Aaron Bain Racing | Aaron Bain News 62858 Abr Weekend Preview

Exciting weekend for Aaron Bain Racing with plenty of action with both the thoroughbreds and standardbreds, including a runner in the world’s richest harness race, the TAB Eureka at Tabcorp Park Menangle in Sydney.

On the gallops front, trainers Aaron Bain & Ned Taylor head to Morphettville Parks with four runners.

ABR doesn’t like having our runners clash, but it was unavoidable in race three, the Sportsbet Green Tick Maiden (1250m) at 1.32pm SA time.

KING EDWARD is ABR’s first runner for the super successful O T I racing team and has drawn gate two with journeyman jockey Will Price to ride in an acceptance of 18 including four emergencies.

The five-year-old has had just the two runs in Victoria but has had three trials in SA to ready him for a return to racing.

There is no doubt KING EDWARD will be much better over more ground, but we will be hoping to see him finishing the race off strongly.

Betting agencies have him quoted at $14 in early markets with Victorian Fondled a well supported $3.50 favourite.

BELLEZZE is ABR’s other runner, drawing barrier 10 with Jason Holder to ride.

The four-year-old mare was an excellent second over the same track and trip at her most recent run and looked unlucky.

The trainers are applying blinkers for the first time to BELLEZZE on Saturday which should ensure she can take a more prominent position and be hard to hold out.

The mare has been a little easy in early betting drifting from $5.50 out to $6.50.

DON’TDOUBTLAYLA returns to racing in race four, the Happy Birthday Tara Kelly Handicap (1000m) at 2.07pm SA time.

The diminutive mare has come up with barrier five in a field of 14 with apprentice Matthew Chadwick to ride and claim 3kg.

DON’TDOUBTLAYLA has not raced since finishing midfield at Morphettville in March.

She has had two trials, both with Chadwick in the saddle, to fit her for Saturday’s race.

The five-year-old mare will be out the back early but hopefully can charge home.

DON’TDOUBTLAYLA has been very easy in early markets easing from an opening price of $23 to $31 with the favourite Streetcar Fury at $3.

ABR accepted with LOUNGE BAR RUBI in race five, the Stephen “China” Rendell Handicap (1250m) but has decided against running.

He had a jump out at Gawler on Friday morning and instead will now kick off next Saturday.

STOKOMO will be looking for another win since joining ABR in race eight the Tony McEvoy Hall Of Fame Handicap (1250m) at 4.34pm SA time.

He has come up with gate five in an acceptance of 18 with four emergencies.

Regular rider Todd Pannell is unavailable on Saturday, so top Victorian rider Brad Rawiller has been engaged.

STOKOMO is part-owned by Yalumba Wines proprietor Robert Hill Smith, a close friend of Tony McEvoy, so Saturday’s race would be special if he could win.

The five-year-old is racing very well and looks a strong chance again.

STOKOMO has firmed from a generous opening price of $15 into $12 with the favourite Charm Catcher at $4.40.

ABR also accepted with BULLET WING in race nine, the Adelaide Galvanising Handicap (1400m) but has opted to wait for another day and he also has been scratched.

ABR also heads to the Mildura meeting on Saturday.

BUCKINGHAM PALACE resumes in the opening event, the Mildura & District Real Estate Maiden (1009m) at 12.26pm SA time.

Talented apprentice Isaac Sit has been engaged and can claim 2kg.

BUCKINGHAM PALACE has drawn barrier five in a field of 11.

The four-year-old ran a good third at Strathalbyn at his only run for ABR back in February and has had three trials to ready him for a return on Saturday.

UTAH will have his first run for ABR in race two, the Mallee Big Screen Hire Maiden (1409m) at 1.01pm SA time.

He has drawn gate one in an acceptance of 16 with two emergencies and also will be ridden by 2kg claiming apprentice Isaac Sit.

The grey was second over 2000 metres at Kilmore in April at his most recent run before being purchased by ABR.

UTAH has had two trials to ready him for a racetrack return.

Harness Racing

ABR and our partner Summit Racing are excited to again be involved in the world’s richest harness race, the $2.1 million TAB Eureka (2300m) at Tabcorp Park Menangle in Sydney on Saturday.

It is race seven and will be run at 8.15pm SA time.

There is no question that one of ABR’s most exciting nights was when ENCIPHER won the inaugural TAB Eureka in 2023.

This year, Victorian Jackie Barker has picked up the drive on our slot runner MIKI TO SUCCESS, one of four starters for trainer Emma Stewart.

While it is by far the biggest stage Barker has driven on, she has won 620 races, including two at Group 1 level.

One of those Group 1 wins also came aboard MIKI TO SUCCESS in last year’s Vicbred 3YO final at Melton.

Barker has driven MIKI TO SUCCESS more than anyone else with 15 starts netting six wins and four thirds.

The four-year-old has drawn the extreme outside of the 10 runners which will line up for the Eureka, so Barker is going to need to produce a 10/10 drive if we are to achieve another victory.

MIKI TO SUCCESS is rated at $5.50 in betting on the Eureka with the equal favourites Fighter Command and Bay Of Biscay at $3.80.

On Sunday, the feature races continue for ABR at the Hobart harness meeting.

In-form filly BEACH DIAMOND has drawn perfectly in gate one in the $40,000 Cavalor Equicare Tasmanian Oaks (2090m), race five to be run at 6.47pm SA time.

Trained by Emma Stewart, the three-year-old will be driven by Allan McDonough.

BEACH DIAMOND was an impressive winner of her past two starts at Globe Derby Park and looks an excellent chance to bring up the hat-trick of wins.

The filly has firmed from $2.40 into $2 in early markets with the favourite, her stablemate Let Her Roll at $1.65.

Impressive three-year-old colt CAPTAIN PERFECT lines up in the $40,000 Cavalor Equicare Tasmanian Derby (2579m), race seven at 7.57pm SA time.

He is also trained by Emma Stewart and will be driven by Allan McDonough.

CAPTAIN PERFECT has drawn barrier three in a field of five and has opened the red-hot $1.18 favourite.

The colt has run second at Melton at his last two starts, the most recent last Saturday when an excellent effort behind stablemate Storms Collide.

Let’s hope the price assessors are right.

On Monday, ABR heads to Globe Derby Park where, finally, REACH THE PEAK has landed a decent draw.

The three-year-old has gate two in race seven, the Bargain Steel Centre Pace (2230m) at 3.55pm SA time.

Trained by Peter Bain for his stint in SA, REACH THE PEAK will be driven by Wayne Hill.

The colt ran superbly last Saturday when third coming from the horror draw of gate four on the second row over just the 1800 metre trip.

A better draw as well for DREAMALITTLEDREAM at Globe Derby Park on Tuesday.

She has drawn gate one in race nine, the Ladbrokes Bet Ticker Pace (1800m) at 9.46pm SA time.

Trained by Peter Bain, DREAMALITTLEDREAM will be driven by Wayne Hill and looks another good winning chance for connections.

 

OH LOVEY NO WINS

The steady improvement of OH LOVEY NO culminated in a well-deserved victory at Morphettville on Wednesday, September 3.

An odds-on $1.75 favourite, OH LOVEY NO was ridden patiently by apprentice Matthew Chadwick before finishing best to win The Fotobase Group Maiden (2037m).

The Aaron Bain & Ned Taylor-trained five-year-old mare, drew clear to win by 1-1/2 lengths from Fiery Moon ($101) with Dexter Dream ($5.50) a similar margin away third.

OH LOVEY NO had two previous trainers, and one start running last, before finding her way into the Aaron Bain Racing stables approaching the middle of the year.

She has been a steady improver in seven runs with two seconds and a third at her three runs before stepping out at Morphettville.

Chadwick allowed the mare to settle on the inside towards the tail of the field of seven early and waited until turning for home before trying to improve.

OH LOVEY NO came to the middle of the track past the 300-metre mark and wore down the leaders to win well.

Trainer Aaron Bain paid credit to winning jockey Matthew Chadwick.

“Matthew was very patient,” Bain said.

“I commented that it was looking a bit of a horror show at the 1000 metres.

“But the gaps opened, the mare took them, and Matt rode her a treat in the end.

“Nick Cadd and his wife were here to watch her win.

“Nick has been very patient. Her first couple of starts were a bit rocky, she got beat a fair way.

“The blinkers went on, the tongue tie went on and she has been a lot better for it.

“She turned the corner culminating in the win today.

“She will now go to Balaklava next Wednesday for a Benchmark 56 over 2200 metres.”

Winning jockey Matthew Chadwick said OH LOVEY NO was still on the improve.

“She has made a lot of gradual improvement,” Chadwick said.

“The first time I rode her I lost ground on her between the half-mile (800m) and the 400 and I said to the team she has got something there, she just needs to put it all together.

“Put the blinkers on and she was a different horse.

“She should have won last start, it was a car crash on my part.

“She has come here today, at a short price, and she put them away like she should have done.

“Today, I rode her like the best horse in the race and got some beautiful carts into it and found the right place to be.

“I knew I wouldn’t be too far away from them when I got clear air, and she put the sword to them.

“Congratulations to ‘Bainy’, Ned, the team and the owners, they have a progressive stayer here.”