Class prevailed at Trentham on Saturday when last-start Gr.3 Wellington Cup (3200m) winner Waisake (NZ) (Zed) collected another feature race at the venue with a gritty victory in the Listed Fasttrack Insurance 5K New Zealand St. Leger (2600m). Unsighted since taking out the Cup in late January with a booming late run, the Allan-Sharrock-trained six-year-old had his normal race tactics turned upside down when apprentice rider Hazel Schofer found herself trapped wide throughout the early stages of the race. Schofer used her initiative to roll forward and sit outside leader…
Month: March 2021
Shima Shine leads Vic ‘Gold Rush’
Shima Shine will spearhead a star-studded Victorian assault on Saturday night’s heats of the Group 1 Golden Easter Egg (520m) at Sydney’s Wentworth Park. Racing at the peak of his considerable powers after a brilliant last-start victory in the Horsham Cup, Shima Shine is trained by Andrea Dailly, who is taking aim at a third Easter Egg title. Team Dailly struck ‘gold’ with Grigorieva Bale in 2013 and the great Fernando Bale in 2015, as Victorian-trained sprinters enjoyed a remarkable domination of NSW’s most prestigious event with nine straight victories…
Early advantage with Robyns Playboy
By Jonny Turner Robyns Playboy looks the best placed of the Winton Cup runners facing mission almost impossible on Saturday. The Ross and Chris Wilson trained pacer and several of his key rivals will take on the massive task of turning the tables on Southern star Pembrook Playboy following his scintillating win in last weekend’s Northern Southland Cup. Robyns Playboy rallied hard for third for driver Sheree Tomlinson in the Group 3 event after their chances of getting closer were effectively extinguished when they were held up on the home…
Cullen makes pleasing start with new colours
By Joshua Smith, Harness News Desk Hayden Cullen has had a pleasing first week in his new silks. The Rolleston trainer debuted his new colours at Addington Raceway on Wednesday, recording a win with Cosmic Major, and things kicked up a notch at the Christchurch track on Friday with a winning treble. “It has been a really good week, I couldn’t be happier,” Cullen said. Cullen opened his account on Friday night with Dream On Me in the NZB Standardbred (Fillies) Mobile Pace (1980m). The regally-bred filly had to do…
Selections | Winton 20 March
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Size satisfied with trio’s barriers for Sunday’s Hong Kong Derby
Excellent Proposal wins the Hong Kong Classic Mile. The 2021 BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) barrier draw was conducted at Sha Tin Racecourse yesterday (Thursday, 18 March) and trainer John Size indicated his approval with where his trio – Excellent Proposal, Lucky Express and Silver Express – will jump from in Hong Kong’s most prestigious and sought-after race at Sha Tin this Sunday (21 March). Chasing his fourth win in the HK$24 million contest, Size, an 11-time champion trainer in Hong Kong, doesn’t envisage any changes to the tactics regarding…
Bosson eyes fifth win in New Zealand Oaks with Amarelinha
Amarelinha will contest the Group 1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks (2400m) at Trentham on Saturday. Photo: Trish Dunell Opie Bosson will chase a fifth win in Saturday’s Group 1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks (2400m), a race he has only ridden in sporadically in recent years. The Waikato jockey has won the Trentham three-year-old fillies Classic on She’s Country (in 2000), Bramble Rose (2003), Princess Coup (2007) and Keep The Peace (2010) but has only ridden in the race once since he placed on Charmont…
Is Eric ‘equal’ to the occasion of a ‘Shepparton Showdown’?
The Cup Night Match Race (450m) – a support feature on tomorrow night’s Group 2 Shepparton Cup final fixture – makes for an intriguing sideshow. It’s a showdown between Aeroplane Eric (Box 1) and Equalizer (Box 3) for a $10,000 winner-takes-all purse to run after the Cup at 9.18pm. Ironically, the dynamic duo ran 1-2 in the G2 Warragul Cup final (460m) on January 16. On that occasion, Aeroplane Eric ($4.40) staved off the paralysing finishing burst of Equalizer ($7.20) to prevail by a 0.5L in a flying 25.44sec. Shima…
Who let the ‘Dogs’ out?
Here’s a cross-sports proposition for ‘Doggies’ supporters that could have them ‘barking’ at the “Kennel” – and punters ‘wagging’ their wallets! TAB is offering $4.50 about the Western Bulldogs defeating Collingwood in a season opener tonight and Christo Bale winning at The Meadows greyhounds. Last year, the Bulldogs finished seventh (10 wins) and the Magpies eighth (9 wins) at the end of the home and away fixture. They met once during the season, with Collingwood 13.8.86 defeating the Western Bulldogs 5.4.34 in Round 1. Meanwhile, Christo Bale is contesting a…
Kuro Kismet launches into Pad favouritism
He may be a group 1 winning trainer, but for Matt Clark winning a heat of the Launching Pad stands as his biggest thrill in the sport. Kuro Kismet, a son of TAB Melbourne Cup winner Aston Dee Bee, was outstanding when pouncing straight to the lead from box 5 and running 29.18, the fastest time of the evening. The victory was the result of meticulous planning and preparation by Clark leading into the $420,000 series after Kuro Kismet reached the six win limit of the series with a victory…