More withdrawals for Harness Jewels Four more horses are out of the Harness Jewels. Peregrine, who was 11th in the 3YO Ruby, and Casino Action – tenth in the 2YO Emerald – have been withdrawn, along with Mitsi Gaynor (2YO Diamond) and James Cagney (2YO Emerald). The top 12 in each of the divisions will make the final field for the nine $100,000 Group Ones that will be held at Cambridge on June 6. Fast times in Ashburton The babies have been flying around Ashburton. Trainer Hayden Cullen had four…
Month: May 2021
A fitting tribute to Heather Williams
Haras des Trotteurs is sponsoring a fillies and mares race at Addington on Friday night in honour of prominent trotting personality Heather Williams, who with her husband Lex Williams bred and raced such notable trotters as One Over Kenny and One Over Da Moon. Heather passed away from a short illness in November last year, and her husband Lex approached Pat Driscoll with a view of putting on a race in her honour, and this week the inaugural Haras des Trotteurs Heather Williams Memorial will be raced at Addington. “I…
Chase Auckland inching towards raceday comeback
By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk Former topliner Chase Auckland could be just days away from his first race in this country in 16 months. The Auckland Reactor six-year-old came through his latest trial at Ashburton on Tuesday with a strong second behind stable-mate and star filly Bettor Twist. “He led them up and she came off his back …. it was the hardest hit out he’s had and they ran 2:59 so it was a decent run,” said trainer Hayden Cullen. Bettor Twist’s last 800 was in 54.2…
Candlelit dinner awaits with Aeroplane Eric
Aeroplane Eric has retired to stud and will stand at a fee of $1400 with his trainer Glenn Rounds. The decision to retire the 2021 Warragul Cup winner came after reoccurring stopper bone injury. “He is a fantastic dog who has great chase and determination, but the stopper bone injury bothered him throughout his career,” trainer and stud master Glenn Rounds said. Rounds and the Wasted Syndicate decided to retire Eric after 21 career starts which included 10 wins and was highlighted by victory in the Group 2 Warragul Cup…
WAR WITH THE ‘ROSES’!
Potential champ Immunity could prove a ‘thorn’ between two ‘Roses’. The Watchdog expects the flying femme, who is resuming from a 138-day spell, to win at Warragul. A G2 Laurels finalist, she’s won 11 from 15 (73%) and boasts a sizzling 25.57sec PB over this track/distance. “A member of a powerful kennel, she should be fully wound up for this assignment and this could be the start of a big preparation,” The Watchdog said. However, the expert form analyst also says “she runs into a few smart ones” – including…
Nev leaves ‘Oodles’ of memories
The late Neville Vincent may never have trained a champion but son Steve has spoken proudly of his father’s “uncanny knack” of always having a good one in the kennel. “Dad never had a champion or a Group winner but he always had a good dog. Always,” said Steve. “At Dad’s funeral and wake there were a lot of greyhound stories told. There was a big turn-out of past and present greyhound racing royalty – the Daillys, Paul Bartolo, his son Ray and Chris Stanton. “Jimmy Fowler was probably his…
Shima’s a shining ‘gem’ in Warrnambool Cup
Champion sprinter Shima Shine is a hot favourite in Wednesday night’s $67,000 G2 Warrnambool Cup Final at 8.38pm, with a comprehensive preview of the night to air into regional Victoria on free-to-air TV station 9Gem and via The Watchdog app from 5.30pm. A dual Group 1 winner, Shima Shine was the fastest winner among last Thursday’s star-studded heats, running just .04 seconds (just over half a length) off the 450m track record, which has stood for five years. While history of the Warrnambool Cup is sketchy, this is the 50th…
Highview Returns to Boutique Operation
Highview Stud stallion Wrote will stand his fifth season at stud at an unchanged fee of $5,000 + GST this coming breeding season. The Group One winning son of High Chaparral has enjoyed good patronage in his initial seasons at stud, covering 338 mares across four seasons, with his eldest crop of two-year olds. On the back of strong yearling sale results in 2020, he covered 95 mares last season. “The feedback from trainers to date has been very positive on him. The underlying comment coming through is they will…
Australian adventure for Oaks runner-up
Charms Star, runner-up in the Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) has joined the Sydney stable of Chris Waller with a Queensland campaign in mind. The filly’s owner Noel Nicholson confirmed Charms Star arrived with the expat Kiwi on Monday with a campaign aimed at the Gr.1 Queensland Oaks (2200m) at Eagle Farm on June 5. Charms Star has excelled under Awapuni trainer Lisa Latta but Nicholson felt the filly’s chances of Australian success would be better if she was trained across the Tasman. “Lisa’s got a big stable here, and…
Bruce Negus’ Big Day Out
by Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk Bruce Negus went to Auckland for what he called “a day’s entertainment” He ended up buying 10 horses, more than any other purchaser, at Monday’s NZB Standardbred weanling sales at Karaka (May 3). He forked out between $2000 and $9000 each for them. “The market was quite strong, and dearer than anticipated.” But still Negus got 10 weanlings – five colts and five fillies – for a total $40,000 – just $4000 more than the price of just one of the sales toppers,…