion for Stawell trainer Andrew Bobbin, defeating his stablemate Sisu by six and a half lengths.

Sandual was purchased by his trainer for A$40,000 as a yearling. He is the first foal out of the unplaced Dualist, herself a half-sister to Group One placegetter Fundamentalist.

The stallion’s second winner of the afternoon came courtesy of Victory Win's triumph in the Landsborough Hotel QTIS Two-Year-Old Colts and Geldings Maiden Plate (1000m) at the Sunshine Coast.

Victory Win scored in similarly impressive style, defeating What A Weekend by six and a quarter lengths for trainer Kacy Fogden.

A Group Two winning son of I Am Invincible, Santos will cover his first book of mares at Highview Stud in New Zealand this spring, where he stands for a fee of $7,500 plus GST, having relocated from Aquis Farm in Queensland.

Waikato Super Club merger endorsed

A significant decision has been reached regarding the establishment of a new racing Club, named Waikato Thoroughbred Racing (WTR), following the official merger approval between Waikato Racing Club, Cambridge Jockey Club, and Waipa Racing Club.

The amalgamation was endorsed by the Board and members of all three Clubs during their respective Special General Meetings (SGMs), with the intention of bringing extensive benefits to the racing region of the Waikato.

The merger will take effect on August 1 2023.

The overwhelming majority of members present at the three SGM’s voted in favour of the merger, as they firmly believe that this formation will give rise to a robust and well-resourced super Club in New Zealand's largest thoroughbred racing and breeding region.

At the helm of the merger is Waikato Racing Club Chairman, John Elstob, who as the WTR Working Group Chair commented on the formation of Waikato Thoroughbred Racing.

“Collectively, the merger of the three Clubs places the newly formed Club in a significantly better position to accomplish our primary objectives, surpassing the capabilities of any individual Club or combination of two Clubs, he said.

“The merged Club will have improved scale and strength, as well as the flexibility to advance its racing and training operations.

“These positive effects will extend beyond the Club itself, benefiting the racing industry throughout the entire country.

The amalgamation is strongly supported by both the Cambridge Jockey Club and Waipa Racing Club.