Wexford duo return

Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) winner Rocket Spade (Fastnet Rock) and Gr.1 Auckland Cup (3200m) runner-up Sir Charles Road (Myboycharlie) will return home following their exertions in Sydney last Saturday. The Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott-trained pair didn’t trouble the placegetters in their respective Sydney targets, with Rocket Spade finishing eighth in the Gr.1 Australian Derby (2400m) while Sir Charles Road finished tenth behind Quick Thinker in the Gr.2 Chairman’s Quality (2600m). “The Derby just wasn’t run to suit for Rocket Spade, that was the first time he’s been up…

Hit and run Sydney raid for Bavella

The Cambridge Stud colours of Brendan and Jo Lindsay will be in full force on Saturday in Sydney through top-class mare Probabeel (NZ) (Savabeel) in the Gr.1 Queen Of The Turf Stakes (1600m), while ownership-mate Bavella (Snitzel) will also be making a hit-and-run raid across the Tasman with the 98-rater set to contest the Gr.2 Sapphire Stakes (1200m). A Listed winner and multiple Group Three placed, Bavella is prepared by Lance Noble, who trains a small team of horses from the Lindsays’ private training establishment at Karaka. Tim Clark will…

SA test for exciting filly

Exciting filly Llanacord (NZ) (Contributer) is giving trainer and part-owner Stephen Nickalls the ride of his life and he is hoping that will continue in Australia in the coming month. The daughter of Contributer won the Gr.2 Lowland Stakes (2100m) at Hastings last month before running third to Amarelinha (NZ) (Savabeel) in the Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) at Trentham. Buoyed by her success, Nickalls, along with his mother and stepfather, Dianne and Kevin Hopson, who share in her ownership, have elected to test her talents across the Tasman. “The…

Changes atop Harness Jewels leaderboard

By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk   New Zealand Trotting Derby winner Five Wise Men has gone to the top of the Harness Jewels 3YO Ruby leaderboard. The highly impressive son of Muscle Hill beat a fast finishing Time Up The Hill and Son Of Patrick in Friday’s Group One feature for the three-year-old trotters at Addington. It was his sixth win in eight starts and took his season’s earnings to $95,450. That was enough for him to go past Wanna Play With Me at the top of the leaderboard.…

Feiss bucks trend at Aussie sale

By Adam Hamilton  The top lot of Australia’s inaugural Nutrien Yearling Sale is heading to NZ. The Victorian-based Jean Feiss broke her recent trend to buy exclusively at the NZ yearling sales when she splurged $180,000 on a Bettors Delight colt out of former star Kiwi filly Our Golden Goddess yesterday (Sunday). “He’s the first yearling I’ve bought in Australia since Sicario five years ago,” Feiss said. “He’s already booked to fly across to NZ to Hayden (Cullen). “I really liked this colt and the clincher was the fact he’d…

Purdon makes impact at sales

By Adam Hamilton   Mark Purdon’s rushed trip across from Christchurch to the inaugural Nutrien Yearling Sales in Melbourne reaped immediate rewards. Purdon threw his support behind son, Nathan, when he worked with leviathan owner Danny Zavitsanos to snare one of the top lots of the opening session on Saturday night a Bettors Delight colt out of former star filly Miss Hazel for $90,000. “He’s going to Nathan (Purdon) to train,” Zavitsanos said. “Mark (Purdon) is across. He and Nathan liked him and it’s great to be able to support Nathan…

Tac Mac Southland Oaks bound

By Jonny Turner Some quick thinking more than five years ago continued to pay dividends for trainer Brent Shirley at Ascot Park on Saturday through the win of Tac Mac. The three-year-old booked her ticket into next month’s Southland Oaks Final when powering away from her opposition to score by more than three lengths. Tac Mac is the first foal from Lis Mara mare Tact Minaj, who Shirley didn’t have a lot to do with until after she finished well down the track in a race at Wyndham in 2016.…

Ballarat tips, best bets and quaddie selections | VIC 11/4

What Ballarat Races Where Ballarat Turf Club – 240 Kennedys Road, Miners Rest, VIC, 3352 When Sunday, April 11, 2021 First Race 1:40pm AEST Watch Live Streaming Live at Sportsbet Horsebetting.com.au brings you all the best bets, top odds and quaddie numbers for the eight race card scheduled for Ballarat on Sunday afternoon. The track has come up a Soft 5 for the meeting and with the rail out 8m from the 600m to the winning post and then true the remainder, we are set for a competitive day of…

Jack’s Derby quest not over

Explosive Jack’s (NZ) (Jakkalberry) groundbreaking three-year-old campaign may not be over, with connections eyeing off another Derby. Speaking the day after the young stayer became the first horse to complete the Listed Tasmanian Derby (2200m) – Gr.1 ATC Derby (2400m) double, trainer David Eustace said his campaign could be extended into May and even June. Eustace said that the hardy son of Jakkalberry could tackle one or both of the Gr.1 South Australian Derby (2500m) and Gr.1 Queensland Derby (2400m), provided he recovers well from Saturday’s Group One win at…