Cambridge trainer Robert Wellwood is hoping his best Christmas present can be unwrapped at Ellerslie on Boxing Day. Wellwood, who trains in partnership with Roger James, has yet to win a Group One race but is hoping that can be remedied when Savabeel six-year-old mare Concert Hall tackles Saturday’s Gr.1 Cambridge Stud Zabeel Classic (2000m) at Ellerslie. “We love Christmas racing. It’s so good to get up to Ellerslie and have a few nice horses in. I haven’t won a Group One race yet but hopefully that could be my…
Year: 2020
Big Fish Little Fish – Cambridge 24 Dec
Daily Mail delivers 25% profit
Punters to have jumped on The Watchdog’s Daily Mail certainly got a run for their money yesterday. The Watchdog’s Daily Mail delivers two best greyhound bets of the day from across Victoria, seven days a week, in an attempt to give loyal followers the best chance of making a profit. First up yesterday was Kraken Tex, who was the best ‘Place’ bet of the day, opening up at $2.50 to place in Race 8 at Horsham on TAB’s fixed odds market. Trained in Horsham by William Hartigan, Kraken Tex exceeded…
Greyhounds and holidays
After a challenging 2020, you might be thinking about having a holiday away from home! GRV’s Greyhound Welfare Department wants to support all greyhound owners and carers in ensuring they get a well-earned rest this summer. If you are planning to go away, here a few tips that can help reduce the stress on both you and your greyhounds: introducing the person who will be caring for your greyhounds into the daily routines before you go away will help the greyhounds get used to their voice, movement and smell; try…
Price looking to next year with Tavidance
Mick Price is hoping his exciting prospect Tavidance (NZ) (Tavistock) can farewell summer racing with a win in the Lord Stakes and further stamp himself as a horse who can be a factor in better races. Price said he was happy to give Tavidance a short break after Saturday as he believed the tracks would become too firm for him over summer. However, he feels the Caulfield track should be ideal for Tavidance on Boxing Day as the sting will be out of the ground after recent rain. Tavidance is…
Cracker day for Contributer
Mapperley Stud’s Contributer had a cracker day at Matamata on Wednesday. Two of the promising young stallion’s lightly-tried three-year-old fillies won impressively with Marina Farina first off the mark to score with a touch of class on debut over 1050m. Marina Farina had already caught the eye with two dazzling trial wins and she continued her natural progression winning stylishly first up for trainer Darryn Weatherley. Son Sam Weatherley was in the saddle, and gave her a gem of a ride just behind the leaders before angling out to showcase…
Group One test for Tiptronic
Group One winner Tiptronic (NZ) (O’Reilly) will be out to try and add another elite level victory to his record when he contests the Gr.1 Cambridge Stud Zabeel Classic (2000m) at Ellerslie on Boxing Day. The Graham Richardson and Rogan Norvall-trained gelding recorded his maiden Group One victory in the Herbie Dyke Stakes (2000m) at Te Rapa in February, but he has been disappointing this preparation, failing to place in his five starts, and his conditioners are hoping for a form reversal on Saturday. “He’s been a bit disappointing, but…
Swansong for Supera
Ken Kelso may be ruing missed opportunities with Supera (NZ) (Savabeel) as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, but he is hoping the Group One performer can end her racing career with a bang at Ellerslie on Boxing Day. The six-year-old mare has placed at elite-level on three occasions and Kelso thought the Gr.1 Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m) was ripe for the picking in April. However, COVID-19 lockdown struck in March and it was not to be, and now Kelso, who trains in partnership with his wife Bev, will have…
Sensei bows out
Group One performing sprinter Sensei (Dream Ahead) has been retired from racing and will now look towards a career at stud. The Michael and Matthew Pitman-trained entire won six of his 26 career starts, including the Listed Hazlett Stakes (1200m) and Listed Pegasus Stakes (1000m). He also placed at Group level on four occasions, including dead-heating for third with Signify in the Gr.1 Telegraph (1200m) at Trentham last year. “I have reluctantly had to retire Sensei,” Michael Pitman said. “I am absolutely gutted about it. “He had gone amiss and…
Williams takes three-pronged attack into Eight Carat Classic
Trainers Peter and Dawn Williams will unleash a three-pronged attack on Saturday’s Gr.2 Jamieson Park Eight Carat Classic (1600m) at Ellerslie. The Byerley Park-based conditioners will line up royally bred fillies Helsinki (NZ) (Savabeel), Royce Roca (NZ) (El Roca) and Slave To Love (NZ) (Savabeel), with Peter Williams keen to see them acquit themselves well in their biggest challenge to date. “They are all very well and I’m happy with all three of them,” Williams said. “We could be throwing them in the deep end a little, but they are…