Day: 28 August 2020

Thompson’s Healesville Cup ‘Smokey’

Editor BOAY

Superstar Black Opium might be the headline act in Sunday’s Group 3 Healesville Cup heats (350m) but champion trainer Jason Thompson says the dual Group 1 winner isn’t the pick of his four Cup contenders. Thompson, who won the Healesville Cup in 2013 with El Brooklyn, has Zambora Smokey (heat 1, box 6), litter brother Zambora Lou (heat 3, box 2), Black Opium (heat 5, box 7) and Fire Legend (heat 8, box 3) engaged in the cut-throat Cup qualifiers. Black Opium is the $3.30 second elect with TAB in…

Time for SA domination

Editor BOAY

Catch The Thief has flown around Angle Park in a slick 29.43 second first look last night. Kurt Donsberg of Kurt Donsberg Greyhound Photography spoke to caretaker trainer Petar Jovanovic after Catch The Thief’s run last night. Catch The Thief will head back to Melbourne on Monday and will likely return for the match races and then the Group 1 Adelaide Cup in a couple of weeks. WATCH: SA trainer Petar Jovanovic on Catch The Thief’s trial. WATCH: Catch The Thief’s trial.

Healesville Cup heats by the numbers

Editor BOAY

Black Opium, Hard Style Rico, Tiggerlong Tonk & Zambora Smokey are the headline acts in Sunday’s TAB Healesville Cup heats (350m). Interestingly, the 64 runners across the eight heats have amassed a combined 779 wins and $3.2mil in prize money. And how about this for a stat – 28 of the 64 runners (43.75%) will be having their first start over the track/distance. Here’s some more interesting facts out of Sunday’s heats: Most prize money won: Black Opium ($582K), Tiggerlong Tonk ($272K), Hard Style Rico ($156K)Oldest runner: Big Bazza (four…

Done and ‘Dusty’

Editor BOAY

It’s difficult to ‘fend off’ any TAB cross-sports offer involving Richmond star Dustin Martin… So, here’sa ‘big don’t argue’. TAB is offering $3.00 about ‘Dusty’ kicking 1+ goals against the West Coast Eagles tonight and Slick Pawswinning at Warragul greyhounds. Martin has bagged 12 goals in 12 games (an average of 1 goal per game) and is averaging 21.1 disposals a match. The Eagles are fourth (36pts) on the AFL ladder with nine wins from 12 games and the Tigers are fifth (34pts) with eight wins and one draw from…

Oceanex commences Cup path at Caulfield

Editor BOAY

The road to the Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) commences on Saturday for New Zealand bred mare Oceanex (NZ) (Ocean Park) when she contests the MRC Members’ Tipstar Hcp (1400m) at Caulfield. The Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained daughter of Ocean Park booked her passage to the two-mile feature when winning the Listed Andrew Ramsden (2800m) in May, an exemption race for the Melbourne Cup. “She can have a little go around with Liam Riordan (apprentice) on Saturday and then into the Makybe Diva (Gr.1, 1600m) and the Turnbull Stakes…

Medalza best for Collett

Editor BOAY

Jockey Sam Collett has five rides at Tauranga on Saturday including returning Group One winner Roger That, who resumes over a mile. But the 30-year-old rider, who is closing in on 800 career wins, has plumped for the Stephen Marsh-trained Medalza as her best ride for the day. The five-year-old mare will contest the Clark Mazey Bayleys Handicap (1300m) and enters off a solid sixth behind Gorgeous Geisha and a second to quality galloper Demonetization prior to that. “She has had a couple of runs in this time to get…

Kiwi Ida on target for Foxbridge

Editor BOAY

Group One performer Kiwi Ida (Squamosa) is set to fly the South Island flag in the Gr.2 Valachi Downs Foxbridge Plate (1200m) at Te Rapa on September 5. Owned and trained by John and Karen Parsons, the high-class mare has been off the scene since February, but she warmed up for her return with impressive trial wins at Rangiora on July 14 and August 18. Karen Parsons, who has spent recent weeks in the North Island with well-performed jumper Delacroix (NZ) (Zabeel), reported that Kiwi Ida has made pleasing progress…

NZTR Chairman to step down

Editor BOAY

NZTR Chairman Dr Alan Jackson has today signaled his intention to retire from the Board at the AGM on 17 November. A “change chair” who presided over a period of significant upheaval, Dr Jackson brought the benefit of more than 30 years of international business experience across a wide spectrum of industries and organizations to the role. Under his chairmanship he guided the industry through the introduction of the Health & Safety in the Workplace Act; saw through the progression of the Messara Review and the introduction of the Racing…

Heavyweight Hero to get title shot

NZHarnessNews

By Jonny Turner A fit, healthy and sound Heavyweight Hero will test his mettle against the New Zealand’s best trotters in the Basil Dean Free-For-All at Addington on Friday night. The formerly injury plagued squaregaiter will clash again with Majestic Man after running home stylishly in to second behind the Oamaru trotter a fortnight ago. That run was an important stepping stone towards Heavyweight Hero having a clear shot at some of the country’s best races for the first time. Injuries have previously prevented the former Todd MacFarlane seven-year-old trained more than the occasional…