Levante has established herself as New Zealand’s pre-eminent sprinter this season and will now be given the opportunity to star in one of Australia’s premier short course events. The multiple Group One winner’s next appearance has been confirmed as the Gr.1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) at Flemington on March 12. Trainers Ken and Bev Kelso and Levante’s ownership group are undertaking the hit and run mission with eyes wide open and in the light of limited domestic options for the daughter of Proisir. “The owners and ourselves want to have a…
Month: February 2022
2022 Chipping Norton Stakes Field & Betting Update: Verry Elleegant Firming Favourite
Melbourne Cup champion Verry Elleegant is tipped to successfully defend her title in Saturday’s Group 1 $600,000 Chipping Norton Stakes (1600m) with a sure-to-be Heavy track at Royal Randwick. Verry Elleegant is tipped as the one to beat in the wet in Sydney’s 2022 Chipping Norton Stakes on Saturday. Photo: Steve Hart. The wet weather in Sydney ensures muddy conditions for Chipping Norton Stakes Day 2022, which works in favour of Waller’s superstar mare Verry Elleegant. The six-year-old daughter of Zed posted her 10th Group 1 success over the two…
Bravo ‘Paddy’
Freshwater Creek owner-trainer Kelly Bravo is hoping Paddy Wants Pats can follow in the pawprints of his mum, Striker Light, in the Group 1 TAB Australian Cup (525m) at The Meadows on Saturday night. Bravo and husband Brett have prepared three G1 Melbourne Cup finalists – Pezza’s Tiger (1996), Secret Spell (2015) and Striker Light (2017) – but Paddy Wants Pats is their first Australian Cup finalist. Striker Light won three G1s, including the Temlee, during the 2018 ‘Australian Cup Carnival’. In all, she contested an amazing 17 Group race finals…
How to spend $50 on TAB’s ‘All In’ Horsham Cup market
Ahead of Saturday night’s TAB Australian Cup extravaganza, Horsham will set the scene for a massive two days of feature racing on Friday afternoon, staging six heats of the Group 2 Taylor’s Palace Hotel Horsham Cup. After sensationally breaking the Horsham 485m track record of former superstar Shima Shine earlier this month, Soda Titan is TAB’s $4 ‘All In’ favourite, ahead of Group 2 Traralgon Cup winner and Group 2 Bendigo Cup placegetter Typhoon Sammy at $5.50. Click HERE for TAB’s ‘All In’ Horsham Cup market However, form analyst The…
Greyhound Racing Victoria CEO resigns
GRV today announced the resignation of the Chief Executive Officer Alan Clayton PSM, with effect from today. In paying tribute to Alan’s tenure as CEO, GRV Chair Ms. Peita Duncan said: “Over the last six years Alan has reinvigorated and restructured the industry with unprecedented growth and revenue, along with a vision for it to be a vibrant, entertaining and thriving sport with animal welfare at its heart. “The Board and I thank Alan for this direction and the significant contribution, leadership and collaborative efforts he has made, in particular…
Easing of mask rules and what it means for greyhound racing
The Victorian Government has announced a number of ‘sensible changes to pandemic orders and public health recommendations’ set to come into effect across the state. As such, from Saturday 26 February, the wearing of face masks at Victorian greyhound race tracks will be optional, except in the case of: – hospitality employees – workers serving or facing members of the public, such as at reception, meeting guests or serving customers Temperature testing at Victoria’s racetracks will also cease from Saturday. State Government requirements for QR code check in and mandatory…
TAB Australian Cup Final: Armchair Guide
Champion trainers Andrea Dailly and Jason Thompson loom as key players in Saturday night’s Group 1 TAB Australian Cup final at The Meadows, but the prolific feature race specialists will take very different records into the $300,000 to-the-winner showpiece. Dailly has dominated the Australian Cup over the last decade and is chasing a remarkable sixth win since 2010, having been successful with Dyna Lachlan (2010), Spud Regis (2013), Dyna Double One (2015), Hecton Bale (2018) and Dyna Patty (2019). ‘Team Dailly’ will have numbers on its side after dominating last…
Gutsell enjoys memorable Gore double
By Jonny Turner for the New Zealand Standardbred Breeders Association. Winning doubles don’t come much better than the one Southland horseman Ricky Gutsell produced at Gore on Sunday. Gutsell bred, raced and trained full brother and sister Insarchatwist (A Rocknroll Dance-Insar-Dare You To) and Still Rockin (A Rocknroll Dance-Insar-Dare You To) to win just three races apart on the same card. Gutsell enjoyed his success with co-breeders and co-owners Neil and Eualie Thwaites. “It is pretty rewarding,” the Wyndham trainer said. Insarchatwist and Still Rockin are the first two foals…
Purdon confident ahead of Menangle features
By Adam Hamilton The name Purdon has been a massive factor in Sydney’s biggest races for three decades, but now it’s the next generation carrying the family flag. Nathan Purdon, son of Mark and grandson of the late Roy, is surprisingly bullish heading into the two features at Menangle on Saturday night despite wide barrier draws. His brilliant mare Spellbound has gate nine to overcome in the $200,000 Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Mile (formerly the Ladyship Mile) and stablemate Amore Vita has the same wide draw in the $200,000…
Poutama bags treble at Hawera
With five wins there this month alone, Hawera Raceway is turning into Andre Poutama’s happy place. The Pukekohe-based trainer-driver followed up his two wins there on February 4, with a further three yesterday, including going back to back with the day’s two pacing features, the Taranaki Cup and the Breeders Stakes. “I actually hadn’t had that much luck on the grass so hopefully I’ve turned the corner,” Poutama said, “but it’s been good alright.” A patient drive helped the Wendy Devenport-trained Uncle Drew win the Revital Fertiliser Taranaki Cup. Uncle…