Month: May 2021

Mitch Beer boasts a number of tried purchases from New Zealand, including the ever-improving Swagger (NZ) (Postponed) who will line up in the TAB Highway (1400m) this Saturday. With prizemoney in country New South Wales set to be increased to A$24,000 per race, and a further 20 country meetings upgraded to country showcase status which boast programs with A$30,000 events, the market for tried horses in the country has exploded. Beer says for a country stable like his, you have to look down all avenues for a bargain. “When you don’t have a huge amount of…

Michael Kent Jr has labelled Mangani (NZ) (Tarzino) as one to watch in the spring. The two-year-old son of Tarzino made his debut over 1400m at Flemington last Saturday and while he finished eighth, Kent said a lot of factors went against him. “If you were to script the worst scenario for a nice horse debuting it would be staying in barrier one for three minutes, miss the start, and a moderate tempo,” Kent, who trains in partnership with Mick Price, told RSN927. “They quickened down and he couldn’t go…

Trainer Symon Wilde toyed with the idea of running Gold Medals (NZ) (Elvstroem) in the Australian Steeplechase (3900m) after his heroic win in Warrnambool’s Grand Annual Steeplechase.  But Wilde has decided on a long-range plan of trying to win a third Grand Annual Steeplechase (5500m) with Gold Medals who is now resting up before the long build-up begins towards the end of the year.  Wilde said there was not a lot to be gained, other than money and more weight, if he pressed ahead with Gold Medals further into the jumps season.  He said there…

Marilyn Paewai starts to lick her lips when she sees a Heavy11 track come up for her mare Rosewood (NZ) (Redwood). The wet track specialist has recorded nine of her 10 wins on Heavy tracks, and Paewai is hoping to add another when she lines-up in the King of Comedy at Novara Park North Island Challenge Stakes (1400m) at Trentham on Saturday. The track was rated a Heavy11 on Tuesday morning and the Taranaki trainer is hoping it will remain so ahead of the weekend. “That Heavy11 is like telling…

Opie Bosson knows the time is right for Melody Belle (NZ) (Commands) to stop racing. But it didn’t mean he wasn’t affected by it. Melody Belle ended her racing career at the weekend when finishing fifth in Bosson’s hands in the Gr.1 Doomben Cup (2000m), finishing as well as anything behind the runaway winner Zaaki (Leroidesanimaux). She was subsequently sold at auction for A$2.6 million to the Written Tycoon Syndicate. Bosson rode Melody Belle in 16 of her 40 starts, scoring nine wins and three minor placings. He was unbeaten…

Explosive Jack (NZ) (Jakkalberry), the prince of Australian racing, will be looking to etch his name in the record books when he lines-up in the Gr.1 Queensland Derby (2400m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday. The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained colt is vying for his fourth Derby this season after previously winning the Listed Tasmanian Derby (2200m), Gr.1 Australian Derby (2500m), and Gr.1 South Australian Derby (2400m). The son of Jakkalberry has continued to go from strength-to-strength this season and has benefited from the inter-state operation of his trainers. He…