Group One winner Sentimental Miss will head across the Tasman this spring to try and add to her burgeoning CV. “It was always the long term plan for her to go to Australia for her five-year-old season,” Go Racing principal Albert Bosma said. “Given COVID-19, it now looks like it will be the least depth to spring racing in Australia for a long while, perhaps since the equine flu. There will be a limit on northern hemisphere horses coming down and restrictions on horses moving inter-state. “She’s last year’s Oaks…
Author: Editor BOAY
Valachi Downs offer transport incentive
Valachi Downs will be offering breeders a free transport option between Wellfield Lodge near Palmerston North and their Matamata farm for the upcoming breeding season. The incentive is for mares booked to any one of Valachi Downs’ five stallions – Ten Sovereigns, US Navy Flag, Zacinto, Vespa, and Savile Row. The first shuttle transport between the two farms is scheduled to take place on August 10. For more information, or to book a stallion service, please email: gareth.downey@valachidowns.co.nz
Justastate in the frame for Norvall
It may have only been a maiden race at Te Aroha on Sunday, but Justastate earned her photo spot amongst Rogan Norvall’s gallery of the memorable feature winners he rode during his career in the saddle. The Falkirk five-year-old credited Norvall with his first training success after he officially went into partnership with Matamata trainer Graham Richardson a day earlier, on the opening day of the new season. “I wasn’t at the races, but I watched her race and when I saw Craig (Grylls, jockey) winding her up down the…
Belardo makes presence felt in both hemispheres
With just two more days until he arrives on farm, Haunui’s exciting young sire Belardo (Lope De Vega) is making his presence felt in both hemispheres.The final day of the Goodwood carnival saw Belardo land his sixth first crop winner to date and after five filly winners, he got the monkey of his back with his first colt to salute the judge.Lining up for his second start, Titan Rock ran out an impressive winner over 7f and in the process, claimed a Tattersall’s Bonus for his connections. You can watch…
Coursing key to Baby Talk’s bounce
When lightly-raced youngster Baby Talk suffered an early career hiccup, trainer John Paraskevas and son Andrew decided to follow a proven path that worked wonders with her sire, American Monster. After winning her first three starts at Sale (2) and Ballarat, Baby Talk’s flying start came to an abrupt halt when finishing down the track at Warrnambool. But she bounced back immediately last Sunday at her Healesville debut, setting the pace in the heats of the Super Sprint (1-4 wins) series over 300m, with a family affinity for coursing key…
Racing to continue
The Premier has confirmed that greyhound racing can continue at this time because of the very low-level risk it poses in spreading Covid19 in our workplace. This evaluation is based on data and is because of the strong protocols we have in place. It is also because of how you have all conducted yourselves within the workplace over the past few months; abiding by the rules and doing the right thing. The right thing is to also keep yourself and your family safe and well. If anyone in your circle…
Evans remembered for her massive input as owner-breeder
Emma Evans didn’t get the send-off her long-time trainer Wayne Hillis had hoped to provide for her at Matamata on Saturday, but she will be long remembered for her involvement in the racing industry as a passionate owner and breeder. Evans passed away early on Saturday morning and that afternoon Hillis was hoping Watch This Space could recapture his best form and provide a fitting farewell to his Whitford owner-breeder. But the Group Two winner, with stable apprentice Darren Danis aboard sporting a black arm band in Evans’ honour, could…
Wexford team building with Sydney ambitions
Quality gallopers Charles Road (Myboycharlie) and Dragon Leap (Pierro) are making good progress ahead of their spring campaigns. Lucrative Sydney targets are high on the agenda for the duo should COVID-19 immigration challenges to enable staff to travel from New Zealand to Australia be overcome. “Charles Road and Dragon Leap are both in the same boat, we’re trying to get to Australia,” O’Sullivan said. Group One performed stayer Charles Road was back in action at the Te Rapa trials last week, where he finished sixth in a 900m heat under…
Five timer for Walker
Hunting down his ninth premiership, expat Kiwi trainer Mark Walker bagged five wins on Sunday at Kranji Racecourse. Walker won the opening race of the card with Savabeel gelding What You Like and went on to win the next three races, with Amazing Choice securing the five timer later on the night. “It was really good and things fell into place,” Walker said. “You don’t get days like that often. There’s still a long way to go in the premiership, but the horses are running very well. “It was pretty…
Book full for Ocean Park
Waikato Stud has confirmed that the 2020 book is full for rising star stallion Ocean Park (NZ). The Cox Plate winner served 153 mares in 2019 and had been available for a service fee of $20,000 for the upcoming breeding season. The 2019-20 season was a breakout year for Ocean Park, who won the Dewar Award for champion New Zealand-based sire by total progeny earnings between New Zealand and Australia. This is the eighth straight year that a Waikato Stud stallion has won this prize – O’Reilly (NZ) won it…