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Central trainers also forewarned the lack of a sustainable funding model for the Awapuni synthetic. Most CD trainers did not want the track installed. However, it looks a mandate for Awapuni trainers to support the polytrack now as they rent facilities from RACE. As for a substantial increase of horses trained at Awapuni, despite the inflated numbers on the application to the Provincial Growth Fund, it was never going to happen. There are no longer studs of any significance in Manawatu, and leading jockeys and trainers are domiciled elsewhere. Growth must be close to zero making the use of government growth funding a failure. We are continually told by NZTR that those in the industry must band together for the good of all. I think there is an anomaly. Breeders have representatives on most racing boards and advisories, plus there is a definite inclusion of a selling facility at Greenfields. If it's good enough for all owners to contribute a percentage of stakes to horse welfare it may be time for breeders to do the same for an infrastructure fund. The breeders need horses to race for their core business to thrive. A tarif/tax/deduction of sales and service fees would help build up a fund, over and above any sweepstake races. A percentage applied to all income would allow for those who receive the most to contribute the most, rather than a select few clubs giving up their asset. The breeders could offer ongoing contributions, whereas the clubs can only sell their tracks once e.g. Feilding, Marton, Bulls, Paeroa etc.

Promising stayer She’s A Hustler (NZ) (Ace High) could be another galloper who could make a cameo appearance at the Sydney Autumn Carnival. Just as Tony and Calvin McEvoy are considering a return to racing for Caulfield and Melbourne Cups champion Half Yours in the All Aged Stakes, She’s A Hustler’s trainer Grahame Begg is pondering bringing her back at Randwick. Begg said he is looking at the Gr.1 Queen Of The Turf (1600m) for fillies and mares at Randwick on April 11 for his last-start winner of the Gr.2 Zipping Classic (2400m), before she heads to Queensland and feature middle-distance targets before bringing her back for the Melbourne Spring Carnival. “We’re working out a plan for her. In Brisbane she will run in the Hollindale Stakes (Gr.2, 1800m), the Doomben Cup (Gr.1, 2000m) and the Q22 (Gr.2, 2200m),” Begg said. “We’ve got to work out whether to run her beforehand in Sydney first-up in the Group One race for fillies and mares.” Begg said after She’s A Hustler won the Zipping Classic, his goal in 2026 will be to win the Gr.1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) at the same track and distance. The five-year-old mare has been lightly raced, having had 10 starts for six wins and four second placings, with the daughter of Rich Hill Stud stallion Ace High having transferred from New Zealand after placing on debut for Roger James and Robert Wellwood. Ace High is represented by 17 yearlings at the forthcoming Karaka Yearling Sales in January. She’s A Hustler is $20 to win the 2026 Caulfield Cup. View the full article

On a smaller scale even Kurow has squash courts that double as jockeys' room.

It took 31 years for Hong Kong’s Triple Crown to be won again, but it might only be 12 months until history repeats if Voyage Bubble continues his winning ways. Trainer Ricky Yiu Poon-fai said it was a case of “dreams come true” when his stable star famously completed the rare treble of the Group One Stewards’ Cup (1,600m), Group One Gold Cup (2,000m) and Group One Champions & Chater Cup (2,400m) earlier this year. And after his defiant success in last Sunday’s Group One Hong Kong Mile, snaring...View the full article

Enhancing the safety and well-being of thoroughbred racehorses was the key focus of the Jockey Club’s Equine Welfare Research Foundation’s inaugural international conference held in Hong Kong on Wednesday. Attracting 220 speakers and delegates from 25 countries, the event underscored a unified global effort to enhance the safety and welfare of thoroughbred racehorses through scientific innovation and collaboration. Themed “Applying Science to the Care of the Thoroughbred Racehorse”, the...View the full article

com'on Brodster. Get with the program as TaBman would of said. The last 4 races coming up are at around mile and a half . that's far enough for these horses. Was thinking the Brodster on the money today and just BACK your Boy Carter Dalgety today . Drove the double races 3 and 4 on Polly Grey and that plunge horse winner from Addington in DOVER TERRACE. looked a certainty with the best driver in NZ on it ? only got 13-1 for the double on Sportsbet but beggars can't be choosers . You tipped him as a man to follow and are 100% on the money old mate.👍💰 just gave some back on Suspicious Captain in the 8th just now , but it went ok. was only 3rd best horse as first 2 horses went well clear. Should we get on ANYTIME AT ALL in the last race Methven today ? seems a Huge chance with Carter onboard Brodster. ? should we put a Redback on it ? what's your tip ?

The Gr.1 TAB Telegraph (1200m) at Trentham in a fortnight has been locked in for First Five (NZ) (Almanzor). The five-year-old gelding was impressive when taking out last Saturday’s Gr.3 J Swap Sprint (1400m) at Te Rapa, and after some contemplation, trainer David Greene believes he deserves a crack at elite-level. “It was a pretty decent field on Saturday, so it was good to see him step-up on the big occasion,” he said. “He has done really well. He cleaned up all of his feed on Saturday night and it hasn’t knocked him around too much. “We will go to the Telegraph now. He has bounced through the race really well, it is a jump up going to weight-for-age, but we just feel that the 1200m at Trentham down the chute, and the way it is a fast, high-pressure race, it often plays out more to a 1400m race, so I thought we might as well give it a go.” Meanwhile, the Te Rapa trainer is looking forward to First Five’s stable and ownership-mate Bethany Dee (NZ) (Embellish) lining up at her home track on Saturday. A half-sister to Group Two winner Magic Carpet (NZ) (Satono Aladdin), Bethany Dee broke through for her maiden win over 1400m at Te Aroha last month, and Greene is hopeful of a similar showing this weekend in the Norwegian Park Mile (1600m). “She has done really well since that win and she is heading into Saturday in pretty good form,” he said. “I think getting onto the better tracks has really helped her out. Both of her runs this time in have been full of merit and getting up to 1600m will be a real sweet spot for her distance-wise. We are hoping for a forward showing.” The daughter of Embellish has drawn the ace marble, by Greene said she will likely be ridden off the speed. “She probably won’t race right up on the speed, but hopefully she will be able to sit midfield without doing too much work,” he said. Her owners will have a two-pronged attack in the race, with one-win gelding Rambling On (NZ) (Almanzor) set to line-up for trainer Andrew Forsman. View the full article

Gold Coast trainers Tony and Maddy Sears will be hoping talented filly Nightline (NZ) (Redwood) can provide them with back-to-back winners of the Gr.3 Grand Prix Stakes (1800m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday. The father-daughter training combination won last year’s Grand Prix Stakes with Beau Dazzler (NZ) ( Ardrossan), who went on to win the Eagle Way (2100m) and returned to place in the Gr.2 Queensland Guineas (1600m) before an unplaced tilt at the Gr.1 Queensland Derby (2400m). Like Beau Dazzler, Nightline was sourced from the Karaka Sales. The New Zealand bred daughter of Redwood enters Saturday’s contest off the back of a hard-fought victory over race favourite John Dory (NZ) (Ace High) in the City to Surf 3YO (1600m) at Doomben last start. On that occasion Nightline was friendless in betting, sent out a $41 outsider, but got the better of John Dory in the closing stages, with the pair set to clash again this weekend. “She did everything that we thought she would,” Maddy Sears said. “We were a bit wary of the favourite with the form that he brought up from New South Wales, but she has always shown a lot and she’s very talented. “We thought stepping out to the mile would be very beneficial, and so it proved.” Sears compared Nightline favourably to Beau Dazzler. “They are very different horses, but I do believe she’s very talented,” she said. “Without knocking the other horse, I think she’s a lot better horse than Beau Dazzler at this point in their career. “She’s just a lot more tractable. She’s very professional, and I do believe she’s improved since that last outing based on her work leading into Saturday.” Drawn barrier 11, Sears is not concerned by the wide draw. “There’s going to be a couple in it that will naturally be going forward. If she’s just sitting fourth or fifth one-off or even if she’s a little bit further back than that, I don’t think it’s going to be a problem,” Sears said. Like Beau Dazzler, a classic target will be in the crosshairs, with the Gr.1 Queensland Oaks (2200m) in June to be the favoured option. However the Sears haven’t ruled out a trip across the Tasman, with the Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld New Zealand Oaks (2400m) worth NZ$1 million and contested at Ellerslie on February 21. “We have spoken about possibly taking her back for the New Zealand Oaks. We’re just taking it race by race at the moment, we will see how she comes through this weekend, and then go from there,” Sears said. “The main goal with her at the moment is the Queensland Oaks, but we do have the New Zealand Oaks as an option, and we have spoken about it.” View the full article

A tilt at next month’s $1.5 million TAB Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m) hangs in the balance for talented filly War Princess (NZ)(U S Navy Flag). The daughter of U S Navy Flag has yet to be tested over a mile in her seven starts to date, but has shown plenty of ability over sprint distances, winning four races between 1000m and 1200m, and was runner-up to Circus Dancer in last month’s Listed The O’Learys Fillies Stakes (1340m) at Wanganui. Peter Didham, who trains War Princess in partnership with his son Trent, was pleased with the way she found the line last start after over-racing early. “She was a bit unlucky with circumstances,” he said. “We probably could have stayed a bit handier, we are trying to get her to settle, and the horse came up on the inside of her, and we didn’t get a clear run on the corner until late, but then she stormed home really well. I thought it was a great effort and probably one that got away on us really.” With just over a month until the Karaka Millions twilight meeting at Ellerslie, Didham is facing mounting pressure to try and get his $77,500 Karaka yearling purchase to the highly-anticipated event. The distance remains the Awapuni horseman’s only query, and that will be answered on Saturday when she contests the Gr.3 Lawnmaster Eulogy Stakes (1600m) at Trentham. “The owners are very keen to go to the Karaka Millions, but she will need to run a nice race over 1600m,” he said. “I am confident that she can get a mile, it’s just whether it’s this prep or next. “She is a lovely filly, she is nice and strong and doing everything right. There’s no reason why not, it’s just the fact that she has always jumped and run and it’s a matter of her teaching herself to relax a little bit.” War Princess has drawn barrier four on Saturday, and with her running pattern, will likely be up on the speed once again in the eight-horse field. “We were expecting a bigger field than that and we were thinking of riding her a bit quieter, but that will be up to Sam (Collett, jockey),” Didham said. “She jumps very quick, so we might just find ourselves in the first two or three.” Didham will also be chasing black-type with juvenile filly Vahvay (Tagaloa) in the Gr.2 Windsor Park Stud Wakefield Challenge Stakes (1100m). The daughter of Tagaloa finished runner-up on debut over 1000m last month, and while pleased with the progress of his filly, Didham holds reserved expectations against a hot line-up. “It is probably the strongest Wakefield in the last 10 years,” he said. “She is going to be a lovely three-year-old filly and this is all part of her education. “She will still run a nice race, there just might be a couple too sharp for her over 1100m, but when we meet them next your over 1400m or 1600m, we will be competitive.” Didham’s Trentham team will be rounded out by Lucullan (Rich Enuff) in the McDonalds Manawatu Sprint (1200m). The four-year-old gelding disappointed in his first two runs this preparation when unplaced at Trentham but returned to winning form last start at Wanganui. Didham is wary of returning to Trentham this weekend but is hopeful his charge can allay those concerns. “He has got a tonne of ability, but I am worried about Wellington,” he said. “We have tried him twice there and we thought he would win both times and he just went terrible. “In that 75 grade, we have only got Wellington 1200s, there is nowhere else to go. “I put him in Te Rapa last week, he drew 19 so I had to scratch. It is either turn him out or we give him one more go down the straight. “Hopefully he can relax. Those first two times he jumped, over-raced and didn’t finish the race off as good as he should. But I am really happy with the way he is going.” View the full article

Group Two-winning stayer Trav’s (NZ) (Almanzor) Melbourne Cup preparation may not have gone to plan, but trainer Raymond Connors has swiftly turned his attention to another Cup target. Following his heroics in the Gr.2 Auckland Cup (3200m) earlier this year, Connors set his sights on Australasia’s most coveted prize but just came up short in making the final field for last month’s Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) following three unplaced runs in Victoria over spring. While disappointed in Trav’s performances, Connors said he still enjoyed the experience. “It would have been great if he had gone better, but it was a good experience and it was good to see how it all operates over there,” he said. Connors has returned to New Zealand where he has immediately set about targeting Trav towards next month’s Gr.1 NZ Campus Of Innovation & Sport Wellington Cup (3200m) at Trentham, a race he finished fourth in last year and stable predecessor Blood Brotha won in 2013. Trav will commence his journey towards the two-mile feature in Saturday’s Gr.3 Humphries Construction Manawatu Cup (2300m) at Trentham, where Connors hopes to get a good line on his charge. “He has been ticking over,” Connors said. “We will try and get him to the Wellington Cup and this will be a stepping-stone and we will just see how he performs. “He will possibly have one more run into the Wellington Cup.” Trav is currently a $7.50 fourth favourite with TAB bookmakers for Saturday, in a market headed by Atmospheric (NZ) (El Roca) at $4.50. The Bulls trainer will also head to Trentham with Magic Charm (NZ) (Charm Spirit), who will be looking to recapture form in the Stringfellows 1400. “Magic Charm has been pretty disappointing,” Connors said. “He works well at home but he has been disappointing on raceday. “Hopefully the blinkers will turn him around a bit. He will need to show something on Saturday.” View the full article

Young talent Lara Antipova (Russian Revolution) will be heavily in credit with Craig Grylls if she can carry him to victory in Saturday’s Gr.2 Wakefield Challenge Stakes (1100m) at Trentham. They will team up again in the Windsor Park Stud-sponsored two-year-old feature following the daughter of Russian Revolution’s runaway debut victory at Te Aroha in the high-flying jockey’s hands. The Te Akau-prepared Lara Antipova repaid a debt they owed Grylls after a previous incident which resulted in the champion rider requiring time out. “Early on, she could get a bit cantankerous and she broke his finger, and he had to have a little stint on the sideline,” said Sam Bergerson, who trains the filly with Mark Walker. “We had jump-outs here at home and she bucked him off and his finger got caught in the rein, it was pretty nasty.” Raced by John Galvin’s Fortuna, Lara Antipova sat outside the leader at Te Aroha and cruised clear in the run home to have eight lengths on her nearest rival at the post. “It’s a step up for her on Saturday and she has to travel, but she has come through her first run really well and her work has been good,” Bergerson said. “She’s ticking the boxes so far and it’s a really good opportunity for her to get black type so early in her career.” The stable will also have strong chances with Origin Of Love (Snitzel) in the Gr.3 Lawnmaster Eulogy Stakes (1600m) and What You Wish For (NZ) (Embellish) in the Gr.3 Humphries Construction Manawatu Cup (2300m). To be ridden by Vinnie Colgan, Snitzel filly Origin Of Love won the Gr.3 War Decree Stakes (1600m) before a game fifth in the Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m). “She’s just kept getting better and better, early on she was pretty highly strung and did a lot wrong,” Bergerson said. “The South Island has done her the world of good, and I thought she ran really well in a strong 1000 Guineas.” Origin Of Love crossed Cook Strait without incident on Tuesday morning and is currently at the Awapuni stable of Bergerson’s father Roydon. Bruno Queiroz will partner What You Wish For who was a last-start sixth in the Gr.3 Counties Cup (2100m). “He’s run in some really good races, but he’s the sort of horse that needs things to go his way and hasn’t had the rub of the green lately,” Bergerson said. “He drew wide at Counties and we elected to go back and they went no gallop and he was really good getting to the line. “He’s drawn out (12) again which is a bit frustrating, but he gets in with a light weight (54.5kg) and looks another good each-way chance. “He’s come through his last run very well and we think Trentham will suit him nicely.” Meanwhile, the stable is hopeful of Hakkinen (NZ) (Savabeel) (Norwegian Park Mile, 1600m) and Balance Of Power (NZ) (Almanzor) (MVP Cars Handicap, 2100m) turning their form around at Te Rapa on Saturday. “Hakkinen was disappointing last start, we thought he had every chance and we might ride him a bit colder,” Bergerson said. “Balance Of Power was another one who was a head-scratcher at Pukekohe. His form before that was good and we can’t fault them, they are capable and it wouldn’t be any surprise if both were thereabouts.” Te Akau will also have several chances at Matamata on Friday and Bergerson tipped Frosted three-year-old Arctic Jewel (Frosted) as a top hope in the Comag Maiden (1200m) off the back of two placings. “She will probably run in race two, she’s in race one as well, and she’s been knocking on the door and we’re hoping Born To Be Royal (King’s Legacy) can put her hand up and carry on to some nice staying three-year-old fillies’ races deeper into the season.” By King’s Legacy, she runs in the Bell & Graham 3YO (1600m) following a sound last-start third when resuming at Te Aroha. View the full article

It’s easier to fool people than to convince them that they have been fooled. — Mark Twain

Mark Newnham knows there will be “nowhere to hide” on Saturday when Invincible Ibis takes on David Eustace’s Dazzling Fit in a battle of Classic Series hopefuls in the Class Three Poinsettia Handicap (1,600m) at Sha Tin. Newnham’s four-year-old has gone from strength to strength this season and after going close in his first three starts over 1,200m, he has become a different proposition entirely over the 1,400m distance. Defying stall 14 to shed his maiden at Sha Tin in October, he returned to...View the full article

Just Terrible races to bet into, maidens racing race winners?? Short distance racing in NZ Just not attractive to anyone that takes wagering seriously. Too many shorties and not worth the effort surely?

To be fair the intelligent posters are on BOAY! Reality is that the ones that genuinely care about harness racing are mostly on BOAY, and tell it the way it actually is! Some of us were banned from the other site due to telling the truth about things without the rah rah bs!

It is comical though, a site claiming to be the Premier site (the FB site seems to have a lot more going on), dominated by a small group of very opinionated, anonymous posters, with strange names, pulling to bits all and sundry to do with racing in this country, expecting that anyone in racing administration would engage them in debate. A debate that would very quickly turn rogue, because that is their nature. If you can't see that, you must be thick. They are a long long way away from what the site was when Dave and Ange managed to build it up so well, to the go to forum for anyone interested or involved in racing

I don't to it for thanks - I truly would be insane if I did. But thank you. 😀 I'm still passionate about the game after 55 years active involvement. I only see problems to solve not holes to dig.

I think they had less things to spend it on.

tick... otherwise, warts and all! thanks for the effort you put in!

1975, CHCH, there was a thriving underworld of local Bookmaker$. One being us kids 'local hero', he drove the Biggest Car! and gave out cash for thingimiss... the one I bet with gave a 5% rebate on all bets! I think one of the house rules pay out might have only been 15/5? Later late 80's, CD, Most Pubs still had one working! I was running a nice little betting club, me and a couple of jocks! We had to stop betting with one! Cos he went out and laid off on Tote! We stop using him! Did get a nice result via him!! we Feed him some 'horse info' via a 3 rd party,.. sent the word we were having a bet! he Bit! He talked it up! then Backed his 'info' horse into Fav! Ours came home, under a wet sail! via a ride that was given "ride of the day".. it all seem to easy! ps, in 1975 the NZ Working Class had a Lot more disposable income than today!

you sere lucky you got an email from them lol They are pretty gutless are the Bookies but it is to the detriment of racing.

Entain owned bookmakers in Australia are much worse. Ladbrooks, Neds etc just hand out flat out bans without notice. Not many restriction notices just an email saying words to the effect "We wish to advise that following a recent review, we have decided to close your account" They always like to rub it in on these emails with a laughable ending like "We appreciate your understanding in this matter" I have had them all from nearly every bookmaker in Aussie

Wont be long until Aus operator takes over…. Entain wont be happy with NZ figures

With top-quality harness racing taking centre stage this weekend, TAB bookmakers have rolled out a stack of special markets ahead of one of the biggest harness racing weekends of the summer. Feature meetings at Invercargill and Alexandra Park on Friday lead into the inaugural Phoebe Stud Harness 5000 meeting at Ashburton on Sunday. Most of the special markets for the meetings are already open, and there’s something for punters at all three venues. All 10 of the Golden Gait races at Alexandra Park on Friday are over the 1609m distance, so there is a Race with Fastest Mile market for punters who think they can work out which winner will dash home the quickest. A boosted Ya Rite Darl/Youneverknow quinella gives trotting fans another choice in in the Golden Gait 3YO Trot, and a winning margin market will be another option for Cyclone Rebel supporters after he opened at $1.20 to win the Golden Gait 2YO Mobile Pace. Invercargill Cup Day at Ascot Park will be the venue to play host to the weekly special market called “That Friday Feeling”, with a Boosted Double of $5 on offer for Muscle Mountain to win the Group 3 David Moss Stakes and Republican Party to win the Group 1 Invercargill Cup. That all leads into the Harness 5000 meeting on Sunday, where horses sired by stallions that stood for up to $5000 are celebrated. On top of a $20,000 Guaranteed Late Quaddie, there are markets for the stallion that sires the most trotting winners, and the stallion to sire the most pacing winners. Similarly to Friday, with all races across the same distance of 1700m, there is an option for the race with the fastest time, and a variety of Favourite Out or Both Favourites Out markets for races where there are warm favourites. Punters Promise is already in effect for the two Friday meetings, but this has been extended to the Harness 5000 meetings. This means customers betting on Ashburton will be able to bet to win at least $5000 on a runner. Most of the special markets are available at tab.co.nz/racing/futures or the Futures section of the TAB App, with the Harness 5000 Fastest Mile Time market opening on Saturday. The Favourites Out and the Both Favourites Out markets can be found at tab.co.nz/racing/extras or the Extras tab in the TAB App. Maximum Limits of $100 per account apply to the Boosted Quinella at Alexandra Park, That Friday Feeling and the Cyclone Rebel Winning Margin markets. Terms and conditions apply. View the full article

But doesnt NZ Entain free load off world sport and Aus racing?