Michael Sharkie, The Age
May 21, 2009
THREE-YEAR-OLD Work The Room was so impressive at Betfair Park yesterday that some pundits drew comparisons with star stablemate El Segundo.
Work The Room was sensationally backed when victorious on debut at Ballarat earlier this month, and again unleashed an incredible finish to take yesterday's Flying Spur Handicap (1300 metres).
Trainer Colin Little said he was surprised with Work The Room's ($2.90 favourite) performance as he gave him little chance of running down the frontrunners on the turn.
"We're trying to teach him how to settle, but I didn't expect him to be that far back." Little said.
"I wanted him (jockey Danny Brereton) to go out and steady him, but he kept on snaring him back, snaring him back. I thought he had too much to do on the turn."
Giving his rivals close to 10 lengths on the home turn, Brereton eased Work The Room to the outside of the field and hung on as the son of Bel Esprit mowed down his opposition and ran incredible closing sectionals.
"He's very raw but he goes very well," said Brereton.
A $160,000 buy as a yearling, Work The Room is a half-brother to the gifted stayer Zipping, and Little is mindful that in time his horse will be best suited over middle distances. Ever cautious when asked of his long-term plans for Work The Room, Little stopped short of declaring the three-year-old as a spring contender.
"I don't want him to become a sprinter, so we've got to be careful what we do with him," he said. "It's a bit premature to start talking about him being a spring horse because he's so green and still learning."
El Segundo recently returned to Little's stables to begin his preparation for the Cox Plate.
THREE-YEAR-OLD Work The Room was so impressive at Betfair Park yesterday that some pundits drew comparisons with star stablemate El Segundo.
Work The Room was sensationally backed when victorious on debut at Ballarat earlier this month, and again unleashed an incredible finish to take yesterday's Flying Spur Handicap (1300 metres).
Trainer Colin Little said he was surprised with Work The Room's ($2.90 favourite) performance as he gave him little chance of running down the frontrunners on the turn.
"We're trying to teach him how to settle, but I didn't expect him to be that far back." Little said.
"I wanted him (jockey Danny Brereton) to go out and steady him, but he kept on snaring him back, snaring him back. I thought he had too much to do on the turn."
Giving his rivals close to 10 lengths on the home turn, Brereton eased Work The Room to the outside of the field and hung on as the son of Bel Esprit mowed down his opposition and ran incredible closing sectionals.
"He's very raw but he goes very well," said Brereton.
A $160,000 buy as a yearling, Work The Room is a half-brother to the gifted stayer Zipping, and Little is mindful that in time his horse will be best suited over middle distances. Ever cautious when asked of his long-term plans for Work The Room, Little stopped short of declaring the three-year-old as a spring contender.
"I don't want him to become a sprinter, so we've got to be careful what we do with him," he said. "It's a bit premature to start talking about him being a spring horse because he's so green and still learning."
El Segundo recently returned to Little's stables to begin his preparation for the Cox Plate.
Work The Room Dominant in Flying Spur Handicap
Michael Manley, Herald Sun
May 21, 2009 12:00am
WORK The Room made it two wins from two starts with an exciting last-to-first win in the Flying Spur Handicap at Sandown Hillside.
Both trainer Colin Little and jockey Danny Brereton tempered the excitement, saying Work The Room had great potential but a lot to learn.
Work The Room spotted the leaders more than 10 lengths with 400m to go. He ran his last 400m in 21.68sec, which included a 10.6 200m split between the 400m and the 200m in the 1300m event.
Little said if he spelled the gelding now and brought him back for the spring, it might be too much too early for him.
"It'd be a hard gig for him to be a spring horse on the back of two starts and he will be four not three. At the moment he's still a big kid," Little said.
"I'm not sure what to do. Maybe one more and then a break."
Work The Room, a $160,000 yearling, is by boom sire Bel Esprit and is a half brother to Zipping. Little said Work The Room had been very soft as a young horse and he had had to treat him with kid gloves.
Work The Room ($2.60) defeated Tumbulgum ($3.90) by a half-head, with leader Stanton ($13) a neck away third.
Michael Manley, Herald Sun
May 21, 2009 12:00am
WORK The Room made it two wins from two starts with an exciting last-to-first win in the Flying Spur Handicap at Sandown Hillside.
Both trainer Colin Little and jockey Danny Brereton tempered the excitement, saying Work The Room had great potential but a lot to learn.
Work The Room spotted the leaders more than 10 lengths with 400m to go. He ran his last 400m in 21.68sec, which included a 10.6 200m split between the 400m and the 200m in the 1300m event.
Little said if he spelled the gelding now and brought him back for the spring, it might be too much too early for him.
"It'd be a hard gig for him to be a spring horse on the back of two starts and he will be four not three. At the moment he's still a big kid," Little said.
"I'm not sure what to do. Maybe one more and then a break."
Work The Room, a $160,000 yearling, is by boom sire Bel Esprit and is a half brother to Zipping. Little said Work The Room had been very soft as a young horse and he had had to treat him with kid gloves.
Work The Room ($2.60) defeated Tumbulgum ($3.90) by a half-head, with leader Stanton ($13) a neck away third.
Zipping's Brother Is Another Promising One For Bel
Story By Nathan Exelby
Wednesday, 20 May 2009:
Story By Nathan Exelby
Wednesday, 20 May 2009:
The Grand Lodge mare Social Scene, the dam of consistent Group 1 performer Zipping, looks to have another smart runner in the shape of barnstorming Betfair Park winner Work The Room.
The Colin Little trained three-year-old gelding had won on debut at Ballarat and took the step up to metropolitan company when coming from last on the turn to reel in 14 rivals in an impressive win over the 1300m on the Hillside track.
The Colin Little trained three-year-old gelding had won on debut at Ballarat and took the step up to metropolitan company when coming from last on the turn to reel in 14 rivals in an impressive win over the 1300m on the Hillside track.
Bred by Hayson Bloodstock and sold at sale by Amarina Farm as agent, Work The Room is another promising runner for Eliza Park stallion Bel Esprit, who has also had Black Caviar and Tollesprit show big race potential in recent weeks.
Despite the eye-catching win today, trainer Colin Little is reluctant to throw Work The Room in the deep end too soon.“I had given up on the turn,” Little said.“He's a bit of a big kid at the moment and learning all about it.“It's a hard gig to turn him out and just say he's a spring horse, because he's so green.“I don't want to overtax him too early.”Regardless, Little knows he has another promising horse on his hands and the gelding has the bloodlines on his dam side to make the grade.
A $160,000 graduate of the 2007 Inglis Australian Easter Sale, he is from the Grand Lodge mare Social Scene, whose three winners are headed by Zipping, winner of $2.2million and perhaps the best horse in Australia not to have won at Group 1 level.Zipping (Danehill) is a three times G2 winner and has placed three times at Group 1 level, in addition to running fourth in the Melbourne Cup two times.
Social Scene's other winner is Regreagan (Encosta De Lago), who became one of Australasian breeding's most successful ever 'pinhooks' when Millbrook as agent sold him for $620,000 at the 2005 Magic Millions.He had previously been sold by Collingrove Stud for $80,000 at the 2004 MM National Weanling Sale.
In the same year Regreagan made the big money as a yearling, Social Scene's half-brother Scorpion (Montjeu) emerged to become Europe's Champion 3YO stayer, with a treble of Group 1 wins. Prior to the emergence of both Zipping and Scorpion, Swettenham Stud sold Social Scene for just $35,000 in 2004.
Now in the ownership of Fairway Thoroughbreds, Social Scene, has since had a Redoute's Choice colt sell for $625,000 (sold by Coolmore as agent) at the 2008 Easter Sale. She missed in 2007, but last spring produced a Fastnet Rock filly.
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