Promising apprentice guides Top Brass to victory at Te Rapa

A gun ride by three-kilogram claiming apprentice Joe Kamaruddin paved the way for promising galloper Top Brass (NZ) (Epaulette) to register his first win at the open level when he burst home late to take out the Dunstan Feeds 1200 at Te Rapa. Trainer Jamie Richards had given the five-year-old a decent break after he registered consecutive victories over the distance back in November last year. Two starts for two placings in a new campaign had the son of Epaulette ready to strike at short notice and he did that…

Canya’s a ‘cannonball’

Vince Tullio has made a meteoric progression in greyhound racing ranks during the past decade. Tullio started off with just one pup and now has around 100 greyhounds – ranging from eight weeks to racing age – at VT Lodge in Pearcedale. A director of VT Group Australia – a market leader in plumbing new homes – Tullio has built a greyhound breeding, rearing, pre-training and training ‘empire’ over the past five years. “I needed an outlet, something away from work, and I just fell in love with the greyhounds,”…

‘Cream’ for Cats & Rilynn?

Geelong fans could be like the ‘cat that got the cream’ with tonight’s AFL/Greys offer from TAB. The betting giant’s $4.00 proposition is Geelong to win, or even lose by seven points or less, against Richmond and Rilynn Bale to ‘explode’ at Geelong. The ‘claws’ will be out for this Round 8 blockbuster, with the Tigers – who gave the Western Bulldogs a 22pts ‘licking’ last week – sixth on the AFL ladder with four wins, while the Cats – who lost their ‘purr’ by 2 pts to the Sydney…

Turn The Ace takes out Te Rapa feature

Rugged two-year-old Turn The Ace (NZ) (Turn Me Loose) provided a second milestone for his sire Turn Me Loose in the space of seven days when he took out the feature event at Te Rapa on Saturday, the Listed Waikato Equine Veterinary Centre 2YO Stakes (1100m). The Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman-trained youngster registered the first success as a sire for triple Group One winner Turn Me Loose when he won on debut last Saturday and backed that up with another superb performance to become his first stakes winner. Rider…

‘ROUND SHOT’ RILYNN!

There are four brilliant Cannonball heats comprising ‘speeding bullets’ at Geelong. But The Watchdog has focused on Heat 1, which he says is a “standout”. And he’s tipped a ‘missile’ named Rilynn Bale, who ‘explodes’ from the traps. She’s won six of her past eight (75%) – 26 from 51 in all – and boasts a flying 22.41sec PB over this track/distance. “She’s won her past two here in blistering fashion and has gone through the first marker in 8.31sec and 8.23sec,” The Watchdog said. However, the expert form analyst…

Addington double for Todd

By Joshua Smith, Harness News Desk Splash Cola may be a rising 11-year-old, but she is not showing any signs of slowing down. The Regan Todd-trained mare picked up her 13th career win when taking out the Haras des Trotteurs Heather Williams Memorial Mobile Trot (1980m) at Addington Raceway on Friday night. Driver Robbie Close urged her forward early from her wide gate to take and early lead before handing up to Pres The Belle. She enjoyed sitting in the trail until Close elected to get on the back of…

Double Delight wins on debut

By Michael Guerin Every yearling buyer dreams of their latest purchase eventually winning on debut. Tony Herlihy just didn’t think if that dream came true with Double Delight it would be in a trotting race. The two-year-old trotting filly showed great determination to win her first start at Alexandra Park on Friday night and while the result itself didn’t surprise Herlihy the type of race sure did. Because he paid $40,000 for Double Delight at the yearling sales last thinking he was buying a lovely pacing filly prospect by exciting…

Four big eachway chances for Norman

By Jonny Turner Brian Norman doesn’t mind flying under the radar, but there is little chance of that happening when he takes four big winning chances to Ascot Park on Saturday. Norman’s quartet certainly have not been missed by bookmakers, who have kept them safe in fixed odds markets released on Friday afternoon. With his team thriving at the trainer’s newish property near Gore, which he moved into around this time last winter, the usually conservative Norman rates more than one of his team decent winning hopes. “I think they’re…

What to expect from WA stars

We know that Western Australia can produce a good greyhound. Sandi’s Me Mum, Miata and Premium Share have all crossed the Nullabor to win a group 1 at Sandown Park, and more recently, Tommy Shelby has swept all before him in what had become one of the longest – and most successful – road trips in greyhound racing history. Tommy Shelby is returning for a crack at the group 1 Harrison-Dawson next Thursday night, and this time he’s not alone. Sunset Spitfire, Star Book and Barefoot Tycoon will all trial…

WALTER’S A WONDER!

The Watchdog is confident young superstar Lakeview Walter will keep his perfect record intact at Sandown Park. “He made it a brilliant five from five this track/distance last week and with a clean getaway he can get the job done again.” The G1 Silver Chief winner and G1 Temlee finalist has also won his past three starts and boasts a sizzling 29.15sec PB over 515m at Sandown Park. But the expert form analyst has plenty of time for exciting prospect Jarick Bale, who has won six of his past eight…