Author: Editor BOAY

Milan Park principal Tony Rider. Photo: Trish Dunell Milan Park principal Tony Rider has had a busy time of late. Rider and his team at Pak ‘N’ Save Clarence St, Hamilton, have been run off their feet supplying customers over the COVID-19 lockdown period. “It’s been full on, but it’s been good,” he said. “There have been some challenges that we have never come across before. “We had to change our business style to what we had to do. “But hopefully by this time next week we should be back…

Cambridge trainer Frank Ritchie. Photo: Trish Dunell One of racing’s senior statesman, Frank Ritchie is looking forward to welcoming back a couple of his better quality gallopers in the coming weeks as the Cambridge trainer prepares for spring racing. The Covid-19 enforced lockdown provided the 75-year-old with a glimpse of retirement and the respected horseman said in the main it didn’t agree with him, but there were some new habits forged. “One was to bring my wife Colleen a cup of tea in bed at 7am every day,” Ritchie said.…

NSW prizemoney will return to pre-COVID-19 levels from July 1. Photo: bradleyphotos.com.au Prize money for NSW thoroughbred races will be restored to pre-COVID-19 levels from next month with the state’s feature spring race dates also locked in. Racing NSW has confirmed prize money levels for spring feature races will be maintained with this year’s The Everest to be run for $15 million while the Golden Eagle remains at $7.5 million in its second year. Prize money levels for NSW races across the board were reduced in April until the end…

Despite a recent extension to the shutdown of thoroughbred racing in Singapore until June 30, ex-pat Kiwi trainer Donna Logan can see some light at the end of the dark tunnel. With a significant flare up in Covid-19 infections forcing the Singapore government to order a strict lockdown scenario for the country in early April, similar restrictions were imposed domestically as those experienced during the Level 4 phase of New Zealand’s pandemic response. During that time however, Singapore trainers were allowed to provide basic exercise services on a daily basis…

Bloodstock agent Paul Chow (left) with trainer Alex Oliveira, who prepared Winning Dreamer in New Zealand before he was sent to Hong Kong Photo: Trish Dunell New Zealand Bloodstock yearling sale graduate Winning Dreamer (NZ) (Deep Field) impressed many when he lived up to expectations with a successful debut in Hong Kong on Sunday. The Frankie Lor-trained three-year-old showed good speed and shrugged off the attentions of useful top-weight Fabulous Eight to win with plenty in hand in a smart 55.59s for the 1000m journey. Purchased for $300,000 by Tartan…

Taiki Yanagida gets some instructions from his boss and mentor Lance O’Sullivan Photo: Trish Dunell Popular Japanese-born apprentice Taiki Yanagida has been working hard on his fitness as the countdown continues to the resumption of thoroughbred racing in New Zealand. Yanagida, who sits in the top twenty on the National Jockey’s Premiership with 37 wins for the season, is happy with his base level of fitness however when it comes to race-riding he still believes he has a little more to do to be in shape for a raceday return.…

Hastings trainer John Bary Photo: Trish Dunell The successful completion of a set of jumpouts at Hastings last Friday has local trainer John Bary fizzing as he awaits a return to racing next month. Bary lined up a number of his potential winter team on the day and was delighted with their performances which including an impressive winning gallop over 780m by lightly raced maiden Spydapus. The three-year-old Burgundy filly showed plenty of brilliance to lead all the way in her 780m workout, with Bary set to line her up…