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My wife insisted i watch tonights show as it was about mark purdon. She really has enjoyed watching guerin's recent interviews so i thought why not and sure enough it was very interesting. Greg o'connor was also very good when he did some interviews like that in the past. I also watched the box seat. The 4 presenters,cross,guerin,o'connor and graham all are very good at what they do and i think when it comes to coverage of the races we are fortunate to have people of that calibre doing the raceday coverage and commentaries. i like the way o'connor and graham have been doing the runner by runner comments in recent times. I think giving recognition to each runner is important myself and a very positive move. I wonder whether they will have graham doing any pre race interviews with the drivers as they circle just before race start time. The aussies do that well. I hope the weather is ok. It looks like it may be,although that wind can be a pain if it picks up. persoanlly i don't really have any picks for tomorrow. 11 of the 13 races seem to have reasonably hot favorites. i see guerin seems to think arcee pheonix should win the domnion for australia. That will be an interesting race.Lots of chances in that race. I had liked mr love a bit,but his wide draw puts me off a bit as he may get a bit far back from there. i suppose leap to fame wins. They say republican party will try and keep the lead if he gets there ahead of leaop to fame.. I don't know,i wouldn't be doing that myself.If leap to fames at his best he wins whether republican party is in front or not. If hes not then republican party could run past him from the trail anyway. Having said that,i personally think republican party has been winning its races here oky because they have allowed dalgety to dictate. that won't happen tomorrow.I think his recent form is being over rated a bit. Still he is a wondrful horse and nz's best chance.Kingman i think is the main danger to leap to fame,but it does seem odd to give a horse with so little standing satrt experience its first stand in the cup. But drawing near the outside i think could play into its fabour and i think it will pay around $2.80-$3 a place so that seems reasonable. Who knows -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
Mark Newnham is not sweating a very rare winless run as the trainers’ premiership leader heads into Happy Valley on Wednesday evening with a pep in his step. Five clear of his nearest rival David Hayes in the title race, Newnham had won at 13 consecutive meetings to start off the campaign, but has drawn blanks at the last three fixtures. Six of his runners at those winless meetings finished in the top three, however, and Newnham is still more than happy with the way his string is running. “We...View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
The draws have been made for the two $500,000 3YO slot races at Addington Raceway on Show Day (Friday, November 14). In the Hill, Lee and Scott THE VELOCITY Marketplace has got the early advantage, drawing two with arch rival Got The Chocolates at 6 (the outside of the front row). Australian visitor Fate Awaits is at 5, with Rubira one the second row. Of the four fillies in the Majestic Horsefloats THE ASCENT the two highly-rated Australians Gatesys Gem and Tracy The Jet have drawn one and three with Tarragindi and Rogue Hero the two geldings to start off the front row. In both THE VELOCITY and THE ASCENT there will be six off the front and four off the second row. Both races will be over 1980 metres. View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
A big mishap last start hasn’t halted Stonybreck’s (Tavistock) preparation for the Gr.3 TAB Mile (1600m) and he’ll lead the three-pronged attack for Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson in Wednesday’s $250,000 feature at Riccarton. A six-time winner on synthetic tracks, Stonybreck has brought that form onto the turf this campaign in the South Island, headlined by a dominant five-length romp at the Christchurch venue in late September. The focus was firmly set on the TAB Mile and he lined-up against many key rivals over 1400m last month only to knuckle badly as the gates opened and dislodge top hoop Opie Bosson in the process. Despite the missed run, Te Akau’s South Island-based assistant trainer Hunter Durrant couldn’t be happier with the gelding and has him on top ahead of stablemates Perfect Scenario (NZ) (Iffraaj) and Cognito (So You Think) in the race. “He’s come through it really well, he hasn’t shown any sign of that affecting him and he’s probably had more life in him since, his work has been the best I’ve ever seen it,” Durrant said. “His work on Saturday was great, he’s bouncing around like a two-year-old so I’m expecting a bold run. “He’s probably my pick of the three.” Durrant isn’t discounting the chances of the latter pair, with Perfect Scenario returning for his second shot at the feature after finishing a close third under the topweight last year. He will contend with a 60kg impost again this time, albeit with a far better spread across the handicap than 12 months ago. “He’s been pretty unlucky this prep, he’s had a few runs where things didn’t go his way and last start he just got back and it’s hard to make up ground when you’ve got 60kg-plus,” Durrant said. “He hasn’t had a big gut buster so I’m expecting a bold run as always, he’s always thereabouts and his work this morning (Monday) was good. He came jogging off the track and we couldn’t have him in better order, he’s just an old marvel.” Cognito has been a two-time winner this campaign and defeated all but an impressive Sir Albert (NZ) (Savabeel) last start in the Listed Sothy’s Spring Classic (2000m). “He was really good on face value there, he probably just peaked on the run a bit at the finish so stepping back to a mile is the key,” Durrant said. “I’ve kept him fresh and he drops in weight again, so he’s another that I’m expecting a bold run from.” Te Akau has made the juvenile event on the middle day their own in recent years and will aim for a fourth-straight win with Zaharias (NZ) (Super Seth), who finished second on debut to Silhouette (NZ) (Armory) at Trentham. Durrant said the Super Seth filly has shown maturity beyond her years since arriving in his care and is expecting a good showing in the Elmwood Tavern Two-Year-Old Premier (1000m). “She’s like an older horse, she’s got a great mentality and the North Island team have done a great job preparing her, she’s come down in great order,” he said. “You wouldn’t think she’s a two-year-old, I think she has a bright future based on that mentality. “I rode her myself on Saturday with the blinkers on and they’ve really improved her so I’m expecting a bold effort.” Last-start winner One True King (King’s Legacy) rounds out their representatives at the meeting, favouring the Majestic Horse Floats Premier (1600m) at MAAT grade over Saturday’s Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m). “Up to the mile I think is the key for him, he’s a big type with a big stride and I think he’ll see out the mile really well,” Durrant said. “He’s getting better and better with racing, he’s lightly tried but he’s taking it all in his stride.” That leaves stablemates He Who Dares (NZ) (Snitzel) and War Of Silence (Snitzel) for the Guineas, the former coming off a fourth placing in the Gr.2 James and Annie Sarten Memorial (1400m) while the latter was luckless into third in the Gr.3 War Decree Stakes (1600m). “He Who Dares flies down on Wednesday, my understanding is that he’s going really well,” Durrant said. “I think War Of Silence is quietly going under the radar, his run was really good in the War Decree and Opie believed that if he wasn’t caught wide, he wins. “He’s improved since, his coat looks great and his work was outstanding. He hasn’t always been the greatest trackworker, it’s taken him a bit to work things out, but he knows his job now.” Durrant confirmed that both Court Of Appeal (NZ) (Eminent) and I’m A Dirty Rascal (Galileo) are on track for the Gr.3 Martin Collins New Zealand Cup (3200m) at that meeting, having taken different paths to the race. I’m A Dirty Rascal lies a $6 equal second-favourite after winning the Road To The Jericho (3000m) last start, while Court Of Appeal has bounced out of a tough run for sixth in the Listed Metropolitan Trophy (2600m) on the first day of the carnival. “She (Court Of Appeal) was just caught wide but has come through it really well,” Durrant said. “She had a buck and a squeal coming off the track this morning which is always a positive sign. “We’ll press on to the Cup, you wouldn’t think she’d had a run as of Monday afternoon. “I’m A Dirty Rascal was super last start, it was a very long time between wins for him there but he’s trained on really well. He had a gallop on the course proper last week and has been out to the beach, just doing a few different things to spark him up. “I couldn’t be happier with him.” Meanwhile, Riccarton has seen the last of Captured By Love (Written Tycoon) this spring after her dominant win in the Gr.3 Canterbury Breeders’ Stakes (1400m) on Saturday. “It was a real full circle moment, getting her Group One here last year then going to Australia, and now coming back where she was pretty dominant after doing it the hard way,” Durrant said. “She was just too good for them, she’s such a good left-handed horse and loves this track. “She flies home (to Matamata) this afternoon and will have a nice freshen-up.” View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
It might not be the Cup they were aiming for this spring, but trainers Peter and Shaun McKay are looking forward to heading south to Christchurch this week to contest the Gr.3 Martin Collins New Zealand Cup (3200m) with their handy stayer Wolfgang (NZ) (Puccini). The seven-year-old gelding was campaigning towards the Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m), but they abandoned that mission following three unplaced runs in Melbourne. He returned to New Zealand and made an instant impact, winning under 62kg in the Waikato Cup Prelude (2400m) at Te Rapa on Labour Day, which sealed his ticket south to contest the New Zealand Cup. “Things didn’t quite go right for him in Melbourne, but it (New Zealand Cup) is a good Plan B, and it is a nice race to try and chase,” Peter McKay said. “He had a really good kick on the corner (last start), but his fitness gave out a little bit. He did spend eight days in a paddock in Melbourne, and he was only back here just short of a fortnight, hence it was a pretty good win carrying the weight. “A couple of horses in behind him have gone a good race next start in the Group race (Gr.3 Balmerino Stakes, 2000m). “He is going to cart a bit of weight, which is to be expected, but we are very happy with the way he is going into the race.” Wolfgang is proven over two miles, having won the Gr.3 Wellington Cup (3200m) at Trentham earlier this year, and McKay is looking forward to stepping him out over the distance once more this weekend. “The further he goes the better he is,” McKay said. “But there are some nice chances in the race, so he is going to have to be at the top of his game to carry 59kg and beat them.” Closer to their Matamata base, the father-and-son training partnership will head to Te Aroha with a handful of runners on Tuesday, including Giacomo (NZ) (Puccini), who will ready for next week’s Gr.3 TAB Counties Cup (2100m) with a run in the Nicola Hudson Thames Harcourts Gold Star (2200m). “We were going to wait and run him in the Counties Cup, but we will give him this run tomorrow and if he can go close or win, we can go in a little more confident into the Counties Cup,” McKay said. He is also looking forward to lining up last-start runner-up Los Santos (NZ) (Tivaci) and Scaredoheights (NZ) (Preferment) in the Harcourts Te Aroha (1600m), while Just Call Me Johnny (NZ) (Eminent) will bid to return to winning form in the Celebrate Xmas 26 November & 7 December (1600m). “I have been very happy with Los Santos’ last two runs, but he is still learning,” McKay said. “It is a bit of a close back-up, but we just wanted to hopefully see if he can clear maidens and then look forward to a three-year-old race in three weeks’ time. “Scaredoheights’ first run was a little ordinary, but it was a good run last start. She is learning and she is a nice stayer in the making. If she can run in the first three or four tomorrow, she is stepping in the right direction. “Just Call Me Johnny was a little bit disappointing last start, but I had two runners that day and both went poorly, and one came out two days later and just about won. I will just put it down to a bad day out. “He was working up well before that and we have been happy with him after. He has got a good draw (1) and hopefully he can go close tomorrow.” View the full article
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