Saturday looms as a special day in the careers of Shaun and Emma Clotworthy, who are the part-owners and former trainers of two horses that will chase million-dollar prizes in Australia. The couple’s Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) hero Willydoit will line up in the A$1.5 million Alan Brown Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill, while Hezashocka takes on just three opponents in the A$1 million Gr.1 Might And Power Stakes (2000m) at Caulfield. The Clotworthys bought Willydoit for $75,000 as a yearling at Karaka and trained him through a standout three-year-old…
Year: 2025
Wallbank’s horse of a lifetime up for Sweynesse challenge
Bruce Wallbank has been on a wonderful ride since returning to the training ranks last term, with his only horse Midnight Edition rising through the ranks to become one of the favourites in Sunday’s Gr.3 Sweynesse Stakes (1400m). The 79-year-old bred the son of Wrote and after having success previously as a trainer, breeder and owner, he decided to prepare the gelding himself out of Pukekohe Park. Always rating him as a serious talent, Midnight Edition proved that on the big stage at Ellerslie on Boxing Day last year, dead-heating…
Smart colt to further his Guineas credentials
Promising colt El Vaquero will be out to further his Group One claims when he steps out again in age group company at Ashburton. The Michael and Matthew Pitman-trained son of Ferrando takes aim at Saturday’s Gr.3 Barneswood Farm Stakes (1400m) off the back of a last-start fifth at Riccarton. El Vaquero was seven weeks between runs there and the stable were far from disappointed with his performance. “In a perfect world, he would have started off over 1200m but there were no races to suit so he ran over…
Purdon team good to go at Addington tonight
By Michael Guerin This is a public service announcement for punters: Mark Purdon is confident heading to Addington’s mega meeting tonight. Which means when assessing many of the features on the stacked 13-race card you should start with the champion horseman’s drives before looking anywhere else for your money makers. Purdon being confident is not unusual when discussing a horse or two, after all he has trained an army of champions who have been close to unbeatable in a series of Group 1 races. But this week there is extra…
Todd “thrilled” with Marketplace’s progress
By Michael Guerin Trainer Regan Todd is adamant superstar three-year-old pacer Marketplace will be a different horse at Addington tonight than the one who ran unplaced last start. But Todd isn’t so sure that will still be enough to win the Group 1 Flying Stakes (9.37pm), the highlight of a stunning night of harness racing. Marketplace finished out of the money for the first time in last 13 starts when fourth fresh up two weeks ago in a very similar field to what he meets tonight. Todd wasn’t surprised and…
In-form Williams continues great trot down south
By Jonny Turner Tim Williams is letting the good times roll. The reinsman continued his wave of winter and spring success when guiding Ya Rite Darl to the easiest of victories in Thursday’s Aldebaran Zeus Southern Trotting Oaks at Ascot Park. Williams hadn’t driven the talented three-year-old since her fourth placing in the Group 1 Northern Trotting Derby in April. And last week the prospect of filling in for the filly’s regular driver John Dunn wasn’t on his radar. But the opportunity came along as the Stonewall Stud reinsman continues…
Barry Purdon back in the sulky after six year absence
By Michael Guerin One of the legends of New Zealand racing will make a comeback to the track on Friday night to partner a horse 67 years younger than him. Hall of Fame trainer Barry Purdon will have his first race night drive since 2019 when he partners Higher Power in an intermediate trot (Race 4, 7.27pm) at Alexandra Park, the three-year-old trotter set to start an odds-on favourite. Purdon, who trains Higher Power with Scott Phelan, is one of the all-time greats of either equine code in New Zealand,…
Orange overload at Addington
The Orange army will be out in force at Addington on Friday night. The stellar race night features a stacked card highlighted by three Harness Million and three Group races and it coincides with the official launch of the “Backing Blair” campaign just over three weeks before he carries home country hopes at the World Driving Championship. Friday’s launch will feature a life size cutout of Blair Orange in the fanzone at the front of Spectators and the man himself will be there after Race 5 (6.33pm) and Race 8…
Seddon Trotting Country Cup Series to kick off at Kaikoura
“Four” will be the magic number for trotters taking part in the up-coming Seddon Trotting Country Cup series. The series around the top half of the South Island has been confirmed for another year starting on Kaikoura Cup day on Monday, November 3 and culminating in a $30,000 Final at Addington on March 20, 2026. There will be 10 “heats” in all at Kaikoura, Westport, Reefton, Nelson, and Blenheim. The series is all about encouraging trainers to start on the circuit and boosting the profile of trotters and turnovers…
Rose ready to bloom in Toorak
Being third-up is the key for Damask Rose (NZ) (Savabeel) going into Saturday’s Group 1 Toorak Handicap, with Te Akau Racing assistant trainer Ben Gleeson predicting she’s ready to run a big race. Damask Rose’s only other third-up run produced a victory in the inaugural The Kiwi (1500m) at Ellerslie on March 8 and Gleeson said the stable has copied that previous preparation, with the plan for her to peak in the Toorak Handicap, where she will be ridden by Jamie Melham. In her second-up run, Damask Rose finished seventh…