Month: June 2020

Chambord is enjoying life after racing. Photo: Race Images Retired Te Akau racehorse Chambord has continued showing his finesse off the track in both the show-jumping arena and hunting field. Runner-up to Atlante in the Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) and a multiple Group placed and stakes winner, who overcame a series of injuries throughout his career, Chambord is one of 15 horses re-homed by stable apprentice Chelsea Burdan. Burdan has always used thoroughbreds when competing in eventing, cross country, and dressage, and believes that many retired racehorses have…

Promising steeplechaser Des De Jeu. Photo: Peter Rubery (Race Images Palmerston North) Respected central districts trainer Mark Oulaghan will have a small team of jumpers set to compete this winter, including improving steeplechaser Des De Jeu. The seven-year-old gelding is best known for his miraculous recovery to win a maiden steeplechase at Awapuni two years ago, after all but parting with jockey Aaron Kuru early in the piece. Horse and rider would go on to become a global social media sensation. Oulaghan believes as a seven-year-old Des De Jeu has…

Apprentice jockey Sam Weatherley feels refreshed after his COVID-19 enforced hiatus from riding. Photo: Trish Dunell Apprentice jockey Sam Weatherley is champing at the bit to get back raceday riding. The Waikato hoop will enter the senior jockey ranks next season and he is determined to complete his tenure as an apprentice in style. Weatherley returned to New Zealand last year after a stint riding in Sydney and the season hasn’t gone entirely to plan for him. “It started off a little bit slow, as expected, but I really started…

Te Akau Racing’s David Ellis is hopeful the borders between New Zealand and Australia can open again to allow for horse movement between the two countries. The coronavirus pandemic halted horse movement between the countries while the virus caused a shutdown to racing in New Zealand. While horse movement resumed on April, it was again suspended last month after a horse tested positive to an equine disease. New Zealand racing is set to resume on July 3 and Ellis, who is Principal of Te Akau Racing, hopes horse travel can…

Dr Alex McGregor Grant. Photo: supplied Racing art connoisseurs will have the opportunity to acquire a couple of historical art pieces by revered equine artist Frederick Woodhouse later this month. New Zealand auction house Dunbar Sloane will be offering ‘Manuka & Kakapo’ through its Fine Art Auction on June 3, while Melbourne auction house Gibson’s will be offering ‘Mr Thomas Chirnside’s General’ 1863 to the public on June 15. The latter piece is currently owned by the family of Alexander McGregor Grant, a former chairman of the Auckland Racing Club,…

Milan Park principal Tony Rider. Photo: Trish Dunell Milan Park principal Tony Rider has had a busy time of late. Rider and his team at Pak ‘N’ Save Clarence St, Hamilton, have been run off their feet supplying customers over the COVID-19 lockdown period. “It’s been full on, but it’s been good,” he said. “There have been some challenges that we have never come across before. “We had to change our business style to what we had to do. “But hopefully by this time next week we should be back…

Cambridge trainer Frank Ritchie. Photo: Trish Dunell One of racing’s senior statesman, Frank Ritchie is looking forward to welcoming back a couple of his better quality gallopers in the coming weeks as the Cambridge trainer prepares for spring racing. The Covid-19 enforced lockdown provided the 75-year-old with a glimpse of retirement and the respected horseman said in the main it didn’t agree with him, but there were some new habits forged. “One was to bring my wife Colleen a cup of tea in bed at 7am every day,” Ritchie said.…

NSW prizemoney will return to pre-COVID-19 levels from July 1. Photo: bradleyphotos.com.au Prize money for NSW thoroughbred races will be restored to pre-COVID-19 levels from next month with the state’s feature spring race dates also locked in. Racing NSW has confirmed prize money levels for spring feature races will be maintained with this year’s The Everest to be run for $15 million while the Golden Eagle remains at $7.5 million in its second year. Prize money levels for NSW races across the board were reduced in April until the end…