By Jonny Turner Punters will have their eyes on Brad Williamson at Ascot Park on Friday when he combines with a couple of multi-making hot favourites. Myshout (race 1) and Sonny Maguire (race 9) are both set to start at short odds on a twilight programme if their opening quotes with bookmakers are anything to go by. Sonny Maguire will be out to seal back-to-back wins for trainer Alister Black after he jogged to victory on the same track earlier this month. Williamson has no doubts that he can repeat…
Month: February 2022
Start key to South Coast Arden tonight
By Michael Guerin Brent Mangos isn’t touting the usual early campaign warning that often accompanies pacing stars when South Coast Arden returns to Alexandra Park tonight. Because the Pukekohe horseman says the standing start will be the greatest determinant of the favourite’s chances off a 20m handicap in the $30,000 IRT Summer Cup. South Coast Arden has actually already raced once this campaign but then missed Harness Million night with a skin infection, so second up after a month away from the track tonight feels like a restart for a…
Turn Me Loose winners roll on
It has been a good few days for promising Windsor Park Stud stallion Turn Me Loose, whose three-year-old daughters Helluvah Return and Mazzini both broke maiden ranks at Wanganui on Thursday. Helluvah Return saluted for trainer Gary Vile after racing on-speed over 1340m, while Mazzini closed over the top of her rivals to score narrowly over 1600m for trainer Peter Didham. It comes a day after his three-year-old son Prix De Turn got off the mark at Sandown in Melbourne in dominant fashion for Cranbourne conditioner Matthew Brown, who will…
Tofane Tops 2022 Futurity Stakes Field & Odds
Michael Moroney’s C.F. Orr Stakes winning mare Tofane is the one to beat again returning to the same track and distance as the punters’ pick in the Group 1 $750,000 Futurity Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on Saturday. Last start C.F. Orr Stakes winner Tofane is the one to beat in the 2022 Futurity Stakes this weekend. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos. The first of three elite level races on the Neds Blue Diamond Stakes Day card, this year’s Futurity Stakes field features a small but quality line-up of eight hopefuls. After…
2022 Oakleigh Plate Field & Betting Update: Marabi Tipped To Remain Unbeaten
An unbeaten record goes on the line in Saturday’s Group 1 $750,000 Neds Oakleigh Plate (1100m) with the progressive Ciaron Maher & David Eustace-trained Marabi tipped to win again going up in grade. Marabi is tipped to retain her undefeated record in the 2022 Oakleigh Plate at Caulfield on Saturday. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos. It is shaping-up as a sensational edition of the Oakleigh Plate at Caulfield on Saturday, the sprint feature on Blue Diamond Stakes Day attracting a star-studded line-up of short distance specialists. Heading the markets at Ladbrokes.com.au…
Two Coast meetings move to Canterbury
Two up-coming West Coast meetings are heading over the hill. The Reefton Trotting Club’s meeting set down for Friday March 11 has been transferred to Addington and the Westport Trotting Club’s meeting on Sunday March 3 will now be on the grass at Rangiora. The Sunday meeting will be hosted by both clubs under the Westport banner. Westport president Johnny Reedy says “logistically everything was against us.” The concern was that if the meetings weren’t moved to Canterbury then the fields would be severely impacted by horses and licence-holders opting…
Hinepara ruled out of Auckland Cup
Last Saturday’s Gr.2 Avondale Cup (2400m) winner Hinepara has been ruled out of the Gr.2 Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Cup (3200m) on March 13 at Ellerslie. Trained by Josh Shaw, the seven-year-old mare charged home late to defeat Concert Hall in the Avondale Cup. Despite not originally being in the nominations for the Auckland Cup, connections had intended to make the late payment to join the fray, but Shaw has opted to take a conservative approach. “She hasn’t pulled up 100 percent after the race so we’re just going to…
Perfect start for Savile Row
Valachi Downs stallion Savile Row made the perfect start to his career as a sire when his daughter Perfectly Suited scored on debut at Wanganui on Thursday. The juvenile was sent straight to the front in the Whanganui Chronicle 2YO (1200m) by jockey Bridget Grylls and the pair didn’t relinquish their advantage, with Perfectly Suited kicking clear of her rivals when turning for home, eventually running out a 6-1/2 length victor over Vino Bianca. Co-trainer Stephen Autridge was thrilled with the result, with Perfectly Suited the first starter for her…
Cox enjoying new role ahead of Karaka 2022
Karaka 2022 will be more of the same but with a distinctive twist for highly respected horsewoman Kerrie Cox. For 17 years Cox played a key role in Waikato Stud’s rise to the top of the National Yearling Sale vendors’ table, however, this year she will front for another Matamata consignor, Blandford Lodge. Cox’s time at Waikato Stud began when she was still at high school with weekend and holiday work that evolved to a full-time job once her studies ended. Her skills, particularly in all-important sales preparation, were quickly…
Bary eyes Group Two double
Group Two targets on both sides of the Tasman will command Hastings trainer John Bary’s focus on Saturday afternoon. Bary will saddle Best Seller for the J Swap Contractors Matamata Breeders’ Stakes (1200m), the two-year-old Wrote filly going around with the Challenge Syndications colours on board, while Bary’s own colours will be seen at Caulfield with Callsign Mav tackling the Peter Young Stakes (1800m) for new trainer Danny O’Brien. Best Seller has had an interrupted preparation so far, finishing fourth at Matamata on debut before her fourth placing in the…