Shrewd observers may have noticed a discrepancy between the moving vision and the photo finish in Race 2 at The Meadows on 26 September. Vision of the race shows a magpie flying in the opposite direction to which the greyhounds were running as they crossed the finish line (see image above), yet the photo finish (below) shows the magpie travelling in the same direction as the dogs. Callan Brook, of Brook Group, the organisation behind the FinishLynx Photofinish system, has provided an explanation. “The FinishLynx Photofinish cameras are what is…
Year: 2020
Two-up Toms?
Here’s an AFL/Greys opportunity that looks a safer bet than a ‘throw of the pennies’. TAB is offering $3.00 about Geelong spearhead Tom “Tomahawk” Hawkins kicking 2+ goals against Brisbane tonight and Heathcote-based sprinter Two Up Thommo placing at The Meadows greyhounds. This year’s Coleman medallist, Hawkins has bagged 46 goals in 19 matches (an average of 2.4 goals per game) this season. The Cats big man has also averaged 12.5 disposals and 5.6 marks per match. Meanwhile, the Raymond Henness-trained Two Up Thommo is contesting a $5280-to-the-winner Grade 5…
Lightning strikes twice with Opal Beach
While Lang Lang trainer John Jarkis only has four greyhounds in work he will head to The Meadows on Saturday with two last-start city winners at opposite ends of their careers. Ex-Queenslander Opal Beach, a 71-start veteran, will be striving to open his Meadows account, while up-and-comer Joyful will be chasing back-to-back victories at the venue when she faces the starter for just the thirteenth time. The speedy Opal Beach had 47 of his first 49 starts in Queensland before relocating to Victoria earlier in the year, following the trail…
Wise Men Say retired
The curtain has come down on the racing career of top jumper Wise Men Say. It was fitting that his last run was in the Great Northern Steeplechase (6400m), a race he has won on two previous occasions, however trainer Raymond Connors was hoping for a better outcome. The 11-year-old gelding misjudged a fence and fell, signaling the end of a stellar jumping career. He won nine races on the track, including seven steeple victories, while he also won over hurdles and on the flat. Connors was disappointed in the…
Autridge eyes Cup week gold
Stephen Autridge reckons his team is on track to make owner Kevin Hickman’s New Zealand Cup week a memorable one. Autridge, along with his training partner Kris Shailer, is private trainer for Valachi Downs principal Hickman, the Christchurch businessman whose aim is always to optimise his success over the biggest week of racing in his home city. Autridge and Shailer will produce three runners on Saturday that look on track to be contenders in separate New Zealand Cup Week features at Riccarton. Gr.1 Barneswood Farm 48th New Zealand 1000 Guineas…
McDonald amped for Cox Plate ride
Expat New Zealand jockey James McDonald may have failed to regain his ride aboard star Kiwi mare Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed) for the Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) but he is looking forward to riding her compatriot in another Group One feature this weekend. The leading Sydney hoop will partner the Chris Waller-trained Kolding (NZ) in the Gr.1 Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley on Saturday where the Ocean Park gelding has drawn gate 10 in the 14 horse field. Kolding has won his last two assignments, including the Gr.1 George…
Guineas hopes on trial for Marsh
Dual-Island trainer Stephen Marsh is looking forward to Saturday where he will be lining-up progressive gallopers at both the Te Rapa and Riccarton meetings. In the north, he will saddle a trio of promising three-year-olds who are on trial to head to Christchurch next month for Guineas targets. Bourbonaire (NZ) (Darci Brahma) and All Black Bourbon (NZ) (Highly Recommended) will contest the Gr.2 James and Annie Sarten Memorial Stakes (1400m) and Marsh is taking a fair bit of confidence into the race with the former after his runner-up performance behind…
Delbridge counting on Ballarat dozen
In-form husband-and-wife training team Mark and Lisa Delbridge look certain to make their presence felt at Ballarat on Saturday night, with GRV’s Watchdog formguide predicting a huge five-winner haul from their 12 starters. “I hope they’re right!” Mark Delbridge quipped. It’s been a big week for the Balliang-based Delbridges, with Spring Hummer breaking the Horsham 410m record on Tuesday. They’re set to continue on their winning way at Ballarat with The Watchdog marking Chopper Bale (race 3), Zipping Burns (race 5), Zipping Imogen (race 7), Winlock Mungo (race 8) and…
Waller confirms Melbourne Cup jockeys
Caulfield Cup-winning jockey Mark Zahra has retained the mount on Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed) in the Melbourne Cup with James McDonald to ride stablemate Finche (Frankel). McDonald has been the Chris Waller-trained mare’s regular partner in Sydney but unable to travel freely due to COVID-19 restrictions, he has missed her past two starts in Victoria. Mark Zahra picked up the prized mount and made the most of the opportunity, guiding Verry Elleegant to successive Group One wins in the Turnbull Stakes and Caulfield Cup. With travel restrictions recently easing, McDonald…
Humidor ready for Cox Plate
Reinvigorated galloper Humidor (NZ) (Teofilo) has been given the tick of approval from jockey Craig Williams ahead of Saturday’s A$5 million Gr.1 Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley. Williams partnered the eight-year-old gelding at Tuesday’s Breakfast with the Best at Moonee Valley and was thrilled with the workout. “He is ready for Saturday’s race,” he said. “Basically, I was a passenger on his back this morning. I tried to control his work as Chris (Waller, trainer) and the stable foreman in Melbourne, Jo, asked me to do but he was…