Doody gets off to hot start at Manawatu

By Brigette Solomon  It was a cracking start to the day for local Palmerston North trainer Stephen Doody who took out the first two races of today’s Manawatu meeting. “It was a good day, they all went pretty well and a couple should be well placed for next week after today’s runs,” said Doody. In the first event of the day Doody trained and drove Johnny Who to win the Matt Hickey Club Patron Handicap Trot over 2500 metres. “He’s gone pretty good today and it helped that a few…

10 out of 10 performance from Mo’unga at Kaikoura

By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk  For a horse named after an All Black first five, Mo’unga produced a 10 out of 10 performance in this afternoon’s Alabar Kaikoura Cup. The Bettor’s Delight five-year-old made it nine wins from just 21 starts and put himself  very much in the frame for a IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup call up at Addington Raceway next Tuesday. Trained by Regan Todd and driven by Robbie Close, Mo’unga started well and went to the lead before getting the perfect trail behind Tact McLeod.…

Mystic Max wins South Bay Trotters Cup again

Mystic Max has gone back-to-back in the day’s feature trot at Kaikoura. The Michael Purdon owned and trained five-year old led soon after the start of the Group 3 $60,000 White Morph South Bay Trotters Cup Handicap Trot and never seriously looked in danger of being run down. “He’s jogged it,” said commentator Matt Cross as Mystic Max won the Cup for the second year in a row. It was his ninth win in 41 starts. Remarkably Mystic Max’s last win was the in the same race last year.  He…

Swayzee poised to defend NZ Cup crown

By Adam Hamilton  In the most extraordinary of twists, star Aussie pacer Swayzee is set to return to defend his $1m IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup crown at Addington next Tuesday. Uncertainty over long-time favourite and Swayzee’s half-brother Leap To Fame’s trip, prompted the stunning change of plans by trainer Jason Grimson. Grimson confirmed he and owner Mick Boots would make the required $NZ28,500 late entry fee for Swayzee before cut-off time for the final acceptance payment tomorrow (Tuesday). Adding to the theatre, Swayzee will race in the $60,000 Cherry…

Athabascan scratched from Melbourne Cup after health concerns

Athabascan has been scratched from the 2024 Melbourne Cup due to heart rhythm issue With the 2024 Melbourne Cup less then 24 hours away the big $8.56 million race faced a setback as Athabascan was pulled out from the 3200 metre Lexus Melbourne Cup due, to a heart rhythm issue identified by Racing Victorias veterinarians during pre race checks. During the inspection process, by RV veterinarians the horse trained by John O’Shea and Tom Charlton revealed an unusual heartbeat anomaly. The ECG reports and blood test findings were shared with…

Neds.com.au Melbourne Cup promotions and betting offers 2024

Top Melbourne Cup bookmaker for Aussies! Neds Australia is offering a swag of Melbourne Cup promotions, plus in-depth betting markets, telephone betting and much more. Join Neds Neds.com.au is one of the most prominent Australian online bookmakers, and they have a bevy of Melbourne Cup promotions and an outstanding selection of odds on the race that stops the nation. Neds Melbourne Cup promotions don’t just include the main feature, with their offers a great way to enhance your overall Flemington betting experience on Tuesday, November 5. This year Neds is…

Neds.com.com Melbourne Cup promotions and betting offers 2024

Top Melbourne Cup bookmaker for Aussies! Neds Australia is offering a swag of Melbourne Cup promotions, plus in-depth betting markets, telephone betting and much more. Join Neds Neds.com.au is one of the most prominent Australian online bookmakers, and they have a bevy of Melbourne Cup promotions and an outstanding selection of odds on the race that stops the nation. Neds Melbourne Cup promotions don’t just include the main feature, with their offers a great way to enhance your overall Flemington betting experience on Tuesday, November 5. This year Neds is…

Group Three homecoming for Wolfgang

Fresh off a pleasing Melbourne campaign, the Peter and Shaun McKay-trained Wolfgang (NZ) (Puccini) will head to Ellerslie on Tuesday where he will contest the Gr.3 Balmerino Stakes (2000m). The six-year-old son of Puccini finished sixth in the Gr.2 Herber Power Stakes (2400m) before running fourth in the Gr.3 Geelong Cup (2400m), and has thrived since returning to New Zealand. “I was intending to put him out for three or four days, but first day out he started bucking and kicking and carrying on, so he came straight back in…

Antrim Coast kicking off big week for Oaks

The well-renowned colours of The Oaks Stud will feature across two feature Trans-Tasman meetings this week, kicking off with Antrim Coast (NZ) (Roc De Cambes) lining up in the Listed Furphy Plate (1800m) on Melbourne Cup Day at Flemington. A homebred son of resident sire Roc De Cambes, Antrim Coast flourished in the latter stages of his three-year-old term, finishing second to Orchestral in the Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) before winning the Gr.2 Alistair Clark Stakes (2040m) and finishing fourth in the Gr.1 South Australian Derby (2500m). Antrim Coast…

Walker vying for another Cup Day success at Flemington

Last year’s Melbourne Cup Day concluded in success for Mark Walker in the Gr.3 Hong Kong Jockey Club Stakes (1400m), a race he will chase back-to-back crowns in on Tuesday with Kiwi mare Quintessa (NZ) (Shamus Award). Walker won the mare’s feature with Group One winner Skew Wiff, a memory he looks back on fondly. “It’s massive to win any race on Melbourne Cup Day, the atmosphere is electric with 100,000 people there, so it would be nice to get a winner this year if we can,” he said. Walker…