While an Australian campaign is enticing for the connections of Avantage (Fastnet Rock), Te Akau principal David Ellis and trainer Jamie Richards have elected to keep the multiple Group One winner in New Zealand for now. The five-year-old mare has won five of her nine starts this season, all at Group level, and placed in her other four starts, including three times runner-up to stablemate Melody Belle (NZ) (Commands) at Group One level, most recently in the Gr.1 Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes (2000m) at Ellerslie on Saturday. “It was a…
Month: March 2021
Jason Teaz’s tips for Manawatu
Form analyst Jason Teaz gives us a detailed race by race breakdown of today’s meeting at Manawatu (Tuesday). Racing starts at 4.03pm. Race 1 4 Get On The Sauce9 Gazza Galleon7 Mackali8 Ardee Trouble GET ON THE SAUCE is only a maiden but gets at least a 30m head start on the race winners which is huge. Hasn’t raced since running second at the early December two day meeting. Qualified at two and is still getting his head around the stand starts but if he trots he wins.GAZZA GALLEON outclassed…
Gotham Duke to prove a Shepparton Cup superhero?
Form expert The Watchdog has nigh hopes about the prospects of Gotham Duke in the G2 C.K.H Painting Shepparton Cup (450m) ahead of Monday night’s heats. Mel Lithgow’s speedster will face off against series favourite Catch The Thief and Tasmanian sensation Wynburn Sheean in the third heat at 8.26pm, however he is in exceptional form and he has the advantage of box one. “Box one will be a huge key for Gotham Duke. He’s been placed in all four tries from that draw. He has got genuine early speed and…
MASTER OF ‘SUSPENSE’?
There’s a ‘feeling of suspense’ when a ‘fab four’ head up the straight at Healesville. And The Watchdog has singled out one of the quartet could make his rivals ‘jittery’. He’s won five from nine (56%) over the 350m trip, with a blistering 18.86sec PB. But the form expert also says the competition will be hot – especially from another star who has won 10 from 14 and also loves Healesville. Who will be the ‘master of suspense’? Click on today’s ‘Daily Mail’ to discover more on this dramatic clash.
Ellis living the ‘Naki dream
By Joshua Smith, Harness News Desk Brodie Ellis injected a dose of youth into the Central Districts training ranks two years ago when taking out his license as a fresh-faced 21-year-old, and he has no intention of leaving the region any time soon. While his colours are yet to enter the winner’s circle, Ellis said he is having the time of his life living out his dream as a harness racing trainer. He caught the racing bug off his great uncle, the late Keith Chittenden, a stalwart of the harness…
Punt Drunk: Get set everybody for a huge week of Group 1 racing
Punt Drunk Daily – March 15, 2021 Usually Mondays can well and truly get in the bin, but we have six – yes, six – Group 1 races to look forward to this week. After the weekend that was with that nail-biting finish in the All Star Mile and some good results on the punt, we are more than ready for what is to come. We will keep today’s edition of #PuntDrunk short and sweet. Truly Great passes away TRULY GREAT takes the Kingston Town Classic! A sixth win for…
Pomare thinking ahead with Ocean Billy
Johnathan Parkes and Ocean Billy are well clear approaching the winning post at Ellerslie. Photo Credit: Trish Dunell While he is still coming to terms with winning the first Group One of his training career, Rotorua’s Bill Pomare knows he could have some big decisions to make with his stable star Ocean Billy. Pomare was enjoying a few quiet moments on Sunday afternoon as he reflected on an amazing journey with the Ocean Park five-year-old that saw him take out the Group 1 Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Cup (3200m) at…
‘Thief’ steals the show with cracking Shepparton Cup heat win
Champion trainer Jason Thompson may have found an ‘elusive’ fifth Group 2 Shepparton Cup (450m) winner. Catch The Thief, a recent acquisition to his all-conquering Pearcedale kennel, ‘stole the show’ with a sensational heat performance tonight, and he has come up with box 2 in Saturday’s $67,000 final. Okay, he wasn’t quite the fastest heat winner. But the way he ‘pinched’ the race suggested he’s the one to ‘catch’ in Saturday night’s $47,000 to-the-winner final. He was TAB’s ‘All In’ $5 favourite prior to the heats. Contesting Heat 3, Catch…
Goodwood target for Alfa Oro
Promising sprinter Alfa Oro (NZ) (Bachelor Duke) will get the chance to prove himself at Group One level this autumn with trainer Matt Laurie eyeing a trip to Adelaide. The five-year-old son of Bachelor Duke has long been considered a rising star, but is yet to taste success in stakes company. His only attempt in that grade, a fourth in the Gr.2 Caulfield Sprint (1000m) came when he had come to the end of his preparation according to his conditioner. Laurie is hoping that will change this preparation with Alfa…
New Zealand Oaks likely for Tokorangi
The Ballymore Stables of Michael Moroney and Pam Gerard are likely to be represented by two runners in Saturday’s Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks (2400m), headed by Group Two-winning filly Tokorangi (NZ) (Redwood) and her Group Three-placed stablemate Dragon Queen. There had been some consideration to bypassing the Oaks with Tokorangi and focusing on Sydney, but the $10 Oaks chance now looks a strong chance to take her place at Trentham. Tokorangi finished a luckless seventh in the Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) and has pleased since.…