Month: February 2024

Sandown races free preview & quaddie tips | February 21, 2024

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What Sandown Lakeside Races Where Sandown Racecourse – 591-659 Princes Hwy, Springvale VIC 3171 When Wednesday, February 21, 2024 First Race 3:40pm AEDT Visit Dabble Wednesday afternoon brings metropolitan racing back to Sandown’s Lakeside track in Victoria. With a delightful summer’s day on the forecast, the track is tipped to start off in Good 4 track condition with the possibility of an upgrade later in the day. The rail will be positioned 6m out along the entire circuit, with the action set to kick off at 3:40pm AEDT. Best Bet…

Wednesday’s Ascot racing preview & quaddie | February 21, 2024

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What Ascot Races Where Ascot Racecourse – 71 Grandstand Rd, Ascot WA 6104 When Wednesday, February 21, 2024 First Race 12:02pm AWST Visit Dabble Due to the meeting being postponed on Sunday, the Listed Challenge Stakes will now headline a massive 12-part program on Wednesday afternoon at Ascot Racecourse. With Perth going through a historic heatwave, the track is expected to be firm and remain in the Good range for the whole day. The rail has been pushed out to the +12m position for the entire circuit, which should play…

Dean Jones appointed as Alice Springs’ new race-caller

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The Alice Springs Turf Club has appointed Dean Jones (right) as its fulltime race-caller. He has extensive experience when it comes to calling harness racing and the greyhounds, but Dean Jones is now getting used to life as the new race-caller in Alice Springs. Jones has called the last four meetings at Pioneer Park, which included Saturday’s program, after debuting on January 14. Well known throughout Queensland, Jones decided to relocate to the Northern Territory to start a new chapter in his life — much to the relief of the…

Van Lierdes enjoy ideal cross-code weekend

NZRacingDesk

Cambridge couple Maxim and Samantha van Lierde celebrated a successful cross-code weekend, with victories in both the show jumping arena and the racetrack. Maxim, who currently trains a 10-strong team of gallopers, enjoyed an early double at New Plymouth last Friday, with Annetarz and Gentian Blue breaking maiden status with comfortable victories over 2000m and 1400m respectively under Tegan Newman. “It was a massive thrill for the whole team, we’ve had these horses for a number of years now so for them to finally be mature enough to put it…

Velocious to chase NZB Kiwi bonus

NZRacingDesk

Syndicator Go Racing are looking for their standout juvenile Velocious to become the first The NZB Kiwi (1500m) bonus eligible horse in the coming weeks. On top of the $3.5 million prizemoney on offer in the inaugural running of the slot race, there is also $1 million in bonuses up for grabs, and to be eligible for a share of the bonus pool, a horse must win one of the various bonus eligible races on offer in New Zealand and/or Australia, and also run a top three placing in The…

Guineas likely target for Aquilifer

NZRacingDesk

Trainer Sam Mynott and owner Ben Kwok are forming quite the formidable partnership. Singapore-based Kwok has enjoyed success with the Mynott-trained Imwonderfultonight, who has placed in the Listed Stewards’ Stakes (1200m) and Gr.3 Concorde Handicap (1200m), and the pair could have another handy galloper on their hands. Three-year-old filly Aquilifer carried Kwok’s silks to her second win from four starts when victorious in the Bay Ford Handicap (1400m) at Hasting on Sunday. The daughter of Charm Spirit was caught in a three-way speed duel early on, however, when the lead…

Thurlow after another Auckland Cup

NZRacingDesk

Waverley trainer Bill Thurlow claimed the Auckland Cup (3200m) with his top stayer Glory Days in 2019, and five years on he is daring to dream of adding another to his mantle. While the race no longer holds the elite-level status it did in his first triumph, Thurlow is still keen to claim New Zealand’s top two-mile prize with Whangaehu following his dominant performance in the AFFCO NZ Ltd Wairoa Cup (2100m) at Hastings on Sunday. From his outside gate, Swedish jockey Per-Anders Graberg made a beeline for the fence…

Vale Verry Elleegant

NZRacingDesk

The Australasian racing industry are in mourning after the news of the passing of 11-time Group One winner Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed) when foaling in France. By Grangewilliam Stud stallion Zed, Verry Elleegant was bred by Don Goodwin out of his Danroad mare Opulence, who he purchased as a broodmare prospect for $14,000 off South Auckland horseman Nicholas Bishara at Karaka. It came full circle for Bishara, and he was pleased to take on her progeny, including Verry Elleegant, to educate and subsequently train. Verry Elleegant showed immense talent from…

Hawkesbury races preview & betting tips | Wednesday, February 21

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What Hawkesbury Races Where Hawkesbury Race Club – 1 Racecourse Rd, Clarendon NSW 2756 When Wednesday, February 21, 2024 First Race 1:45pm AEDT Visit Dabble Racing returns to the Greater Western Sydney region of NSW on Wednesday as Hawkesbury gets set to host a bumper eight-race program scheduled for 1:45pm local time. The rail remains in the true position throughout the entire circuit, and with some scattered showers forecast in the lead-up, the deteriorating conditions are likely to continue based on the Soft 6 rating at the time of writing.…

Racing world mourns loss of champion mare Verry Elleegant

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Verry Elleegant winning 2021 Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m). Photo: Bruno Cannatelli Champion racehorse Verry Elleegant, a figure in racing, tragically passed away while giving birth in France, leaving the racing community in mourning. The exceptional Melbourne Cup winner had ventured to Europe 18 months ago to explore opportunities with renowned trainer Francis Henri Graffard. Despite her efforts on the track, Verry Elleegant concluded her career after four races without a win, leading her owners to choose the esteemed stallion Sea The Stars as her first mate for breeding. Verry…