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Year: 2025
Republican Party’s stocks continue to rise ahead of IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup
By Michael Guerin The argument is over, now the real fight begins. That was the undeniable feeling after Republican Party again thrashed most of our best pacers in the $60,000 NZBS Flying Stakes at Ashburton on Monday. The little pacer with the oversized motor recorded his third straight comprehensive victory over our pacing elite and in more or less in the same style. Step safely, settle then launch, spending the invaluable currency that is respect to wrest the lead and from there play catch-me-if-you-can.At the moment, they can’t. Northern star…
Brave move proves winner for Muscle Mountain
By Michael Guerin The brave move that won Muscle Mountain today’s $40,000 Tactical Landing Flying Sprint at Ashburton could have left driver Ben Hope with egg all of his face. But it might not just have won him this Group 3 but prove to be the blueprint to a late-career renaissance for the wonderful trotter. Co-trainer Hope went against the pattern of the day when he led on the hot favourite in the feature sprint but elected to hand that role to last season’s winner and second favourite Bet N…
Dreams Are Free speeds to Tuapeka Cup win
By Jonny Turner Dreams Are Free turned doubt into dominance when speeding back to winning form in Sunday’s Tuapeka Lodge Cup. The Nathan Williamson-trained and driven four-year-old has no shortage of fans built off his brilliant performances as a two and three-year-old. But even the most loyal of them would have been put to the test when the pin-up pacer made a hash of the start in the Ascot Park feature. Thankfully for his big group of supporters, Dreams Are Free was able to regain his composure without losing substantial…
Day of milestones at Waimate meeting at Timaru
By Mike Love It was a day of milestones at yesterday’s Waimate meeting held at Phar Lap Raceway in Timaru – Maureen Hutchison secured her first training success, 17-year-old Thomas Borcoskie had his first in the sulky and Robbie Close brought up career win number 600. In Race 2, the Catering South Canterbury Trot over 2100m Waimate training partnership John Lemon and Maureen Hutchison produced Lemon’s first win since 2001 and Hutchison’s first career win with Della’s Fella. Driven by Jonny Cox, Della’s Fella stepped well to lead then trail…
First winner for King of Comedy
Novara Park Stud stallion King Of Comedy is on the board as a sire, with his son Sir Ruby becoming his first winner when victorious over 1300m at Selangor Turf Club in Malaysia on Sunday. The three-year-old gelding was having his third start for trainer Joseph Leck, having placed on debut in September over 1200m before running fifth last month over 1150m. In the hands of jockey Harmeet Singh Gill, Sir Ruby was able to secure the coveted one-one position early and enjoyed an economical passage for much of the…
Armory off the mark with impressive 2YO winner
Mapperley Stud stallion Armory recorded his first winner on Sunday when his two-year-old daughter Silhouette raced to a dominant victory in the Fusion Electrical Two-Year-Old (900m) at Trentham. Prepared by Cody Cole and ridden by Sam Collett, Silhouette oozed professionalism, crossing to lead the small field of three and was barely asked for an effort as she extended to win by four and a quarter lengths. Silhouette had trialed well when third prior to her raceday outing and shapes as a classy prospect for Cole, who went to $120,000 to…
Kiwi pair remain in Cup contention
Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) dreams are still alive for connections of Kiwi stayers Mark Twain and Trav. Both horses were paid up for the $A10 million Flemington showpiece at Monday’s third declarations stage. The Roger James and Robert Wellwood-trained Mark Twain will have his final lead-up run in Wednesday’s $A500,000 Gr.3 Bendigo Cup (2400m). “On his wellbeing and his work, I’d be extremely disappointed if he didn’t run a bold race,” James said. “I’d like him to win or be unlucky in the running and fill a placing, getting home…
Leading nursery celebrates on four weekend fronts
A double strike at stakes level, a filly with a black-type future and a welcome family success handed Waikato Stud another rewarding weekend. Von Hauke and Sir Albert delivered home and away victories, while farm graduate Belle Cheval announced herself as a top age group prospect and Baywatch lifted spirits with her breakthrough success. The Cliff Brown-trained Von Hauke had little luck when fourth in last year’s Gr.2 Crystal Mile (1600m) and he made no mistake in the 2025 edition at The Valley on Saturday for the son of Savabeel’s…
Wolfgang on target with Plan B
It may not be the Cup target they were aiming for, but Wolfgang put himself firmly into Gr.3 Martin Collins New Zealand Cup (3200m) calculations following his victory in the SkyCity Hamilton Waikato Cup Prelude (2400m) at Te Rapa on Monday. The son of Puccini was initially on a spring path towards the Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m), however, those ambitions were shelved following three unplaced runs in Melbourne, and trainers Peter and Shaun McKay elected to bring him back to New Zealand and reassess his plans. The father-and-son training partnership…