By Jonny Turner Waikouaiti mare Jonique clinched a deserved victory with a tough performance to win one of yesterday’s Winter Rewards Finals at Winton. Boosted stakes saw highly competitive racing amid cold and wet conditions at the last meeting before Southland and Otago’s winter harness racing hiatus. Jonique capped consistent recent form when sustaining a big finish for driver Kerryn Tomlinson. The mare hit the lead early in the run home before fighting off a line up of challengers to score Jonique’s victory continued a successful association between trainer Amber…
Month: July 2023
Inclement weather forecast forces change in Alice Springs
The picturesque Pioneer Park racecourse, home of the Alice Springs Turf Club, located at the foot of the MacDonnell Ranges in Central Australia. The chance of heavy rain on Saturday has prompted the Alice Springs Turf Club to call off its race meeting at Pioneer Park on Sunday. Mark Summers, ASTC general manager, said the decision was made around midday on Friday to basically allow trainers who are preparing their horses for the Darwin Cup Carnival to change plans. A rainband currently engulfing the central parts of the NT is…
Vale Stuart Hale
The New Zealand thoroughbred industry is mourning the loss of one of its great characters with the passing of Stuart Hale on Friday, aged 74. Tributes have flowed for the affable Cambridge-based bloodstock agent, who died after a battle with illness. Hale purchased a number of top-class horses including Gr. 1 Bayer Classic (1600m) winner Russian Pearl, who raced successfully for Bruce and Stephen Marsh in New Zealand before joining the Tony Cruz stable in Hong Kong. Hale paid $37,500 for Russian Pearl as a yearling for Hong Kong owner…
Chevron’s chances a roll of the dice
Ruakaka trainer Chris Gibbs admits Saturday’s Northbeam Stronger Stuff 2100 at Ruakaka isn’t an ideal fit for his talented galloper Chevron, but said the race is a means to an end. The El Roca five-year-old gelding finished a desperately unlucky third at Ruakaka three weeks ago in the Bream Bay Sprint (1400m) but now faces a quick jump up to 2100m this weekend. Combined with that is an 8kg jump in weights to 62.5kg as Chevron drops back to Rating 75 in what looms as an important lead-up to the…