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Month: November 2020
Robusto produces perfect New Zealand Cup trial
In-form stayer Robusto underlined her chances for next week’s Gr.3 Christchurch Casino New Zealand Cup (3200m) when she proved too good for her rivals in the Listed Nautical Boat Insurance Metropolitan Trophy (2500m), the traditional lead-up event to the two-mile carnival feature. Just ninety minutes after trainers Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman collected the trophy for the feature event on the programme, the Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m), with unbeaten there-year-old Aegon, they were back in the winner’s enclosure with the Zed six-year-old. Despite boasting…
Promising sprinter scores first stakes victory
Co-trainer Graeme Rogerson makes no secret of the high esteem that he holds for talented galloper Mascarpone. The flashy chestnut took another step to fulfilling his potential when he downed a handy field of sprinters in the Listed Legacy Lodge Sprint (1200m) at Te Rapa. The Shooting To Win four-year-old had disappointed slightly when finishing a well beaten third on a wet surface at Trentham last time out but bounced back to his best on Saturday with a dominant performance. Having his first ride on the Team Rogerson-trained galloper, jockey…
Flemington Group Three winner for Charm Spirit
Four-year-old gelding Sansom has fashioned a good winning record for trainer Phillip Stokes and it continued at Flemington on Saturday when leading throughout to score in the Gr.3 Network 10 Chatham Stakes (1400m). The son of Charm Spirit has won eight of 17 starts and advanced his total prizemoney earnings to A$408,320. Ridden by regular rider Ben Allen, Sansom had a short head to spare over Morvada and Adelaide raider Bold Star. “He’s going super. He’s just come back a stronger horse this time in. It’s a big thrill for…
Vale Phil Skerrett
Tributes are flowing in for Phil Skerrett, a mainstay at the Sandown Greyhound Racing Club for four decades. Phil worked in the kennel block area on race nights, with his welcoming smile leaving a lasting impression on many greyhound trainers. Sandown GRC Chairman, Neil Brown, said Phil would be sorely missed. “This comes as very sad news… what can you say about Phil? He was a very special man and an institution at Sandown,” Brown said. “He was loved by all and represented the club in the best possible way.…
Aegon lands 2000 Guineas in grandstand finish
In what was a carbon copy of the finish to the Gr.2 Hawke’s Bay Guineas (1400m) back in September, unbeaten three-year-old Aegon defeated Bourbonaire in a thrilling finish to the Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton. The Cambridge gallopers had fought out a terrific battle in the Hastings contest, that went in favour of Aegon and it was déjà vu on Saturday as the pair went to the line at Riccarton locked together. Once again, the photo-finish camera found a slight margin in favour…
Wekaforce too speedy in Pegasus Stakes
A patient ride from Lisa Allpress paved the way for dashing mare Wekaforce to take out Saturday’s Listed Brokerweb Risk Services Pegasus Stakes (1000m) at Riccarton. Allpress had combined with the Showcasing five-year-old twelve months earlier when the pair finished an unlucky sixth in the corresponding event after bungling the start and it looked like they were going to go down a similar path when the mare collided with stablemate and older sister Morweka shortly after the gates opened. Allpress didn’t panic and had Wekaforce quickly into her rhythm in…
Cup Day Form Guide
To mark the biggest day of the harness racing calendar we have produced a special Cup Day Form Guide. You can download your copy here to read or print it out to enjoy everything that is New Zealand Cup Day. The PDF is interactive so you can click on the page numbers in the contents list and it will take you to that page. It has some articles for you to peruse, and of course the fields for the feature races, including the New Zealand Cup at 5.34pm. Enjoy Cup week,…
More than just a name
Tommy Shelby is the West Australian greyhound who is doing great things on and off the track. Saturday night will see Tommy Shelby, who is named after the leading character in the popular Netflix series, Peaky Blinders, go head-to-head with a hand-selected field in the Group 1 TAB Topgun at The Meadows. If he is to win the $150,000 first prize, connections will donate $7,500 to Movember, not only raising money but also awareness for men’s health. Tommy’s donations won’t stop there, for the month of November five per cent…
Sam McClure relishes the role of the expectant fur-father
Ah, the pitter patter of tiny little feet around the house. The promise of something new and exciting, cute and cuddly.