Matt Cross makes his selections for Ashburton today – Thursday November 11 Head to www.tab.co.nz to place your bet! Race Matt CrossCommentator Race 112.55pm 9 Murano5 La Dama1 Galleons Ambassador6 Abacardi Hazel Race 21.31pm 1 Endless Dreams12 Mitsi Gaynor14 Jenabella 7 Sweet Affinity Race 32.09pm 6 Kosciuszko 10 Ilsas Son5 Brother Love9 Jakarta Race 42.44pm 5 Phone Tap2 Crystal Daytom 11 Pembrook’s Princess 1 Kayser Race 53.19pm 16 Major Arma 17 Star Casino 11 Nordy Star12 Somedreamsomewhere Race 63.54pm 4 True Fantasy6 Remember Me3 Cover Girl2 Allegra Race 74.29pm 8 Hanover Da Moon12 Majestical2 Make My Sundon 6…
Year: 2021
Payne eyes Cup payday with $6k buy
The rags-to-riches tale of Justacanta (NZ) (Per Incanto) might not yet be finished for the spring with the former Kiwi possibly aiming up at Saturday’s A$500,000 Cranbourne Cup (1600m). Such a Stakes victory would double the eight-year-old’s already sizeable spring return of some A$330,000 and while there have been much bigger winners this spring, few have come with such humble expectations. Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed) was the banner horse for New Zealand-breds over the Spring Carnival, but Justacanta may be the value horse. He was initially purchased as a yearling…
How to spend $20 on the Shootout
With Group 1 Topgun hero Aston Rupee dominating betting in the always intriguing G3 Shootout (515m) at Sandown Park this Thursday night, form analyst The Watchdog believes Topgun runner-up Tiggerlong Tonk is the value runner in the four-sprinter showdown. Aston Rupee (Box 3) is $1.40 in TAB’s market after electrifying victories at his past two starts at Sandown Park (28.89sec) and The Meadows (29.66sec), and The Watchdog isn’t arguing with the prohibitive quote. “The key factor is that he ran 5 ‘flat’ at Sandown Park and 5.02 in the Topgun,…
Markus Aurelius conquers Riccarton mile as Te Akau duo shine
Markus Aurelius lengthens stride under Opie Bosson. Photo: Race Images CHCH Fresh from landing the Group 1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton last Saturday with glamour colt Noverre, the Te Akau team were again to the fore on the middle day of the New Zealand Cup Meeting. The Jamie Richards-trained pair of Markus Aurelius and Summer Monsoon landed a stakes double at the Christchurch course, as the powerful Matamata stable flexed its muscle, with both ridden by retained rider Opie Bosson. Hardy five-year-old Markus Aurelius was sent out…
Shootout: What the trainers say
Let’s all walk 10 paces and draw a huge breath… This is going to be bigger than the Gunfight at the OK Corral. So, who will show True Grit in the $25,000 winner-takes-all Group 3 Shootout (515m) – Race 4, 8.07pm – at Sandown Park on Thursday night? Prepared at Devon Meadows by Glenn Rounds, Aston Rupee (Box 3) is the sport’s sharpshooter. But will he be fastest to the draw in a four-dog face-off that would have Wyatt Earp and Doc Holliday itching at their holsters? Rated Australia’s No.…
Karalino bags fortuitous Group success
Karalino returns to scale after winning the Group 3 Valachi Downs Canterbury Breeders’ Stakes (1400m) at Riccarton. Photo: Race Images CHCH Five-year-old mare Karalino landed the Group 3 Valachi Downs Canterbury Breeders’ Stakes (1400m) for trainers Stephen Autridge and Kris Shailer in a dramatic finish to the fillies and mares feature at Riccarton on Wednesday. Race favourite Providenceprovides had shot clear and was being hailed the winner when she collided with the running rail and became unbalanced with 100m to run, gifting Karalino the win, with Beneficial running into second…
Summer riches await Royal Performer
Group One winner Royal Performer resumes at Pukekohe Park on Thursday. Photo: Trish Dunell Group One galloper Royal Performer resumes on Thursday for Jenny and Bob Vance in an Open Handicap over 1400m at Pukekohe Park. The well-travelled nine-year-old has been assigned top-weight of 63.5kgs with the stable to utilise four-kilo claiming apprentice Ace Lawson-Carroll to reduce the impost. “He will get back a little bit but he comes home and finishes his races off so he is not too difficult to ride,” Bob Vance said. “I’m just happy to…
Contrasting draws for Dominion favourites
The fields are out for Addington on Friday (Show Day), including the two Group 1 features – the Renwick Farms Dominion and the Mediaworks NZ Pacing Free For All. In the Dominion it’s not good news for the in-form Muscle Mountain, who has drawn 15, while defending champion Sundees Son has copped what looks to be the perfect draw at three on the front line. Other key runners include Majestic Man (2), Mataderos (8) and Bolt For Brilliance (11). New Zealand Cup winner Copy That will not back up in…
News Briefs : November 10
Aussies claim NZ Cup They are at it again. Here’s a media report from yesterday’s IRT New Zealand Cup. “The New Zealand Cup is heading to Australia, again. Copy That’s dominant win in NZ’s biggest race of any code, the NZ Trotting Cup, was the third successive year the winner was owned by Australians.Leviathan Victorian-based owners Merv and Meg Butterworth bought Copy That as a two-year-old and opted to leave him in NZ with veteran trainer Ray Green.Last year the Cup was won by Self Assured, owned by Jean Feiss…
Golden Eagle surpasses Melbourne Cup with boosted $8m purse
Less than two weeks after the third running of the Golden Eagle, Racing New South Wales has announced that the race will have an $8 million prize purse in 2022 – an increase of $500,000. Introduced in 2019 by Racing NSW, the 1500m feature is exclusive to four-year-olds and run on Derby Day at Rosehill Gardens, and now it is has surpassed the Melbourne Cup to become Australia’s second-richest race behind The Everest, which boasts a $15 million pool. “The Golden Eagle has been a stunning success both on the…