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Mark Newnham tuned up for the Longines Hong Kong International Races (HKIR) when Notthesillyone continued his fine form on the dirt in the Class Four Austin Handicap (1,200m) at Sha Tin on Sunday. It was Newnham’s fifth win on the surface this season and his backers never had a moment's worry, with Luke Ferraris controlling things from pillar to post on the Super One galloper. Pinging out of gate 10, Notthesillyone was always travelling well on the front end and showed a good burst of...View the full article

Not sure I fully agree with that. Of the younger people I was around on Saturday, more were watching and betting on the cricket than the racing. That's a 5 day game. Also one of younger people's complaints that I've heard is that racing is boring because it only lasts a few minutes then you have to wait half an hour for the next one. I heard another similar complaint from a group of corporate professionals that had their Xmas function at the races on Friday, even though they were well entertained with food and drink in between races.

Holymanz (NZ) (Almanzor) and Precious Charm (Per Incanto) shared Werribee Cup honours on Sunday after a dramatic dead-heat finish – the first in the race’s history. Ridden by Ben Allen, Holymanz started a $3.90 favourite after a strong Cranbourne Cup placing second-up. But he was badly held up for most of the 1600-metre contest and looked in trouble as the field fanned for home. There were chances everywhere. Craig Weeding’s Indispensable ($71) loomed on the inside after saving ground, while Precious Charm and Harry Coffey charged down the outside. At the same time, Holymanz finally saw daylight and surged late, setting up a thrilling finish. But the judge couldn’t separate the pair. Symon Wilde’s stable representative Ben Casanelia admitted he thought Precious Charm had been beaten and was pleasantly surprised when the dead-heat was confirmed. With her first Stakes win secured and her versatile profile, options abound for the mare. “Watching the vision in the room there, it looked like she’d got rolled,” he said. “Her best was really good, and she was in A1 order today. The feeling was she’d run a race, the barrier was a bit of a curveball. “She’s tough, out to 2000m might be an option. She seems to go good if she’s fresh over the shorter trips, so she’s got a few strings to her bow. “To dead-heat the Werribee Cup, fantastic.” Bred by Olly and Annabel Tuthill’s Beaufort Downs, Precious Charm is by Little Avondale Stud’s high-class stallion Per Incanto out of the High Chaparral mare Highly Valued, herself a daughter of a stakes-placed sister to Showcasing. The well-related filly was purchased from the Rangiora nursery for $80,000 at the 2021 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 1 Yearling Sale by Wilde Racing in conjunction with John White Bloodstock and Dave Mee’s Pinhook Bloodstock. For Holymanz, the shared victory was a reward for consistency. Last in the winner’s circle in January’s Listed Coastal Classic at Geelong, the gelding never fails to put in a shift and now has another feature to his name – even if it’s one to share. Holymanz races in the colours of Brendan and Jo Lindsay, who stand the five-year-old’s sire Almanzor at Cambridge Stus who purchased Holymanz for A$400,000 as a yearling in Sydney in conjunction with Nicolas de Chambure of Haras d’Etreham. He was offered by Lime Country Thoroughbreds on behalf of breeder Jamieson Park. Holymanz will next be aimed at a third consecutive Coastal Classic title, a race of which he is the sole winner so far. View the full article

New Zealand-bred mare Grid Girl (NZ) Time Test) made her first visit to Sydney on Sunday and maintained her rich vein of form, extending her winning sequence to three in the A$160,000 TAB Handicap (1400m) at Rosehill. The five-year-old daughter of Time Test recorded the first leg of her winning treble in a 1454m Benchmark 70 at Kyneton on November 5, then added the A$150,000 Fillies & Mares Pendant (1400m) at Cranbourne on November 22. Trainers Ben, Will and JD Hayes gave Grid Girl her first taste of right-handed racing at Rosehill on Sunday, and she had to overcome an awkward draw in gate 10 among a 15-horse field. But she began well and jockey Jordan Childs was able to take up a handy position in third. Childs moved Grid Girl through her gears in the straight and she finished strongly down the middle of the track. Grid Girl hit the lead passing the 100m mark and then fought hard to the line to hold out the late-finishing Just Party in a photo finish. The winning margin was a half-head. “It worked out well from the wide gate and the plan was to be positive on her,” Childs said. “A couple of them wanted to go quick, so I was happy to let them go and get a bit of cover. “It was a good, tough win in the end, because she got challenged when she was probably a bit out on her feet, but she held on.” Grid Girl has now had 18 starts for six wins, five placings and A$303,996 in stakes. Grid Girl was bred by Guy Lowry and is out of the five-time-winning Savabeel mare Chic. Lowry initially trained Grid Girl for two starts from his Hastings stable in the spring of 2023, placing on both occasions before being purchased privately by clients of the Lindsay Park stable. View the full article

Hugh Bowman showed he is in top form ahead of Wednesday’s Longines International Jockeys’ Championship (IJC) by slamming home a brilliant double at Sha Tin on Sunday. The top rider picked Luke Ferraris’ pocket to snag the final slot at the coveted competition and he tuned up in the best possible way with a pair of typically cool rides. It was a well-needed change of fortune for Bowman, who had to endure three seconds at the Valley on Wednesday night but was in no mood for that to happen again...View the full article

Little Paradise continued his march towards February’s Classic Mile with a comfortable victory at Sha Tin on Sunday afternoon. Sent off the $2.65 favourite for the Class Three Salisbury Handicap (1,400m) after three wins from six career starts, Little Paradise notched his first win at seven furlongs after finding a nice spot on leader Ka Ying Attack’s back under Zac Purton. “We didn’t want to go in front because the draw was a bit bad. I left it to Zac,” said trainer Jimmy Ting Koon-ho. “He...View the full article

What you waited 9 months for that, the things we do sometimes.

If the times are to be believed, Waitak won

Correct. Refer to my post re breeders cup. There were are lot more dead heats prior to the digital age because they did not have the technical accuracy. Much clearer today however if as other posters have suggested the trackside camera is not in line but past the post then that surely is a case to declare a dead heat. Disclosure, watched, highly enjoyable, but did not bet on the race, so not talking from my pocket

The question Curious is, WHY do NZTR want to close down that track. The new road replacing the dodgy gorge makes it an easy destination to travel to and from. Top trainers from the past domiciled themselves there. Why is it now surplus to requirements. The most recent NZTR venue plan gives insight into their intention "We will continue to race at Woodville until the venue plan is next reviewed in 2029 UNLESS the status and role of Woodville Racecourse needs to be reviewed prior to then to reflect any changes in relation to it or the racing landscape more generally." That is a fate pre decided, with legal weasel words wrapped around it to give them a dollar each way. Hastings and Awapuni fuck ups has put a spike in their vindictive intentions however I do not know what the long standing country club that is Woodville has done to deserve this treatment.

Correct. The camera angle favours the inside horse. There is only one angle that confirms the winner and that is with the photo finish camera. Seeing it did not operate for some unknown reason (was it turned on) a dead heat should have been declared imo.

Agree, nor would they understand the concept of value, they would lose overall but be happy to get a collect. Put a figure on it, say 95%. The point is, lots of new punters are getting to know that the TAB exists because of sports, simply because there are many more followers of sport in NZ than racing. This must bring more exposure to racing and the point I was making in that the young want instant gratification, which racing offers with a race and potential collect over in 5-10 min

Why would you spend money on irrigation or anything else for Woodville if it's to be closed down?

Don't know. I do know there was some NZTR blurb about Waverley and I think, prepared to be corrected, Hawera getting irrigation systems but for whatever reason, Woodville appears to be on the outer which makes little sense to me. I am also of the opinion that irrigation is a January/ February requirement as opposed to NZTR nonsense that all tracks must always try to present as a good 4. Trentham was perfect on Saturday due to Mother nature.

I don’t consider myself to be any particular type of punter. Walk into any bar or sports club before the ban and see what people in them were using to bet.

Join Emily Murphy, Jayne Ivil and Aidan Rodley as they break down the action from Trentham on G1 Mufhasa Classic day. Weigh In, December 7 View the full article

One punter breathed a little easier following the Manco Maiden 2YO (1150m) at Te Aroha on Sunday, with their $10,000 outlay paying off when Lara Antipova (Russian Revolution) romped to victory. The Fortuna Syndications-raced filly had shown plenty of ability at the trials, finishing runner-up in her 800m heat at Ellerslie in October before winning over 800m at Avondale last month. She was subsequently backed into $1.80 favouritism in her debut on Sunday and duly delivered. The daughter of Russian Revolution rocketed out of the gates, alongside Alohamoana, and she settled well outside of the early pacemaker. The country’s leading jockey, Craig Grylls, asked her to improve at the top of the straight and she quickly responded, opening up on her rivals and running out to a comfortable eight-length victory. Sam Bergerson, who trains Lara Antipova in partnership with Mark Walker, was impressed with her debut effort. “She was electric,” he said. “Her trials leading in had been good.” While she has still been a bit green in her work at home, Lara Antipova raced like a true professional and Bergerson is excited about her future. “There is still plenty of improvement and furnishing up we think, she still does a little bit wrong at home,” he said. “She was very professional today and hopefully there are some nice targets for her over the summer.” Stakes targets are now in the offing, which could come as soon as Trentham in a fortnight where she could contest the Gr.2 Wakefield Challenge Stakes (1100m). “While they are up and going it is good to carry on,” Bergerson said. “The Wakefield is a quick turnaround, or the Eclipse (Gr.2, 1200m, at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day). They look like two nice initial potential targets. “We will get her home and see how she pulls up and have a good chat with John (Galvin, Fortuna), Mark (Walker), Dave (Ellis, Te Akau principal) and the team, and work it out from there.” Two races later, Grylls was saluting once again on a Te Akau runner, this time aboard the well-related Stella Ma Bella (NZ) (Contributer) in the Shackell Electrical Maiden 3YO (1400m). Raced by breeder Simms Davison, Stella Ma Bella is a full-sister to the stable’s former Group One winner Campionessa, and Grylls believes she has a bright future instore. “She is a lovely filly, she is well-bred, which does count and helps a lot,” he said. “I ended up getting a lovely trip, she began well and I was able to get in the trail and pop off when I wanted to. She has travelled up to the 250m where I gave her a shake up and she has done it soft again too. “She has taken a lot out of that first run (third) and she is only going to improve again. I think once she gets to a mile, and maybe a little further, she will be a nice horse.” View the full article

The barest of margins, a mere nose, denied full siblings Crackercol (NZ) (Proisir) and Waitak (NZ) (Proisir) a notable raceday double at Trentham on Saturday. Star galloper Waitak, a six-year-old son of Rich Hill stallion Proisir and Shocking mare Repo Bay, had to settle for the runner-up position in the Gr.1 Mufhasa Classic (1600m) after a thrilling three-way finish to the day’s feature event that involved eventual winner Provence and the third-placed La Crique. That was just two races after his younger full-brother Crackercol once again showed he was a high-class stayer in the making after the four-year-old came from three-wide in midfield throughout to steamroll his opposition in the Rothley 2100. Waitak had been shooting for his third successive Group One crown after taking the Gr.1 Howden Insurance Mile (1600m) and Gr.1 Livamol Classic (2040m) for owner Jill Devine and trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott. Despite the defeat, Scott had nothing but praise for the performance of his charge who was resuming from a five-week break following his Livamol Classic triumph. “It was a nervous wait for the final placings to be declared and generally the longer the wait you think there may have been a dead-heat, but this time it didn’t go our way,” Scott said. “We couldn’t be prouder of him though as his performance was very good, he is just super consistent and doesn’t miss a beat. “He had been away for five weeks and it is hard for them to drop back to the mile after going 2000m. “He presented well on the day and the way he went you couldn’t have asked any more from him.” Scott and O’Sullivan will now set their sights on another Ellerslie elite-level target, with Waitak set to tackle the Gr.1 Zabeel Classic (2000m) on Boxing Day. “He had a long trip home last night but got back and ate everything we put in front of him,” Scott said. “He has always been a good doer and he presented well this morning, so he doesn’t look to have taken any ill effects from the trip. “He can have an easy time for a few days and then we will tick him over to get him ready for the Zabeel Classic at Ellerslie. “Provided everything goes to plan, he can then be set for the Herbie Dyke (Gr.1, 2000m) at Te Rapa in February, which is the traditional path for these high quality gallopers.” In contrast, Scott and O’Sullivan don’t have any set plans in mind for Crackercol, preferring to take a race by race approach to ensure they don’t overtax the promising stayer after a lengthy campaign. “He (Crackercol) ran through winter and has just got better and better,” he said. “The last two months he has been racing consistently well and has clearly benefitted from a bit of age on his side and the patient approach we have been able to adopt with him. “Like his older brother, we believe the best is yet to come and there is definitely a big race win in him if he keeps showing the progress he has made of late. “That was a strong field on Saturday, with good lines of form, and he put them away in good fashion. “They can sometimes be vulnerable first time over ground, but he was very strong through the line. “We will watch him and as soon as he gives us any sign he needs a break he will be off to the paddock, but at the moment he is thriving.” While the stable was enjoying a quiet day on Sunday, Scott knows it won’t be the same next weekend, with a number of runners set to tackle feature events at Te Rapa on Saturday including Checkmate, Smart Love and Lux Libertas in the Gr.3 J Swap Sprint (1400m) and Sassy Lass in the Gr.3 SKYCITY Hamilton Waikato Cup (2400m). “It’s nice to have a quiet Sunday for a change, although next week will be busy with plenty of runners set to line-up at Te Rapa,” he said. “We have a number of runners in the feature races, while two of our babies will make their debuts in the two-year-old event, so it will be all systems go for the team.” View the full article

Wingatui trainer Shankar Muniandy was hoping this weekend would be a career-defining one, but instead he has been left scratching his head in search of a new plan for his stable star Loose Sally (NZ) (Turn Me Loose). The dual stakes winner was set to have her first tilt at elite-level in Saturday’s Gr.1 TAB Mufhasa Classic (1600m) at Trentham, but those plans were quashed when her ferry was cancelled late last week. “We couldn’t get across (the Cook Strait), which was unfortunate,” Muniandy said. “She travelled to Christchurch and has arrived back home now. “It was the first runner (in a Group One) for me too, so it is frustrating.” The aborted trip hasn’t put Muniandy off crossing the Cook Strait again, with the Otago horseman eyeing another ferry crossing next month to head to Trentham with Loose Sally to contest the Gr.2 Harcourts Thorndon Mile (1600m). While he has circled the Trentham mile, Muniandy is finding it difficult mapping out a path towards the January 17 feature. “We are still looking at the Thorndon Mile, but she will need another couple of runs under her belt before she goes there,” he said. “I am not really sure what the plan is with her now. It is hard to get a race with her with her rating. She is a rating 79 and is racing in Open Class now. It all depends where you place them. Down here if you win one or two more races, her rating will be through the roof.” Loose Sally showed plenty of promise as a three-year-old last season, winning three of her six starts, including the Listed Dunedin Guineas (1600m) and Listed Warstep Stakes (2000m), and placed in the Listed NZB Insurance Stakes (1400m). She won second-up over a mile at her home track last month and has now accrued more than $190,000 in prizemoney for her connections. View the full article

It was a case of déjà vu for trainer Robbie Patterson with The Dirty Dee’s (NZ) (Derryn) runner-up performance in the Graham’s Painters 1400 at Trentham on Saturday. It was very similar to former stablemate Leica Lucy’s (NZ) (Derryn) run in the same race last year, with both fillies hampered at the top of the straight before being pipped on the outside in the concluding stages. While frustrated The Dirty Dee had an obstructed run, Patterson is hoping it is a good omen, given Leica Lucy went on to record five consecutive stakes victories, culminating in the Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) in March. “That (check) took the momentum right out of her, it would have cost her the race,” Patterson said. “The same thing happened in the same spot (with Leica Lucy), so hopefully that’s an omen. “I think going forward, the further she goes the better she will get. She was just off the nickel around the side, which is just telling us that she wants further.” The daughter of Derryn will step up to a mile in a fortnight to contest the Gr.3 Lawnmaster Eulogy Stakes (1600m) at Trentham, won last year by Leica Lucy, and she will continue to follow the same blueprint laid out by her former stablemate last season. “She has pulled up well from it so we will push forward to the Eulogy in two weeks,” Patterson said. Patterson’s disappointment was quickly quashed a race later when his promising four-year-old Thorax (NZ) (Ribchester) extended his unbeaten streak to two when taking out the JR & N Berkett 1300 in a tight finish. Patterson was proud of his gelding’s effort, and he is looking forward to returning to Trentham with him next month to contest another MAAT race over 1200m. “He really toughed it out,” Patterson said. “He is the sort of horse that I don’t think he is ever going to win races by much, he waits for them and yesterday he really dug in when that horse (runner-up Classy Brahma) got to him. He is an exciting horse. “He gets to run in a special maiden again on the 3rd of January. He will go up 1.5kg and I may have to claim off him, and I might put blinkers on him this time just to sharpen him up a little bit back to 1200m.” Meanwhile, Patterson was pleased with the respective fifth placed efforts of One Bold Cat (NZ) (The Bold One) and Belles Beau (NZ) (Iffraaj) in the Gr.1 TAB Mufhasa Classic (1600m) and Gr.3 Taylor Property Plus Spring Sprint (1400m). “One Bold Cat and Belles Beau have come through their runs super,” Patterson said. “One Bold Cat ran on really strong and Belles Beau just got too far out of his ground but made great ground late. “One Bold Cat will step up now and will probably go to the Listed 2200m (Marton Cup) on the 3rd of January and into a 2100m race (Gr.3 Trentham Stakes) at Trentham and then the Wellington Cup (Gr.3, 3200m). “Belles Beau will go to the Manawatu Challenge Stakes (Gr.2, 1400m) in two weeks’ time. Going forward, he is ready to step up to a mile where he is going to be a lot more effective.” View the full article

I'm not but I guess you consider yourself to be an average punter. Why? Who were the average punters betting offshore?

I don't really know what you mean which is why I asked.

When were you appointed spokesperson for the average punters association? If they don’t care why were they betting offshore in the first place?

Median or average spend?

Put a few dollars on him today, at 60s plus, was rubbing my hands when he took the lead with a big run from the back, alas was short lived, hit the wall, next time maybe.