Emma Evans didn’t get the send-off her long-time trainer Wayne Hillis had hoped to provide for her at Matamata on Saturday, but she will be long remembered for her involvement in the racing industry as a passionate owner and breeder. Evans passed away early on Saturday morning and that afternoon Hillis was hoping Watch This Space could recapture his best form and provide a fitting farewell to his Whitford owner-breeder. But the Group Two winner, with stable apprentice Darren Danis aboard sporting a black arm band in Evans’ honour, could…
Month: August 2020
Book full for Ocean Park
Waikato Stud has confirmed that the 2020 book is full for rising star stallion Ocean Park (NZ). The Cox Plate winner served 153 mares in 2019 and had been available for a service fee of $20,000 for the upcoming breeding season. The 2019-20 season was a breakout year for Ocean Park, who won the Dewar Award for champion New Zealand-based sire by total progeny earnings between New Zealand and Australia. This is the eighth straight year that a Waikato Stud stallion has won this prize – O’Reilly (NZ) won it…
Five timer for Walker
Hunting down his ninth premiership, expat Kiwi trainer Mark Walker bagged five wins on Sunday at Kranji Racecourse. Walker won the opening race of the card with Savabeel gelding What You Like and went on to win the next three races, with Amazing Choice securing the five timer later on the night. “It was really good and things fell into place,” Walker said. “You don’t get days like that often. There’s still a long way to go in the premiership, but the horses are running very well. “It was pretty…
Wexford team building with Sydney ambitions
Quality gallopers Charles Road (Myboycharlie) and Dragon Leap (Pierro) are making good progress ahead of their spring campaigns. Lucrative Sydney targets are high on the agenda for the duo should COVID-19 immigration challenges to enable staff to travel from New Zealand to Australia be overcome. “Charles Road and Dragon Leap are both in the same boat, we’re trying to get to Australia,” O’Sullivan said. Group One performed stayer Charles Road was back in action at the Te Rapa trials last week, where he finished sixth in a 900m heat under…
First southern hemisphere foal for U S Navy Flag
The first southern hemisphere foal by Valachi Downs shuttle stallion U S Navy Flag (USA) has been born at Riversdale Farm in New South Wales. The colt out of Parmalove (Snitzel) arrived in the early hours of Monday morning at the Hunter Valley nursery. The foal has quickly made a favourable impression on Riversdale owner Nick Hodges. “The U S Navy Flag – Parmalove foal born around 2.30am this morning is a very nice foal,” he said. “He has good bone and size. “He was straight up and on the…
Gary’s greyhound ‘addiction’
Balliang trainer Gary Mannion considers himself very much a ‘battler’ in the sport. Mannion and wife Suzanne prepare a team of 20, but he admits winners are few and far between. So, it’s no surprise that Mannion is a huge wrap for Ballarat’s Tier 3 Cup series (545m), which kicks off with six preludes today and runs the entire month of August. “It’s a brilliant idea and fantastic for the hobby trainer,” Mannion said. “You get a chance to properly prepare a dog for this concept and it gives grass-roots…
Junior Driver Champs qualifying period and structure
The qualifying period and qualifying structure for the 2021 New Zealand Junior Driver Championship has now been confirmed. The qualifying period for the Championship will be from August 1 2020 – June 14 2021 After consultation with previous and current Junior Drivers throughout the Country the qualifying structure for the 2021 Championships is below: As of August 1 2020 All Junior Driver Races 1st=7 points, 2nd=5 points, 3rd=3 points, 4th=2 points, 5th=1 point All Other Races: 1st=5 points, 2nd=3 points, 3rd=2 points Please note that the Junior Driver Points…
The season of change
By Joshua Smith, Harness News Desk As the season comes towards an end this week many people will take the opportunity to reflect on the year gone by – the successes they achieved, opportunities lost, and difficulties faced. For some it was a season to remember and for others it was a season to forget. Although the 2019/2020 season was curtailed by the COVID-19 pandemic, it wasn’t short of memorable moments. In December, the Inter Dominion series returned to New Zealand shores for the first time in nearly a decade…
Dates, venues, and new sponsor for Sires Stakes’ three-year-old series
Australasia’s leading breeding operation, Woodlands Stud, has signed with the New Zealand Sires’ Stakes Board to be the exclusive sponsor of the prestigious 3YO Colts and Geldings Series. “We are very excited about our new partnership with the New Zealand Sires Stakes Board in the upcoming season. As always, we remain very focused on supporting the industry that supports us, so we jumped at the opportunity to be involved,” said Dr Andrew Grierson, principal of Woodlands Stud. Dates and venues for the five heats have been decided, with the heats…
Barrett stars on and off the track
What a Sunday it was for Mid Canterbury farmer and horse breeder-owner Viv Barrett. Yesterday his trotter Superfast Lad won fresh up at Addington for trainer Michael Heenan and driver Sam Ottley. Then he starred in One News’ popular “Good Sorts” segment for his years of community service. Called a “community hero” on the programme, over the decades he’s been on 21 committee boards, leading 19 of them. Barrett, a farmer, and part-time horse breeder-owner, has also been racing horses for 20 years. It was Superfast Lad’s third win in…