Two to follow remain undefeated at Warwick Farm
Nic Ashman           Racenet
Wednesday, 9 November 2011

Exciting gallopers Didntcostalot and Pretty Composed both appear set for bigger things after the two gallopers maintained their unbeaten records at Warwick Farm on Wednesday.

The Marc Conners-trained Didntcostalot sped across from his outside barrier to lead throughout in the Styletread.com.au Handicap (1100m). Didntcostalot broke the class record on a track rated a slow (6) when defeating Safusa and Not A Dancer.

"He's a very fast horse. I always thought he would be better on a wet track," Conners said.   "He trialled here on a very wet track and ran a very fast time, I was almost waiting for this day and it came."

Didntcostalot won his debut by 5-1/2 lengths over 1100m and backed that up with a 1-1/2 length over 1200m last time out.

Conners said he dropped the three-year-old back to the 1100m in order to allow the gelding to race according to his natural style.

"I  just thought the other day we had to hold him up a bit (over 1200m) and today he was about to free-roll," he said.

The trainer said Didntcostalot would head "straight to the paddock" and return in the autumn to tackle some of the better sprint races.

In contrast to Didntcostalot's win, the Brian Wakefield-trained Pretty Composed sat at the tail of the field after missing the start but circled her rivals to win pulling away in the Girls Day Out at Rosehill Handicap (1000m).

Debutant breaks Wyong course record

Grahame Timbrell      Sydney          Thursday 13 October 2011, 3:44pm

A three-year-old colt who cost just $3000  as a yearling and was described by his trainer Marc Conners as a "dope"  early in his career, broke the track record for 1100 metres when winning on debut at Wyong on Thursday.

The aptly-named Didntcostalot, by  the young Danehill stallion Danerich, careered away to win  Thorn-Nesco-Electra Maiden Plate by 5-1/2 lengths in 62.32 seconds,  eclipsing the previous course record of 62.33 seconds set by Rose Of  Kings in 2005.

Jockey Jeff Penza let Didntcostalot slide to the  lead along the rail after the first 100 metres and he held a slight  advantage to the turn.

Once he turned for home Penza gave the colt two backhanders and he scorched away to win unextended.

"There is loads of improvement in him because he did a few things wrong," Penza said.  "I was on one rein the whole way. Once he learns to settle and go straight he could be anything."

Clarry Conners, the trainer's father and a man who has won four Golden Slippers, was at Wyong sporting a huge smile.

He was reluctant to comment except to say: "He's Marc's horse and he looks like he could be very good."

Didntcostalot was bought by Vern Rayner from Classic Bloodstock.

"Vern is an outstanding judge and this proves it," Marc Conners said.  "This horse was quite dumb early, a bit of a dope, but this preparation he has really come of age.  He trialled very well at Warwick Farm and won easily so we looked for a nice race for him first-up and this fitted the bill."

"We knew he had plenty of ability but we didn't expect this.  He still has a lot to learn so I might look for another provincial race and then see where we go with him."

"He could be one of the best horses I have put a bridle on."

Sea Gem, Another Breeze Up Sale Hit

Breednet - Media Release - Friday, 24 June 2011

Sea Gem continued the winning run of graduates of Australia's premier  breeze up style sale when she scored an impressive debut win at Gosford  today.

A daughter of veteran shuttle sire Royal Academy (USA), Sea Gem was  purchased by trainer Marc Conners for just $14,000 at October's Magic  Millions National Horses in Training Sale.

Today at her first  start Sea Gem was swiftly out of the barriers from a wide gate and she  was pushed out to take the lead when leaving the back straight.  She held the lead into the straight and despite running out dramatically in the home straight she was still too strong in a commanding performance.  If the promising filly had held her position nearer the inside rail the  winning margin would have been significantly greater than the final  margin of three quarters of a length.

Sea Gem, plucked from Robyn Wise draft at the Gold Coast based breeze up sale for $14,000, was  originally purchased for $5,000 as a yearling.  On that occasion  it was Ewan Stoddart who signed for the filly from the Goodwood Farm  draft at last year's Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

Sea Gem was sent out the favourite on the strength of an eye catching Rosehill trial win on June 3.

At the post Sea Gem ($3 fav), with Josh Parr up, held a three quarter length over the well named runner-up Ablett's Scream ($8).     Barbur ($14), for Tommy Berry and Graeme Rogerson, was third. It is a half  relation to former classy mare Illuminates and a fellow Magic Millions  Yearling Sale purchase.

Sea Gem is the first named foal for the winning Snippets mare Our Chantilly.   She in turn is from a winning Caerleon half sister to Dream Ticket - the  dam of international group winner and Group One placegetter Magic  Mission.   Further back hers is the same family as champion  Japanese galloper and sire Deep Impact as well as German Group One  winner Wind in Her Hair and inflential sire Nashwan.

The Marc  Conners stable made it a winning double in the juvenile races when  Conatus filly Balladonia scored a thrilling win in the following event.

Carrying the colours of Gerry Harvey, Balladonia has won all her three trials  and at her only previous run finished last in a field of six in the  listed Widden Stakes.

Balladonia is from the Best Western mare  Western Invasion. That mare's latest yearling, a colt by More Than Ready was purchased by Kevin Dagg for $75,000 at this year's Magic Millions  Adelaide Yearling Sale at Morphettville.

Entries are now being  taken for the 2011 Magic Millions National Horses in Training Sale - to  be held at the Gold Coast on October 19 and 20. The online entry form  can be accessed here.

MM Release

Pimpala Secret upsets in Hawkesbury Guineas

Story By Rob Burnet

|Saturday, 30 April 2011: The Marc  Conners trained Pimpala Secret was the upset winner of the $150,000,  listed, Blacktown Workers Hawkesbury Guineas (1400m) at Hawkesbury on  Saturday with the Monashee Mountain gelding holding off a challenge from Speediness for the length of the main straight.

Pimpala Secret, under Greg Ryan, settled well in third from barrier one while  Rasteau took the field through the early sectionals with Kirinata  second. The field bunched for the turn into the main straight and as  Rasteau tired Ryan sent Pimpala Secret forward to take over without much effort.  Only Speediness (Testa Rosa) and Corey Brown gave  effective chase and while they looked likely to catch Pimpala Secret the big gelding was able to hold them off to score his best win to-date.  The margin was a neck.  The filly Steps In Time (Danehill Dancer)  and Christian Reith were third, the margin 2L. The time was 1.24.68 and  the final 600m in 36.27.

Pimpala Secret paid $17.40 on NSW TAB while he was available at $21.00 on TAB Sportsbet earlier on Saturday.

Conners took Pimpala Secret to Bathurst on April 25th in an  unconventional preparation run for Saturday's race and he won a  Benchmark 75 over 1400m under Ryan. 

"I think he improved with that run and it might have toughened him up a bit"  said Ryan.  "I think the key was when I went out at the top of the straight we got a  bit of a break there and he kept on plugging away and held on.  But he definitely improved since I rode him the other day. The good thing  for Marc and the owners is that he has finished up to some of the better horses and they might have a bit of fun with him"  he said.

"It was a good turnaround for him today. We had to take him away to give him a bit of confidence and he got the job done today" explained Conners.

"Drawing barrier one makes such a big difference and he was able to dictate to  where he wanted to be today and when they rolled off the fence the run  was there |" he said.

Pimpala Secret is out of the General Nediym  mare Secret Dancer and this was his fifth win. He is a perfect example  of not spending a lot at a sale to secure a racehorse with his sale  price at the 2008 Magic Million Weanling Sale just $3,500 from the draft of Willowbend Stud

Secret Dancer was unraced but she is from a full sister to the Group Two Magic Night Stakes winner Romantica.

Racing for R J Cruwys, C Y Cruwys, G Daley, Y Driscoll and G Treister Pimala Secret has now earned stakes of $217,600

Greg Ryan scores his biggest win

Saturday, 30 April 2011:

Leading bush jockey Greg Ryan was planning to spend his Saturday at a clearance sale but instead wound up winning the biggest race of his career on  Pimpala Secret in the Listed Hawkesbury Guineas.

Trainer Marc  Conners took Pimpala Secret to Bathurst on Monday to coax a win out of  the three-year-old, and after Ryan piloted the gelding to the Anzac Day  victory he was able to maintain the ride for Saturday's $150,000 feature over 1400m.

Pimpala Secret took advantage of the inside barrier  and never rounded a horse as he held off Speediness by a neck with the  favourite Steps In Time two lengths away third.

"We didn't have a rider when the fields came out so I rang Greg and asked what he was doing," Conners said.  "He said he was just going to a clearance sale, so I told him to come to Hawkesbury and ride the horse again."

Ryan has ridden 2500 winners during his career but said the  Hawkesbury Guineas at Listed level was his biggest success in the  saddle.

"I was going to a clearance sale to buy a bandsaw to cut up some firewood," the country hoop said.  "But now I'll just go and buy some firewood that's already cut up."

Pimpala Secret was struggling for form and Conners elected for the Bathurst  excursion against older horses on Monday as he wanted to try the horse  over 1400 metres with blinkers on and couldn't find any other suitable  event.

"It was a confidence boost for him, we took him there to  try and make him a racehorse because he had been bludging on us," the  trainer said.

Pimpala Secret ($21) settled in the box seat behind leader Rasteau in Saturday's Guineas with Steps In Time ($3.40) on his  outside during the run

Ryan guided the gelding to the front  before the home turn and he held off the late charge of Victorian  visitor Speediness ($9) who was having his first stakes test.

Conners said it was hard to be confident heading into the Guineas considering the step up in class.

"I was very happy with him but it was a very good race," he said.  "There were horses in it today they have been talking about Stradbrokes with, and we'd just come off a win at Bathurst."

Colin Scott, who trains just two horses at Pakenham in Victoria, was  encouraged by Speediness' performance ahead of the Scone Guineas (1600m) in two weeks.

"It was a wet track, his first time racing the reverse way of going, I can't ask for any more than that," Scott said.

"I'm proud of the horse and can't be anything but happy going up to the mile at Scone next start."

Talented hoop picks up his second Soldier's Saddle victory

BY ANYA WHITELAW      Western Advocate

26 Apr, 2011 04:00 AM

GREG Ryan has picked up plenty of accolades in his stellar career and yesterday the talented jockey added another to his resume as he joined the rare club of those who have ridden multiple Soldier's Saddle winners at Bathurst's Tyers Park.

The Soldier's Saddle, held each year on ANZAC Day, is one of the most sought after trophies offered at Bathurst and as such, the race attracts not only strong runners from local stables but classy metropolitan chances as well.

Back in 2003 Ryan got the job done for Michael Wales when Branch Of Gold was first home in the 1400 metre feature and when Warwick Farm trainer Marc Conners wanted someone to ride Pimpala Secret for him in the 2011 edition, he looked to the same jockey.

"He does win big races, that's why I put him on," Conners said of Ryan.

"His last ride for me he won the Snake Gully Cup at Gundagai and he came out and won again for me today."

In picking up his second Soldier's Saddle win, Ryan joined Cowra champion Mathew Cahill (2007, 2001, 1997) and Troy Phillips (1995, 1999) as a multiple winner of the prestigious event.

Not surprisingly it was another top ride as Ryan guided Pimpala Secret along the rails in the home straight to take the lead.

From there Conners was always confident his three-year-old gelding would win the $20,000 race.

"I wasn't nervous, not when he hit the front, I knew he would win," Conners said.

"It was an experiment for the horse that won, he has a lot of ability but basically hadn't been racing as good as we would have liked.

"Today was just a trip away, he had a good barrier, a good rider and everything just went to plan. When you draw barrier one it makes it so much easier."

While Pimpala Secret started as the $2.80 favourite on the NSW TAB and the $4 second elect on course behind Hawkesbury runner Centover ($3.20), it was $26 outsider Delightful Emperor who started the best.

Apprentice Lauri Wray settled Delightful Emperor 13/4 lengths ahead of Bathurst hopefuls So Light and So Genourous, but Ryan had Pimpala Secret well positioned in fourth.

By the 800 metre mark Ryan had worked the Monashee Mountain x Secret Dancer gelding up into third behind Delightful Emperor and So Light and the favourite was travelling well.

However, there was still work for Ryan to do.

Sarah Murray-Leslie's So Light closed to within three-quarters of the lead with 500 to go then pushed on to the head of the field into the straight, the Bathurst trainer so excited she ran up alongside the track to try and will her chance home.

Another Bathurst trainer, Don Ryan, would have liked what he saw as So Genourous wound up and made his challenge, but in the end there was to be no home track success story.

Pimpala Secret surged along the rails for Ryan to win by 11/4 lengths over Hewentwhoosh ($6, Kody Nestor) while So Light ($17, Lane Moloney) hung on for an impressive third.

It was the fourth win of Pimpala Secret's nine-start career and gave Conners the Soldier's Saddle he came so close to winning in 2008 when another member of his team, Global Start, ran second to Dynamite Dancer.

"It is a good feeling to win, when you bring a horse up from the city and you get beat it doesn't feel very nice at all," Conners said. "It's sensational here today, that is one of the reasons I like coming here on this day, there's a big crowd in and it is really great."

A  Star In The Mud!
Scott Darby     Darby Racing
Tuesday 25th April, 2011

Rockaway  Star started his career in fine form winning in town and showing  he had real potential. Of late he had struggled to capture his  best form with a couple of minor issues hindering his performances.  Today at Gosford when the rain came and the track deteriorated  to a Heavy 9, Rockaway Star grew an extra leg and returned to  form with a dashing 4.25 length win over the 1000m journey.  A huge relief for trainer Marc Conner's and owners as we have  all been scratching our heads with his lack of recent form.  If today is anything to go by you may just be seeing this son  of Rock of Gibraltar returning to town especially whilst the  tracks are wet.