Vale Maurice Kerr and Peter Marshall Two stalwarts of southern harness racing, Maurice Kerr and Peter Marshall, are being remembered for their long and valued contributions to the sport. A breeder, owner and committee member for many years, Maurice Kerr died in Gore last week. According to southernharness.co.nz he also drove 206 winners – the first being Belle Vue in 1962 and his last Hayden Supreme in September 2011 – and trained 175 winners over a span of 40 years from 1977. Among his good winners were Glen Moria and…
Month: March 2023
Temporale retires “a star on and off the track”
By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk Just days after the retirement of Sundees Son, the sport has lost another trotting champion from the race track. It’s been announced that northern warhorse Temporale will also be retired, after a recent leg injury. The multiple Group 1-winning son of Monarchy finishes with 27 wins from 94 starts and $832,777 in stakes. Eleven of the wins were at Group level. “He was a star on and off the track,” says trainers Michelle Wallis and Bernie Hackett, “and an absolute gentleman to do…
Kembla Grange racing preview & best bets | Friday, March 10
What Kembla Grange Classic Day Where Kembla Grange Racecourse – Princes Hwy, Kembla Grange NSW 2526 When Friday, March 10, 2023 First Race 1:15pm AEDT Visit Ladbrokes Racing heads to the Illawarra region of NSW on Friday afternoon as Kembla Grange plays host to a very competitive eight-race program from 1:15pm. It’s Kembla Grange Classic Day and the Group 3 feature over 1600m headlines a strong card. We should be in for perfect conditions on Friday with no rain expected in the lead-up to race-day and a Good 4 surface…
2023 Newmarket Handicap preview & best bets | Saturday, March 11
What 2023 Newmarket Handicap Where Flemington Racecourse – 448 Epsom Rd, Flemington VIC 3031 When Saturday, March 11, 2023 Prizemoney $1,500,000 Distance 1200m Status Group 1 Conditions Handicap 2022 Winner Roch ‘N’ Horse (3) | T: Mike Moroney | J: Patrick Moloney (52.5kg) Visit Ladbrokes The Group 1 Newmarket Handicap down the famous Flemington straight headlines a bumper Saturday of racing in Melbourne. A strong field of 16 will do battle down the ‘Straight Six’ where an impressive six Group 1 winners make up the field. Among those are Private…
Pakenham best bets & quaddie tips | Friday, March 10
What Pakenham Races Where Pakenham Racing Club – 420 Nar Nar Goon–Longwarry Rd, Tynong VIC 3813 When Friday, March 10, 2023 First Race 5:45pm AEDT Visit Ladbrokes For the second time in the space of 24 hours, an eight-race program is scheduled for Pakenham Racecourse on Friday evening. Perfect conditions are forecast throughout Melbourne’s south-east in the lead-up to the meeting, so we expect to start on a Good 4 after irrigation goes on the track on Friday morning to ensure we are not on too firm a deck. The…
Darwin Double offers $50k bonus for winning Guineas, NT Derby
Fannie Bay will play host to the newly announced Darwin Double, comprising the Darwin Guineas and NT Derby. On the back of the exciting Territory Treble announcement last month, the Darwin Turf Club has announced a new $50,000 bonus to be called the Darwin Double. Devised for the three-year-olds, the prizemoney will be awarded if a horse can win the $75,000 Darwin Guineas (1600m) and $135,000 NT Derby (2050m) in the same year. The Guineas, Derby and $200,000 Darwin Cup (2050m) once comprised the Triple Crown in the Top End…
Birdsville three rubbed out after jigger ruling by stewards
Three racing identities have been rubbed out after being found guilty of using a jigger during the Birdsville Cup meeting last year. The three convicted Queensland racing participants in the Birdsville jigger case were disqualified on Wednesday. Todd Austin, a thoroughbred trainer, has been disqualified for five years, Ric McMahon, a jockey, has been disqualified for three and a half years, and stable hand Toni Austin was give a 12 month suspension when QRIC stewards handed down their penalties. When considering appropriate penalties, QRIC Chief Thoroughbred Steward Josh Adams stated…
Australian Derby in the crosshairs of OTI Racing
The Gr.1 Australian Derby (2400m) is firmly in the crosshairs of Australian syndicator OTI Racing with their kiwi pair Full Of Sincerity and Mark Twain. The three-year-olds ran third and fourth respectively in the Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) at Te Rapa last Saturday and are now earmarked to cross the Tasman for the A$2million feature. OTI Racing’s Terry Henderson. Photo: Trish Dunell Full Of Sincerity continued trainer Andrew Forsman’s good run in the New Zealand Derby with OTI Racing horses, having won the 2018 edition of the race with…
Black-type options for Lauding
A significant step up in class beckons Lauding following his maiden success at Taupo on Wednesday. Trainer Tony Pike will now consider a crack at black-type company for the three-year-old son of Proisir off the back of a slender victory in his first appearance over a middle distance. “He had a pretty tough run from a wide gate and was three deep most of the way and obviously worked into the race very early so it was a good, solid staying effort against older horses,” Pike said. Lauding settled toward…
Bosson ready to cash in with Tycoon
Champion jockey Opie Bosson has been lamenting a costly decision for the past six weeks but he’s looking forward to setting the record straight at Pukekohe on Saturday. Faced with the choice between the Mark Walker-trained two-year-olds Tokyo Tycoon (NZ) (Satono Aladdin) and Trobriand (Kermadec) for January’s Karaka Million 2YO (1200m), Bosson went against his better judgement and sided with the youngster with the better draw. That was Trobriand, who ran a terrific race but was no match for his stablemate who went flying by late to snare the major…