By Michael Guerin The patience of one man and passion of another put Arcee Phoenix in the position to win the $600,000 TAB Trot at Cambridge on Friday night. The Victorian trotter led home an Australian-trained trifecta for the second year running in the slot race after working his way to the front in a bizarre opening 200m. Arcee Phoenix has never been a fast beginner but trainer-driver Chris Svanosio declared his hand pre-race saying he had to go forward on him and try to lead the 2200m mobile event,…
Month: April 2025
Arcee Phoenix wins $600,000 TAB Trot
First out first home. That was the way Australian visitor Arcee Phoenix won tonight’s $600,000 TAB Trot on Cambridge’s Night of Champions. Arcee Phoenix was fourth in the race last year and tonight Chris Svanosio, known as Snooze to his mates, wasn’t mucking around at the start. He went to the lead as leading Kiwi Oscar Bonavena sensationally galloped out of contention. Not As Promised did the same. Arcee Phoenix then dictated the tempo, and never really looked like getting beaten. “It’s great to come here and win,” said Svanosio.…
NZTR Announces Boost to Jumps Racing Stakes
New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (NZTR) has announced several enhancements to the prizemoney for Jumps Racing, including immediate increases covering the remainder of the current season (May to July 2025), as well as the full 2025-26 racing calendar. NZTR’s total investment across 18 meetings and 57 Jumps races over this period will reach approximately $2.57 million. The increases highlight NZTR’s ongoing commitment to the development and promotion of Jumps racing throughout the country. Highlights of the revised stakes include: Uplift in stakes for Feature Steeplechases across the season, with increases ranging…
NZTR Announces Boost to Jumps Racing Stakes
New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (NZTR) has announced several enhancements to the prizemoney for Jumps Racing, including immediate increases covering the remainder of the current season (May to July 2025), as well as the full 2025-26 racing calendar. NZTR’s total investment across 18 meetings and 57 Jumps races over this period will reach approximately $2.57 million. The increases highlight NZTR’s ongoing commitment to the development and promotion of Jumps racing throughout the country. Highlights of the revised stakes include: Uplift in stakes for Feature Steeplechases across the season, with increases ranging…
Habana back in action after colic surgery
Habana will make his raceday return at Ellerslie on Saturday. Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images) Group 2 winner Habana has bounced back from a health scare and will make a welcome return to action in Saturday’s Elsdon Park (1300m) at Ellerslie. The Zoustar gelding has won eight of his 21 starts and more than $420,000 in stakes, headed by a victory in last year’s Group 2 Rich Hill Mile (1600m). Habana was last seen on October 24 at Ellerslie, where he was beaten by a long head by Meaningful Star…
Quick back-up holds no fears for Derby contender
Cambridge trainer Tony Pike. Photo: Nicole Troost Sydney’s weather provided an extra challenge for horses heading into Saturday’s Group 1 Australian Derby (2400m) via the Group 2 Tulloch Stakes (2000m), but Tony Pike believes Golden Century will be less disadvantaged than most. The Tulloch was originally scheduled to be run at Rosehill last Saturday, but that meeting was postponed to Tuesday. Golden Century lined up in the rescheduled race and finished seventh, making up ground despite racing greenly down the straight. Pike is happy to press on into Saturday’s Derby…
Wingman signs off for the season at Wanganui
Wingman will contest the Manawatu Thoroughbred Racehorse Owners Association 3YO (1350m) at Wanganui on Saturday. Photo: Peter Rubery (Race Images Palmerston North) Saturday’s Manawatu Thoroughbred Racehorse Owners Association 3YO (1350m) is likely to be the final start of the season for Wingman, who is the only horse to have beaten Group 1 star Leica Lucy. The Roydon Bergerson-trained Wingman showed bright promise in the spring with two wins from his first three starts. That included a 1400m three-year-old race at Trentham in early December, where he edged out Leica Lucy…
Marsh expecting bold Sydney showing from filly
Love Poem will contest the Group 3 PJ Bell Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on Saturday. Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images) Stephen Marsh believes all the key indicators point to his well-bred three-year-old Love Poem giving her Australian rivals a serious run for their money at Randwick on Saturday. The Cambridge trainer will be trackside for Love Poem’s Australian debut in the Group 3 PJ Bell Stakes (1200m) and can only see positives ahead of the opening leg of her two-start offshore campaign. “She’s great, she travelled over on Tuesday and…
Theoden seeking to maintain strong record at Ascot Park
Theoden will contest the Ascot Sports Bar Handicap (2225m) at Ascot Park on Sunday. Photo: Race Images South Winton galloper Theoden holds a strong record at Ascot Park, and trainer Leda Beck is hoping that continues on Sunday, with an eye towards the Riverton Cup (2147m) in a fortnight where the Southern Cups bonus is on the line. The six-year-old son of Proisir sits within range of securing the $50,000 winner-takes-all bonus, with 10 points up for grabs for the winner of the Riverton Cup, and Theoden is just five…
Marketplace’s mum and sister on the market
By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk He’s harness racing’s hype horse. And now both Marketplace’s mum and sister are up for sale. Gavelhouse Standardbred is currently selling Cullen Who, the dam of the sensational Marketplace, and also his weanling full sister. Cullen Who is Lot 14, the weanling is Lot 1. Adding to Cullen Who’s value is the fact that she is in foal. Cullen Who won five races before starting her broodmare career where she’s had five progeny, all by Bettor’s Delight. Marketplace so far has been…