With Karaka 2022 sandwiched between two stellar days of racing at Ellerslie, Mark Chitty is set to be a very busy man over the next 10 days. Chitty is the managing director of Haunui Farm, who will offer another quality consignment of 27 yearlings in Book 1 and 35 in Book 2. But he is also the deputy chairman of Auckland Thoroughbred Racing, who are staging the Gr.1 Vodafone New Zealand Derby (2400m) on Saturday and the Gr.2 Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Cup (3200m) the following Sunday. “It’s fair to…
Month: March 2022
Blamey key for Inspirational Girl
The long and winding road to The All-Star Mile finally reaches that critical fork-in-the-road on Saturday for Western Australian star Inspirational Girl (NZ) (Reliable Man), who is primed to peak in the Gr.2 Blamey Stakes (1600m) at Flemington. “It’s nice that we’ve got there at last,” a somewhat relieved owner/breeder Bob Peters said of the Blamey. “It’s been her only way into the race (All-Star Mile) as she’s had a few setbacks along the way but she’s good now, so she gets her chance.” Peters explained that he and trainer…
McKenzie ready to pass TAB baton
When Dean McKenzie completes the formal hand-over to new TAB CEO Mike Tod in the next fortnight, he isn’t quite sure exactly what he is going to do next. For the past three and a half years McKenzie has been consumed with leading the reform process initiated by the then Minister for Racing, the Rt. Hon Winston Peters back in 2018, to remodel, reinvigorate and revitalise a Racing Industry that appeared to be headed on a downward spiral that could ultimately see its demise. A slew of problems had emerged…
Thornton on a Derby mission
After experiencing the highest of highs and deepest of lows at Ellerslie over the years, on Saturday Trudy Thornton will be on a mission to claim one of racing’s biggest prizes at the country’s premier track. The 58-year-old, who began her career as an amateur jumps jockey in 1982, is set to ride Arjay’s Flight (NZ) (Highly Recommended) in the Gr.1 Vodafone New Zealand Derby (2400m), confident he has the credentials to shake off his maiden status in style. The Mark Brosnan-trained gelding brings impressive form into the classic –…
Nagy having a ‘whale’ of a time
Traralgon trainer Steve Nagy is hopeful staying surprise packet Orca’s magical run during the Australian Cup Carnival will continue at Saturday night’s Premier Racing meeting at The Meadows. Hungarian-born Nagy, 62, has enjoyed the ride of his greyhound racing life over the last fortnight as home-bred Orca emerged as a serious player in the distance ranks in the Group 1 Fanta Bale Super Stayers series (725m). Orca gave Nagy his first G1 finalist when winning his Super Stayers heat at a massive $31 and then at $15 in last Saturday…
How to spend $20 on the Horsham Cup Final
The Watchdog is tipping a ‘whirlwind’ win for Jason Thompson’s Typhoon Sammy (Box 8) in tonight’s $47,000 to-the-winner Group 2 Taylor’s Palace Hotel Horsham Cup Final. Typhoon Sammy is the reigning Group 2 Traralgon Cup champion and he has won 25 races from 38 starts, including five of his past seven. He’s also the Bendigo 425m track record holder (23.28sec). Click HERE for TAB’s latest Horsham Cup Final market A $2.50 favourite in TAB’s market, Typhoon Sammy (27.22sec) was the slowest of the six heat winners last Friday but “deserves…
Daily Mail: ‘Sammy’ set to shine at Horsham
The first feature event of the Western Festival of Racing takes place tonight with G2 Traralgon Cup winner Typhoon Sammy headlining the $47,000 to-the-winner G2 Horsham Cup Final. The promising Old News and G1 National Derby finalists Boston Garden and Zara’s Ivan are big chances as well. Pink Diamond finalist Gypsy Yankee and G2 Launceston Cup winner Hill Top Jack highlight the Horsham Cup Consolation, while Big Alfie, My Mate Tip and Dream Wizard contest the Jan Wilson Memorial. G3 placegetter Paddy’s Marvel and G3 winner Aston Flame feature in…
Australian Guineas 2022 Field & Odds: Profondo Narrow Favourite
Richard Litt’s resuming Spring Champion Stakes winner Profondo holds narrow favouritism south of the border on Saturday racing first-up in the Group 1 $1 million Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington. Profondo is one of the headline acceptors for Flemington’s 2022 Australian Guineas this weekend in Melbourne. Photo: Steve Hart. A quality field of three-year-old milers face off in this season’s Australian Guineas field including Forgot You and Ranch Hand who scratched out of Sydney’s Group 1 $1 million Randwick Guineas (1600m) on the same day due to the Heavy (10)…
Hopes and Dunn double up
John Dunn got a box seat view of Highgrove’s competition when driving the promising Mr Love to victory at Addington on Thursday night. Dunn played super-sub for the Greg and Nina Hope stable for the suspended Ben Hope, driving the smart three-year-old and his stablemate Jack Ryan to victory. Dunn admitted his own smart three-year-old Highgrove may have some stiff competition coming up following Mr Love’s smart win in race 4. “He has always been a nice horse this fellow, but time is going to be his best friend,” the…
Canterbury Stakes 2022 Field & Betting: Forbidden Love Firming Favourite
With Zaaki out and a Heavy (10) track for Randwick on Saturday the money is coming for last weekend’s Guy Walter Stakes winning mare Forbidden Love to take out this autumn’s Group 1 $500,000 Canterbury Stakes (1300m). Forbidden Love is firming favourite to win the Group 1 Canterbury Stakes at Randwick on Saturday. Photo: Steve Hart. Connections of returning Mackinnon Stakes champion Zaaki opted to withdraw the headliner from the Canterbury in Sydney due to the track conditions and potential Sydney wash-out and he resumes instead at Flemington as favourite…