https://bitofayarn.com/discover/Bit Of A Yarn - All ActivityenTrainer Phil D'Amato, who previously has won the Shoemaker five times, has entered 2025 Shoemaker winner King of Gosford and Almendares in the Santa Anita grade 1 race.View the full articleThu, 21 May 2026 14:01:02 +0000Winner of the Santa Anita Handicap (G1), British Isles will try to win a second major California race for older dirt runners, the Hollywood Gold Cup (G2), for trainer Richard Baltas and owners Slam Dunk Racing, Deborah Baltas, and Cynthia McClanahan.View the full articleThu, 21 May 2026 14:01:02 +0000In this month's At the Track with Sean Collins, we look back on a unique edition of the Preakness Stakes (G1) held May 16 at Laurel Park.View the full articleThu, 21 May 2026 12:02:02 +0000Ballydoyle's crack three-year-old Gstaad (Starspangledbanner) will face nine rivals in Saturday's G1 Tattersalls Irish 2,000 Guineas at The Curragh. Following the expected withdrawals of the stable's Group 1 winners Puerto Rico and Hawk Mountain, the 2,000 Guineas runner-up will have only Neolithic (Sioux Nation) for company with the Rosegreen duo drawn in eight and 10 respectively. Godolphin's Distant Storm (Night Of Thunder), who was third at Newmarket, will be partnered by that Classic's winning rider Billy Loughnane in the absence of the suspended William Buick and departs from stall six, while the Guineas fifth Thesecretadversary (St Mark's Basilica), the G3 Greenham Stakes winner Alparslan (Dandy Man) and last year's Phoenix Stakes hero Power Blue (Space Blues) are in one, three and seven respectively. The field is completed by the outsiders Take Charge Star (Starspangledbanner), Go Just Do It (Kingman), Pacific Avenue (Dubawi) and Bamako Beach (Sands Of Mali). The post Gstaad Faces Nine In Irish 2,000 Guineas Challenge appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full articleThu, 21 May 2026 10:03:19 +0000Starting Pool $17,100 Payout $25,500 Well,I totally enjoyed every minute (especially Addington Dogs). Looking foward to same time,same channel next week.Thu, 21 May 2026 10:01:21 +0000From humble beginnings, Zac Purton has risen to become the most successful jockey in the history of Hong Kong racing and will add another chapter to his illustrious career when he becomes the first rider to notch 2,000 wins in the city. With 1,995 victories to his name, the Australian superstar can reach the magical milestone as soon as Sunday’s final Group One meeting of the season at Sha Tin. First, though, let’s take a look back at his journey to greatness and the highlights of his 18 years...View the full articleThu, 21 May 2026 09:00:11 +0000Saw the end of Out The Gate and they ssid they were in profit land but didnt say how much? Thought they may have changed the format seem they had a month or so off, but no just as bad! Idea is good, the format is shocking and grown men acting like PLONKERS!Thu, 21 May 2026 08:58:15 +0000Seriously who writes this shyte other than Claude? Today’s meeting at Hastings may have got through the six scheduled races, but whether it can genuinely be called a success is another question entirely. There are some serious questions that need to be asked following the return to racing in my opinion. Firstly, how does a track receive only 11mm of rain since the beginning of the month, yet present as a Heavy 8 that, to most observers, looked and raced more like a Heavy 10 plus? The visual evidence and race times raised obvious concerns about just how wet the surface actually was. Secondly, if the track was in fact significantly wetter than natural weather conditions would suggest, then the obvious question is why? Was there excessive irrigation or overwatering leading into the meeting, and if so, who made that decision and on what basis?Will anyone be held accountable??? Thirdly, was the track deliberately kept extremely wet as a precautionary measure to ensure there were no slipping issues or safety concerns attached to the return to racing? If that was the thinking, then the industry deserves transparency about it. Safety must always come first, but participants and punters also deserve honesty around how and why surfaces are being prepared. And finally, what exactly did the industry learn from today? Because if the only way racing can proceed at Hastings is on an artificially deep and holding track, then that raises major concerns heading into spring racing. Are we now facing a situation where the track will never be allowed to naturally dry out and race on better footing? Is Hastings only going to be considered safe when presented in testing winter conditions? Getting through six races was one thing. Proving the long term viability, consistency and confidence in the surface is something completely different.NZTR can put-out all the puff pieces they want patting themselves on the back...but I ask again what did we actually learn today???Thu, 21 May 2026 07:46:47 +0000Seems the @Comic Dog is resortimg to AI to seem intelligent.Thu, 21 May 2026 07:32:59 +0000Developing company . Solid Earth. The listed owner of Leap To Fame. We would of collapsed in Brisbane with out Mr Seymour . He is gold . Funny yarn for you is I've got a couple of photos of Leap To Fame I took, from his win in a minor Albion Park FFA just before going to NZ , and coming back in to the birdcage after the very easy win , they were practising the Presentation of this years Interdominion trophy to him lol . The WIN seems such a formality , that they can practice the Celebration in Advance ? . Have never seen anything like that before 😁. was quite amusing. it was like You stand here . I'll stand there. There's his grumpy pony side-kick there playing up a bit too at the side . Mrs Seymour keeping well away from that one lol. so funny they can plan a Win Celebration so far in advance. ( although Keayang Zahara could probably have some advance celebration rituals before she races anywhere these days I spose as well. 🙄 Quite amazing winning animals they are)Thu, 21 May 2026 06:43:39 +0000Racing returned to Hastings Racecourse for the first time in 20 months on Thursday, with the track given a green tick of approval following a successful six-race card. Local racing fans flocked to the course to take in the returning meeting, the first since the second day of the 2024 Spring Carnival, which was abandoned following a slip in the first race. Subsequent remedial work took place to bring the track up to a safe racing standard, and after fulfilling its return to racing protocol obligations, including a successful set of trials three weeks ago, the club was given the green light to race. The aptly named Sundown Sav took out the first race, with club patrons toasting the return to racing, with the subsequent five races taking place without incident. In-form apprentice jockey Toni Davies and senior rider Leah Hemi won two races apiece, and while Hemi said it was tough going competing on the Heavy9 track, there were zero safety concerns. “It was Heavy, it was hard work, but there were no safety issues at all,” she said. “It has been quite a long time (since we have raced at Hastings) and they have done quite a good job. It will be nice to have another track that we can use again in the Central Districts.” Hawke’s Bay Racing chief executive Darin Balcombe was rapt with the outcome of the meeting and the support it received. “We are really happy, we had a really big crowd and a really good feel to it. Everyone was really excited to have racing back,” he said. “It (track) was heavier than we would have liked, we had it in a really good position last week. We put a little bit of water on to keep it there and we ended up getting 15ml (of rain) that we weren’t forecast on Sunday through to Tuesday. “We vertidrained two weeks ago as well, so there was definitely cut in the ground and they were punching into it, so it was quite testing but it played really well and we are happy. It was safe as houses.” Balcombe has been pleased with the remedial work carried out on the track, which included recambering the track. “The track has always had a good camber out to 9m and then it went to a reverse camber,” Balcombe said. “We built the camber from the 9m mark at about a three-degree camber to the outside of the track. “We did it from the winning post right around to the 1200m, and at the 1600m mark it got raised about 1.5m on the outside.” Balcombe said the club also took an innovative and time effective approach to returfing the track, which was very much like a hair transplant. “This project was the first one in New Zealand where we turfed the track rather than seed it,” he said. “We did it in 100m lots and took the turf from our chutes – the 800m chute and 2000m chute. You cut up about 50mm and roll it like a mat and roll it back down again. Because you are laying the turf down, the root structure goes strong really quick. “We used that turf to do each 100m block and then we would put the turf back down in those chutes and cycle the turf around. “That brought the project along a lot quicker than we thought. We got the turf finished in November and here we are racing again in May. Had we gone down the road of seeding it we would have been touch and go to get ready for spring.” The return to racing at Hastings Racecourse is just phase one in an exciting few years of change for the club, which is set to develop a Greenfields site in Flaxmere into their new home for Hawke’s Bay racing. “Following September 2024, we looked at the track and what we could do, but in the background we had to look at buildings because they were coming up for their earthquake-prone status deadline, so we needed to do something about that,” Balcombe said. “The more we worked the numbers it just became very clear that it was getting very bad to stay at this venue because it is too small and once we knocked down the buildings and other things we would have had a lot of debt that we wouldn’t have been able to service. “We started to look at our options and that is why it took a little bit longer to get started on the project. This project (remedial work) has a five-year lifespan whereas if we were going to stay we would have had to do something a lot more substantial and do the whole track, drainage, irrigation and the whole works. “Once we figured out that the Greenfields was the go, we decided to undertake this initial five-year project (for racing’s initial return). “At the moment it (Greenfields site) is going through the plan stage process with Council, so all going well that will hopefully be done by the end of this year or early next year. “From that time, the track will be the first thing that is constructed, so they will get straight into that, and after the track is done, they will move into (constructing) all the buildings and everything else. “The aim is to be in the course ready for the 2029 spring carnival.” While excited about moving into that next phase early next year, Balcombe said his current focus is on this year’s Hawke’s Bay Spring Carnival and delivering an iconic event to locals, who have been starved of live racing for two years. “The mower is already out,” said Balcombe, with the track now being rested until next season. “We are just taking off the turf and we are going to scarify that and then we will reseed it, let it grow and get it 110 percent for spring. “We are racing back on the 22nd of August so we will be full steam ahead towards the spring carnival. We are very excited and we will have (hospitality) packages going out in the next couple of weeks, we can’t wait.” Balcombe said Hastings’ return to racing is a tonic for the Central Districts, who have had a trying last couple of years with both Hastings and Awapuni out of action. “It has been pretty tough, especially having Awapuni and Hastings out at the same time,” Balcombe said. “It has been really tough for all the participants in the CD, they are having to do a lot of travel, they have been very patient, and I can’t wait to have something here to give back for them.” View the full articleThu, 21 May 2026 06:33:55 +0000Comeback mare Bellatrix Star (Star Witness) took a step closer to a return to racing when stepping out in a track gallop between races at Seymour on Thursday. The Mark Walker-trained mare is preparing for the Listed Bel Esprit Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield on May 30 after only one start in 18 months. In January last year Bellatrix Star suffered a potentially career threatening injury when she reared up when walking back to her stable, fell over, and fractured vertebrae in her neck. The multiple Group winner and Group One placed mare had just one run when last of nine in the Listed Doveton Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield but the Fortuna-owned four-year-old has pleased building into a new campaign. “She is here for a good hitout today,” Assistant Trainer Ben Gleeson said. “She has had the two jumpouts and we are very pleased that Seymour let us come here for a track gallop. “She will have a good hitout ahead of kicking off in the Bel Esprit Stakes on Saturday week at Caulfield. “She has done so well in the feed bin.She is a big heavy mare now and a real sprinting type. It is great to have Luke Currie aboard so we can get some good feedback as to where she is at prior to her resumption.” View the full articleThu, 21 May 2026 06:33:51 +0000There was a new training partnership in racebooks at Cambridge’s synthetic meeting on Wednesday, with Clinton Isdale recently teaming up with husband-and-wife duo Graeme and Debbie Rogerson. Following a couple of placings early on the card, the trio got their partnership off to a winning start when Skymax blitz her rivals in the Jumps Racing @ Te Rapa 24 May (2000m) to win by eight lengths. “It was good to kick it off and get the monkey off the back straight away,” Isdale said. “It was quite frustrating until Skymax won, we had a few placings.” While their training partnership is new, their association isn’t, with Isdale having known the couple for several years, and Graeme as far back as his childhood. “I have known Graeme since I was a kid, my Uncle Michael was in Polar Success (Gr.1 Golden Slipper winner) and Savabeel (Gr.1 Cox Plate winner and NZ Champion Sire),” Isdale said. Moving to New Zealand several years ago, Isdale renewed his friendship with Rogerson, and he was rapt when he was asked recently by the New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame trainer to join him and Debbie in partnership. Isdale jumped at the opportunity and said while he is still working hard, the partnership is allowing him to dedicate more time to his young family. “I was working 100 hours a week and I have got a two-year-old son and it was taking away spending time with him,” Isdale said. “These training partnerships are quite big in Australia, and it just gives you time to train horses and takes a lot of pressure off you with three of you doing it as opposed to doing it all by yourself. “Graeme asked me at the right time and he has been a massive help to my young family. He has done nothing but be very welcoming. We have had plenty of dinners and I have heard plenty of stories. “I don’t think you will see another trainer in this day and age train a Melbourne Cup, Golden Slipper and Cox Plate winner.” Isdale has also been impressed by the facilities at the Rogersons’ property, which is on the outskirts of Hamilton. “The facilities are exceptional,” he said. “You never see a puddle on the sand track, it doesn’t matter how much rain you get, the sand he has got is amazing. He has got water walkers and treadmills. “The horses are cared for so well it’s not funny. Debbie treats the horses in her care like they are in the Novotel.” While Isdale and his family have been made to feel at home, he said so has his staff who have joined him in Tuhikaramea. “All of my staff have come out,” he said. “Alexandra Reed, who won the amateur race the other day, she is an assistant trainer, and my ground staff have come out and my fiancé, Nikkita, rides work before my son goes to school. “Everyone works in well together.” Graeme Rogerson, who was contemplating scaling back his operation as he is getting older, is pleased to have Isdale onboard to help sustain the stable. “He is a good bloke, and he can work, he is a worker,” Rogerson said. “I have had horses with him and we have been friends for a long time. “I was either going to cut right back or take someone into partnership. I am getting older, so it is a good opportunity.” Rogerson said he has plenty of young horses coming through his stable, and buoyed by Isdale’s entry into the partnership, he is looking to grow that in forthcoming sales. “I am going to cut back on the breeding, but I broke in 45 yearlings and I have still got 40 weanlings, I am not short of a horse,” Rogerson said. “But I will definitely be a big buyer at the yearling sales now that Clint is here.” One of the young horses Rogerson is excited about is Skymax’s two-year-old full-sister On The Fly, who trialled last month at Cambridge and will head to the Te Awamutu trials next Tuesday. “I think I have got a very good filly called On The Fly,” Rogerson said. “A lot of the people that were in Skymax are in her, and I am breaking in a yearling full-sister and I have got a colt foal.” Pleased with Skymax’s win on Wednesday, Rogerson said she will continue to compete on the polytrack over winter, and he believes the daughter of Ferrando is only now starting to hit her straps. “Skymax had a really tough three-year-old season, she ran in all of those Group races, she was just off the very best and ran fourth in the Oaks (Gr.1, 2400m),” Rogerson said. “I think the Ferrandos are better with a bit of time, yet he was a fast horse, and she wants to stay, and she hasn’t had a lot of runs over ground. “I think Debbie is going to target her for the $75,000 final on the synthetic, and she will run back there in a fortnight. “She wants a trip and I think she is a handicapper in the making, she seems a lot stronger.” The partnership are hoping to continue their winning momentum into the weekend where they will line-up a handful of horses at three meetings. On Saturday, they will head to Ellerslie with one runner in Melkor, who will contest the Cambridge Stud 2100, while they will head to New Plymouth with two runners, including Domain Ace in the Platinum Homes Apprentice Day Friday 12th June (1400m) and Novak in The Rock 1800. “Melkor was very good last start, he got taken on for the majority of the race and got headed halfway up the straight, but he kicked back and was hitting the line again and only got beaten by a length,” Isdale said. “If he can dictate and get things his way, he will be very competitive. “Domain Ace drops back to (rating) 65. He has got to carry a big weight (60kg), but he will be exceptionally hard to beat. “Novak raced last week at Otaki and he had the best sectionals of the race, beaten two-and-a-half lengths. Kelly Myers goes onboard, it is a small field, and he will be going close to winning, as long as the track comes back to a (Soft)5.” Closer to home at Te Rapa on Sunday, the stable will be represented by two runners, including Impressive Belle in the NZB Airfreight 1300 and Zee Heights in the Foy And Halse Lawyers 2200. “Zee Heights is a pretty talented jumper, but he is just going around for fitness,” Isdale said. “Impressive Belle is coming back from a wind op, she is two years off the scene, but her form prior to that was very consistent. She will improve on whatever she does, but she has had two nice trials and she will be in the placings with a bit of luck.” View the full articleThu, 21 May 2026 06:33:48 +0000Cambridge trainer Andrew Forsman is pleased with the condition of talented three-year-old Single Red heading in to Saturday’s Gr.2 The Roses (2000m) at Doomben. Placed in the Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) won by Ohope Wins, the daughter of Vanbrugh enjoyed a freshen up before a good resuming win over a mile at Te Rapa last month. She then travelled to Queensland and ran well when second to Nightline in the Listed Gold Coast Bracelet (1800m), run-down over the concluding stages after dashing to the lead early in the straight. “She came over here with improvement. We thought the Bracelet was a race we could win, but knowing that she would take good improvement out of it,” Forsman said from the Gold Coast. “So we didn’t quite get the job done, but she’s trained on nicely and I think from when I last saw her, when she left New Zealand, she was just starting to turn in the coat a little bit. But she really has come right, and she’s settled in really well to the environment over here.” With no direct equine flights to Queensland from New Zealand, Single Red travelled via Sydney to the Gold Coast stables of Paul Shailer, with Forsman’s Assistant Trainer Joe Walker overseeing the filly. “We didn’t do a heap with her in the week leading into the Bracelet and that day out will have improved her,” Forsman said. “We have targeted these races as when she ran in the New Zealand Oaks, she ran very well for third behind a couple of smart horses, but we felt maybe she didn’t really run out the 2400m as strong as some others. “I think the 2000m on Saturday and the 2200m of the Queensland Oaks (Gr.1, 2200m) will suit for sure.” Jason Collett will ride the filly for the first time on Saturday and Forsman said the on-speed tactics seen at recent outings could be in question from barrier 14. “I guess the only positive with where she is drawn is that Doomben’s had a lot of rain in recent weeks,” Forsman said. “It’s had a fair bit of racing, so who knows, after four or five races, being off the fence and down the middle of the track may be the place to be and then that’ll determine our tactics. “She is adaptable and my gut feeling would be that if we could just ride a nice, patient race and slot in somewhere with a bit of cover, then she could come with one run late as opposed to being the sitting duck.” Bred by Ben Kwok, Single Red is by Windsor Park Stud resident stallion Vanbrugh and out of High Chaparral mare Sea Dweller, who is also the dam of Group Three winner Russian Alliance. Kwok races the filly in partnership with trans-Tasman syndicator OTI Racing, with the filly carrying the latter’s distinctive colours. Single Red is a $6 second favourite in a market headed by the Chris Waller-trained Chispa ($4.80). View the full articleThu, 21 May 2026 06:33:44 +0000of course even nz first didn't save the greyhounds.Thu, 21 May 2026 06:23:46 +0000i had thought the same until someone pointed out a few months ago that the government now collects zero from totalisator levies or betting levies. in 2006 they cut the government take to 4% of betting profits,the equivalent of 1c in every betting dollar,then in 2021 they went to zero. the take out of each tote btting dollar now all goes back to the tab to run their business and hopefully return as much as possible to the racing industry.Thats why,as you point out,wagering is so important as a source of industry income. i think thats how it works now. the government gets tax from those emplyed in the industry who pay income tax and gst . really,the government in nz has really helped the racing industry out big time in the last 2-3 decades. the nz racing industry has always had one huge benefactor. As you can see from the above,its the nz government. And its nz first and winston peters who have contiually stepped up and helped the racing industry the most. there was an article about 3 weeks ago in the nz herald about the donations nz first get. And thats how the wealthy in nz help the racing industry. They donate to nz first ,because nz first has the policies which value the nz racing industry more than the other parties. Thats not to say the racing industry hasn't been helped out by the other parties,they have,just nz first and winston have done more. They tend to be the galloping people that donate to nz first. gamma talks about seymour. Seymours worth around $800 million. but i'm with you onThu, 21 May 2026 06:15:32 +0000well it's a tough life mate, as long as you don't weaken lol. Pete not believing me in our debate above about several points , And is obviously wrong if he believes wagering is the Be All and END All of our great sport. If that was the case , you would of ceased to exist long long ago already.. But great sponsorship efforts, like from QLD Garrards for example , who Internationally give 100s of 1000's dollars to our great sport, to keep it going along with many other methods the amazing teams of HRNZ and several State governing bodies calculate and implement daily (and completely unappreciated by some 😅) that makes QLD and NZ harness racing the ABSOLUTE BEST on the planet . whose head is in the sand ? Mind you Brodster , I did get dunked by a breaker at the Gold Coast holiday last month on Annivesary holiday, and may of well bounced off the sand with my head I spose. 🤣 my head To full of dreams to stick mate ? 😂🏴‍☠️ live happy I say . dream big. Love large. Enjoy much !!Thu, 21 May 2026 06:12:06 +0000A 7 horse field makes no difference in my opinion. Explain how it does?Thu, 21 May 2026 05:53:31 +0000Gamma, luv your enthusiasm but you are living with your head in the sand. Brodie already expressed opinion any times so not going to continue to debate it.Thu, 21 May 2026 05:43:15 +0000Absolutely Pete. you've donated a lot of time and money by the sound of it. and sincerely I hope you enjoyed the sport and had a winner or 2 along the way. and back another winner tomorrow too . Jumal looks a chance in your Sires Stakes Final ? 🤣💰 i've got by fine mate and dreams have been made and completed well before trying to improve your outlook on the great sport . but once again thank you for recognition of where my dreams are at. 👍 I'm glad that HRNZ and racing QLD are doing a fine job keeping the great sport going. Great innovations ,like the slot racing way above your blokes heads but a dream come true for me. Seeing some QLD winners in NZ like Gus and Larry are well beyond My Wildest dreams even. QLD usually the 'backwater state of harness. Now it's the Foremost. old kiwi's here too like Tim Butt and Graeme Harris enjoying the sunshine. and racing a few horses too. I did go to Addington once with a horse, and it won the Interdominion . so i'm not complaining . Leave that to you old boys at BOAY.😉 Enjoy your racing day and Go Jumal 😁🍻Thu, 21 May 2026 05:37:26 +0000Thu, 21 May 2026 05:04:27 +0000Just my last word on the subject. I don't think that wagering is all that keeps racing going, I know it. As far as me having a bet, I opened an account with the TAB 53 years ago, and have owned about 30 horses, so I reckon I've done my bit! Maybe that makes me a benefactor🤣Thu, 21 May 2026 05:03:28 +0000How many of the thousands of races do the Sires Stakes Board run? 1% maybe, if that. So hardly making a massive difference to 'rank and file' racing. Stockman is a businessman not a benefactor. He doesn't give money away like Kevin Seymour. How would harness racing in Queensland and S.A look without his generosity - would it exist at all? Probably not. There's is an old saying " there is none so blind as those who will not see'! It's obviously a waste of time pointing out facts to you, they seem to go straight over your head which seems to be full of dreams.Thu, 21 May 2026 04:54:02 +0000Oh dear, this battle is still going on😂Thu, 21 May 2026 04:36:20 +0000You have to remember, first post about this was in a 7 horse field, so yes it could have moved up to outside leader, or could have dropped back to last, far better option than sitting 3 wide the whole race. Just like the harness, sitting parked or drifting back to last is far better option than sitting 3 wide, you really only see the top horses winning 3 wide, very rarely the whole trip. Yes, before you mention it, harness tracks are smaller, but whichever way you see it, covering more distance.Thu, 21 May 2026 04:33:48 +0000