Star mare Melody Belle (NZ) (Commands) is back in New Zealand and will be seen at the Rotorua trials on Tuesday in a 1215m heat as she builds towards a raceday return. The Jamie Richards-trained 10-time Group One winner returned from Sydney after an inconclusive run when a luckless 11th in the Gr.1 Winx Stakes (1400m) and could be a late-addition to the Hawke’s Bay carnival. “She has done everything right and Jamie can’t fault her at this stage,” said John Galvin, who manages the Melody Belle Fortuna Syndicate that…
Month: September 2020
Catalyst returning home to spell
Catalyst’s (NZ) (Darci Brahma) spring campaign is over, but trainer Clayton Chipperfield admits he breathed a sigh of relief when hearing the result of Monday morning’s Sydney veterinary inspection on his stable star. Catalyst is booked to return to New Zealand on Sunday for a three-month spell after he tailed the field home when resuming in the Gr. 2 Shorts (1100m) at Randwick last Saturday. When under pressure, he suffered from interference in the home straight and was eased down by rider Glen Boss. A post-race veterinary examination on raceday…
Tarzino upset confirms Holmes’ instinct
Callsign Mav’s (NZ) (Atlante) victory in Saturday’s Gr.1 Tarzino Trophy (1400m) was one of the biggest Group One upsets in the history of the Hawke’s Bay Spring Carnival, but Emily Holmes was less surprised than most. Trained by John Bary for a group of owners based in Australia, Callsign Mav burst out of the trail to hit the lead at the top of the straight, and the four-year-old held out all challengers in a shock $82 win. Three years earlier, Holmes went to Karaka and signed the paperwork to buy…
Colgan eager for raceday return
Top jockey Vinnie Colgan is feeling frustrated counting down the weeks until his return to raceday competition, but that’s a far cry from his outlook on his riding future earlier this year. A couple of months after his last raceday ride at Tauranga last March, Colgan underwent an operation on an old neck injury he suffered in a race fall 10 years ago and he is delighted with the result, which has seen him back regularly riding trackwork and at the trials for his former boss, Roger James, and Cambridge…
Spring Equine Bulletin
Click here for a web version of the Spring Equine Bulletin. This is an interactive PDF so you can click on the page numbers in the Contents list and it will take you to that page. The web and email addresses are also interactive.
HRNZ Chief Executive
Chief Executive Industry Leadership Role, Christchurch H/O Growth, Support, Regulation Dynamic and Challenging Position Harness Racing New Zealand (HRNZ) is the governing and administrative body for 40 harness racing Clubs nationwide and oversees 257 race meetings across 25 venues each year for stakes in excess of $33M. The Chief Executive interacts directly with all industry stakeholders, including: Harness Racing Clubs and Kindred Bodies, Breeders, Owners, Trainers, Drivers, Racing NZ, TAB NZ, Racing Integrity Board, NZ Thoroughbred Racing, Greyhound Racing NZ, sector groups, Harness Racing Australia, International harness racing bodies, and the media. This is…
Aussie News – 21 September
By Adam Hamilton IT amazing to think Chicago Bull looks back to his best, maybe even a tad better, than before the freakish mishap which almost ended his career in Auckland two years ago. But you only had to watch him last Friday night to see the proof. Chicago Bull, rising eight and still one of the smallest pacers you’d see, did all the worked outside the leader and thrashed his rivals to win the $50,000 Group 2 Navy Cup. He roared away to win by 10.6m in a scorching…
Cruz’s Cup defence
By Adam Hamilton NZ Cup champion Cruz Bromac could launch his campaign to defend the title as soon as next Saturday. Managing owner Danny Zavitsanos said the veteran would either resume in a 2240m Melton free-for-all on Saturday or wait for the $50,000 Group 2 Smoken Up Sprint (1720m) at the same track a week later. “This week is a chance. Dean (Braun, trainer) is weighing-up his options,” Zavitsanos said. Strangely, waiting for the richer Smoken Up Sprint could be an easier option if, as it now seems very likely,…
Classie Brigade takes Hannon
By Jonny Turner Missing a plane to North America continued to pay dividends for Classie Brigade as he continued his brilliant run in to the New Zealand Cup by winning yesterday’s Hannon Memorial. The Robert Dunn trained pacer made it back to back wins in New Zealand Cup lead up races by powering away from placegetters Robyns Playboy and Tango Tara to win the group 3 Oamaru feature. While question marks hang over the campaigns of several of the leading contenders for the New Zealand’s biggest harness race, Classie Brigade…
Last Gamble pays off
By Joshua Smith, Harness News Desk The Thames harness racing community may be small, but they were going off on Sunday after The Last Gamble’s win in the White Star Stables Mobile Trot (2200m) at Cambridge Raceway. The Dale Moore-trained and driven mare is one of only three horses trained at the Thames Raceway and Moore was delighted to get another win representing the Coromandel township. “I have got her and a young unqualified trotter called Mont Blanc who is just about ready to go to the workouts,” he said.…