Te Awamutu trainer Clint Isdale was a bundle of nervous energy as he boarded a plane to Queensland on Friday. The talented horseman will venture to Eagle Farm on Saturday as a part-owner of Gr.1 Queensland Oaks (2200m) aspirant Only Words. The daughter of Sweynesse began her career in New Zealand under Isdale’s care, winning twice from six starts, including the Listed Wanganui Guineas (1200m) before her majority sale to clients of new trainer Chris Waller. Isdale and Novara Park’s Luigi Muollo, who leased the filly to the young trainer,…
Month: June 2021
Bargain primed for Queensland Oaks
Bargain has been knocking on the Group door in her last three starts and trainer Mark Newnham is hoping it will open at Eagle Farm on Saturday. The Ocean Park filly has placed in her last three starts, including the Gr.2 Adrian Knox Stakes (2000m), Gr.1 Australian Oaks (2400m), and the Gr.2 The Roses (2000m) at Doomben last month. TAB bookmakers have duly installed her a $4.50 favourite for the Oaks after her consistent efforts and Newnham believes she will appreciate the step up in distance and roomier track of…
Iffshecan defying early assessment
Iffshecan has proven to be a welcome surprise for trainer Cody Cole. The juvenile filly had always struck the Matamata horseman as a three-year-old type, but she has come along in leaps and bounds in recent months and will get her first tilt at stakes level at Wanganui this weekend. The daughter of Iffraaj wasn’t showing her handler too much early doors, but turned a corner when she went to the trials in April, winning her 1025m heat at Taupo before going on to win impressively on debut over 1200m…
Opposition Mesmerized by quality jumper
Wanganui trainer Raymond Connors is coming into his favourite time of year. The dairy farmer is getting a break from the milking shed after drying off his herd, and the jumps season is just starting to ramp up. He has already snared the Waikato Steeplechase (3900m) with Mesmerize, and he will be after his second feature jumps scalp of the year when he heads to Ellerslie on Monday. Connors will have a two-pronged attack in the McGregor Grant Steeplechase (4150m), including Mesmerize and 2019 race winner Max. Mesmerize has been…
Verbek thriving ahead of The Phoenix
Promising juvenile Verbek has made quite the impression on trainers Luke and Robert Price. While he will head into the Listed The Phoenix (1500m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday a maiden, his trainers don’t believe he will be one for long. The son of Turn Me Loose has finished runner-up twice in his three career starts, including a relegated second-placing at Hawkesbury last start following a judicial review. “I don’t believe he should be a maiden, but that was the stewards decision the other day,” Luke Price said. “He showed…
Michael Guerin’s punting strategy for the IRT Harness Jewels
By Michael Guerin One of New Zealand’s greatest race days returns after missing last year because of Covid when the IRT Harness Jewels are held at Cambridge on Sunday.On a day with plenty of odds-on favourites but some facing tricky barrier draws, racing journalist Michael Guerin looks at the key questions and the best way for punters to attack the all-Group One day of $100,000 mile races. Race 1 Woodlands Stud 4YO Diamond, 12.17pm: We all know Amazing Dream (9) is the best mare in the race. After all, she…
Online Licence Renewals – 2021/22 season
Online Licence Renewals for the 2021/22 season are now open (due date 30 June 2021) Renew your licence online via your My HRNZ login on the HRNZ website or on the HRNZ Infohorse App on your mobile phone. Payment Options Payment can be made by credit card, from your bank account or by invoice. Payment by invoice. For Trainers and Drivers there is an option to pay by invoice so that the licence fee is not required upfront. The invoice is then paid via an attachment to your trainer or…
Jason Teaz’s selections for Auckland tonight
Form analyst Jason Teaz provides in-depth analysis of tonight’s meeting at Auckland (Friday). First race at 5.31pm. Race 1 3 Prodigal Pete6 Mighty Monica9 Kayla Maguire4 M T Pockets Sheryl Wigg always dominates these races and she has a very strong hand here. She has chosen to drive PRODIGAL PETE. He was taken back off a wide gate May 21 but he is a better horse on the pace and has big gate speed. 1700m suits.MIGHTY MONICA picked up the amateur race at Cambridge May 20 with a cushy run.…
Jewels entree at Alexandra Park tonight
By Michael Guerin Horses who could easily have been going around at the Jewels on Sunday could provide the key interest at Alexandra Park tonight. Jewels weekend often swallows everything in its path and it can feel like everything else is just an entree but the reality is there is still good money to be won by both horses and punters at Alexandra Park tonight. Two horses who could still make it to Cambridge should one of their rivals be scratched are Santa Maria (R8, No.9) and Yorokobi (R8, No.10),…
IRT Harness Jewels profile – John Morrison
Junior driver John Morrison will be one and done at Sunday’s IRT Harness Jewels. He has just the one drive with the Tony Barron-trained Lifes A Beach in the Dunstan Horsefeeds 3YO Diamond (1.11pm) and is up against hotpots Bettor Twist ($1.55) and La Rosa ($3.40). Trackside has produced a number of videos in the lead-up to Sunday’s big meeting and in this one it profiles Morrison, who from a young age looked destined for a career in the sulky.