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Ita a pity me old mate TAB ain't here no more, was good pointing out what a shithole Auckland is, I've just flicked on to trackside, sitting in my lounge with the sun streaming in and watching a bunch of clowns running around in the rain and shit at Alexandra Park, wait until the tennis starts, anyone who tries to convince me that's the place everyone wants to be you won't convince me. -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
Waikato Stud is mourning the loss of champion mare Daffodil (NZ) (No Excuse Needed), who has died at the age of 20, leaving behind an enduring legacy on the racetrack and in the breeding barn. By No Excuse Needed, Daffodil was crowned New Zealand’s champion three-year-old of the 2007–08 season and secured three Group One victories during an outstanding racing career. Her influence continued as a broodmare, where she produced several stakes performers, further cementing her importance to the Waikato Stud programme. Her impact was felt as recently as Boxing Day, when her son Cross Tasman (NZ) (Super Seth) prevailed at Randwick. Waikato Stud principal Mark Chittick paid tribute to the mare, saying: “Daffodil will be sorely, sorely missed. She gave us some incredible highs, the highlight being the Australian Oaks on a memorable day for WS as we bred three individual Group One winners on the day in Australia, which was quite extraordinary. “Most of all she was just the most beautiful personality, when you walked into her paddock all she wanted to do was hang out with you and give you a cuddle. She was an incredible part of the WS legacy, and the Chittick family, and she will never, ever be forgotten.” Daffodil’s legacy will live on through her daughters, with three of her fillies now part of the Waikato Stud broodmare band. Her final foal, a colt by Noverre, is set to be offered at the Karaka Yearling Sales in January, where he will go through the ring as Lot 371. View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
Te Akau Racing will be tackling plenty of feature targets over the coming days, but one of their more interesting runners will appear on the undercard at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day. Four-year-old entire Espionage will make his debut for the stable after previously being trained in Australia by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, for whom he won two of his eight starts, including the Gr.3 Arrowfield Breeders’ Plate (1000m) and Gr.3 Kindergarten Stakes (1100m), and placed in the Gr.2 Silver Slipper Stakes (1100m). Bred by Westbury Stud principal Gerry Harvery, through his Australian operation Baramul Stud, Espionage was purchased by James Harron Bloodstock Colt Partnership for A$1 million out of the 2023 Gold Coast Magic Millions Yearling Sale. Global thoroughbred giant Coolmore, along with several partners including Sir Peter Vela, purchased an interest in the son of Zoustar last season, and he has been unplaced in his subsequent four starts. Coolmore elected to send him to New Zealand in October to be trained by Te Akau’s Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson, for whom he has made pleasing progress, including placing in his 1100m Group and Listed trial at Matamata a fortnight ago. He has particularly made a big impression on Bergerson, who is looking forward to the entire stepping out at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day in the SkyCity 1200, albeit with an unsuitable barrier draw of 13. “He is a very interesting runner,” Bergerson said. “Unfortunately, he has drawn the outside, which doesn’t make it easy over 1200m. “But he is a lovely animal, he is beautifully put together. His temperament will hold him in great stead, he is so laid back you wouldn’t even know he is a colt. He loves his work and he is a real pleasure to have around. “We were happy enough with his trial, he has been very straightforward here at home, he is a lovely horse to do anything with. “I am very grateful for the Coolmore team sending him over. We are looking forward to tomorrow with him, he is just going to need a lot of luck from the draw.” Te Akau trainers Sam Bergerson (left) and Mark Walker. Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images) With a view to securing his stud career, Bergerson is eyeing elite-level targets with his stable newcomer following Thursday’s run, with the Gr.1 Sistema Railway (1200m) at Ellerslie on Karaka Millions night the first target in the crosshairs. “Hopefully he can run well and we can head to the Railway with him,” Bergerson said. “That is the initial plan and then we can work it out from there.” While Bergerson is looking forward to Espionage making his New Zealand debut, he is also excited about the prospects of several of his team earlier in the day. The stable will have a two-pronged attack in the Gr.2 Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes (2000m) courtesy of Origin Of Love and Born To Be Royal. Origin Of Love was runner-up to War Princess in the Gr.3 Eulogy Stakes (1600m) at Trentham earlier this month and will be looking to go one better on Thursday. “It has come up a pretty even field, but like a lot of them, you don’t know whether they are going to get the 2000m,” Bergerson said. “She is a good, tough filly that is really thriving off her racing and is getting better and better each start. We are really looking forward to it, she has got a nice gate (3), with Gryllsy (Craig Grylls, jockey) on, she ticks a lot of boxes. Born To Be Royal was also runner-up last start over a mile at Matamata and Bergerson is looking forward to testing the Group Two performer in stakes company once again. “We would have loved to have won last start, she was a little bit stiff, but she is tracking the right way and we think the step up to 2000m suits,” he said. “We have had this circled in the calendar for a while and it is a really good opportunity at some more black-type for her. She has a nice gate (5) and Opie (Bosson, jockey) onboard certainly helps.” The stable will also have dual representation in the Gr.2 SkyCity Eclipse Stakes (1200m) with Sword Of Stars and Kinnaird. Sword Of Stars has finished runner-up in both of his starts to date, while Kinnaird won on debut over 1100m at Otaki last month. “They are two really nice horses with two different profiles,” Bergerson said. “Sword Of Stars has run a couple of nice placings and has had a raceday start at Ellerslie, which will hold her in good stead. Blinkers go on as well and barrier one is certainly going to help. “Kinnaird has done nothing wrong since Otaki. He has had a quiet week and he has built in really nicely. He had a gallop at Ellerslie last Monday to tick him over. He is a lovely colt but has got a bit of a sticky gate (7), which hopefully we can get midfield one off. “Those two up the top (Harvey Wallbanger and Incandescent) are going to be hard to beat, but we are really happy with both of ours.” Impressive debut winner Drops Of God will kick-off the meeting for Te Akau in the TAB 1200, where she will be on trial for a tilt at stakes level later in the month. “Drops Of God was really impressive on debut,” Bergerson said. “She is a really sharp filly who has done nothing wrong since that win. “It is hard for the three-year-old fillies against the older horses in 65 grade, but we certainly believe she deserves her chance. “She went up with Kinnaird (to Ellerslie) and had a gallop last Monday and has been really good since as well. I am really pleased with her. “If she were to run well we could potentially look at something like the Almanzor Trophy (Gr.3, 1200m).” Te Akau will also be represented by Towering Vision in the Eagle Technology 1600. “It has come up quite a strong race and he has got a bit of a sticky gate (8),” Bergerson said. “He has gotten fitter with each run, and his work has been good leading in and he has Opie aboard, who knows him really well.” View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
Stephen Marsh can make a strong case for each of his top-flight contenders at Trentham on Saturday. The Cambridge trainer will be represented by the in-form trio of Ardalio, Tardelli and To Cap It All in the Gr.1 TAB Telegraph (1200m), a race he won in 2024 with Mercurial. “They are really difficult to split, Ardalio is a proven, sharp sprinter but with a sticky draw (11), while blinkers will go on Tardelli and he’s a very good colt,” Marsh said. “To Cap It All is the up and comer with a good gate (5) and she hasn’t had a lot of luck of late,” Marsh said. Ardrossan’s daughter Ardalio has won four of her eight starts, including a most recent victory in the Gr.3 Counties Bowl (1100m) and has since been kept ticking over with a quiet trial. “She’s a high-quality mare and put a very good field away last time out, she’s going super,” Marsh said. Tardelli has been brought back in distance to give the son of I Am Invincible every chance to boost his future stallion value. “At the start of the campaign, we thought he was a miler but we’ve changed tack and think he’s a better 1200-1400m horse,” Marsh said. “That’s why we have identified the Telegraph, it’s aways been a hard 1200m so this could be his race. Eight isn’t a bad draw for him and gives him a bit of room to move.” To Cap It All has finished runner-up in three of her last four appearances and the Capitalist filly is also proven on the course, having won last season’s Listed Wellesley Stakes (1100m) on debut. “She’s got the draw to get a smother and obviously likes the chute,” Marsh said. “She’s got a great turn of foot, and if she can be ridden a little bit conservatively then I think she can be right in it.” Of the stable’s stakes runners at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day, Gr.2 Rich Hill Stud Mile (1600m) candidate Queen Zou is expected to be their best chance of success. “All her runs this time in have been really good and she gets in with 53kg,” Marsh said. “It’s not a full field and you can make a case for the majority of them, but our girl is going great.” Nest Egg hasn’t troubled the scorer for a while, but there was enough in his last effort to suggest he could be a hope at longer odds to turn his fortunes around in the Gr.3 Queen Elizabeth II Cup (2400m). The seven-year-old most recently finished sixth in the Gr.3 Waikato Cup (2400m). “He was pretty good and he may be getting a bit long in the tooth, but he’s certainly not out of it,” Marsh said. Meanwhile, Ace High filly Savina will relish a rise in distance when she tackles the Gr.2 Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes (2000m). “She has had no luck at all and the step up in trip is perfect for her. It will test a few of those other fillies getting up over a bit of ground for the first time,” Marsh said. View the full article -
Have to agree with that summation. I think she's awful anyway, did feel she had improved but changed my mind very quickly.
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