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Lyle Hewitson happy to have Hong Kong ‘slump’ behind him ahead of Group One ride in Japan
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Antoine Hamelin on life as a quarantined jockey and the split-second decision that landed him in Hong Kong
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Joao Moreira sails past 900 winners with five-timer and could reach Tony Cruz this season
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Paul O’Sullivan gets the Band back together five years after his ‘greatest thrill in racing’
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Sha Tin meeting to go ahead as Jockey Club receives government approval to continue racing
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Joao Moreira welcomes title fight with Zac Purton: ‘it’s going to be great for the sport’
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Keith Yeung out to put ‘stressful’ coronavirus scare behind him with some help from an old friend
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By Wandering Eyes · Posted
Promising filly Sweet Talkin Gal got Hollie Wynyard’s week off on the right foot as she readies proven mare Archaic Smile for a stakes assignment at Riccarton on Saturday. The Cambridge trainer ventured to New Plymouth on Wednesday with high hopes for Sweet Talkin Gal, a daughter of Anders who had placed in all three of her raceday starts including third last time out behind Gr.1 Barneswood Farm New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) contender Belle Cheval. The market shared her faith backing the filly into $1.60 favouritism and she got away cleanly in the hands of Jasmine Fawcett, settling outside the leader Rockman in the early stages. A key rival in Arthur strode up to take over nearing the 800m but Fawcett kept in close range, striding up beside the leader to set up a battle in the home straight. Arthur held the Sweet Talkin Gal at bay for a decent part of the straight but she was the stronger horse late, kicking up to win by a neck. It hadn’t been a comfortable watch for Wynyard in the small field and she was relieved to come up on the right side of the result. “It was a really good run, those small fields can be a bit niggly and almost harder to win but she’s done it well,” she said. “She took almost the length of the straight to do it and had me half-terrified, but she’s got there in the end. “It’s massive to tick that maiden off as a three-year-old, the world’s your oyster from then on really and you’ve got so many options for them from here. For her, going 1400 for the third time was probably a bit cheeky, she’s a real mile to 2000m horse, an Oaks filly in the making I hope. “To get the win over 1400m is outstanding and she’s only going to get better from here.” There will be no 1000 Guineas this year for Sweet Talkin Gal, but her stablemate has headed south to contest the Gr.3 Windsor Park Stud Canterbury Breeders Stakes (1400m) on the opening day of New Zealand Cup Week. While one of the lower-rated runners at 76, Archaic Smile has one of the best records in the mares field, having won at stakes level and placed in a Group One as a juvenile, then backed that up with runner-up finishes in the Gr.2 Wellington Guineas (1400m) and Gr.3 Cambridge Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) at three. She has performed well in strong company at Te Rapa and Ellerslie so far this campaign and Wynyard believes she has found the right race third-up. “The season hasn’t mapped out great for her so far, she’s been in the wrong races and that’s no one’s fault, it’s just been tracks and weather and everything else,” she said. “I think she’s finally in the right race with the right conditions and I think she can go pretty close. “She’s drawn 11 so she’ll probably have to go back from the gate and she’ll be weaving a path through them like she does. “She’s a really genuine mare with a blistering turn of foot, so here’s hoping she can get a stakes win, that would be nice.” The daughter of Saxon Warrior will be ridden by Matt Cartwright, who rides the Guineas favourite Well Written later in the card. All going smoothly, Wynyard isn’t counting out a back-up into the Gr.3 TAB Mile (1600m) on Wednesday, that race worth more than double the $120,000 purse of the Breeders’. “As long as she pulls up happy and healthy, she’s the sort of horse that thrives off racing and licks the bowl every night – she’s a fat little pony really,” she said. “I’m a little bit concerned that the track may be firm, and she’ll feel that, but as long as that’s not the case and she wants to go again, we’ll have another go.” View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
Expat Kiwi jockey James McDonald will once again represent his homeland in next month’s LONGINES International Jockeys’ Championship (IJC), which will take place at Happy Valley Racecourse in Hong Kong on Wednesday, December 10. The LONGINES IJC is the most prestigious jockey challenge in the world and the most lucrative for the winning rider, with the four contested races worth a combined $1.7 million in prizemoney. The total prize fund of $227,000 in bonus money for the most successful riders will be split three ways, with the winner set to receive $136,000, $57,000 for second and $34,000 for third. McDonald was crowned the LONGINES World’s Best Jockey in 2022 and 2024, and he currently leads this year’s standings. He recently won a fourth consecutive Gr.1 Cox Plate (2040m) aboard Via Sistina to join Hugh Bowman as the only jockeys to achieve the feat. McDonald has had plenty of success in Hong Kong this year, including winning all three legs of the jurisdiction’s Triple Crown – The Gr.1 Stewards’ Cup (1600m), Gr.1 Citi Hong Kong Gold Cup (2000m) and Gr.1 Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup (2400m) – aboard Voyage Bubble. List of invited jockeys: Mickael Barzalona – reigning IJC Champion Hong Kong Champion Jockey – Zac Purton Australia – Rachel King Brazil – Joao Moreira Japan – Christophe Lemaire Great Britain – Ryan Moore Great Britain – Hollie Doyle Great Britain – William Buick New Zealand – James McDonald United States of America – Umberto Rispoli Hong Kong – Leading eligible freelance jockey (as of November 26) Hong Kong – Highest ranked jockey (as of November 26) View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
A team of four will defend Te Akau’s crown in the Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m), claimed 12 months ago by Captured By Love, who will bid to return to winning form on the Riccarton undercard. Mark Waker and Sam Bergerson’s Classic hopes in the Barneswood Farm-sponsored feature rest with Cool Aza Rene (Cool Aza Beel), Belle Du Monde (Zoustar), Origin Of Love (Snitzel) and Belle Cheval (NZ) (Savabeel), while last year’s heroine takes on the Gr.3 Windsor Park Stud Canterbury Breeders’ Stakes (1400m). Captured By Love (Written Tycoon) hasn’t won since her Guineas triumph, but her most recent run for second at Taupo behind race rival Churchillian (NZ) (Churchill) was encouraging. However, her camp’s confidence was dealt a blow when she came up with the outside gate in Saturday’s 14-horse field and will rely on jockey Opie Bosson’s magic to overcome that hurdle. “The barrier draw is a shocker, but hopefully Opie can sort that out and he knows her really well from trackwork and throughout her career,” Bergerson said. “At set weights and penalties, it suits her as a Group One winner and she can hopefully perform well and get a bit more confidence. “It’s been so frustrating in the north with cancelled meetings, and we were then going to run in the Legacy Lodge (Listed, 1200m) before they changed the venue to Pukekohe. “That’s right-handed and we think she is a lot better going left-handed, so this a good back-up option.” Guineas prospects Cool Aza Rene, Belle Du Monde and Origin Of Love have completed their preparations from Te Akau’s Riccarton base while Bosson’s mount Belle Cheval is coming off a smart Ellerslie maiden win. “The fillies that have been down there do have a massive advantage, we’ve had a lot of luck doing it that way, but I still think the northern form and the fillies flying down are the benchmark,” Bergerson said. “Belle Cheval is lightly raced and has to take the next step, but we do think she is very talented and the mile will suit. “Her sectionals the other day were off the chart, and I think she’s the top seed, but in saying that the other fillies are settled down there and it’s been straight forward getting them through to Saturday.” Origin Of Love won the Gr.3 War Decree Stakes (1600m) last time out while Cool Aza Rene was successful in the Gr.3 Barneswood Farm Stakes (1400m), in which Belle Du Monde was fourth. “Origin Of Love is a stakes winner at a mile, Cool Aza Rene proved us wrong when we stretched her out in trip, and back to Riccarton and up to a mile, I think Belle Du Monde can run really well,” Bergerson said. “They are an interesting quartet, but it is going to be hard to beat Stephen Marsh’s filly (Well Written).” Court Of Appeal (NZ) (Eminent) is also tipped as a strong chance to give the stable further success in the Listed Nautical Boat Insurance Metropolitan Trophy (2600m) following the win 12 months ago of former stable runner Mehzebeen (NZ) (Almanzor), who went on to claim the Gr.3 New Zealand Cup (3200m). “She gets in well and unfortunately has drawn the outside as well, but she’s well weighted and the step up in distance should suit,” Bergerson said. “We think she is an out and out stayer and she’s got a pretty similar profile to Mehzebeen.” View the full article -
By Wandering Eyes · Posted
Matamata trainer Graham Richardson views Saturday’s Gr.1 Barneswood Farm New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) as a wide-open contest and is hoping Lollapalooza (NZ) (El Roca) can be right in the thick of the $600,000 prize. The El Roca filly announced herself as a key contender for the Riccarton showpiece when taking out the Gr.3 Gold Trail Stakes (1200m) early in the spring, then went down by a nose to Tajana in the Gr.3 Sunline Vase (1400m) a fortnight later. Tajana and Lollapalooza went head-to-head for the second time in the Gr.2 Soliloquy Stakes (1400m) last start at Ellerslie but settled for third and fifth respectively in a contest taken out by Well Written, who opened a red-hot favourite in the Guineas market after final fields assembled on Wednesday morning. Richardson was satisfied with the Soliloquy run after she got well back in the field but indicated the filly will wear blinkers for the first time on Saturday after arriving safely in Christchurch. “She just got too far back and wouldn’t go through the gaps, the winner won very well but we were only a half-length from the second horse (Little Black Dress),” he said. “I’m happy with her, so as long as she’s 100 percent well and healthy with a good draw (2) and blinkers on for the first time, hopefully she can race up to the best of her ability. She ran second at Taupo this way around (left-handed) so let’s hope it’ll suit.” Lollapalooza currently shares the second line of betting clearly with Belle Cheval, but Richardson believes the race is far deeper than it appears. “I don’t know what the final result will be because there’s more than just Well Written in the race,” he said. “Ray Fleming’s horse (Savvy Donna) raced very well (in the Soliloquy) and David Archer’s filly (Belle Cheval) won well at Ellerslie. There’s six or seven in the field that could very well win this race.” The filly he prepares in partnership with Rogan Norvall won’t be short of supporters at Riccarton, with a number of members in her Social Racing Premier Dynamic Duo Syndicate and Richardson Racing Carnival Syndicate set to be trackside. “It’s all about the thrill they get and there are a lot of people coming down to watch which is fantastic,” Richardson said. View the full article -
I think you'll find @sarge that the $100m is for the cost of the proceedings, not any subsequent fine and that has already been expensed.
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