aaron_bain | Aaron Bain News 60745 Abr Race Preview

A fabulous start to 2025 with Aaron Bain Racing’s only runner at Murray Bridge on New Year’s Day, High Garden, arriving in the last stride for another impressive win.

For ABR, it was the perfect start as we look to build our brand in 2025 and give our owners the chance to #experiencetheTHRILL.

A disappointing time for the Gawler & Barossa Jockey Club which had to forfeit this Saturday’s meeting because of sprinkler malfunctions which left the track unsuitable for racing.

It upset ABR’s plans but we operate not sweating the things beyond our control.

AS a result of the meeting switch to Murray Bridge there was not really a suitable option for our Clare Cup winner THERMODYNAMIC as we prepare him for the Penola Cup (1700m) on Friday, January 17 so he stays at home in his stall.             

ABR will head to the Bridge with two runners.

With the extreme weather forecast, race start times have been adjusted with an early start.

METRO LEGEND kicks our day off in race four, the Dutton’s Easy To Do Business With Handicap (1200m) at 10.28am SA time.

In-form apprentice Taylah Johnstone will ride and claim 3kg on the seven-year-old which has drawn gate three in a field of 10.

ABR was confident he would have been very hard to beat at Gawler where he is a track specialist and is sure he will go well at the Bridge, but the long straight makes him a sitting target over the final stages.

METRO LEGEND is resuming but has trialled twice in preparation for his race return.

He has drifted from $4.80 out to $6 in early markets with the TAB.

EL CAPONY is ABR’s other runner in race seven, the Fred Vella Tyre & Crash Repairs Handicap (1100m) at 12 noon SA time.

Jason Holder will ride the mare which has drawn the extreme outside gate in a field of 10.

EL CAPONY resumed from a spell at Gawler on December 14 with an excellent third. Beaten just a half-length and will strip fitter on Saturday. She also has a good second-up record.

The mare was a $6 chance with the TAB but firmed on Thursday into $4.80.

Sunday sees ABR make the trip down to Naracoorte with two runners.

ABR has to wait until race five for our first runner, ESKY, in the Haynes Engineering Benchmark 56 Handicap (2000m) at 2.43pm SA time.

Hong Kong apprentice Isaac Sit, currently on loan in SA to improve his skills, takes the ride on ESKY which will come from gate one in a field of 13.

Sit claims 4kg so that will reduce the gelding’s weight down to 57.5kg.

The five-year-old has been racing well and comes off a last-start third at Oakbank. He looks well placed on Sunday.

For NAVY GOLD, it is a return to where he made a winning debut in October 2023, and for good measure, jockey Dom Tourneur who was aboard that day, jumps back in the saddle.

NAVY GOLD has drawn barrier 11 in a field of 12 in race seven, the Sportsbet Jockey Watch Rasting 0-56 Handicap (1430m) at 3.58pm SA time.

The four-year-old has had two trials to ready him for a race return and ABR would like to see him powering home as he did for that initial win.

EL CAPONY was also an acceptor, but trainers Aaron Bain & Ned Taylor decided to run the mare on Saturday with the better stakemoney on offer.

 

TWO CHAMPIONS AT GALA DINNER

ABR is excited about our Gala Dinner on Friday, February 7 with this week’s announcement champion jockeys Damien Oliver and Glen Boss will be the special guests.

Everyone who attended ABR’s inaugural dinner in 2022 at the Gawler racecourse could not speak highly enough of our first guest Glen Boss who was very engaging, interesting and mingled with everyone.

So he is back this year and will be joined by Damien Oliver, who carries the nickname of ‘The Goat’, the greatest of all time.

Like Boss, Oliver has won the Melbourne Cup three times – Doriemus (1995), Media Puzzle (2002) and Fiorente (2013).

No-one will forget his win on Media Puzzle, just days after the passing of his brother Jason, with the story being made into a film called The Cup.

Oliver’s list of major race wins is mind-blowing and includes four Caulfield Cups on Mannerism (1992), Paris Lane (1994), Doriemus (1995), and Sky Heights (1999); the Cox Plate on Dane Ripper (1997) and Northerly (2001); plus a Blue Diamond Stakes on Alinghi (2004). He was also the regular rider of Lee Freedman’s champion sprinter Schillaci (1991–95). In the 2007 Golden Slipper, Oliver completed the grand slam of Australian racing by winning the two-year-old race on the John Hawkes trained Forensics.

In 2013, Oliver won his third Melbourne Cup riding the favourite, Fiorente which was also his 100th Group 1 win.

His last race-day was at Ascot in Perth on December 16, 2023. He had seven rides and won all of his last three races with Devine Belief, Magnificent Andy and Munhamek. His final ride and win on Munhamek was in a race named after him, the Damien Oliver Gold Rush over 1400m.

In his career Oliver rode 3189 winners, including 129 Group Ones and he holds the Australian record for the number of Group One victories.

The 2025 ABR Gala winner will be held at the glamorous Wolf Blass ‘The Man’ Event Centre at the Morphettville racecourse on Friday, February 7.

Noted broadcaster Terry McAuliffe will again be the compere.

Tickets are $175-per-person which includes a two-course meal with canapes on arrival, and a four-hour drink package.

ABR’s Recognition awards and Horse Of The Year will be announced.

It is a night not to be missed with a pair of amazing guests in Damien Oliver and Glen Boss.

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