Group I winning Fastnet Rock mare Nechita topped the 2013 Magic Millions Broodmare Sale when selling for $1.55 million to Coolmore and has now produced two stakes-winners with four year-old mare Forbearance capturing the Listed Galtres Stakes (1m4f) at York in the UK last week, while her imported son Harpo Marx (IRE) won the Group III ATC Premier’s Cup (2000m) at Kembla on Saturday. A six year-old gelding by Galileo, the Bjorn Baker trained Harpo Marx has been in great form t

Bjorn Baker will use the Premier’s Cup as an important spring stepping stone for emerging stayer Harpo Marx, with the race set to provide the import with his most significant class test. The Darby Racing gelding struck form during the winter, posting victories over 2000m at Randwick in July and 2400m at the same venue earlier this month. He will come back in distance for Saturday’s Premier’s Cup (2000m) at Kembla Grange as part of a slight reshuffle to his program. “The Wyong

Trainer Mark Newnham has designs on the Group 1 Metropolitan with talented stayer Spirit Ridge and hopes he can open his spring with another Group 3 win at Kembla Grange on Saturday. The import has quickly proven himself to be a reliable conveyance and Newnham said there are parallels between his condition heading into the Group 3 $160,000 The Agency Illawarra Premier’s Cup (2000m) and his autumn kick off back in March. On that occasion he was beaten in the shadows of the pos

The Metropolitan will be the spring target for progressive stayer Spirit Ridge, who kicks off his preparation in the Premier’s Cup at Kembla Grange. The former European tuned up for his return with a solid barrier trial win at Randwick on Friday and is carrying residual fitness from a winter carnival campaign in Brisbane. Trainer Mark Newnham expects him to be competitive in Saturday’s 2000 metre race, as he was in the autumn when edged out over the same distance first-up in

The provincial meeting run at Scone on Thursday produced a blue-blood three year-old Snitzel winner carrying the Darby Racing colours. Trained by Gary Portelli, Retiro was up and running early last spring finishing sixth on debut behind Shaquero in the Group III ATC Breeders Plate. Spelled after that race, Retiro did not reappear until striking a slow track when resuming to finish fifth in a midweek maiden at Randwick won by Brigantine, who goes around in the Group III ATC Up

Promising stayer Harpo Marx raced his way into spring carnival contention courtesy of a classic James McDonald ride at Royal Randwick on Saturday. McDonald, mindful Harpo Marx was burdened with a crushing 62.5kg, rode patiently at the back of the field, saved ground when he cut the corner on the final turn, eased around the leaders and finished strongly to win the Cliff Clare Handicap (2400m). But any thought that McDonald’s tactics were premeditated were dismissed by the joc