Little Assassin has had to be scratched today from the third race at Ascot. He just had a slightly raised temperature and the stable was not willing to risk running him.

There was promising signs for the Auburn Ark team at Bunbury trials today with talented three year old filly Rosa Delago running a strong trial. The daughter of Testa Rossa sat three deep outside the speed for the entire trial and Shaun Meeres barely twitched a muscle in the straight. The filly finished on the bit in fourth position running on the heels of the first three. This was her first run for six months since she contested the Sires Produce stakes at Ascot.

Two of our two year olds have resumed training recently, our Tale Of The Cat colt and Tiger Hill colt have started their preparation towards the Magic Millions races. All of our yearlings from last season will be bought into work in the first week of December.

Hallowell Mist will be nominated for races at Pinjarra and Ascot next week. The mare will be targeted at 1600m races at Pinjarra on Thursday and a 1800m race at Ascot on Saturday. Hallowell Mist ran a cracking race first up to finish 7th behind Seymour Kid after she was last on the corner and ran home in slick fashion.

Sweet Mary Jane will take her place in a three year old Maiden race at Bunbury on Sunday. The filly will wear the Blinkers for the first time which will hopefully switch her on. Shaun Meeres will again ride her and she’s drawn ideally in barrier 3. Last start Sweet Mary Jane was racing first up when she failed to fire a shot in the straight at Pinjarra but we are expecting a much improved run here. Mineours Luck and Tennessee Waltz look the horses to beat in the race.

Little Assassin has been nominated and accepted for a race at Ascot on Saturday but the gelding may run on Thursday at Pinjarra instead. We are still undecided on where we will place him but we will wait and see what barrier we get on Thursday. On Saturday, if that’s where we head, he will take his place in race three on the card a special condition handicap for horses that only won one race last year over 1400. Shane Gilchrist will ride the gelding form gate one with a light weight of 53kg on his back. There are some smart gallopers in the field with Zhamenka a running to within 1.25 lengths of Megatic two starts ago and Amianan who is a former Easton Stater with a bit of a wrap. 

Up and coming youngster Rosa Delago will return tomorrow in a Trial at Bunbury. Rosa Delago has had six starts to date for a win and a second. She took her place in some of the strongest races for two year olds last season and held her own in most. The filly first tasted victory when she defeated stable-mate Babieca Noire by a length at her second start and followed that performance up by running second behind Zeda Mak.

Melbourne Cup is one of the biggest events on the racing calendar for the Bunbury Turf Club and we are happy to have two runners engaged. Little Assassin and Hallowell Mist will take their place in race 8 on the card, The All New Holden Colorado Handicap over 1400m. Little Assassin will be looking to continue his good form after being placed in his last two race starts in good fields. On Tuesday he comes up against a slightly weaker field than what he has been meeting in previous starts and from barrier 4 with Russell Stewart aboard will be one of the top fancies. Hallowell Mist is having her first start from a spell. The staying mare will be looking for more ground and will need this run under her belt going forward. Shane Gilchrist will take the mount from barrier six.

Pinjarra hosted the usual Thursday provincial meeting this week and we had two representatives. Little Assassin raced in the sixth event on the card and he put in a great effort to finish second. Shaun Meeres jumped the gelding straight to the lead from barrier 5 and he set a moderate tempo with race favourite Deed I Do sitting at his flanks. Turning for home Meeres had a good hold on Little Assassin but Deed I Do looked to be going a little better. At the 200m he found something and kicked strongly to make a race of it but as the two came away to fight out the finish Deed I Do did a bit the better scoring by ¾ of a length. Sweet Mary Jane was having her second career start in race seven. From gate five Shaun Meeres had the filly sitting in the one wide line, fourth from the tail. Coming to the turn she looked to be tracking up well, getting onto the back of Kender but when placed under pressure she offered little and was unable to sprint with the field running second last. Fun Spice made it two from two, winning in impressive fashion from Kender who ran second and Coccinella in third.

Auburn Ark stables will have two representatives at Pinjarra Park on Thursday. Little Assassin will start in a 0-64 sprint race over 1200m whilst Sweet Mary Jane will take her place in a 0-64 three year old race over 1200m. He will start from barrier 5 with Shaun Meeres aboard. Little Assassin ran a game third last start when second up at Bunbury. The gelding sat outside the leader and fought on strongly to get beaten 1 ¼ lengths by Busters Icon who enjoyed all the favours. Little Assassin’s main competition looks as though it will come from the Peter Giadresco camp in the form of Deed I Do. Deed I Do has been in good form and looks to be the pace setter in the race. Sweet Mary Jane trialled against some nice horse recently and got beaten just over 3 lengths. Shaun Meeres will ride the filly from a tricky alley (7) and she will defiantly benefit from the run on Thursday. Fun Spice will be a likely favourite in the race comking off his debut win, with Mineours Luck and Educated Guess looking as though they will be in and around the money.  

The stable travelled two year olds Happy Angel and Tee With The Queen to Lark Hill on Monday to take their place in a 950m trial. Happy Angel was out to make up for her little moment on Saturday which led her to being scratched from the opening event on the Ascot card. From a wide ally Happy Angel bounded out of the barriers, shooting straight across to an early lead with her stable-mate driving up along the inside to get on her back. Happy Angel was a length and a half clear on the corner and was under a good hold by Alan Kennedy and when she was given an inch of rein she extended nicely, racing away from the rest down the straight to win by 2 ¼ lengths, untouched. Tee With The Queen was placed under pressure at the top of the straight and fought on well to finish third, 3 ¾ lengths off her stable-mate.

On Saturday we were set to have two of our two year olds debut at Ascot in race one but two turned to one in a split second. As Happy Angel was leaving the mounting yard the filly baulked and dislodged her jockey, Lucas Camilleri. From here she took off on a spirited burst and was later captured but was not in a condition to run her debut race and was withdrawn from the event. Kiss The Fish was left as the sole runner from the Auburn Ark team. The gelding was unlucky at the beginning though, missing the kick and getting squeezed out the back. From last position on settling Kiss The Fish would have had to have been Superman for jockey Shaun Meeres to get over the leader who was burning the turf in front, Gold Rocks, and he found them a bit to slick for him, getting beaten 11 lengths. Kiss The Fish has now been sent to the paddock after he pulled up shin sore and on his return he will be set for some for staying type races.

Happy Angel showed on Monday at Belmont that she means business as a racehorse and on Saturday she will get her chance to shine. The daughter of Happy Giggles will take her place in race one of the day, the Wanneroo Times Plate for two year olds over 1100m. Lucas Camilleri, who rode the filly in her trial, will take the mount and she will jump from barrier four, with the blinkers added to her gear. Kiss The Fish will get her chance to get redemption on her stablemate who defeated her in the 1000m trial on Monday. Jumping from barrier three and with Shaun Meeres aboard Kiss The Fish will get a lovely run and will have her chance to produce her best. The field of nine consists of some real fast youngsters including Peter Giadresco pair Bronze Bullet and impressive debut winner Gold Rocks who won by 3.75 lengths at her first outing.  

Little Assassin and Sweet Mary Jane will be nominated for races at Pinjarra Park next Thursday. Sweet Mary Jane will have her first start as a three year old whilst Little Assassin will be looking to continue his good form since returning.

Insurgency will arrive in Western Australia on Tuesday morning. The gelding was set to arrive last week but the plane he was travelling on broke down in Brisbane and the he was unable to complete the rest of his journey. He will be in his new home by lunch time Tuesday afternoon.

The stable was represented by 4 horses at Belmont trials on Monday. Three babies had there first outing on a racetrack and Happy Angel showed she looks to be a real racehorse. The Happy Giggle filly won her heat over 600m by three lengths after bounding out of the gates and racing away from her opposition. Jockey Lucas Camilleri gave her a few on the rump at the 300m and she showed no signs of stopping, running one of the fastest time of the new season two year old trials; covering the 600m in a slick 35:50seconds. Tee With The Queen competed in the same trial as her stable mate; running sixth. From an inside barrier the daughter of Surtee jumped with the field but was unable to match the speed of Happy Angel. In the second heat of the day Kiss The Fish ran a good trial to finish sixth behind the very impressive Outlier, beaten just three lengths. The field of eight was just about in one straight line across the track until around the 300m when jockeys started to make their moves. When Shaun Meeres put a couple on the rump of Kiss The Fish he ducked inwards, forcing Shaun to restrain off the heels of another runner, but once he regained his balance the horse finished off well, hitting the line hard. Kiss The Fish is a half brother to Baleen Magic, a winner of $62,000 in her career so far. Also having her first trial start this preparation was Sweet Mary Jane in heat 8. Trialling doesn’t stop on Monday for the stable though, as we will take Hallowell Mist to trial at Bunbury on Thursday, in heat 10 over 1000m.