Tickets for the hospitality packages at the up-coming IRT Harness Jewels are in short supply, and are on the verge of selling out. Nine $100,000 Group One races will be held at Cambridge Raceway on Sunday June 6, with Raceway Chief Executive Dave Branch says sales “are tracking better than when we last hosted the Jewels in 2018”. There are literally only 110 hospitality tickets left. “We have one table of 10 in the Clubhouse and we have 100 tickets to the Sports bar.” General Admission tickets are also on…
Month: May 2021
McKay tries his luck in Melbourne
Shaun McKay’s name will pop-up in form guides in Victoria over the next three months, with the Kiwi rider giving Melbourne racing a three-month ‘crack’. The 24-year-old winner of about 250 races told Racing.com on Wednesday that due to a lull in New Zealand racing over the winter, he thought it time he tried his hand in Melbourne. He makes his debut at Cranbourne on Friday night. “I’m pretty happy to be here,” he said. “New Zealand is quiet at the moment for the winter and a lot of my…
Auspicious day for Auret family
Several days have passed since recording a black-type double at Riccarton, but Nigel Auret is still lost for words when asked about the achievement. His son, Fraser, had travelled south from his Marton base with Unusual Countess (NZ) (Unusual Suspect) and Streak of Power (NZ) (Power) and duly delivered with the pair winning the Listed Champagne Stakes (1200m) and Listed Easter Stakes (1400m) respectively. “It was just a fantastic day, that is all I can say,” Nigel Auret said. “Fraser has been doing a super job since he has taken…
Rising star Ayrton another gun Cataldo recruit
Promising three-year-old Ayrton (NZ) (Iffraaj) is one of the talk horses of Australian racing, with an unblemished three from three record. In his short body of work, the Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained son of Iffraaj has ratings experts fizzing, with many labelling last Saturday’s impressive Caulfield victor a Group One winner in waiting. The progressive gelding made his way to the Price-Kent yard care of a deal negotiated by Kiwi bloodstock agent Phill Cataldo, who was quick to identify the raw talent from the barn of top Cambridge…
ROY BOY!
Nothing ‘hazy’ about The Watchdog’s thoughts on the ‘Must-Watch’ race at Ballarat. His assessment is ‘as clear as day’. The expert form analyst has turned the spotlight on Hazey Roy, who has been lighting up the clock at Bendigo – including a last start 23.60sec (Best) win by 7.5 lengths. “He’s been enormous since resuming from a spell and his past three runs at Bendigo have been phenomenal,” The Watchdog exclaimed. But he says highly underrated Lektra Yoyo has run some “big races in strong company”. “He really caught the…
News Briefs : May 12, 2021
May closes in on 3000 Ricky May is inching towards the 3000 barrier after reining home Nerano at Addington last night. It was win number 2991 . Only two drivers Tony Herlihy (3570) and Maurice McKendry (3308) have driven more than 3000 winners in this country. Herlihy trained and drove a treble at Alexandra Park last Friday with Double Delight, Melanion and Blameitonthenight. North Canterbury trainer Matt Purvis has had his 50th success with Coopers Hawk winning for driver Robbie Close at Rangiora on Sunday. It’s Purvis’ 24th win this…
Addington Weekly – May 12
Welcome to the Addington Raceway News update for May 12 with Greg O’Connor and Darrin Williams.
Satherley hot on Supreme Heights for Rotorua feature
Lynsey Satherley still yearns for the Fiji sun but she’s just as happy to reunite with Supreme Heights (NZ) (Darci Brahma) in Saturday’s Gr.3 Rydges Rotorua Stakes (1400m). The Cambridge jockey was Supreme Heights’ regular rider at the start of her career but a family trip to Fiji in June 2019 led to her missing the Jimmy Choux mare’s maiden win. She tried to pry successful jockey Samantha Collett from the saddle without joy and it was only at the Mark Brosnan-trained mare’s last start in February that she was…
Raceday return imminent for Dragon Leap
It has been eight months since Dragon Leap (Pierro) has been sighted on raceday, but that is about to change. Trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott have taken their time with the Hermitage Thoroughbreds-raced gelding after injury curtailed his spring campaign. “We took him to Sydney in the spring and in the Tramway (Gr.2, 1400m) he gave his fetlock a wee wrench and we have taken a fairly cautious approach. Lance wanted to take his time with bringing him back,” Scott said. The dual Group Two winner has returned to…
Charles Road retired
Quality stayer Charles Road (Myboycharlie) has been retired. The seven-year-old gelding acquitted himself well in Australasia’s staying features, headlined by his victory in the Gr.2 Chairman’s Quality (2600m) at Randwick three years ago. Raced as Sir Charles Road in Australia, the son of Myboycharlie also placed in the Gr.1 Sydney Cup (3200m) and Gr.1 Metropolitan (2400m), and ran seventh in the Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m). On home soil, he boasts victories in the Gr.3 City Of Auckland Cup (2400m) and Gr.3 Manawatu Classic (2000m), and was runner-up in the Gr.1…