Year: 2024

Duchess Megxit set to continue Purdon-Phelan’s amazing run

NZHarnessNews

By Michael Guerin Training legend Barry Purdon remembers the moment he decided to launch his renaissance. It was eight years ago when the Hall of Fame trainer with nothing left to prove, decided he was sick of watching other trainers win the races he wanted to. “I wasn’t enjoying being beaten,” says Purdon, “I have had a great career but I knew I wasn’t finished and I had a good young training partner in Scott (Phelan) and a wonderful team around us. “But were weren’t winning the major races as…

New jockey for sprint ace at Trentham

NZRacingDesk

Promising apprentice Ace Lawson-Carroll can’t wait to make the most of his opportunity on one of New Zealand’s fastest horses at Trentham on Saturday. Lawson-Carroll, who is apprenticed to Shaun Clotworthy in South Auckland, will ride the Ben Foote-trained Babylon Berlin (All Too Hard) in the open sprint, with his 2kg claim reducing the Group One performer’s impost from 62kg to 60kg for the Happy 80th Birthday Garry Chittick 1100. A multiple Stakes winner, Babylon Berlin has four times placed at the elite level, including a narrow defeat in last…

Dempsey’s last hurrah with Razoo

NZRacingDesk

Benchmark 56 races rarely feature in fairytales, but for David Dempsey, they may as well be the Melbourne Cup. Dempsey reckons the replay of Not A Brass Razoo’s (NZ) (Darci Brahma) win in the lowly handicap at Gawler last Wednesday will be on loop in his mind when he takes his last breath. Unfortunately, that will be soon. Stricken with terminal cancer and given only weeks to live, the passionate Mt Gambier-based owner paid $4000 for the tried-race mare via Inglis Digital and hoped trainer Peter Hardacre could orchestrate a…

Te Akau double up at Riccarton

NZRacingDesk

Te Akau Racing’s Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson continued to extend their unassailable lead in the National Trainers’ Premiership at Riccarton’s Synthetic meeting on Thursday, recording a winning double courtesy of Caravella (NZ) (Caravaggio) and Treaty Of Paris (NZ) (Tavistock). Caravella kicked off proceedings in the Coca-Cola Open Handicap (1200m) when getting the better of the Les Collins-trained Dear Oh Dear (NZ) (Atlante) by a long head. “It was a great effort to win like she did today,” Walker said. “She’s really started to mature and come into her own…

Flemington races preview & top betting tips | Saturday, May 18

AAP

What Andrew Ramsden Stakes Day Where Flemington Racecourse – 448 Epsom Rd, Flemington VIC 3031 When Saturday, May 18, 2024 First Race 11:35pm AEST Visit Dabble The Listed Andrew Ramsden Stakes (2800m) headlines Saturday’s program at Flemington, with the winner of the $500,000 feature earning a ticket into the 2024 Melbourne Cup. The rail is out +4m for the entire circuit, and although there are some minor showers predicted in the lead-up, don’t expect the surface to be downgraded from the Soft 5 rating at the time of acceptances. The…

Riccarton double for Te Akau Racing

AAP

Caravella winning at Riccarton on Thursday. Photo: Race Images South Te Akau Racing’s Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson continued to extend their unassailable lead in the National Trainers’ Premiership at Riccarton’s Synthetic meeting on Thursday, recording a winning double courtesy of Caravella and Treaty Of Paris. Caravella kicked off proceedings in the Coca-Cola Open Handicap (1200m) when getting the better of the Les Collins-trained Dear Oh Dear by a long head. “It was a great effort to win like she did today,” Walker said. “She’s really started to mature and…

Deebee Bellfer vying for hattrick at Te Rapa

AAP

Deebee Bellfer will be vying for a hattrick of wins at Te Rapa on Saturday. Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images) Te Aroha mare Deebee Bellfer has been in a purple patch of form of late and will be vying to extend her golden run when she heads to Te Rapa on Saturday to contest the PGG Wrightson Grain 2100. The five-year-old daughter of Preferment had more than 12 months on the sidelines but has hardly skipped a beat since resuming in January for trainer Gavin Opie, winning two and placing…

Saturday’s Belmont racing preview & quaddie tips | May 18, 2024

AAP

What Belmont Sprint Day Where Belmont Racecourse – Saintly Entrance, Burswood WA 6100 When Saturday, May 18, 2024 First Race 12:04pm AWST Visit Dabble Saturday metropolitan racing returns to Belmont Park for the first time in 2024 this Saturday, with the Group 3 Belmont Sprint headlining a nine-race program. With perfect autumn weather on the forecast, it is expected that the track will remain at a Good 4 rating. The rail will be in the true position for the entire circuit, with the opening race set to jump at 12:04pm…

Memorable 2024 for Ormsby

AAP

Group 1-winning trainer Chad Ormsby. Photo: Peter Rubery (Race Images Palmerston North) Multi-talented horseman Chad Ormsby has had a year to remember with four black-type victories to his credit. The former Group 1-winning jockey runs a boutique Matamata stable and with wife Aliesha Moroney also operates Riverrock Farm, a breaking-in and thoroughbred education centre and successful Ready to Run Sale vendor. Ormsby has prepared 10 winners this season, with four of them at stakes level, including a memorable Group 1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) victory with Pulchritudinous. She had also…

Home targets for Wewillrock

AAP

Wewillrock pictured with co-trainer Guy Lowry. Photo: Trish Dunell A return to Australia was on the cards for Wewillrock this winter, but trainers Guy Lowry and Leah Zydenbos have elected to keep him in New Zealand to tackle some home targets. He performed with distinction across the Tasman over the winter months last year for Sydney trainer John O’Shea, placing in the Listed June Stakes (1100m) at Randwick before winning at the Sydney track a month later. Lowry was eyeing a return this year, but said his rating makes it…