Cambridge trainer Tony Pike made a flying start to racing at Trentham on Saturday when he produced the winners of the first two stakes races on a day featuring five black type events. Just one race after promising filly Archaic Smile (Saxon Warrior) dominated her two-year-old rivals in the Listed IRT Wellesley Stakes (1100m), underrated mare Churchillian (NZ) (Churchill) produced a dogged effort to take out the Gr.3 Dixon & Dunlop Anniversary Handicap (1600m). Rider Lily Sutherland had the four-year-old daughter of Churchill positioned on the heels of pacemaker Sergio…
Month: January 2024
Raw Otago lands Flemington spoils
Talented three-year-old gelding Otago (NZ) (Ocean Park) remains undefeated after a narrow victory at Flemington on Saturday in the Victorian Jockeys Association Trophy (1400m). The Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained son of Ocean Park had been a dominant maiden winner at Bendigo last month, defeating a pair of subsequent winners. Despite being far from the finished article, the raw Kiwi import set a new class record of 1:22.46 for three-year-old BenchMark 70 gallopers as he chased down the leaders Valois (Under The Louvre) and Very Sewreel (Snitzel). Jockey Beau…
Pike smiling after latest Wellesley win
Victory in the Listed IRT Wellesley Stakes (1100m) is becoming a force of habit for Michael McNab as the northern hoop claimed a third-straight win in the two-year-old feature at Trentham with impressive filly Archaic Smile (Saxon Warrior). McNab guided two classy juveniles to Wellesley glory in 2021 and 2022 with Hanalei (NZ) (Darci Brahma) and Codigo (NZ) (Ardrossan) respectively, and on this occasion partnered with the Tony Pike-trained daughter of Saxon Warrior, who was having her third race-day appearance. After racing greenly on debut at Te Rapa in November,…
Poignant win for Scott family at Nelson
By Jonny Turner The friends and family of the late Glenn Scott saw his colours shine in the Nelson sun as Ready Set Jet strode to victory on Friday. Bred by Scott, Ready Set Jet is raced by the late breeder-owner-trainer’s wife Jenny, along with his friends and family who make up the Scottie’s Leftovers Syndicate. A jubilant ownership group greeted Ready Set Jet in the birdcage following his debut victory in race 2. And Bob Butt was thrilled to be able to guide the promising trotter to victory in…
Lyle Hewitson chases 100-win milestone
Lyle Hewitson has 99 Hong Kong wins to his credit. On the cusp of riding his 100th Hong Kong winner, Lyle Hewitson hopes Chancheng Glory can advance growing Four-Year-Old Classic Series claims at Sha Tin on Saturday. Rated 79, Chancheng Glory has been a revelation for Francis Lui since blinkers and a crossed nose band were added to the American-bred galloper’s gear, resulting in four consecutive 1600m wins – two for Hewitson and twice for Harry Bentley – to emerge as a likely contender for the HK$13 million Hong Kong…
Capo Dell Impero vying for more Cups success
Capo Dell Impero (inside) will contest the Waikouaiti Cup (2200m) at Wingatui on Saturday. Photo: Race Images South Wingatui local Capo Dell Impero will be vying for more Cups success when he heads to his home track on Saturday to contest the Waikouaiti Cup (2200m). The six-year-old son of Ghibellines has two Cup victories to his name amongst his six career victories, including the Founders Cup (2000) and Cromwell Cup (2030m) two starts back. The Group Three performer followed that up with a ninth-placed run in the Timaru Heritage Cup…
Bonny Lass looking to flip the script in Telegraph
Bonny Lass will contest the Group 1 Telegraph (1200m) at Trentham on Saturday. Photo: Trish Dunell Matamata trainer Graham Richardson has previously had much better luck in the Group 1 Railway (1200m) than the Group 1 Telegraph (1200m), but he is hoping to flip that script with Bonny Lass at Trentham on Saturday. Richardson has won the Railway with Kailey (1997) and Volpe Veloce (2018), and both horses carried on down to Wellington to contest the Telegraph a couple of weeks later. Neither of them had all favours in the…
Te Akau armed with strong weekend brigade
Quintessa will be one of three runners for Te Akau Racing in the Group 1 Levin Classic (1600m) at Trentham on Saturday. Photo: Peter Rubery (Race Images Palmerston North) A bumper contingent of 29 entries this weekend for Te Akau Racing includes three-pronged attacks on a pair of races that hold special recent memories for the syndication juggernaut. The first of those is Saturday’s Group 1 Levin Classic (1600m) at Trentham, in which Quintessa, Trobriand and Certainly give Te Akau a trio of leading chances to land their third consecutive…
Top End trainer hopes another Queensland apprentice can shine
Brisbane-based apprentice Minonette Kennedy has a full book of rides at Darwin on Saturday as she prepares to make her first appearance at Fannie Bay. Darwin trainer Patrick Johnston is hoping that yet another Queensland apprentice will bring him further good fortune at Fannie Bay on Saturday. Olivia Kendal booted four-year-old gelding Ankle Rolex home for Johnston over 1600m (0-64) when the Ipswich-based apprentice made her Top End debut on December 30. Kendal is currently nursing a broken thumb, so the NT trainer has secured the services of Brisbane apprentice…
Mishani Hercules scratched from Magic Millions 2YO Classic
In a recent development, Mishani Hercules, trained by Les Ross, has been withdrawn from Saturday’s Magic Millions 2YO Classic at the Gold Coast Turf Club. The decision came after veterinary examinations revealed lameness in the horse’s near foreleg. Les Ross concurred with the diagnosis and opted not to seek a re-examination tomorrow morning. Ongoing veterinary checks for other Magic Millions runners are currently underway. No deductions are to be made in betting markets with top horse racing bookmakers following the scratching of Mishani Hercules. Spirited from the Chris Munce yard…