Month: June 2023

Sky Racing presenter Chynna Marston to face Racing NSW Stewards over animal welfare charges

AAP

Sky Racing presenter Chynna Marston and fiance Alex Kean will face Racing NSW Stewards next week over animal welfare concerns. (Photo: TikTok) In a significant development that has rocked the Australian horse racing community, Chynna Marston, a well-known Sky Racing presenter, and her fiancé Alex Kean, have been served with multiple charges pertaining to horse welfare breaches by Racing New South Wales (Racing NSW) stewards. The charges follow an inquiry into the pair’s care of thoroughbreds at their rural property located near Canberra. This investigation was triggered by a formal…

Jimmy Carter spearheads Williamson challenge at Wyndham

NZHarnessNews

By Jonny Turner A drop in class after taking on smart types at Addington is why Jimmy Carter is the pick of Phil Williamson’s team at Wyndham on Saturday. The master trotting trainer takes four runners to the Forbury Park meeting with three of them squaring off against each other in the meeting’s feature trot. Majestic Love, Our Golden Kenny and Jimmy Carter go head-to-head, with the trio rated the top three favourites for race 5. The market has the three Williamson runners evenly matched, but their trainer thinks it…

White makes his move in amateur drivers’ championship

NZHarnessNews

By Jonny Turner It didn’t pan out as expected, but the result was perfect for Barry White in heat two of the New Zealand Amateur Drivers Championship at Addington on Friday night. White went to second equal halfway through the competition when Shards Fury kept winding up wide on the track to dramatically turn around his driver’s fortunes. White had to settle with last placing in the first heat of the championship at Cambridge on Thursday night after his charge broke in the middle stages. Though heat two didn’t go…

Sha Tin Sunday racing tips & quaddie picks | June 25, 2023

AAP

What Sha Tin Races Where Sha Tin Racecourse – Tai Po Rd, Sha Tin District, Hong Kong When Sunday, June 25, 2023 First Race 4pm HKT (6pm AEST) Visit Ladbrokes Hong Kong racing returns on Sunday afternoon with a massive 10-race program that includes two Group 3 contests. For some gallopers, it’s the last chance to add some black type to their respective resumes. The rail is in the A position the entire circuit, and although the track is currently listed as a Good 4, there seems to be plenty…

Ben Hope has first Australian win

NZHarnessNews

By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk A brilliantly-judged drive has seen Ben Hope secure his first success in Australia. The talented junior driver-trainer has been in Australia for a fortnight or so now, based at the very successful stables run by ex-pat Kiwi Brent Lilley at Bolinda, north of Melbourne. So it was only fitting that Hope should get his first win with the Lilley-trained Kyvalley Paint in the Ballarattrottingclub.com.au Mobile Trot at Ballarat last night, upsetting at $20.60 and $3.80. Hope sat parked off with a wide draw…

Tried horse offerings fuel Unusual Suspect success

NZRacingDesk

Whanganui-based stallion Unusual Suspect has proved a more than useful sire. Standing at the Auret family’s Letham Stud, the now 19-year-old stallion has produced a host of well-credentialed horses, including the stakes winner Unusual Countess and multiple Melbourne metropolitan winners So Unusual and Unusual Culture. The latter, who was a debut winner for Fraser Auret, has now won four of her past six outings for the in-form Ciaron Maher and David Eustace stable, including victory over a mile at Flemington last Saturday. Breeders Nigel and Adaire Auret are deriving great…

Another winner for U S Navy Flag

NZRacingDesk

Wanganui is becoming a happy hunting ground for the progeny of U S Navy Flag, with the The Oaks Stud stallion siring another two-year-old winner at the venue on Friday. The young stallion produced his first Southern Hemisphere stakes winner when the Chrissy Bambry-trained Chantilly Lace dominated the Listed Castletown Stakes (1200m) last month, and Naval Anthem followed suit when taking victory on debut in the Wanganui-Taranaki Racehorse Owners Association Maiden 2YO (800m). The diminutive Matamata gelding jumped well under apprentice Kelsey Hannan and strode out to lead the juvenile…

MRC celebrates Walker’s career

NZRacingDesk

Victorian racing will on Saturday celebrate the career of former jockey Michael Walker, who officially retired from race riding in February due to the ongoing effects of a brain injury. Walker said on Thursday that, despite a recent family bereavement, he and partner Lauren and his young family will be present at Caulfield to mark a career that, while ended prematurely, produced any number of highlights both here and in his early days in his native New Zealand. Caulfield is a fitting scene for the tribute to the 25-time Group…

Favourites aplenty for Pitman

NZRacingDesk

Five races, five favourites – that’s the scenario for Riccarton trainers Michael and Matthew Pitman ahead of their hometrack meeting on Saturday. Now the task is finding five winners. “Hopefully the bookmakers are good judges,” Michael Pitman said. “With a few racing on Saturday, it really depends on how they handle the track as to whether they carry on or have a bit of a break. But we’ve got a really nice team for Saturday.” Among the leading chances is stable newcomer Sea Shepherd, who has joined the Pitman team…

Greene heading into unknown territory

NZRacingDesk

David Greene will be heading into unknown territory with his capable staying mare Finest Wine on Saturday. The Te Rapa trainer has been pleased with the Tavistock mare’s progress but has now been left guessing with the Seeka Kiwifruit Cup (2000m) transferred to the Cambridge synthetic track due to heavy rain at the original venue of Tauranga. The concern is whether Finest Wine, who is well-placed on the 54kg minimum, can race up to her best on the all-weather going. “She would have been having a gallop on Saturday morning…