Ultra-smart sprinter-miler Mr Malek (NZ) (Swiss Ace) was finally stripped of the tag of the best horse not to have won a major race following his expected victory as the S$17 favourite in the S$150,000 Stewards’ Cup (1600m) on Saturday. Identified as big race material from Day One, the athletic son of Swiss Ace lived up to the hype through a meteoric rise as a three-year-old reeling off a memorable five-in-a-row when trained by Lee Freedman. When he got his first taste of champagne racing, he acquitted himself extremely well,…
Month: July 2021
Innes prepared to play patient game with impressive Hastings winner
Opaki trainer Gerald Innes picked up a welcome winning double at Hastings and has high hopes he can keep that success going through the deeds of promising four-year-old Cross Roads (NZ) (Sweet Orange). The son of Sweet Orange strode clear in the final stages to win a rating 74 1400m contest on Saturday after being narrowly beaten by Happy Star (NZ) (Fabulous) in an open 1400m event at Trentham last month in his campaign opener. Bred and raced by Ron Fokerd, Cross Roads is out of the Straight Strike mare…
Lockdown purchase comes up trumps at Ruakaka
An afternoon watching Australian racing during the first COVID-19 lockdown last year paid a winning dividend for trainer Stephen McKee when three-year-old filly Joey’s Gift (Pluck) won impressively over 1200m at Ruakaka on Saturday. McKee was sitting on his couch at home when he saw the daughter of Pluck win her first raceday start at Ballina in April last year and was suitably impressed by the effort. After contacting ex-pat Kiwi trainer Trent Busuttin, McKee had him make enquiries about the filly and ended up purchasing her from her connections…
Kaharau provides special moment for Rae
Kaharau provides special moment for Rae The emotion in Ken Rae’s voice says it all when discussing the stylish jumping win at Hastings on Saturday by durable galloper Kaharau (Ad Valorem). The rising ten-year-old is more than just a horse to Rae, he is a family pet who has provided the Ruakaka horseman and his family with endless joy since he first stepped on a racetrack back in April 2014. Kaharau ran fifth over 880m when making his two-year-debut and has gone on to register 14 victories on the flat…
New partnership looking forward to spring
The transition has been smooth with the new training team of Ben and JD Hayes taking control at Lindsay Park. Two weeks into the new partnership at Lindsay Park and Ben Hayes is happy with the early results. The partnership with his brother JD commenced on June 21 with the stable’s first winner under their names coming at their ninth starter. That was Zayydani (NZ) (Savabeel) in the Listed Tattersall’s Gold Crown (2137m) at Eagle Farm five days and in the week since that victory they have notched a further…
Borg’s ‘Avengers’ are marvels!
Maryborough trainer Joe Borg realises it will take a ‘superhero’ performance from litter brothers Masked Avenger and Ultimate Avenger to beat ‘next big thing’ Rebellious in The Prospector final (425m) at Bendigo on Friday night. Rebellious, trained by Jason Thompson, has won seven races from only nine starts and recently finished an unlucky third in the Pink Diamond Rookie Short Course final at Bendigo. And he set The Prospector heats time standard posting a scintillating 23.47sec – only two lengths off the 23.35sec track record set by superstar Shima Shine…
House typically upfront about Addington chances
By Jonny Turner Michael House has some treats to warm up punters during a winter’s afternoon of racing at Addington on Sunday. House will be out to continue his fine form at Addington’s Sunday meetings with a six-strong team. The always upfront and forthright trainer is particularly keen on the winning chances of two of his runners. House, whose Facebook preview broadcasts have rapidly gaining popularity, thinks only bad luck will beat Franco Hoffman in race 1. After beating home the pacer and her sister Sheree Wigg home at Addington…
NZ Racing and Breeding News – 04 July 2021
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Selections | Addington – 4 July
Selections for today’s meeting at Addington Race Garrick Knight Form Analyst Race 11.09pm 6 Franco Hoffman2 Daggy Lamb10 Unfazed1 Honour Before Glory Race 21.34pm 4 Jesper Fast2 Aditi12 Clicquot6 Terror Cove Race 31.59pm 10 Watching Our Coin3 Vincent Vega6 Miss Markle5 Kaka Point Galanty Race 42.24pm 2 Smooth Debate1 Magic Sign7 Bettor Beontoit10 Conquer Me Race 52.49pm 10 Taurus6 Don’t Write Me Off4 Megarock1 Art Collector Race 63.14pm 9 Beyond The Horizon1 Moment Of Kaos5 Tom Brady10 DD’s Super Stuart Race 73.39pm 3…
Gear tweaks as Robot Warrior seeks a first win
Karis Teetan has 75 wins this season. Karis Teetan is remaining hopeful that gear tweaks will help Robot Warrior (127lb) overcome a ‘crowding’ issue when he contests Sunday’s (4 July) Class 4 The Arculli Trophy Handicap (1600m) at Sha Tin. Seeking a first win, the son of Sepoy is aiming to piece it all together after narrowly being beaten by less than a length at his past two starts with Teetan hopeful the addition of blinkers is the catalyst he requires for a breakthrough achievement this weekend. “He’s a funny…