Month: January 2020

New challenge for Enzo’s Lad

Editor BOAY

The connections of Enzo’s Lad (Testa Rossa) have set their sights on a new target for their talented sprinter. The dual Group One winner will step up to 1400m for the first time when he contests the Listed Speight’s Timaru Stakes at Riccarton on Saturday. Enzo’s Lad is fresh off a runner-up performance behind Avantage (Fastnet Rock) in Saturday’s Gr.1 JR & N Berkett Telegraph (1200m) at Trentham, a short neck away from joining Blazer and Blue Blood (NZ) (Copenhagen II) as three time winners of the race. “We were…

Addington on the horizon for Best Western

NZHarnessNews

By Garrick Knight Pukekohe mare Best Western is booked to fly to Christchurch next week for two black-type features but first she’ll head to Alexandra Park on Friday night. Her trainer, Jeremy Young, says last season’s Northern Oaks winner is nearing “cherry-ripe” status. “I’m happy with her; she’s working really well and seems very bright,” he said. “I want to have her cherry-ripe for the two Addington races, but she’s pretty close to the mark.” Best Western was an unlucky fourth last week after being held up before the passing…

Williams has strong book at Addington

NZHarnessNews

By Jonny Turner All Stars trotter Kings Landing will need to call on his class when steps out for the first time this season at Addington on Friday night. Each of his rivals will have a significant race fitness edge over the 5yr-old, when he starts for in a competitive 1980m feature trot. Kings Landing has looked to have thrived since his last start at the Harness Jewels when winning two trials and a workout ahead of his return from a decent winter spell. But, driver Tim Williams is weary…

Butt's Buzzing After Draws

NZHarnessNews

By Adam Hamilton FORMER champion Kiwi driver Anthony Butt is genuinely buzzing heading towards Melton’s huge meeting on Saturday night. Despite his stellar record in some of Australia’s biggest races, headlined by seven Hunter Cup wins, Butt’s record in the Victoria Derby and Oaks has been bleak. Remarkably, he hasn’t won a Derby and has only jagged the one Oaks title, aboard Geoff Small’s brilliant Pullover Brown way back in 2003. “My one chance of winning the Derby was Lavros Star (1997). I won the heat on him, but got…

The Shark – Best at Addington on Friday Night

NZHarnessNews

The Shark makes his way to Harness HQ, Addington Raceway for their first race meeting of 2020. Big even fields are the order of the night and he tries to sort them out. For more punting information head to The Punters Lounge  Race 1 13 Bonny’s Gem: Quite a big run after an early gallop last time out. Amateur with a good strike rate jumps in the cart so has to be considered on an each way basis. 10 The Governor: Form on the board, particularly in these types of races.…

The Shark – Best at Alexandra Park on Friday 24-01-20

NZHarnessNews

The Shark heads to Alexandra Park for some Friday night harness racing action in search of a few winners to kick start the weekend.  For more punting information head to The Punters Lounge Race 1 6 Flo Ryda: Hit the line with some real venom from well back last when on debut. New ball game here, but certainly good enough to win it. 2 Delightful Catherine: In good nick and was brave last time out. Positive draw here so should be on the speed and out of trouble and right in…

First positive in France to blood agent

AAP

Australia is among the jurisdictions maintaining vigilance in testing for substances such as the synthetic blood agent known as ITPP. A French laboratory has detected the first positive result in a racehorse to ITPP, or myo-inositol trispyrophosphate. The substance was detected in a urine sample from Akoya, the winner of a Group One race for purebred Arabians at Longchamp in September. ITPP is said to work by binding to the membrane of red blood cells or haemoglobin, promoting the release of oxygen in humans and horses. Dutch trainer Karin van…

Decision soon on Nikolic application

AAP

A decision is expected within a fortnight whether former jockey Danny Nikolic can resume riding in Queensland. Nikolic applied for a Queensland provincial class licence just before Christmas and the matter was adjourned until the new year. The Queensland Racing Integrity Commission licensing division has collected submissions on the application, which if successful is understood to allow Nikolic to be based in north Queensland. QRIC Commissioner Ross Barnett says a decision on the application is expected soon. “The commission is currently considering a provincial jockey’s licence application for Danny Nikolic.…

Trotting great passes away

NZHarnessNews

By Garrick Knight One of our greatest ever trotting mares has died. Martina H, the last mare to win the Dominion Handicap, was put down after taking ill suddenly at Woodlands Stud on Monday. Her former trainer, Derek Balle, said, it was a sad end for the winner of over $400,000, but he looked back fondly on her racing career. “She was such a great mare. “Always had lameness issues, but would get up behind the gate or tapes and trot like a stag. “She had such a big heart.…

Lor pins hopes of a Classic Mile repeat on Decrypt

AAP

Silvestre de Sousa takes the ride on Monday. Frankie Lor swept the Four-Year-Old Classic Series in 2019 but one year after Furore set the ball rolling in the Hong Kong Classic Mile, the trainer is this time pinning his hopes prudently rather than nailing them assuredly. The horse carrying the Lor standard into the first race of the three-leg series is the promising Decrypt, highly-tried in Europe and a horse of apparent ability judged on his two efforts so far at Sha Tin. The grey colt finished third in both…