Luke Currie is expecting an improved effort from Sweet Encounter (NZ) when the Toronado gelding lines up in Sunday’s HK$12 million Hong Kong Classic Cup (1800m). Slow away at the start before fading to a dead-heat eighth in the Hong Kong Classic Mile (1600m) at the end of January, Sweet Encounter was the victim of circumstances feels Currie as the New Zealand-bred bay aims to give John Size a fifth Hong Kong Classic Cup crown this weekend at Sha Tin. “He was one of the favourites to win last start,…
Month: February 2023
Roch ‘N’ Horse back on track
Roch ‘N’ Horse’s (NZ) (Per Incanto) campaign to defend her crown in the Gr.1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) is back on track. The Per Incanto mare was withdrawn from last Saturday’s Gr.1 Lightning Stakes (1000m) on vets advice due to cellulitis in her hind leg. Trainer Michael Moroney said she is back to full health and was pleased with her work at Flemington on Wednesday ahead of the Gr.1 Oakleigh Plate (1100m) at Sandown on Saturday. “She needed one (hit-out) and I wanted to see that she was through the little…
Lowland Stakes Day moves to Awapuni
Following the extension of the State of Emergency and ongoing recovery from the devastating effects of Cyclone Gabrielle on the Hawke’s Bay region, the decision has been made by Hawke’s Bay Racing and NZTR to transfer the Little Avondale Lowland Stakes Raceday from Hastings to Awapuni on Wednesday 1 March. The Hawke’s Bay Racing Centre is currently being utilised as a Distribution and Recovery Centre and an Animal Refuge and Welfare Centre. Hawke’s Bay Racing, with the support of New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing, want to continue to support the ongoing…
Walker two-year-olds take centre stage
Mark Walker would love nothing more than to see the jockey statue in the Matamata racecourse birdcage painted in the colours of a Te Akau Racing-trained winner. That’s one of the spinoffs for connections of the winner of Saturday’s Gr.2 J Swap Contractors Matamata Breeders’ Stakes (1200m), providing the winning trainer a bit of one upmanship on his colleagues. “Te Akau has a good record in the race and we won it a few times before I left to train in Singapore,” Walker said. “A big part is that the…
Canberra best bets & quaddie selections | February 24, 2023
What Canberra Mile Race Day Where Thoroughbred Park – 1 Randwick Road, Lyneham ACT 2602 When Friday, February 24, 2023 First Race 1:35pm AEDT Visit Ladbrokes Friday marks the annual Canberra Mile Day Race Day – the traditional lead-up to Black Opal Stakes Race Day, which is set to be run on March 12. The track is currently rated a Soft 5, but with warm and dry weather forecast for Thursday and Friday, we should be racing on a perfect surface. The rail will go back into the true position,…
2023 Oakleigh Plate betting strategy | Saturday, February 25
What 2023 Oakleigh Plate Where Sandown Racecourse – 591-659 Princes Hwy, Springvale VIC 3171 When Saturday, February 25, 2023 Prizemoney $750,000 Distance 1100m Status Group 1 Conditions Handicap 2022 Winner Marabi (2) | T: Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | J: Ben Allen (54kg) Visit Ladbrokes The time-honoured Group 1 Oakleigh Plate brings to an end the action out of Sandown on Saturday. A capacity field of 16 sprinters, including three Group 1 winners, will duke it out for the $750,000 on offer. Seven last-start victors help make up the…
Futurity Stakes preview & betting strategy | February 25, 2023
What 2023 Futurity Stakes Where Sandown Racecourse – 591-659 Princes Hwy, Springvale VIC 3171 When Saturday, February 25, 2023 Prizemoney $750,000 Distance 1400m Status Group 1 Conditions Weight For Age 2022 Winner Sierra Sue (1) | T: Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | J: John Allen (57kg) Visit Ladbrokes One of the feature events out of Sandown on Saturday afternoon is the Group 1 Futurity Stakes, where a strong field of eight horses have accepted. Group 1 superstars I’m Thunderstruck and Alligator Blood are the featured acts, but Mr Brightside…
2023 Blue Diamond Stakes preview & betting tips | February 25
What 2023 Blue Diamond Stakes Where Sandown Racecourse – 591-659 Princes Hwy, Springvale VIC 3171 When Saturday, February 25, 2023 Prizemoney $2,000,000 Distance 1200m Status Group 1 Conditions Set Weights 2022 Winner Daumier (5) | T: Anthony & Sam Freedman | J: Mark Zahra (57kg) Visit Ladbrokes The Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes is the first of three Group 1 events at Sandown on Saturday. A field of 16 two-years-olds will battle it out for the $2 million on offer. The winners of both Blue Diamond Preludes and Previews will…
Kennedy scores first riding win
It was a proud moment for Wingatui trainer Terry Kennedy on Tuesday as he watched his daughter Jaylah record her first win as a jockey in Australia. The expat Kiwi was having her seventh raceday ride aboard Friday At Five at Stawell for trainer Henry Dwyer and there was no place louder than Kennedy’s lounge back in New Zealand as he cheered her home to a 1-1/4 length victory. “It was a really proud moment, especially the fact she did it in Victoria, it is pretty hard to get in…
Newitt chirpy about Lofty Strike ahead of Oakleigh Plate
Lofty Strike, ridden by Craig Newitt, wins the Rubiton Stakes at Sandown on February 11, 2023. (Photo by Pat Scala/Racing Photos) Craig Newitt believes he has a colt to again salute at Group 1 level on Blue Diamond Stakes Day when he pilots Lofty Strike in the Oakleigh Plate at Sandown Lakeside. The man nicknamed ‘Froggy’ won the Blue Diamond Stakes with Samaready in 2012 and Extreme Choice in 2016. And he thinks Lofty Strike – a $10 chance with online bookmakers – will live up to his name. The…