The Listed Civic Stakes (1400m wasn’t always the first choice for Grebeni’s next start, but co-trainer Sterling Alexiou believed it might just prove the right fit. The son of Ocean Park was being aimed towards the Tattersall’s Mile (1600m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday week, however, Alexiou and training partner Gerald Ryan had a rethink and opted to send him around at Randwick this Saturday instead. “It wasn’t really the plan to run this Saturday. He was going to go to Eagle Farm (Saturday week) and run in the Tatt’s Mile, but we were just a little bit concerned…
Day: 20 June 2025
Platinum Diamond provides Latta’s missing piece
The Listed John Turkington Forestry Castletown Stakes (1200m) was one of the few age-group features in the lower North Island that was missing from Lisa Latta’s CV, but the fast-improving filly Platinum Diamond dealt to that unfinished business at Otaki on Friday. Latta has picked up more than 80 black-type victories in her 1200-win training career, including Central Districts two and three-year-old prizes such as the Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m), Gr.1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m), Gr.2 Hawke’s Bay Guineas (1400m), Gr.2 Wellington Guineas (1400m), Gr.2 Lowland Stakes (2100m),…
Piper’s Son outfights the favourite in Raukawa Cup
Stratford gelding Piper’s Son produced a remarkable performance to get up off the canvas and score the biggest win of his career in Friday’s $45,000 Harcourts Otaki Raukawa Cup (2100m). The Tony Dravitzki-trained Piper’s Son headed into Otaki’s Matariki meeting with a rating of just 56, making him the lowest-rated runner in the open handicap line-up. Even with apprentice jockey Elle Sole’s 3kg claim, he appeared to have his work cut out against the $2.70 favourite Boomtown Boy. But Dravitzki was confident his five-year-old gelding was not there to simply…
Telfers look to extend premiership lead
by Mike Love Current training premiership leaders Steve and Amanda Telfer look set to edge a little further ahead on the leaderboard tonight at Addington raceway with seven runners across three races. “It’s been a really good run – long may it continue,” said co-trainer Amanda Telfer. In race one tonight, The Peninsular Beachfront Resort mobile pace over 1980m, driver Tim Williams links up with Miki Flybye ($1.55FF) for the first time under race conditions. The three year old Always B Miki gelding will need to overcome the unruly draw,…
Douglas Doubles Down at Wyndham After Career Gamble Pays Off
by Jonny Turner The chance Hayden Douglas took on harness racing paid off twice more at Wyndham on Thursday. The Oamaru junior driver reined home a winning double, with Magnetic Beckers toughing out a strong front-running victory immediately after Princess Sadie’s successful return to racing. Despite one being a trotter and the other a pacer, each horse wore about the same amount of gear in their wins. “Magnetic Beckers has had the hopples off, and he just feels so strong now that he’s free-legged.” “He’s really improved recently, and he…
Former Northern winner back in action
Comeback jumper Te Kahu will begin another campaign toward New Zealand’s premier steeplechases at Te Aroha on Sunday, stepping out on the flat alongside his stablemate, Captains Run. Now an 11-year-old, Te Kahu won the Great Northern Steeplechase (6200m) back in 2021 and campaigned briefly in Australia in the following year. The talented chestnut was off the scene for nearly two years after that, but he made a serious resurgence last year, defeating champion jumper West Coast to win the Hawke’s Bay Steeplechase (4800m), which was just his 19th start.…
Classic boost to holiday fund beckons
Cody Cole will be watching his in-form mare Rareza from afar on Saturday in her quest for a stakes victory. The Matamata trainer is taking a well-earned break at Port Douglas in Queensland during a personal-best season of 34 winners and stable earnings of more than $1.2 million. Cole has received positive reports from his staff ahead of the Rareza’s bid to make it four consecutive victories when she runs in the Listed Team Wealleans Tauranga Classic (1400m). “She’s going well and has come through her last win nicely,” he…