Author: Editor BOAY

Benner keen to get back into action

Editor BOAY

Gr.2 Wellington Guineas (1600m) winner Gold Bracelet will do her future racing in Australia. Photo: Trish Dunell A pair of impressive trial winners at Foxton during the week has Otaki trainer Johno Benner looking forward to the return of racing in the Central Districts next month. Benner and partner Hollie Wynyard produced progressive winter galloper Happy Star (NZ) (Fabulous) to win an open class 1000m heat on Thursday while a well-bred Tavistock colt also saluted in a maiden catchweight event over the same distance. While the stable is generally quiet during…

Waller to have big say in Tattersalls Cup

Editor BOAY

Stardome and jockey Luke Dittman return to the winner’s enclosure at Eagle Farm Photo: AAP Improving stayer Stardome (NZ) (Savabeel) could add to trainer Chris Waller’s already strong hand in the Gr.3 Tattersall’s Cup (2400m) after his win at Eagle Farm on Saturday. Waller had half the field in the Gr. 3 Chairman’s Handicap (2000m) at Doomben on May 30 where he produced the first six across the line and most are expected to back up in the Tattersall’s Cup. The Tattersall’s Cup is the major staying race of the winter,…

Promising Opacity wins again at Randwick

Editor BOAY

Opacity (closest to camera) on his way to winning at Randwick. Photo: bradleyphotos.com.au The Gr.1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) and the A$7.5 million Golden Eagle (1500m) figure among the spring options for Opacity (NZ), a three-year-old son of Ocean Park who has continued building on a promising start to his racing career with another Randwick win. The John O’Shea-trained gelding got to the right part of the track out wide in Saturday’s TAB Handicap (1600m) and burst through between runners under Hugh Bowman to register his fifth win from seven starts…

Zacinto’s Vassilator salutes at Flemington again

Editor BOAY

Stardome winning at Eagle Farm on Saturday. Photo: Grant Peters The Colin Little-trained Vassilator (NZ) (Zacinto) was back in the winner’s circle when landing the VRC Heritage Handicap (1400m) under a well-timed Craig Williams ride. The chestnut son of Valachi Downs’ stallion Zacinto was successful for the third time in his career, but has been a great money spinner for his syndicate of owners, amassing A$617,275 from 22 starts to date. A Listed winner at two, the now four-year-old prevailed narrowly from Godolphin’s Haunted (Lonhro), with former Kiwi Romancer (NZ)…

Stardome scores at Eagle Farm for Go Racing

Editor BOAY

Stardome winning at Eagle Farm on Saturday. Photo: Grant Peters Savabeel gelding Stardome (NZ) picked up his fourth winner’s cheque when successful at Eagle Farm on Saturday over 2200m. Stardome took good form into the race, having placed in his last two starts over 1400m and 1600m, however, Go Racing Syndication Manager Albert Bosma said the biggest concern was the big step-up in distance on Saturday. “It was a really good win, but he was stepping up from 1600m only 10 days ago,” Bosma said. “The only question mark we…

Yesberg hoping for strong sale

Editor BOAY

Lot 2 – Reliable Man x Lady Zafira. Photo: Supplied Lady Zafira (NZ) (Iffraaj) caught Paul Yesberg’s eye when she won the Listed Pegasus Stakes Handicap (1000m) in 2016, so much so that he bought her and is now offering her Reliable Man yearling through New Zealand Bloodstock’s South Island Sale on plus.gavelhouse.com. “The reason I bought the mare was that she won the race that I sponsor at Cup week – The Yesberg Insurance Pegasus Stakes,” Yesberg said. “She’s a beautiful yearling and was going to go to Karaka…

Equine exports resume

Editor BOAY

The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) has completed testing all adult horses considered at risk of contracting Theileria equi infection through association with an infected imported thoroughbred mare at Cambridge Stud. All 263 tests have returned negative results. The horse concerned was imported to New Zealand for breeding purposes in February 2019 and was found to be infected with Theileria equi as part of standard export certification prior to onward shipment to Australia. The horse has not displayed any signs of illness in its time in New Zealand. Ministry scientists…

Catch The Thief makes it six straight with runaway win

Editor BOAY

Young Victorian star Catch The Thief has continued his love affair with Cannington, notching his fourth straight win at the track last night. Lining up in a talent-laden heat of the Fuller Fitness Winter Cup which included Cannington track record holder Campini, Catch The Thief made it look easy, careering away to a 7.5 length win in 29.56sec, justifying his $1.50 favourtism. Catch The Thief took out the G2 WA Derby Final at his previous start in a low-flying 29.32sec, just one length off the track record. Trained in the…

Status quo for Victorian Spring Carnival

Editor BOAY

Mongolian Khan heads home the 2015 Caulfield Cup field. Photo: Bruno Cannatelli The proposal for a revamped Victorian Spring Carnival has been rejected. The Racing Victoria board met on Friday and voted to keep the current schedule, including the Cox Plate and Caulfield Cup Carnivals on their traditional dates in October. The proposal, heavily backed by the Melbourne Racing Club, would have seen 12 Saturdays of consecutive Group One racing and the Gr.1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) pushed back to the final Saturday in November. But others, notably the Australian Trainers…

Industry loses great contributor

Editor BOAY

Chris and Rosanna Luoni. Photo: Supplied Chris Luoni, one of the driving forces behind the establishment of the New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame and a past chairman has passed away in Hamilton overnight after a battle with illness. Luoni, an accountant by profession, had been an avid racing fan since his teenage years following the fortunes of his father George’s high-class racehorse of the 1970s, Happy Union. He experienced success as a breeder and owner with horses such as stakes winners Ma Danseuse and Oliverdance, and he also raced…