Month: March 2023

Rebel Racer burns rivals early, hangs on to win the Adelaide Cup

AAP

Emotional co-trainer Amy Yargi with her Adelaide Cup-winning gelding, Rebel Racer. Picture: Racing SA. Rebel Racer’s stunning Adelaide Cup victory was just a snapshot of the way he’s progressed under trainers Amy and Ash Yargi. The six-year-old gelding and $26 outsider with top betting sites displayed remarkable stamina to lead all the way in the Group 2 staying feature worth $302,250 over 3200m at Morphettville on Monday. Craig Newitt showed all his experience to dare the rest of the field to catch him. They could not take him up on…

Autumn Ballet can shine again after Black Opal Stakes win

AAP

Autumn Ballet made history by becoming the first debut runner to take out the Group 3 Black Opal Stakes in Canberra on Sunday. Picture: Bradley Photography. After almost 40 years as a horse owner, Nick Vass knows it’s important not to get too carried away with wins and losses. But even the experienced thoroughbred judge was left in awe of Autumn Ballet’s comfortable two-length victory in the Black Opal Stakes at Canberra on Sunday. Towards the back of the pack at the turn in the Group 3 feature worth $200,000…

Mare ready to Rockn Roll at Manawatu

NZHarnessNews

By Joshua Smith, Harness News Desk Highview Rockn Roll will by vying for a hat-trick of wins at Manawatu Raceway when she heads to the Palmerston North track on Tuesday. The eight-year-old mare has won her last two races at the track since joining trainer Farley Cossey’s Stratford barn and he is hoping for a repeat performance this week. Since her Manawatu triumphs, Highview Rockn Roll ran sixth at Cambridge Raceway last week, pleasing Cossey ahead of her Central Districts return. “I thought her run at Cambridge last start was…

Aussie News – March 13

NZHarnessNews

By Adam Hamilton Brilliant Kiwi-owned trotting mare Queen Elida is eyeing up more Group 1 spoils after winning in Victoria on Saturday night. Brent Lilley’s star returned from a short break with a sparkling Group 3 La Coocaracha free-for-all win (2240m) at Melton. Next stop is the $75,000 Group 1 Sumthingaboutmaori Trotters’ free-for-all (2760m) for mares’ at Melton on March 25. Longer term, she will return to Menangle on May 6 for a race she won last year, the $100,000 Group 1 Macarthur Mile (formerly La Coocaracha), which is also…

West is best for She’s Tough

NZHarnessNews

By Joshua Smith, Harness News Desk She’s Tough showed her aptitude for the West Coast climate when scoring at Reefton on Sunday. The Brad Mowbray-trained mare was victorious at Westport on Friday and backed up with a convincing win in the Inangahua-Grey Valley Cup (2500m) two days later. The daughter of He’s Watching once again showed her brilliance from a stand, stepping away quickly from behind the 10m tape to take an early lead for driver Kimberley Butt. She soon handed up the lead to Copperhead Rose and enjoyed the…

Bakers proud as punch of Prowess

NZRacingDesk

Prowess continued the meteoric rise of her sire Proisir on Saturday when becoming his fifth individual Group One winner after her victory in the Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes (2050m) at Pukekohe. It continued a brilliant season for the three-year-old filly, with previous wins in the Gr.2 Auckland Guineas (1600m), Karaka Million 3YO Classic (1600m), Gr.2 David and Karyn Ellis Fillies Classic (2000m), and placings in the Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) and Gr.3 Soliloquy Stakes (1400m). Proudly watching her elite-level success were breeders Mark, Vicki and Denny Baker of…

Astron making his mark for Cole family

NZRacingDesk

Matamata trainer Cody Cole is hopeful he can take his father’s horse Astron into stakes company next season. The four-year-old son of Redwood scored a convincing victory over a decent Rating 65 field over 1600m at Pukekohe last Saturday, coming from well back in the hands of Craig Grylls to score an easy 2-3/4-length victory over Extraordinaire. “We’ve always had a bit of time for him,” Cole said. “He took a while to come to it but he’s starting to pick things up now and put it together.” It was…

Tutukaka bound for Singapore

NZRacingDesk

Dual stakes winner Tutukaka has been sold with the well-related four-year-old to continue his career in Singapore. A half-brother to 14-time Group One winner Melody Belle, the son of Tavistock was successful three times for Cambridge trainer Tony Pike and has changed hands in a deal brokered by bloodstock agent Bevan Smith. “It’s a bit unfortunate with a horse like him, our lack of depth in handicap races has made it hard for him,” Pike said. “He won the Taupo Cup (2000m) off the minimum and got nine points and…

Red Ocean springs upset

NZRacingDesk

New Zealand bred Red Ocean (NZ) (Ocean Park) proved that his recent strong trial was no fluke after he sprang a big upset on the Polytrack in the Class 2 1100m race at Kranji on Sunday. A four-time winner on the turf, the five-year-old son of Ocean Park had been pigeonholed by most as a turf specialist. While seemingly unwanted by the punters, Trainer Shane Baertschiger was confident of a good showing. “He (Red Ocean) trialled like a bomb the other week,” said Baertschiger. “He won by seven (lengths while)…