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By Jonny Turner  Take two showed Blair Orange everything he needed to see ahead of the Group 3 Placemakers Hannon Memorial at Oamaru on Sunday. After taking out last year’s edition of the Oamaru feature, the leading reinsman is back in 2025, renewing his association with star pacer Don’t Stop Dreaming. Don’t Stop Dreaming starts his march towards the New Zealand Cup on Sunday, having trialled twice for trainers Hayden and Amanda Cullen. The first of those was a quiet outing, but the second gave Orange the feel he wanted. “I’ve been happy with his two trials back, the first run was a quiet one and then last week he actually trialled really nice and punched the line as good as he could.” “He’s got a good barrier draw (1) on Sunday and I expect him to be thereabouts.” Their established star status has seen Don’t Stop Dreaming and 2023 Hannon Memorial winner Akuta dominate the market for this year’s edition. Akuta has the benefit of having three starts back this time in, which effectively hands him the favouritism tag ahead of his number one rival. Akuta returns to Oamaru for the first time in two years following a fighting fifth in the New Brighton Cup, which is sure to have helped build his fitness levels following his return from a lengthy lay off. Don’t Stop Dreaming is among a powerful book of drives Orange takes on Hannon Memorial Day. The reinsman links up with Nellie Doyle in the Group 3 Jasmyn’s Gift Stakes, who also starts fresh up at Oamaru. “I haven’t driven her at the trials in her couple of runs back this time, but from what I’ve seen she’s looked good.” “She’s a horse that’s taken some good steps in a very short time, look for her late but she’ll improve with this run.” General Jen looks one of Orange’s best winning hopes at Oamaru. The classy filly is another returning fresh after trialling well and she has a big advantage over her key rivals in a strong Nevele R Fillies Series heat, having drawn barrier 2. “She’s a lovely three-year-old and she’s got the right barrier draw over some of the harder ones.” “Hopefully we can put that to her advantage and she can be hard to beat.” Helius is another winning threat for Orange, going into Sunday’s two-year-old feature unbeaten in his only start at the races. “He’s a progressive horse, and his trial last week was nice.” “He’s got good gate speed to utilise.” “He’ll leave everything out there, he’s not paid up for anything and he’ll go to the paddock after this.” Helius’ stablemate Rockin Roman looks an each way threat for Orange on Sunday while Loveyourmother is another genuine winning hope in Oamaru’s finale. Jonny Turner’s top five for Oamaru  Akuta Race fitness looks set to give Akuta a key advantage in this year’s Placemakers Hannon Memorial. It’s somewhat ironic that a horse who recently spent 20 months on the sidelines now brings a fitness edge, but that’s the case here. The progression Akuta has shown in his last two starts looks central to his chances. He heads to Oamaru in search of another Hannon title after sticking on gamely for fifth at Addington last start. Akuta worked hard inside the final lap and still finished less than two lengths from the winner. He’s sure to strip even fitter on Sunday in a race where his main dangers are either first-up or lightly raced this spring.It all points to Akuta being a deserved short-priced favourite. To place a bet on this race click here  Cody Banner He can be unpredictable and provide a nervous watch, but Cody Banner will always try his heart out. There’s no questioning his ability or his will to win as he lines up in what looks a very suitable Hannon Memorial Day assignment. But as most southern harness racing followers know, he’s never been one to trust with absolute confidence. If he produces his best manners, he’s the top pick and arguably the hardest horse to beat in the race. To place a bet on this race click here  Elton J Punters will need to decide for themselves whether Elton J is a rocketman ahead of his Hannon Memorial Day debut. Plenty of mystery surrounds the pacer as he makes the long trek south from Marlborough for his first Otago appearance. He’s had just one trial—against a single rival—but the stopwatch suggested he produced sharp sectionals to win. With no video replay available, the clock is the only guide. Lining up in a maiden field not overflowing with exposed form, Elton J has to be taken seriously. If early betting is any indication, he could prove very hard to catch. To place a bet on this race click here  C C Arden If he can recapture anything like his best, C C Arden looks capable of delivering a slick win in Sunday’s finale. Though he hasn’t been in peak form lately, his efforts have still been respectable in strong company. Back in grade at Oamaru and armed with a favourable draw over several key rivals, he gets a prime chance to rebound. Expect driver Tim Williams to be positive from barrier 5 and for his three-year-old charge to play a big part in the finish. To place a bet on this race click  here General Jen General Jen was going to be a major threat from most draws in Sunday’s three-year-old fillies heat, but landing barrier 2 sent her chances soaring. She’s all class, proven against New Zealand’s best fillies, and recent trial work suggests she’s primed for her racetrack return. Driver Blair Orange is certain to make full use of the low draw and, over 2000m, General Jen looks the one to catch. Perhaps the only surprise leading into Sunday was that she didn’t open a clear-cut favourite — something that changed quickly. To place a bet on this race click here   View the full article

$500 fine for that gesture?

The A$300,000 Jericho Cup (4600m) could be on the radar for Yolo (NZ) (Zed), who continued her return to form with a four-length runaway in Saturday’s NZB Airfreight Road to Jericho (3210m) at New Plymouth. Saturday’s race carried a ballot-free entry into the Jericho Cup at Warrnambool on November 30, with NZB Airfreight offering a $5000 equine airfreight credit to the winner if they embark on that trans-Tasman mission. The Shaune Ritchie and Colm Murray-trained Nassak Diamond used the New Plymouth qualifier as a springboard to Jericho Cup success two years ago, while Yolo’s trainer Kevin Myers won a similar qualifying race with Botti (NZ) (Jakkalberry) at Riccarton in 2022 before crossing the Tasman and running second to Bastida (NZ) (Pierro) in that year’s Jericho Cup. Just a few months ago, these lofty targets may have seemed a long way away for Yolo, who had scored the most recent of her four career victories back in November of 2022. But a maiden hurdle victory at Trentham in early June started to turn things around for the Zed mare, who has since reverted to flat racing and scored back-to-back wins in a 2100m Rating 75 at Otaki on September 6 and now the Road to Jericho a week later. “It was a good performance today by a mare that Kevin seems to have got back into form,” owner-breeder Sam Trotter said. “I’ll leave it up to Kevin to decide what he does with her from here, but that entry into the Jericho Cup has to be quite attractive. She might be a suitable horse for the race, considering her style of sitting back and doing nothing in the running before picking up and running home strongly in the last 600m. But it’ll be Kevin who makes that decision.” Yolo was ridden on Saturday by apprentice jockey Elle Sole, who settled in the second half of the field as Billy Boy (NZ) (So You Think) and The Finnster (NZ) (Vadamos) showed the way through the early part of the race. While the Heavy10 conditions began to take their toll on most of the field coming into the final 700m of the energy-sapping 3210m journey, Yolo moved forward with ease. She swept to the lead and strode clear, pulling away down the straight to beat Roc Up Ralph (NZ) (Roc de Cambe) by four and a quarter lengths. “That was really good,” Sole said. “It was similar to what she did at Otaki last week. She just travelled beautifully the whole way. She got herself into a nice rhythm. I just gave her a little squeeze down the side and she just went into it. It was easy from there and a pretty cool feeling.” Yolo has now had 46 starts for seven wins, 12 placings and $189,710 in prize money. She was a multiple Group performer in her three-year-old season, finishing fourth in the Gr.3 Wellington Stakes (1600m), Gr.3 Sunline Vase (2100m) and Gr.3 Manawatu Classic (2000m). Yolo is by Zed out of the Al Akbar mare Take Three (NZ), who herself won six races and went on to even greater success as a broodmare. Seven of her progeny have been winners and have delivered more than 30 wins between them, headed by 11-race winner and Great Northern Steeplechase (6400m) heroine Kick Back (NZ) (Bahhare). “It’s been a special family,” Trotter said. “I bred and trained the mother Take Three. She did a good job herself and has given us a lot of winning sons and daughters. One of those was Portland Jimmy (NZ) (Mettre En Jeu), who started off in Fraser Auret’s stable before heading across to Australia and having some country cups success with Patrick Payne. Kevin obviously has a very successful working relationship with Patrick, so it could be a possibility that this mare might head the same way.” View the full article

Darby Racing’s new recruit Nkosi (Shamus Award) collected his second win from three Australian starts with a dominant front-running performance in the A$160,000 TAB Handicap (1800m) at Rosehill on Saturday. The Bjorn Baker-trained four-year-old made a winning Australian debut at Wyong last month, scoring by four lengths over 1600m, then finished seventh in a 1500m race at Rosehill on August 30. The step up to 1800m proved to be ideal for the New Zealand import, who was sent forward by jockey Dylan Gibbons and controlled the race from the front. Nkosi kicked hard in the straight and put himself well out of reach for the chasers, who were headed by Glad You Think So (So You Think) two and a quarter lengths behind. “Going up in trip on and the blinkers going on helped him a little bit,” Baker said. “His last start was a bit of a sprint home, which probably didn’t suit him.” Nkosi is by Shamus Award out of the New Zealand-bred O’Reilly mare Sailing Past (NZ). Second dam Tropical Beat (NZ) is a half-sister to Gr.2 Moonee Valley Fillies’ Classic (1500m) winner My Emotion (NZ) (Savabeel), while another half-sister is Midnight Revels (NZ) (Don Eduardo), the dam of Gr.1 Champagne Stakes (1600m) winner Seabrook (NZ) (Hinchinbrook). The third dam Midnight Rock (NZ) (Belardo) is a half-sister to Group One winner Aloha, dam of the high-class Libertini (I Am Invincible). Woburn Farm bought Nkosi for A$30,000 from the 2022 Inglis Australian Weanling Sale, then offered him in Book 1 of Karaka 2023 where he failed to meet his $80,000 reserve. Nkosi began his career with four starts in New Zealand from the Cambridge stable of Tony Pike, winning the most recent of them at Ellerslie on May 7 before being purchased privately by Darby Racing. From a seven-start career, Nkosi has now recorded three wins and has earned A$120,579. “Thanks to the owners for trusting us to buy a horse that had won one race in New Zealand, using our eye,” Darby Racing director Scott Darby said. “We’ve passed him on to the master team, the Baker team, who really are improving horses. “I know it didn’t work out with this horse last start, when we went back in distance. But with the blinkers on today and going up to 1800m, Dylan gave him a great ride and he won well. This is a very promising horse.” View the full article

Exciting three-year-old Miss Starlight (NZ) (Sweynesse) thrust her name squarely into contention for future Group One honours when she destroyed a quality field of fillies in the time-honoured feature race at Riccarton on Saturday, the Listed NZB Canterbury Belle Stakes (1200m) The unbeaten daughter of Sweynesse went into the contest with a pair of wins on the Riccarton synthetic track under her belt but no one was sure how she would take the leap to the grass surface. The John and Karen Parsons owned and bred filly answered that question in emphatic fashion as she sat outside leader Spark (NZ) (Time Test) for the majority of the journey before dashing clear early in the home straight for rider Tina Comignaghi. Chased hard by the well supported North Island raider Bona Sforza (Written By) and the late closing Intention, Miss Starlight never looked like yielding as she maintained a powerful gallop to score decisively by nearly two lengths in a smart 1.10.58 for the 1200m journey on a Soft5 surface. Comignaghi confirmed her mount had created a deep impression on her with the performance. “She is a very special filly as today she stepped up,” Comignaghi said. “She has never had to go on the grass or had much competition but she proved she is a really special horse. “I didn’t know what she was going to do (from the starting gates) as once she jumped good and another time she didn’t, but she travelled well so I pushed forward. “I had a handful (of horse) into the straight and I thought I had a chance but I didn’t know she would do that. “She is a very exciting filly for the rest of the Spring.” Miss Starlight holds a nomination for the Gr.1 Barneswood Farm New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton on 8 November with TAB Bookmakers establishing her as the $10 Fixed Odds third favourite behind Lollapalooza (NZ) (El Roca) ($3.20) and Tajana (NZ) (Darci Brahma) ($5). Bred by Karen Parsons out of her five-race winner Firelight (NZ) (Fantastic Light), Miss Starlight is closely related to the ill-fated multiple Group One winner Tavistock who was establishing himself as a world class stallion at Cambridge Stud before his untimely death in 2019. View the full article

Stratford trainer Tony Dravitzki broke new ground in his career with back-to-back victories at New Plymouth on Saturday. Dravitzki, who has held a trainer’s licence since the 2009-10 season and has only four horses in work, went into Saturday’s meeting with a total of 22 wins to his name from 352 runners. He wasted little time in increasing that number to 24. Last-start Hawera maiden winner Im Bartholomew (NZ) (Complacent) provided the first leg of the double in the $40,000 Taranaki Pine Dash (990m). Just over 35 minutes later, the stable’s headline horse Tobias took his career earnings past $200,000 with an all-the-way win in the $50,000 Kiwi Butcher (2000m). “This is very special,” Dravitzki said. “It doesn’t happen to trainers like me, so we’ll take it, that’s for sure.” Saturday’s victory broke a year-long win drought for Tobias (NZ) (Complacent), whose last success was in the Interprovincial (1600m) at New Plymouth in August of last year. But the eight-year-old son of Complacent had produced a string of solid performances through the winter, most recently a fourth in his Interprovincial title defence, and Dravitzki decided to step him up to 2000m on Saturday. It could not have gone any better. Apprentice jockey Elle Sole allowed Tobias to stride forward and take up the lead coming down the straight with a lap to go. He controlled the race from that point on and kicked away as he rounded the home turn. Rosetown Princess (NZ) (Redwood) and Swingit Our Way (NZ) (Zed) chased bravely through the last 200m, but no one was handling the gruelling Heavy10 ground better than Tobias. He stayed well out of reach, crossing the finish line a length in front of Rosetown Princess. “He’s a tough horse in conditions like these,” Dravitzki said. “At the start of the day, I thought he was my best chance today. When the other horse won, it made him look even better. “I never really doubted that he’d get 2000m, and the track certainly helped him today.” Tobias has now had 32 starts for eight wins, four placings and $201,727 in stakes. He has a particular affinity for New Plymouth, where his 12 starts have produced five wins and two placings. Sole is forming a highly successful partnership with Tobias. Saturday’s victory was the 21-year-old’s fourth win from just eight rides on the gelding. Dravitzki was also delighted with Im Bartholomew, who finished strongly down the outside to win his Rating 65 sprint assignment by two and a half lengths with Mereana Hudson in the saddle. The five-year-old Complacent gelding is now a two-time winner from six starts. He boasts a two-from-two record in New Zealand, having begun his career with four starts in Victoria. “It’s been a long journey with this horse, he’s been around a bit, but he’s shown up in both starts for me so it’s good,” Dravitzki said. “This run wasn’t really planned. We decided to run him here to get him ready for his next two starts. I thought the 990m might be too short for him. But these track conditions might have found them out a bit. “He has the action of a better-ground horse, and he’ll get out over a bit further. He might be another Tobias, I think – a good miler.” View the full article

Extreme raceday at New Plymouth started in exactly that fashion on Saturday with torrential rain making for an uncomfortable start to the opening event, the NZB Ready To Run Sale Trainers Series 3YO (1200m). Commentator Justin Evans could hardly make out the five runners as they waited for the barriers to open although, thankfully, the rain eased and made vision for the race a little easier than expected. With race favourite Spandeedo (NZ) (Ferrando) out in front it was left to Matamata visitor Luminance (NZ) (Time Test) to head the chase after him, which she did in fine fashion as she shot past the pacemaker early in the home straight to establish what looked like a winning break. Unfortunately, that effort began to tell on her at the 150m as Staphanos gelding Tulsa King (NZ) (Staphanos) mounted a strong finish for apprentice Elen Nicholas that carried him to the front and away for an impressive victory for trainer and part-owner Aaron Bidlake. Tulsa King was having his first start for Bidlake, who purchased him for $1500 off the gavelhouse.com website, delighting his new mentor with the effort after being a conservative eight lengths from the leaders with just 300m to run. “We were pretty loud in the grandstand as I’ve only had this horse for about three months,” Bidlake said. “I don’t know much about him but I do like him. “He reminds me a lot of Eric The Viking (NZ) (Viking Ruler) with the way he works as he has got through the deep tracks at home.” Bidlake was referring to his versatile performer Eric The Viking who won five races on the flat alongside a further four over the steeplechase fences, including the 2016 Wellington Steeplechase (5500m) and the 2014 Grand National Steeplechase (5400m). Nicholas had a mud-spattered grin from ear to ear as she described the hectic conditions the race was run in. “It is a bit wet out there,” she said tongue firmly in cheek. “My horse settled lovely and was brave in the conditions and picked them all off as he handled the wetter track the best. “He was so relaxed in the running and I thought I might run second, but then he just blew past her (Luminance).” Nicholas didn’t take long to bring up a winning double as she guided Our Time Keeper (NZ) (Time Test) to victory in the second race on the card. Out of the Encosta De Lago mare Lilies, Tulsa King is a grandson of quality mare Call Me Lily (NZ) and closely related to multiple Group One winner Soriano (NZ). View the full article

Trainer Andrew Forsman has his eyes on the heavens above as he waits to see just what sort of track surface will be on offer at Te Rapa on Sunday. With plenty of midweek rain the official Saturday morning reading for the meeting was a Heavy10 with more rain and gusty winds expected over the next 24 hours. Forsman is keen to get a run under the belts for as many of the five-strong team he has nominated on the day but is mindful he doesn’t want to hinder their Spring campaign preparations with a gut-busting run on a very testing track. “You normally get a really good track to run on here at Te Rapa despite the weather, but with the rain we have had and the impending forecast I’m just not sure how many of mine will actually line-up on the day,” Forsman said. “I will wait until tomorrow (Sunday) morning to make that call but if it looks like being a true heavy10 then we might only have one of our five on deck.” Forsman was referring to impressive last start maiden winner Fat Cat (Written Tycoon) who will take his place in race seven on the programme. “He (Fat Cat) has a run under his belt and does handle it fairly wet so he will most likely run,” he said. “He is still early in his prep and carrying plenty of condition so he needs some racing to get him ready for the plans we have for him. “Our aim at this stage is to run in the Hawke’s Bay Guineas (Gr.2, 1400m) here in a fortnight so he needs to start. “He has come back a stronger horse this time in and while he is nowhere near the finished product, we think he can foot it in better grades. He will go against the older horses for this start and that will be a good test for him.” Forsman was also keen to see one of his stable stars in Hinekaha (NZ) (Savabeel) have her first up run for the Spring but has erred on the side of caution and scratched her from the 5th race of the day, the rating 75 1400m. “We were keen to start Hinekaha last week at Ellerslie but she drew wide and that put paid to that idea,” he said. “She is ready to go but we aren’t going to give her a gut-buster when she has a lot of racing ahead of her over the spring and summer months. “Our next option is a 1200m contest at Ellerslie next weekend which will be a little short for her but necessary to get her up and going.” Forsman is also in two minds whether to start his winter star Force Of Nature (NZ) (Savabeel) in the feature flat race at Te Rapa, the Power Farming – We Keep You Growing (1200m), after he blotted an impeccable form line when finishing sixth at the venue in early August. “He (Force Of Nature) didn’t pull up that well after missing out here last time, so we had him checked out and found he was quite sore in a hind leg after racing on a very heavy track that day,” he said. “We gave him a week in the paddock and he is back and going well but I’m wary of running him on a similar track to the one that tripped him up. “He has some big assignments ahead of him and we are hopeful he is going to show us just how good he is.” Maidens Rambling On (NZ) (Almanzor) and Moonbeams (NZ) (Ace High) are likely to be saved for another day as well with Forsman indicating they both have a win in the near future on the cards once they strike a better surface. While he may not have as many runners on the day as envisaged, Forsman was still a happy man after debutant Quondo (Wootton Bassett) ran out an impressive winner over 1200m at Matamata on Friday. “Quondo is a very nice horse and were confident he could go well first-up,” Forsman said. “We have him nominated for the 2000 Guineas (Gr.1, 1600m) at Riccarton in November and that was a very encouraging start to that plan. “Whether he gets there will be up to him, but you can only win and he has got one under his belt in good style now.” View the full article