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Month: January 2025
Autumn prep nears for Scary
Gr.1 Victoria Derby (2500m) runner-up Scary (NZ) (Shocking) is building up nicely towards his return to the races next month. The Emma-Lee and David Browne-trained colt jumped out at Pakenham last Tuesday, when he had Jack Virgona in the saddle. “We’re really happy with him,” said Emma-Lee Browne. “He just had a quiet jumpout the other day, we were going to wait another week but then they put it on the course proper, so I just got Jack to take him along quietly. “He’s ridden him before in a jumpout…
Bellatrix Star’s freak injury
Top filly Bellatrix Star’s (Star Witness) autumn campaign has been aborted and her racing future is unclear after a freak accident at Cranbourne last week. Mark Walker’s Group Two winner and Group One runner-up sustained a serious neck injury when she reared and fell while exiting the swimming pool after a routine piece of exercise. Managing owner John Galvin said that while initial scans have confirmed several fractures, the injury appears stable and he will await further veterinary advice as to the filly’s long-term prospects. “She had an accident as…
Dubbo Tuesday races preview & quaddie tips | January 14, 2025
What Dubbo Races Where Dubbo Turf Club – Merrilea Rd, Dubbo NSW 2830 When Tuesday, January 14, 2025 First Race 1:15pm AEDT Visit Dabble Dubbo Turf Club is the destination for NSW racing on Tuesday afternoon, with a quality eight-part program awaiting punters. The rail moves out +2m from the 1000m chute position, while the remainder is in the true position the rest of the way around. The track is rated a Good 4 at the time of writing, however, with significant rainfall forecast in the region, readers can expect…
“Other Awards” Contenders announced for HRNZ Awards
The remaining finalists have now been decided for the NZB Standardbred Harness Racing New Zealand Awards which will be held at Addington Raceway on Saturday, February 8. Last week the “Top Horse Contenders” were released. Today it is the “Other Awards” featuring Breeder of the Year, Owner of the Year, Pacing and Trotting Stallion and Broodmare of the year as well as this year’s Newcomer to Training and Stablehand of the Year. To see the “Other Awards” contenders please click here To see the “Top Horse contenders” please click here…
Momentum for Next Gen building in countdown to NZB Yearling Sales
With an additional $600,000 in bonuses annually for the next three years and funded by the TAB, the Harness Racing New Zealand’s Next Gen ownership initiative is gaining serious momentum, ahead of next month’s NZB Standardbred Yearling Sales in Auckland and Christchurch. Next Gen is all about getting more and new people into “Owning The Thrill” of racing pacers and trotters. “It’s important to emphasise that everyone is eligible to get involved, it is for newcomers to racing as well as those who have owned and raced horses for decades,”…
New Waikouaiti president wants “lift in energy”
By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk Jess Murphy wasn’t really expecting to be the new President of the Waikouaiti Trotting Club but now that she is, she is all in. “I’m really keen to get into it,” the 34-year-old says. She took over the job after being on the committee for the past “five or so” years. “I thought I’d be vice-president for a bit but when the president’s job came up my name was mentioned and it went from there.” As a Next Gen administrator she’s keen…
Flying Acquarello set for KM target
Fast-improving mare Acquarello produced the perfect dress rehearsal for her Karaka Millions Night assignment at Ellerslie on Sunday, putting away a compact field of class horses in the Auckland Co-Op Taxis (1400m). The daughter of Written Tycoon has scarcely put a foot wrong throughout her five-year-old term, finishing in the first three at every start including a victory in the Gr.3 Canterbury Breeders’ Stakes (1400m) and a second placing to subsequent Group One winner Provence in the Royal Descent Stakes (1400m). With a focus on the $500,000 Gr.2 Westbury Classic…
Bonningtons excited about Champions Day prospects
Plenty of people in the New Zealand racing fraternity are looking forward to the inaugural Champions Day at Ellerslie on March 8, but none more so than Rayner and Lynn Bonnington. The $1.25 million Gr.1 Trackside New Zealand Derby (2400m) will be one of eight stakes races on the action-packed card, and the West Auckland couple, who breed and race under their Little River Thoroughbreds Partnership banner, look to have a strong contender for the classic. Farm graduate Mustang Morgan has shortened into $12 in the TAB Futures Market for…
Brave colt flying Nearco flag for Millions
Unbeaten colt To Bravery Born powered into TAB Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) contention with his comeback victory at Ellerslie on Sunday. The gifted son of Snitzel showed his precocity when successful on debut in the opening race of the two-year-old season at Wanganui back in August and was subsequently laid low by injury. Trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson had doubts he would be back in Karaka Millions contention but quickly bounced back and Sunday’s victory now has him equal $4 second favourite for the January 25 feature. To Bravery…