Covid-19 Yarn

In this BH monthly interview, Karen M. Johnson profiles young racing personalities.View the full article

New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (NZTR) and Hawke’s Bay Racing Inc. (HBRI) have presented to Club Members proposals for the future of racing in the Hawke’s Bay region. The Forum marked the first formal opportunity for the Club’s full membership to consider these proposals, which set out a two-part strategy: restoring racing at Hastings Racecourse in the short term, while advancing plans for a new long-term Greenfields racing precinct venue in Flaxmere. The proposals form part of NZTR’s national infrastructure strategy, which recognises Hawke’s Bay as a key regional centre for racing. The revitalisation strategy outlined to Members has two key elements. The first is an interim project at Hastings Racecourse, where a partial recambering of the track’s bends will be undertaken to improve safety and performance. This work will allow racing to recommence at Hastings Racecourse in time for the 2026 Spring Carnival. This upgrade is essential in allowing racing to return to Hawke’s Bay while longer-term solutions are progressed. The works will be staged to minimise disruption to Central District-based trainers and horses. In parallel, Members were presented with a long-term proposal to develop a new, purpose-built racing and training facility on a Greenfields site in Flaxmere. Envisioned as a modern metropolitan venue, the facility would host premier race meetings, support year-round training, and provide wider event and tourism benefits for the local community. The Greenfields proposal remains subject to funding confirmation, Resource Management Act approvals, including mana whenua consultation, as well as formal approval by Members. A vote will be required once funding is confirmed before any final commitment is made, with project timelines dependent on the outcome of those ongoing discussions. NZTR Chief Executive Officer, Matt Ballesty, said the Hawke’s Bay region remains a vital part of New Zealand’s racing network and is an important focus of the organisation’s long-term strategy. “Our vision is to build a sustainable, world-class racing infrastructure across the country, and Hawke’s Bay has a key role to play in that,” he said. “Hastings has been confirmed as a strategic venue, reflecting the NZTR Board’s directive to ensure Hawke’s Bay remains a centre of racing excellence in the years ahead. The projects presented tonight address both the immediate need to restore racing and the longer-term opportunity to deliver a modern facility for the future. “Realising that vision will require strong collaboration with the Club, ongoing engagement with Members, and, importantly, securing the necessary funding. With the right resourcing and careful planning, these projects can create facilities that serve both the industry and the wider community for decades to come,” Ballesty said. HBRI Chairman, Richard Riddell, said the Forum was an important opportunity to involve Members in shaping the Club’s next chapter. “This evening was about opening up the conversation with our Members and ensuring they are part of the decision-making process,” Riddell said. “For the first time, the full membership has been presented with these proposals, and their feedback and support will be crucial as we move forward. “The interim track upgrade provides a clear and practical path back to racing at Hastings next year, while the Flaxmere Greenfields proposal is about thinking bigger and setting up Hawke’s Bay racing for the next generation. Our Members’ role in that journey cannot be overstated,” he said. Both the Club and NZTR emphasised that the redevelopment proposals would deliver benefits extending well beyond the racing industry itself. Should the proposed Greenfields venue in Flaxmere proceed, redevelopment of the current Hastings Racecourse site would only occur once the new Flaxmere facility is completed and formally handed over for racing use. At that point, the Hastings Racecourse land could be released and it is likely that redevelopment will take place, potentially paving the way for much-needed housing and other urban projects in the heart of Hastings. This aligns with wider community priorities, with local government and Council already progressing for new housing initiatives in the area. A purpose-built Greenfields racing and events facility in Flaxmere would also create jobs during both construction and operation, attract visitors and tourism spend, and complement Hawke’s Bay’s broader urban planning strategies. “This is not just about racing, it’s about contributing to Hawke’s Bay’s future,” Riddell said. The Hastings track recambering project will move into its implementation phase this month, with progress updates to be provided as Spring 2026 approaches. In parallel, planning for the proposed Flaxmere Greenfields development will continue alongside efforts to secure funding. Decisions on potential government co-funding are pending, and Members will ultimately vote on any relocation proposal once details are finalised. Ballesty said the organisations recognise the dynamic nature of the process. “We appreciate this is an evolving project and that circumstances are constantly moving,” he said. “NZTR and HBRI want to express our gratitude for the ongoing support and patience shown by the Hawke’s Bay racing community and neighbouring Clubs in the region who have stepped up to help fill the racing programme while Hastings Racecourse is out of action. “Our commitment is to keep Members, stakeholders and the wider community updated, and we will provide further detail as soon as it is possible to do so,” Ballesty said. View the full article

New Zealand Group One winner Pier (NZ) (Proisir) has joined in the race for this spring’s A$6 million Cox Plate at The Valley after being paid-up as a late entry on Tuesday. The 2000 Guineas winner as a three-year-old, Pier is trained by father-and-daughter team Darryn and Briar Weatherley and is part-owned by a couple of well-known Australians including Ozzie Kheir and John O’Neil. Pier has won five of his 13 starts, including his latest run in the Listed Wayne Wilson (1600m) at Eagle Farm in June. He is expected to run first-up in the Gr.3 Theo Marks Stakes (1300m) at Rosehill on September 13, before progressing to the Gr.1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) at Randwick on October 4. Depending on his form, he could then come down to Melbourne for the Cox Plate. Ethan Brown has been booked for the horse’s Theo Marks return. Pier’s late nomination, at a fee of $6600, brings the total of Cox Plate nominations this year to 108. View the full article

Editor's note: Stuart Angus, a Senior Thoroughbred Advisor for Taylor Made, passed away Aug. 28 at the age of 60. His friends are encouraging those he touched to submit `Stu stories' to the TDN. How can Stuart Angus possibly be the man behind so many? I have no doubt you're going to learn that with the flood of Stu Stories to be shared. A tribute fitting of his profound impact. He knew when to listen, when to advise, and when to let you brave the world on your own…always knowing he was there if you needed him. Stuart didn't just teach you the skills to excel in the industry; he taught you about life. Which makes perfect sense, since he lived larger than life itself. An educated farrier. Knowledgeable in forestry. Once-upon-a-time farm manager. Account manager and Thoroughbred advisor. Esteemed colleague. Mentor. Friend. Family. Son. Father. Accomplished in everything he did. But he would never speak of himself. Ask him, and he'd tell you how proud he was of Drew. Or how Alexa could bake better than anything you'd ever tasted. He'd tell you about the incredible foster children their family welcomed, and how much of a gift that was. Or he'd light up telling you something special a friend (of which he had too many to count) had done. Maybe he'd pass along a lesson from his mother, Carol. That's just a small slice of the things that could bring that big, unforgettable smile to his face. A smile we'll all remember, especially when it came with that deep belly laugh he gave after sharing one of the many jokes he had up his sleeve. Stuart was a consummate horseman, from his Jersey roots to a farm in Kentucky. He worked incredibly hard every single day to accomplish all he did. His one focus was always to raise good horses alongside good people–something he achieved tenfold. His perseverance in the face of obstacles, including his illness, was something to be admired. Stuart is a Grade One winner and should always be remembered and honored as such. If all of us who knew him choose to live a little more like him each day, we'll not only appreciate life more, but we'll leave the industry better off. I'll follow suit to Hunter Houlihan's “offset knee,” but my story is a little different. Stuart and I had been visiting his client farms all morning one spring day, and–as we typically did–we stopped in for lunch. On this particular day, it was at J. Alexander's. We were recapping all the horses we'd seen, the tasks ahead to best position everyone for the sales, and which horse he might be able to find to sell that week (the man never stopped working, because it wasn't work after all it was just his way of living.) The waiter came by and went to remove Stu's plate. He waved him off and said, “Please leave it here.” I was puzzled; he was clearly done. That's when he shared a piece of wisdom that went far deeper than the sentiment itself. Stu told me how Mrs. Payson and his mother, Carol, had taught him that you never clear a plate from a table when not everyone is done, because why would you ever want to rush a good thing, or make someone feel their time wasn't as valuable as yours? When sharing a table with someone, you should savor every moment. Let your laugh be a little louder, lose your voice from sharing stories, drink the good bourbon, and cheers to being a part of such a beautiful life. So, my plan is to savor all the moments I got with Stu. Although they'll never feel like enough, they were monumental to me. To contribute your own `Stu story,' email suefinley@thetdn.com. The post Letter to the Editor: Stu Story #2 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The Hong Kong Jockey Club unveiled the latest phase of its HK$14 billion racecourse master plan on Tuesday, with two new facilities at Sha Tin designed to elevate racing as one of the city’s biggest tourist attractions. Hailed as a “game-changing racecourse arrival and customer experience at grandstand 2”, the new Champions Connection and Genso Eki facilities feature digital entertainment aimed at attracting the younger generation to the races and promoting Sha Tin as a “platinum race-going...View the full article