By Adam Hamilton Master driver Anthony Butt thinks his only real hope of winning Saturday night’s stellar $1 million Miracle Mile (11.45pm) is to be aggressive and daring. It is something Butt is good at and ultimately, it is the only reason he qualified emerging Kiwi pacer Tact McLeod for a start in the strongest Miracle Mile this century. Butt blasted Tact McLeod out from a wide draw in the strongest of last Saturday night’s two qualifiers and miraculously found a spot behind the leader Merlin before being shuffled to…
Year: 2025
Still “Rockn” after all these years
By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk She’s the gift that keeps giving. On Tuesday at Cambridge 10-year-old mare Highview Rockn Roll made it career win number 10 when she took out the Wednesday Quiz Night At the Clubhouse Handicap Trot. Coincidentally she’s also had 10 seconds and 10 thirds as well from 82 career starts. “She’s bred to pace but she trots good,” says trainer Donald Cossey, “she’s only small but she’s tough.” Making her efforts all the more noteworthy is that the Rock N Roll Heaven mare didn’t…
Mini Brightside Gears Up for Toughest Challenge
Rise At Dawn’s (NZ) (Almanzor) rapid emergence through the ranks is eerily similar to that of glamour stablemate Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars), according to co-trainer Ben Hayes, who has dubbed the All-Star Mile aspirant Lindsay Park’s ‘mini-Brightside’ ahead of their Group 1 clash on Saturday at Flemington. Rise At Dawn has won eight of his 13 starts, including his past four on end, and booked his place in the $2.5 million race with a first-up win in the Listed Elms Stakes (1400m) at Flemington. He has shortened from $51 into…
VIDEO: Kiwi Close Up with Jayne Ivil
Randwick Guineas 2025 Group 1 preview & tips | Saturday, March 8
What 2025 Randwick Guineas Where Royal Randwick Racecourse – Sydney, NSW When Saturday, March 8, 2025 Prizemoney $1,000,000 Distance 1600m Conditions Group 1, Set Weights 2024 winner Celestial Legend (11) | T: Les Bridge | J: Kerrin McEvoy (56.5kg) Visit Dabble The time-honoured Group 1 Randwick Guineas (1600m) headlines the action at Royal Randwick Racecourse on Saturday afternoon, with a quality field of nine three-year-olds set to battle it out over the $1 million prize. Seven of the nine runners engaged come through the Group 2 Hobartville Stakes (1400m) on…
Hometown assignments for Thurlow before big dance
Whangaehu will contest Saturday’s $1 million Group 1 Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes (2000m) at Ellerslie. Photo: Peter Rubery (Race Images Palmerston North) Bill Thurlow is hoping to be the toast of his home track on Thursday before trekking north to Champions Day at Ellerslie with Whangaehu, his contender in the $1 million Group 1 Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes (2000m). The Waverley horseman will be represented by half a dozen runners at the mid-week meeting, including impressive last-start maiden winner Champagne Linda. The daughter of Darci Brahma had been knocking on…
Super Saturday Connects Racing Across the Tasman
Super Saturday is now a trans-Tasman affair with the inaugural NZ$3.5million Kiwi slot race joining Flemington’s pair of Group 1s, the All-Star Mile and Newmarket Handicap, this weekend. The Kiwi market is dominated by Australians, featuring Lindsay Park-trained Evaporate (NZ) (Per Incanto), which is currently favourite at $2.70, ahead of the Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained Public Attention (NZ) (Written Tycoon). Bjorn Baker and OTI Racing have also combined with Perfumist (NZ) (El Roca) for the race, while Blake Shinn will skip the Victorian meeting to ride on the…
Thurlow Targets Hometown Assignments Before Big Dance
Bill Thurlow is hoping to be the toast of his home track on Thursday before trekking north to Champions Day at Ellerslie with Whangaehu (NZ) (Proisir), his contender in the $1 million Gr.1 Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes (2000m). The Waverley horseman will be represented by half a dozen runners at the mid-week meeting, including impressive last-start maiden winner Champagne Linda (NZ) (Darci Brahma). The daughter of Darci Brahma had been knocking on the door throughout her career, and after coming back a stronger mare at four, she will be out…
Leading Australian Syndicator Sets Sights on NZ’s Richest Prize
New Zealand has been a great source of thoroughbred talent for leading Australian syndicator OTI Racing, and on Champions Day at Ellerslie this Saturday they are aiming to secure New Zealand’s richest prize. Their silks will be carried in the inaugural running of the $3.5 million NZB Kiwi (1500m) by New Zealand-bred filly Perfumist (NZ) (El Roca), who OTI purchased in collaboration with trainer Bjorn Baker, Phill Cataldo Bloodstock and Clarke Bloodstock, out of Westbury Stud’s 2023 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale draft for $190,000. She has gone…
Leading Aussie syndicator looking to plunder NZ’s richest prize
Perfumist will represent OTI Racing in Saturday’s $3.5 million NZB Kiwi (1500m) at Ellerslie. Photo: Bradley Photos New Zealand has been a great source of thoroughbred talent for leading Australian syndicator OTI Racing, and on Champions Day at Ellerslie this Saturday they are aiming to secure New Zealand’s richest prize. Their silks will be carried in the inaugural running of the $3.5 million NZB Kiwi (1500m) by New Zealand-bred filly Perfumist, who OTI purchased in collaboration with trainer Bjorn Baker, Phill Cataldo Bloodstock and Clarke Bloodstock, out of Westbury Stud’s…