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Imagine what Howard Bromac would have done if Mark Purdon had been driving it. The night it sat three wide outside the leaders in a strong inter dom heat to win was massive. Got murdered in many of its races. I was at Forbury when it sat outside London Legend and got beat a short margin at one of its last runs.

Was well over a lap that he sat parked for more like 1600metres. He clearly wanted to lead but lead not there for him, as favourite was in front. Kirk many years ago was a pretty good driver with UDR over .2000! Recent years he has not driven very well and UDR now not too flash. Has had some very good horses over the years but driving has gone backwards from what it was decades ago.

Well the industry will pay if Entain can’t get their bottom line up. Owners, trainers, breeders and clubs will cop it through reduced stakes in the long run if overheads do not come down. Entain guaranteed funding runs out 2027/2028? After that I presume funding becomes subject to Entains actual performance which based on the red flags over the last few months is not that great.

I do not rate Kirk Larsen as a good driver at all and never have. The drive on his two year old today was tactically atrocious. It had a good sit three deep the fence in a small field and he comes to out to attack the favourite with a full lap to go. Christ his horses must sleep well at night.

Two of the world’s very best could do battle in a showdown for the ages in next month’s Group One Longines Hong Kong Cup (2,000m), with the mighty Calandagan still a chance to face local hero Romantic Warrior. The catch, however, is that recently crowned European Horse of the Year Calandagan must first get through this Sunday’s Group One Japan Cup (2,400m) and is considered a slim chance of actually making it to Sha Tin. Whatever happens with Calandagan, Romantic Warrior – who returned from...View the full article

Voyage Bubble will defend his Group One Hong Kong Mile crown in a capacity field that also features Japan’s Soul Rush and Embroidery, Aidan O’Brien’s The Lion In Winter and French colt Beauvatier. Trainer Ricky Yiu Poon-fai and Voyage Bubble’s owners opted to drop the Triple Crown hero back to a mile rather than tackle the Group One Hong Kong Cup (2,000m) after he ran second to Romantic Warrior in last Sunday’s Group Two Jockey Club Cup (2,000m). Zac Purton is expected to again take the ride...View the full article

So if you don't lower overheads who pays for the inflated costs?

Freddie Tibbles the ole Kumara icon, certainly a blast from the past, must have lived to a ripe old age.

Why don't you take up a new hobby like macrame. You're actually worse than @nomates and @Joe Bloggs except they have had more success in racing than you have. Hear me now - racing doesn't need you. Although now that Freddie Tibbles has gone I'm sure you could make a great Clerk of the Course!!!

So it's 50:50 @Huey. Wow you're the one talking shyte AND providing the proof.

Well @Huey I'm sure there is a Club out there that needs your executive experience and insight. Kumara needs you.

No it played worse.

But you havent watched any races.

Yes, i did see that… I see in stewards report from last start… She stated horse trotted roughly at various stages throughout race??? Very strange, was one of the few to trot the trip. Yeah, i certainly wouldnt back it at that price

Can you blame them, your Centralisation mates have tried to close and sell of half of them.

Actually it is 2yo Sires Top 20 represented by Aus Sires 2025 - 11 2024 - 9 2023 - 11 Guess where the sire whose leading current 3yo Premiership is from. Keep making it up @Chief Stipe Well duh! Make your mind up youre spruiking the provinces , but does your beloved Ruakaka not count?

I wouldn't give much credence to BS's assessment of that either.

Well they've certainly laid it on the line now that if NZTR don't pull finger and get tracks and field sizes sorted, we won't make sustainable code payments at current levels at the end of the 5 year deal. That said, Entain don't need the racing codes to have a viable NZ business. As Vouris kept saying, our core business is selling bets. Plenty of other things to sell those on.

No way it played that bad

It has always surprised me, as it is Entain's money on the line, that they have not had a lot more 'insistence' about where money should be spent. Or have they?

Yes ENTAIN seems to be pissed off with NZ tracks too.

Trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson are excited about the future with regally-bred colt King’s English after he broke through for his maiden win in impressive fashion at Te Aroha on Wednesday. A son of Snitzel, King’s English is out of dual Group One winner English, who also placed on four occasions at elite-level, including a runner-up performance in the Golden Slipper (1200m). He was purchased at last year’s Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale by Te Akau principal David Ellis for A$700,000 and made a good impression at the trials as a juvenile, winning and finishing runner-up in his two heats. He placed in two this season before making his debut at Taupo in September where he finished third over 1200m before returning to the same track a month later to post the same result over 1100m. Punters took note and backed him into $1.60 favouritism for Wednesday’s Diprose Miller Maiden 1150, and he duly delivered. Jockey Craig Grylls was positive out of the gates, sending King’s English forward from his wide alley in search of the lead, but I’ll Be Home Soon punched up on the inside to maintain his advantage on the rail. The pair went head-to-head and opened up several lengths on the rest of the field. They held that advantage heading into the home straight, and while I’ll Be Home Soon began to tire, King’s English continued his forward momentum and kicked clear to win by 5-3/4 lengths. Co-trainer Sam Bergerson was pleased with the dominant performance. “He was electric,” he said. “We thought they had gone pretty hard early, and obviously the other leader weakened off, but he kept going right through the line and he is just going from strength-to-strength this horse. “A bit of time between runs he was feeling very well and it was good to see him put in a performance like that. “He is putting on a bit of weight and he is certainly going the right way as we head into some nice races potentially for him. “It’s an exciting time for the ownership group and hopefully he can go on with it.” Grylls was just as impressed with the colt’s performance, and he believes King’s English has a bright future in-store. “He was impressive,” Grylls said. “It was pretty easy. He travelled really nice and had a very nice kick on him today. He definitely franked that form today (of his first two runs) and he is going to be one that goes on with it too. “He’s a really well-bred colt, is a good mover and a nice horse in general.” View the full article

Twelve months since the start of a frustrating run of Group One seconds in the TAB Mufhasa Classic (1600m), Te Awamutu mare La Crique is ready to go one better in next week’s Trentham feature. That close second was the first in a frustrating and almost unbelievable sequence of runner-up placings at Group One level. All five starts since last December have been at racing’s highest level and every one of them has produced the same result. The most recent was her half-length second to Waitak in the Gr.1 Howden Insurance Mile (1600m) at Te Rapa in late September, and on Wednesday at Te Aroha the benefit of the time she has been allowed since was clear to see. In a solo gallop between races, La Crique was timed to run 1000m in 1:00.91s and the last 600m in 35.14s. Minutes earlier fellow top-class mare Legarto had recorded 1:03.44s in an 1100m black-type trial, with the final 600m in 32.55s. “That was just right, not too much pressure and it should bring her on nicely,” said Katrina Alexander, who trains La Crique with her husband Simon. “The time she’s had to herself was good for her, she’s carrying good condition and I would go so far as to say that she’s finally matured.” Even with all those placings, which can be added to by another two Group One seconds in the 2022 New Zealand Derby (2400m) and the 2023 Otaki Maori WFA Classic (1600m), the now seven-year-old has still won nine of her 23 starts, headed by the 2022 Gr.1 Arrowfield Stud Plate (1600m) and 2024 Otaki Maori WFA Classic (1600m) for stakes of more than $2 million. La Crique was ridden at Te Aroha by Masa Hashizume, who will be in the saddle for the first time on raceday at Trentham next week. “Masa has been coming down regularly to ride trackwork for us, which is something we really appreciate,” Alexander said.. “He’s been very obliging and we’re pleased to see how well he’s getting on with the mare, so we’re looking forward to getting them together on raceday.” View the full article

Shaune Ritchie caught up with Gareth to discuss what winning the Jericho means to him as he looks to do it again this Sunday with Tempest Moon. LISTEN HERE: https://podcasts.apple.com/nz/podcast/shaune-ritchie-on-giddy-up-26-11-25/id1542139858?i=1000738433825 View the full article

The Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr stable is hoping for some significant rain ahead of the Zipping Classic at Caulfield. The rain that fell at acceptance time on Wednesday for the Caulfield meeting was music to the ears of the Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr stable. The Group 2 Zipping Classic (2400m) on Saturday is the contest the Price and Kent Jnr stable have picked out for Hezashocka (NZ) (Shocking). The problem is the stayer has a terrible record on dry ground and is far better performed when there is some give. The track was posted in the good category when acceptances were declared on Wednesday morning, just as a heavy rain band descended on Melbourne. There is some rain forecast for the remainder of the week, but how much effect that will have on the Caulfield track remains to be seen. “He hasn’t won for a while and he’s had something like 20 starts on good ground, for no result,” Price said. “He needs to get his toe in. It’s a $750,000 race and he did run in a $1 million race three starts ago, so I’ll probably send him around because he’s in good order.” Hezashocka collected $45,000 when he finished last in the Group 1 Might And Power (2000m) at Caulfield last month before finding the firm track against him in the Group 3 Bendigo Cup (2400m) on October 29. At his most recent outing on his preferred soft ground, Hezashocka found the trip too far when a fading sixth in the Group 3 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2600m) at Flemington on the final day of Melbourne Cup week. Hezashocka’s last victory came on a soft track in Brisbane in June last year. A field of 14 stayers is set to contest the Zipping Classic on Saturday, named after the horse that won the race on four consecutive occasions at Sandown from 2007 through to 2010. Among Hezashocka’s rivals on Saturday include Kovalica (NZ) (Ocean Park), Smokin’ Romans (NZ) (Ghibellines), Alenquer (Adlerflug), Brayden Star (Twilight Son), Star Vega (Lope de Vega) and She’s A Hustler (NZ) (Ace High). Price said if Hezashocka runs well on Saturday then the Listed Pakenham Cup (2500m) on December 13 could come under consideration. The trainer has noted the Pakenham surface had been retaining moisture in recent meetings. “It has been a wet track and racing like a heavy track, so that would suit him,” Price said. “But by the time he gets to it, it might firm up a bit.” View the full article