Beckham scores tough win at eagle farm

17 July 2016

The elegantly-bred Beckham overcame testing conditions at Eagle Farm yesterday to further his record. The WS-bred and raced son of Pins posted a gallant performance under leading jockey Jeff Lloyd for the sixth win of his 21-start career.

Trained on the course by Liam Birchley, the five-year-old entire ploughed through the mud for a clear-cut victory in the open handicap over 1400 metres. “It wasn’t just testing the horses’ fitness but the jockeys’,” Lloyd said. “He was fit and up to the challenge.”

Birchley said Beckham would now be chasing more wins in open company in the coming weeks. “It would be good to get some more black type to add to his value as a sire.”

Beckham is out of WS’s outstanding race mare Glamour Puss, a dual Group One winner, who is now playing a starring role at stud. All six of her foals to race have been winners and also includes the stakes performer Ngarimu (Savabeel).

Pure Alpha delivers again as Ardrossan continues to rise

Ardrossan gelding Pure Alpha led throughout to win by 1.29 lengths at Eagle Farm for owner Ozzie Kheir, taking his earnings past $300,000. The result caps a stellar run for sire Ardrossan, whose yearlings fetched up to $450,000 this year on strong Hong Kong form.

28 August 2026

The Corner with Garry Chittick

It is difficult to maintain momentum when sitting in judgment of racing’s governance. After all, I get no pleasure in searching for non-credible decisions, but one is perpetually bewildered by the rationale behind many of the positions that make little sense.