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    • Why?  Specifically?  Or are you another nostalgic old dude remembering "when times were best"?
    • This weekend could prove to be an exciting one for Matamata trainer Daniel Miller. The 28-year-old horseman will be lining up Tardis (NZ) (Time Test) in the Listed Counties Challenge Stakes (1100m) at Pukekohe on Saturday for his parents, John and Maree, but he may not be trackside, with he and his partner Paige Weatherley expecting their first child. “My partner is due to have our first child any day now, so whether I actually make it to the races or not is yet to be decided,” he said. Miller is looking forward to the challenge of fatherhood and said he is already feeling the responsibility to generate a legacy for his child. “I am really looking forward to that next challenge,” he said. “It gives me something to really work hard for and try and build something to pass down. That is the main goal.” It could also be a milestone weekend for his parents, with their brand set to appear for the first time at the races courtesy of Tardis. By Time Test, Tardis is out of their Super Easy mare Payon Time (NZ), who Miller trained to three unplaced runs before she retired to the paddock where they are hoping she will become a prolific producer. Miller has a strong record preparing his parents’ horses for stakes races, having trained Sheezallmine (NZ) (Super Easy) to victory in the Gr.3 Stewards’ Stakes (1200m) and Listed Hazelett Stakes (1200m), and La Romanee to win the Listed Welcome Stakes (1000m). “I have won four stakes races and three of them have been for Mum and Dad,” Miller said. “Two of them were with Sheezallmine, who they paid $1,000 for, and the other one was La Romanee, a two-year-old that was a $20,000 purchase. “This one they have bred themselves and it is the first horse that will go around with their brand on, so that is pretty cool.” Miller has been pleased with the swift progression of Tardis, who was broken in in August and has gone on to place in two trials over 800m and is set to make his debut in his first preparation. “He came in August to be broken in and he has done all of this on one prep, so it is pretty amazing and a testament to the brain he has got,” Miller said. “He mentally said yes to everything I have asked of him and he has just kept stepping up every time. To think that we would get to even a trial on his first breaking-in preparation, let alone a stakes race is a testament to the horse. “He is sound, touch wood, so far and he just cops the work, and he has not left a single bit of feed since he arrived in August. He just loves it and I think what he is doing now is on raw ability.” While impressed with Tardis so early on in his career, Miller expects him to thrive with more time. “I think he is more of an autumn three-year-old horse that once he starts getting up over a bit of ground, that is when he is going to really find his straps,” he said. Miller has been pleased with his two trials, and subsequent progress, and is looking forward to seeing how he handles the pressure of raceday this weekend. “He is going the right way, he has come through his trial well,” he said. “It is obviously a stiff task first-up to the races, but it is two-year-old racing and most of them have only had one or two starts. “I feel like a Soft track will play into his hands and the extra distance from his trial is only going to help. I just think that will finish off his preparation really nicely and will set him up for a nice three-year-old career.” View the full article
    • Apprentice jockey Bailey Rogerson remains in the intensive care unit at Waikato Hospital but her condition has taken a significant turn for the better, having regained consciousness and is now breathing without assistance. The 24-year-old’s grandfather Graeme Rogerson reported early Thursday afternoon that an MRI scan on Wednesday was followed by a major overall improvement in her health. While still feeling the effects of her Rotorua race fall on Sunday, Rogerson has begun the long road to recovery. “She’s certainly turned the corner and although she has a long way to go, it’s a big relief for all of us that she’s a whole lot better than she was to begin with,” Rogerson said. “Her injuries include a fractured skull and brain bleed, a vertebrae fracture and facial injuries, but you’d have to say she’s a lucky girl, it could have been a whole lot worse.” After being attended to by on-course medical personnel immediately following the race six fall when her mount was checked by another runner, Rogerson was ambulanced to Rotorua Hospital. However, when her condition worsened she was flown by the Westpac Rescue helicopter to Waikato Hospital, where she is expected to remain for some time yet. “The medical people have been wonderful, all of them from the time it happened,” Rogerson said. “They couldn’t have done more for Bailey, the doctors, nurses and everyone else have been just marvellous.” Rogerson is also effusive in his praise for the racing community and their outpouring since his grand-daughter’s plight became public knowledge. “I can’t believe the racing community, the number of calls, messages, people from all around the world,” he said. “Mark Todd, who Bailey worked for in England during COVID, has been in touch, even the bloke who rode the Kentucky Derby winner. “All of Bailey’s mates from the girls’ (jockey) room have been lining up at the door to see her, but we have to be careful. Gary and Michelle (parents) have been at her bedside the whole time, and they have restricted her visitors to one at a time. “It’s times like these you realise just how caring people are, and that’s something that Gary and Michelle would like to acknowledge and say thanks.” For Rogerson and his training partner, wife Debbie, duty will call on Saturday with Sharp ’N’ Smart (NZ) (Redwood) and two other members of their stable are engaged at Pukekohe. Sharp ’N’ Smart has finished third at weight-for-age in his last two starts, the Gr. 1 Livamol Classic (2040m) and Gr. 3 Balmerino Stakes (2000m), and back to handicap conditions in Saturday’s Gr. 3 MyRacehorse Counties Cup (2100m), he will carry topweight of 59kg. “His last two starts have been good, but he is racing a bit more dour now,” Rogerson said. “We rode him handier last time and he stuck on well, his sectionals were very good. “He’s probably looking for more than 2100m, but he’ll still run a race and it will set him nicely for the Waikato Cup (Gr.3, 2400m).” Stablemate Solidify (NZ) (Redwood) is an acceptor in two races on Saturday, the Rating 75 2100m Dunstan Horsefeeds Qualifier, in which he has topweight of 61kg, and the Counties Cup, however he’s on the minimum and third emergency. “I’d love him to get a start in the Cup as he’s been going good races, if not he’ll have to run in the other race,” Rogerson said. “He’s got a good win in him, and the same goes for our other runner, Skymax, who’s in the Rating 65 1600m. “She ran some very good races against the best fillies last season, and by now she’s probably looking further than 1600, but I’d love her to draw an alley, then we’ll see her do something.” View the full article
    • Consistent mare Bedtime Story (NZ) (Per Incanto) could be in line for a tilt at elite-level if she performs up to expectations in the Manawatu ITM 1340 at Wanganui on Saturday. The five-year-old daughter of Per Incanto has hardly put a foot wrong so far in her 17-start career, and while she has placed in the Listed ANZAC Mile (1600m) and Gr.3 Rotorua Stakes (1400m), a black-type victory remains elusive. She resumed this preparation in her customary fashion, running fourth in both of her starts this time in, including first-up in the Gr.3 Sweynesse Stakes (1215m). Trainers Guy Lowry and Leah Zydenbos have been pleased with her progression and are hoping for another solid performance this weekend before setting their sights towards Trentham next month where the Gr.1 TAB Mufhasa Classic (1600m) looms as her primary objective. “She is a pretty consistent horse and she is going well,” Zydenbos said. “She is having a nice tick over run to prepare her for the Wellington Carnival where there are a few different options for her, with the TAB Mufhasa Classic being the main one. “She has had plenty of black-type placings and it would be good to get a black-type win.” Bedtime Story looks to be a good chance in her 1340m assignment this weekend, for which she is a $2.60 favourite with TAB bookmakers. “She gets in well in the weights with Spencer being the top weight,” Zydenbos said. “We are claiming a couple of kilos with apprentice Liam Kauri, and she has got a nice draw (2), so she looks to be competitive.” The stable will also head to Wanganui with Waft, who will be seeking to recapture form in the Wanganui Insurance Brokers Maiden (1340m) where she will be ridden by in-form hoop Bruno Queiroz. “Waft has shown plenty of promise at home,” Zydenbos said. “She did run a nice second at Wanganui a couple of starts back, so it is good to get her back at the venue. She has also got a nice barrier to jump from (3).” Looking ahead to summer racing, Zydenbos is particularly excited about the prospects of three-year-old gelding Zorero (NZ) (Per Incanto) who was impressive when winning on debut by 2-1/2 lengths at Waipukurau last weekend. Zydenbos has plenty of time for the JML Bloodstock-bred and raced son of Per Incanto, who is being set towards the Gr.3 Cambridge Stud Almanzor Trophy (1200m) at Ellerslie on Karaka Millions night. “Zorero was pretty impressive at Waipukurau on Sunday. He has come through his run well and he is a horse to watch,” she said. “He will have a start in a three-year-old set weights and penalties race at Trentham in early December and then he is looking to be on a path towards the Almanzor.” View the full article
    • Expectations for Orchestral (NZ) (Savabeel) will be kept in check when the outstanding mare resumes at Pukekohe on Saturday. The two-time top-flight winner will resume in the Gr.2 Dunstan Horsefeeds Auckland Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1400m) with underfoot conditions a major question mark. Opposing her will be talented stablemate Arabian Songbird (NZ) (Pierro), who has come through the grades in grand style. “Orchestral will probably run and definitely wants a better track, but we really need to get going and get her prep on the road,” said Robert Wellwood, who trains in partnership with Roger James. “The other mare will handle some cut in it, both are certainly a lot better and proven on good tracks though.” Orchestral won the Listed Aotearoa Classic (1600m) and finished third in the Gr.1 Otaki-Maori WFA Classic (1600m) during her last preparation. “She has come back in very good order and looks as big and strong as we have ever seen her,” Wellwood said. “She had a nice gallop at Te Aroha the other day and George (Rooke, jockey) was very happy, she is just going to be a mare that will be better when she goes over a mile and 2000m on a firmer surface. “If it was a firm track, perhaps we would see a little more than we can now expect. If she hits the line strongly, we will be very pleased.” The stable has yet to firm up the direction the Savabeel mare will take through the summer. “There’s some nice options around Christmas and into the New Year, we would love to think we can get her to the Zabeel Classic (Gr.1, 2000m),” Wellwood said. “We’ve got a pretty open mind about her program going forward, certainly if she was to run nicely then we would give her a mile in December and then get to the Zabeel on Boxing Day.” Arabian Songbird has won half of her 10 starts and was unbeaten in two spring appearances. “She is putting together a pretty impressive record and 1400m is right up her alley and she’s been very effective at both Pukekohe and Ellerslie,” Wellwood said. “We are really excited to see her have a chance at stakes level.” The stable also has track concerns with their Listed Counties Challenge Stakes (1100m) contender Spellbound, who was runner-up on debut in trying conditions at Otaki. “He’s a horse that probably wants a firm surface and he was very impressive at the trials at Ellerslie and then on a very wet track he didn’t operate very well,” Wellwood said. “His work has been superb, and we do have a high opinion of the horse. “We may reconsider running if is on the worse side of side of heavy, but we can’t make that call yet until closer to Saturday.” Meanwhile, Della Ricci (NZ) (Ocean Park) is due to make her first appearance at New Plymouth on Friday in the Entain/NZB Pearl Series Maiden (1400m). “She’s been very good at the trials, very professional and a nice filly whose work has been good,” Wellwood said. “She’s a filly that we could see in some of the three-year-old staying races at Christmas, New Year and beyond.” View the full article
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