Waitak’s class and versatility will stand him in good stead at Trentham where he chases a fourth top-flight title. He has triumphed over 1200, 1600 and 2040m at the highest level on good, soft and heavy tracks and Wexford Stables have him in tip-tip order for Saturday’s Gr.1 TAB Mufhasa Classic (1600m). “He’s been an amazing racehorse for us and goes well on all kinds of going, he’s quite versatile and definitely enjoys getting his toe in the ground,” said Andrew Scott, who trains in partnership with Lance O’Sullivan. “He’s…
Year: 2025
A month of milestones for Moodley
It’s been an eventful year for apprentice jockey Triston Moodley, but it is ending on a high. The talented rider was sidelined for three months after he sustained a head injury at the Waipa trials in July, but he made a pleasing recovery and has made an instant impact on his return to the track. The last month has been particularly fruitful for Moodley, who was victorious aboard the Andrew Forsman-trained Force Of Nature in the Listed Legacy Lodge Sprint (1200m), doubling his career stakes tally, and last Friday he…
Start 100 for I Dream Of Jeannie at Geraldine on Saturday
By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk As she approaches the end of her racing career, I Dream Of Jeannie could mark her 100th start in style when racing returns to Geraldine in South Canterbury. Saturday will mark the 75th anniversary of the first meeting held by the club at the Orari track. I Dream Of Jeannie will be a leading contender in the day’s feature trot at Orari, the Fresh Choice Geraldine Trotters Cup (4.34pm). In her last start the Robert and Jenna Dunn-trained eight-year-old produced a huge finish…
Robinson-Teaz combo with two runners at Cambridge tonight
By Jordyn Bublitz John Robinson arrives at Cambridge Raceway tonight with two strong opportunities to remind racegoers he’s still very much got the touch. With a driving career that stretches back to 1979 and a lifetime spent working with horses around his goat-farming day job, Robinson brings both experience and calm to a pair of promising Jason Teaz-trained trotters. Robinson first hopped in the sulky on race day more than four decades ago, getting involved in the game through his father. Although horses have always been part of his life,…
Wrights celebrate second Jericho Cup win
The past few days have been a case of pinch me once, pinch me twice as Glen Massey couple Ian and Shelley Wright have celebrated Farag’s second consecutive win in Australasia’s longest flat race, the A$300,000 Jericho Cup. First run in 2018 to commemorate the Australian and New Zealand light horse involvement in World War l, the Jericho Cup is restricted to Australian and New Zealand-bred horses. Farag, by Sacred Falls out of a Yamanin Vital mare from the South Island’s famous ‘Flight’ family, won last year’s race by 20…
Sharrock happy with a damp Trentham
Allan Sharrock is balancing stronger opposition against the prospect of a rain-affected track as he weighs up Ladies Man’s chances of claiming back-to-back Gr.1 TAB Mufhasa Classics (1600m) on Saturday. Ladies Man won last year’s Trentham weight-for-age feature with a brilliant final burst to claim La Crique by a neck and will take a similar last-start formline into the race after finishing fourth in the Gr.2 Gartshore Construction Tauranga Stakes (1600m) three weeks ago. “He was good at Tauranga, I gave him a pass mark for that, but more importantly…
Temperature spike rules Crocetti out of Concorde
Saturday’s Gr.3 Concorde Stakes (1200m) at Pukekohe will be missing one of its headline acts after a temperature spike forced Crocetti to be withdrawn. The dual Group One winner has been off the scene since being unplaced in The Quokka (1200m) in Perth in late April, and he had been due to step out for his first start of the season in this season’s $120,000 sprint feature. A brilliant exhibition gallop at Ellerslie last Saturday stamped him as the one to beat. But Wednesday morning’s setback has put Crocetti’s racetrack…
In-form stayer set for Ellerslie return
Final Return has raced creditably in strong company at Ellerslie without major success and will be back there on New Year’s Day in a bid to break through. The New Plymouth-based stayer has regularly tripped north and collected four placings on the course, including a third in the Gr.3 Avondale Cup (2400m) earlier this year. Final Return has another visit on his immediate program for a crack at the Gr.3 Queen Elizabeth II Cup (2400m) on January 1 after finishing fourth in the 2025 edition of the event. “He hits…
Williamson taking three to Alexandra Park
By Jonny Turner The silver lining for star filly Captains Mistress is that the timing could be right for her, now. The three-year-old is part of a three-horse Southland attack that Nathan Williamson is preparing for the upcoming Auckland carnival. Hidden Talent and Ruby Roe will also head north and attempt to put Alexandra Park Group 1 titles next to their names, just like their stablemate already has. Spring setbacks meant Captains Mistress went into her last start in the Group 1 New Zealand Oaks with just one conditioning run.…
Scheffler tees off at Timaru on Wednesday
By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk He’s named after the world’s best golfer Scottie Scheffler but trainer Jessica Young-Grant is putting a lid on expectations ahead of her colt’s debut at Timaru on Wednesday. Scheffler, an American Ideal two-year-old, lines up in Race 6, the Brosnan Transport Passing Lane Mobile Pace (5.21pm). “He has a lovely attitude, he’s such a gem,” says Young-Grant, “and we think he’ll be a really nice horse … eventually.” But for now the youngster’s a bit of a project. He won a workout…