All Activity

Oh absolutely let’s scrap those awful big fields and go all-in on 8-horse processions where everyone gets a pat on the back and a ribbon for participation. Because clearly, what punters really crave is less value, fewer betting options, and $1.30 favourites jogging home in single-file. Forget turnover, forget trifectas that actually pay more than a loaf of bread, and forget any kind of liquidity in the pools. Who needs proper markets or real competition when we can stage glorified trials with field sizes so small you need binoculars just to spot a quinella? And yes — we should absolutely ensure no horse finishes with a "0" next to its name. Maybe we can throw in appearance money, a warm cocoa, and a voucher for emotional support. Because clearly the goal here isn’t competitive sport or sustainable wagering — it’s morale preservation for slow horses. Let’s also ignore the well-established fact that larger fields = more turnover = more stake money = more sustainability. Truth is the betting public doesn’t tune in for soft draws and walkovers. They want depth and a chance to find value all of which come from, you guessed it, bigger fields. So sure, we could run two days of cuddly 8-horse fields where everyone finishes 4th or better… or we could accept that racing is a competitive sport, not a community raffle. Some horses will finish last. That’s the game. But punters will still bet — and when they do, the industry survives. If what you say is the best option for harness racing, why is it that all the owners trainers absolutely flock to meetings like these and punters open their wallets to create the bigger pools. Actually the complete opposite! Give him a BK Dawn at $5.00 a place at Mot and Brodie would have been straight in to take the bookies to the cleaners back in the days when he could get on.

The main two at value I had a nibble on were Amendment at 10s and the horse Blair Orange is driving in the first. I see that starting shorter on the day the way it ran home last start. Heavens Mark I think will start shorter than 8.50. Plenty of overs on horses paying 20+ too many to name.

You're becoming irrelevant @Huey.

Here'sthe fast Menangle on the grass from a while back. A NZ bred of course , by Garrison Hanover, and even though he carrying the number ONE Saddlecloth, Ian Henry had started off 20m after winning twice in the 4 days prior. and being re-handicapped accordingly. So Ian Henry makes it 3 wins in five days as he powers to victory. Very little grass on Aus tracks as the summers long and hot in NSW/QLD

There will be no short-term Hong Kong stint for Joao Moreira in 2025, with the Jockey Club declaring the riding roster full for the first half of the season. While trainer Caspar Fownes had stated his intentions to bring Moreira back to Hong Kong as his stable rider from October to December, the Jockey Club confirmed on Thursday that “there is no availability for retained jockeys”. After announcing on Wednesday that James McDonald, Hollie Doyle, Maxime Guyon and Dylan Browne McMonagle will spend...View the full article

Exactly. Just like to see more sign of them doing that.

Looking forward to hearing what they have come up with to turn things positive for the future, without all the Entain cash splash? What they are currently doing with Entain money is only a band aid that will come off! Entain have got what they wanted and now it is up to racing to perform!

Slipper Island (No Nay Never) put together a picket fence form line down the Trentham chute last season and he’ll be aiming to pick up where he left off at the Upper Hutt venue on Saturday. In autumn, the No Nay Never gelding went from winning at Rating 65 grade to defeating Group One winner Pier (NZ) (Proisir) and subsequent Group One placegetter Tomodachi (NZ) (Tarzino) three runs later in the Listed City Of Napier Sprint (1200m). That performance made four straight successes down the dogleg, and while his trainer Tony Pike hadn’t intended to head back there first-up, bad weather in the north shifted those plans. “He’s come back in great order again this preparation and his trials have been good, he looks pretty forward,” Pike said. “Ideally we wanted to go to Te Rapa last week, but with the wet track there, that forced our hand to decide to go back to Trentham, a track he obviously loves. It looks like they’re going to miss most of the rain and it’ll be about a (Soft) 6 or 7, which will be a big help. “The better the track conditions, the better he’ll go, but with his form on this track, I think he’ll be hard to beat on Saturday.” Slipper Island shares favouritism for the CR Grace And Waterforce Handicap 1200 with his stablemate Witz End (NZ) (Savabeel), but the pair will likely head in different directions after resuming, with the Listed Stewards Stakes (1200m) during New Zealand Cup Week the goal for the former. “I think the Stewards will be ideal for him, he should still get in on a reasonably light weight and the straight racing really seems to suit him,” Pike said. “Riccarton has similar sort of track dimensions to Trentham, so that is the plan for the short term.” A Group Two performer as a three-year-old, Witz End mixed his form at times last season at four, and Pike is looking forward to seeing a stronger galloper this time in. “He was also entered for Ellerslie (on Saturday) but I thought the 1200m was a better fit first-up,” Pike said. “His preparation last year was a bit hit or miss at times, but he’s come back and trialled well and is looking like a more mature horse this time in. “He’ll be very competitive fresh-up, and with that extra season of racing under his belt, he’ll come back a stronger horse and hopefully be up to those good mile races this season.” The Cambridge horseman will also send a pair of promising three-year-olds on the journey south, with the proven Ashoka (NZ) (Hello Youmzain) and debutant Pure Lotus (Lean Mean Machine) going head-to-head in the Marsh Insurance Brokers and Treadwell Gordon 1200. A son of in-form sire Hello Youmzain, Ashoka was twice runner-up in his two juvenile starts to Boombox (NZ) (Spirit Of Boom), his former stablemate who has recently entered quarantine on his way to racing in Hong Kong. “Ashoka is probably a little bit better left-handed even though he ran well in both of his two-year-old races going right-handed,” Pike said. “He just tended to want to drift to the middle of the track and I think the straight 1200m at Trentham will really suit him. “He’s run second in a couple of quality two-year-old races and trialled really nicely, so you’d expect him to be really hard to beat down there on Saturday.” While the less experienced of the two, Pike isn’t counting out Pure Lotus as he steps out on raceday for the first time. “I didn’t really want to run the two of them together but we have a couple of three-year-olds in at Ellerslie as well, so we’re trying to split them up with the lack of maiden 1200m races at the moment,” Pike said. “He’s a beautiful type that has trialled well, he’ll probably have to go back from that draw but I think he’s a talented horse going forward. It wouldn’t surprise me to see him go close to winning, with improve to come from the trip away and raceday experience.” Pike will be well-represented at the other New Zealand meeting on Saturday at Ellerslie, including recent debut winner Is That All (Cable Bay) stepping up in the Trackside.co.nz 1300. “He’s been a slow maturing horse, obviously making his debut at four, but he looks a nice progressive type that was pretty impressive at Ruakaka,” Pike said. “He still has plenty to learn, he’s pretty new and green, so that would be my only concern heading into Saturday. “It’ll be his first time at Ellerslie, but he looks like a talented horse going forward.” Pike is expecting to see an improved effort from well-bred colt Storm Front (NZ) (Snitzel) in the NZB Ready To Run Trainers Series 3YO 1400, having finished in the second half of the field when resuming in the Listed Sir Colin Meads Trophy (1200m). “I was happy enough with his fresh-up run, we were dictated to by the barrier draw having to go all the way back in a slowly run race,” he said. “He made up good ground late off the back of one very soft barrier trial, so he’ll improve immensely off that. “He’s a really talented colt, unfortunately he had a cardiac arrythmia in his last start as a two-year-old, so it was a bit of a messy preparation and we were a bit held up by the weather to get him ready for that first-up run. “He’s drawn a better gate on Saturday, and with the application of blinkers, he’ll be able to put himself closer to the speed. I think you’ll see a marked improvement from him.” He will present a trio of well-performed open gallopers in the Eagle Technology 1400 in Churchillian (NZ) (Churchill), Cannon Hill (NZ) (Ardrossan) and Rudyard (NZ) (Charm Spirit), with the youngest of the three expected to feature prominently. “Cannon Hill and Churchillian ran in the 75 carrying big weights two weeks ago, so they’ll improve off that, I was happy with both of them,” Pike said. “Cannon Hill was very good as a close-up fifth, he drops to 54.5kg here and I think he’ll be very hard to beat. Churchillian was off the scene for a long period of time so her run had merit, she only peaked late and will drop to the minimum on Saturday, where I think she can be competitive with further improvement to come. “Rudyard has trialled well, I think he’s going a lot better than he did towards the end of his last preparation. He’ll probably benefit from the run, but he’s drawn to get a soft trip and he’ll improve quickly off this run.” View the full article

Knock Off (NZ) (Fabulous) has proven to be a horse of a lifetime for Wanganui trainer Gerard Cvitanovich, who will be vying to record his first stakes victory on Saturday when his charge contests the Gr.3 Hunterville Vet Club Metric Mile (1600m) at Trentham. The semi-retired dairy farmer has been training intermittently over the last 30 years, and has contested three previous stakes races, but Saturday presents as his best opportunity as he gets set to line-up the $6 equal favourite for the mile feature. The occasion will be a true family affair, with his son Nick having bred the son of Fabulous, while his three other children, brother and wife also share in the ownership of the horse. “I have got four kids and they are all involved, as is my brother, and my wife, Rachel,” he said. “They all like to have a bet, go to the races and have a look around, it’s good.” The lightly-tried gelding has won four and placed in three of his 11 starts to date and has been in a purple patch of form this preparation, winning three and placing in one of his four starts this time in. Cvitanovich has been over the moon with his gelding’s meteoric rise and he is looking forward to testing him at stakes level for the first time this weekend. “It is good to give him a go at it and we will just see what level he is at,” he said. “He is very well and he seems to be enjoying his work. It is a good time to have a go at something like that.” While Knock Off has recorded three of his four victories in the last few months, Cvitanovich said he has shown ability from the outset. “In his first start he was a pretty close third to Valley King of Kevin Myers’, who went on to win four (from five starts),” he said. “He was always a good horse to have around and work, and the results have been a bonus really.” Knock Off will jump from barrier four on Saturday and will be ridden by Leah Hemi. “We don’t want to be too far back, we want to be fairly handy to them, so I hope that’s alright there,” he said. Cvitanovich said the remainder of Knock Off’s preparation will be dictated by his performance this weekend, with next month’s Gr.3 Thompson Handicap (1600m) a possibility if he performed well. “There is another race at Wellington in a month’s time and that is how we have been spreading his races,” he said. “We will just wait and see how he is after this and how it all fits in, he might need a holiday.” View the full article

Ka Ya Rising’s (NZ) (Shamexpress) first-up rating has him right where he needs to be for the upcoming Everest, says form guru Daniel O’Sullivan. While his returning figure of 107 was a few points off his absolute best, it keeps him in a class of his own compared to the rest of the world’s sprinting ranks. Add to that the prospect of Ka Ying Rising improving from his first-up run – a very real possibility according to trainer David Hayes and jockey Zac Purton – and the numbers make it hard to see any of the local sprinters taking the necessary leap to challenge him by October. “Ka Ying Rising returned on Sunday with a 107 rating, a mark he has now produced four times across his last eight starts,” O’Sullivan said. “It sits about 1.5 lengths short of his peak 110, achieved twice earlier this year in the G1 Centenary Sprint Cup (January) and the G1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize (April), both over 1200m at Sha Tin. “While the 107 doesn’t indicate he’s gone to a new level, it confirms he remains in a class of his own among global sprinters. “With The Everest still five weeks away, it’s also reasonable to think he wasn’t fully wound up, which makes the prospect of another 110 performance on Everest day a realistic expectation.” O’Sullivan concurs with the widely held belief that if Ka Ying Rising is to go under in the Everest, it will be due to the travel, which was the undoing of champion Romantic Warrior (Acclamation) when he ran first-up in the 2023 Turnbull Stakes as a notable yard drifter. But on the current figures, he will need to regress some two to three lengths, or have some horrid luck in running, for the local hopes to cause a boilover. “The one unknown is travel. Ka Ying Rising has yet to race outside Hong Kong, and history shows that not every horse reproduces their best after a trip overseas,”O’Sullivan said. “That is the key angle for the local brigade to cling to, because the ratings gap is clear. At his best, Ka Ying Rising’s 110 figure puts him 2.5–3.5 lengths clear of Australia’s best sprinters, who sit in the 102.5–104 range on exposed form. “While some might improve to a new peak on the day, it would be a major shock to see any reach 110, and even a rating of 107+ would be a surprise. “Conditions, luck in running, or the uncertainties of travel could all play a role, which is what will still make the race compelling. As things stand, though, the gap between him and the locals is significant.” View the full article

Stop making excuses for them, it is their fault they have closed tracks aimlessly for years which has left in the mess they are in now.

The recommendations will be more of the same, sell up assets and we know what to do with the funds baloney!

It had already been formed and met when it was first announced. Birnie and TAB NZ chief executive Nick Roberts say the advisory committee will report back to their organisation in the first instance and recommendations can be passed on to the Racing Minister, Entain or the codes, or in some cases all three. “It is amazing to see so many of the industry’s genuine leaders wanting to give back their knowledge,” says Birnie. “To see Chris Waller fly in for 18 hours on Wednesday night to lend his knowledge is quite humbling when you think how busy he would be this week.”
 https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/racing/racing-heavyweights-to-have-greater-role-in-its-direction/RNQFGP4AVNBLXIQBTKIIMQJTNQ/

Tajana will contest Saturday’s Group 3 Sunline Vase (1400m) at Ellerslie. Photo: Therese Davis (Race Images) Fresh is best for top quality three-year-old Tajana who has thrived since her impressive return to competition last month. The Oaks Stud-bred and raced daughter of Darci Brahma was a resuming winner of the Group 3 Northland Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) ahead of a second-up tilt at Saturday’s Group 3 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Sunline Vase (1400m) at Ellerslie. Tajana, jumping from the seventh gate, is paying $3.20 and is a live chance of winning, according to trainer Shaune Ritchie. “She was very good last time and has done fantastically well, I’m pleased we ran her at Ruakaka,” Ritchie, who trains in partnership with Colm Murray, said. More: How to bet on NZ racing “The four weeks between runs will really suit her. I think she is a natural mile and a-quarter horse, that’s what she’s showing us at the moment. “Keeping her fresh for these shorter distances is the right way to go and I am expecting her to go really super on Saturday. “She is a high-quality filly, no doubt, and she has really come on with the trip up there (Ruakaka) and the time to get over the race to really bring her summer coat through.” Tajana has now won twice from five starts, having broken her maiden last season and placed in the group 1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) and Group 3 Colin Jillings 2YO Classic (1200m). Her main spring goal is the Group 1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) and, safely through this weekend, she will have one more outing before the Riccarton feature. “The program we have going forward, which Rick Williams (The Oaks General Manager) and I have discussed, is a good one,” Ritchie said. “She will go to the Soliloquy Stakes (Group 2, 1400m) before we head down to Riccarton. “She is a laid-back filly and lovely to train, she almost trains herself and the only real concern is the 1400m on Saturday far enough, but I don’t think we could have tackled it any other way.” Tajana was ridden to victory at Ruakaka by Wiremu Pinn, who will make way at Ellerslie for Geroge Rooke. “He was promised the ride before he got hurt and he’ll ride her through the season,” Ritchie said. Tajana is currently the $5 second favourite for the 1000 Guineas behind Saturday’s race rival Lollapalooza at $3.20 with PlayUp (Playup review). View the full article

It appeared that this Committee suggested by Winston was going to be formed to help sort out all racing in NZ, both thoroughbreds and harness! has it ever been formed and anything discussed or just another load of baloney? Racing in NZ is well past the crossroads and is heading into demise bigtime unless they can have people actually do something about it! Personally speaking doesn’t really effect me there’s nothing more certain than a very reduced level of horse racing in NZ once the guaranteed funds from Entain are gone! Just reality but I believe we have a very short period to perform and not squander or it is over! Hopefully Brodie is incorrect but it does not appear to be pretty.

Grade 1-winning 3-year-old fillies Scottish Lassie, La Cara, and Good Cheer have another opportunity for top-level stakes glory when they compete Sept. 20 at Parx Racing in the $1 million Cotillion Stakes (G1).View the full article

The number of horses eligible for December’s Harness 5000 meeting at Ashburton continues to soar. Every week the Harness 5000 Progress Tracker is updated to show the number of horses who have reached the qualifying threshold for the meeting. Last week the figure was 117. The week before that it was 83. Now it is at 136. The “168” on the tracker signifies all 12 races having full 14-horse fields. It is however anticipated that around 350 horses will be in the mix come December, though this figure could fluctuate. The Harness 5000 is for trotters and pacers whose sire stood for an advertised retail service fee of $5,000 or less in the breeding season of conception and to be eligible horses must compete in at least five race day starts between July 3 – December 9,2025. On December 21 there will be $60,000 finals in each of the 12 categories. All will be 1700 metre mobiles. So far the biggest categories are for the 5YO and older Entires and Geldings. There are currently 31 pacers and 30 trotters. To see the Harness 5000 leaderboard click here View the full article

By Adam Hamilton If former star mare Cyclone Kate was human, she would be one heck of a proud mum watching on. Her latest progeny Cyclone Rebel, a colt by Bettor’s Delight, made quite a splash winning his first start at staggeringly big odds at Alexandra Park last Friday week. He steps up quickly again to try and overcome an awful draw (gate 12) and win again in a heat of the Sires’ Stake series at the same track this week. Almost 5400 kilometres away and in a different country, Cyclone Rebel’s older half-brother Cyclone Jordy returns to racing in the $35,000 Battle of Bunbury on Saturday night. The nuggety three-year-old is chasing his 11th successive win, the past nine of those since being bought by clients of champion trainer Gary Hall Sr for a reported $400,000 and joining his stable. Cyclone Jordy had five starts in NZ for three wins and a second before crossing the ditch. Hall Sr doesn’t hide his excitement. “He’s special,” he said. “He’s the equal of any of the best three-year-olds I’ve trained … Alta Christiano, The Falcon Strike and Chicago Bull, none were better than him. “It hasn’t been easy getting races for him with our ratings system. “If the three-year-old races don’t stand-up, and they rarely do when people see him nominated, he’d have to race against free-for-allers because he’s won 10 in a row. I refuse to do that.” Cyclone Jordy will dominate betting again from gate two at Bunbury. The $200,000 Group 1 WA Derby on October 31 is Cyclone Jordy’s most immediate feature target. Beyond Bunbury, there is a WA Derby Prelude slated for Gloucester Park on October 3. In other stable news, 2023 Auckland Cup winner Better Eclipse has joined the growing team of Hall Sr’s son, Gary Jnr. They train from the same property. Better Eclipse won three Group 1 races, including the Chariots Of Fire and Sunshine Sprint, in a phenomenal stint with trainer Jess Tubbs and her late husband, Greg Sugars. He also finished second to Leap To Fame in the 2023 Brisbane Inter Dominion final. Tubbs confirmed he left her stable last month. “It was sad to see him go, he’s been a real favourite, but I’m just glad he’s gone to a good stable and will be well looked after,” she said. Better Eclipse will be set for the $450,000 Group 1 WA Pacing Cup in December. Interestingly, Hall Jr is the regular driver of nominal WA Cup favourite Mister Smartee, who won the huge Nullarbor/Fremantle Cup double in April/May. He returned a spell with a fourth to Magnificent Storm in the free-for-all after sitting outside the leader and winner last Friday night. “I was pleased with the run,” Hall Sr said. “He needed it and Magnificent Storm was race fit and always going to dictate and run along.” Hall has opted to back-up Mister Smartee quickly this week where he will start from outside the front row (gate eight) in an easier free-for-all over 2130m. His most fascinating rival is one-time glamour pacer Captain Ravishing, who has changed ownership and is first-up for the Lindsay Harper stable from gate three. View the full article

Without doubt NZ's greatest ever sportsman. Here is his 1500m run at Tokyo in 1964. To many in NZ he exemplified what it meant to be a NZ'er in this race. Getting back to racing, that turn of foot that so few horses have at the top level. Zonda was one, in the NZ Derby, footage of which seems to have been lost forever, shame. Also pertinent in today's world of coaching with Noeline Taurua getting the boot for apparently not being nice to the 'girls' she coached. Can you imagine Peter Snell saying that to Arthur Lydiard, and what would have happened

Fresh is best for top quality three-year-old Tajana (NZ) (Darci Brahma) who has thrived since her impressive return to competition last month. The Oaks Stud-bred and raced daughter of Darci Brahma was a resuming winner of the Gr.3 Northland Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) ahead of a second-up tilt at Saturday’s Gr.3 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Sunline Vase (1400m) at Ellerslie. “She was very good last time and has done fantastically well, I’m pleased we ran her at Ruakaka,” said Shaune Ritchie, who trains in partnership with Colm Murray. “The four weeks between runs will really suit her. I think she is a natural mile and a-quarter horse, that’s what she’s showing us at the moment. “Keeping her fresh for these shorter distances is the right way to go and I am expecting her to go really super on Saturday. “She is a high-quality filly, no doubt, and she has really come on with the trip up there (Ruakaka) and the time to get over the race to really bring her summer coat through.” Tajana has now won twice from five starts, having broken her maiden last season and placed in the Gr.1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) and Gr.3 Colin Jillings 2YO Classic (1200m). Her main spring goal is the Gr.1 Barneswood Farm New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) and, safely through this weekend, she will have one more outing before the Riccarton feature. “The program we have going forward, which Rick Williams (The Oaks General Manager) and I have discussed, is a good one,” Ritchie said. “She will go to the Soliloquy Stakes (Gr.2, 1400m) before we head down to Riccarton. “She is a laid-back filly and lovely to train, she almost trains herself and the only real concern is the 1400m on Saturday far enough, but I don’t think we could have tackled it any other way.” Tajana was ridden to victory at Ruakaka by Wiremu Pinn, who will make way at Ellerslie for Geroge Rooke. “He was promised the ride before he got hurt and he’ll ride her through the season,” Ritchie said. Tajana is currently the $5 second favourite for the 1000 Guineas behind Saturday’s race rival Lollapalooza at $3.20. View the full article

Rudy Liefting gave up the opportunity to train subsequent Group One winner Grail Seeker (NZ) (Iffraaj) a few years ago, and he is being rewarded for his selflessness with the rise of another exciting filly. Liefting purchased Grail Seeker, under his Kakapo Lodge banner, out of Jamieson Park’s 2022 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 1 Yearling Sale draft for $130,000 on behalf of clients Sir Trevor Clarke and Chris Jones. While the market proved to be too hot for his initial budget, he managed to coerce his clients to extend a little to secure her. “On the budget I was allocated I was struggling to buy anything,” Liefting said. “I said to Chris, ‘this is hopeless, I can’t get near anything, our budget isn’t even getting a first bid in’. “I did notice that the Iffraaj fillies were good value for money, and I went around and had a look at every Iffraaj filly and I came across this filly. I told Chris that I saw one stunner, I went around and showed him her and he fell in love with her. The reserve was $130,000 and we got her right on the money.” Liefting was rapt to secure the filly, and while he would have loved to have trained her, he advised his clients to put her in the care of a bigger stable, and she found a home with Wexford Stables. She has gone on to win four and place in four of her 14 starts to date for trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott, including victories in the Gr.1 Tarzino Trophy (1400m), Gr.1 Telegraph (1200m) and Gr.2 Wellington Guineas (1400m). “I sat down with Chris and I said a filly like her might be better in a bigger stable,” Liefting said. “I didn’t want to because I have always dreamed of training a horse like her, but I prefer the cheaper ones, it is a bit less pressure.” Liefting found a cheaper one a year later in Unrestrained (NZ) (Time Test), who he purchased as a weanling for Clarke and Jones for $4,000 out of Little Avondale Stud’s New Zealand Bloodstock National Weanling and Broodmare Sale draft. “I said to Chris ‘what about buying a couple of cheapies at the weanling sales?’ and I bought her (Unrestrained),” Liefting said. “Trevor McKee had her grandmother, Royal Tiara (NZ), and she won the Auckland Cup (Gr.1, 3200m). The pedigree all stacked up and she was quite a nice type. We didn’t want to spend a lot of money and she fell into the budget as well.” Liefting said the daughter of Time Test has shown a lot of promise the whole way through but has proven to be a bit of a handful. “She has been really difficult on the ground to handle. We have just had to spend more time with her,” he said. “She got scratched at the barriers twice at the trials because she wouldn’t load. We have got on top of those issues, but she is not easy at home. She is nice to ride, but she is not easy on the ground.” Unrestrained was runner-up in two trials before making her debut over 1200m at Ruakaka earlier this month where she finished runner-up behind Transcend (NZ) (So You Think). “I was really happy with the run,” Liefting said. “I am pretty confident I left a stack of improvement in her that day. It was only her first start on raceday and she got scratched at the trials, so she missed her trial going into it. I think she will get at least one or two lengths improvement out of it.” Liefting will find out if his assessment his correct on Saturday when he heads to Ellerslie with the filly where she will have her first crack at stakes level in the Gr.3 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Sunline Vase (1400m). “We will get a bit of a measure of her and see if she is up to it or not,” he said. “It’s a good opportunity to get some black-type if we can sneak into a place.” Unrestrained has drawn barrier five on Saturday and will be ridden by Joe Doyle. “I was praying for a good draw and that might give her a chance,” Liefting said. “She seems to have a bit of tactical speed, so she might get into a nice position. Joe Doyle is riding her, he rode her once at the trials.” A day prior at Te Aroha, Liefting will line-up Mont Ventoux (NZ) (Nom du Jeu) in the J SWAP Great New Zealand Hurdle (4200m). “I have got him as good as I can get him,” he said. “I don’t know how he is going to go because it is a bit tougher field than last year, where he ran second. “When he finished fourth last-start (in the Pakuranga Hunt Hurdle), he had come off a bit of a freshen-up, so he will take a bit of improvement out of that. I think he will still be an outside place chance.” View the full article

NZ is a small country...we do punch above our weight in many things ! For a time I worked in Winstones Head Office at top of Symonds St /Khyber Pass .I had a desk where there were just temporary like barriers between rooms and Arthur was right next door. After having to go abroad for employment ,Winstones gave him a job in PR as an Ambassador and I sat and listened to him advising and discussing tactics with Athletes. ! Often chatted do him in the lunch room where he often played indoor bowls. ! Then about 2017 in Auckland the World Masters Sports event was on with over 20,000 people competing...I believe mikeyNZ from down south was involved in the oyster shukking , I was involved with Basketball and Table Tennis and Sir Peter Snell and his wife played in the Table Tennis . I always considered him NZ's greatest ever Sportsman so it was great to chat away with him ! NZ is a very small place ! Those runs that Arthur put his Athletes on were very hilly...I was driving out that way recently and my modern but small car had trouble !

Multiple Group 1 winner, Antino. (Photo: Bruno Cannatelli) A trio of champions will battle it out to be crowned Queensland Horse of the Year at the 2025 Queensland Thoroughbred Awards. Earlier today, the finalists for this year’s Awards were unveiled ahead of the gala event at The Star Brisbane on Sunday, October 12, recognising the Sunshine State’s most outstanding gallopers and participants over the past season. The race for the top gong is set to be one of the closest in years with all three nominees enjoying Group 1 success last season, as reigning Horse of the Year Antino goes head-to-head with fairytale Melbourne Cup champion Knight’s Choice and star colt Cool Archie. The JJ Atkins winner, Cool Archie, also headlines the nominations for 2YO Horse of the Year, alongside Grafterburners and Sunrays, while Philia, Spicy Martini and Give Me Space will battle it out for the 3YO Horse of the Year honours. Antino and Knight’s Choice also feature in the 4YO and Older Horse of the Year nominations, alongside with Zarastro who came agonisingly close to taking out the Group 1 Kingsford Smith Cup in June. In total, close to 30 awards will be presented – including Trainer, Jockey and Apprentice of the Year, as well as the Sportsbet Queensland Horse of the Year. The evening will also see four new inductees into the Queensland Hall of Fame. Acting RQ CEO Lachlan Murray said the Horse of the Year finalists are the strongest group seen in recent years, with a cumulative four Group 1 wins and eight black type successes. “The star power on show in Queensland has well and truly come to the fore over the last 12 months,” Mr Murray said. “Knight’s Choice re-wrote the record books by becoming the first Queensland-trained horse to take out the race that stops a nation, whilst Antino’s demolition in the Doomben Cup still sits comfortably within the Longines World’s Best Racehorse rankings. “Cool Archie’s two-year-old season stacked up against the best the nation had to offer last season, with his five-race winning streak culminating in Group 1 glory in the JJ Atkins. “It’s also important that we acknowledge our off-the-track success, and we are pleased to again recognise the Stable Person of the Year for the dedication of those behind the scenes at the coalface of the sport. “Similarly, the vital support the Queensland Off-The-Track Program provides our animals post-racing will be celebrated through the Queensland Acknowledged Retrainer of the Year Award.” Tony Gollan headlines the nominees for the Queensland Trainer of the Year, looking to take out a 12th straight title following another outstanding season in which he notched 134 metropolitan victories. Co-trainers Chris and Corey Munce, as well as the team of Sheila Laxon and John Symons, are also recognised as nominees for their excellent respective seasons in which both stables claimed Group 1 victories. The George Moore Queensland Jockey of the Year title race will also go down to the wire, with history-maker Angela Jones going up against Melbourne Cup champion Robbie Dolan and young gun Emily Lang. Finally, Lang – who finished second in the Metropolitan Jockeys’ Premiership – has also been nominated for Queensland Apprentice of the Year, with Cody Collis and Bailey Wheeler her rivals. Horse racing news View the full article

Lo Rider seals a quartet for Caspar Fownes. (Photo: HKJC) Reprising his role as ‘King of the Valley,’ Caspar Fownes vaulted to the top of the 2025/26 Hong Kong trainers’ championship with a quartet at Happy Valley on Wednesday night (17 September). Hong Kong’s most successful trainer at the track, Fownes boosted his career tally of wins at Happy Valley to 633 after combining with Ellis Wong to post a race-to-race double with Silver Spurs and Mighty Commander before Hugh Bowman triumphed on Rocket Spade, with Harry Bentley delivering a fourth success on Lo Rider. “Half the card, so very happy – it’s a good night. I thought I would have a good night coming here tonight but racing is racing. You always need some luck,” Fownes said after talented Lo Rider (121lb) claimed a PP Bonus of HK$3 million by winning the Class 2 Shek O Handicap (1650m) to crown a stellar meeting for the four-time Hong Kong champion trainer. “I’m very happy, especially for the last winner (Lo Rider) because the owner (Caspar Fownes Trainer Syndicate) gets a big bonus and the horse is first time at Happy Valley, so it was nice to see a great effort. So, all in all, it’s been a lovely night. “I’m very proud of him and he’s a chance to continue on. He performed very well last season and ran a close fourth in the (BMW Hong Kong) Derby (2000m) and a lot of his runs were very close and obviously in Hong Kong when you have your second season, you can start to settle into the system, especially being a European horse, and progress – and he’s doing that.” Formerly known as Sharinay, the Harzand gelding won twice in Ireland before transferring to Fownes’ stable. Jubilant after firing in a brace, Wong said: “It’s good, especially to have these winners for Caspar, he gives me a lot of support. Both horses ran well, so it’s great.” Silver Spurs (128lb) justified Fownes’ patience with victory in the Class 5 Chung Hom Kok Handicap (1000m). The Charm Spirit gelding suffered a lung infection in 2024 and pastern injuries earlier in 2025 before prevailing at his 11th start. Wong angled Mighty Commander (128lb) away from the fence to have the Artie Schiller gelding in a striking position mid-race before surging to his second win in 16 Hong Kong starts. Rocket Spade (127lb) continued to build a strong record at Happy Valley with victory in the Class 3 Community Chest Cup Handicap (1650m), finishing stoutly to overhaul Star Contact (128lb) and Another Zonda (125lb). Karis Teetan opened his winning account for the season with the spectacular success of Forever Folks (121lb) in the Class 4 Lido Handicap (1800m). A clear last early after missing the start, the Hong Kong International Sale graduate sprinted sharply in the straight on his first start for Danny Shum. “It’s nice to get the first win, it took a couple of meetings. I was close in a couple of races, but you have to be strong mentally in Hong Kong and always try to look forward,” Teetan said. “The owner, Mr So, has been a great supporter and it always helps when you get that support. When the horse caught the field and I pulled him out at the 600m, he was travelling but I thought the straight would be too short. “But he was extending and in the straight, I always thought he would get there.” Teetan and Shum also struck with Master Champion (135lb) in the first section of the Class 4 Hoi Mei Handicap (1200m) before Lyle Hewitson and Mark Newnham prevailed with progressive King Lotus (135lb) to land the third section of the Class 4 Hoi Mei Handicap (1200m). Superb Capitalist (135lb) enhanced his imposing Happy Valley record with his sixth win at the course, clinching the Class 3 Repulse Bay Handicap (1000m) for Tony Cruz and Matthew Chadwick. The six-year-old has two wins at 1000m and four at 1200m as well as another victory over 1200m at Sha Tin with tonight’s success taking the gelding’s prizemoney beyond HK$10 million. Horse racing news View the full article