Month: July 2023

Philpot, Alice Springs colleagues back in action on Sunday

AAP

Alice Springs jockey Jessie Philpot and partner Jaidyn Viney, son of trainer Ray Viney, celebrating after guiding Rock Of Kryptonite to victory at Pioneer Park in the Red Centre recently. Picture: Nikki Westover Photography Alice Springs jockey Jessie Philpot is looking forward to Sunday’s meeting at Pioneer Park. With a forecast of heavy rain, the Alice Springs Turf Club decided last Friday to postpone last Sunday’s meeting. Heavy rain saturated Pioneer Park’s dirt surface during the Alice Springs Cup Carnival in April with the meeting on Saturday, April 15 postponed…

Winter Stakes favourite unlikely to run

NZRacingDesk

The chance to qualify for a A$2 million race will almost certainly sway connections of Cotehele (NZ) (Tavistock) to bypass a start in the Listed Winter Stakes in favour of the South Grafton Cup. While the latter carries half the prize money of Saturday’s A$160,000 Randwick centrepiece, Cotehele could make up for it down the track with the winner and second placegetter at Grafton eligible for the Big Dance on Melbourne Cup day. “I will consult the owners but most of them are keen to try to qualify him for…

Wexford 3yos out for Te Rapa success

NZRacingDesk

Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott will present two prominent three-year-olds among their strong team of runners at Te Rapa on Saturday. The Matamata training partnership have last-start winner Silver Javelin (NZ) (Reliable Man) and stablemate Winexpress (NZ) (Shamexpress) contesting the Irwins Truck and Bus 3YO (1200m), both of which will reap the benefits of apprentice claims in the heavy ground conditions. A daughter of Reliable Man, Silver Javelin will once again pair with apprentice jockey Maza Hashizume, who guided the filly to her maiden victory in her second raceday appearance,…

Hackett goes four from four at Cambridge

NZHarnessNews

by Brigette Solomon It was a night to remember for Crystal Hackett – four winners from four drives. At Cambridge last night the 19-year-old, who’s in just her second full season of driving, produced a career best performance. “It was a great night, I’m still buzzing and I’m very grateful to everyone who puts me on and trusts me in the bike!” says Hackett. The first of those wins came in Race 1, on Ilsa’s Son trained by Hackett’s employers Barry Purdon and Scott Phelan. “He went well, I went…

Riddell shows all his class at Awapuni

AAP

Jockey Jonathan Riddell showed supreme horsemanship to guide Swazi to victory with a slipped bridle at Awapuni on Friday. Photo: Peter Rubery (Race Images Palmerston North) Awapuni is becoming synonymous with displays of supreme horsemanship, and that continued on Friday through the deeds of jockey Jonathan Riddell. Just 100m into the race, the bridle slipped off Riddell’s charge Swazi and the senior hoop had to call on all his experience to stay on the gelding, and remarkably guided him to a long neck victory. The bridle had slipped off around…

Whiskey Tango looking to continue winning form

AAP

Whiskey Tango on his way to winning at Te Rapa. Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images) Waverley’s Bill Thurlow will return to Te Rapa this Saturday with rising jumping star Whiskey Tango, hoping the promising jumper can produce a repeat of his winning performance at the Waikato venue last month. The rising jumping star will head north to, with his front-running maiden steeplechase victory coming over the same distance (3900m) to score from next-start victor Torque Time. “He’s good, it didn’t seem to have worried him at all, so we’re very…

Fabian Hawk ready to strike at Awapuni

AAP

Fabian Hawk will be vying for a hat-trick of wins at Awapuni on Saturday. Photo: Peter Rubery (Race Images Palmerston North) The well-related Fabian Hawk has made impressive progress this preparation and has another opportunity to further his record on his home track on Saturday. Prepared by his Awapuni part-owner Peter Didham, the son of Turn Me Loose will be bidding for the fourth victory of his campaign and third course and distance victory on the bounce. While Fabian Hawk is fashioning an encouraging record, he continues to be a…

Kiwi’s Everest wish comes true

NZRacingDesk

Another New Zealand operation has been mounted to scale the heights of Everest. This time, it will be an attempt to rise to the top of the racing summit with I Wish I Win to carry Waikato Stud’s familiar stylised colours in the world’s richest race on turf. The glamour son of Savabeel will contest the A$20 million The TAB Everest (1200m) at Randwick on October 28 in the Trackside slot held by the New Zealand TAB, in partnership with Entain. “In true Sir Edmund Hillary fashion, we’re going to…

Reid hoping sassy mare delivers

NZRacingDesk

Kim Reid has always thought there was something special about Hi Yo Sass Bomb, and the Taranaki horsewoman is delighted that her initial impression of the now four-year-old mare is coming to fruition. “We bred her, and since she was a foal there was something about her. She always seemed a bit of a standout,” Reid said. “She showed a lot as a youngster and we always had a lot of time for her. “She is sassy, her name really suits her. She is learning to channel that into her…

Whiskey Tango aiming for further success at Te Rapa

NZRacingDesk

Waverley’s Bill Thurlow will return to Te Rapa this Saturday with rising jumping star Whiskey Tango, hoping the promising jumper can produce a repeat of his winning performance at the Waikato venue last month. The rising jumping star will head north to contest the SVS Starting Gates 0-1WIN Steeplechase (3900m), with his front-running maiden steeplechase victory coming over the same distance to score from next-start victor Torque Time. “He’s good, it didn’t seem to have worried him at all, so we’re very happy with him,” Thurlow said. Whiskey Tango, a…