Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed) made a pleasing start to her spring preparation when finishing fourth in her 900m trial at Randwick on Tuesday. Her owners from both sides of the Tasman were watching with bated breath but were thrilled with her effortless first hit-out. “I am very satisfied with that. If you go through historically, she is always ridden very quiet and they (first trials) are really just a pipe-opener,” part-owner Brae Sokolski told RSN927. “That was very typical Verry Elleegant style. She worked strongly through the line. That will…
Month: July 2021
Bambry filly primed for Ryder tilt
Smart juvenile Bellacontte (NZ) (Burgundy) is on track for Saturday’s Listed Courtesy Ford Ryder Stakes (1200m) at Otaki after warming up with a comfortable maiden victory at Hawke’s Bay last week. The Chrissy Bambry-trained daughter of Burgundy had previously been stakes-placed in the Listed Castletown Stakes (1200m), with the patiently-handled galloper a last-minute addition to the 800m two-year-old race at Hawke’s Bay last Thursday. “She was only nominated 10 minutes before nominations closed for the race at Hawke’s Bay, so it wasn’t in the initial plans,” Bambry said. “She had…
Futurity Final to feature in season-ender
By Michael Guerin Alexandra Park’s first winter Futurity Final has set up a season-ending treat this Friday night. The $30,000 race for horses who started the winter as lower grade performers has drawn a strong field for that grade of horse at this stage of the year, with plenty in the field who will go on to at least intermediate grade. The Futurity series was launched this year to give the lower grade winter horses a target and also keep them racing at harness racing’s quieter time of the year,…
49th career win for Christen Me
Now 13, former New Zealand Horse of the Year Christen Me just keeps winning races. Today the son of Christian Cullen won the first at Yonkers Raceway in New York. It’s his third win this year, and his 17th overall in North America. Before being exported to the USA in March 2017, Christen Me was an 11-time Group One winner, accruing 32 wins from 68 starts and nearly $2.5m in stakes. Trained by Cran Dalgety, Christen Me’s victories included the Hunter Cup, the Miracle Mile and the Woodlands New Zealand…
Downbytheseaside – a sire on fire
Media Release by Woodlands Stud Downbytheseaside is a sire making a splash in the harness racing scene already. Australasian trainers are impressed and his debut crop in North America are performing so well that he is the current leading 2-year-old sire overall – nearly $250,000 ahead of his closest pacing rival Captaintreacherous. On the weekend the second round of heats for the Ohio Sires Stakes were held at Scioto Downs and the progeny of Downbytheseaside picked up five of the seven races, including two trifectas and one first four. Adding…
First shuttle stallion to arrive
Haras des Trotters is pleased to announce that the first shuttle stallion from the northern hemisphere for 2021 has arrived in Australia. Classic Connection the Group 1 and multiple Group 2 winning son of Love You out of a USA 2-year-old trotter of the year arrived in Melbourne, Australia late last week and has just completed his first week in Quarantine. He will be released from the Mickelham quarantine facility on the 3rd of August and will be heading to Yabby Dam Farms – Ballarat. There he will join fellow members…
Bordeaux – HERO – PART 5
It’s nearing the end of Bordeaux’s association with Harness Racing New Zealand’s HERO programme. In recent weeks the former trotter has made great progress as he is re-educated to be ridden under saddle. Today in part 5 of the series on Bordeaux’s re-homing journey we look at nutrition and Bordeaux has a date with the dentist.
Punt Drunk: Mitch Freedman hits headlines on cobalt charges
Another weekend has come and gone as the countdown to the new racing season heats up. We look back at the Group 3 Bletchingly Stakes, Mitch Freedman’s brush with the regulators, and some of the drama that unfolded at Doomben on Saturday. Sansom takes out a thrilling Bletchingly Stakes Sansom proved too good in the Group 3 Bletchingly Stakes. (Racing Photos) The Group 3 Bletchingly Stakes was the featured event around the country on Saturday afternoon, and it was a strong edition with the likes of The Astrologist, Red Can…
Today’s horse racing tips & best bets | July 26, 2021
Horse racing around the country sees just two meetings being held around the country on this Monday afternoon. Our racing analysts here at horsebetting.com.au have found you a couple of bets and quaddie numbers for the meeting being conducted at Corowa. Monday Racing Tips – July 26, 2021 Corowa Racing Tips Horse Racing meetings are scheduled to be run at Corowa and Scone today. The first race at Corowa kicks off the day at 12:55pm AEST on a Soft 7, with the final race at Scone rounding out the day…
Thompson trio’s 20 minute blitz
In a remarkable 20-minute Friday night ‘blitzkrieg’, champion trainer Jason Thompson came within 2.5 lengths of breaking three track records at Sale and Geelong with kennel stars Catch The Thief, Aussie Secret and Rebellious. “They’re three very nice dogs and when they do everything right they can all run time,” said Thompson. Thompson prepared a race-to-race double at Sale, with four-time G1 finalist Catch The Thief (Aussie Infrared x Dundee Ally) the second leg, clocking a blistering 28.99sec over 520m in trouncing G3 Launching Pad winner Kuro Kismet by seven…