Month: May 2021

Steven Ramsay and Julia Ritchie are hopeful they can enter holiday mode on a winning note, with Saturday’s Awapuni runners Naval Fleet and Maison Roxanne likely to be the couple’s last runners for the next few months. The Maungatautari conditioners, who train for Sir Peter Vela, will venture south with the consistent mares as they look to enhance their records, with the stable set to have a three-week shut down after the weekend as horses and humans have a freshen up. Stakes placed Naval Fleet is unlikely to get the…

A start in this year’s Gr.1 Queensland Derby (2400m) goes on the line for Cambridge galloper Daqiansweet Junior when he races at Rosehill on Saturday. The Group Three-placed Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman-trained three-year-old tackles the De Bortoli Wines Handicap (2000m) in age group company in Sydney as he attempts to convince his connections he’s worthy of a trip to Brisbane for Classic racing at Eagle Farm seven days later. “Really we think he has to run top two to warrant going to the Derby,” Forsman said. “We think he’s…

It’s been a month of celebrations for Timaru trainer Bruce Tapper. Earlier in the month he celebrated his 50th wedding anniversary, and at his home track on Thursday he brought up his 50th win as a trainer courtesy of Paramount Prince in The Sail Sprint (1200m). To add to the occasion, he also recorded the first treble of his career with Global Star winning the Shaweigh Dash (1200m), and So Natural and Manhattan Flame securing the quinella and treble in the CSI Owners & Trainers Handicap (1200m). “I knew the…

There is little leading trainer Jamie Richards can’t do, and while his focus will be on overseeing Melody Belle’s swansong run in the Gr.1 Doomben Cup (2000m) on Saturday, he will have an eye on Te Rapa where he will be represented by Bak Da Master in the Fairview Motors Waikato Hurdle (3200m). A comfortable winner at the same course a fortnight ago, Richards said the six-year-old, who is $2.30 favourite for the premier jumping event, had come on for the run.  “He’ll run well, he loves the jumping. He’ll…

The last time Tofane was ridden by top Kiwi hoop Opie Bosson they won a Group One, and trainer Michael Moroney is hoping the pair can replicate their winning form at Doomben on Saturday. Bosson has flown to Queensland to partner Melody Belle in her final raceday appearance in the Gr.1 Doomben Cup (2000m), and has picked up the ride on Tofane in the Gr.3 BRC Sprint (1350m). Bosson last rode the daughter of Ocean Park in April last year where they were victorious in the Gr.1 All-Aged Stakes (1400m)…

It had nowhere near the same value as the Group One success she covets, but popular owner Pam Brindley was nonetheless thrilled to play her part in New Zealand’s first ever synthetic track race. Brindley is the owner-breeder of Champagne Princess, who booked a unique place in racing records when she charged to a five-length win at double-figure odds in Wednesday’s Magnum Industries 1550, the opening event on the Cambridge Jockey Club’s Inaugural polytrack raceday. The five-year-old Bachelor Duke mare is trained at Matamata by former jockey Darryn Weatherley and…