Trainer Tony Pike breathed a sigh of relief on Sunday morning as he watched Gr.1 New Zealand Derby winner Sherwood Forest (Fastnet Rock) moving freely after pulling up lame in his campaign opener at Ellerslie the previous day. The Fastnet Rock four-year-old failed to beat a runner home in the JRA Trophy (1400m) and finished nearly ten lengths behind the second to last runner. The gelding underwent a subsequent veterinary examination which found grade 4/5 lameness in his left foreleg. Pike had his own vets perform several x-rays on the horse…
Month: September 2020
McNab finds winning groove at Ellerslie
A lengthy spell away from the racetrack to revitalise both his mind and body appears to have worked for talented jockey Michael McNab as he picked up his first victory on Saturday since making his return to raceday riding this month. McNab guided the John Wheeler-trained Zeefa Zed (NZ) (Zed) home at Ellerslie on Saturday and was delighted to secure the win after a hard-fought struggle in the home straight. “It was good to get a win on the board as I wasn’t really expecting it,” McNab said. “It was a…
NZ Racing and Breeding News – 13 September 2020
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD NEWSLETTER
A Smokin’ hot AFL/Greyhound special!
Where there’s ‘smoke’, there’s fire! And Bombers fans should be ‘fired up’ with this TAB AFL/Greys offer. TAB is offering $5.00 about Bombers cult idol “Smokin’ Joe” Daniher kicking 2+ goals against the Power this afternoon and sensational speedster Zambora Smokey scoring at The Meadows greyhounds. Daniher has only played two matches this season and kicked three goals – an average of 1.5 goals a match. He’s also averaging 10.9 disposals a game. Port Adelaide (48pts) are on top of the AFL ladder with 12 wins from 15 matches and…
Travimyfriend stakes winner 21 for Tavistock
Hardy Kiwi galloper Travimyfriend (NZ) (Tavistock) caused a minor upset at Flemington on Saturday when coming with a well-timed run under Dean Yendall to land the Listed The Sofitel (1400m) and swamping the favourite Windstorm (Redoute’s Choice) to win by three-quarters of a length. The eight-year-old gelding has been running well, having finished second to progressive sprinter Showmanship (NZ) (Showcasing) at Caulfield last month, while he had also won at the same venue in July. Prepared by Rachael Frost, who these days is based at Mornington, Travimyfriend was Group One…
The Chosen One improves Cups claims
Gr.1 Sydney Cup (3200m) runner-up The Chosen One (NZ) (Savabeel) has confirmed his rating as a genuine spring Cups player after easily dealing with a quality line-up to win the Winning Edge Handicap (1700m) first-up at Flemington on Saturday. The winner of the Gr.2 Herbert Power Stakes (2400m) last spring, which earned him a place in both the Caulfield (2400m) and Melbourne Cups (3200m), The Chosen One is right in contention for both Cups again after breezing through his first run for the season in fine style over an unsuitably…
Happy Saturday for Kok
It was indeed a Happy Saturday (NZ) (Rock ‘n’ Pop) for David Kok and his new owner Sia Wei Kiang when a new ward of theirs going by that name made all to open his account second-up in the S$75,000 Restricted Maiden race over 1200m. Ridden by Benny Woodworth, the Rock ‘N’ Pop three-year-old was one of the best away and never relinquished his pole position throughout the Polytrack scamper. Under hands-and-heels riding, Happy Saturday bolted in to leave the chasing pack fighting for the minors around six lengths astern.…
Waller labels Mo’unga a star of the future
There will be no Golden Rose start for Mo’unga (NZ) (Savabeel) but the lightly-raced colt has stamped himself as a star of the future in the eyes of his trainer Chris Waller. Stepping up to Saturday stakes grade after wins at the Gold Coast and Newcastle, Mo’ungo justified his $2.70 favouritism and maintained his unbeaten record when he pounced late in the Listed Dulcify Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill. A usually measured Waller was lavish in his praise of the three-year-old but said he won’t be pushing him too far too…
Two Illicit makes stunning return at Ellerslie
The cream rose to the top late in the day at Ellerslie when four-year-old mare Two Illicit (NZ) (Jimmy Choux) issued a powerful statement to her spring rivals with a commanding fresh-up victory over 1400m on Saturday. A multiple stakes winner during a three-year-old campaign that culminated in a runner-up finish in the Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m), Two Illicit was kicking off her spring campaign following a quiet trial over 1100m at Taupo last month. The Roger James and Robert Wellwood-trained galloper was installed favourite in the race that…
Crosshaven headed to Caulfield Guineas
Crosshaven (Smart Missile) moved a step closer to being a factor in the Gr.1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) with his strong win in the Listed Exford Plate (1400m) at Flemington. Co-trainer Tom Dabernig described Crosshaven as an exciting three-year-old and said the Caulfield Guineas was the logical next step after his comfortable win. Crosshaven, who races in the colours of Auckland property developer Daniel Nakhle, appreciated a distance rise to 1400 metres on Saturday to post his third victory. “In his races over 1200 he’s always been just off the bridle…