Chief Stipe

Then where are the South Island Trainers screaming from the rooftops? The SI Leading Trainers seem to to have lost their tongues. I guess they get what they wish for.

$100k Windsor Park Stud 3YO Trophy Confirmed for Champions Day New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (NZTR) and Auckland Thoroughbred Racing (ATR) have confirmed the inclusion of the new $100k Windsor Park Stud 3YO Trophy – a 3YO SW&P 1500m race on Champions Day, 8 March 2025 at Ellerslie Racecourse. Responding to feedback from Slot Holders and industry participants, the Windsor Park Stud 3YO Trophy will ensure the selected emergency horses are ready to compete if required to replace scratched runners from the final field of the $3.5 million NZB Kiwi (1500m) – the Southern Hemisphere’s richest 3YO race. To accommodate the new 3YO race, NZTR and ATR have deleted the previously scheduled 2400m Benchmark 75 race on Champions Day. This change will allow the Windsor Park Stud 3YO Trophy to provide the pool from which emergency horses for the NZB Kiwi will be chosen. The Windsor Park Stud 3YO Trophy is open to all 3YOs, not just NZB Kiwi eligible 3YOs, however, the pool of four emergency runners for the NZB Kiwi will be chosen first from eligible horses that are acceptors for the Windsor Park Stud 3YO Trophy. The decision aligns with international best practices observed in other slot races, such as The Everest in Syndey and the Sunlight slot race in Queensland, where emergencies are sourced from a corresponding race held on the same day over the same track and distance. This addition follows collaborative discussions between NZTR, Slot Holders and ATR, which highlighted the benefits for all stakeholders. NZTR Chief Operating Officer Darin Balcombe is pleased to announce the new race. “Emergency horses for the NZB Kiwi will be prepared to race under identical conditions (same track, distance and day), ensuring they are ready to perform at their best if required.” “Connections of emergency horses will no longer need to disrupt their plans for other races, as they can specifically target the Windsor Park Stud 3YO Trophy without impacting future campaigns. “The race gives some level of comfort to Slot Holders, while adding depth to the Champions Day card,” he said. As part of the programming adjustments, NZTR will delete the 3YO SW&P 1600m race previously scheduled for Saturday 1 March, the week before Champions Day, at Matamata Racecourse. “This reflects a focus on ensuring the Windsor Park Stud 3YO Trophy attracts a strong and competitive field at Ellerslie Racecourse, which is vital for the race’s success,” Balcombe said. Read more about the Southern Hemisphere’s richest 3YO race here. For general enquiries about the$100k Windsor Park Stud 3YO Trophy (1500m), contact ATR’s Executive General Manager – Racing & Operations Craig Baker via craigb@ellerslie.co.nz. View the Terms and Conditions for the $100k Windsor Park Stud 3YO Trophy (1500m) here. Full Programme Changes Saturday 1 March at Matamata Racecourse: 3YO SW&P 1600m deleted. Mdn 1600m added. Friday 7 March at Te Aroha Racecourse: Mdn 1600m deleted and replaced with Mdn 3YO 1600m. Saturday 8 March at Ellerslie Racecourse $100k Windsor Park Stud 3YO Trophy (1500m) added. R75 2400m deleted. NZB Kiwi Contact Emma Thompson - NZB Kiwi Programme Lead emma.thompson@nztr.co.nz

Uh? So now you are supporting Stott's ride?

Agree 100%. There is an old saying the best defence is offence. Put it back in the animal activists faces hard! If they want a fight give them a fight. Unfortunately Rennell is too nicer guy!

So play the game and bolster the nominations. I know a reasonably good horse who won its maiden race which had 6 acceptors and only 3 raced. So does NZTR delete the races or the Club? Bear in mind NZTR are over the barrel a bit with Ellerslie as aren't they bolstering the stakes?

To quote @curious 6 starters or acceptors? There are ways around it. Nominate and accept with more horses. Put the hat around and sponsor the race or subsidise the Clubs contribution. Used to happen all the time when you had a useful gelding you wanted to flick to Hong Kong.

So the Club has a big influence on whether a race goes ahead or not?

Whose fault is that? Again whose fault is that? From what I've seen the South Island Trainers act like a disorganised rabble driven only by self-interest. Get on the doorstep of @Pitman and Tim Mills and make demands. You'll probably find it isn't so much a conspiracy more like a cock up!

By whom? I see there was only 6 starters in the Reefton Cup. Arguably only four went round.

Then why did 3 trial? Isn't it an issue for the South Island Trainers to sort out? How many do you expect to line up on 25 January?

I take it you can read @Freda 's mind? How is the process different?

Probably trying to see if it was up to KM level. Currently 13th in order of entry with most of it winnings won at Riccarton. Although it did pick up over $3k for running last in the Eclipse.

Assuming you mean this weekend. One of those horses is chasing Black Type at Trentham. I guessing another is trying to sling shot into the KM and is being tested at Ellerslie for that way round and on the Strathayr. Not sure who the third is.

The last SI trials were 27 November 2024 and not one 2yr old went round! So what do you expect? Prior to that only 3 went round at the trials on 7 November 2024.

You didn't mention the START of the GAP!

Only counting the horses not balloted - an average rating of 81. Barely an Open Handicap. Sure Tauranga isn't much better.

That's not correct. There is one in two weeks at Riccarton on 25 January. Two Open Handicaps and a 2yr old race. https://loveracing.nz/RaceInfo/53290/Meeting-Overview.aspx

Uh? Why the cryptic comments?

Another Auckland summer in store for Orchestral loveracing.nz A series of outstanding performances at Ellerslie last summer underpinned an award-winning three-year-old season for Orchestral, and trainers Roger James and Robert Wellwood hope Sunday’s Auckland Co-Op Taxis (1400m) will set her up for more of the same in 2025. The top-class daughter of Savabeel scored a stunning Ellerslie treble in last year’s $1.5 million Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m), Gr.2 Avondale Guineas (2100m) and Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m). She powered home from the back half of the field to win each of those features with ease, racking up a combined winning margin of more than 11 lengths. Orchestral carried on to Sydney and added the Gr.1 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m), which James and Wellwood had also won the previous year with Prowess. Orchestral’s exceptional three-year-old season came to an end with a third placing in the Gr.1 Australian Oaks (2400m). James and Wellwood went into Orchestral’s four-year-old spring with high hopes, but she was unplaced in all of her three appearances. She resumed with an eighth over 1400m at Ellerslie in September, followed by a strong-finishing sixth in the Gr.1 Toorak Handicap (1600m) and a very disappointing 12th in the Gr.1 Empire Rose Stakes (1600m). “For whatever reason, she didn’t show her best form in that spring campaign,” James said. “She had a hard run first-up, and then to be fair to her, she was very unlucky in that second run. But her performance in that last race was a bit of a head-scratcher. “We gave her a break after that and I’m super happy with her in the lead-up to Ellerslie this weekend. She’s looking great. “The 1400m will absolutely be short of her best distance this weekend and there’s a fair bit of improvement left in her. We don’t need her to be peaking for this race.” James is looking forward to taking Orchestral back to Ellerslie’s Karaka Millions meeting again on January 25 in search of another million-dollar prize. “She’ll go to the Aotearoa Classic (1600m) next,” he said. “After that, she’ll probably continue to race in New Zealand through until the autumn. We can race for such incredibly good money on home soil now, with the stakes and bonuses, that there’s no need to look further afield.” The TAB rates Orchestral a $3 favourite for the Elsdon Park Aotearoa Classic. She is also prominent in the market for the Gr.1 Herbie Dyke Stakes (2000m) at Te Rapa on February 8, where she sits on the second line of favouritism at $6 behind dominant $1.70 favourite Snazzytavi. Orchestral is at the same $6 quote for the Gr.1 Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes (2000m), which is one of four Group One races run on Champions Day at Ellerslie on March 8. The Aotearoa Classic, Herbie Dyke Stakes and Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes are all qualifying races for the Rich Hill Champion Middle Distance Series, which will award bonuses of $300,000, $150,000 and $50,000 for the three highest point-scorers at the conclusion of the 12-race series. Orchestral’s return headlines an exciting weekend for Kingsclere Stables, who will also be represented by last-start Stella Artois 1500 Championship Final (1500m) winner Hasstobeawinner in the NZB Karaka 2025 (1500m) at Ellerslie on Sunday. The form out of that Stella Artois 1500 victory on Boxing Day has already received a notable boost, with runner-up Bourbon Empress going on to win the Gr.2 Rich Hill Mile (1600m) on New Year’s Day. “He won that race very well and the form has stacked up,” James said. “That looks to me to be the most competitive race of the day on Sunday, there’s a lot of form in that line-up. It’s not a given that he can win again, but we have been very happy with the horse in between times.” On Friday at Tauranga, James and Wellwood will be represented by resuming runners Arabian Songbird in the MJ @ Ray White Greerton (1400m) and December in the Social Club Greerton (1200m). “I think Arabian Songbird’s last race at Pukekohe in November was a real ‘forget’ run,” James said. “She won both of her starts before than in very good style. She’s had a little freshen up and has pleased us with her work. She can run a bold race on Friday. “December is a pretty fair sprinter and is coming up really well. He’s still on the way up, so he’ll take some good improvement out of whatever he does on Friday.”

For example?

There's 6 horses running around in Perth on Saturday in a BM72 for $88k AU gold coins.

The way Orchestral came back initially this season she isn't a racecourse certainty.

I really don't understand what the problem is here. It happens on a regular basis at Metro tracks in Australia had often for a lot more dosh than $65k NZ Pesos! As for @Huey and his mythical Mafia who is the capomandamento aka The Boss aka The Godfather?

One up for those that supports the Horticultural Experts. https://www.evergreen.com.au/

From what I've read the Flemington Track Manager is one they should be following. Flemington seems to be the most consistent track in OZ.