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Salon S extended his unbeaten record with a sensational all-the-way performance at Sha Tin on Sunday, capping trebles for trainer Frankie Lor Fu-chuen and jockey Matthew Poon Ming-fai. The Zousain galloper had gone from pillar to post in a pair of starts leading into the Class Three Rose Handicap (1,400m) and Poon set out with the same objective on Sunday, crashing out of stall eight and straight into the lead. Salon S proved a tricky steer for Poon, pulling his way into a four-length lead and...View the full article

David Hayes delivered a frightening warning to all of the world’s sprinters as he looked forward to ‘another couple of seasons’ of Ka Ying Rising dominance after his spine-tingling success in the Group One Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1,400m) at Sha Tin on Sunday. There was an air of inevitability about the world’s best sprinter winning his 18th consecutive race – knocking Silent Witness off his perch in the process – and he delivered in perhaps his most devastating performance. Cannoned out of...View the full article

Milan Park Principal Hops On NZB Kiwi Ride War Princess winning the Gr.3 Lawnmaster Eulogy Stakes (1600m) at Trentham. Photo: Peter Rubery (Race Images) Tony Rider whet his appetite for victory in the $4 million NZB Kiwi (1500m) after breeding the inaugural winner of the race in Damask Rose (NZ) (Savabeel) last year, spurring him to lease a slot in this year’s edition of the Southern Hemisphere’s richest three-year-old race. The Milan Park principal has leased a slot in the Champions Day feature off RACE, and fittingly, he has chosen War Princess (NZ) (U S Navy Flag), a filly trained from the Club’s Awapuni track, as his representative. “We have got War Princess,” Rider said. “We rate this filly in the top five three-year-olds.  “Obviously, it will be hard to beat Well Written (Written Tycoon), but any of us that race horses know anything can go wrong on the day. “It worked out quite well. I know Pete Didham (co-trainer) reasonably well and I know one of the owners, Ian Middleton, really well, he is a friend of ours.” Bred by Don and Dame Wendy Pye, War Princess was offered through Haunui Farm’s 2024 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 2 Yearling Sale draft, where she was purchased by Ian Middleton, under his Exempt Bloodstock banner, and Peter Didham Racing for $77,500. She made an instant impact on the track as a juvenile, winning her first two starts before finishing 11th in the $550,000 Group One  Courtesy Ford Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m). She returned as a three-year-old where she won three of her seven starts, including the $100,000 Group Three Lawnmaster Eulogy Stakes (1600m) and was runner-up in the $80,000 Listed The O’Learys Fillies Stakes (1340m). The daughter of U S Navy Flag was fourth in last month’s $1.5 million TAB Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m) at Ellerslie and trainers Peter and Trent Didham are excited to prepare her for New Zealand’s richest race at Ellerslie on March 7. “We are rapt to have someone like Tony on board, it’s fantastic,” Peter Didham said. “She deserves it (NZB Kiwi slot), she has won five and is a Group Three winner. It was a huge run in the Karaka Millions, she only got beaten a nose from third by a Group One winner in La Dorada. “We are happy to have secured a spot. We were always targeting that night anyway because if we didn’t get a slot, we were going to the three-year-old 1400m, but it was nice to get it done nice and early.” War Princess has had a quiet time since her Karaka Millions run, and Didham said she is building nicely towards The NZB Kiwi. “She went to Mark Treweeks and had a week on the grass,” he said. “A little foot abscess burst out that night after the race. She had a week on the water treadmill and then came back here.  “She went to the beach on Friday and she is galloping between races at Wanganui. She is on track and looks fantastic.” With Ben Thompson already booked for The NZB Kiwi, Didham has secured the services of Wiremu Pinn, and he said he can’t wait to be part of the big meeting and believes she has a bright future instore. “She is very honest and tries really hard. She is just a lovely horse to train,” Didham said. “She might be a length off those top ones, but I feel next year in the fillies and mares Group races she is going to be right amongst it over 1200 and 1400m.” Tony Rider said he is looking forward to heading to Ellerslie on March 7 to try and replicate the thrill of last year, where he not only bred the first NZB Kiwi winner, but also won the $600,000 Group One HKJC Word Pool New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m) with her full-sister Provence (NZ) (Savabeel). “What a fantastic thrill,” Rider said. “Damask Rose won the Karaka Millions 3YO and then came out and won The NZB Kiwi, and on the same day having the full-sister win was amazing. We had an amazing day,” Rider said. – New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Did you see? View the full article

I don't have her improving from the Guineas at all in her two runs this year. On my ratings her runs this year are exactly the same. Older horse good R75 level and maybe open class competitive. Lengths off Well Written. How do you reach a conclusion that she has improved a lot?

They all have a chance as @Chief Stipe said. Even Black Caviar might have gone amiss in a race. If you can assess that chance more accurately than the bookies, then you can make a profit. That's the fundamental principal behind successful punting.

You’d suspect in the case of Manawatu it won’t survive. 

Ask Moonlight Cloud.

His whole basis of form appraisal is based on who franked who.  Embarrassing to listen to.  That's where CS was heading lol

All those that raced against Black Caviar might think differently