Capitalising on a perfect run Major Jellis has been an upset winner of tonight’s feature race at Alexandra Park, with the IRT New Zealand Cup-bound Copy That finishing third. In a truly run Kerry Hoggard Memorial – Holmes DG over 2700m Major Jellis led with just over a lap to go before getting the trail behind stablemate Bad To The Bone. He then scooted up the passing lane for driver Joshua Dickie to win, paying $14.20. It was a Barry Purdon-Scott Phelan trained quinella, with Bad To The Bone second,…
Day: 22 October 2021
Miss Ezmae’s Meadows mission
Coming off a breathtaking last-start victory in the Group 2 Sydney Cup, star NSW stayer Miss Ezmae will hand much-hyped Victorian youngster Zac’s Entity the toughest test of his brief career at The Meadows on Saturday night. In a mouth-watering 725m appetizer to the G1 Hume Cup (600m) heats, Miss Ezmae and Zac’s Entity will clash in race 1 at 6.35pm, with TAB rating them joint $2 favourites. Trained by Ray Smith at Forbes, Miss Ezmae has made a sensational transition to middle and staying distances, winning nine of her…
Daily Mail: Classy Cup heats at Cranbourne
The Metro Festival of Racing begins this afternoon with six heats of the G2 Cranbourne Cup (520m) and The Watchdog has selected G1 finalist Hill Top Jack (15 from 41 – 3 from 6 Box 1) to triumph in an open third heat. Indy Matilda (4 of last 8), G2 winner Weblec Jet (2 from 4 Box 6), Xavien Bale and recent G2 Bendigo Cup runner-up Lots Of Chatter (30 from 84 – 5 from 9 Box 8) are all big threats to Hill Top Jack. The reigning G2 Cranbourne…
House Of Cartier to Feilding
Group Three winning mare House Of Cartier (Alamosa) will head to Saturday week’s Listed Feilding Gold Cup (2100m) at Awapuni after finishing a game fifth in the Gr.1 Livamol Classic (2040m) last weekend. The Peter Didham-trained daughter of Alamosa and top mare Shez Sinsational had been due to go to stud this season, however connections will mull it over after House Of Cartier closed in the fastest sectionals of the feature. “If we had drawn barrier six, instead of eight, we might have got Savy Yong Blonk’s run instead of…
Mav gets Cox Plate green light
Triple Group One winner Callsign Mav (NZ) (Atlante) has been cleared by Racing Victoria vets to contest Saturday’s Gr.1 Cox Plate (2040m) The John Bary-trained galloper had to undergo a last-minute inspection on Friday morning after showing signs of lameness in his left front leg on Thursday, and was passed fit to run. The stable removed the horse’s near front shoe overnight, treated the foot and replaced the shoe today (Friday) with the lameness now resolved. The news wasn’t so good for French import Gold Trip (Outstrip), who has been…
Soliloquy next step for Aris Aris
In-form rider Craig Grylls will partner promising filly Aris Aris (NZ) (Contributer) for Stephen Autridge and Kris Shailer in the Gr.3 Matamata Veterinary Services Soliloquy Stakes (1400m) at Matamata on Saturday as she builds towards the Gr.1 Barneswood Farm New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m). The daughter of Contributer has had just the two starts for a good win at Taupo over 1100m before finishing runner-up over 1200m to the highly-touted Pareanui Bay at Te Rapa last start. “That form from Te Rapa seems to be stacking up pretty well. She…
Mana Nui heads busy schedule for Ormsby
Preparing a select draft of Ready to Run two-year-olds while also managing the spring preparation of an exciting three-year-old talent, Matamata horseman Chad Ormsby has plenty on his plate over the next few weeks. A potential Australian campaign looms on the horizon for Mana Nui (NZ) (No Nay Never), who will line up as a $3.60 favourite in the Gr.2 James and Annie Sarten Memorial Stakes (1400m) at Te Rapa on Monday. Meanwhile, Ormsby is also putting the finishing touches on Riverrock Farm’s 10-horse draft for next month’s New Zealand…
New Consignors Anticipate NZB Ready to Run Sale – Pertab Racing
New Zealand Bloodstock’s Ready to Run Sale has delivered widespread name recognition and respect for a range of established consignors, and now a talented group of newcomers are keen to make a splash next month in their debut appearance at the world’s leading sale of two-year-olds. Having already proven his horsemanship skills in a very different field as a rodeo rider, Kurtis Pertab will offer nine two-year-olds in his inaugural Ready to Run Sale draft in 2021. Sires represented in his quality selection include Tivaci, Sacred Falls (NZ), Burgundy (NZ) and Tarzino (NZ). “I’ve been around horses all my life and…
Gold Watch set for Te Rapa return
Even though a spring setback has unfortunately ruled him out of next month’s Gr.2 Coupland’s Bakeries Mile (1600m) at Riccarton, owner-trainer Cliff Goss still has a lot to look forward to this season with his exciting five-year-old Gold Watch (NZ) (Swiss Ace). An impressive winner of all of his four starts last season, the chestnut son of Swiss Ace will make a welcome return to action in Monday’s Super Seth @ Waikato Stud 1400 at Te Rapa. The Hamilton track has been a happy hunting ground for Gold Watch, who…
Sense of timing about partnership’s prospects
A lengthy friendship that morphed into a successful racing association will be chasing further Group honours on Sunday when the genuine Times Ticking (NZ) (Tavistock) steps out at Trentham. The lightly-tried son of Tavistock has placed in both of his appearances this preparation and the six-year-old looms as a major chance in the Gr.3 Gee & Hickton Funeral Directors Thompson Handicap (1600m). Times Ticking is prepared at Opaki by Alby MacGregor, who races the gelding with co-breeder and former employee Vicky Lackner. “She’s an old family friend and rode work…
