By Joshua Smith, Harness News Desk Rodger Austin is having the time of his life up at the top of the South Island this week. On Sunday he enjoyed a quinella and another placing at Nelson before he was able to enjoy the weather and hospitality on offer in the region ahead of Marlborough’s two-day meeting commencing at Waterlea Raceway on Friday. “We have stayed right through in Nelson and came through to Blenheim today (Thursday),” Austin said. “It’s a chance to have a bit of a holiday as well…
Month: January 2022
How to spend $20 on the SEN Track Warragul Cup Final
The Watchdog says “$2.80 is probably about the right price” for race favourite Hennessey (Box 2) in the $47,000 to-the-winner Group 2 SEN Track Warragul Cup final this Friday night. “He was brilliant last week – 25.53sec and 6.40sec through the first marker. If he does everything right at box rise, he’s going to put himself into the race. The form expert believes “there’s better value around”. “You’ve got to look at dogs like Titan Blazer (Box 8), he’s my top pick. He keeps answering every challenge thrown at him.…
Squid Game on song for Flemington
New Zealand-bred gelding Squid Game (NZ) (Shooting To Win) will be looking to add to his burgeoning record when he lines-up over 1400m at Flemington on Saturday. The son of Shooting To Win was victorious in his first two starts over 1200m before running third over 1100m at Flemington on New Year’s Day and trainer Patrick Payne is expecting his charge to return to his winning ways this weekend. “He just got into a little bit of an awkward spot at the wrong time (last start),” Payne told Racing.com. “I…
She Reigns seeking home track Group spoils
By Joshua Smith, Harness News Desk Reigning Cambridge Horse of the Year She Reigns will be out to claim a home track feature scalp when she heads to Cambridge Raceway on Thursday. Nine of her 14 wins have come on the track and she will be vying to add a maiden stakes win to her tally when she contests the Gr.3 Les Harrison Transport Cambridge Flying Stakes (2200m). But co-trainer and driver Dylan Ferguson admits she will have her work cut out for her to beat multiple Group One winner…
Beluga lands Sha Tin feature
New Zealand-bred gelding Beluga (NZ) (Tavistock) upstaged several Four-Year-Old Classic Series contenders with his victory in the Class 2 Chek Keng Handicap (1600m) at Sha Tin on Sunday, prompting trainer David Hall to consider loftier targets with the son of Tavistock Beluga’s record of five wins and eight minor placings from 16 starts would be even more imposing if not for a flurry of wide barriers over the past two seasons. Drawn in barrier three on Sunday for Matthew Chadwick, the five-year-old had the run of the race before accelerating…
Cruz pins Classic aspirations on Ima Single Man
Ima Single Man chases a fourth Hong Kong victory. Tony Cruz is confident Ima Single Man can stamp Hong Kong Classic Mile credentials with another strong performance in the Class 2 Chek Keng Handicap (1600m) at Sha Tin on Sunday (9 January) in a contest pivotal to the hopes of several Four-Year-Old Classic Series contenders. Stepping to 1600m for the first time after wins at 1200m and 1400m (twice), Ima Single Man will attempt to enhance a remarkably consistent record since joining the Cruz stable from Perth trainer Chris Gangemi,…
Dailly to double up in Warragul Cup
Trainer Andrea Dailly will launch a two-pronged challenge in her quest to win a second Warragul Cup on Friday night – 17 years after she scored with Sun Hero in 2005. She’ll rug Gypsy Bun, which won the first of six heats tonight, and Indy Fido, which finished a thrilling second to Robbie Rotten in his heat. Watch Based at Anakie, Dailly finished third with retired superstar Shima Shine in last year’s final after he’d set a new 460m track record (25.19sec) in a heat. She also prepared 2013 Warragul…
Traralgon Picnic Fields | Monday 10th January
Traralgon will host a Picnic Meeting on Monday which is consists of 24 races. Winners of each race will receive a $100 venue voucher.
‘Zooming in’ on Zoom Out
Avalon-based breeder-owner-trainer Michelle Mallia enjoyed a stellar run from mid-2017 until early 2019 with the flying Zoom Out. And now some members of her first litter (Sep ’19 Barcia Bale) – bred by Mallia – are following in mum’s pawprints. Two of her sons, Bolt Out (19.15sec) and Boom Out (19.16sec), were impressive winners at Healesville last Sunday. Boom Out has won 13 from 27 and Bolt Out six from 24. Mallia also trains their sister, Rush Out, which has won five from 19, while Lara’s Mathew and Kathryne Tabb prepare Jack Out…
Farming takes precedence over festival race-going
While many New Zealanders are enjoying the entertainment of festive season racing, South Canterbury farming couple Stephanie Rathgen and Grant Midgley have priorities that prevent them from being on-course to cheer home the current star of their racing string, All About Magic (NZ) (Showcasing). While the Michael and Matthew Pitman-trained five-year-old has been campaigning on the West Coast circuit, Rathgen and Midgely have had more than enough to occupy them on their 3,000-hectare property near Twizel. On Monday they were harvesting silage for their winter fodder stores, while on the…