Lightly raced three-year-old Tinker Mcphee dented a number of reputations at Matamata on Saturday when she sprinted clear of her rivals in the closing stages of her maiden 1200m contest to register a four-length victory. Punters had expected Savabeel colt Brando to dominate his rivals off the back of four consecutive trial victories but the $1.30 favourite was left floundering in the wake of the Nostradamus filly after setting a strong tempo, with the race run in a slick 1:09.73. The win was just reward for the stable who have…
Year: 2020
O’Sullivan gains satisfaction from sprint victory
Trainer Lance O’Sullivan was beaming after former top juvenile Summer Passage made a welcome return to the winner’s enclosure at Matamata on Saturday, when striding clear in a rating 74 1200m contest. O’Sullivan, who prepares the Snitzel gelding in partnership with Andrew Scott, was brimming with confidence before the race having labelled the former top juvenile as a near certainty based on his recent trackwork and an impressive run over 1000m at the Rotorua trials last month. “We’re chuffed as it is just fantastic to have him back and winning…
NZ Racing and Breeding News – 11 October 2020
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AUDIO: Michael McNab
Andrew Bensley speaks with winning rider Michael McNab after his success aboard Supreme Heights
Matamata mare reigns supreme at Hawera
Matamata mare Supreme Heights added a second stakes victory to her burgeoning record when she took out Saturday’s Gr.3 Wyndspelle Grangewilliam Stud Taranaki Breeders Stakes (1400m) at Hawera. The Mark Brosnan-trained five-year-old had given an emphatic display of front running when taking out a Group Three contest at New Plymouth at her last start and repeated the dose on Saturday in similar fashion. Rider Michael McNab took over the reins on the mare from the suspended Sam Collett but adopted the same game plan as he went straight to the…
Tavi Mac takes Matamata Cup
Popular equine star Tavi Mac provided his many followers with another thrilling performance when he dashed away with the feature race at Matamata on Saturday, the Listed Team Wealleans Matamata Cup (1400m). The uniquely proportioned Tavistock gelding, who is often referred to as the equine sausage dog, carried clear topweight of 59kgs in the event but gave no indication that the impost was in any way a hindrance as he bolted clear in the run home to win by more than three lengths from local runners Hay Tiger and Burgundy…
Selections | Methven 11 October
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Big Fish, Little Fish – Methven 11 October
Methven Cup made for Wild Excuse
By Jonny Turner Wild Excuse will not simply step quietly in to the big leagues when she starts in the Group 3 Methven Cup on Sunday. The tough running five-year-old will take on top class open class pacers for the first time when she clashes with New Zealand Cup favourites and 30m backmarkers, Self Assured and Spankem, in the 3000m grass track staying test. The toughness Wild Excuse is known for was on full display in her last start victory at Addington when she dug deep to fight off Belmont…
Methven Insights from the Club
The local is counting the hours to Methven‘s biggest day of the year when all the locals get to see some of harness racing’s best horseflesh live at the Mt. Harding course on Sunday, with the features being the Alabar Methven Cup and the What The Hill Mares Trot. So here’s the way he sees it on Methven’s big day. Race 1 -A roughie in Art Collector who is steadily improving for Warren Stapleton to overcome a second line draw to beat stablemate Iron Woman with Caballe Beach to round…