Month: August 2020

Morrison’s perfect season’s ending

NZHarnessNews

By Jonny Turner John Morrison put the perfect full stop at the end of his premiership winning season when taking out the Darren De Filippi Memorial Trot at Addington on Friday night with Sods Law. The win meant a lot to Morrison, which could be see as he flourished his whip as he crossed the line in the highly sought after event for junior drivers. The victory behind the Jim and James Geddes trained 6yr-old came just a day after the reinsman sealed his victory in the national junior driver’s…

Sydney sprint options beckon Catalyst

Editor BOAY

Te Awamutu horseman Clayton Chipperfield is pleased with the progress of his stable star Catalyst as he builds towards a spring campaign in Sydney. The son of Darci Brahma is likely to have at least one trial before crossing the Tasman and is set to have a hit-out at the Taupo trials on August 12. “He will go there and have a nice blowout and we will know where he is at from there, but he certainly feels a lot bigger under me and is a lot stronger,” Chipperfield said.…

Best season to date for Carston

Editor BOAY

Riccarton trainer Andrew Carston is looking forward to kicking off the new racing season at Ashburton on Saturday, following a 10th place finish in the 2019-20 trainers’ premiership. Carston, who trains between 30 and 35 horses, had 30 wins, three at black-type level. “A top 10 finish is obviously a great result,” Carston said. “It’s an honour just to see my name amongst so many great trainers who I have a lot of respect for.” Carston said the improving quality of his equine team and his dedicated staff were key…

Richards’ premiership caps memorable season

Editor BOAY

Te Akau Racing principal David Ellis has just one word to summarise the 2019/20 season – thrilling. The tangerine and blue army were to the fore on both sides of the Tasman, posting 12 Group One wins for the season and clinching the New Zealand Trainers’ Premiership for Jamie Richards with 101 wins. It was Richards’ first premiership title in a solo capacity, having previously won it in the 2015/16 term in partnership with Stephen Autridge. “It was a huge thrill to win 12 Group One races in one season…

Gobstopper heads Australian interests for Campbell

Editor BOAY

Cambridge trainer Andrew Campbell will once again derive great pleasure out of watching his former Gr.3 New Zealand Cup (3200m) winner Gobstopper chase Australian riches on Sunday. The talented stayer turned jumper has been a revelation since switching vocation and is one of a number of Kiwi gallopers towards the top of the market in the Grand National Hurdle (4200m) at Sandown this weekend. Fellow New Zealand jumper Tallyho Twinkletoe will have to create a modern day weight carrying record if he is to record a second win in the…

Little Avondale marks major milestone

Editor BOAY

Little Avondale Wairarapa nursery Little Avondale Stud has added another major milestone to its rich history, celebrating 80 years of operation. Founded as Te Parae Stud and passed down through three generations of the Williams family, New Zealand’s oldest family-owned stud has amassed a proud list of accomplishments. There have been famous names such as Sunbride and Oncidium, and in 1974 they were the very first in Australasia to crack the $100,000 mark for a yearling. “This anniversary is a pretty special time for us, and it’s an occasion that…

Charm Spirit goes back-to-back

Editor BOAY

Twelve months after being crowned New Zealand’s champion first season sire, Windsor Park shuttle stallion Charm Spirit has added a second season title to his CV. The son of Invincible Spirit sired four winners in New Zealand in 2019-20, three of them at black-type level. Aretha, who had been the standout performer in Charm Spirit’s first crop of two-year-olds, added the Gr.3 Gold Trail Stakes (1200m) at Hastings in September, while Lilikoi captured the Gr.3 Eulogy Stakes (1600m) and placed in the Gr.2 Royal Stakes (2000m). The headline act over…