Month: February 2022

Typhoon Sammy ‘warning’

Editor BOAY

Sprinting ‘whirlwind’ Typhoon Sammy is known for his ‘wind speed’. So, expect a ‘tsunami’ when he lines up in the Group 2 Taylor’s Palace Hotel Horsham Cup heats (485m) on Friday afternoon. Trained by Jason Thompson, Typhoon Sammy is ultimately chasing a second country cup. He stormed to a 21.66sec victory in the G2 Traralgon Cup (395m) on January 26. Five days earlier, he won a heat in the equal fastest time (21.53sec) recorded thus far on the new, state-of-the-art ‘J-curve’ track. Typhoon Sammy (January ’19 Aston Dee Bee x…

Daily Mail: ‘Lad’ set to star at Sandown Park

Editor BOAY

Premier Racing at Sandown Park tonight features dual Group placegetter McCooly’s Lad rising in distance from a heat of the G1 TAB Australian Cup. Call Me Buster, the in-form Invictus Jaxson and G2 Ballarat Cup runner-up Special Talent are considered the biggest dangers to McCooly’s Lad. Rocket Boy – victorious in four of his last five starts and 37 of 74 overall – is at Warrnambool this evening in a 390m Free For All. Dale Code’s Predicted Market FirmerGALLOPING SPEEDTAB fixed odds at 9am: $9 Win Warragul Race 8 Box…

Fa Fa, Cheerful Days dead-heat in DBS x Manulife Million Challenge

AAP

Cheerful Days clinches a share of first prize with last-gasp success. Sharing the limelight with Zac Purton and Karis Teetan four-timers, Cheerful Days has crowned a season of stunning progress to share HKD$1 million DBS x Manulife Million Challenge glory with Fa Fa after a stunning triumph in the Class 2 Shan Kwong Handicap (1650m) at Happy Valley on Wednesday (23 February). Needing to win under Alexis Badel to share the series spoils, Cheerful Days obliged for Francis Lui with his sixth win from his past seven starts – with…

Stylish Memphis “terrific” ahead of Menangle Group One

NZHarnessNews

By Adam Hamilton Star Kiwi mare Stylish Memphis is primed for her title defence. That’s the last word from caretaker trainer-driver Jack Trainor ahead of Saturday night’s $200,000 Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Mile (formerly the Ladyship Mile) at Menangle. And Trainor is adamant barrier one is a big plus rather than a potential query, “Give me barrier one anytime, especially compared to something out wide at Menangle,” the young former Kiwi horseman said. “I’m sure there will be a couple out wide coming out charging and trying to get…

Jones enjoying change of pace

AAP

Phelan The Power (inside) will tackle the ODT Southern Mile Qualifier (1600m) at Riccarton on Friday. Photo: Race Images South Mark Jones is fast becoming a galloping convert. The highly regarded harness racing trainer and 2003 world champion reinsman racked up the third winner of his career as a gallops trainer when Phelan The Power triumphed on a heavy track at Riccarton earlier this month. With 666 training wins in New Zealand harness racing under his belt and 1454 wins to his credit as a driver, Jones has nothing to…

Heza Sport seeking a return to form

NZHarnessNews

By Joshua Smith, Harness News Desk Heza Sport began his career with a bang and trainers Colin and Julie De Filippi are hoping he can return to form at Addington Raceway on Thursday. The four-year-old gelding won his first four starts and finished runner-up in his next two outings behind Taipo and Group One winner It’s All About Faith. He has subsequently failed to feature in his following four starts but Colin De Filippi, who also owns the son of Sportswriter, believes they have got on top of a few…

Third time’s a charm for Miss Ella

NZRacingDesk

It was a case of third time’s a charm for Miss Ella when she was a convincing winner of the Listed Grangewilliam Stud “Derryn” Oaks Prelude (1600m) at Pukekohe on Wednesday. The race was initially set to be held at New Plymouth on February 5 over 1800m, but the meeting was abandoned after a slip in the first race. The race was subsequently rescheduled to the Taranaki Club’s February 18 meeting, which was also abandoned with the track being deemed unfit for racing before a race was conducted. The Oaks…

Spotlight on Rockstar in Group One mile

NZRacingDesk

Cambridge trainer Lauren Brennan is looking forward to dodging top sprinting mares Levante and Entriviere as she attacks the Gr.1 El Cheapo Cars WFA Group One Classic (1600m) at Otaki on Saturday with Packing Rockstar and Vigor Winner. For Brennan, who has a boutique stable of racehorses, it is a significant achievement to have two runners in a Group One race.  “We’ve only got a small stable so to get any runners to a Group race, let alone two runners in a Group One is a huge thrill,” she said.…

Jones enjoying change of pace

NZRacingDesk

Mark Jones is fast becoming a galloping convert. The highly regarded harness racing trainer and 2003 world champion reinsman racked up the third winner of his career as a gallops trainer when Phelan The Power triumphed on a heavy track at Riccarton earlier this month. With 666 training wins in New Zealand harness racing under his belt and 1454 wins to his credit as a driver, Jones has nothing to prove on the score of horsemanship. However, he’s quite happy to concede he’s still learning about gallopers but still loving…

Sword Of State peaking to ascend Ellerslie throne

NZRacingDesk

Sword Of State put in a pleasing final hit-out at Pukekohe on Wednesday ahead of his next assignment, the Gr.3 Haunui Farm King’s Plate (1200m) at Ellerslie on Saturday-week. The Group One-winning son of Snitzel led home a field of Te Akau runners in the 1000m trial, beating I Wish I Win by a half head, with a further long neck back to Prise De Fer in third, with On The Bubbles in fourth. “Sword of State relaxed nicely back in the field and finished off well, as did I…