Month: August 2021

Tappy’s One poised for Winter Cup success

NZRacingDesk

Ian Taplin’s heart sank when the Proisir colt he had such a high opinion of was led out of the ring at the 2018 Karaka yearling sales without reaching his reserve. But minutes later, the Southland dairy farmer found out he wasn’t the only one that rated the colt so highly. “Trevor McKee came down the chute and told me he wanted to buy him and asked me my reserve,” Taplin recalled. “I asked him who he was buying for and he said ‘no, just me’ so I said ‘how…

Back-to-back premierships for Fannin

NZRacingDesk

Shaun Fannin reckons there’s no buzz for a rider that’s quite like winning a major steeplechase. The Palmerston North jockey did plenty of winning in the past 12 months, with his 16 victories securing his second consecutive jumps jockeys premiership. A second premiership seemed like a longshot when he fell from Laekeeper in the Hawke’s Bay Hurdle (3100m) at the beginning of the season. He lost his two front teeth in the fall and had to have another two removed. But he was back in the saddle in a month…

Season Review: Kiwi Gr.1 Success in Aus

NZRacingDesk

Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed) – Gr.1 Winx Stakes (1400m). Photo: Bradleyphotos.com.au Kolding (NZ)(Ocean Park) – Gr.1 George Main Stakes (1600m). Photo: bradleyphotos.com.au Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed) – Gr.1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m). Photo: Brett Holburt (Racing Photos). Probabeel (NZ) (Savabeel) – Gr.1 Epsom Handicap (1600m). Photo: bradleyphotos.com.au Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed) – Gr.1 Caulfield Cup (2400m). Photo: Brett Holburt (Racing Photos) Johnny Get Angry (NZ) (Tavistock) – Gr.1 Victoria Derby (2500m). Photo: Bruno Cannatelli Inspirational Girl (NZ) (Reliable Man) – Gr.1 Railway Stakes (1600m). Photo: Western Race Pics Probabeel (NZ) (Savabeel)…

Mangos maps out NZ Cup plan with South Coast Arden

NZHarnessNews

By Michael Guerin Expect a bigger, stronger South Coast Arden when the Jewels winner returns to the track in a few weeks. That is the word from trainer-driver Mangos as the star of the later part of last season starts to warm up on a IRT New Zealand Cup campaign that he starts as third favourite for the great race in November. South Coast Arden was last seen when destroying his four-year-old opponents in the Emerald at Cambridge and went to the paddock straight after for a four-week break. “I…

News Briefs : August 4

NZHarnessNews

Payne branches out into training Sam Payne has taken out a trainers’ licence for the new season. Among the horses the Canterbury-based Payne will train will be the very promising Anna Love that he co-owns. The two-year-old Terror To Love filly has never been out of the money with one win, two seconds and three thirds from six starts. Sam follows in the footsteps of his dad Greg, who’s trained more than 100 winners since the late 1980s. Morrison steps up to open ranks After winning the last three junior…

Eagle Farm tips, value bets & quaddie picks | August 4, 2021

AAP

What Eagle Farm Races Where Eagle Farm Racecourse – 230 Lancaster Rd, Ascot QLD 4007 When Wednesday, August 4, 2021 First Race 1:08pm AEST Watch Live Streaming Live at Sportsbet HorseBetting’s Queensland racing analyst brings you his best bets and quaddie numbers for the first meeting of the new season at Eagle Farm on Wednesday. The fields are relatively small all afternoon and there are only seven races, so we don’t expect to see too much value around. The track is rated a Good 4, the rail is out 8.5m…

Ballistic Boy starts spring prep with Doomben trial win

AAP

Trainer Chris Anderson is making spring plans after Ballistic Boy’s trial win on Tuesday. Promising Queensland stayer Ballistic Boy made his return at the Doomben trials on Tuesday morning as he heads towards some nice races in the southern states this Spring Carnival. The now five-year-old son of Smart Missile won the Group 3 Rough Habit Plate (2200m) at Eagle Farm in June 2020 before winning both the Mooloolaba Cup and the Doomben Mile at the back end of last year. Trainer Chris Anderson has given the gelding a lengthy…

Rothfire bolts into Everest calculations with trial return

AAP

Queensland sprinter Rothfire looks to have made a full recovery from an injury that has kept him off the racetrack for nearly 12 months, as he set the turf alight in his first trial back on Tuesday morning at Doomben. The Robert Heathcote-trained four-year-old has had two pieces of work on the course proper over the past two months in the early hours of the morning, but this week marked his return to the public view for the first time since breaking down in the Golden Rose last year. The…