Racing: Lion Tamer gives owner plenty to look forward to next season

Lion Tamer (outer) brilliantly wins Murdoch Newell Stakes. Photo / Supplied

Mark Du Plessis described Pukekohe debut 2-year-old winner Lion Tamer as a "knows nothing".

Which made the youngster's last-to-first effort to beat a top field in the $60,000 Murdoch Newell Stakes on Saturday spectacular.

"He hasn't got a clue what he's doing," said Du Plessis after Lion Tamer stormed down the outside to catch one of the favourites, Sirrio, in the last couple of bounds in the listed juvenile event.

Longtime owner Phil Bayly is rarely without a good horse to carry his familiar red and black striped colours, brought to prominence by outstanding mare Blue Denim, winner of an Auckland Cup and perhaps the unluckiest second placegetter ever in a Melbourne Cup.

On Australian television recently her rider that day when she finished second to Belldale Ball in the 1980 Cup, Peter Cook, publicly apologised to Blue Denim's trainer Dave O'Sullivan for the ride.

Lion Tamer is closely related to Blue Denim as is Phil Bayly's good stayer of the moment, Harris Tweed, who finished a close fifth to Shocking in the A$5.5 million Melbourne Cup three weeks ago.

Lion Tamer looks nothing like a 2-year-old type and Mark Du Plessis said he would be much better as a 3-year-old.

He is by English sire Storming Home, who served one season at stud in New Zealand as a shuttle stallion and could not return because of equine influenza.

"I had a mare of my own booked into him the year he couldn't come back," said Cambridge trainer Murray Baker, who prepares Lion Tamer with his son Bjorn.

As impressive as the winner was you had to give plenty of points to Sirrio for a gutsy, determined effort. He led early in the home straight, went clear and was bombed quickly near the finish.

Third was the favourite, Everlasting. He didn't show the same electric sprint he produced to win on debut at Te Rapa recently, yet wasn't disappointing in the way he fought strongly to be narrowly beaten.

"I'll freshen him now," said trainer Frank Ritchie. "He can have 10 days off and I'll bring him back up for the Karaka Million."

*Everbright's 1600m victory at Pukekohe could be a warning to the owners of New Zealand's stayers.

The former Hong Kong galloper wasn't expected to be competitive at the metric mile on Saturday, yet his class got him home.

Many horses return from Hong Kong to race in New Zealand simply because they've turned stale under the Hong Hong system.

Everbright is not one of them. He has come back because stayers are not greatly catered for in Hong Kong.

The three 2400m races each year in Hong Kong are the Queen Mother Memorial Cup, which Everlasting has won twice, the Champion and Cater Cup and the International Vase.

"He's a great stayer and I'll aim him at the Auckland Cup," said trainer Andrew Scott, who sees big improvement in the horse yet.

"He's been here only five months and he hasn't acclimatised yet."

Everbright is likely to run in the weight-for-age Zabeel Classic at the Ellerslie carnival before being aimed at the Cup in March.

*Stipendiary stewards were busy at Pukekohe.

Mark Sweeney copped a nine-raceday suspension for causing interference in the closing stages of the Breeders Stakes on third placegetter Scarlet Vanhara and Vinny Colgan received a five-raceday suspension.

Andrew Calder was stood down from riding Ekstreme in Race 6 after being lucky to escape serious injury when the favourite in the previous race, Jungle Boots, broke a leg and crashed through the running rail in the back straight.

The field was disorganised as a result of the incident and Goji Kid and well-fancied Flavio were badly checked when they made contact with the dislodged section of the running rail.

Andrew Calder was able to resuming riding from Race 7.

*It might not have been a classic line-up Passchendaele beat over 2400m on Saturday, but she confirmed her status as an emerging stayer.

It was the promising mare's first start right-handed.

"She's done a lot of work the reverse way around at home," said trainer John Sargent.

Passchendaele will be aimed at the Waikato Times Cup at Te Rapa on December 12.

*Nola Pye might have only one or two horses to prepare, but she's got a beaut in the well-named My Krakajak.

The little-tried 4-year-old made them look ordinary in the last and is headed for better things.

The way he can quicken off a good speed will win him good races.