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Who are the tight five you often refer too. Also Oscar have you had your weekly shower yet as that might make you feel better -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
During the March 10 episode of the BloodHorse Monday podcast presented by Ocala Breeders' Sales Company, Godolphin's Michael Banahan gave an update on final Kentucky Derby (G1) prep plans for Poster, Sovereignty, and East Avenue.View the full article -
By TAB For Ever · Posted
Clearly you think wrong Doomed , not like you to be off the pace ! Nowhere did he make any point as you suggest ! He clearly , in oversize print put out a NZTR heading ,knowing and inviting the 'tight five' to appear like hungry dogs to feast in some negative comments. Good to see you obliged after a 'quiet' weekend . Dunno if you realise but the trials schedule is written up well in advance , at least till August 1 2025. If the dates not gonna be used then why don't the Trainers Assoc put their spoke in. Alterations were recently made to the Northern schedule. Why do some folk prefer to cry than create ? -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
Shaune Ritchie and Colm Murray’s filly Tajana (NZ) (Darci Brahma) has the opportunity to end her juvenile campaign at the highest level after Wednesday’s AKW Farrier Ltd 2YO (1200m) at Matamata. An Oaks Stud-bred daughter of Darci Brahma, Tajana started her career on a booming note getting within half a length of Return To Conquer in the Gr.3 Colin Jillings 2YO Classic (1200m), with that colt going on to win Saturday’s Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m). She returned to maiden company second-up and covered plenty of extra ground to finish fourth, and at last on Wednesday, the filly will have the advantage of an inside draw. “She hasn’t let us down on either occasion at the races,” Ritchie said. “Her trial beforehand was excellent, she got back and hit the line very well which is what you want to see a two-year-old filly that is going to be better in the spring doing. “In both races she had to work around some very exciting horses, including the Sistema winner, she went a hell of a race against him and he’s obviously our top colt at the moment. Last start, from the draw she was just caught three-wide. “She’s drawn barrier one on Wednesday and we’ve been going back on her primarily because of her wide gates, so there’s no real reason not to use the barrier this time. It doesn’t mean we’ll chase her out, but she certainly won’t have to give that head-start away. “I don’t think she’s ever seen a running rail, so we’ll have to give her a look in trackwork.” Ritchie identified Te Akau Racing’s record-breaking Ready To Run purchase Hostility (I Am Invincible) as her biggest danger, but also acknowledged the benchmark he will set ahead of a possible tilt at the Gr.1 Courtesy Ford Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1200m). “She’s a really exciting filly, obviously that top colt from Te Akau has got the pedigree, the looks and the colours on him to be extremely hard to beat,” he said. “But we’ve got some race experience on him so hopefully that gets us close, or at least to give him a little bit of a fright. “I think she’s going to love the 1400m and love Trentham, I think that would really suit her. Having said that, she would have to either win or be unlucky not to beat the colt to warrant a start. There’s not much point going down if he’s too good for us on Wednesday. “I’d be just as comfortable, as would Rick (Williams, The Oaks Stud General Manager), to give her a break after this one, but if she puts her hand up and proves worthy of going to Wellington, we could go there. If not, it’ll certainly be her last run this time in, unfortunately there’s not a lot of grass around in the Waikato at the moment, so it’s tempting to have a go at it.” Joining Tajana at the Matamata meeting will be first-starter Way Out (NZ) (Rageese) in the Matamata Tractors and Machinery (1050m) and a resuming Richard Farrell (NZ) (Staphanos) in the Fertco (1400m). Back in Cambridge, Ritchie is reflecting positively on Ellerslie’s inaugural Champions Day, which kicked off strongly for the stable with Eye Candy (NZ) (Darci Brahma) running third to Island Life in the Gr.3 Sunline Vase (2100m). “She was very genuine, she tried extremely hard,” he said. “I’m yet to have a final decision from the owners, but at this point, I’d like to see her have a crack at the Oaks (Gr.1, 2400m). I think she’ll run the trip out, she’s short in the leg and looks more like a sprinter but she’s running these trips out strongly. “She really digs in and tries hard. “She’s now a Listed and Group Three placed filly, so she’s at some good value. Anything we can do from this point on is to get that stakes win or even better, get that Group One placing. Apart from the hot favourite, it looks pretty open after that, so I think she’s entitled to have a go. “I’ll leave that final decision to the owners when I talk to them in a couple of days’ time.” Later in the afternoon, stable star Tuxedo (NZ) (Tivaci) was among the favourites for the Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) and finished a meritorious seventh after failing to see out the trip. “In my opinion, he just failed to run the mile-and-a-half out,” Ritchie said. “I thought Joe (Doyle, jockey) gave him a lovely ride, he didn’t do too much work to get across and he settled superbly down the back. At the top of the straight, Willydoit, who had a much harder run, his stamina kicked in and unfortunately ours was lacking.” The son of Tivaci has had a sterling preparation, with just six starts resulting in victories in the Gr.3 Wellington Stakes (1600m) and Gr.2 Waikato Guineas (2000m), alongside a runner-up finish in the $1.5 million Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m). With all of that behind him, Ritchie was happy to send his gelding to the paddock, with plenty of overseas interest still calling. “I’m extremely proud of his performances this year, he’s still in his first prep and he went to the farm today for a well-deserved break,” he said. “I have no doubt that over 2000m that he would beat some of the horses that beat him home on Saturday. The best part about that is we know have that information, so he’ll get a nice break now and come back as a very strong four-year-old in the spring. “We’ll keep him to the mile and 2000m as his furthest distance, that’s where he can make his impact. “There is the obvious of Hong Kong making calls, so it’s not safe yet, the owners are great and we will get a commission from it if he sold, and we’ve also bought the half-sister so we have the bloodlines coming through at great value for the owners to enjoy. “It would be lovely to keep him, but it would be just as nice if he did get sold, I wouldn’t mind going up there to see him race myself. “Those things are what every New Zealand trainer faces, I don’t have much of an issue with it as some of the money for these geldings is simply too strong. If it wasn’t for Entain, he would’ve been sold far before now.” Ritchie had plenty of praise for the track conditions at Ellerslie, as well as the spectacle put on by Auckland Thoroughbred Racing. “I thought the track was unbelievable, there has been some criticism of the track being too hard, but that certainly wasn’t the case,” he said. “I had a good walk before the races and the Verti-drain was going in a lot further than my index finger can go. That’s really giving the track a good cushion, and there was a superb length of grass on it. “There are three major factors in my opinion that are really lifting New Zealand racing, that being the impact of Entain, New Zealand Bloodstock and Karaka being the greatest sales centre in the world, and also, Ellerslie’s track facilities not only for the horses but also for the patrons. “We’ve really got something to work with.” View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
Ellerslie’s inaugural Champions Day was a memorable one for New Zealand’s leading stable, Te Akau Racing, with their tangerine and blue silks taking out two of the major prizes. Exciting juvenile Return To Conquer extended his unbeaten streak to four when taking out the Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m), posting Te Akau’s tenth Group One victory in the process, while their star filly Damask Rose put in an eye-catching rails run to win the inaugural edition of the $3.5 million NZB Kiwi (1500m). “It was hard to believe what was happening, it was such a fantastic day of racing, and it was so busy, it was almost over in a flash,” said Te Akau co-trainer Sam Bergerson. “Everyone was there, and I had family and friends up. It was a great occasion and one I will never forget.” Damask Rose (NZ) (Savabeel) was the headline act of the stacked 10-race card, with her NZB Kiwi win pairing nicely with her $1.5 million Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m) heroics at the Auckland track just weeks prior. “We don’t think we could have had her any better. It (preparation) has been faultless, and with horses it is not always that way,” said Bergerson, who trains in partnership with Mark Walker. “For her, since the Karaka Millions, she had kept going to the next level and everything we asked of her she just kept ticking the boxes. We were so pleased with her trial, and she was just doing everything well in the stable, her work was so good on Tuesday and she looked fantastic. “We thought if she was good enough she would be quite hard to beat.” With the victory, Damask Rose extended her season tally to three wins and one placing from five starts, with earnings north of $2 million, and she will now head for a break before a likely tilt at another hefty purse in the spring. “She is off for a well-deserved break,” Bergerson said. “We have peaked her twice for the Karaka Millions and NZB Kiwi, it would be hard to go again. “We will bring her back and potentially aim her at a Golden Eagle (A$10 million, 1500m) prep now that she has got the golden ticket into it. “We think the world is her oyster and we still think there is a bit of upside there.” Star juvenile stablemate Return To Conquer (Snitzel) will also head to the spelling paddock following Saturday’s win, where he put a shiver through punters’ spines when just holding off outsider Landlock to win by a head and reward his backers who shortened him into a $1.70 favourite. “Speaking to Blake (Shinn, jockey) post-race, he was going to win easily and then he got to the front and pulled himself up a little bit. He just does what he has to, he is just a laidback customer,” Bergerson said. “It is not easy to do what he has done, he is four from four, and he has gone up against some pretty decent horses going forward. “He is off for a well-deserved break now as well. It was quite a tough run on Saturday and would have been too hard to turn him around in two weeks’ time for the Golden Slipper (Gr.1, 1200m). He is another one to look forward to next season.” While proud of the efforts of his two feature winners, Bergerson was also pleased with the performance of Qali Al Farrasha (NZ) (Almanzor), who extended her Group One placing sequence to three when running third behind El Vencedor and La Crique in the Gr.1 Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes (2000m). “She is running well against some good weight-for-age horses,” Bergerson said. “There is not a lot to her, but she is all heart. “I am really proud of her effort, she got a lovely run in transit. On the corner I thought she travelled into it, but those two good horses kicked clear and she was really game sticking on for third. “She is another who is heading for a well-deserved break. We are gutted she didn’t get her Group One, but she has had a fantastic season nonetheless and we are a big believer that if you can spell the horses now while the weather is still warm, they absolutely blossom and thrive. “We will get her back in in early May and hopefully set her for the triple crown series here in New Zealand.” Te Akau opened the card in winning fashion when Francee (NZ) (Iffraaj) took out the $120,000 Entain/NZB Insurance Pearl Series Final (1400m) in the silks of owner-breeder Haunui Farm, and she is now in line for a stakes assignment. “I was stoked for Mark and Sarah Chitty,” Bergerson said. “She hadn’t had a lot of luck over the past season, she kept drawing wide. She had a bit of sticky gate on Saturday and it wasn’t smooth-sailing. Halfway down (the straight) I thought she was only battling but fair play to Gryllsy (Craig Grylls, jockey), he kept at her, and she was really tough, she was strong through the line and it was awesome to win a race like that with the bonus for the team. “If there is a flight, we may look at trying to get her down south (Riccarton) for the South Island Breeders’ (Gr.3, 1600m) next Saturday.” View the full article
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