Year: 2022

James Stephens : “stoked” to be raising money for mental health

NZHarnessNews

James Stephens has already got his sights set on a second half marathon after raising more than $4000 for the Mental Health Foundation at Queenstown over the weekend. The 24-year-old, who’s well known as the strapper for pacing star Self Assured, completed his first half marathon in two hours 17 minutes and six seconds. “I knew it was going to be a long way and I got a little bit tired but it was a lot of fun and I met a lot of really nice people,” Stephens says. But…

Remember this ‘Titan’

Editor BOAY

“When I started training, all I wanted to do was win a trophy or a sash.” Those were the words of Daniel Gibbons before Titan Blazer contested the Group 1 Australian Cup Final (525m) in February. Nine months on, Daniel and his wife, Rebecca, have the opportunity to claim the world’s greatest greyhound race – the Group 1 Sportsbet Melbourne Cup (515m) – with Titan Blazer in Saturday night’s $1 million final at Sandown Park. “Peter Arnott was offered money to sell him, but thankfully, he made the right decision…

Plaintiff’s winning Cup verdict

Editor BOAY

The importance of box draws in feature races has never been more clearly demonstrated than with $1 million Group 1 Sportsbet Melbourne Cup favourite Plaintiff. Plaintiff, trained by three-time Melbourne Cup winner Jason Thompson, was the ‘slowest’ of Saturday night’s eight heat winners, clocking 29.66sec, but after drawing box one for the Cup Final is a clearcut $2.35 favourite with Sportsbet. “In a race like the Melbourne Cup, you’ve got to make the final first; it doesn’t matter how you get there,” Thompson said. “He’s speared the lids every time…

Noel Callow cops three-month ban for betting on racing

AAP

The Victorian Racing Tribunal (VRT) on Tuesday handed down a three-month ban and a $4500 fine to ex-Victorian jockey Noel Callow after he pleaded guilty to six betting-related charges. The charges relate to a total of 24 bets placed on thoroughbred racing in December of 2013, with the bets adding up to just under $4000. The more serious allegation was that the hoop failed to declare his betting account to stewards on three separate occasions while he was riding in Victoria. Callow, who now lives and rides in Queensland, received…

Butler looking to clean-up at Otaki

AAP

Butler will contest the Listed Courtesy Ford Levin Stakes (1200m) at Otaki on Thursday. Photo: Trish Dunell Promising gelding Butler will be after his first stakes scalp when he heads to Otaki on Thursday to contest the Listed Courtesy Ford Levin Stakes (1200m). The Allan Sharrock-trained five-year-old impressed when runner-up to Imperatriz in the Group 2 Foxbridge Plate (1200m) in August and followed that result with a win over 1200m at Awapuni before running sixth in the Group 3 Sweynesse Stakes (1215m) last month. Sharrock has been pleased with the…

Singapore doubles feature races

AAP

The Singapore Turf Club have announced a raft of changes to their upcoming racing calendar. Photo: STC The Singapore Turf Club have announced a raft of enhancements to their racing calendar next year. The club have announced a total of 20 feature races, 10 more than the current racing season, and the reinstatement of four iconic race series. Developed in close consultation with trainers and the racing community, the fixtures for the new racing season aim to elevate the sport of horse racing in Singapore by offering more feature races…

Smart 3YO partnership’s latest success story

AAP

Matter Of Honour will contest the Listed Trevor & Coralie Eagle Memorial (1500m) at Te Rapa on Saturday. Photo: Grant Matthew (Race Images) A trans-Tasman association dating back 15 years has come up trumps with another promising three-year-old prospect in Matter Of Honour, who will chase his fourth win on the bounce at Te Rapa on Saturday. The son of Pride Of Dubai has been in fine touch this preparation and will bid to add a first black type victory to his burgeoning record when he steps out in the…

Alexiou leaving all options open for impressive Ellsberg

AAP

Ellsberg – with Brenton Avdulla aboard – pictured winning the Five Diamonds Prelude by a comfortable 2 1/2 lengths at Randwick on October 15. Sterling Alexiou believes Ellsberg has come a long way, but the good news for fans of the five-year-old is he feels there is still more improvement to come. The stable star enjoyed an outstanding preparation, finishing with three wins from his five starts. Those victories came in succession to end his campaign, saluting in the Group 1 Epsom Handicap (dead heat with Top Ranked), Five Diamonds…

Gerard-Dubord revelling in ‘pressure’ of Maher & Eustace stable

AAP

David Eustace, Mark Zahra and Ciaron Maher after winning the Melbourne Cup with Gold Trip (FR) at Flemington Racecourse on November 1, 2022. (Reg Ryan/Racing Photos) Johann Gerard-Dubord says working for the world-class Ciaron Maher & David Eustace stable is purely a privilege, despite the pressure involved with such a large-scale operation. They were the thoughts of the Sydney-based assistant three weeks on from Gold Trip’s stunning Melbourne Cup victory. In a brilliant staying performance, the six-year-old hit the front with 300m to go and runner-up Emissary briefly threatened. That…

Curtin’s poignant victories at Addington

NZHarnessNews

By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk  The late Murray Edmonds is never far away from Jim Curtin’s thoughts and that’s what made yesterday’s successes at Addington all the more special. Curtin had a driving treble at Addington, with two of the wins coming from two ex-Edmonds horses that he now trains, Izacheapee and Teds Legacy. “I think of him every time I see his horses …it’s terrible what happened.” The double came just weeks after Murray Edmonds died from a brain tumour, aged 62. His death shocked the harness…