Year: 2019

Politician/horse owner Paul Whelan dies

AAP

Former NSW Police Minister and thoroughbred owner/breeder Paul Whelan has died. Former NSW government minister and well-known racehorse owner/breeder Paul Whelan has died aged 75 after a long illness. Whelan was a member of the NSW parliament from 1976 to 2003 and a minister in the Neville Wran and Bob Carr-led governments. When he retired from politics, Whelan devoted himself to thoroughbred breeding and racing as the proprietor of Luskin Park Stud in the Hunter Valley. “Paul was a visionary and was admired by all,” Racing NSW chief executive Peter…

Perth trip on radar for Land Of Plenty

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Land of Plenty gets the chance to add a second Group One win to his record in the Cantala Stakes. A trip to Perth is on the cards for Land Of Plenty, who will firstly chase his second Group One win in the Cantala Stakes at Flemington. Land Of Plenty was fourth in last year’s Group One Cantala (1600m) when trained by Darren Weir after winning the Group One Toorak Handicap. Now in his second preparation with Peter and Paul Snowden, Land Of Plenty had bone chips removed after his…

Injured Stephen Brown Jr moves hospitals

AAP

Six weeks after suffering life-threatening injuries in a fall in a jump-out at Wangaratta, former apprentice jockey Stephen Brown jr has been transferred from Royal Melbourne to the Epworth Hospital to continue his rehabilitation. Brown jr sustained head injuries, as well as fractured ribs, neck fractures and a punctured lung in the fall on September 18. He had been in Royal Melbourne Hospital since, firstly in ICU before being moved to a ward earlier in October. His parents, Stephen sr and Elisha, issued a statement on Thursday via Racing Victoria.…

Arrowfield secures deal for Castelvecchio

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Arrowfield Stud has secured a managing share in Group One winner Castelvecchio (green). Arrowfield Stud has entered into an agreement to acquire a controlling share in Cox Plate runner-up Castelvecchio who will eventually stand at the Hunter Valley farm. John Messara, the boss of Arrowfield, will become the racing manager for the remainder of Castelvecchio’s on-track career under the agreement with Ottavio and Wendy Galletta. Castelvecchio, the winner of the Group One Champagne Stakes earlier this year, beat all but Japanese mare Lys Gracieux in last Saturday’s Cox Plate. The…

Princess Jenni set to shine in Empire Rose

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Princess Jenni has pleased trainer David Brideoake leading to her spring finale in the Empire Rose. Trainer David Brideoake will not worry about what conditions are thrown at Princess Jenni as she attempts to close out her spring campaign with a Group One win. Princess Jenni is one of the leading fancies for the Empire Rose Stakes at Flemington on Saturday with Brideoake saying the mare has had the perfect lead-up for Saturday’s 1600m-race. Possible thunderstorms are forecast on Saturday along with between eight and 15mm of rain. “We’ve got…

Hill and Jones to get underway at Methven

NZHarnessNews

By Jonny Turner  Group 1 winning trainers Brendon Hill and Mark Jones will start their first runners on the first day of their new partnership at Methven on Friday. Five runners will represent what could develop in to a super stable that has brought the two time New Zealand Cup and two time Dominion winning trainers together, Hill admitted the pair are still finding their feet and negotiating the finer points of how their new venture will operate. However, there is no doubt about the excitement around the new partnership.…

Life’s a beach for Temporale

NZHarnessNews

By Garrick Knight Michelle Wallis and Bernie Hackett have had a rather interesting boarder at their Waiuku property recently. Group 1-winning trotter Temporale has been utilising their beach training services as connections look to get his career back on track. His usual trainer and part-owner, Tony Herlihy, made the decision earlier in the month. “He’s been out here for about three weeks,” said Wallis. “There was nothing seriously wrong with him; Tony just felt the old fella would benefit from something different.” The son of Monarchy had an inauspicious finish…

Marzemino kicks off Group One campaign

Editor BOAY

Marzemino winning at Te Aroha. Photo: Race Images Peter Williams is harbouring Group One ambitions with talented Per Incanto mare Marzemino (NZ). The Byerley Park trainer will produce Marzemino fresh-up in Saturday’s Roger Gill Agriculture 1200 at Pukekohe, the first step of a campaign that could lead to multiple Group One races this season. “We’re very happy with her. She’s trialled up well in preparation for this,” said Williams, who trains in partnership with his wife Dawn. “She had a couple of quiet trials, one at Avondale and one at…

Star Kiwi mare primed for Flemington feature

Editor BOAY

A sparkling trackwork gallop at Flemington on Tuesday has given Matamata trainer Jamie Richards all the assurance he wanted from stable star Melody Belle (NZ) (Commands) as she heads in to Saturday’s Gr.1 $A1 million Empire Rose Stakes (1600m). The Commands five-year-old mare is a $3.40 favourite for the weight-for-age fillies and mares feature despite drawing barrier 13 as she chases the tenth Group One win of her career. “She’s in good form,” Richards said. “She worked well at Flemington on Tuesday morning on the course proper. It looked to…

Mansour keeping positive ahead of surgery

Editor BOAY

Jockey Donavan Mansour will undergo surgery today after suffering a broken pelvis in an incident around near the starting barriers at Te Aroha on Wednesday. “Donavan was on his horse behind the barriers ready to load into the starting gates. The horse reared up and went over backwards and came down on top of him,” Mansour’s riding agent Tony Raklander said. “He was in a lot of pain and on the track for an hour or so before they could get a helicopter in to pick him up and get…