Month: April 2021

Champion trainer Ricky Yiu plots winning return for Excellent Chariot

AAP

Ricky Yiu was last season’s champion trainer with 67 wins. Reigning champion trainer Ricky Yiu is optimistic a timely distance rise can trigger Excellent Chariot’s return to the winners’ list in the Class 3 Devon Handicap (1400m) at Sha Tin on Saturday (April 17). A week out from launching a three-pronged Group 1 assault on FWD Champions Day (Sunday, 25 April) with Mighty Giant, Jolly Banner and Voyage Warrior, the 2019/20 title-holder hopes Excellent Chariot can build on the stable’s solid start to April. With three winners and four minor…

Flowers blossoming ahead of Cup bid

AAP

Realm Of Flowers prior to the Bendigo Cup 2020. (Brett Holburt/Racing Photos) A plan hatched five months ago will come to fruition at Randwick when Realm Of Flowers lines up in the Group 1 Sydney Cup. Trainers Anthony and Sam Freedman zeroed in on the two-mile feature as a target race after the progressive mare finished runner-up to Carif in the Sandown Cup (3200m) in November. “We picked this race out as a target straight after the Sandown Cup last preparation,” the Freedmans’ racing manager, Brad Taylor, said. “She’s a…

Johnson delighted with Group One pick-up ride

NZRacingDesk

A lot can change in a week and the misfortune of the races being abandoned mid program at Te Aroha has resulted in leading jockey Danielle Johnson picking up the plumb ride on Avantage (Fastnet Rock) in Saturday’s rescheduled Gr.1 Fiber Fresh New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m) at Te Rapa. Opie Bosson was originally engaged to ride the $1.70 favourite, but with a commitment to Amarelinha (NZ) (Savabeel) in Sydney this weekend, eight-time Group One winner Avantage required a new rider in the re-scheduled affair. “It’s funny the way…

Davies holds strong hand in Poverty Bay Cup

NZRacingDesk

New Plymouth trainer Emma Davies holds a strong hand in the Vintech Pacific Poverty Bay Cup (2500m) at Hastings on Saturday. The Taranaki horsewoman will line-up two of the favoured horses in the race, That’s Incranibull (NZ) (Cape Blanco) and Torque Time (NZ) (Guillotine). Davies is pleased with both geldings heading into Saturday, however, she said Torque Time may be found wanting, fitness-wise, after missing his lead in race at Te Aroha’s abandoned meeting last weekend. “I am happy with both of them but unfortunately Torque Time missed racing at…

Baker looking to further enhance impressive Sydney Cup record

NZRacingDesk

Cambridge trainers Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman are down to just one runner in the Gr.1 Sydney Cup (3200m), with five-year-old entire The Chosen One (NZ) (Savabeel) to represent the stable following the withdrawal of stablemate Quick Thinker (So You Think) with a minor setback. The barrier draw Gods have not played their part for The Chosen One this campaign, with the son of Savabeel remarkably drawing the outside gate in each of his three starts thus far and that theme continued when allocated barrier 16 ahead of Saturday’s two-mile…

Stakes targets await Ritani

NZRacingDesk

Seven-win mare Ritani (NZ) (Makfi) is on trial for stakes targets when she lines up in the Ascot Sports Bar Handicap (1600m) at Ascot Park on Sunday. The Kerry and Ian Taplin-trained six-year-old was purchased by her trainers with a broodmare career in-mind and they would dearly love to get some black type with their mare before she retires. “We really would like to get some black print with her because we bought her as a broodmare,” Kerry Taplin said. “There is a race in three weeks at Riccarton over…

New Pastures for Winterfell

NZHarnessNews

Reigning trotter of the year Winterfell has run his last race, and will spend his retirement as a trekking horse. The four-time Group One winner finishes his career with 13 wins from 36 starts and earnings of $429,917. Owner breeder Trevor Casey made the decision after the Majestic Son gelding struggled to get back to his best, with seven unplaced runs this season. “It was looking promising, but he had issues so we decided to do the best thing by the horse and retire him.” Casey rated Winterfell in the…

Selections | Auckland – 16th April

NZHarnessNews

Selections for tonight’s meeting at Alexandra Park  (Friday) – First race 6.06pm.     Head to www.tab.co.nz to place your bet! Race AARON WHITECommentator Race 16.06pm 10 Maurice3 Kayla Maguire7 Frankie Jones8 Mighty Monica Race 26.35pm 10 Gaz Man3 Saint Michel1 I See Fire9 Asteria Lavra Race 37.06pm 7 Kerri Maguire8 We Have A Mach Two9 Shes No Lady4 Cashlodo Flybye Race 47.35pm 3 Mr Kaplan8 Montana Glory1 Suntan2 Dance Till Dawn Race 58.05pm 7 Kay Cee8 Forget The Price Tag6 Call Me Trouble9 Woodstone Race 68.35pm 2 Cya Art4 Alta Wiseguy9 Ideal…

Selections | Addington – April 16

NZHarnessNews

 Commentator Matt Cross analyses the form for tonight’s meeting at Addington (Friday)        Race       MATT CROSS       Commentator  Race 15.15pm 7 Rick Reilly6 Cab Calloway3 Ruby’s A Delight2 Conquer Me Race 25.46pm 3 Stac2 Adhara1 Leconte4 Ashes Of Desire Race 36.16pm 11 KD Hawk9 Salvo3 King Of Love4 Sods Law Race 46.46pm 5 Smooth Debate1 Invisble Girl6 Majorca4 Mighty Reactor  Race 57.16pm 13 Teds Legacy11 Sweet Heaven5 Mossdale Mac2 Keegan Banner Race 67.46pm 7 Highgrove3 Rakero Blaze5 Ellaria Sand2 Wy Fi Race 78.16pm 1…

Butt and Purdon in action across the Tasman

NZHarnessNews

Anthony Butt’s manic schedule takes him to another Aussie state for feature racing on Saturday night. Butt’s be a key player in Victoria, Tasmania and NSW in recent weeks and adds South Australia to the list when two of he and Sonya Smith’s emerging stars – Boots Electric and Perfect Stride – tackle SA’s biggest race the $60,000 Group 2 SA Pacing Cup on Saturday night. Butt has chosen to drive Group 1 4YO Bonanza winner Boots Electric from a wide front row draw (gate six), while the in-form Zac…