aaron_bain | Aaron Bain News 60843 Abr Weekend Preview

The round of yearling sales began with the famous Magic Millions Yearling Sales on the Gold Coast last week and, for the first time, Aaron Bain Racing was an active participant.

ABR purchased two yearlings and hopes to become even more involved next year.

Our first purchase cost $100,000 and was a filly by sought after stallion Farnan out of the Encosta de Lago mare Forever Crazy, a six-race winner from 1350 metres to 1900 metres.

In the breeding barn she has produced the stakes winner Flying Crazy, by Flying Artie.

The filly is from the family of the current quality sprinter Arkansas Kid and also the good Queensland winner Garibaldi.

Aaron Bain, and Barend Vorster were at the Gold Coast sales complex early this week inspecting yearlings which were being offered in the Book Two section and struck again.

ABR paid $36,000 for a colt by D’Argento, a son of the champion racehorse and sire So You Think, from the unraced Snitzel mare Genie.

The dam is out of the stake winner Indarra who has produced two winners and is from the family of stakes winner Holy Moly and stakes placed Xlerate.

The sire, D’Argento, was a Group 1 winner of the Rosehill Guineas and ran second in the Epsom Handicap during his race career of four wins from 1200 metres to 2100 metres.

His oldest progeny are three-year-olds but already he has been able to sire several stakes placed runners.

The growth of ABR will see the business active at all the yearling sales, but especially the Magic Millions Adelaide Sale over the next few months searching for future stars.

Keep a close check on the ABR website for opportunities to join the ride and #experiencetheTHRILL.

ABR will head to the South-East town of Penola on Friday with two runners.

OVEREXTEND steps out in race six the Riddoch Coonawarra Benchmark 68 (1075m) at 3.20pm SA time.

Apprentice Brooke King will ride and claim 2kg drawing barrier 10 in a field of 13 with three emergencies.

OVEREXTEND has raced since running unplaced at Morphettville on August 10 but has trialled nicely at Strathalbyn and Oakbank to ready him for a race return.

Brooke King will also ride ABR’s other runner BULLET WING in race eight, the Bull Bros / Hallett Concrete Benchmark 66 Handicap (1400m) at 4.40pm SA time.

BULLET WING has drawn gate seven in a field of 13 with one emergency.

The six-year-old found the 1000 metres too short when making a debut for ABR at Morphettville on December 7 and looks much better placed at Penola.

On Saturday, ABR will take another two to the Thomas Farms Murray Bridge meeting.

METRO LEGEND is our first runner in race five, the Carlton Draught Handicap (1100m) at 2.47pm SA time.

Apprentice Taylor Johnstone will ride and claim 2kg and the gelding will start from barrier five in a field of 10.

Johnstone rode the seven-year-old when he was a good third over 1200 metres at Murray Bridge on January 4.

Expect METRO LEGEND to prove very competitive again.

Punters agree and he has been backed from an opening price of $8 with the TAB to currently be a $4.80 chance with the favourite Quanah at $3.60.

EL CAPONY steps out in race six the SpryCrete Handicap (1200m) at 3.22pm SA time.

Manoel Nunes takes the ride on the mare which has drawn gate seven in a field of nine.

The five-year-old has run well at both runs from a break and both her wins have been at 1200 metres.

EL CAPONY should also run well.

TAB markets opened EL CAPONY as the $3.70 equal favourite with Shisuta Bo.

On the harness front, a perfect start to ABR’s season with our first runner in 2025, CHRISLYNN proving too good for her rivals at Globe Derby Park on Monday.

The Ladies Club mare was resuming from a spell but had trialled well for her racing return.

Starting at the good odds of $7.50, CHRISLYNN sprinted strongly for trainer Aaron Bain and reinsman Wayne Hill to score a 2-1/2 metre win in the Ladbrokes Bet Ticker Pace (1800m).

The six-year-old mare has now won three races for ABR, the last two in a row, and is proving herself in SA.

ABR STAR

Anyone who watched the Oakbank race meeting last Wednesday could not but have been impressed by the mare DON’TDOUBTLAYLA which made her race debut for trainers Aaron Bain and Ned Taylor.

DON’TDOUBTLAYLA produced a dazzling sprint to score before a large ownership group.

Ridden by apprentice Isaac Sit the mare came from last on the home turn in a field of eight to grab victory in the Klose’s Foodland Class One Handicap (1050m).

Backed from $4 to start $2.70 favourite, DON’TDOUBTLAYLA finished so fast she won by a half-length from Crown Riches ($10) with Jamaican Gold ($9.50), a similar margin away third.

Sit, who claimed 4kg off her 60kg allotted weight, allowed her to balance up at the tail of the field, some distance off the leaders who were going quick. He angled her to the outside turning for home and the mare sprinted powerfully to grab victory.

DON’TDOUBTLAYLA was purchased by Aaron Bain Racing from an online auction in August last year.

Formerly trained by Ciaron Maher, the mare was given a short break before being trained up at Angaston Park then moved to ABR’s Gawler stables for her final gallops.

Trainer Ned Taylor was impressed by the victory.

“She came from a long way back,” Taylor said.

“Young Isaac was nice and patient and she got there just in time. He didn’t panic, kept her balanced coming down the hill and really let her hit top gear.

“They went hard – there was always going to be that extra pace here with a lot of on-speed horses.

“They try to scoot here and get away from everyone, but Isaac did well and got them on the line.

“It was good to see quate a few of the ownership group on course to see her win. They can go to the bar now and celebrate.”

No harness runners this weekend in SA for ABR but trainer Aaron Bain is intending to take 17 to trial at Gawler on Sunday.

Included are many of ABR’s classy three-year-olds which will shortly head across to Victoria to the stable of Emma Stewart for significant campaigns.

WONDERWOMEN

 

One of ABR’s favourites WONDERWOMEN has been retired.

The six-year-old mare pulled up gingerly after running unplaced at Murray Bridge last Saturday.

Trainer Aaron Bain said the mare’s front joints were a cause for concern.

“We knew the time would come and this was her last preparation,” Bain said.

“We have been managing her issues for a while now and there is wear and tear in her legs so she would have had to go for a break.

“She has been just off her absolute best in her last few runs and ABR believes now is the time to end her racing career.

“It would have been nice to get fairytale win but it was not to be.”

WONDERWOMEN retires with the record of five wins and eight placings from just 25 starts earning $205,305 in stakes.

Purchased online in 2022, the mare made a wonderful start for ABR.

After an excellent first up fourth, WONDERWOMEN won two straight – at Morphettville and Gawler – on December 26, 2022, and January 4, 2023.

For ABR, WONDERWOMEN had 17 starts for three wins, a second and three thirds picking up $120,775.

Thanks for the memories.