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By Wandering Eyes · Posted
By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk As he vies for a record-equaling third IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup win with Swayzee, Cameron Hart is a man in form right now. The 26-year-old, who steered Swayzee to back to back wins in this country’s biggest race in 2023 and 2024, had a personal best six wins at Menangle in Sydney on Saturday night. “It’s pretty crazy,” he said after his record haul. “It’s a big thrill to get six and for three different trainers who have all been big supporters of mine week in week out so it’s great to get a result for them.” Four of Hart’s winners were trained by old mate Jason Grimson. They were Miki Cohen, Our Sweet Delight, Tuapeka Lou and Hi Manameisjeff. The other winners were Alta William trained by his cousin Chris Judd and the Darren Binskin-trained Our Sadie Kay after a protest. Previously Hart’s personal best was five winners at the same meeting. He did that on four occasions. Saturday night’s performance equalled the six won at the new Menangle track by brothers Todd and Luke McCarthy in 2019 and 2020. In November Hart will again partner with grand old stayer Swayzee in the New Zealand Cup at Addington Raceway. If he wins it again he’ll be just the fourth horse to win three New Zealand Cups in a row, joining Indianapolis (1934-36), False Step (1958-60) and Terror To Love (2011-13). Swayzee is currently a $5 second favourite on the TAB Futures market, with half brother, the superstar that is Leap To Fame at $1.60. And Renwick Farms Dominion Trot contender Arcee Phoenix has shown some encouraging form at a trial at Bendigo in country Victoria this week. The Chris Svanosio-trained six-year-old won the trial, beating another Kiwi-bound trotter in Parisian Artiste. Both are nominated for the Dominion. It reverses the result of a trial last week at Melton. Arcee Phoenix will make his fourth trip to this side of the Tasman in November. The winner of the TAB Trot at Cambridge in April he is currently a $4.20 equal second favourite with Bet N Win, just behind Oscar Bonavena ($4). View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
Since his early twenties Raymond Connors has balanced farm life with training a team of racehorses, and his record in major races indicates the latter is far from a second pursuit. Growing up on a dairy farm in Whangaehu, Connors’ family had interest in racing, but as a young teenager he never could have envisioned himself as a jockey. By chance, Connors made a farm-related visit to a nearby property, owned by Kevin Myers and Angela Illston, and not long after he was working for the Turakina couple full-time. “I’d grown up on the farm and was around horses, but it wasn’t until Kevin moved from Hawera to Turakina that I got involved in racing,” Connors said. “Initially, I went over there to get some milk for the calves but then started helping him in the mornings before I went to school. I was probably around 15. “I was always keen on racing, but I never thought I would be a jockey, so Kevin and Angela really got me going. Without them I probably wouldn’t have gone down that track, but once I started jumping, I just got keener and keener. “I ended up leaving school and worked for Kevin on the dairy farm for two or three years, then I would go and help him with the horses.” Having had experience riding on the farm, Connors learned the ropes of trackwork riding and progressed onto his first amateur race on the flat, with his first winner, Say Go, coming under a month later. “I rode a couple of amateur races first, Kevin put me on some of his horses and I think I won on my second ride,” he said. “My parents always had horses, raced the odd one here and there, so once I got involved, we bought a couple of horses and they turned out to be quite handy jumpers.” ‘Handy’ is an understatement, with the two horses, purchased out of Brian and Lorraine Andertons White Robe Lodge, turning out to be Among Thieves and Our Jonty. In the care of Myers, Among Thieves got Connors on the board in the jumping ranks and won seven races in total, while Our Jonty gave Connors his biggest thrill in the saddle, winning the 1998 Great Northern Steeplechase. “Our Jonty was only little, but he loved good ground and he was a very good stayer,” Connors said. “Ian Jones started off training him and he won a flat race, but after he was looking a bit limited on the flat, we started jumping him and turned out to be a good horse – he taught me to ride. “After he won the Northern, Kevin took him over for the Grand National in Australia, so I got to ride around Flemington a couple of times. He wasn’t quite good enough, I think he ran fifth, but it was a great experience.” As well as an insight into the Australian scene, Connors got an opportunity to travel to Europe with Myers, riding the stable’s jumpers in Italy. “I went over to Italy for a couple of months with Kevin, he took a few horses and I rode a few winners,” he said. “The jumping there was very similar, it was an amazing course at Milano and a very professional system. They had more amateur races too, jumping is pretty big in Europe. “I didn’t ride for the money, I just really loved it and it’s a real thrill. Being with Kevin helped and riding at a good stable. I fell off here and there, but I was fortunate not to have any bad injuries.” Through this period, Connors had started to prepare a couple of his own horses from the farm at Whangaehu, and while he enjoyed balancing riding and training for a while, the latter came to the forefront after the 2003 jumping season. “Once I won the Northern, I carried on riding for a bit longer, but I was having to watch the weight a bit to ride,” he said. “After my time at Kevin’s, I came home and did the cows here, and I started training half a dozen horses myself. “I ended up only really riding the horses that I trained or owned, I didn’t ride many outside horses. Eventually, I was pretty busy with training, so I thought I’d let the other guys do it. “I thought I might come back, but once the next season rolled around I just didn’t get around to getting the weight down and getting race day fit. It was putting that effort in to lose ten kilos or so, and I felt like I’d achieved what I wanted too riding-wise.” Focussing solely on training, it wasn’t long before Connors came across a serious talent in the form of King Johny. The son of Seasoned Star finished third to the formidable Xcellent in the Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m), taking Connors on his Australian debut in the training role when third in the Gr.2 Tulloch Stakes (2000m) and fourth in the Gr.1 Australian Derby (2400m). “He was a very good horse, probably one of the better ones I’ve trained really, he ran third in the New Zealand Derby and fourth in the Australian Derby,” Connors said. “He ended up getting injured and he didn’t achieve what he probably could’ve done.” A couple of years later, Connors would unveil another star, but this time, it would be in the jumping caper. That horse went by the name of Hypnotize (NZ) (Yamanin Vital), an unassuming gelding who would develop a love affair with the Ellerslie hill, delivering Connors with three Great Northern Steeplechase crowns and three Pakuranga Hunt Cups in four years. Connors looked fondly back on those efforts, which were made even more impressive considering Hypnotize contested the Northern five times in a row, recording placings in his other attempts. “He was just so tough, very similar to Our Jonty, who probably wasn’t far behind him really (ability-wise),” he said. “The difference between them was that Hypnotize could handle the really heavy tracks. “He loved Ellerslie and going over the hill, there weren’t many with that stamina to keep going. He wasn’t the greatest jumper, but he had an amazing ability to stay. “We targeted that race for him each year, but they’ve got to be sound and have a bit of luck along the way. Some horses don’t have that luck, but he was a very sound horse and we were lucky enough to get there each time. “He was such a genuine horse.” Forever etched in jumps racing history, Hypnotize retired with 13 wins and 9 placings to his name, accumulating just shy of $380,000 for Connors and his father Mark, who shared the spoils with the son of Yamanin Vital. “Initially, I had to have a share in the horses to ride them, and they’ve all been family horses since then really,” he said. “We all work as a team, he lets me do what I want to do and is the number one supporter. “We can’t go too far wrong.” Seven years later, Connors returned to Ellerslie with another progeny of Yamanin Vital in Wise Men Say (NZ) (Yamanin Vital), who developed a similar affinity with the course. He took out the McGregor Grant Steeplechase earlier in the season, and after playing second fiddle to Amanood Lad in the lead-up to the Great Northern of 2017, he took the top spot in seriously trying conditions, crossing the line after nine and half minutes. Wise Men Say missed the feature in the following season and hadn’t produced his best when shooting for a second crown in 2019, but a gun ride from Shaun Fannin made lightning strike twice, bringing his earnings near the $340,000 mark. “It was pretty wet that day (2017), they were lucky to even have the races, but this horse loved the heavy ground,” Connors said. “He was a nice big horse with good stamina and a nice jump, so it all came together. “I probably wasn’t as confident coming into the second Northern win, he wasn’t going as well, but Shaun Fannin rode him and got him out in front, and used his staying and jumping ability. “He helped the horse win that day, he rode him positively and he proved to be the best horse. He needed that sort of ride, he’d just been following them around a little bit.” Winning five Northerns is no easy feat as a trainer, but Connors said that nothing can quite compare to being on board. “It was a great thrill each time (with Hypnotize and Wise Men Say), but riding is definitely the pinnacle, you can’t beat that feeling and I’ll never forget it,” he said. “In saying that, a lot more probably goes into the training side, it takes a lot of time and effort to get them there and try and win. “Winning any race is a thrill, even in a maiden, so winning those big ones keeps you going, it keeps you motivated.” During his time with Myers, Connors forged close friendship with fellow hoop Isaac Lupton, who was in the saddle for much of those ‘big ones’. “I met Isaac while I was working at Kevin’s, he came and worked there for a bit, so we’ve been good friends for a long time,” Connors said. “He was still riding when I gave up and we seemed to click, we had a lot of luck together. “He was a very good jockey and the main rider that I had, but other than that, I would really put on any jockey that I could get. I try not to be too fussy, and when you’ve got a good horse, the better jockeys come to you. “Racing probably got him away from the farm a bit, and the same for me, it’s been good like that. It gets you away and doing something different, like another interest.” Amongst his success over fences, Connors has hoisted a number of New Zealand’s most prestigious flat racing trophies, including two editions of the Gr.3 New Zealand Cup (3200m) and a Gr.2 Wellington Cup (3200m) with Blood Brotha. He completed the trio of two-mile features this year on Champions Day, winning the $600,000 Gr.2 Auckland Cup (3200m) with Trav (NZ) (Almanzor), a homebred by Almanzor. “We try them all on the flat first and usually target the horses that are bred to stay,” he said. “Blood Brotha took a while to get going and initially I didn’t think he would stay, but it wasn’t until he got over a bit of ground that he actually started winning. He was a great horse, we went to Australia with him too and he ran well. “We bred Trav and he won a race as a two-year-old, so he’d always showed ability. (The Auckland Cup) was one of those races that we hoped he’d run well, we weren’t expecting to win, but we had the horse as fit as we could and Masa (Hashizume) rode him very well. “We were just out the back, but when we went up in the stands for the race, there was a big crowd and it was an awesome win. It was great to be a part of a big day like that. “We might take him over to Australia and see how he measures up. We’re probably dreaming, but we would like to give him the opportunity to get to a Melbourne Cup. “We know he can get the distance so that’s a big help.” A common theme throughout Connors’ top representatives has been their southern bloodlines, an association that goes right back to those the two original jumpers. “All of the good horses we’ve had are from White Robe or from the family, with those southern pedigrees,” he said. “When I was still in school, Dad went down and brought Our Jonty and Among Thieves from there, and we’ve been friends ever since. “We bought a lot of horses off them and a couple of fillies, who we are breeding from ourselves now. The breeding side is hard, as is any part of racing really, but we’ve had a bit of luck. We bred Trav and Prince Oz, who ended up down south with Neill Ridley and he won six in a row down there, and he won the Stewards (Stakes, Gr.3) twice. “We go for the best (stallions) we can afford, we look at the newer stallions and support White Robe with their stallions as well. We try to go for the flavour of the month, anything that looks promising, but it doesn’t always mean they’re good. “We’re trying to cut back a little bit as I’ve got six mares here now, which is too many. Two or three would be enough, I’m getting a bit older now, so it’s getting a bit harder. “I don’t mind waiting, I like the staying types and breeding those Derby-Cups types of horses. There’s not much science to it though, it’s a lot of luck.” While his riding career may have come to a close over two decades ago, Connors still rides trackwork and schools his jumpers at Bulls Racecourse, which he purchased to train out of privately. “I was training on the farm at Whangaehu, then a few years ago now, we bought Bulls Racecourse,” he said. “I’ve got a few horses kicking around the track there and it’s worked out pretty well. “I learnt a lot from Kevin and Angela, and from there, I just have learned as I’ve gone along. In training, you never stop learning, the horses will tell you in a lot of ways. “We mainly work on the sand track in the winter, so it’s not too much upkeep, and I’ve got staff helping me out down there. I usually do the cows here first then head down to do the horses, then they’ll feed them up in the afternoon. “I don’t like to count them, but we’re working about 15 down there at the moment, I’ve got a couple of jumps jockeys helping me out which has been good. There are three or four that we’re trying to get jumping, and the rest are flat horses that may jump one day. “We do all aspects of the job, we’re weaning foals off the mares, doing yearlings, breaking in, so we get to know the horses very well.” View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (NZTR) has confirmed two of the nation’s premier Group 1 races will move venues and dates this season in a step to protect their international status and strengthen the industry’s racing calendar. The $1,000,000 Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks (2400m) will be run at Ellerslie Racecourse on 21 February 2026, two weeks before the $1,250,000 Gr.1 Trackside New Zealand Derby (2400m) at Auckland Thoroughbred Racing’s Champions Day meeting, while the $600,000 Gr.1 New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m) will return to its traditional late-March timing at RACE Awapuni on Saturday 28 March 2026. NZTR Chief Executive Matt Ballesty said the changes were vital race-planning decisions for the country. “NZTR has made necessary adjustments to preserve the quality of New Zealand’s Group One calendar, protect critical breeding pathways, and deliver top-class racing experiences nationwide,” he said. The New Zealand Oaks, long regarded as the ultimate test for three-year-old fillies, faced the risk of downgrade after three consecutive years below the required international ratings, prompting an Asian Pattern Committee (APC) review. Its move to February reflects both recent challenges in attracting top-level fillies and the opportunity to link more naturally with the Trackside New Zealand Derby and Australian Autumn features. The change has been approved for one year, with its position to be reviewed thereafter. Auckland Thoroughbred Racing (ATR) Chief Executive Officer Paul Wilcox said the change creates a fresh opportunity for the Oaks to flourish. “The new February timing at Ellerslie strengthens pathways for fillies, creates synergy with the Derby two weeks later, and gives New Zealand’s Classic calendar better alignment with Australia’s Autumn features,” he said. The $150,000 Gr.2 Jennian Homes Lowland Stakes (2100m) will also move to RACE Inc’s Wellington Cup Day on 31 January to sharpen the lead-in to the Oaks. The New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes, New Zealand’s only Group One race exclusively for fillies and mares, will also undergo a reset. Won in recent years by champions such as Avantage and Imperatriz, the race will return to its traditional March slot at RACE Awapuni, creating a blockbuster Central Districts raceday with five black-type events, including two Group Ones (the Breeders’ Stakes and the Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes [1400m]). Supporting pathway races will also be realigned, with the $200,000 Gr.3 Wentwood Grange Cuddle Stakes (1600m) moving to RACE Awapuni on Sunday 1 March 2026, the $600,000 Gr.2 Westbury Classic (1400m) shifting from ATR’s TAB Karaka Millions meeting on Saturday 24 January to Champions Day on Saturday 7 March, and the $90,000 Royal Descent Stakes (1400m) moving from ATR’s SkyCity Boxing Day Races to the TAB Karaka Millions. As a part of that same APC review, the Group One classification of five races was considered, including: the New Zealand Oaks (2400m), New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m), Livamol Classic (2040m), Telegraph (1200m) and Thorndon Mile (1600m). Under APC rules, a vote is triggered when a race records three consecutive runnings below the Group One benchmark and tolerance levels. As a result of the review, the Harcourts Thorndon Mile (1600m) has been downgraded from Group One to Group Two status. The decision reflects the race’s recent performance history. The race will continue to carry prizemoney of $500,000 and will be staged at RACE Trentham on Saturday 17 January 2026. The APC also confirmed continued Group One status, for now, for the New Zealand Oaks and New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes, supported by the calendar and venue changes stated above, and for the Livamol Classic and Telegraph, based on overall field quality and historical standing. NZTR’s Senior Handicapper and APC representative Bruce Sherwin said while the downgrade was disappointing, there are encouraging signs for New Zealand racing. “New Zealand’s ratings have been impacted by the recent retirement of top horses, but levels are now rebuilding,” Sherwin said. “Significant prizemoney increases, stronger turnover and renewed investment at the NZB sales are positive indicators. This season has also started strongly with the Gr.1 Proisir Plate at Ellerslie showing excellent depth and quality. “Looking ahead, it is critical our best horses contest Group One races if they are to remain at the highest level,” Sherwin added. Details on nomination and acceptance dates will be included in NZTR’s Racing Programme Guide in due course. View the full list of 2025-26 Group and Listed races here. View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
Well-bred three-year-old gelding Kygo Star (Wootton Bassett) is set to shine when he makes his debut in the Fox & Hounds Taupo (1300m) at Taupo on Wednesday. The promising youngster has breeding on his side, being out of in vogue Coolmore stallion Wootton Bassett and out of Group One performer Star Karen, and he has made a good impression on his trainer Chad Ormsby. The Cambridge horseman is looking forward to seeing him step out for the first time on raceday, having pulled him out of his intended debut at Matamata last Friday due to the deteriorating track. “He was due to run last week but it was too wet at Matamata,” Ormsby said. “Hopefully we might have a nice, long campaign in front of him, and we didn’t want to put a gut buster in first-up. “It’s a nice option there (at Taupo) and I expect to know a little bit more about him. We do think he is a horse that will get up over ground. “He will be a better autumn three-year-old. He is a little bit slow-maturing, but he has started to put his hand up, so we are pressing on for now.” Stablemate Dalmatian Coast (NZ) (Ace High), a half-brother to Group One performer Antrim Coast, is also entered for Taupo to contest the DPA Chartered Accountants NZB Mega Maiden Series (1200m), but Ormsby said he is likely to be saved for Ellerslie on Saturday after drawing 17 at Taupo. “We threw him in on Saturday at Ellerslie, so we are most likely to go there,” Ormsby said. “We have drawn pretty average tomorrow. “He was in last week (at Matamata) but we don’t want to give him a gut buster first-up and that’s the same sort of deal with drawing wide. The track will probably play a little tricky tomorrow as well.” Looking ahead to the weekend, Ormsby is set to head to Ellerslie with two other runners, including Pieces of Eight (NZ) (Ten Sovereigns) and Unodostrescuatro (NZ) (Savabeel), with all three nominated for the SkyCity 1200. “Pieces of Eight has endless amounts of ability, so I am looking forward to seeing her kick-off her campaign,” Ormsby said. “She is still in that maiden grade so if it’s not Saturday, we will see her break her maiden pretty soon. “Unodostrescuatro has had three runs to date and all have been very good runs. “It is nice to have a couple of nice maideners that should break maiden grade pretty soon.” Meanwhile, Have A Crack (Zoustar), who has won both of his starts for Ormsby, is enjoying some time in the paddock following his last-start victory at Ellerslie earlier this month. “He is really good,” Ormsby said. “I haven’t found the perfect race for him for his next run, so he found himself in the spelling paddock at the end of last week. “He is having a little rest and he should have a nice summer campaign in front of him. We are quite excited about him.” Ormsby is also excited about the summer prospects of his Group Three-winning stablemates Master Fay (Deep Field) and Outovstock (NZ) (Tavistock), with the latter winning his 1100m trial at Ellerslie last week. “Master Fay might go to the Te Rapa trials (next Tuesday),” Ormsby said. “He was due to go to Ellerslie but got eliminated there and had a jumpout at home. He is ticking all of the boxes. “If we can get him anywhere near his best, he is going to be an exciting horse for summer racing. “Outovstock is due to trial again next week as well. If he can find his best form, he is going to be right up there with some of the better stayers this year.” View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
Promising mare Gossip (NZ) (Proisir) will be seeking to earn her connections a rich bonus when she heads to Taupo on Wednesday to contest the DPA Chartered Accountants NZB Mega Maiden Series (1200m). The Mega Maiden Series allows Karaka Millions eligible horses to race for an additional $1 million in bonuses comprised of 40 non-Saturday maiden races. The series kicks off at Taupo’s midweek meeting, and as a New Zealand Bloodstock graduate and maiden over the age of three, Gossip could earn her owner Gary Harding $20,000 and trainer Danica Guy $5,000 if she were successful on Wednesday. The four-year-old daughter of Proisir, who was purchased out of Fairdale Stud’s 2023 Gavelhouse Plus National Online Yearling Sale by Harding for $110,000, looks a good chance of snaring the cash first-up, having shown plenty of promise to date, placing in all three of her career starts. She returned this season with a pleasing runner-up performance in her 800m trial at Avondale earlier this month and Guy believes her mare is on song for her first-up assignment. “She is coming up really well,” Guy said. “She has had a bit of a long layoff. She had a trial last week so she should be pretty forward for tomorrow. “She is a lovely filly and has done a bit of developing, which she needed to do, so hopefully she runs well.” Guy is hopeful of a bold showing on Wednesday and believes Gossip is in for an exciting preparation. “There are a lot of nice options for her, but we will just get through tomorrow and make some plans from there,” she said. The Matamata horsewoman will take a further four runners to Taupo, including three-year-old filly Licorice (NZ) (Savabeel), who will make her debut in owner Gary Harding’s colours in the Fox & Hounds (1300m). “Licorice is a beautiful, well-bred filly,” Guy said. “She is quality and whatever she does tomorrow she will improve off. “I think she could be a really nice filly going forward to some of the three-year-old races over a bit more ground.” Fierce Impact gelding Snipers Shot (Fierce Impact) will also make his debut in the Prezzy Card Northern Country Cups Series (1300m), while the stable will also be represented by Annabelle (NZ) (Almanzor) in the Entain/NZB Insurance Pearl Series (1400m) and Live On Air (NZ) (Proisir) in the Inglis Ready2Race Sale – 16 Oct (1400m). “Snipers Shot is a nice horse, but he needs good tracks,” Guy said. “He is going to be a nice staying three-year-old and is going to be one to watch when he gets over a bit more ground. “Annabelle is going well. She is pretty forward for her first-up run, so she should give a big of a sight too. “Live On Air is flying. She is one of my better chances tomorrow.” View the full article
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