Bold Soul's future may be over jumps after Flemington success
Connections have found Bold Soul, trained by Patrick Payne, to be a good earner on the flat, but his future might be better suited to hurdles.
Bold Soul secured the Deane Lester Flemington Cup 1849 (2800m) at Flemington on Saturday, adding to his seven prior wins from 33 starts and boosting his prize money to over $800,000.
With Jake Noonan in the saddle, Bold Soul ($5.50) edged out the $2.60 favourite Highland Blaze by a short head, while Tempesti ($16) was a further half-head back in third. The victory by Bold Soul was unexpected, according to leading Australian betting sites.
The rider of Tempesti, Harry Coffey, lodged a protest against the winner for alleged interference near the finish line. However, following a brief review, Racing Victoria stewards dismissed the protest.
Neal Greaves, speaking for trainer Patrick Payne, indicated that Bold Soul is expected to transition to jumps racing.
"I think the plan is, you might see a pretty nice jumper at Ballarat on August 16," Greaves said. "I think the intention is he will have a jumps run this season."
Greaves noted that Noonan has a particular knack for getting the best out of Bold Soul.
The gelding had been ridden by Billy Egan in his two most recent placings at Flemington over 2540m and 2600m.
Noonan had previously ridden Bold Soul to victory in the Tasmanian Derby and later in the Chairman's Stakes at Morphettville, marking his first association with the gelding since the Lord Reims Stakes in Adelaide earlier in the year.
"It's interesting, as some of the riders have not found him that easy to ride," Greaves commented. "If you can't get him to settle, and that's the case with a lot of horses, you're in a world of hurt, but for some reason Jake has been able to.
"We were concerned with the weight as when the weights first came out, Ciaron Maher had one (Smokin' Romans) in it with topweight of 60 kilos. We had 55-½ kilos, so we were a bit disappointed when Ciaron didn't accept with his, and they pushed the weights up, but it affected everyone else as well."
Considering the potential for Bold Soul to excel over jumps, explore the available betting markets for the upcoming races.
More Racing News
Melbourne Cup 2026: 101 nominations received
The Victoria Racing Club has received 101 entries for the upcoming 166th Melbourne Cup, a 3200m race scheduled at Flemington on November 3.Despite a dip in overall nominations from previous years, international interest has grown, with 23 horses nominated from four nations: England, Ireland, Japan, and the USA.Last year, 2025,...
Natural Fling faces seasoned sprinters in Moir Stakes
The Tony and Calvin McEvoy stable is prepared to gamble on a Group 1 contest against established sprinters when Natural Fling contests the Moir Stakes at Sandown.It's uncommon for a three-year-old, let alone a filly, to challenge hardened sprinters in a 1000-metre weight-for-age race.However, that's precisely the path Natural Fling...
David Vandyke confident Oregon Coast can leverage Pembrey's form
Trainer David Vandyke holds a positive outlook for Oregon Coast's chances at Ipswich on Wednesday, particularly given her performances against horses like Pembrey and Chilly Girl.While Pembrey and Chilly Girl are prominent contenders for the Group 2 Furious Stakes at Randwick on Saturday, Oregon Coast will be competing in the...
Chris Waller assesses Chelmsford Stakes contenders
Champion trainer Chris Waller is looking for better showings from Fangirl and Lindermann in Saturday's Group 2 Chelmsford Stakes over 1600 metres at Randwick.The pair finished well back in the Winx Stakes, behind their stablemate Autumn Glow, securing 10th and 9th placings respectively. While Waller was prepared to overlook their...
Generosity poised for Group 1 Moir Stakes
There was a period earlier this year when Chris Waller considered letting go of the classy sprinting mare Generosity. However, this Saturday, she is set to kick off another racing campaign for the renowned trainer.The six-year-old mare will make her seasonal reappearance in the lucrative $750,000 Group 1 Moir Stakes,...
Maher eyes 1000m kick-off for mare Tempted
While 1000-metre races are not uncharted territory for Tempted, the talented mare is set to contest this distance for the first time in a significant period this weekend.The Ciaron Maher-trained four-year-old is scheduled to make her return in the $1 million Group 2 Concorde Stakes at Randwick, which will mark...
Matthew Smith's sprinting duo faces strategic choices
Australia's premier short-course sprinters have numerous engagements this weekend, and Sydney conditioner Matthew Smith is eager to leverage this for his top two 1000-metre contenders.Headwall is set to attempt a repeat victory in the Concorde Stakes at Randwick. Smith, however, favours sending Way To The Stars to Melbourne for the...
Skybird seeks return to winning form in Moir Stakes
A significant amount of time and travel has passed since Skybird last graced the winner's circle.Her most recent victory was on a rain-affected Flemington track in the Group 1 Lightning Stakes (1000m), a race won by the Mitch Freedman-trained mare.Freedman is hopeful for similar conditions when Skybird competes at Sandown...
Chayan's return to racing in the Furious Stakes
Randwick is offering a considerable $2.6 million in prizemoney this Saturday, yet this figure falls short of the extraordinary sum Coolmore paid for Chayan at the Inglis Chairman's Sale in May.Despite a faltering performance in her most significant challenge, the Group 1 Golden Slipper seven weeks prior, the global breeding...
Guest House makes history at Rosehill Gardens
A remarkable feat was achieved at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday as the Golden Slipper champion, Guest House, not only broke a 35-year-old jinx but also shattered a track record that had stood for almost two decades.In a sensational return to the racetrack, Guest House, partnered by jockey Zac Lloyd, bravely...