Tazima denies the French connections

Monday, June 22, 2026

Tazima won race six narrowly against Boniface, who showed progress and may soon achieve his first Australian victory, while other horses like Hurry Miss and Big Red Tequila showed promising form despite some setbacks. Several horses were diagnosed with minor lameness after the meeting, which will need close monitoring as they prepare for upcoming races.

At a recent race meeting, several horses demonstrated promising form while others encountered setbacks, according to post-race assessments and observations from trainers and jockeys.

Tazima, a French-bred horse, narrowly secured victory in race six, with jockey Siena Grima delivering a decisive ride to fend off Boniface, another French import seeking his first Australian win. Boniface showed encouraging progress despite finishing second and appears poised to break his maiden soon. Trainer Matt Dale’s mare Hurry Miss, running in race one, overcame a wide draw and finished strongly after a slow start, suggesting she could be a contender in the upcoming 1200-meter Highway race scheduled for two weeks' time.

Hello Captain, despite being the odds-on favorite in race four, was unable to deliver a winning performance after encountering traffic issues in the straight, finishing fourth. Still, connections remain confident in the horse's capabilities and expect future returns for supporters. In race seven, Big Red Tequila encountered wide racing lines but retained enough momentum to finish within a length of the winner, Ice Kool, signaling that a victory may be imminent given the right race conditions.

McHale, running in the Civic Stakes (race nine), began the race significantly behind but closed strongly to finish five lengths back in fifth place, trailing the impressive Midnight Dynamite. Analysts suggest the horse would benefit from a better race setup and could be a contender in upcoming winter events.

Post-race veterinary examinations brought some concerns to light. Several horses were found to have minor lameness issues, rated at 1/5 severity. Bustling (race eight) showed signs of lameness in the off foreleg, which jockey Tommy Berry noted affected the gelding’s ability to stretch out while under pressure. Similarly, Imperial Force, which raced keenly early on in race eight, was also found lame in the same leg after failing to finish strongly. Hezdarnhottoo (race ten) did not finish as expected over 1400 meters and was later diagnosed with minor lameness in the off foreleg. General Salute (race nine) struggled to maintain pace after a strong tempo was set mid-race, with jockey Tim Clark indicating the horse never traveled well and finished one-paced in the home straight.

Overall, the meeting highlighted competitive performances among several horses preparing for future races, while the minor injuries identified will require monitoring ahead of their next starts.