Atzeni rides Circle Of Fire to a Sydney Cup win
Hong Kong-based Italian Andrea Atzeni has ridden imported stayer Circle Of Fire to an emotion-charged win in the Group 1 Sydney Cup, with the jockey dedicating the victory to his fallen friend Stefano Cherchi.
Cherchi died last week as a result of injuries sustained in a race fall in Canberra on March 20, and Cherchi’s family were on course at Randwick on Saturday to watch fellow countrymen Atzeni steer the Ciaron Maher-trained Circle Of Fire to victory in the time-honoured 3200m race.
Atzeni embraced Cherchi’s family after returning to scale and rode with a black armband as a mark of respect to his friend.
“It’s definitely for him,” Atzeni said.
“Everybody’s been going through a tough time, starting from his family who I’m very close to.
“I must say how amazing it is to see them here, considering it wouldn’t have been an easy decision for them to come racing today.
“But it shows how tough they are.
“I knew him quite well. We spent a lot of time together in Newmarket (in England) and I kept in touch with him very closely when he moved to Australia.”
Atzeni got the call from trainer Ciaron Maher to ride Circle Of Fire at the light weight of 51.5kg in the Sydney Cup and the former UK stayer, who started $5.50 betting app favourite, produced a brilliant performance to defeat Athabascan ($6) by two lengths with another half-length back to Tancred Stakes winner Kalapour ($12) in third.
Circle Of Fire was having his fourth Australian start and was backing up after winning the Group 2 Chairman’s Quality (2600m) at Randwick last Saturday.
Atzeni, who was riding in Sydney for the first time, said things did not go to plan during the run with Circle Of Fire forced to race without cover for much of the race.
But the four-year-old’s stamina and class shone through.
“The plan was to get into a nice rhythm with a bit of cover because he raced a bit keen last week,” Atzeni said.
“I jumped quite nicely and I tried my luck early in the race to get some cover behind something and I couldn’t so I went forward again.
“I tried to get in again and that didn’t work either. It was hard work for me.
“To be fair to the horse, he dug deep when the second horse came to him and the further he went the better he was.”
Maher indicated the Melbourne Cup was a long-range target for Circle Of Fire.
More Racing News
Sargent hoping Casual Connection can earn a Brisbane Cup berth
John Sargent is crossing his fingers that Casual Connection’s narrow victory at Randwick will give him a sufficient ratings boost to squeeze into the field for the Brisbane Cup. A renowned trainer of stayers, Sargent saddled up two runners in the two-mile race last year, Essential Sky who finished fifth and Outlandos ninth, and...
Scarlet Oak wins Roses to earn G1 Queensland Oaks favouritism
Chris Waller has labelled Scarlet Oak a “rising star” after the lightly raced filly staked her Group One Queensland Oaks claims with a classy win over stablemate Mare Of Mt Buller in the Doomben Roses. The filly has come a long way in a short time, making a winning debut in New Zealand in...
The Black Cloud descends on Randwick rivals
Having begun the day questioning how well The Black Cloud had come back this campaign, Joe Pride ended it by labelling her a stakes-class horse in the making. The Proven Thoroughbreds filly took her record to three wins from four starts with a rousing first-up victory in Saturday’s Taylor Construction Handicap (1000m)...
Queensland tilt among the options for Neasham 2YO
A belated shot at the Brisbane winter carnival is among the options for lightly raced filly Aemelius after she upstaged a handy field of two-year-olds to win the opening race at Randwick. Having just her second start, the Annabel Neasham-trained youngster, who started at $12 with betting sites, went back to last...
Le Ferrari leads home Lindsay Park quinella at Sandown
A return to Sandown has paid a dividend for Lindsay Park galloper Le Ferrari who led home a one-two finish for Ben, Will and J D Hayes. Le Ferrari over-ran stablemate Rheinberg to claim the Thoroughbred Club Of Australia Handicap (1400m) on Saturday. Ridden by Ben Allen, Le Ferrari ($10) overhauled Rheinberg ($7.50) in the final...
Bois D’Argent upsets rivals in G1 Doomben Cup
Trainer Annabel Neasham has landed a second victory in the Doomben Cup with a horse she said was well over the odds. Imported galloper Bois D’Argent held off a late bid from New Endeavour to follow the win of Zaaki for Neasham in 2021 in the Group 1 2000m weight-for-age contest. Ridden by Blake...
Trip test next for Lady In Pink
A return to Sandown has brought out the best in the Leon and Troy Corstens-trained Lady In Pink who will now be stepped up in trip for a race at Flemington. Lady In Pink took out the Senet Gambling Law Experts Handicap (1600m) on Saturday and will head to Flemington for a 2000m...
Timely Sandown double for Dan O’Sullivan
The Ballarat stable of Dan O’Sullivan is enjoying a purple patch of form in the metropolitan area which has included a race-to-race double at Sandown. O’Sullivan welcomed back to the winner’s enclosure Way Up High in the Sportsbet Photo Finish Handicap (2400m) before Matriarch Rose took out the Stow Solutions Handicap (1600m) on Saturday. The...
Final roll of the dice for Classic prospects at Randwick
An 1800-metre three-year-old race at Randwick is set to have a bearing on the upcoming Classic races in Queensland with the majority of runners holding a nomination for either the Oaks or Derby. Seventeen horses, four of them emergencies, have been accepted for Saturday’s Wilson Asset Management Handicap and only Invincible...
Class drop to suit Mi Rock Aly
Warrnambool-based trainer Matthew Williams is banking on a drop in grade and a return to Sandown being a winning formula for Mi Rock Aly. A Sandown winner three starts back, Mi Rock Ali runs in the Sportsbet Photo Finish Refund Handicap (2400m) on Saturday coming off the back of a last start...