Month: November 2024

George Simon celebrates memorable double

NZHarnessNews

By Joshua Smith, Trackside.co.nz Last week will live long in the memory of northern race caller George Simon. On New Zealand Trotting Cup Day at Addington Raceway, he became a Group One-winning standardbred breeder when Marketplace took out the Woodlands Stud Sires’ Stakes Series Final (1980m), and four days later he called Talentoso, who he bred and part-owns with his wife Maryanne, to victory at Tauranga. “It was an unbelievable week,” Simon said. “I was calling Te Aroha last Tuesday and I just sat in the commentary box and watched…

HRNZ’s Owner and Breeder for October

NZHarnessNews

Every month HRNZ picks at random an owner and breeder of the month. The only proviso is that their horse must have won a race during the month. For October Josh Lester was given the owner’s award after Brother Love’s win at Addington on October 3 while breeder of the month was Alan Edge, after Off The Edge’s win at Addington on October 16. Owner of the month : Josh Lester It’s rare for Josh Lester not to be at the races to urge his horse home but he wasn’t…

Industry heartened by Cup week figures

NZHarnessNews

  A detailed review will be held into New Zealand Cup week with industry leaders saying initial signs have been largely positive. The sport’s biggest week wound up on Friday after the Cup and Show Day races at Addington and Ashburton’s “meeting of emerging talent” on Thursday. “We knew Show day needed a good shake up and what was delivered was fantastic,” says New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club Chair John Hartnell, “and the turnover on Friday reflected that.” Turnover was $4.3m on 13 races on Show Day Twilight, up by…

Macandrew Markup goes back to back at Winton

NZHarnessNews

By Jonny Turner  Success on and off the track continued for Southland breeder-owner Megan Reidie when Macandrew Markup completed back-to-back wins at Winton on Sunday. The pacer had run into all sorts of bad luck before breaking through at Wyndham a week prior.  Macandrew Markup then showed his fortunes had completely turned around when scoring again in the Winton’s Middle Pub Mobile Pace for Reidie’s partner, trainer Jeremy Douglas, with his son Hayden in the sulky.   “He had been knocked over a couple of times and had plenty of…

Countdown to NZB’s 2024 Ready to Run Sale

NZRacingDesk

New Zealand Bloodstock’s 2024 Ready to Run Sale is just moments away, set to take place on 20 and 21 November at the iconic Karaka Sales Centre. Inspections and parades and well and truly underway, and the grounds are busy with many guests also staying onsite at the DoubleTree by Hilton Karaka hotel situated just a minutes’ walk from the complex. Various international buyers will be met by an astute line up of Kiwi judges to provide strong competition in the sale ring, all looking to secure their next champion from…

Stakes victory a tonic for Hennessy

NZRacingDesk

The past year has been a tough one for Matamata horseman Gary Hennessy, but he got plenty of satisfaction out of watching Mystic Park (NZ) (Ocean Park) take out Saturday’s Listed Stewards’ Stakes (1200m) at Riccarton.  Hennessy bred the five-year-old gelding, who is by his five-time Group One winner and Gr.1 Cox Plate (2040m) hero Ocean Park, and out of unraced Dubawi mare Spirit of Karlu.  “It was terrific. I have followed him all the way through, and I have his dam set to foal any day to Ocean Emperor,”…

Rising stars recognised at regional apprentice awards

NZRacingDesk

New Zealand has an exciting group of apprentice jockeys coming through the ranks, and last season’s standout performers were recently recognised at the Northern, Central Districts and South Island Apprentice Awards. On Monday night, the Milan Park Northern Apprentice Jockey Awards acknowledged the achievements of the region’s rising stars, with Niranjan Parmar awarded the Premier Apprentice Jockey Award as the highest-achieving Northern apprentice on the premiership table. Parmar, who was apprenticed to Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson, recorded 50 winners last term, finishing second to Lily Sutherland in the premiership.…

Simon celebrates memorable double

NZRacingDesk

Last week will live long in the memory of northern race caller George Simon. On New Zealand Trotting Cup Day at Addington Raceway, he became a Group One-winning standardbred breeder when Marketplace took out the Woodlands Stud Sires’ Stakes Series Final (1980m), and four days later he called Talentoso, who he bred and part-owns with his wife Maryanne, to victory at Tauranga. “It was an unbelievable week,” Simon said. “I was calling Te Aroha last Tuesday and I just sat in the commentary box and watched the race from Addington…

World Pool to arrive in NZ in early 2025

AAP

Ellerslie is set to host two World Pool meetings in early 2025. Photo: Nicole Troost In a coup for the New Zealand racing industry, the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) have announced the arrival of World Pool to two New Zealand thoroughbred meetings in early 2025. In an unprecedented development for the New Zealand racing industry, the Karaka Millions meeting at Ellerslie in Auckland on January 25 will be the first of the two World Pool meetings in New Zealand, with the second taking place on the newly created Champions…

Happy Valley racing preview, tips & quaddie | Wednesday 20/11

AAP

What Happy Valley Races Where Happy Valley Racecourse – Wong Nai Chung Rd, Happy Valley, Hong Kong When Wednesday, November 20, 2024 First Race 6:40pm HKT (9:40pm AEDT) Visit Dabble The bright lights of Happy Valley Racecourse await punters on Wednesday evening, with a bumper nine-race program set for decision. The rail is in the C course for the meeting, and although there is some light rainfall expected to hit the course proper, it shouldn’t deteriorate from the current Good 4 rating. All the action is scheduled to get underway…