Month: May 2022

Point Nepean books a spot in the Melbourne Cup

AAP

Point Nepean (IRE) ridden by Alana Kelly wins the Lexus Andrew Ramsden at Flemington. (Brett Holburt/Racing Photos) Point Nepean won himself the golden ticket into the race that stops a nation, thanks to a brave ride by Alana Kelly in Saturday’s Andrew Ramsden Stakes (2800m) at Flemington. With a ballot exempt spot in November’s Melbourne Cup (3200m) the grand prize, Kelly put the talented up-and-coming stayer in an awkward position in the run – wide without cover. After whipping around the field as the field approached the final turn, Kelly…

Sinarahma all class in Rotorua Cup sign-off

NZRacingDesk

Race favourite Sinarahma signed off her racetrack career with a dominant victory in the Gr.3 Campbell Infrastructure Rotorua Cup (2200m) on Saturday. The Allan Sharrock-trained Taranaki visitor came into the contest off the back of a last start third behind Two Illicit in the Gr.2 Travis Stakes (2000m) at Te Rapa and carried the luxury weight of just 53.5kgs with topweight Big Mike (61kgs) taking his place in the line-up. Rider Matthew Cameron, who began his riding career as an apprentice with Sharrock, had the daughter of Darci Brahma away…

Flash Feeling flashes home at Flemington

NZRacingDesk

The John Sadler-trained Flash Feeling came with a well-timed run to close over the top of his rivals when successful in the Mahogany Challenge Series Heat 2 (1700m). The three-year-old son of Iffraaj went back to last under a patient Matthew Cartwright ride after jumping from the widest gate.  Given clear air in the home straight, Flash Feeling powered over the top of his rivals to record his second win from seven starts to defeat General Firepower and British Columbia right on the post.  Sadler’s son Tom was on-hand to…

Francesca provides Forsman with first solo stakes victory

NZRacingDesk

Lightly raced four-year-old Francesca provided trainer Andrew Forsman with a day he will long remember when she took out the Gr.3 Rydges Rotorua Stakes (1400m) on Saturday. Barely a fortnight into his solo training career after spending many years in partnership with Murray Baker, who retired at the beginning of the month, Forsman registered his first victory in his own right when Hot Pinx took out a rating 65 1400 contest at Hawera. Less than twenty minutes later Francesca, who was having her first start since suffering a bleed at…

Milestone for McNab at Rotorua

NZRacingDesk

National jockeys’ premiership leader Michael McNab brought up a significant career milestone at Rotorua on Saturday when he brought up his 100th win for the season aboard the Mark Walker-trained Synchronize. McNab, who has eclipsed his previous best of 70 wins set last year, has made every post a winner of late and has 14 stakes victories to his credit this season.  The top jockey produced another copybook performance to land the three-year-old daughter of Savabeel a convincing winner. McNab settled Synchronize back against the rail in the early stages…

Baker’s Bring The Ransom causes upset in Dark Jewel Classic

AAP

Bring The Ransom following her win in Saturday’s Dark Jewel Classic at Scone. In his typical larger-than-life style, Bjorn Baker would have celebrated his win with plenty of feeling after Bring The Ransom took out the $200,000 Dark Jewel Classic (1400m) at Scone. Particularly when it wasn’t the horse everyone was expecting to triumph, the five-year-old mare a $51 outsider’s winning chance with online betting sites. Baker spoke more highly of Exotic Ruby before the race, the six-year-old mare’s last start being a win in the Hawkesbury Crown on April…

Swiss Exile leads throughout to win Spirit Of Boom Classic

AAP

Swiss Exile gave nothing else a chance when claiming the Spirit Of Boom Classic. Photo: Darren Winningham Swiss Exile has won the first feature race of the afternoon at Eagle Farm, leading all of the way in the Group 2 Spirit Of Boom Classic (1200m). The Annabel Neasham-trained colt had been yet to win a race in four starts prior, but late money with online bookmakers suggested that a change of form was on the cards. And that it was. The son of Pariah found enough in the tank late…

Twin Stars claims South Australian Sires’ Produce Stakes

AAP

Twin Stars claims the SA Sires’ Produce Stakes. Photo: Makoto Kaneko When Twin Stars got to a good position with 300m still to go in the $127,250 South Australian Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m), experienced jockey Barend Vorster certainly wasn’t panicking. He knew his two-year-old colt had enough left in the tank to hold off the competition from there, and that was exactly what happened. “It helped getting that nice draw (barrier three) today. I always knew once he had that run under his belt (second in the Breeders’ Stakes at…

Nathan Williamson – “it was a great night”

NZHarnessNews

By Michael Guerin Nathan Williamson realises the mountains he is climbing about only going to get higher. But after a personal best night at Addington on Friday says it is great just to have horses good enough to be aimed at New Zealand’s best races. Williamson trained his first Addington double with Sand Wave (Sires’ Stakes Magnifique) and Andy Hall (open trot) and added a catch drive win on Harold Smith for his first Addington driving treble. “It was a great night, you don’t expect everything to go that well…

Daily Mail: Win for ‘Winnington’ at The Meadows?

Editor BOAY

Premier Racing at The Meadows tonight features G2 Geelong Gold Cup finalist Winnington Bale facing G3 placegetters I’m Easy Boys and Keep It Black in a Grade 5 600m heat. 2020 G2 Ballarat Cup runner-up Special Talent – top-three in his last five starts – lines up against in-form Delbridge kennelmates Zipping Heat and Kaheem Bale in a 525m Free For All. Tobin Frost v On The Off v Xinmin Bale v Commission, Our Shout v Mystify Kick v G2 finalist Got The Torque v G3 finalist Ariarne Bale and…