A three-year absence from the winners’ enclosure was ended in spectacular style on Saturday when ex-Kiwi galloper Saracino led all the way to take out the Listed Heineken-Belmont Newmarket (1200m) at Belmont. Originally prepared by Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman at Cambridge, Saracino had enjoyed spectacular success in the early stages of his career when finishing third in the Gr.1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) as a two-year-old before defeating the older horses in the Gr.2 Foxbridge Plate (1200m) at Te Rapa and then crossing the Tasman to win the…
Month: August 2020
Moseley collects winning treble at Riccarton
One of the elder statesman of the South Island jockey ranks was to the fore at Riccarton as he collected a winning treble and went within a whisker of tearing off the major prize on the day. Fifty three-year-old Terry Moseley is riding as well as he ever has in a career that stretches nearly fourty years in the saddle yet still finds plenty of satisfaction in days like he had on Saturday where he won three of the first four races on the card. Moseley kicked off his winning…
Crown Poker produces winning hand
The rise to stardom of last start Group 3 Warragul St Leger hero Catch The Thief has reminded Geoff Scott-Smith about the unique nature of greyhound racing and in particular the vagaries of breeding a topliner. Scott-Smith, who also won a feature event on the Warragul St Leger card with staying prospect Motor City Tiger careering away with the President’s Cup, has played his own behind-the-scenes role in Catch The Thief’s story, breeding his mother Dundee Ally. “Dundee Ally is out of a bitch called Crown Poker,” Scott-Smith explained. “I’ve…
Nathan Williamson returns to stomping ground
Chinese Whisper seeks hat-trick By Jonny Turner Southern speedster Chinese Whisper will be the talk of Kurow Cup day if he can keep his manners in check for the third consecutive start tomorrow. The Nathan Williamson trained trotter has unleashed scintillating closing sectionals leading in to the feature handicap trot at Oamaru. Those wins came after two error-ridden performances, which the 5yr-old can put further behind him with another faultless display. And that looks likely if what Chinese Whisper has shown Williamson in trackwork recently is anything to go by.…
Selections | Kurow, 16 August
Justin Evans, Jason Teaz & our Mystery Tipster provide us with their selections ahead of the meeting at Addington today. Selections can be found here Head to www.tab.co.nz to make a bet!
WOOTTON BASSETT SALE WELCOME NEWS FOR CAMBRIDGE STUD
The arrival of Almanzor at Cambridge Stud on Friday in preparation for his third Southern Hemisphere breeding season coincided with a major announcement from Coolmore Stud overnight. Coolmore announced that they have purchased Almanzor’s sire Wootton Bassett from Haras d’Etreham and he will take up residence at the international powerhouse’s Irish base. The announcement of Wootton Bassett’s sale and departure for Coolmore vindicates the decision made by Cambridge Stud in 2018 to purchase the Southern Hemisphere rights to his best son, the European Champion three-year-old of 2016, Almanzor. At the…
No end of Affair in sight
The lush green paddocks of Trelawney Stud are ready and waiting, but trainer Jason Ong feels there is no need to put old boy War Affair (NZ) (O’Reilly) out to pasture just yet. At 10, most of his fellow competitors, especially the high achievers, would have long left the racing game, but the 16-time winner and multiple- Singapore feature is still going strong at Kranji. This Sunday, the 2014 Singapore Horse of the Year will, at his 42nd start, go off as the veteran among the 16 horses contesting the…
AUDIO: Kenny Rae
Andrew Bensley talks to trainer Kenny Rae on Zoltan’s win at Riccarton on Saturday and Major Tom who lines up in the feature of the day, the Gr.3 Winter Cup.
AUDIO: Sam Weatherley
Andrew Bensley talks to Sam Weatherley who partnered Major Tom to win the Gr.3 Winter Cup at Riccarton on Saturday.
Major Tom takes out Riccarton feature
Ruakaka trainer Kenny Rae enjoyed a red-letter day at Riccarton on Saturday as two of his three-horse team that he had brought south from his far north base took out feature events. After earlier upsetting pundits with promising Iffraaj gelding Zoltan (NZ), who defeated red-hot favourite Matchmaker in a three-year-old 1100m contest, Rae nabbed the big prize on the day with underrated galloper Major Tom (NZ) (Red Giant) who held out all challengers in a desperate finish to the Gr.3 Winning Edge Presentations 123rd Winter Cup (1600m). Rae, who prepares…