Jim Fullerton has passed away after a lifetime in greyhound racing

Former GRV steward and Bendigo GRC Life Member Jim Fullerton passed away this week, just three months shy of his 93rd birthday. A former Bendigo committee member, grader and long serving and respected steward across both the Eaglehawk and Lord’s Raceway eras of the Club, Jim’s passion for greyhound racing stayed with him throughout his life. Jim was seen with a lead, collar and dog in hand only a few weeks ago, assisting his son Grant in educating some pups. “Dad was a fitness fanatic. He’d walk eight kilometres every…

Fitness query over Stylish Memphis

By Jonny Turner, NZ Harness News Desk Trainer Mark Jones has warned Stylish Memphis will be relying heavily on her class when she returns to racing at Ascot Park on Thursday. The interruption of lockdown and the rescheduling of the Southland Oaks final means Jones has been forced to line the star filly up below her peak fitness. The Canterbury trainer’s hand has been forced because Stylish Memphis must start at Thursday’s meeting to qualify for the Group 2 feature, which will be run in October. “Class will take her…

Flying start for Heartening Flyer

Heartening Flyer (NZ) (Excelebration) lived up to his name when he got off to a flier on Sunday with trainer Michael Clements predicting bigger and better things for the colt post-race. After two barrier trial wins put the writing on the wall, the Excelebration three-year-old certainly franked that impression from the way he was coasting in a handy spot in the S$75,000 Restricted Maiden Division 1 race over 1200m. Once he swept past the weakening leader Lady Fast (NZ) (Ferlax), he looked a moral, but Brutus (Rubick) would not give…

Ocean Park shares spoils with Savabeel

A breakthrough season has ended on the perfect note for rising star Waikato Stud stallion Ocean Park (NZ) (Thorn Park), siring another impressive city winner on the final Saturday of the 2019-20 season. Three-year-old filly High Emocean scored a stylish two-length victory at Caulfield on Saturday, the fourth win of her nine-start career. She is one of 43 individual winners in Australia this term for Ocean Park, whose runners have amassed an impressive total of A$$10,095,873 throughout the season. He sits in 12th place on the Australian premiership. Since the…

Kozzi, Kozzi, Kozzi – Oi, Oi, Oi

Kozzi Asano may not have been a household name in racing circles at the beginning of the season, but the talented apprentice jockey made sure he was by the end. A one-time leader in the New Zealand Jockeys’ Premiership, Asano will end the season in second position behind Central Districts hoop Lisa Allpress, but with 78 wins for the season he has nearly doubled his nearest rival in the apprentice ranks (Sam Weatherley, 41 wins). “It has been an amazing ride this season,” Asano said. “I couldn’t have done it…

Innes couldn’t escape home winter

Leith Innes was glad to get the winning feeling back at Avondale on Saturday, but New Zealand isn’t where he was supposed to be during winter. In his second day back riding since the resumption of New Zealand racing, Innes was successful on his only mount of the day, the smart galloper Demonetization (All Too Hard) in his first start since New Year’s Day. He had also been aboard the Nigel Tiley-trained Group Two winner in his lead-up trials win, at Ellerslie last month, and wasn’t surprised by the victory.…