Year: 2019

Scorpz too tough in Ellerslie feature

Editor BOAY

Scorpz (inner) fights back to take out the Listed Hynds 3YO Salver (2100m) at Ellerslie Photo: Trish Dunell Promising three-year-old Scorpz (NZ) (Charm Spirit) overcame a wide run in transit to nab his second stakes victory in succession when he outstayed his age-group rivals in Sunday’s Listed Hynds 3YO Salver (2100m) at Ellerslie. The Stephen Marsh-trained galloper has made steady improvement in recent months which culminated in a maiden victory over 1400m at Te Rapa in early November at his sixth career start. That win saw Marsh tackle stakes company with…

Busier Christmas-New Year than McDonald planned

Editor BOAY

Champion jockey James McDonald will be on a working holiday when he takes a break from his busy Sydney schedule to return home to Cambridge for Christmas. Despite being in contention for the New South Wales Jockeys Premiership, McDonald is keen to have Christmas in New Zealand with his family, but  the trip has been extended to include riding at Ellerslie on Boxing Day and New Year’s Day, principally for long-time supporter Sir Peter Vela. “Peter asked me to go over to ride Supera in the Gr.1 Zabeel Classic (2000m)…

New Eagle Farm shows worth in big wet

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The Eagle Farm surface has passed a major test with flying colours after a storm. Racing Queensland’s senior track specialist Mick Goodie believes the new-look racing surface at Eagle Farm has already proved its worth with even better to come. Eagle Farm and Doomben were hammered by two storms this week and after the second, the final four races at Doomben on Friday were abandoned. The tracks are separated by a road but Eagle Farm was rated a good four before being upgraded to a good three on Saturday. There…

A day to remember for Mugford

NZHarnessNews

By Garrick Knight She might not have been the punters’ friend at Motukarara on Sunday, but nothing was going to wipe the smile off Anj Mugford’s face. The Leeston horsewoman pulled off a rare three-figure upset when training and driving Night Lights to win a girls’ maiden race, her first victory in both fields. Night Lights was the despised outsider at $113.60 and probably with justification having been unplaced in 23 prior runs. The horse was drawn badly and had no real form to get excited about, but Mugford was…

Punters rejoice

NZHarnessNews

By Michael Guerin  Here is the updated score board from Inter Dominion Grand Final night: Punters 9.5, All Stars 7, Bookmakers 0.5.  But the TAB’s head racing bookmaker Thad Taylor says there is a silver lining to the second worst meeting in history of the harness racing book at Alexandra Park on Saturday night.  The near complete domination of favourites, headlined by Interdom winners Ultimate Sniper and Winterfell, was only halted when second favourite Havehorsewilltravel won the last of the 10 races. That was the race where the bookies got…

Defibrillate adds another win to his tally

Editor BOAY

Bumper Blast (grey) digs deep to get his nose in front to win at Flemington. Photo credit: Darryl Sherer Defibrillate (NZ) (Shocking) continued his successful Australian career with a win at Flemington onSaturday. A winner of two races in New Zealand from the stable of co-owner Graeme Richardson, Defibrillate made his Australian debut in October for Victorian trainer Patrick Payne, winning his first two starts before finishing runner-up at Ballarat last month. The five-year-old gelding was back in the winner’s circle on Saturday after delivering a strong finish under regular…

Lilikoi races away with Eulogy Stakes

Editor BOAY

Lilikoi is out on her own as she races to victory at Awapuni Photo: Race Images – Grant Matthew Matamata visitor Lilikoi (NZ) (Charm Spirit) showed she was on track for further age-group riches this summer with a comprehensive victory in Saturday’s Gr.3 Lawnmaster Eulogy Stakes (1600m) at Awapuni. The Sir Peter Vela-bred and raced Charm Spirit filly thrived on the step up to 1600m as she dashed away from her three-year-old rivals over the concluding stages to register a comfortable twolength victory. Settled in a perfect trailing position by…

The Real Beel upsets in Cal Isuzu Stakes

Editor BOAY

The Real Beel (pink side winkers) scores a valuable black type victory in the Gr.2 Cal Isuzu Stakes at Te Rapa Photo: Trish Dunell Underrated mare The Real Beel (NZ) (Savabeel) made a winning return from a disappointing Australian spring campaign when she stormed home to take out the Gr.2 Cal Isuzu Stakes (1600m) at Te Rapa. The pint-sized Savabeel four-year-old had four unplaced runs in Melbourne during September and October for trainer David Brideoake before returning home for owner Garry Chittick. Returned to the care of her original mentor…

Magic Millions option for King Of Hastings

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A Magic Millions 3YO Guineas start is on the radar for Flemington winner King Of Hastings. Next month’s $2 million Magic Millions 3YO Guineas will be considered for King Of Hastings after he returned to winning form at Flemington. The Anthony Freedman-trained gelding’s spring was cut short in late September to target summer races but the three-year-old returned from a let-up with an unplaced run in the Magic Millions 3&4YO Classic at Ballarat on November 23. King Of Hastings ($3.40) bounced back on Saturday, winning the Say Hello To Summer…

Griffiths in winning return to racetrack

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Trainer Robbie Griffiths has made an emotional but winning return to the racetrack after an illness. Four months after undergoing brain surgery for an aneurysm, popular trainer Robbie Griffiths has made a triumphant return to the racetrack at Flemington and cheered home a winner. Griffiths was attending his first race meeting since the August operation on Saturday, having been given the all-clear earlier in the week to make a return to the races. And Halvorsen, a horse Griffiths bred and trains, did his part on Saturday to mark the occasion…