Coakley News

Chris van Hoorn has a new yearling colt by Zoustar

26 November 2024

Yesterday at the Tattersalls December Yearling sales in Newmarket, Chris van Hoorn Racing acquired a bay colt foaled March 2023 - by the very successful stallion Zoustar and out of a German mare Felissa, a dual winner herself and from a prolific line of Group winners, mostly in Germany and Italy but also in the family is the Group winner in Australia named Zoustyle. The sire Zoustar has been responsible for over a hundred stakes performers and 51 stakes winners, including the Breeders Cup Turf Sprint winner Starlust with his spectacular last to first victory at Del Mar. Let us hope the colt will show some of that speed and class for Chris ! The yearling arrives in West Ilsley today and photographs of him in the sunshine will follow shortly.
https://secure.tattersalls.com...
Shadow gives small setback for Definite Dream

22 November 2024

Definite Dream went up to Warwick yesterday for a 2m 3f hurdle race, with jockey Sean Bowen booked for the ride. Once again she travelled and hurdled very well indeed, to lead the race through the first two miles at a good tempo. Then approaching the third last, she was deceived by a shadow in front of the flight and so jinked to her right, which meant that she stepped at the hurdle and stumbled, sufficiently for Sean to part company with her and her race was over. This really was the first time she has made an error with hurdling in all her races, and she seems to be just a little sore for the experience. This could mean that she will now take a short break from racing again this year but hopefully she will be OK to resume quite soon in the New Year.
PHOENIX MOON WINS ONCE AGAIN AT LINGFIELD PARK

14 November 2024

A fine day at the Surrey course and a very fine run indeed from the Keeper's 12 filly Phoenix Moon, who finished comfortably clear of what had looked to be a tight handicap field in the last race of nine on the card. The last day at Wolverhampton the fractions and finishing speed she had clocked gave some grounds for optimism, as she returned to Lingfield and registered her second win in a time half a second faster than her all the way victory back in August. Things had not been straightforward for Phoenix Moon and jockey Tyler Heard as they were first into the stalls and hooded, and then having to wait almost eight minutes before the off. Waking her up at the critical moment and whipping the hood off smartly, Tyler was very pleased with the way she pinged the start and then took a little cover to race in a very close fifth by the end of the back straight. Phoenix Moon travelled very well in the downhill section of the track and in these middle two furlongs of the race it was just a question of waiting for a gap ahead to appear. This did arise as they turned in, and the filly readily found a gear to move up and past the race leader. From that point she really tried and set sail for the line, showing she had plenty left when a couple in the middle of the track closed to within a length, pinning her ears back and going on again to win by a comfortable length and a quarter by the post. She really has fulfilled the promise of speed she had shown to Oisin Murphy earlier in the year, and Tyler Heard now knows her so well to deliver a confident and accomplished ride and win very nicely over six furlongs once again. There are now plenty of options for her, and the Keeper's 12 syndicate are really delighted to have such a gorgeous filly who has proven to be really speedy, consistent and successful.at the track.
Definite Dream delights with a fine Warwick run

06 November 2024

Connections were understandably delighted with the performance of their consistent hurdling mare on the good ground up at Warwick on Tuesday. Travelling very smoothly in sixth of the nine runners under jockey Brendan Powell, she looked to make a forward move after hurdling the first half a dozen flights very fluently. She was just checked a little moving around the final bend and as a consequence lost two or three lengths at a crucial time. Definite Dream still moved up into a three length third approaching the last, and finishing strongly on the short run in to make up good ground - closing rapidly on the leader to be within a length by the line. With better luck in running next time she should surely go one better and gain her richly deserved first hurdle win.
Golden Phase signs off her season with another fine Bath outing

01 November 2024

Owners were delighted with another fine run from the Gustav Klimt filly, this time over ten furlongs at Bath under George Bass. She ran very well, travelling very smoothly throughout the race to join the front group quite readily. The unseasonably warm weather meant that the soft ground had become quite holding, however, so that she wasn't able to get out of the sticky surface and became a little unbalanced as she looked to make her final challenge inside the last two furlongs. This left Golden Phase in a clear and creditable fourth place, and she will now have her winter break from racing, hoping to return for a spring campaign and the prospect of notching another couple of wins to add to her pleasing and progressive racing record.