“She’s bigger and better and makes my job a lot easier. I had a look at the big screen halfway down the straight and I was surprised with how far in front of the other horses they were.

“She’s in a class of her own.”

Craig Newitt

See why in this video of Miss Andretti winning The Age Classic in 2007

Sean Buckley’s Miss Andretti – The Age Classic – Flemington 2007 from Sean Buckley on Vimeo.

 

Also check out http://www.theage.com.au/news/horse-racing/miss-andretti-too-good-for-gold-edition-again/2007/11/10/1194329557053.html

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Marveen breaks through in Merson Cooper

Talented filly Marveen broke through for a deserved stakes success in today’s Listed Merson Cooper Stakes at Sandown Hillside.

Photo by Racing and Sports

The filly, prepared by Aquanita trainer Robert Smerdon and raced by the Howell family, had placed at her only two starts and although she got off to a shaky start proved too strong for her rivals.

After only jumping fairly she mustered speed and settled in a big bunch behind the leading pair but shouldered through into the clear around the turn and went to the lead.

Jockey Luke Nolen kept her going and she drew away for a strong win over Tzarina, who was unlucky after bombing the start and being held up in the straight.

First starters Kalash and Yatala filled third and fourth.

Marveen is a daughter of Orientate from the Forest Glow mare Shiny, who Smerdon also trained, and put the writing on the wall with a narrow loss at Moonee Valley on debut behind Woppit.

Read more about the history of Sean Buckley’s Marveen here 

Marveen’s win at Listed Merson Cooper Stakes http://www.racingandsports.com.au/en/racing/display-a-story-116743

Marveen bought by Sean Buckley for $450,000 http://www.racingandsports.com.au/en/racing/display-a-story-152885

High profile owner Sean Buckley will be looking for healthy returns from Marveen in the autumn after purchasing her with a view to her eventually joining his band of broodmares.

The four-year-old daughter of Orientate has raced twice since Buckley paid $450,000 for her at the Magic Millions Winter Broodmare sale in June and he will be keen to see her carry his colours to victory in the coming weeks.

Trainer Robert Smerdon said Saturday’s Listed Summer Race Days Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield would launch her campaign towards to the feature mares’ races in Melbourne and possibly Sydney.

“We wanted to give her a good spell after last winter and time her run back in to the autumn,” Smerdon said.

A six-time winner who has earned $631,645 in prize money, Marveen has three Listed races among her victories – the VRC Desirable Stakes, Gold Coast Bracelet and Merson Cooper Stakes.

Read more here about Sean Buckley’s Marveen here http://www.racingandsports.com.au/en/racing/display-a-story-167303

 

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Sean+Buckley+Ultratune

SURPRISE Cox Plate winner Shamus Award has been retired from racing and will stand at Widden Stud in Australia next season for a fee of A$27,500 (£15,080/€18,360).

The son of young sire Snitzel defied odds of 20-1 when breaking his maiden in the Group 1 event, besting such top-class runners as Foreteller, Fiorente, It’s A Dundeel and Seville in the process. The Danny O’Brien-trained colt returned later in the season to land the Australian Guineas – becoming the first horse to complete the double.

On Thursday, O’Brien tweeted: “Very pleased to announce Shamus Award off to Australia’s leading Stud. Over to you Widden!”

Widden Stud, in New South Wales, will stand 11 stallions for the coming season. Making the announcement, stud owner Antony Thompson said: “Shamus Award is the first three-year-old ever to win the Cox Plate/Australian Guineas double and we are thrilled to have him join our roster alongside our other new addition, the brilliant dual Group 1-winning sprinter Zoustar – who also made history as the first three-year-old to win the Group 1 Golden Rose/Coolmore Stud Stakes double.

“To be honest, it feels a little like déjà vu, starting off two young stallions together that we believe are the best sire prospects in the land.

“We did it a few years ago with Sebring and Northern Meteor, which proved incredibly successful, so I had no hesitation in seizing the opportunity to do the same again this year.”

Click here to continue reading the article about Shamus Award

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Sean+Buckley+Ultratune

Sean Buckley Miss Andretti 2007In 2006-2007, Sean Buckley had success with Miss Andretti – winning the King’s Stand Stakes at Royal Ascot!

Here are some of Miss Andretti’s fantastic wins!

1st           MRC Schillaci Stakes

3rd           VRC Salinger Stakes

1st           VRC Lightning Stakes

1st           MVRC Australia Stakes

1st           VRC Newmarket Handicap

1st           Royal Ascot King’s Stand

1st           MVRC Schweppes Stakes

1st           VRC Age Classic Stakes

Sean Buckley Miss Andretti 2007

 

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Sean Buckley_CulminateCulminate is originally from New Zealand, owned by Sean Buckley and trained by Darren Weir is an 11 year old bay or brown mare (female).

In 2010 she raced into group 1 calculations with a determined victory in the Tristrarc Stakes at Caulfield. Culminate hugged the rails and cut the corner in the Tristarc while her rivals plotted a wider path but none were able to peg her back in the run to the line.

Jockey Michael Walker rounded off a winning double and thanked Buckley for his loyalty and belief in his ability.

”It’s been a long time coming, this win. Since I’ve come to Melbourne I’ve been riding for Sean and even though we had a few hiccups with this one having her injury, so this will pick us up,” Walker said.

”I knew that she wouldn’t have the speed to lead but she tricked me a bit today because she was a lot more forward than she was at Flemington.

”She pulled quite hard which took a bit of sprint out of her and she was on the worst ground but I just knew that she was a group 1 performer.”

One of New Zealand’s most consistent mares in recent years, Culminate also recorded a Group 1 placing at her first Australian campaign when runner up behind Typhoon Tracy in the 2009 Coolmore Classic (1500m) at Rosehill.

Read more about Culminate’s success at Horse Racing Only

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Sean+Buckley+Ultratune

Perfect Promise racked up another series of firsts in taking the C.F. Orr Stakes (Aust-I) at Caulfield Feb. 11 2006.

Most significantly, the 6-year-old mare’s consummate victory in the $300,000 (Australian funds) feature saw her become the first South African-bred horse to win a group I in Australia or New Zealand.

The 1 1/2 length winner provided the first group I success for jockey Craig Newitt, and was having her first start for her owner Sean Buckley and trainer Lee Freedman.

Sean Buckley paid $725,000 for the daughter of Nureyev horse Caesour at auction in Sydney two months earlier to disperse the horses raced by the Written Bloodstock Syndicate of Mark Peters and Larry King.

It was one of a string of distaffer purchases made in 2006 by Buckley, CEO of the car care franchise company UltraTune. Grahame Begg prepared Perfect Promise for the previous owners. She became the first of her nationality to win an Australian group race in taking the Emancipation Stakes (Aust-II) in April, 2000 from the Freedman barn’s Uprize.

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