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Rising Force landed one of the plunges of the season so far when he defied stall 14 to win the Class Three Cha Kwo Ling Handicap (1,200m) on his seasonal reappearance at Sha Tin on Thursday. Sensationally backed from $16 into $3.35 favourite, the Ricky Yiu Poon-fai-trained galloper made light work of the widest barrier when Richard Kingscote managed to land on the leader's shoulder. Breezing past Matters Most as he pleased at the 400m pole, the race was settled in a matter of strides as Rising...View the full article

Mile racing is terrible to bet into for the serious punter that wants to consistently win! The winners and place getters in mile racing is just so inconsistent and you can  not follow firm to much degree. Maybe the Clubs have been told to program these ridiculous short distance races so the punters who are serious dont bother? Anyway the fields at Omakau are good for punting on and should be a good day there, unless it gets too wet!

When it comes to the Coastal Classic, Holymanz (NZ) (Almanzor) is like the spoiled kid who won’t let others play with their toys. The Ciaron Maher-trained gelding has won the only two editions of the 1700-metre race that has a giant surfboard as a trophy and is the headline event on Geelong’s feature Saturday meeting. The Cambridge Stud-raced six-year-old is out to maintain his dominance in the 2026 edition and in an ominous warning for his rivals, Maher’s assistant trainer Jack Turnbull considers him to be going better than the past two years. Last year’s win under 60kg was his first success since the inaugural Coastal Classic, but he heads into Saturday’s race a last-start winner after dead-heating with Geelong rival Precious Charm (NZ) (Per Incanto) in the 1600m Werribee Cup on December 7. “The horse is extremely well,” Turnbull said. “He’s probably arguably in better form, he’s got to carry the weight, but I wouldn’t say it’s as strong as a race as he found last year. “Hopefully we can package up and send back to New Zealand a third surfboard. “Once we picked up the second ‘board, we were always keen to come back for the third.” Holymanz goes up half-a-kilo for last year’s win and heads betting from former stablemate St Lawrence (NZ) (Redwood), who is now with Gavin Bedggood, and the Liam Howley-trained Opening Address (NZ) (So You Think). The Coastal Classic carries a $110,000 winner’s purse, and $36,000 for second, either of which would see Holymanz snare the necessary $26,718 required to make him racing’s latest millionaire. “He’s that Group Three, Group Two fringe horse and he’s just been an amazing galloper to have,” Turnbull said of the son of Almanzor, who has six wins and 10 placings from 32 starts. “He’s incredibly sound, he’s a pleasure to deal with and you wish you could have a few more of them. “A million in stakemoney is very hard to do, even in this day and age, so he’s been good to Cambridge.” Visiting English jockey Saffie Osborne rode Holymanz in last year’s Coastal Classic, but Michael Dee was aboard for the initial win and Dee goes back aboard on Saturday with the pair to jump from barrier six in the field of 10. View the full article

The stakes-winning run of trainer Stephen Marsh at Ellerslie rolled on in inevitable fashion as underrated mare Queen Zou (Zoustar) produced an undeniable finish to claim victory in the Gr.2 Rich Hill Mile (1600m) on New Year’s Day. The five-year-old daughter of Zoustar was tasked with defending the title in the race claimed by the Marsh-trained Bourbon Empress (NZ) (Proisir) in 2025 and did so courtesy of a patient ride from Matt Cartwright, who had also been aboard last year’s winner. Marsh was keen to see plenty of speed in the race as that favoured the hard-closing style of his charge and admitted he was giggling as he saw pacemaker Midnight Edition (NZ) (Wrote) being pressured by a wave of contenders approaching the home bend. “This is a race we wanted to win with her and I just loved how they put the pressure on so far out as she was just stalking (them),” Marsh said. “She looked awesome beforehand and it is very exciting and rewarding for everyone.” Cartwright had been careful to keep the mare in her normal racing pattern throughout the race, settling third last against the rail and not asking her for an effort until the pressure went on around the home turn. Queen Zou moved effortlessly into contention at the 300m and found another gear as she charged to the lead to beat a brave Son Of Son (NZ) (Tavistock) and Checkmate (NZ) (Mongolian Khan), who shaded race favourite She’s A Dealer (NZ) (Ace High) for third. “It means a lot to us as this is the first horse that Dylan (Johnson, racing manager) and I really stepped out and paid a lot of money for and we’re lucky we have such fantastic and loyal owners,” Marsh said. “I said to the owners that she walks around like a panther and Matt was confident (before the race), which is half the battle. “It looks like the Thorndon Mile (Gr.2, 1600m) will be next for her.” Marsh will be looking to hold on to the Thorndon Mile crown he won with quality mare Provence (NZ) (Savabeel) in 2025 when the race is contested at Trentham on 17 January. Cartwright was also full of praise for one of his favourite horses. “She is such a beautiful, honest mare and one who is so deserving of a win like this,” he said. “She put the writing on the wall last start (runner up in the Gr.2 Cal Isuzu Stakes, 1600m) at Te Rapa. “We enjoyed a beautiful run, got out at the right time and she just attacked the line. “She means a lot to me and I was quite excited after the line. I feel like she is up to Group One quality and can take that next step.” Raced by a number of long-time stable supporters including the Bourbon Lane Stable New Zealand LLC Partnership, Queen Zou was a A$650,000 purchase from the Vinery Stud draft during the 2022 Australian Easter Yearling Sale. She has now won five of her 17 starts and in excess of $328,000 in prizemoney. View the full article

John Size continued his mid-season renaissance with a double at Sha Tin on Thursday, spearheaded by the impressive success of Endued in the Class Four Lei Muk Shue Handicap (1,600m). Slow starts for the 71-year-old are par for the course and the well-known mid-season rally from the champion trainer is well under way, with Thursday’s brace continuing an impressive run of form that has seen him train six winners from his last 31 runners. Size is certainly not known for stable transfers, but Endued...View the full article

Storm Rider capitalised on a perfect ride by Karis Teetan and light weight to bag a career-best victory in Thursday’s Group Three Chinese Club Challenge Cup (1,400m) at Sha Tin. Racing four points out of the handicap in his Group race debut, the consistent five-year-old was brown-lamped from $18 to $9.7 late and lifted when it mattered most to prevail in a thrilling three-way finish. Teetan secured his fourth triumph in the New Year’s Day feature since 2018 when Storm Rider won by a short head...View the full article

Which paragraph did you edit, or is English not your first language ???

Terrible track for betting on. Hard watch if you are on the horse in the trail and it never gets a go. One of the few tracks I will not have a bet on now.

they're happy with it Brodster. Been doing it since Harold Park closed 2010. the racing is sensational. we are nearly getting up to the Menangle pace in Brisbane now on the 1000m track . scary they are running 1.50 now.A 2 yearold won the 2 year old slot race last year in 1.50.2. Incredibly quick. And you saw him in NZ having a crack at the Derby recently named FATE AWAITS. Fate Awaits only a distant 3rd to the great horses Marketplace and Got The Choc's though. 2 of NZ's brightest stars. so there's Hope for fast kiwi's yet ??? 👍😎💰 send em' to the Brissy Interdominion this year mate. Makes men out of boys lol. 🤣 Miracle Mile usually about 1.48 winning time Chief. for the Grand Circuit horses. the very best 4 year olds that can run in ' Chariot's of Fire ' usually around 1.49 miles Standard FFA'ers around 1.50-1.51 miles three year olds 1.51-1.52.