Friday, 3rd May 2024
All enquiries - Gary Knowles 0406 599 773
A half-brother to $2 million earner Eleven Eleven (Fastnet Rock-Smokin' Alice, by Smoke Glacken), the Gerald Ryan and Sterling Alexiou-trained Ovoid (Exceed And Excel) will make his debut in the Sage Painting Maiden Plate (1300m) at Newcastle today. Nominated and accepted to run previously before being scratched, the grey colt will be ridden by Joshua Parr, jumping from barrier 1 in the nine-horse field. Sold through the draft of Edinburgh Park at the 2020 Magic Millions Yearling Sale for $1 million to his trainers, the colt has shown talent in four barrier trials, highlighted by his most recent performance, where he took the heat over 1030m by 1.25-lengths. Tackling a field of all ages, Ovoid is one of three juveniles in the field, with one of the fancies being the John O'Shea-trained Cotehele (Tavistock-Bequests, by Stravinsky). Unraced to date, the bay has finished second in his two barrier trials, finishing runner-up to Bjorn Baker's recent winner Overpass (Vancouver) in his first trial effort. The current favourite is Chris Waller's gelding Tuscan Gaze (Snitzel-The Party Stand, by Thorn Park), with the Tommy Berry-ridden 3YO having had two second placed performances from his four starts to date.
