Takeover Target

G

Grand Armee

At the Start
Joined
Apr 23, 2005
Messages
635
The news out of Australia this morning, is the 2006 world champion sprinter will be retiring once he returns to Australia.

There are no plans to stay on in Europe, and the news is Miss Andretti will also be on the first plane out too.

Bentley Biscuit and Magnus' campaigns are currently up in the air.
 
Hope he gets a great welcome, Smashing horse, so nearly went home with a win, gave his best both times he ran.
One of my favourite horses from Royal Ascot week. hope he has a healthy and happy retirement.
 
Latest news on this wonderful sprinter from ABC news...

Hot favourite Takeover Target hauled in star sprinter Dance Hero to claim the Arrowfield Stud Stakes at Randwick racecourse in Sydney on Saturday afternoon.

Takeover Target, ridden by jockey Jay Ford, took out the 1,200-metre Group One race, the feature event of Sydney's first race meeting in three months since the equine influenza crisis.

The Joe Janiak-trained gelding showed true determination to chase down decorated sprinter Dance Hero on the final stretch, delivering another amazing victory in front of a buzzing crowd.

Ford says the victory was perhaps not Takeover Target's finest, but one of the most important on day of great significance for the Sydney racing industry.

"He just keeps amazing," he told Fox Sports.

"I thought he was vulnerable today. He didn't have race fitness underneath him and now he's older he usually takes one or two runs to hit his top."

Last night, Takeover Target took home major honours at the Australian Racehorse of the year awards, winning the Champion International Performer gong.
Click to expand...

What a fantastic racehorse he is.
 
Looks like the video's been removed Ven, but it's great to hear he's still going strong!

Good to see Sydney racing getting back on its feet again as well.
 
He was at it again today, making all the running in a rematch with Dance Hero.

This extract from ABC news site...

International sprinter Takeover Target held off a late surge from Alverto to clinch the Group One Razor Sharp Quality (1,200 metres) at Randwick racecourse in Sydney on Saturday.

Takeover Target managed to get an early jump on the much-fancied Dance Hero to lead the field for most of the race, but went within a photo finish of relinquishing line honours as Alverto fell centimetres short.

The showpiece event's top weight at 61 kilograms managed to hold on just enough, with jockey Jay Ford admitting his gelding was almost "entitled to get beaten".
Click to expand...
 
Yesterday he was asked again to carry 134lb, and gave the mare Alverta 17lb. She was just carrying 117lb, which was the minimum weight for the race.

From the replays I have watched he really dived on the line, but two strides later she would have been the winner.

I believe both horses will now meet in a week or two in the Group 2 Villiers Stakes over 1400m or 7f. Which in itself, will be another exciting race, as Mitanni who is unbeaten in 2 starts this prep in QLD I believe is venturing down and though 8, is considered one of Australia's best sprinters.
 
takeover_wideweb__470x349,0.jpg

Takeover Target in the lead - photo courtesy of Jenny Evans at SMH.
 
International sprinter Takeover Target held off a late surge from Alverto to clinch the Group One Razor Sharp Quality (1,200 metres) at Randwick racecourse in Sydney on Saturday.
Click to expand...

It's only a Listed race.
 
From www.racingandsports.com.au
War erupts in Villiers victory
Story By Jason Hickson

Saturday, 5 January 2008: Regardless of the result of today's Group 2 Villiers Stakes at Randwick, Takeover Target proved he has a champion heart.

The top sprinter, carting 61kg in the rain, yet again fought tooth and nail to hold off a lightweight challenge and prevailed when his hopes looked forlorn to score.

But unlike last start where he also won by the barest of margins in the Lazer Sharp Quality, this race went to the stewards room and was stripped from him and handed to Honor In War.

In the run Takeover Target settled outside the leader Pasikatera but took over early in the straight. Jockey Jay Ford cuddled him for as long as possible and stole a break when asked to go, but drifted out in the straight just as Honor In War was making his run.

The former American galloper, ridden by Hugh Bowman, had to push out into the clear again around Takeover Targets heels and hit the line hard, lunging late but losing by a nose in a tight photo.

Bowman successfully argued to stewards that he had established a line to come at the favourite who had drifted out and caused him to lose momentum.

The win of Honor In War was lost in the chaos of the people's favourite, whose “boos” were loud and clear upon hearing the result.

But it was a terrific training performance by Rosehill trainer Chris Waller with Honor In War, scoring his first win since arriving in Australia to continue his racing career.

In the United Stakes he was regarded as a top turf galloper and was a Group 1 winner but in his eight seasons there, where he racked up eight wins and 12 minors, had never won at under a mile..

Now a nine-year-old stallion, today's Group 2 success was a triumph for his new trainer and took the chestnut's career earnings to over $2 million.

Waller praised the champion qualities of Takeover Target but believed the stewards made the right decision.

“It's a great race to win,” Waller said. “Our horse had the rightful running and deserved to win the race.”

Bowman also praised the runner-up.

“I was entitled to my chance to beat him,” Bowman said. “When you're chasing those horses you don't want anything to go against you. He's still a champion but it was the right result.

Alverta worked home solidly again in the straight but could manage only this time, while Miss Pageantry held fourth.
 
The decision made by the stewards in the protest hearing by upholding the race in favour of Honor In War was in deed the correct decision.

The evidence from the head on vision, clearly showed that Takeover Target hampered Honor In War's run, by shifting out at the 200m (furlong). Although Takeover Target was 1 3/4 lengths in front of Honor In War he did not give him the clear running space he was entitled too, and also made significant impact when shifting out. The shift resulted in Honor In War shifting on to Miss Pagenatry, who then in turn shifted on to the third placegetter, Alverta.

The side on angle clearly demonstrated also that the shift was very significant, and that Honor In War was trying to make a run, but was unable too.

I think at the end of the day the winning margin was the tell taling factor. If it had of been a length, then the protest would have been dismissed, however as Takeover Target barely won by a nose, Honor In War was the rightful winner.

Not a great way to "win" a race, but at the end of the day Honor In War deserved the race.
 
A little on Honor In War.

He was imported to Australia from America in October of 2006, after a 50% interest was purchased of him by syndicate Emerald Thoroughbreds back in that year. The horse was barely in Australia for a month after setting foot off the plane, when he was asked to complete an impossible first up mission, of winning the Group 1 Cox Plate over 2040m.

After running unplaced for Danny O'Brien, his trainer in Melbourne, he was sent north to Sydney, and put under the tutelage of Rosehill based trainer, Chris Waller.

Though it looks like Waller has worked miracles with the 9 year-old since getting him, it would be better described that the horse had not been properly acclimatised to Australia Instead he was forced off the plane to race and not properly adjust to his new surroundings.

Now that he looks properly settled in, maybe he can spruke his magic again and win another Group 1 race downunder.
 
Now he wins the Krisflyer International Sprint at Kranji!

Under what looked like a pretty canny ride by Jay Ford, he took up the running with over 2f to run and hung on from the fast-finishing Magnus. Sanjiro was third, and Lovelace nowhere.

But...Absolute Champion was pulled up after a furlong, don't know how badly injured he is. Let's hope he's ok, he'd had some foot problems leading up to the race..
 
According to Paris-Turf, it looks like it was a racing accident rather than a "bad step" or some hidden physical weakness, with Absolute Champion seemingly striking into the horse in front of him.
 
Magnus improved too, after finishing unplaced in his several starts since.

Nice win by Takeover Target, the ultimate proof of a globe trotter and the ultimate proof that ages does not weary him.

Cannot help but think what Apache Cat and Weekend Hussler would have done in this race, considering the A-Cat slaughtered Takeover Target by several lengths last start, and Weekend Hussler breezed past Magnus as well.
 
Back
Top