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David Hayes has urged Jockey Club officials to think outside the box when it comes to accommodating Hong Kong’s “drastic oversupply” of Class Four horses. Hong Kong’s horse population is in the midst of a sustained period of growth ahead of the start of racing in Conghua, with the Jockey Club increasing ownership permits in recent years. However, until racing on the mainland begins in October next year, there will be an increased number of gallopers looking to race in a similar amount of...View the full article

Curious, Iv'e been "off air" for 22 hours. Thanks for responding to The Chief with the exact same answer that I would have given.

It does raise the question (again) though. If that was the POCC takings based on 10% of racing and sports overseas spend, indicating maybe a $40m total spend, how on earth did they arrive at $200m when promoting the monopoly legislation.

The NZ Herald did report on it.  In March this year.

The breach of court order was exceedingly dumb. Just shows one can be smart but dumb. The query I have is in relation to the disappearance of Eloi Rolland. Now if if Molloy wanted to be "altruistic" he would have got behind efforts to search for him. After all Eloi disappeared shortly after "ending employment" at Molloy's hospo. How the ending of the employment occurred would have been of significant value to the case as to his frame of mind. Instead that issue seemed to get side stepped whilst Molloy conspicuous by his absence. I get the impression the case of Eloi Rolland has received far more exposure in France than New Zealand. The Herald quick to report anything on Molloy  but not on this.

Ka Ying Rising, the world’s top-rated sprinter, has delighted David Hayes in his final fast turf gallop ahead of the LONGINES Hong Kong International Races (LONGINES HKIR) on 14 December as a string of local contenders sharpened preparations with barrier trials at Sha Tin today (Thursday, 4 December). Ka Ying Rising will attempt to match Golden Sixty’s feat of winning 16 races in a row – a streak bettered only by Silent Witness (17 wins) as a Hong Kong, China-trained horse – when he tackles the HK$28 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) next week. Hayes believes his charge is on target after the five-time Group 1 winner surged over his final 400m in 21.6s in a sparkling turf gallop on Wednesday morning (3 December) under leading rider Zac Purton. “I thought it was as good as you could ask the horse to work. Zac quickened on him, and he said he thought that he was at his top and he gave him a little dig and he extended again,” Hayes said. “He just cantered around on the turf track and quickened the last 400 metres and ran home in 21.6 (seconds). He just gradually increased his work, and I think he would have broken 11 seconds for the last 200 (metres) without trying. “I think Zac thought it was the best he’s felt in work, so he just keeps on improving and he’ll just do steady work into the big race. We’re very happy with him.” Helios Express, who finished second to Ka Ying Rising in three Group 1 races last season and third in another, finished second to Packing Hermod in a 1200m barrier trial on dirt this morning (4 December). Ridden by Hugh Bowman, Helios Express finished ahead of four other LONGINES HKIR aspirants – Raging Blizzard (fourth), Galaxy Patch (fifth), Voyage Bubble (sixth) and Ka Ying Generation (seventh) – in an overall time of 1m 11.41s. John Size-trained pair Bundle Award (third) and Red Lion (eighth) contested the second 1200m batch, which was won by stablemate Beauty Eternal in 1m 09.74s. Massive Sovereign (fifth) and Ensued (eighth) featured in batch three, which was won by Public Attention in 1m 10.74s. Harry Eustace-trained Docklands worked in leisurely fashion on the dirt ahead of the HK$36 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Mile (1600m) – one of the four Group 1 features next week, along with the HK$40 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Cup (2000m), HK$26 million G1 LONGINES Hong Kong Vase (2400m) and LONGINES Hong Kong Sprint. Hong Kong racing continues at Sha Tin on Sunday (7 December) with the Class 5 Ashley Handicap (1650m, dirt) at 1pm. View the full article

Canterbury mare Ears Back’s best form has been in the North Island this year, and she has crossed the Cook Strait once more to try to add to her stakes haul. The seven-year-old daughter of Jakkalberry recorded her first black-type win in the Listed AGC Training Stakes (1600m) at Wanganui in May and doubled her stakes tally when taking out the Gr.3 Metric Mile (1600m) at Trentham in September. She subsequently posted two unplaced runs in her home region, however, Blackadder said she did have her excuses for finishing last in the Gr.3 TAB Mile (1600m) last month, and he was buoyed by her trial win over 1200m at Ashburton last week, which cemented her trip north. “Her last race she wasn’t very well and heavily in season,” Blackadder said. “She had a very good trial last week at Ashburton. I had to give her that trial, and with Our Echo in it, it gave me a good gauge of where we were at with her.” Ears Back has made her way north to Suzy Gordon’s Foxton barn where she has settled in well and Blackadder said he has received positive reports on her work ahead of Saturday’s Gr.1 TAB Mufhasa Classic (1600m) at Trentham. “She is at Suzy Gordon’s at the moment and she is very relaxed up there,” Blackadder said. “As long as they are happy and eating up you can’t ask for anymore. “It is a big ask for her obviously, but she is working well and galloped well on Tuesday.” Saturday’s contest will be Ears Back’s first tilt at elite-level, and while realistic about her chances against a strong line-up, Blackadder is hopeful of a bold showing as he looks towards returning to the Upper Hutt venue to contest next month’s Gr.2 Harcourts Thorndon Mile (1600m). “We are looking at the Thorndon Mile,” he said. “There is not much down here for her now because weight will get her. We have got to hope she goes well on Saturday.” Meanwhile, Blackadder will have three representatives at Riccarton’s synthetic meeting on Friday, including New Beginnings in the Speight’s Summit Ultra On Tap Rating 60 (2100m), Malfy Rosa in The FAB Four-CHCH 29 March 2026 Rating 80 (2100m), and Cavendish in the EDR Contracting Maiden (1600m). “New Beginnings likes the synthetic and she should be quite competitive,” Blackadder said. “Malfy Rosa is looking the best I have seen her for a long time and Cavendish had his first start over 1600m and he only blew out in the last 100m. He has got a wide draw (11) tomorrow and doesn’t quite have that ringcraft yet, but he is not a bad horse.” View the full article

New Zealand jockey James McDonald has won the Longines World’s Best Jockey title for the second consecutive year and third time overall. The 33-year-old, who is based in Australia, also won the Longines World’s Best Jockey Award in 2022. On his way to claiming the 2025 title, McDonald won 12 of the world’s Top 100 Group or Grade 1 races. His qualifying victories included the Longines Hong Kong Cup, Longines Hong Kong Mile, Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Ladbrokes Doomben 10,000, and the Ladbrokes Cox Plate. McDonald dominated this year’s award, holding a sizeable lead throughout much of the competition. The scoring process rewards jockeys for finishing in the top three, giving McDonald a total of 184 points on the year. Mickael Barzalona was second with 132 points, while William Buick was third with 114 points. The awarding of the World’s Best Jockey title is based upon performances in the 100 highest-rated Group 1 and Grade 1 races as established for the year by the Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings Committee. The scoring incorporates races from 1 December of the previous year until 30 November of the current year. Jockeys accrue 12 points for a win, 6 points for placing second, and 4 points for placing third. The award was established in 2014 as a way for the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA) to quantitatively recognise a jockey as the best among his or her global peers. View the full article

Waitak’s class and versatility will stand him in good stead at Trentham where he chases a fourth top-flight title. He has triumphed over 1200, 1600 and 2040m at the highest level on good, soft and heavy tracks and Wexford Stables have him in tip-tip order for Saturday’s Gr.1 TAB Mufhasa Classic (1600m). “He’s been an amazing racehorse for us and goes well on all kinds of going, he’s quite versatile and definitely enjoys getting his toe in the ground,” said Andrew Scott, who trains in partnership with Lance O’Sullivan. “He’s going as well as he can and we do have a lot of respect for the others in the field, it’s a really good Group One race.” Waitak ended his spring campaign with wins in the Gr.1 Howden Insurance Mile (1600m) and Gr.1 Livamol Classic (2040m) before a break. “The team have been really pleased with him and gave him a week on the farm and a bit of trotting and cantering work before he came back in the barn,” Scott said. “He had that trial last week and we were pleased with him under a beautiful rein and Craig (Grylls, jockey) was really happy with him as well. “He had a nice hit-out on Tuesday morning and stormed up the straight, so we are hopeful of getting a good result.” Waitak has been sent south in the company of younger brother Crackerol, who is also in good form ahead of the Rothley Handicap (2100m). “His recent racing has been very solid and this is his first attempt over the longer trip, but his fitness and confidence levels are high so we thought we would take the opportunity to get him over ground,” Scott said. “He has trained on well and the conditions should suit him nicely.” Closer to home at Pukekohe, Wexford will have the promising duo of L’Aigle Noir and Yamato Satona going head-to-head in Saturday’s Gr.3 Bonecrusher Stakes (1400m), while a new face will partner three of the stable’s undercard contenders. “L’Aigle Noir put in a top performance fresh when he won at Rotorua and has worked well and we certainly think he’ll give a strong account of himself,” Scott said. “He’s got a barrier draw (one) that will help, and he’s trialled well right-handed in the past. “Yamato Satona has taken a bit of making and we’ve seen more focus in his training and we think he’s another that will relish going further over the summer months, so he should be hitting the line well.” Queensland-based Heavelon Van Der Hoven will be making his New Zealand debut and has been booked by Wexford for Genki (Dunstan Horsefeeds, 1600m), Dua Dance (Yourride, 1200m) and Up The Anti (Myracehorse, 1500m). “Leith Innes said he was coming over and all the feedback is that he’s a very competent rider, professional and does his form,” Scott said. “Genki is a promising stayer, there’s no reason why Dua Dance won’t be hard to beat if she puts her best foot forward and we also expect Up The Anti to run well.” View the full article