Month: May 2020

Kinane well-prepared for Queensland campaign

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Kinane winning the Gr.3 Frank Packer Plate (2000m). Photo: Bradleyphotos.com.au Quality three-year-old Kinane looks to be on track for a two-start Queensland campaign with the Chris Waller-trained gelding pleasing in a Rosehill trial on Friday.   The son of Reliable Man finished fourth in a 1030m heat under a quiet James McDonald ride. “He was really good,” McDonald said. “He was pretty fresh. He bounced out well and travelled pretty kindly over that unsuitable trip and quickened up beautifully. “He has had a good blow but he is very well…

SA Derby tilt for Zayydani

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Zayydani will contest the Gr.1 South Australian Derby (2500m) on Saturday. Photo: Ross Holburt/Racing Photos Trelawney Stud’s Brent and Cherry Taylor will be glued to their television screen on Saturday as they get set to watch Zayydani contest the Gr.1 South Australian Derby (2500m) at Morphettville. The Cambridge couple bred the Savabeel filly and entrusted her to the care of the Lindsay Park training trio of David and Ben Hayes, and Tom Dabernig. She won her first two career starts at Seymour over a mile before finishing sixth and runner-up…

Saint Eustace primed for Derby tilt

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Saint Eustace will contest the Gr.1 South Australia Derby (2500m) at Morphettville on Saturday. Photo: Reg Ryan/Racing Photos An unsuccessful trip to Adelaide last month could be the makings of Saint Eustace’s Gr.1 South Australia Derby (2500m) campaign, according to co-trainer Mick Price. The Victorian horseman trains in partnership with Michael Kent Jr and said while Saint Eustace’s seventh-placing in the Listed Port Adelaide Guineas (1800m) was disappointing, the trip away was good education ahead of Saturday’s Derby at Morphettville. “We did travel over there for the 1800m race and…

International targets beckon Ablaze

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An international sojourn could be on the cards for Ablaze. Photo: Pat Scala/Racing Photos An international sojourn could be on the cards for Grand Annual Steeplechase (5500m) winner Ablaze. Trainers Ciaron Maher and David Eustace have already mapped out the New Zealand-bred jumper’s next three targets, and if he performs up to expectations he could find himself on a plane next year. “We will probably set him for the (Grand) National (Steeplechase, 4500m) at the end of the year and then maybe have another crack at the Jericho (Cup, 4600m)…

Classic targets for Kiwi acquisition

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Reliable Man filly Annavisto will join the stable of Mick Price and Michael Kent Jr. Photo: AAP Reliable Man filly Annavisto (NZ) is being set on a Classic campaign in Australia after recently being purchased out of Tony Pike’s Cambridge barn by prominent owner Bill Frost. The juvenile was victorious in her only trial in New Zealand, winning her 800m heat at Te Teko in February, and will now head to Melbourne to join Mick Price and Michael Kent Jrs’s barn. Annavisto was bred by Greg Tomlinson under his Nearco…

Stairway to Heaven

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Blind Bight’s Alan Hunter, 75, is a late starter to greyhound racing, but he has wasted no time climbing the sport’s ‘stairway to heaven’. Ironically, Hunter is managing director of Mount Waverley-based family business Staircom, which is Victoria’s largest staircase manufacturer. The spritely septuagenarian was introduced to greyhound racing by his son Brett, 42. And since then, Hunter has taken his greyhound racing passion step-by-step. “I bought a couple of pups from the Dawsons in Trafalgar around 15 years ago and, as they say, the rest is history,” Hunter said.…

New board member for GRV

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Minister for Racing Martin Pakula today announced the appointment of a new board member for Greyhound Racing Victoria (GRV). Lisa Tripodi is the newest board member of GRV, appointed for three years, recommended by more than 20 years’ experience in accounting, assurance services and risk management. Ms Tripodi is an independent audit committee member for seven councils across Victoria and the Victorian Institute of Training. Previous clients have included the Victorian Department of Justice and the Victorian Planning Authority. Through her role as partner for accounting and assurance services at…

Rockstar Beav wins second Gr8 Eight

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Experienced campaigner Rockstar Beav ($2.80) has won tonight’s Gr8 Eight event at Sandown Park, leading all the way over 595m. Andrea Dailly’s greyhound led all the way against a quality line-up, holding off a persistent Last Hurrah by two lengths, with Perfect Marshall third. It was the versatile stayer’s eighth win from his past 14 starts, with a start in next Thursday night’s RSN Sandown Cup heats appearing likely. Rockstar Beav joins exciting staying prospect Mister Harlewood as winners of the first two Gr8 Eight events, a series of $15,000…

7 interesting facts about the Sapphire Crown

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The Group 1 Sapphire Crown Final (515m) will be run on Thursday night at Sandown Park. Here’s a few things you might not know about this great race. 1  2020 finalist Talulah Bale (pictured above) is aiming to replicate her famous dam, Xylia Allen, who won the race in 2013. 2  Talulah Bale’s trainer, Heather Collins, will be attempting to emulate the feat of husband Steven, who trained 2015 Sapphire Crown winner Lamia Bale. 3  2020 finalist Origami Angel is a younger half-sister of 2018 & 2019 finalist Go Seek…