By Adam Hamilton ONLY a late change of plans will thwart the first clash of superstar Aussie pacers Ride High and Lochinvar Art at Melton next Saturday night. Ride High’s trainer Clayton Tonkin confirmed his pacing sensation would chase his 17th win from just 18 starts in the $30,000 Minuteman Free-For-All (2240m), while Lochinvar Art’s trainer-driver David Moran said it was “very likely” his charge would be there as well. Lochinvar Art lost no admirers when a monstrous second in scorching times at Bendigo on Saturday night. The Chariots Of…
Month: September 2020
Simon Told Helen wins GCA Greyhound of the Year
Victorian superstar Simon Told Helen is the Greyhound Clubs Australia Greyhound of the Year for 2019-20. The David Burnett-trained sprinter received the award following a season in which he amassed six group wins including three at Group 1 level. Others to be recognised as part of last night’s historic virtual production were: Greyhound of the Year finalist: Sennachie (Vic)Greyhound of the Year finalist: Whiskey Riot (Vic)Sire of the Year: Fernando Bale (Vic)Dam of the Year: Ready To Riot (NSW)Run of the Year: Hooked On Scotch (Vic)Denise Fysh Award: Frank &…
Callan gets on the board, Yiu takes two
Irishman Neil Callan secured his first win for season 2020/21 aboard the Ricky Yiu-trained Excellent Chariot (NZ) (Jimmy Choux) in the second section of the Class 4 Shek Lei Handicap (1200m) at Sha Tin on Sunday which gave the reigning champion handler a double. “Everyone just wants to get the first winner out of the way – I’ve been here long enough not to be panicking,” Callan said. “I’ve been riding some nice races and I’ve been riding some nice horses but most of them just have not been ready.”…
Perfect three for Winning Dreamer
The Frankie Lor-trained Winning Dreamer (NZ) (Deep Field) went to Sha Tin on Sunday with a perfect record and he departed in the same manner, bringing up a hat-trick in the Class 3 Kwai Fong Handicap (1200m). Having drawn gate 12, the Deep Field youngster was up against it but a smart, positive ride from Vincent Ho got the New Zealand-bred across the field and from there he dug deep to nail a tough half-length score. “Before the race I was a little bit scared, especially having drawn gate 12…
NZ Racing and Breeding News – 21 September 2020
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Another bumper Saturday for Te Akau
It was another proud day for Te Akau Racing principal David Ellis CNZM as the multi-faceted operation recorded seven wins in the space of seven hours, in three different countries on Saturday. Last season’s champion trainer Jamie Richards saddled Vamos Bebe, Miss Aotearoa, and Savy Yong Blonk to win at Hastings, while Probabeel won at Randwick, and in Singapore Te Akau’s champion trainer Mark Walker notched wins with Brutus, I Am Sacred, and Hidden Promise at Kranji. “It was incredible, really, and I’m not sure if that would ever have…
Beaten brigade set their sights on Windsor Park Plate
The Gr.1 Windsor Park Plate (1600m) at Hastings in a fortnight is shaping as another standout contest based on the comments from connections of the horses who finished in behind Saturday’s upset winner of the Gr.1 Tarzino Trophy (1400m), Callsign Mav (NZ) (Atlante). Form analysts will be casting their eyes over video replays of the season’s first Group One feature but amongst the beaten brigade there will be plenty of support for those runners who will relish the step up to the 1600m distance of the second leg of the Hastings…
Versatile sprinter on Railway path
Trainer Stephen Ralph knows it is a big step up from an open handicap win at Ruakaka to the Gr.1 Sistema Railway (1200m) at Ellerslie on New Year’s day but he is confident he has the horse that can take that leap in versatile customer New York Jazz (NZ) (Niagara). The five-year-old Niagara gelding stormed home out wide to defeat Familia (NZ) (Makfi) in the Harcourts Tai Tokerau Trophy (1200m) on Saturday with Ralph keen to lift his sights after the win. Ralph has tasted victory in Ellerslie’s elite sprint having taken…
Rider a happy man after dual stakes success at Hastings
If smiling were an Olympic sport, then Milan Park principal Tony Rider would most likely have had a gold medal hanging around his neck on Saturday evening. Rider was on hand at Hastings to watch two three-year-old fillies he bred and owns assure their future at his Cambridge-based breeding operation once their racing days are over with comprehensive victories in their respective black-type events on the day. First up was Savabeel filly Shezzacatch (NZ) (Savabeel), who was making her raceday debut for trainers Guy Lowry and Grant Cullen in the Listed…
Demolition Man a welcome distraction for Phillips
By Joshua Smith, Harness News Desk COVID-19 has had a massive impact on many people’s lives this year and Morrinsville horseman Trevor Phillips is no exception. Phillips previously spent 20 years working in Western Australia and while he returned to New Zealand a few years ago, his children remained, and now he is longing for the border restrictions to ease between the two nations so he can return to visit them. “I ended up going to Australia and spent 20 years there where I was stable foreman for Gary Hall,”…