Jump to content
NOTICE TO BOAY'ers: Major Update Coming ×
Bit Of A Yarn

The Rest of the World


71,860 topics in this forum

      • Journalists
    • 0 replies
    • 65 views
      • Journalists
    • 0 replies
    • 69 views
      • Journalists
    • 0 replies
    • 68 views
      • Journalists
    • 0 replies
    • 63 views
      • Journalists
    • 0 replies
    • 59 views
      • Journalists
    • 0 replies
    • 61 views
      • Journalists
    • 0 replies
    • 111 views
      • Journalists
    • 0 replies
    • 65 views
      • Journalists
    • 0 replies
    • 56 views
      • Journalists
    • 0 replies
    • 1.4k views
      • Journalists
    • 0 replies
    • 1.6k views
      • Journalists
    • 0 replies
    • 54 views
    • Journalists

    Million-Dollar Matings

      • Journalists
    • 0 replies
    • 66 views
      • Journalists
    • 0 replies
    • 59 views
      • Journalists
    • 0 replies
    • 56 views
      • Journalists
    • 0 replies
    • 57 views
      • Journalists
    • 0 replies
    • 54 views
      • Journalists
    • 0 replies
    • 55 views
      • Journalists
    • 0 replies
    • 62 views
      • Journalists
    • 0 replies
    • 57 views
      • Journalists
    • 0 replies
    • 61 views
      • Journalists
    • 0 replies
    • 57 views
      • Journalists
    • 0 replies
    • 60 views
      • Journalists
    • 0 replies
    • 62 views
      • Journalists
    • 0 replies
    • 66 views


  • Posts

    • Check out this week’s The Box Seat with Matt Cross and Greg O’Connor       View the full article
    • A refurbished track and a number of Sunday meetings will be features of Manawatu’s 2025 season. With the club’s first meetings of the year on next week (February 11 and 13) the Palmerston North track has had a major upgrade. “We have had the top done before but this is bigger than that, we are scrapping right down to the base,” says Manawatu Harness Racing Club President Dan Lynch, “the last time that happened was 18 to 19 years ago.” “We have John Denton (HRNZ’s Track Facilities Manager) here and 800 to 900 tons of old track will be replaced by around 450 tons of new material.” “It should be in great condition for the first meeting on the 11th.” The club is also looking at upgrading its lighting system in March-April after the new lights and pylons arrive from China. “We are essentially replacing like for like but it will make a big difference.” Funding for the track has come from the club and the Racing Safety Fund while the Manawatu-based Central Energy Trust is helping out with the lighting upgrade to the tune of $200,000. “They are very supportive and we are very grateful. However, we are always keen to access any additional funding that may be available”  he said. The club will stump up with the remaining $100,000. The club has 12 race meetings between February and May and the season will have a markedly different look about it. While they will still have their regular Tuesday – Thursday meetings, they will also have many on a Sunday and a Tuesday, starting mid to late afternoon. Numbers permitting, each will have eight races. “It will be a new experience and we will do the best we can,” says Lynch, “and we do have some good stakes – on March the 13th for instance we have a $25,000 Pace and a $20,000 Trot.” The minimum stake on both February 11 and 13 is $10,000. “We think trainers will see the opportunities here, good stakes and two bites of the cherry if you like – a meeting on a Sunday and then another just two days later.”   View the full article
    • Sad news about harness racing writer and enthusiast Don Rae, two new races at Winton and Addington, and the yearling parades down south all feature in this week’s News Briefs. Vale Don Rae Breeding authority and harness racing enthusiast Don Rae has lost his battle with cancer. The 67-year-old lived out a lifetime dream when he was registered as an official owner of a horse in the IRT New Zealand Cup last November, thanks to the kindness of Tact McLeod’s owners Trevor Proctor and Diane Dynes. They hosted Don for the day at Addington. At the time Rae said he was “blown away by their open heartedness and generosity”. A life long harness racing fan, Rae researched pedigrees and wrote extensively on breeding and racing-related matters and also took part in the TV Show Mastermind in 2016 where his specialist subject was The New Zealand Trotting Cup. His funeral will be held next week. Sorority to debut at Winton A brand new race for the three-year-old pacing fillies will debut at the Wairio Trotting Club’s meeting at Winton this weekend. The $30,000 Sorority is restricted to fillies who have yet to win a Group 1 or earn $100,000 in stakes money. Though light on numbers this Sunday it is just a starting point with hopes it will grow in years to come. The Sorority marks the beginning of a stakes season in the southern region which will culminate in Diamonds Day at Invercargill on April 27. To find out more about the Sorority click here New 2YO race at Addington Due to the large number of two-year-olds at the trials and workouts at the moment, a new $15,000 2YO race has been programmed for Addington on Friday, February 14.  It will have a preferential barrier draw based on : winning stakes then sex (fillies drawn inside colts and geldings). The race will be part of the Love at the Races race night on Valentines Day. Near clean sweep for the juniors at Hawera What a couple of days out the Next Gen of our drivers had at Hawera. Junior Drivers won 17 of the 20 races on both Friday and Sunday. On Sunday the six winning drivers were Zev Meredith (Rewiri Hill), Harrison Orange (Tina Ace, Golden Line, Boudica), Neita Balle (Conrad H), Crystal Hackett (Kourtney Kardash, High Energy) Alicia Harrison (Akatea), and Wilson House (State Trooper). Alicia Harrison’s win with Akatea came in the third heat of the Hygain Revell Douglas Memorial Series. It was her first win in over a year after having an extended spell on the sidelines after needing surgery on her shoulder. The Hygain Revell Douglas Memorial series for the junior drivers is nearing the halfway mark and it’s turning into a close run thing. Orange has 34 points, one ahead of Hackett with Harrison (26), Meredith (22) and Hanara (17) rounding out the top five.  Hackett, Harrison and Hanara have been the three heat winners so far. They will be seven heats in all, with the next being at Methven (Hororata meeting) this Sunday (February 9) before Banks Peninsula on February 16 and then Cromwell on February 21 and 23. Plenty of dash for KK Kourtney Kardash has had a ripper of a start to 2025. The Bettor’s Delight five-year-old has won four from four this year after going back to back at both Otaki and Hawera. Trained by Shane Butcher, the mare has won all four in convincing fashion, with her second Kapiti victory being by more than four lengths. Kourtney Kardash has now won six from 32 starts and just over $70K in stakes. Cullen hits 300 Hayden Cullen has had two milestones in the last two weeks. Last week it was Hayden and wife Amanda’s first win in partnership when We Walk By Faith won at Addington on January 24. Now Cullen has racked up his 300th career success number with Crunch Time winning at Addington last Friday. He has had 79 on his own account and the rest in partnership. Yearling parades heading south The last of the on-farm parades before the National Standardbred Yearling Sales will be held around Southland next week. The SBSR Yearling Tour will be held on Monday February 10 and Tuesday February 11. On Monday the tour commences at Shard Farm at 2pm, and then takes in Price Bloodstock and others before concluding at Beaudiene Breeding at 6pm. On Tuesday the day starts bright and early at Ascot Park, Invercargill, with final viewing at Tuapeka Lodge in Lawrence from 12.20pm. SBSR will offer 40 yearlings at the sales, which will be held in Karaka in Auckland on February 15 and in Christchurch on February 18. The parades kicked off in the North Island before the Canterbury parades were completed yesterday, after two days of viewings at nine different venues. For more info click here   Club News : Wairio The Wairio Trotting Club are planning a great day for all when they host their annual Cup Day at Central Southland Raceway in Winton on Sunday (9 February). The feature races are the $25,000 Otautau Four Square Supermarket Wairio Cup over 2400m, the SBSR/Diamond Creek Farm/Caduceus 3YO Fillies Sorority, the first heat of the Southern Belle Series supported by the Southern Standardbred Breeders Assn and the Wilbur Ellis NZ Ltd Gold Chip Final Handicap Trot. The club has also planned a wonderful day of family entertainment with a popular favourite – the Heads/Tails Game with a $250 Prezzy Card up for Grabs. Mr Whippy will provide the first 100 ice creams to kids for free, plus there are pony rides, sack races, a lolly scramble, mini jeeps and a bouncy castle. All the kid’s entertainment is free. There will also be a Punters Club operating plus the chance to win rides on the EH Ball ITM Mobile Barrier throughout the day and several Kidz Kartz heats. The first race is timed for 12.15pm and admission is free.  View the full article
    • The $2 million Inglis Millennium, a highlight of the Sydney racing calendar, is set to ignite Royal Randwick this Saturday, and the excitement is high with a field of talented two-year-olds descending upon the iconic track, each vying for the coveted title and a share of the lucrative prize money. Leading the charge and 2025 […] The post Inglis Millennium 2025: Price Tag a Hot Favourite appeared first on HorseRacing.com.au. View the full article
    • Mr Brightside and Craig Williams after winning the 2024 CF Orr Stakes. Photo: Bruno Cannatelli The first Group 1 of 2025 headlines the action at Caulfield on Saturday afternoon, with a quality field of 10 assembled for the time-honoured Group 1 C.F. Orr Stakes (1400m). Four of the 10 runners engaged have tasted Group 1 success in the past, including last year’s winner and eight-time Group 1 winning gelding Mr Brightside who makes his return after a slashing victory in the Group 1 Champions Mile (1600m) at Flemington on November 9 at the end of last preparation. The Lindsay Park-trained seven-year-old is the current $2.50 favourite with horse racing bookmakers post-barrier draw; however, jockey Craig Williams may need some luck to fall his way after drawing out in gate eight. After a barnstorming effort in the Group 1 Champions Sprint (1200m) on the same day, the Chris Waller-trained Private Life ($10.00) gets another chance to take on the older horses, with the son of Written Tycoon likely to be suited by the extra 200m to chase down his rivals. The Group 1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) winner is the only three-year-old set to line up in Saturday’s $750,000 feature and seemingly gets every chance to figure after drawing barrier one under star hoop Damien Lane. The Ciaron Maher barn sends around three runners to represent his stable, including Group 1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) runner-up Another Wil ($4.80) who goes in search of his first Group 1 success as Jamie Melham gets legged aboard once again, continuing her association with the Street Boss gelding. The chances don’t end there, with the likes of Schwarz ($5.50) and Pinstriped ($15.00) garnering early support with Neds as we draw closer to the weight-for-age classic. The 2025 C.F. Orr Stakes is the penultimate race on the Caulfield program and is scheduled to get underway at 4:55pm local time. 2025 CF Orr Stakes Final Field 1. Mr Brightside (8) T: Ben, Will & JD Hayes J: Craig Williams W: 59kg Age: 7YO Colour: Bay or Brown Sex: Gelding Sire: Bullbars Dam: Lilahjay (NZ) +140 -333.33 2. Southport Tycoon (2) T: Ciaron Maher J: Mark Zahra W: 59kg Age: 4YO Colour: Chestnut Sex: Horse Sire: Written Tycoon Dam: Ready to Rule (USA) +1300 +230 3. Pinstriped (10) T: Enver Jusufovic J: Ben Allen W: 59kg Age: 6YO Colour: Chestnut Sex: Gelding Sire: Street Boss (USA) Dam: Snitzel Blitz +1500 +260 4. Steparty (4) T: Paul Preusker J: Blaike McDougall W: 59kg Age: 4YO Colour: Bay Sex: Gelding Sire: Artie Schiller (USA) Dam: Watch Your Step +1300 +230 5. Another Wil (3) T: Ciaron Maher J: Ms Jamie Melham W: 59kg Age: 5YO Colour: Chestnut Sex: Gelding Sire: Street Boss (USA) Dam: Arohanui +360 -142.86 6. Freedom Rally (6) T: Tony Gollan J: Ethan Brown W: 59kg Age: 5YO Colour: Bay Sex: Gelding Sire: Rubick Dam: Ipioga +3300 +500 7. Schwarz (7) T: John O’Shea & Tom Charlton J: Blake Shinn W: 59kg Age: 4YO Colour: Bay Sex: Horse Sire: Zoustar Dam: Summer Sham +500 -105.26 8. Semana (9) T: Ciaron Maher J: Thomas Stockdale W: 57kg Age: 5YO Colour: Chestnut Sex: Mare Sire: Winning Rupert Dam: Festivity +4000 +600 9. Super Smink (5) T: Daniel Morton J: John Allen W: 57kg Age: 4YO Colour: Bay Sex: Mare Sire: Super One Dam: Sminky Shorts +3300 +500 10. Private Life (1) T: Chris Waller J: Damian Lane W: 55.5kg Age: 3YO Colour: Bay Sex: Colt Sire: Written Tycoon Dam: Aliyana Tilde +700 +130 Horse racing news View the full article
  • Topics

×
×
  • Create New...