Category: Meeting Previews

By Jonny Turner The two favourites for the New Zealand Cup are set to take the build-up for the great race up a notch at Addington on Friday night. Akuta and Self Assured return to racing for trainers Mark and Nathan Purdon to make up a capacity field for the Group 2 Canterbury Classic. The two superstars have taken exactly the same path back to the races and they head into their resumptions very closely matched. “I think they are very much in the same boat,” Mark Purdon said. “They…

By Michael Guerin Trainer Derek Balle knows a good trotter when he sits behind one and he thinks juvenile Dreams Pat fits that bill. The two-year-old will be vying for favouritism when he has just his third start in the $20,000 Lone Star Sires’ Stakes Prelude at Cambridge tonight, for which his three-quarter brother Paramount Kiwi is the favourite. The pair met last start at Alexandra Park and Paramount Kiwi was excellent on debut, wearing down favourite The Moonstone in a 58.4 last 800m to rate just a tick over…

By Michael Guerin Star northern three-year-old Merlin is nearly ready to resume his battles with Don’t Stop Dreaming even after missing a workout last weekend. But he faces going into the next round of their arch rivalry without a race under his belt whereas Don’t Stop Dreaming will be back on the track at Addington this Friday. Merlin was down to trial at Pukekohe on Saturday but senior trainer Barry Purdon opted to wait a week. “There was nothing wrong with him we just thought a good hit out this…

In the latest in his one-on-one series Greg O’Connor talks to Malcolm Shinn. 

By Jonny Turner When the fastest horse in the race got the sweetest trip, there was only going to be one result in the Group 3 D G Jones Banks Peninsula Trotting Cup. Despite starting from a 30m back mark, Olivia Thornley found the perfect sit one-one for Oscar Bonavena and he took full advantage of it when running away with the 2810m grass track feature. Thornley should have been laughing to herself throughout the running when settling in such a sweet spot with her Group One winning star and…

Now that many of the very best horses are coming out to play we are regularly updating what’s happening at the trials right around the country. Here’s the latest installment. The Rangiora Trials Wed 20th September(Weather Fine but windy / Track Fast) Tinkerbelle (2f What The Hill – Belle Galleon) The Mark Jones trained half sister to top trotter Stent led and then did enough to hold out Bounce N Beyond with 24L to the rest. MR:2.10, 800m in 60.1, 400m in 28.6. The latter was good enough to beat…

By Adam Hamilton Trainer Brent Lilley warned the small field could make it tricky and that’s just how it turned out for star trotting mare Queen Elida at Melton last night. But, as she has so often, the five-year-old daughter of Love You found a way to win, albeit in the very last stride and by a whisker in the Chris Howe Trotters’ free-for-all (2240m). Another classy former Kiwi Mufasa Metro led and dictated terms, while Queen Elida had to sit parked until some luck came driver Chris Alford’s way…

By Jonny Turner A smarter and stronger Captain Tom showed he is ready to return to top-level racing when scoring a fresh up win at Winton on Saturday. The three-year-old cruised away from a hardy bunch of rivals to score an impressive win in his first race day outing since May. Always an immense talent, Captain Tom showed improved ringcraft in his return for trainer Alister Black and driver Williamson. Those manners should prove a vital asset when Captain Tom has another crack at Group 1 level next month. “He…