Month: May 2023

In the Name of the Father

Editor BOAY

Master staying conditioner Robert Britton will target a third Sandown Cup courtesy of First Picked ($9.90), who defeated last year’s winner Untapped ($8.80) by 0.5L in 41.74sec – the fastest of four heats of the Group 1 Sportsbet Sandown Cup (715m) on Thursday night. Britton has won the race with Fanta Bale (2017) and Tornado Tears (2018). In fact, in 2018, Britton trifectaed the race with Tornado Tears’ litter brother Rippin’ Sam (2nd) and Quick Jagger (3rd). First Picked – winner of this year’s G1 Galaxy at Cannington in Perth and…

After impressing in Alice Springs, Magnolia Rose set for Darwin debut

AAP

Jockey Paul Denton and trainer Kerry Petrick, a highly-successful combination in the Northern Territory since the late 1990s, celebrate after three-year-old gelding Venting won the $135,000 NT Derby (2050m) at Fannie Bay last July during the Darwin Cup Carnival. With the Darwin Cup Carnival imminent, it might well be a good idea to keep an eye on the Kerry Petrick-trained Magnolia Rose. The five-year-old mare, the daughter of Kermadec, caught the eye in three starts in the Red Centre last month before and during the Alice Springs Cup Carnival. Formerly…

Saturday’s Belmont Park best bets & quaddie tips | May, 20

AAP

What Belmont Races Where Belmont Park Racecourse – Saintly Entrance, Burswood WA 6100 When Saturday, May 20, 2023 First Race 11:59am AWST Visit Ladbrokes Racing will return to the Belmont Racecourse this Saturday afternoon, where the Western Australian Turf Club will host a very competitive nine-race card. The track is currently rated a Good 4, and with no rain on the forecast for Friday and Saturday, we expect to be racing on a perfect surface for racing for the entire program. The rail will be pushed out to the +3m…

Smith after a shot of Bourbon at Flemington

NZRacingDesk

Trainer Lindsey Smith would like to see the heavens open ahead of the Flemington meeting where he has Bold Bourbon (NZ) (The Bold One) looking for a fourth straight win. Bold Bourbon runs in the In Memory of Dean Holland (1800m) on Saturday after three consecutive wins at Terang, Warrnambool and Casterton respectively. But nagging Smith is the presence of last start Mornington winner Convenor and the unbeaten Altivo who is backing up from a win at Flemington last week. Bold Bourbon won the Casterton Cup (2000m) last Sunday and…

Kovalica fighting fit for Zaaki clash

NZRacingDesk

Chris Waller says fitness won’t be an issue for Kovalica (NZ) (Ocean Park) when he takes on Zaaki (Leroidesanimaux)and co in the Doomben Cup, but he does have reservations about the three-year-old’s outside draw. The champion trainer was in two-minds about whether the Queensland Derby favourite needed to run on Saturday after missing a scheduled start in last week’s Rough Habit Plate (2000m) due to a foot abscess. But he decided to err on the side of caution, feeling it would be too big a task for Kovalica to go…

Doubt over top fillies for Alexandra Park

NZHarnessNews

By Michael Guerin Two of New Zealand’s glamour fillies are in doubt for tomorrow night’s Alexandra  Park meeting. Stablemates High Energy (Lone Star Sires’ Stakes Trot) and Millwood Nike (Magness Benrow Sires’ Stakes Championhship) both pulled up short in their action after working on Thursday morning. Purdon notified the RIB and the TAB suspended markets on their two races while Purdon sought a veterinary inspection. “I don’t think they are serious issues and could be due to the wet weather up here and how it softens their hooves,” says co-trainer…

Surprise packet Scallopini set to swoop in BRC Sprint

AAP

Scallopini, pictured winning the Shaftesbury Avenue Handicap at Flemington on March 11, is a live chance in the BRC Sprint at Doomben this weekend. (Pat Scala/Racing Photos) When Scallopini lines up in the $300,000 Group 3 BRC Sprint at Doomben on Saturday, trainers Steven O’Dea and Matthew Hoysted will be hoping for more surprises from the veteran campaigner. The top betting sites have him at $7 for the 1350m race, where he will be resuming from a Victorian raid where he won back-to-back races at Flemington in the Listed Elms…

Key details confirmed for Handicapping Review

NZHarnessNews

A comprehensive review of Harness Racing New Zealand’s handicapping system is about to get underway, with the members of the Review Committee and the Terms of Reference now confirmed. The HRNZ Board commissioned the review following feedback about the current system. The Harness Rating System Review Committee will identify the pros and cons of the present set up with the aim of finding “the fairest method of handicapping to ensure competitive racing throughout the country for all horses”. The committee will be chaired by Rob Lawson and also feature North…

Moroney sets Choice sights high

NZRacingDesk

Mike Moroney already has one eye on a big spring target with Bankers Choice ahead of Saturday’s Group 1 Doomben Cup. A recent inductee to the New Zealand Hall of Fame, the Kiwi horseman revealed his Caulfield Cup plans with the five-year-old son of the 2015 winner of the race, Mongolian Khan. “He’ll race in the Caulfield Cup and he’ll qualify because it’s a handicap and really now it would be ideal for him,” Moroney said. “Honestly, it’s all about finding the right one, usually Queensland the lesser weight-for-age horses…

Experience to benefit promising Marengo

AAP

Marengo winning on debut at Pukekohe. Photo: Trish Dunell Impressive debut winner Marengo will step out at Te Rapa on Saturday as one of a trio of runners for Byerley Park trainers Peter and Dawn Williams. The Williams are keen to give the son of Charm Spirit a run left-handed before the completion of his three-year-old season. “We were going to give him a break, but we decided we will give him a run left-handed and then he will go out,” Peter Williams said. “It is just another run for…