The Rest

well that has got my imagination going!!!

I got close to him once, was about 1989 the Friday night before the Kumara races, think from memory was stood down after a couple of rides, the memories and the good old days, things quite different these days, what a top rider, always got the best out of a horse in a tight finish, his other national was on Kid Columbus, a very good jumper that we never seen the best of, was heading to Australia was the Last i ever heard of him, injured maybe, his trainer M Hamilton who also had harness horses from memory, must have retired, had a number of horses, remember my uncle backing Kid when he won a flat race paying over 100 to win.  

Chris Wood acknowledges his emerging three-year-old That’s Gold (Lucky Vega) will have a fight on his hands in the Gr. 2 Jimmy Schick Shaw’s Auckland Guineas (1400m), but he’s still taking a positive approach to the Boxing Day challenge. The Ellerslie feature is dominated by unbeaten filly Well Written, who heads the TAB final field market at $1.35 with course specialist Affirmative Action at $4.20, while That’s Gold, chasing a hat-trick after his last-start win in the Gr. 3 Bonecrusher Stakes (1400m), is the $16 fourth favourite. “This is pretty much a benchmark race up against horses like Well Written and Affirmative Action, but I’m happy to see him there,” Wood said on Tuesday. “I’ve always liked him, he’s one of those horses you hang your hat on and I expected him to win a race at two, but he had a good break and came out and won his maiden then stepped up and won the Bonecrusher. “I always knew he had something under the bonnet and it’s very satisfying when a horse that you rate delivers.” While Wood is realistic about the winning chances of That’s Gold, the $270,000 stake on offer in the Auckland Guineas is still very attractive. “Even allowing for the two standouts, I’m surprised it’s only an eight-horse field with such a good stake that pays decent money past the main placings. “Mind you, you could say the same about some of the other races on the card. Take the Pearl Series race with just seven starters for 90 grand – I know if I had a mare I thought was good enough she’d be there.” Beyond this assignment, Wood will have to explore his options with That’s Gold, who being Australian-bred and purchased, is ineligible for the Karaka Millions 3YO and NZB Kiwi. “I got Paul Moroney to find me a nice yearling in Melbourne and he came up with this guy at a typical P Moroney bargain price, around $57,000 from memory. “Once again Paul has proven what a good judge of a horse he is.” That’s Gold has yet to win past 1400m, but his trainer is keeping an open mind as to his future over longer distances, with the long-term option the Gr. 1 Trackside New Zealand Derby (2400m) on the same Ellerslie programme as the NZB Kiwi in March. “He’s got a sprinter’s pedigree, but the way he relaxes and finishes his races off, I can’t see why he wouldn’t run a trip, so the idea heading into the New Year will be to press on as far as I can with him.” Interestingly from a pedigree perspective, Boxing Day will mark the 39th anniversary of the New Zealand Derby win by Tidal Light, who features as That’s Gold’s fifth dam. From unraced maiden as a spring three-year-old, the Jim Gibbs and Roger James-trained filly swept all before her – bar second place in the New Zealand 1000 Guineas – capped by victory in the Ellerslie classic, which back in 1986 was contested on Boxing Day. In the autumn she downed the country’s best weight-for-age horses in the Gr. 1 Air New Zealand Stakes (2000m) at Ellerslie and added the Gr. 1 Canterbury Guineas (2000m) in Sydney, after which she claimed the New Zealand Horse of the Year title. “I was aware that Tidal Light figured in my horse’s pedigree and it’s interesting that she performed well at shorter distances before stepping up over ground, so that’s further food for thought,” Wood said. The Cambridge trainer, who transitioned from successful jumps jockey to training in the late 1980s, has a notable milestone beckoning, with his tally of New Zealand wins standing at 498. “I also trained close to 80 winners when I had a stable in Australia but it would be special to get to 500 in New Zealand, especially when I’ve never had a big team” he said. As well as That’s Gold, other Wood-trained prospects with the potential to aid the cause over the holiday racing period include Emmy Dazzler and What A Yarn in support races on Boxing Day, along with You Say D’Orsay and Watch Me Go at Taupo on Sunday. New Zealand Cup placegetter Canheroc is also penciled in for the Gr. 3 Queen Elizabeth ll Cup (2400m) at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day. View the full article

Promising two-year-old Ka Ron (NZ) (Hello Youmzain) was unfortunate not to have made the perfect start to his career and will have the opportunity on Boxing Day to make amends. The Allan Sharrock-trained youngster was narrowly beaten on debut and will bid to go one better in the SkyCity 2YO (1100m) at Ellerslie and in the process book a return for a far more lucrative prize at northern headquarters. Ka Ron currently sits in 15th spot in order of entry to the Karaka Millions (1200m) to be run for $1 million purse on January 24. “He should probably have won first-up at Otaki, he was green and only just got beaten,” Sharrock said. “He’s one of those sleepers and just keeps getting better and better, other than Johno Benner’s horse (De Armas) there’s no stand-out for the Millions I don’t think. “He’s quite a dude, very laid back and we snipped him out of Book One and his half-brother by Grunt (The All Out) won his first two starts in Hong Kong.” By Hello Youmzain, Ka Ron was purchased from Cambridge Stud’s draft at Karaka for $40,000 and is out of the Savabeel mare Sistabeel who won four times up to 1200m. Ka Ron will be accompanied north by quality mare Loch In Ora (NZ) (Pierro), who returns from injury in the Entain/NZB Insurance Pearl Series Race (1400m). “She is a good horse and it’s a nice kick-off point for her,” Sharrock said. “She got black type last prep and then cracked a canon bone and that’s why she’s had such a break between races.” The Pierro six-year-old has won five of her 10 starts and finished third in the Gr.3 Taranaki Cup (1800m) and hasn’t run since fifth in the Listed Kaimai Stakes (2000m) in February. “She’s done plenty of work and I expect her race really, really well up there,” Sharrock said. He will also have three strong chances at Otaki on Friday with Bridal Train (NZ) (U S Navy Flag) in the Otaki Tyre Repairs Handicap (1600m), Belle Tribute (NZ) (Contributer) resumes in the Cavallo Farms & Chris Rutten Bloodstock Handicap (1400m) and Tullamore Dew (NZ) (Darci Brahma) in the fastinternet.nz Handicap (1200m). “I think Bridal Train will give them all they want off the minimum (54kg) in the Open, its not normally something I do but I think it’s the right race for her,” Sharrock said. “She’ll end up in the Taranaki Cup or the Wairarapa Breeders’ Stakes (Listed, 1600m). “Bella Tribute is kicking off, and she has had enough jump-outs to be competitive, she’s got a bit of quality.” Successful in three of her nine starts she is a half-sister by Contributor to Sharrock’s multiple Group winners Tavi Mac and Darci La Bella. Tullamore Dew will be back on track following a break after the Darci Brahma mare was a smart debut winner at Hawera in the autumn. “It’s my favourite scotch, I wouldn’t waste the name on a slow horse. She’s a good mare and no surprise she won first time out,” Sharrock said.  View the full article

Trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson are hoping a return to the right-handed way of going will help Qali Al Farrasha (NZ) (Almanzor) bounce back to winning form at Ellerslie on Boxing Day. The homebred mare was eye-catching when winning the Gr.2 Auckland Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1400m) in that direction at Pukekohe fresh-up last month, but failed to flatter when a beaten favourite in the Gr.2 Cal Isuzu Stakes (1600m) at Te Rapa earlier this month. Bergerson admitted to being perplexed by her subpar showing but has been pleased with her subsequent work and is hopeful of a bold showing against a strong line-up in Friday’s Gr.1 Cambridge Stud Zabeel Classic (2000m). “She was a bit of a headscratcher last time, beaten a short-priced favourite,” Bergerson said. “We think she may be a bit better suited to right-handed, that is the only thing we could put it down to. Opie (Bosson, jockey) gave her a lovely run and she was just a bit flat there up the straight. “We freshened her post the first two legs of the triple crown and maybe Pukekohe, with the turnaround, took the edge off her a little bit heading into Te Rapa. “Her work has been really good since and she gets back to Ellerslie where she normally runs really well. We think up to 2000m suits with a reasonably nice barrier (4), and we are hoping she can bounce back to a bit of form in what has come up as a pretty strong field.” Stablemate He Who Dares (NZ) (Snitzel) also faces a stiff task against a small but select field in the Gr.2 Jimmy Schick Shaw’s Auckland Guineas (1400m), where he will be met by unbeaten Group One-winning filly Well Written and Group One performer Affirmative Action. “It is light on numbers, but with Affirmative Action and Well Written there it is certainly not easy,” Bergerson said. The son of Snitzel was fifth last start in the Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton last month and following a freshen-up he finished fourth behind Group One-winning sprinter Crocetti in a 1100m trial at Matamata last Friday. “He trialled really well at Matamata, he has really bounced back from his trip to Riccarton, he has come back from a freshen-up in really good order,” Bergerson said. “I thought his trial was really good, he has come through it really well. It is a little bit of a sticky gate (7), which I think we will roll forward from.” Impressive last start maiden winner Stella Ma Bella (NZ) (Contributer) will step-up to stakes company on Friday in the Gr.2 Hallmark Stud Eight Carat Classic (1600m), where she will carry the colours of owner-breeder Simms Davison of Mapperley Stud. “She is thrown in the deep end a little bit and has got to take that step up now, but she has gone the right way since (her last start win),” Bergerson said. “Richie’s (trainer Graham Richardson) filly (Lollapalooza) on paper looks the one to beat, but there are a couple of handy ones in there, so we will certainly know where we are at post-Friday. “We think she is up to it and I am looking forward to a really good opportunity at black-type for Simms and the team, and hopefully she can run really well.” On the undercard, juvenile gelding Out Of The Blue (NZ) (Tivaci) will put his unbeaten record on the line when he makes his North Island debut in the SkyCity 1100. The son of Tivaci won both of his starts out of Te Akau’s Riccarton barn, and readied for Friday’s assignment with an 800m trial at Avondale last week. “We gave him a trial last week just to tick him over, he was quite fierce in behind them,” Bergerson said. “The barrier (10) makes it really hard. He should roll forward from there and he should give a good sight for a long way. “He has got to step up to the North Island grade now. There are some really interesting runners in that race, it is hard to line it all up, but he is in really good form here at home and I am looking forward to Friday with him.” Meanwhile, Group Two performer Dream Of The Moon (All Too Hard) will resume in the Barfoot & Thompson 1200. She had a pleasing three-year-old season last term, winning two and runner-up in two of her six starts, including victory in the Listed NZB Airfreight Stakes (1600m) and placings in the Gr.3 Barneswood Farm Stakes (1400m) and Listed Canterbury Belle Stakes (1200m). She has had a slow build-up this season, having four trials prior to her season debut, and Bergerson his hopeful of a bold showing first-up. “I am excited to see her back at the races,” he said. “1200m might be a bit sharp in that field, but she has drawn barrier one and she is mapped to get a good run. “She had a quiet, tick over trial here (Matamata) on Friday and she was good through the line. “She is a very talented mare on her day and she should run a really cheeky race.”  View the full article