By Joshua Smith, Harness News Desk Peter and Vaughan Blanchard are hoping a couple of their stable runners will clear maiden ranks this week. The father-and-son training duo will head to Cambridge Raceway on Thursday with Harvey Specter and Skyzclearnsunny and they believe both runners are capable of scoring their first wins. Four-year-old gelding Harvey Specter will contest the Mitre 10 Cambridge Mobile Pace (2200m) where he will be driven by Todd Macfarlane from gate three. The 22-start maiden has finally started to hit his straps, placing in his last…
Month: May 2021
Rugby, Racing & Beer
Windsor Park Stud are holding a RUGBY, RACING & BEER Yearling sale & luncheon, 7th May 2021 at the Riccarton Park Racecourse this Friday. The live auction features nine quality yearlings which will be onsite at Riccarton for the event. Further to the auction there will be an excellent panel to keep guests entertained including All Blacks assistant coach Brad Mooar, legendary auctioneer Steve Davis along with top TV personality Greg O’Connor.
Foal education talks at National Weanling Sale
Foal NZ co-founder Leigh Wills will be presenting two free talks on foal education at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Weanling Sale later this month. The 30-minute talks entitled ‘Does foal education create champions?’ will take place in the Phar Lap room at New Zealand Bloodstock’s Karaka complex at 4.30pm on Thursday May 13 and at 8.30am on Friday May 14. “The talks will touch on our research and training methods that are scientifically proven to give foals the best start in life and prepare them for their future as elite…
The Box Seat – May 5
Join hosts Greg O’Connor and Michael Guerin for the latest edition of The Box Seat – May 5
Addington Weekly – May 5
Welcome to the Addington Raceway News update for May 5 with Greg O’Connor and Darrin Williams.
Former flat jockey wins at first jumps ride
Aaron Mitchell has guided Michelin (NZ) (Pentire) through the paddocks of Warrnambool to claim victory at his first ride over jumps. Jockey Aaron Mitchell has made a successful transition to jumps racing scoring a win at his first competitive ride in a steeplechase at Warrnambool. A successful flat jockey with more than 200 wins to his credit, Mitchell rode the Patrick Payne-trained Michelin to victory in the Dunroe Steeplechase (3450m) on Wednesday. It was Mitchell’s first competitive ride in over two years and first win since scoring at Mornington on New Year’s Day in 2019. Mitchell…
Melody Belle vulnerable for Hollindale: Richards
Reigning New Zealand horse of the year Melody Belle will embark on the first steps of her final racing journey at the Gold Coast on Saturday, one which holds plenty of sentiment for her trainer Jamie Richards. Matamata-based Richards will produce 14-time Group One winner Melody Belle in Saturday’s Gr.2 Hollindale Stakes (1800m), the lead-up to her swansong for her current connections in the Gr.1 Doomben Cup (2000m) on May 22. “She’s had such a wonderful career but we’re not going to Queensland to make up the numbers,” Richards said.…
Home stakes targets for Carston pair
Riccarton trainer Andrew Carston will have a couple of stakes candidates at his home track this weekend. Promising juvenile Art De Triomphe will have her first tilt at stakes level when she contests the Listed Berkley Stud Champagne Stakes (1200m) on Saturday. The filly became her sire Vadamos’ first New Zealand winner when victorious over 1000m at Riccarton a fortnight ago after placing on debut over the same distance and track a month prior. Carston said Art De Triomphe is a versatile filly and he expects her to be a…
Lorraine Nolan : Obituary
Lorraine Nolan will be remembered as a history-maker – the first woman to train a New Zealand Cup winner. The trainer of Yulestar, who won the country’s biggest race 21 years ago in a then world record, has died in Hawera, Taranaki aged 81. Lorraine Nolan’s feats made her the first woman to train a New Zealand Cup winner since the race’s inception in 1904. Post race she said : “It’s a great priviledge to be the first female ..because it’s the greatest race we have.” “I think men have…
GA tickets on sale for Harness Jewels
General admission tickets for the Harness Jewels have gone on sale. And getting in early will have its benefits. “For anyone pre-buying for $20 they will get a drinks voucher , a $5 betting voucher and a racebook,” says Cambridge Raceway Chief Executive Dave Branch, “it’s a great deal.” With the Jewels now only a month away the marketing of the glamour event is being ramped up. “We want an extra 1000 people in GA this year,” says Branch. In 2019, the last time Cambridge hosted the Jewels, there were…