After a successful first season in New Zealand, talented young jockey Matthew Cartwright is back home in Victoria for a winter stint. Cartwright currently holds a spot inside the top 10 in the New Zealand jockeys’ premiership, while he also gained his first taste of Group One glory earlier this season when he won the Gr.1 Tarzino Trophy (1400m) on Grail Seeker (NZ) (Iffraaj). “It was very rewarding and I was so glad to get that,” Cartwright said of that top-level triumph. “I’m very proud of my efforts and what…
Day: 30 May 2025
A Mandarin thriving in southern sojourn
A successful association between Windsor Park Stud and Riverton owner-trainer Andrea Dickson has continued with A Mandarin, who will shoot for a hat-trick of wins when she lines up in the Grand Casino (2200m) at Wingatui on Sunday. A Mandarin has joined Dickson’s stable under a lease from Windsor Park Stud. That same arrangement resulted in Dickson winning races at Oamaru and Gore with the capable mare Rita Hayworth in 2021 and 2022. While Rita Hayworth ventured south as an unraced mare, A Mandarin brought established racetrack credentials. The daughter…
Tauranga Classic on the radar for Honey Badger
Runaway last-start winner Honey Badger will head to Te Rapa on Saturday as a hot favourite for the Ambient Group 3YO (1100m), where another big performance could earn her a black-type opportunity at Tauranga next month. Honey Badger has shown a real affinity for heavy tracks, with both of her two career victories coming in those conditions. That includes a spectacular performance at Rotorua on May 10, where she blew her Rating 65 opposition away by eight and a half lengths. Trainer Tony Pike is open to the possibility of…
Brittany’s four of the best for King’s Birthday weekend
Presenter-driver-trainer Brittany Graham knows a thing or two about racing on both sides of the Tasman and now that the Queenslander is working for Trackside in this country she’s (reluctantly) agreed to write a weekly column. By Brittany Graham On a stacked King’s Birthday weekend of harness racing, here are four to follow around the grounds. Addington – Friday R8 #4 Tremendous Sensation On a night with quite a few well-backed, odds-on favourites, Tremendous Sensation looks a nice chance at a bit more value. I have really liked this mare’s handful…
Our Jumala on winter feature raid
Consistent Taranaki mare Our Jumala has a number of winter features in her future and Robbie Patterson hopes she can pick up the first of those in Saturday’s Listed AGC Training Stakes (1600m) at Wanganui. The daughter of Zed kicked off a series of stakes races on a winning note in the Gr.3 Cuddle Stakes (1600m) in late March, which she followed up with a fourth in the Gr.3 Manawatu Breeders’ Stakes (2050m), fifth in the Gr.2 Travis Stakes (2000m) and a luckless last-start third in the Listed Rotorua Cup…
Dark Destroyer to launch Queensland attack
Dark Destroyer is no stranger to success in Queensland, and he will be looking to replicate his past success when he heads to Eagle Farm on Saturday. Formerly trained by Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott, Dark Destroyer had a successful three-year-old winter campaign in the sunshine state, winning the Gr.3 Rough Habit Plate (2143m) and finished runner-up in the Gr.2 Queensland Guineas (1600m). He went on to Group One glory in the Tarzino Trophy (1400m) the following spring, and after a stint with Sydney trainer John O’Shea, he is now…
In-form trainer has strong hand at Wingatui
Robert Dennis looks set for a lucrative meeting at Wingatui with an in-form team on Sunday, headed by open sprint handicap prospects Chevron and The Hangover. The Ascot Park trainer is enjoying a breakout season with a personal best of 32 winners and stable earnings of nearly $930,000. He has several chances to further his tally with former northerner Chevron and The Hangover both appealing as strong chances in The Mosgiel Tavern Handicap (1400m). The former placed in his first two appearances for Dennis before a comfortable win over 1600m…
Heavy track to bring best out of Bradman
Roydon Bergerson only has one preference for all five of his competitive chances on Saturday at Wanganui, a rain-affected track. That was the reality earlier in the week with the abandonment of Tauranga on Wednesday, and while he wouldn’t be wanting it to get to that extent, his top galloper Bradman would appreciate a Heavy surface as he tackles the Listed AGC Training Stakes (1600m). The runner-up in last year’s edition, Bradman is a model of consistency and always a big player in the feature contests, as displayed last start…
Cullens’ two chances in main pace at Addington tonight – “either can win”
By Michael Guerin Hayden Cullen isn’t sure the bookies have got tonight’s feature race market at Addington right. Because the Canterbury trainer and his wife Amanda train both the favourites and he says there is little between the pair. The Cullens prepare Hadron Collider (R7, No.7) and Trump Card (No.2) who dominate the market for the NZBS Weanling Sale June 26 Pace, the $20,000 main race tonight over the 1980m. TAB bookies understandably opened Hadron Collider the $1.80 favourite after his recent second to Sideshow Bruce in the Uncut Gems…
Higher Power v Youneverknow in tonight’s Metro Trotters’ Final
By Michael Guerin Higher Power may not be quite as good as driver Zachary Butcher’s mate but that still might be good enough to win at Alexandra Park tonight. The three-year-old gets barrier 1 in the $35,000 TAB Metro Trotters Final, a race matched by an identical race for the pacers tonight to spice up the last Alexandra Park meeting before winter. Higher Power was too good for the older horses after leading last Friday, once again showing the benefits of Derby and age group performers dropping back into the…