By Michael Guerin It has taken just under eight years for the Purdons to pay Andre Poutama back for the outright Group 1 they cost him. But they paid that back, this time in full, when Shezsofast won the Caduceus Club Classic at Alexandra Park on Friday night. The Mark and Nathan Purdon-trained daughter of Vincent led throughout to hold off a brave Lizzie Borden in the Group 1, giving driver Poutama his first full win at the highest level. He won the Group 1 Rosslands Queen Of Hearts at…
Category: Punting
The Savoy too stylish at Cambridge
By Jordyn Bublitz Just like the plush London hotel he’s named after, The Savoy announced himself in style at Cambridge Raceway last night. The two-year-old gelding (Art Major – Sloane Square) scored a decisive maiden victory in the Pizza And Beer Night Skyline Lounge – 9th Oct Mobile Pace, confirming the promise trainer Tate Hopkins has always seen in him. Originally prepared for the yearling sales by Hopkins on behalf of Bruce Carter Bloodstock, the son of Art Major didn’t attract a single bid when he went through the ring.…
Confirmation for both Show Day Slot races
A late flurry of activity has ensured both Addington Raceway’s two big slot races will go ahead as planned on Show Day, Friday, November 14. The deadline for slot-holders to register their interest in the Majestic Horsefloats ASCENT was 5pm yesterday. “We always had the numbers for the VELOCITY but there was a question mark for a while with the ASCENT,” says Addington Raceway spokesman Greg O’Connor. “But thankfully two slot holders came to the party late. We now have 9 starters in the ASCENT and 10 in the VELOCITY.”…
Oscar looking for second Banks Peninsula Trotting Cup success
Presenter-driver-trainer Brittany Graham knows a thing or two about racing on both sides of the Tasman and now that the Queenslander is working for Trackside in this country she’s (reluctantly) agreed to write a weekly column. By Brittany Graham Successful in the DG Jones Memorial back in 2023, Oscar Bonavena is back for more as a rising ten-year-old and off the back of a stunningly dominant Ordeal Cup success two weeks ago. Displaying his very best manners, the trademark turn of foot at the top of the straight left his…
High “hopes” for 3YO trotters at Addington tonight
By Michael Guerin Ben Hope admits he knows a lot more about one of his three-year-old trotters than the other one heading to Addington tonight. But he still thinks they can both win. Hope and father Greg train Habibti Pat (R6, No.7) who resumes in the $60,000 Macca Lodge NZ Sires’ Stakes Classique for the trotting girls tonight while a few races later former northerner Ya Eejit Ya (R9, No.1) makes its stable debut against the older horses. “He has come down from Sean McCaffrey’s and feels like a really…
Can Merlin overcome 20 metre handicap fresh up tonight?
By Michael Guerin One of the men closest to pacing excitement machine Merlin finds himself going head to head with harness racing’s biggest modern trend in the IRT Spring Cup at Alexandra Park tonight (9.16pm). Because co-trainer Scott Phelan says the millionaire stallion is the horse to beat in the 2200m dash even though he is off a 20m handicap, the sort of disadvantage that has become a curse for punters in recent years. As the pacing breed has gotten quicker it has been increasingly rare for horses to win…
Big “hopes” for 3YO trotters at Addington tonight
By Michael Guerin Ben Hope admits he knows a lot more about one of his three-year-old trotters than the other one heading to Addington tonight. But he still thinks they can both win. Hope and father Greg train Habibti Pat (R6, No.7) who resumes in the $60,000 Macca Lodge NZ Sires’ Stakes Classique for the trotting girls tonight while a few races later former northerner Ya Eejit Ya (R9, No.1) makes its stable debut against the older horses. “He has come down from Sean McCaffrey’s and feels like a really…
Numbers soar for Harness 5000
The number of horses eligible for December’s Harness 5000 meeting at Ashburton continues to soar. Every week the Harness 5000 Progress Tracker is updated to show the number of horses who have reached the qualifying threshold for the meeting. Last week the figure was 117. The week before that it was 83. Now it is at 136. The “168” on the tracker signifies all 12 races having full 14-horse fields. It is however anticipated that around 350 horses will be in the mix come December, though this figure could fluctuate.…
Aussie news : Cyclone Jordy’s back and Better Eclipse moves stables
By Adam Hamilton If former star mare Cyclone Kate was human, she would be one heck of a proud mum watching on. Her latest progeny Cyclone Rebel, a colt by Bettor’s Delight, made quite a splash winning his first start at staggeringly big odds at Alexandra Park last Friday week. He steps up quickly again to try and overcome an awful draw (gate 12) and win again in a heat of the Sires’ Stake series at the same track this week. Almost 5400 kilometres away and in a different country,…
Two firsts for Moralde Sands at Cambridge tonight
By Jordyn Bublitz Northern reinswoman Holly Moralde Sands gets a special opportunity at Cambridge Raceway tonight, teaming up with Regal Girl in the Harness Hoedown Skyline Lounge 25th Sept Handicap Trot (6.29pm). The five-year-old daughter of What The Hill is trained by Moralde Sands’ employer Tony Herlihy and while she has had a handful of race-day drives so far, this will be her very first behind one from Herlihy’s team, and her first official drive at Cambridge. Until now, all four of her race day appearances have come aboard her…