Month: June 2021

Trainer Chris Waller produced another winter find as No Compromise (NZ) (Pins) continued his form surge at Rosehill Gardens. No Compromise, under an expert ride by James McDonald, simply wanted to win more than Lackeen in the ACY Securities Handicap (2000m). Waller wasn’t on track but his stable representative Charlie Duckworth said No Compromise and stablemate Wicklow which won earlier on the program, are better than winter class. Duckworth also suggested No Compromise won’t be pushed too quickly into racing at the elite level. “We are thinking No Compromise might…

A shambolic start to the third event at Ruakaka, caused by a malfunction of the starting gates, threatened to bring racing to a halt at the popular meeting on Saturday. Pressure from several runners saw the barriers burst open prematurely, with the Stephen Marsh-trained runner Darci’s Flight dislodging rider Sam Collett in the melee. Confusion reigned as a number of horses continued on in the race while other jockeys heard the warning siren and pulled their mounts up after travelling just a few hundred metres. Thankfully Collett was uninjured as…

Lightly raced six-year-old Paradigm Shift made it two wins from just two starts when he held out a storming late run from race favourite Funtonic at Ruakaka. The Daniel Miller-trained son of Showcasing made a belated raceday debut at Matamata back in April and caught the eye when producing a gritty effort to win over 1200m. A narrow victory in open company over 950m on the synthetic track at the Cambridge trials ten days ago fitted Paradigm Shift for his step up to rating 65 company, a task he handled…

A never-say-die attitude saw local runner Coconut upset predictions as he took out an action-packed LJ Hooker Manawatu Steeplechase (4200m) at Awapuni on Saturday. There was sensation early in the race as the disappointingly small field of five was reduced to just four runners when hot favourite ($1.60) Aigne dislodged rider Shaun Fannin after jumping the fourth fence on the journey. Rider Barry Donoghue was happy to keep the Stephen Nickalls-trained Coconut close to the moderate pace set up by Country Bumpkin throughout before applying pressure alongside Tittletattle to the…

Trent Busuttin’s suspicion he may have a possible Derby horse on his hands was endorsed at Flemington on Saturday with the gallant debut win of Celestial Fury (NZ) (Savabeel) in the Rod Johnson Handicap (1420m). Purchased by Busuttin last November as a two-year-old at the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale for $120,000 as a staying prospect, Celestial Fury showed true grit to fend off his rivals for jockey Craig Newitt in a performance over seven furlongs that suggested a genuine staying future for the son of Savabeel. “We’ve…

Progressive three-year-old Witsabouthim provided the biggest glimpse yet of his undoubted ability as he came from last on the home corner to convincingly defeat his age group rivals over 1600m at Ruakaka on Saturday. The well-bred son of Savabeel made it two wins in a row after breaking his maiden status over the same distance at Hastings last month, however he gave his many supporters cause for concern this time as he tailed the ten-horse field for the majority of proceedings. Rider Michael McNab didn’t panic as he angled the…