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    • By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk   It’s been years in the making and Claire Downey is still in a bit of disbelief that she and her “Mr Reliable” Major Ouch are Horse of the Year winners. Yesterday at equestrian’s biggest event, the Defender Horse of the Year show, the combo were crowned NZ Standardbred Breeders Association Ridden Standardbred of the Year at Hastings. “It was a shock to the system, I can’t really believe it,” says Downey, “but I’m stoked to have won it with him.” Over the years she has literally collected buckets of ribbons in the Show Ring but before yesterday she hadn’t won the title she wanted the most. “This was Ouch’s fourth or fifth year in the Ridden class. So much time and effort and money go into it,” says Downey, “it was emotional.” She has been close before, and just last year the pair finished third in both the Inhand and the Ridden disciplines. So what changed this year? “I thought beforehand he’s 17 now and maybe this is our swansong so I was pretty relaxed about it.” “I just took the pressure off myself and thought he’s nothing left to prove to anyone.” “He’s also had a much easier season. He’s only been to two shows and in the past he’s been to 12 or 13. He was the happiest he’s been.” “If this is the last time we go to HOY what better way to finish?” The win caps off a remarkable association between horse and rider. Major Ouch was a six race winner on the track. The son of Art Major had four wins for dual New Zealand Cup-winning trainer Ray Green before getting injured. In 2012 Downey then took the horse and re-educated him under saddle. She thought his racing days were over until she was noticed “he was just hooning around the paddock”. After an absence of over two years, and after getting approval for Major Ouch’s owners John and Lynne Street, he returned to the racetrack, winning fresh up at Pukekohe. Trained by Claire’s husband Roydon and/or his late father Errol, Major Ouch also took out the 2014 Taranaki Cup. Major Ouch finished racing at Hawera in 2015 after winning six races from 35 starts. Since then he’s done all sorts of things in his life after racing – saddle paces, endurance races and of course many events in the show ring. “I know him inside out,” says Downey, “he’s Mr Reliable, just the coolest easiest horse.” While yesterday was a huge day in their lives together there was no time for celebration. They had an eight hour road trip back to Kumeu! Tonight though they might be able to relax a bit with Claire off to see country star Chris Stapleton at Auckland’s Spark Arena. Horse of the Year 2025 Results : The NZ Standardbred Breeders Association Ridden Standardbred of the Year : 1st- Claire Downey and Major Ouch 2nd- Taylah Dolan and Michelangelo 3rd- Tash Higgs and You Can Fly Arden 4th- Chanelle Dickie and Eagles Nest 5th- Sarah Collinson and Smith Willow Bay 6th- Annie Eldershaw and Ideal Zen The Harness Racing NZ Inhand Standardbred of the Year : 1st- Connor Hill and Hawk (pictured above) 2nd- Simon Higgs and Does It On His Ear 3rd- Chanelle Dickie and Eagles Nest 4th- Tash Higgs and You Can Fly Arden 5th- Christina Bird and Shake Your Bon Bon 6th- Alessandra MacFarlane and Seize the Moment View the full article
    • HRNZ Chief Executive Brad Steele says there is still room for optimism despite the fall in breeding numbers for the 2025 season. Latest figures show that a total of 1552 individual mares have been bred to, a drop of 12 per cent on last year. “Breeding numbers have been under pressure over the past two decades,” says Steele, “and it is disappointing to see a double figure decrease. We have to own that but there are encouraging signs that we can stabilize and eventually rebuild.” The total for 2025 is 225 mares bred down on the corresponding 12 months, with Trotting Mares services stable at around 500 and Pacing Mares services down 200 from 1351. “The trotting totals are gratifying. They reflect recent initiatives to increase their funding and recognition, with trotters making up 30 per cent of our sport,” says Steele. Volstead leads the way with 53 mares, ahead of Tactical Approach (47) and On A Streak (37). Sweet Lou tops the pacing stallions’ list with 149 while his son Confederate had good numbers (67) as did the likes of Always B Miki (113), Captain Crunch (81) and Pebble Beach (79). Some colonial sires like Carlton (28), Krug (23), Royal Aspirations (27), Habibi Inta (27), Sky Major (19) and Oscar Bonavena (15) have also been in demand. Steele says the latest figures just reinforce how critical is it to get new and younger people involved in the sport. “It is evident that smaller breeders are especially reducing their numbers,” says Steele, “and there are a number of reasons for that – costs are rising and some of the breeders themselves are getting older and getting out of the breeding game.” Steele is confident the tide can turn. “Our surveys show that there is confidence in the future of our sport, and that is crucial.” “Several positive industry developments are also beginning to take effect, creating a more attractive environment for breeders, owners, and investors.” Steele says these include increases in stakes, the success of Next Gen, proposed tax reforms, the Entain 2YO bonuses and other incentive schemes and the strong results at the recent NZB Standardbred National Yearling Sales. “We cannot lose sight of the fact that there is a lot of optimism for our sport and we are committed to doing all we can to turn these breeding stats around,” says Steele.   View the full article
    • Odds Bookmakers News Field Past Winners Shaftesbury Avenue Handicap Group Three Betting Guide Date: Saturday, March 8, 2025 Location: Flemington Racecourse – Melbourne, Victoria Prize Money: $200,000 Distance: 1400m The Shaftesbury Avenue Handicap is a Group 3 race run over 1400m under handicap conditions at Flemington by the Victoria Racing Club. First held in 2001, the Shaftesbury Avenue Handicap briefly lost its Group status from 2008 to 2010 but has since regained its place on the autumn calendar. The Shaftesbury Avenue Handicap, worth $200,000 in 2025, has produced a mix of winners, with some finding success later in their careers. Notable past winners of the Shaftesbury Avenue Handicap include Sedation, Orange County, dual winner Launay, Amorino, Kissonallforcheeks, and Scallopini. 2025 Shaftesbury Avenue Handicap betting odds Von Hauke ridden by Craig Williams winning the 2024 Shaftesbury Avenue Handicap at Flemington. (Photo by Brett Holburt/Racing Photos) Odds for the Shaftesbury Avenue Handicap as of March 5 – Courtesy of Neds Is It Me Win $2.80 Place $1.40 Fancify Win $5.50 Place $2.00 Ayrton Win $8.00 Place $2.50 Territory Express Win $9.00 Place $2.70 Aztec Ruler Win $9.50 Place $2.80 Nugget Win $10.00 Place $3.00 Klabel Win $15.00 Place $3.90 My Khalifa Win $17.00 Place $4.40 Cote Atlantique Win $21.00 Place $5.00 Lady Jones Win $23.00 Place $5.50 Communist Win $41.00 Place $8.50 How to bet on the Shaftesbury Avenue Handicap The Shaftesbury Avenue Handicap isn’t a race that’s on the tip of every punters’ tongue, but Australian betting sites do have markets out in the weeks leading up to the event. Some of the top Australian online bookmakers will open up Shaftesbury Avenue Handicap all-in markets, which don’t provide insurance if your selected runner doesn’t start in the race, but the odds are more appealing. All of our horse betting sites offer betting on the Shaftesbury Avenue Handicap and bookmaker offers will also be available in the days leading up to the race. These horse racing betting sites generally have apps available for iOS and Android smartphones. Neds Code GETON 1 Take It To The Neds Level Neds Only orange bookie! Check Out Neds Review 18+ Gamble Responsibly. What are you really gambling with? Set a deposit limit today. “GETON is not a bonus code. Neds does not offer bonus codes in Australia and this referral code does not grant access to offers. Full terms. BlondeBet Signup Code GETON 2 Punters Prefer Blondes BlondeBet Blonde Boosts – Elevate your prices! Join BlondeBet Review 18+ Gamble Responsibly. WHAT ARE YOU REALLY GAMBLING WITH? full terms. Dabble Signup Code AUSRACING 3 Say Hey to the social bet! Dabble You Better Believe It Join Dabble Review 18+ Gamble Responsibly. THINK. IS THIS A BET YOU REALLY WANT TO PLACE? Full terms. Recommended! 4 Next Gen Racing Betting Picklebet Top 4 Betting. Extra Place. Every Race. Join Picklebet Review 18+ Gamble Responsibly. What are you really gambling with? Full terms. 5 It Pays To Play PlayUp Aussie-owned horse racing specialists! Check Out PlayUp Review 18+ Gamble Responsibly. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Full terms. Bet365 Signup Code GETON 6 Never Ordinary Bet365 World Favourite! Visit Bet365 Review 18+ Gamble Responsibly. GETON is not a bonus code. bet365 does not offer bonus codes in Australia and this referral code does not grant access to offers. What’s gambling really costing you? Full terms. 7 Bet With A Boom BoomBet Daily Racing Promotions – Login to view! Join Boombet Review 18+ Gamble responsibly. Think. Is this a bet you really want to place. Full terms. 8 By Players, For Players UniBet Unibet offer daily promotions to registered and logged in customers only Join Unibet Review 18+. Gamble Responsibly. Chances are you are about to lose. Full terms. 9 On Your Side Betfair Australia Australia’s only betting exchange Visit Betfair Review What are you prepared to lose today? Set a deposit limit. Full terms. 10 Ladbrokes Switch Ladbrokes Ladbrokes offer daily promotions to registered and logged in customers only Visit Ladbrokes Review 18+ Gamble Responsibly. What are you really gambling with? Set a deposit limit today. “GETON is not a bonus code. Ladbrokes does not offer bonus codes in Australia and this referral code does not grant access to offers. Full terms. Shaftesbury Avenue Handicap News Flemington race-by-race tips & quaddie | All-Star Mile Day 2025 Horse Racing Tips 24 hours ago A massive 10-race meeting awaits punters at Flemington for All-Star Mile Day 2025 on Saturday, March 8. Check out HorseBetting’s … Read More Von Hauke storms home to claim Shaftesbury Avenue Handicap Australia horse racing news 12 months ago Cliff Brown and Craig Williams have combined with Von Hauke to take out the Group 3 Shaftesbury Avenue Handicap on … Read More Flemington full racing preview & quaddie tips | March 9, 2024 Horse Racing Tips 1 year ago A stacked eight-race meeting awaits punters at Flemington on Saturday for Newmarket Handicap Day. Check our free race-by-race preview for … Read More Scallopini proves way too good in Shaftesbury Avenue Handicap Australia horse racing news 2 years ago Damian Lane and Steven O’Dea & Matthew Hoysted have combined with Scallopini to win the Group 3 Shaftesbury Avenue Handicap … Read More Flemington full racing tips & quaddie | Newmarket Handicap Day Horse Racing Tips 2 years ago Nine races are set down for decision on Saturday at Flemington for Newmarket Handicap Day, and HorseBetting’s James Herbert presents … Read More Kissonallforcheeks takes out the Shaftesbury Avenue Handicap Australia horse racing news 3 years ago WA raider Kissonallforcheeks has given her rivals a galloping lesson in Saturday’s Shaftesbury Avenue Handicap, with Group 1 goals firmly … Read More 2025 Shaftesbury Avenue Handicap Final Field No. Silks Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight 1 Ayrton Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) Jamie Melham 9 58.5kg 2 Nugget Ciaron Maher Declan Bates 8 58kg 3 Territory Express Paul Niceforo Ms Carleen Hefel 1 58kg 4 Aztec Ruler Stefan Vahala Damian Lane 10 56.5kg 5 Lady Jones Stephen Brown Jye McNeil 7 54kg 6 Fancify Michael Hickmott Joe Bowditch 11 54kg 7 Cote Atlantique Henry Dwyer Harry Coffey 4 54kg 8 My Khalifa Gordon Richards & Damien Moyle Lachlan Neindorf 2 54kg 9 Communist Anthony & Sam Freedman Craig Newitt 6 54kg 10 Is It Me Daniel Bowman Billy Egan 3 54kg 11 Klabel Richard & Chantelle Jolly Zac Spain 5 54kg Previous Shaftesbury Avenue Handicap Fields 2024 Shaftesbury Avenue Handicap field No. Silks Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight 1 Berkshire Shadow Ciaron Maher Mark Zahra 3 59kg 2 Pinstriped Enver Jusufovic Ben Allen 2 59kg 3 Amenable Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) Damian Lane 7 55kg 4 Savannah Cloud Phillip Stokes Thomas Stockdale 8 54.5kg 5 Wild Planet Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes Jye McNeil 10 54.5kg 6 Brayden Star Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young Daniel Moor 1 54kg 7 Windstorm John Leek (Jnr) Harry Coffey 6 54kg 8 Jimmysstar Ciaron Maher Jamie Kah 4 54kg 9 Superium Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes N/A 9 54kg 10 Von Hauke Cliff Brown Craig Williams 5 54kg 2024 Shaftesbury Avenue Handicap result https://horsebetting.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Flemington-2024-Goup-3-Shaftesbury-Avenue-Handicap-09032024-Von-Hauke-Cliff-Brown-Craig-Williams.mp4 1st – Von Hauke (+115) 2nd – Amenable (-125) 3rd – Savannah Cloud (+190) Recent runnings of the Shaftesbury Avenue Handicap: 2024: Von Hauke rolls odds-on favourite Craig Williams and Cliff Brown combined with Von Hauke ($8.00) to take out the 2024 Group 3 Shaftesbury Avenue Handicap, which gave Williams his fifth victory in the race in the last 13 years. Race favourite, Amenable ($1.80) led the field from the barriers and beat all bar the winner, as he began to tire in the final 100m after doing all of the hard work into the strong wind. Savannah Cloud ($3.90) faded out of the race in the concluding stages to finish third after settling outside the leader, leaving the top two to fight the race out, gapping the rest of the field by 2.5 lengths. 2023: Scallopini proves too gritty Scallopini gave the rest of the Shaftesbury Avenue Handicap field 1.5kg and he still gave them a beating, bringing up his fourth win from four starts at the Flemington 1400m. After jumping from barrier 14, Damian Lane pushed forward and was made to work three-wide for the first 200m of the race, before crossing and settling outside Savannah Cloud at the front of the field. Rounding the home turn, Lane asked for the ultimate effort and when he did the eight-year-old son of Snitzel exploded away to put two lengths on Savannah Cloud who couldn’t go with him and with nothing making up considerable ground, Scallopini was home with 100m to go. 2022: Kissonallforcheeks cruises to victory Western Australian visitor Kissonallforcheeks took out the 2022 Group 3 Shaftesbury Avenue Handicap (1400m) at Flemington in convincing fashion. WA Trainer Dan Morton made the trip over after a first-up second in the Listed Cyril Flower Stakes (1200m) at Ascot. She had also managed to record Group 1 placings last preparation in both the Railway Stakes (1600m) and Kingston Town Classic (1800m). The Ascot-trained mare appreciated the step up to 1400m; a distance where she had won three times from five attempts. Jockey Mark Zahra settled the four-year-old mid-field, one off the fence. Kissonallforcheeks then cruised up to join the leaders at the 300m mark before sprinting away with an impressive 2.25 length victory over the Ben & JD Hayes-trained Crosshaven. Previous winners of the Shaftesbury Avenue Handicap Shaftesbury Avenue Handicap Past Winners Year Horse Jockey Trainer 2024 Von Hauke Craig Williams Cliff Brown 2023 Scallopini Damian Lane Steven O’Dea & Matthew Hoysted 2022 Kissonallforcheeks Mark Zahra Daniel Morton 2021 Morvada Damian Lane Peter Jolly 2020 Blazejowski Craig Williams Greg Eurell 2019 Violate Michael Walker Brent Stanley 2018 Nozomi Jye McNeil Anthony Freedman 2017 He Or She Mark Zahra David & B Hayes & T Dabernig 2016 Red Bomber Damian Lane David & B Hayes & T Dabernig 2015 Amorino Craig Williams Archie Alexander 2014 Mouro Craig Williams Tony McEvoy 2013 Launay Kerrin McEvoy Peter Snowden 2012 Rockpecker Craig Williams Ken Fythe 2011 Launay Kerrin McEvoy Peter Snowden 2010 Wind Shear Stephen Baster Dale Sutton 2009 Chasm Brad Rawiller Heath Conners 2008 Skiddaw Peak Greg Childs Michael Moroney 2007 Archie Senior James Winks Danny O’Brien 2006 Vroom Vroom Craig Williams David Hayes 2005 Roman Arch Noel Callow Robbie Laing 2004 Rain Gauge Vincent Hall Tom Hughes 2003 Old Man Darren Gauci John Hawkes 2002 Prince Benbara Brett Prebble Tony Rosolini 2001 Yammer Nash Rawiller Tony Noonan 2000 Arabian Magic Brett Prebble Ken Newman Recommended! Take It To The Neds Level Home of the Neds Toolbox Check Out Neds 18+ Gamble Responsibly Full terms Punters Prefer Blondes It’s a fact, Blondes have more fun Join BlondeBet 18+ Gamble Responsibly. THINK. IS THIS A BET YOU REALLY WANT TO PLACE?. Say Hey to the social bet! You Better Believe It Join Dabble 18+ Gamble Responsibly. THINK. IS THIS A BET YOU REALLY WANT TO PLACE?. Full terms. Next Gen Racing Betting Top 4 Betting. Extra Place. Every Race. Join Picklebet 18+ Gamble Responsibly. What are you really gambling with? It Pays To Play New online bookmaker Check Out PlayUp 18+ Gamble Responsibly View the full article
    • Holy shit! Is it time to not have amateur races at all?  There are so few spread too far across the country.  They went hand in hand with jumping races.  Now that the south island racing scene is no longer it all seems disjointed to me.  I would have thought with champions days and elite riding ranks amateurs are not the right look for what is trying to be achieved, or perceived.
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