Champion Thoroughbreds and trainer John O’Shea unveiled promising Press Statement winner Announcing on Wednesday as an appetiser for her All Too Hard stablemate Pizarro in the Group 2 Expressway Stakes (1200m) this Saturday.
O’Shea is firing this season with Vinery-sired winners headed by Saltaire in the $500,000 Inglis Nursery (RL, 1000m) at Randwick in December. The Star Turn 2yo filly graduated for $140,000 from Vinery (as agent) at the 2022 Inglis Classic Sale to a partnership headed by Max Whitby and Neil Werrett.
Announcing, a 3yo daughter of Vinery sire Press Statement, was wayward on debut in the North Construction Plate (1200m) at Gosford but got up in a photo-finish from Better Than Anyone (I Am Invincible). She settled perfectly for Brenton Avdulla but it went pear-shaped in the straight when she swished her tail and swerved centre-course.
“Announcing ran off the track and nearly threw it away,” the race-caller declared as they hit the line. “They finished wide apart and she was just too good.”
Avdulla initially thought the winning margin would be much further. “She gave me a lovely ride in the middle stages but began to wander a bit. To her credit, she found the line strongly once I straightened her up again.”
Bred by Cornerstone Stud, Announcing is the first foal of former Lindsay Park mare Nova Rocha (New Approach). Her yearling colt by Pierata has been catalogued as Lot 642 by Cornerstone (as agent) at the Inglis Classic Yearling Sale on February 14.
Press Statement sent his stud-career wins through 250 on Australia Day when Magnetic landed the Navigate Hcp (1000m) at Wagga. He’s a Rangal Park homebred and has won 6 times in 16 starts for trainers Leon & Troy Corstens.
Press Statement has a full-brother to Naboo Legend entered by Carlaw Park as Lot 106 in Book 1 of the NZB National Yearling Sale at Karaka this Sunday. The Hong Kong expat showed the first glimpse of his best Kiwi form when third in the Tai Tong Hcp (1200m) at Sha Tin on January 15.
Naboo Legend raced as Scribe in New Zealand and was quickly on the radar following 2yo wins at New Plymouth and Te Rapa. He took time to acclimatize for David Hayes but two spells in Conghua had him ready to win.
Vinery initially sold Naboo Legend for $50,000 at the 2019 Inglis Foal Sale. He was pin-hooked by Carlaw Park’s Nick Fairweather and increased in value to $160,000 at the 2020 NZB Yearling Sale.
Meanwhile, John O’Shea will float his All Too Hard sprinter Pizarro to Rosehill on Saturday with an all-or-nothing attitude towards the Expressway Stakes (1200m). The progressive 4yo is coming off a BM88 placing three weeks ago to tackle a field headed by Golden Mile (Astern) and Forbidden Love (All Too Hard).
“If Forbidden Love brings her A-game, it’s probably all over but there is a little query on her,” O’Shea said. “It’s an interesting race and that’s why we were happy to go in with Pizarro. He may not be at that level now but he will end up there.”
