Chief Stipe

Rule Number(s): 870(3)and the Breaking Horses RegulationsFollowing the running of race 8, the FARMLANDS ASHBURTON SOCIAL CLUB MOBILE PACE, an information instigating a protest was filed by Stipendiary Steward Mrs C Tibbs, against ROCKNROLL KING (C Thornley), placed 3rd by the judge, on the grounds that it “galloped in excess of 50 metres in the final 200 metres”. ...View the full article

Jockey Matthew Cameron has earnt more than $3 million in prizemoney this season. Leading hoop Matthew Cameron will finish the season as the highest earning jockey in New Zealand this term, and he put the cherry on his season with victory aboard Mac Attacka at Ruakaka on Saturday. His win aboard the Chris Gibbs and Michelle Bradley-trained gelding took his prizemoney for the season over the $3 million mark, the first time he has achieved that feat in his 18 years in the saddle. “It was a good milestone and I didn’t realise until the following day that I had reached it,” Cameron said. “It was great to look at the stats and see the $3 million come up.” Currently sitting on 92 wins he is well short of his best season of 155 victories in 2014/15, however, an emphasis on quality over quantity resulted in 15 stakes victories this season, three more than his previous best. “In the long-term you have to think about the money and that’s why I think a lot of us top jockeys go for these big races,” Cameron said. “I’ve had not as many winners as I can normally get over the season, but it’s the big ones that we want to win and when you get to a certain point you really just aim for those Group Ones and as many stakes races as you can get. “It has been a good season.” While he has had many highlights this term he has singled out Madison County as his horse of the season. The Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman-trained gelding won three stakes races with Cameron aboard, including the Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) and Gr.1 Levin Classic (1600m). “This season it has been Madison County. I got a couple of Group Ones on him and a Group Two,” he said. Matthew Cameron winning the Gr.1 Levin Classic (1600m) aboard Madison County Grant Matthew (Race Images Palmerston North) “He was the main horse and he went to Australia and he’s proven over there that he is one of the best horses going around in three-year-old company.” Cameron said he owes a lot of his success to the support of Baker and Forsman and their Cambridge team. “Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman have been great to me and they have supported me for the last three or four years. “The team at home in Cambridge, they are behind the scenes and they do a lot of work. I turn up and do my job for a few minutes and get the glory. But it’s been a great season and I can’t thank that team enough.” While reflecting on a standout season, Cameron already has his sights set on the new season and he is excited about a couple of three-year-old prospects out of the Baker-Forsman barn “I have ridden a few nice two-year-olds that are going to turn into really nice three-year-olds,” he said. “A So You Think colt, Quick Thinker, I won the stakes race at Ellerslie (Listed Champagne Stakes, 1600m) on him. “I galloped him the other day at the track and he is coming up super. He is going to be a nice Guineas and Derby horse, I think he is the biggest one at the moment. “There are a couple of Mongolian (Inner Mongolia Rider Horse Industry-owned) horses there that have gone well as two-year-olds. “Holy Mongolemperor, he is a beautiful, big horse, and he is going to make a lovely three-year-old as well.” View the full article

Group Two winner Te Akau Shark . Write Article text here. View the full article

Cameron Lammas is having his most successful season as a jockey. Cameron Lammas is in the final stages of his most successful season as a jockey, but it could have been even better. The Rotorua-based horseman, who travels regularly to Matamata to ride trackwork, has earned $1,564,808 in prizemoney and is currently sitting fifth on the New Zealand Jockeys’ Premiership, the highest position he has held since his career began in 2001-02. It’s the most stakemoney the 35-year-old has earned in a season, slightly eclipsing last season’s tally, and his 68 wins includes six Group or Listed wins (the same as last season). His personal record of wins in a season is 77, achieved in his first full term as a fully-fledged jockey in 2005-06 after completing his apprenticeship with Jim Gibbs, and he still has half a dozen race meetings to reach or better that figure. “At this time of year you never know if you’re going to go out and ride two or three in a day or nothing, but I’ll keep trying to get the winners,” Lammas said. ‘’I’m there to win and even if I don’t get many more winners this season, it’s still been a good one for me. But I still can’t get another Group One win.” Lammas notched his first and only Group One success on Calveen in the 2005 Easter Handicap (1600m) at Ellerslie and he briefly thought his drought had finally been broken aboard Princess Kereru in the Gr.1 Sistema Railway (1200m) at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day when she dashed through along the inner, only to be beaten a neck by outsider Santa Monica. ‘’I thought I’d held on, even though we were wide apart,” Lammas said. ‘’If she (Santa Monica) had come up beside me we’d have beaten her. Princess Kereru got a bit lost in front on her own and she’s a fighter. ‘’All I really want to do is win another Group One. I’ve lost count of the seconds and thirds I’ve had in them. ‘’I remember running second in the Auckland Cup (2016) on Rose Of Virginia for Lance Noble. It was Lance’s last day as a public trainer and I would have loved to have won a Group One race for him, but we got beaten and it was by an outsider again (El Soldado).” Lammas is always on the lookout for the next budding star who may give him Group One glory. ‘’Trying to find the next good horses is always on my mind, but then it’s hard to keep the ride,” he said. Lammas acknowledges he isn’t one of the high profile jockeys, accepting he is regarded more as a grafter who humbly goes about his job. But his record suggests he deserves more recognition. He has 769 New Zealand wins and has had an experience many other New Zealand jockeys haven’t had, riding in a Melbourne Cup. As regular rider of the Gibbs-trained Kerry O’Reilly, he landed the Gr.2 Counties Cup (2100m) and Gr.2 Waikato Cup (2400m) double in the 2005-06 season and the following term after being runner-up in the Gr.1 Kelt Capital Stakes (2040m) at Hastings he retained the ride in Melbourne. He guided Kerry O’Reilly into fourth in the Gr.3 Geelong Cup (2400m) and, though only 11th in the 2006 Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m), it was an experience he will never forget. Lammas has had more than his share of injuries, the most serious when he fractured a tibia and fibula in his right leg in a fall at Wairoa six years ago. It was so serious there was the likelihood he could have his leg amputated. ‘’There was no blood flow through, but luckily the surgeons got it flowing again,” Lammas said. ‘’I don’t have the same feeling in my right foot as I used to, but it doesn’t affect me. Injuries are something you’ve got to accept. It comes with being a jockey.” The laid-back Lammas has just finished a suspension, during which time he followed his other passion – hunting. But now he’s back concentrating on his career with the help of his wife Tracey, who is also his agent. ‘’Tracey has been doing my rides for the last few years and she’s a big part of the good season I’m having,” he said. Lammas will continue his association with Te Toro Pearl in the Listed Powerworx Opunake Cup (1400m) at New Plymouth on Saturday. ‘’I rode her in a jump-out at Cambridge on Friday and she went well,” he said. ‘’As for next season, I’m looking forward to Princess Kereru and Shoshone for Ken and Bev (Kelso). Maybe Princess Kereru can give me a Group One. She deserves it. And Shoshone is quite a smart filly.” “With my son Blake now two and a half and my second child on the way in November I’ll have to pull my finger out and make more money.” View the full article

Brian “Monk” Peta. The Central Districts has lost one of its most likeable characters with the passing of start attendant Brian “Monk” Peta. The 63-year-old suffered a heart attack at Trentham racecourse on Saturday and passed away on Sunday night at Lower Hutt hospital. His loss will be felt by many within the racing community, with his cheeky grin and jovial character having met jockeys at the starting gates for several decades. “He has been on the gates for about 20 years roughly,” Central Districts starting gate manager Bill Babbington said. “He was an assistant starter for the racing club (before that). I was short of a worker, so I asked him if he wanted to work on the starting gates and he has been with me ever since.” A familiar face on the racecourse, racing was Peta’s biggest passion in life, he loved his job on the gates and always enjoyed having a punt. “He leaves a big hole in the starting gate team,” Babbington said. “He was a likeable person, a character and a good joker. “He liked his betting and drinking. He got on with the guys really well. He was committed to the job, he loved the job too much. “Whether he was crook or not, he wouldn’t let the starting gates down. He has always been that person, very reliable.” Hailing from Foxton, Peta travelled widely throughout the lower North Island as part of the start crew and easily formed solid friendships wherever he went. “He was well liked within the industry,” Babbington said. “Everywhere we would go he would make good friends. He knew a lot of people in the racing game.” His loss is already being felt by his close mates on the gates and Babbington said it is a deeply sad time for his closely-knit team. “It’s a big loss personally because he’s my cousin,” Babbington said. “It’s going to affect all the (start) boys.” Peta’s tangi will take place at Paranui Marae near Himatangi, however, final details are yet to be confirmed. View the full article

Rule Number(s): Alleged breach of Rule 638(1)(d)-Careless ridingFollowing the running of Race 10, the Skyline & JFK Homes Stayers Maiden 2100m, an Information was filed by Stipendiary Steward, Mr J McLaughlin, against Class A Rider, Mr K Mudhoo, in that he permitted his mount JILDI JILDI, to shift inwards when not sufficiently clear of PEGGY STEWART, which was checked ...View the full article

Rule Number(s): 870(3)& Breaking Horses RegulationFollowing the running of Race 4, Betterthancheddar at Alabar Mobile Pace, an information instigating a protest was filed by Stipendiary Steward, Mr S T Mulcay, against FYNN FROST (K G Cameron) placed 5th by the judge, on the ground that it “broke in excess of 150 metres over the early stages”. Mr K G ...View the full article

Rule Number(s): 638(1)(d)Following the running of race 1, Whangarei ITM, an Information was filed pursuant to Rule 638 (1)(d). The Informant, Mr Williamson, alleged that Ms Smyth allowed THE BUFFER to shift in under pressure hampering and unbalancing TUMBLEWEED on 2 occasions in the final straight. Ms Smyth said that she understood ...View the full article

Craig Rail. New Zealand’s newest race caller Craig Rail cannot wait to step into the commentator’s box at Forbury Park next month. Rail, who has called harness racing meetings in country Victoria for the past 15 years, will get his first chance to show off his vocal skills in New Zealand at the Dunedin track early next month. The commentator, who shifted to Invercargill this year, has been hired as a contractor to the Racing Industry Transition Agency (RITA), formerly known as the New Zealand Racing Board. He will stand in for recently departed Otago commentator Jason Teaz while a full-time replacement is sought. RITA is expected to follow a recruitment process to replace Teaz and Rail looks to be one of the leading candidates. In the meantime, the Queensland-born harness racing enthusiast is keen to call races wherever he is asked. That is driven by his lifelong passion for commentating. “I love the job,” Rail said. “I get a great kick out of calling a maiden, even a bad race when the owners have been paying for five years and are jumping up and down. “I get a kick out of that; I like the excitement about it.” Another factor driving Rail’s commitment to calling is that he is undoubtedly a harness racing tragic. He has spent some of his time since moving to Invercargill poring over trials videos from Victoria. Rail writes detailed trials reports for his previous full-time employer, Harness Racing Victoria (HRV). Though Rail has spent a decade and a-half working in harness racing he has experience in all three codes and is keen to call thoroughbreds and dogs wherever he can. “Being employed by HRV, harness racing is all I have called for 15 years,” he said. “Prior to that I was doing all codes and was doing stuff in the studio; it was a jack-of-all-trades job.” Rail got his start in racing in Queensland before shifting to Melbourne to work with HRV. “I lived there virtually all of my life before HRV gave me a job in Melbourne.” Rail has spent much of his working week over the past 15 years racking up huge hours of air and car travel to get to meetings across Victoria. That means a trip of less than three hours from Invercargill to Forbury Park will be a breeze for him. Rail, who has attended meetings at Forbury Park recently to get familiarised with the track, will make the trek to Dunedin to call his first races in New Zealand on August 4. View the full article

IN the moment after Self Assured’s first Albion Park win a few weeks back, Mark Purdon said the pacer “could be a bit special.” Another two wins down the track and the lightly-raced three-year-old has grabbed the tag as the most exciting pacer in Australasia. You simply had to see his win in Saturday night’s Group 3 South-East Derby to believe. Self Assured, having just his fifth start, came from the back row around the field to sit parked and was still good enough to rundown Australia’s best three-year-old, Lochinvar Art, albeit only by a whisker in the last stride. Wait for this … Self Assured’s closing splits outside the leader were 53.4 and 26.1sec. Quietly-spoken stand-in driver Kylie Rasmussen was of praise in her conservative way. “He’s very good to be able to do that. He’s so inexperienced and still learning, too,” she said. Self Assured’s 1min54.1sec mile rate for 2138m smashed the race record set by Duplicated last year. It’s hard to critical of Lochinvar Art given the times he ran, but Self Assured simply went better, while the other All Stars’ runner, Jesse Duke, finished a close third after sitting one-one on Self Assured. Self Assured will be favourite to extend his winning streak to six and land the first “major” of his fledgling career in next Saturday’s $100,000 Group 1 Queensland Derby. Lochinvar Art and Jesse Duke will be there again. But it could be another stablemate, megsastar filly Our Princess Tiffany, who is Self Assured’s main threat next week. Purdon said a dominant Queensland Oaks win would see the filly progress to the Derby and Our Princess Tiffany was definitely dominant last night. Kylie Rasmussen took the daughter of Art Major to the front from gate four and won as she liked by 12m in a race record 1min54.7sec for the 2138m. Not much slower than Self Assured went. Purdon expects to be back driving for the Derby next week, but wasn’t clear on which of the stable trio he would drive. Luke McCarthy is expected to stay on Jesse Duke with Purdon and Kylie Rasmussen driving one of Self Assured or Our Princess Tiffany. View the full article

Tiger Tara. TWO things firmly stamped Tiger Tara as the horse to beat in next Saturday night’s $250,000 Group 1 Blacks A Fake at Albion Park. First was his ultra-impressive winning return at Menangle last night (Saturday). And second was the upset win of veteran Ohoka Punter in last night’s (Saturday) Group 1 Sunshine Sprint at Albion Park. No disrespect to Ohoka Punter, but the fact he beat boom stablemate Colt Thirty One and others will surely have put a spring in the step of Tiger Tara’s trainer Kevin Pizzuto. Colt Thirty One was crunched into $1.45 favourite, but had to blaze a 26sec opening quarter to hold the front from Alta Orlando and was always some query after that for a horse who hasn’t be used off the gate much. Trainer-driver Grant Dixon slowed a dawdling 32sec second split, but it was evident at the top of the straight Colt Thirty One had a battle on his hands and the four-year-old was unable to hold-out his rising 10-year-old stablemate along the sprint lane. It was a Dixon and owner Kevin Seymour quinella, but not in the order punters wanted. Ohoka Punter snatched a 1.3m win with young driver Paul Diebert aboard in a cosy 1min53.2sec mile rate, well outside Im Themightyquinn’s 1min50.4sec race and track record. It was by the far the biggest win for Diebert, who moved from NSW to work for Dixon just before last Christmas. “It’s unbelievable. Kevin (Seymour) was at me all week saying this old horse would run a great race,” Diebert said. The much-travelled Ohoka Punter will be chasing his second Blacks A Fake win next week, having won it when trained and driven by Nathan Purdon. But Tiger Tara looms ominously after pacing a 1min54.7sec mile rate for 2300m first-up at Menangle. “He ran home in 54.8 and 27.1 and Todd (McCarthy, driver) was stoked,” Pizzuto said. “He did it so well and now it’s off to Queensland. “I’m not sure exactly when I’ll take him up, but his last workout will be here so it’ll be later in the week.” It was Tiger Tara’s first run since finishing fifth in the Miracle Mile more than four months ago. View the full article

In My Shadow maiden win at Alexandra Park. It’s been a long road to the winner’s circle for In My Shadow, victorious in a maiden at Alexandra Park on Friday night. The rising five-year-old headed a stable quinella, along with Corbaux, for their Pukekohe trainers, Dave and Clare McGowan. A painful cross-firing injury meant he raced only once as a three-year-old and it’s been time and care from his trainers that have seen him eventually make it back to the track. “He had really high speed and qualified in a good time as a two-year-old,” Clare McGowan told HRNZ. “But he was really weak in behind and used to crossfire and that would make him frightened of running home in a sprint. “Then he jumped on his quarter so we gave him plenty of time to grow up.” Nearly two-and-a-half years after he qualified, he’s cleared maidens, and the McGowans now expect him to go on with it, though probably not with them. “He’s going to be a nice horse in Aussie, I think. “We’d love to keep them all, but the logistics of it, when you breed you a few, you have to let them go.” The McGowans bred In My Shadow in partnership with their good friends, Jill and the late Dennis Smolenski, best known as the owners of former champion mare, One Dream. “Jill and Dennis used to look after the dam (All My Dreamz) when they were at Stonewall Stud broodmare up here.” The Smolenskis since returned to Christchurch and Dennis sadly passed away last year. The couples also bred from In My Shadow’s granddam, Corzanello, who has been a bit of a broodmare gem for them with Group 1 winner Corzin Terror (AU $513,219) among the six winners from her seven foals of racing age. “I used to work for Noel Taylor and as a leaving present, he gifted me Corzanello, who is a daughter of Rear Window,” said Clare. “All My Dreamz was the first foal we bred from her and she had a lot of speed, which she passed on to this horse and his half-brother, Bettor My Dreamz. “Mark (Purdon) and Natalie (Rasmussen) bought Bettor My Dreamz from us at the sales and he won a few for them, but now he’s here in Pukekohe with Ray Green, on his way to Aussie.” Corbaux, an Art Major daughter of former good mare Precious Mach, boxed on well for second and a win looks close at hand for her. “She’s never really had a draw to suit. “I’m not sure if its her or her owners that have bad luck, but she never seems to get a decent one. “She’s a lot stronger now and I think if you reversed the draws the other night, it might have reversed the result.” It’s been a transitional season for the McGowans, Friday night’s win just the fourth of the term, but there are high hopes for the upcoming seasons. They’ve been pushing to kick the ‘rejuvenators’ tag that they’ve been stuck with for quite some time. Hard to do when Clare is an in-demand equine physical therapist and Dave is widely-regarded for the love and care he shows all their horses. “We used to do a lot of rehabbing and we sort of got stuck doing them. “You’d have thought One Dream ($899,487) might have turned that around but it didn’t; we seemed to be the ones owners would called if they had a sore or angry horse. “So, we’ve really concentrated in the last year or so on bringing through a number of young horses. “There’s 24 in work – including some we’re educating for other trainers – and we’re quite happy with what we’ve got there.” The race team is rather light at present, and Le Girl will soon further reduce that when she is retired to become a broodmare. Adelle was recently dispatched to Australia where she underwent an ownership restructuring upon joining Gavin Lang’s stable. She’s three from three for him with Clare still maintaining a share in the ownership. “She’s flying over there, which is great for us because we bred her and still have the family to breed on with.” In what was coincidental timing, to celebrate their quinella the night before, the McGowans hosted their staff and clients on Saturday morning for a bit of a get together thanks to the HRNZ Stable Shout promotion. “It was really nice to get everyone in and make them feel part of the team. “They’re not just our owners, they’re all good friends, and a morning tea was a great way to bring them all together.” It was some rare downtime for Clare, who works relentlessly doing her equine therapy for many stables, including Tony Herlihy and Nigel Tiley. “I cannot keep up with it, it’s unbelievable. “I could do double the work I currently do, such is the demand, but I’m already working until 7pm most nights to satisfy my existing clients. “Nigel said to me the other day that they’ve only had one bowed tendon in their entire team since I started working with them a few years ago, and that was a horse that got kicked in the tendon. “Hearing things like that make it all worthwhile.” View the full article

En Solitaire trotting stallion from France. Northern Southland stud Macca Lodge will attempt to continue their squaregaiting success by standing En Solitaire in the spring breeding season. The sire will offer the only opportunity in New Zealand for breeders to send their mares to a son of champion French sire Ready Cash. The decision to take on a stallion with En Solitaire’s bloodlines was an easy one, studmaster, Brent McIntyre said. “With bloodlines like that I couldn’t say no.” “He’s by Ready Cash out of a Love You mare and that is the golden cross up there in Europe.” “Bold Eagle is bred on that cross and he is the best trotter up there.” Bold Eagle is the rockstar of the French trotting having won 44 of his 64 stars. The champion squaregaiter has won an incredible 16 group 1 races and banked over €4,500,000 in earnings. Injury prevented En Solitaire from making a mark on the racetrack. He was then secured by Australasian trotting stud, Haras de Trotters, which Macca Lodge stand the sire on behalf of. En Solitaire will stand for a fee of $1500. Breeders who wish utilise his pay on live foal option can do so at a $2000 fee. McIntyre said he was hopeful southern breeders would take advantage of En Solitaire’s relatively affordable price tag. “He is a beautiful looking horse.” “And he is priced right to meet the market, so hopefully a few trotting breeders will be willing to give him a crack.” En Solitaire joins Net Ten EOM and Franco Ledger in the siring ranks at Macca Lodge. The French sire’s arrival follows the departure of a talented trotter from the Northern Southland stud. Cuchulainn left McIntyre’s stable after being purchased by Victorian owners Merv and Meg Butterworth. The 4yr-old impressed when producing two wins and three second placings from six starts this season. Cuchulainn is not the only departure from Macca Lodge. Stable junior driver Maruia Parker is set to leave the organisation to move to the North Island. That has McIntyre searching for a capable and experienced horseperson to fill her position. The trainer said he was keen to hear from anyone with the skills to work in a stud and stables. View the full article

Respected Central Districts trainer, Kevin Gray. While he may have recently celebrated his eighty-second birthday, there is no suggestion that well-respected Central Districts horseman Kevin Gray is showing any signs of slowing down. Gray will enter his fourtieth season of training in 2019/20 with the same enthusiasm that he did when it all started for him back in Waverley in 1980. “I guess you can say that I’m a lucky man in that in the fourty years I have been training I’ve enjoyed pretty good health all the way through,” Gray said. “I’ve had the odd injury like a broken leg and the like but really nothing that ever put my training career in jeopardy. “I’ve loved every minute of it and I’m looking forward to next season just as much as I did when I first started.” Born in 1937, Gray’s love of horses began during his formative years when he would ride a pony to school. “I think I started riding ponies when I was about eight or nine as that’s how we got to school,” he said. “I started work in the Patea Freezing Works when I left school at 16 as my grandfather was a foreman there. “Back in those days they used to bring the stock in by train and I used to be involved with unloading them. “When I left the works, I started as a stock agent which I did for about 23 years. Back then I was riding showjumpers and eventers while riding trackwork for some of the trainers in the local area. “I rode work for people like Brian Deacon, Herb Bergerson, Wally McEwan and the like and learned much of what I know from them. “I was doing a bit of pre-training and with so many good trainers around at that time, I tried to soak up what I could.” Deacon’s decision to move from Waverley to Takanini in 1980 was the forerunner for Gray to take out his own trainer’s license at the urgings of Deacon. “Brian made his move up north and he said to me then I should take out a license of my own,” Gray said. “I started off with a permit to train and then moved on from there. I ended up training for some of the biggest owners in the Taranaki region and we had some great success.” After more than twenty years at their Waverley base, Gray and his wife Kathleen moved to a new 52-hectare property outside of Palmerston North in 2006, which carries the name of their top-class galloper Copper Belt, who Gray had purchased as a yearling from the annual sale at Claudelands in Hamilton back in 1973. “Brain Deacon trained Copper Belt for us and he was just a magnificent horse,” Gray said. “He really helped to set us up and that is why we named our property after him. “It is a beautiful property with its own training track and all the modern facilities that we need to do the job we do.” While Gray may be known for training horses of the calibre of Gr.1 AJC Oaks (2400m) winner Daffodil, it is his record with moulding some of the best riding talent New Zealand has produced that he is also justifiably proud of. “I guess when you look at our record, it would be the people we have mentored that gives Kathleen and I as much delight as any of the horses we have had,” Gray said. “Riders like Hayden Tinsley, Eddie Lamb, Paul Shailer, Bruce Herd and Lisa Allpress all started their careers with us and went on to achieve big things in the game. “Most, if not all of the staff we have here at the property have been here since we started or have come back to us and that gives you a special feeling as well. “When I celebrated my birthday the other day, I think there was something like 30-40 texts or messages from people who have worked for us over the years, so I found that very touching.” Looking ahead to the new season, Gray is quietly confident he will have some significant firepower available to him once the tracks start to dry out. “I don’t tend to have too many go around in the winter as the tracks are just too tough. “We have some lovely younger horses coming through which I’m quite excited about once we start to get the drier spring surfaces. “We have lost one of two of our better ones from this year as I’ve always been a trader and have sold them on but I do like the look of what we have coming through.” Gray is also hopeful that the new Racing Industry Transitional Agency (RITA) will bring about the positive change required for the stagnant racing industry. “I have had some dealings with Dean McKenzie, who is in charge of the new agency, and I think he is a very passionate and capable person,” Gray said. “I know they have a hell of a lot on their plates but one thing I would like them to look at is the racing surfaces we operate on. “There just hasn’t been the level of spending we need to keep the tracks up to scratch and I think that is one of the fundamentals they have to get right for any progress to be made.” View the full article

Quality galloper Te Akau Shark will be one of the star attractions at Monday’s Te Rapa trials meeting. It may be a far cry from the sunshine and 35-degree heat he is currently enjoying on a well-deserved Hawaiian holiday, but you can be sure that Te Akau Racing’s Jamie Richards will have an eye on Monday’s Te Rapa trials where the first of the spring horses go through their paces. Te Akau Racing will be represented by more than thirty members of their potential new season line-up at Te Rapa, from unraced two-year-olds through to star performers such as Melody Belle and Te Akau Shark. Richards is relaxed about the prospects for his team at the trials meeting, with most there to enjoy what he considers will be a nice day out. “There won’t be any pressure on any of the runners on the day, we just want to see them have a day out as part of the early proceedings in their current preparations,” Richards said. “They can have a run around and it will bring them on for the next round of trials at Te Rapa in a fortnight. “It is a good opportunity for them to have a wee trip away, stretch their legs and get ready for what comes next.” Headline acts Melody Belle and Te Akau Shark will contest an open 900m heat with Richards looking forward to having them enjoy a quiet hit-out. “Melody Belle and Te Akau Shark are coming along nicely and the trial will do them the world of good,” he said. “All going well, they will be back again in a fortnight and then we can reassess where each of them is at from there. “It is likely they will clash first-up in the Foxbridge Plate (Gr.2, 1200m) at Te Rapa on August 17. “The Foxbridge is an ideal stepping stone for where we want to go with them both. “They are both class sprinters so you would expect them to perform well first-up before we get serious with their main targets. “Melody Belle will be aimed at the Hawke’s Bay triple crown while Te Akau Shark has Sydney aspirations. We are in no hurry to get him to Sydney so we will just take it one step at a time.” Richards also predicts big things for his trio of rising four-year-old mares in Savy Yong Blonk, Shezathinka and Luminous. “We are going to take it slowly with the three of them before we ask them to step up,” he said. “Shezathinka and Luminous are both stakes placed maidens who won’t take long to get through the grades. “Savy Yong Blonk ran creditably over ground in her last few starts but we think she could be best as a sprinter-miler so that’s where we will be focussing with her.” Shezathinka and Luminous will contest maiden 900m trial heats while Savy Yong Blonk will join Te Akau Shark in his open 900m heat. View the full article

Mac Attacka cruises to the line at Ruakaka as he notches up another impressive victory. Offshore interest in promising galloper Mac Attacka was piqued yet again on Saturday after the impressive three-year-old produced a powerful closing burst to take out the last race on the card at Ruakaka. The Makfi gelding had impressed many when winning two of his first three starts which led to his potential sale to Hong Kong interests. Despite passing the vetting requirements for the sale, the deal fell through which led to Saturday’s reappearance over 1600m and another eye-catching victory. Settled near last by rider Matt Cameron, Mac Attacka was still well back approaching the home turn as Cameron eased him to the outside to make his challenge. Several huge bounds carried him to the front inside the last 200m as he drove clear to score by a widening three-quarter length margin. “I think that was his best win to date,” co-trainer Chris Gibbs said. “He beat a handy field and did it like a horse who had plenty up his sleeve. “With all the activity going on with the sale and what not, we hadn’t done too much with him, but when that fell through, we decided to run him and he did the job for us.” Despite believing the horse has the ability to compete at a higher level, Gibbs isn’t looking too far ahead as further expressions of interest in purchasing him came in overnight. “It’s no secret he is for sale and the phone was ringing again last night,” Gibbs said. “A performance like that will certainly get people interested so we’re not really in a position to plan out a campaign for him as he could be gone just as quickly. “Obviously if he stays with us, we will be looking at some of the better spring and summer races but at this stage I can’t really say what is going to happen.” The Gibbs/Bradley combination was in the thick of the action throughout the day on their home turf, taking out the opening event with two-year-old debutant Annie’s Song as well as producing Poker Face to win the day’s feature race, the ITM/GIB Whangarei Gold Cup (2100m). In between times they also narrowly missed making it four wins for the day when promising stayer Amazing Az was beaten by a nose over 1600m. “It was a really good day and we won with horses who have bright futures ahead of them,” Gibbs said. “Poker Face has really come into his own now he has stepped up over some ground. “I actually thought he might be a little out-gunned at the weights but he ended up winning comfortably. “He may have found his niche over ground so I think we will probably back off him a little and look to races like the Waikato Cup (Gr.3, 2400m) or Counties Cup (Gr.3, 2100m) later this year. “Those are the types of races that Amazing Az could contest as well so we may have a job on our hands trying to keep them apart. “Annie’s Song was very impressive and will only get better as she steps up in distance. “I really like her and a race like the Northland Breeders’ Stakes (Gr.3, 1200m) back here in September is one we will be keen to see her contest.” View the full article

Cambridge Stud stallion Tavistock was represented by four metropolitan winners on Saturday. Cambridge Stud sire Tavistock was the star of the show on Saturday, with his progeny Travimyfriend, Tavirun and Bedford all successful at Caulfield, while his six-year-old son, Curragh, was a winner in Sydney. New Zealand Group One placegetter Travimyfriend broke through for his first Australian win since he and trainer Rachael Frost relocated across the Tasman last year and was sent out at the lucrative odds of $16 despite his good recent form. Cranbourne trainers Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young have long been fan favourites of Tavistock, having tasted Gr.1 Australian Derby (2400m) glory with his son Tavigo and their support of the stallion’s progeny was rewarded with an interstate double care of Tavirun and Curragh. Tavirun is likely to join Shane Baertschiger’s stable in Singapore at some stage for a tilt at next year’s S1$million Singapore Derby (1800m), while Curragh survived a protest at Rosehill to notch his seventh career victory and top A$312,000 in earnings. The aptly named Bedford descended on his rivals late to land the final race at Caulfield for trainer Anthony Freedman and complete a bumper day for the Montjeu stallion. Bred by the Dowager Duchess of Bedford, Tavistock is the sire of 17 stakes winners to date, including four Group One winners featuring Derby winners Werther, Tarzino and Tavago, in addition to Volkstok’n’barrell, who won four times at the elite level. He has sired 54 winners in Australia alone this season and his appeal in the Lucky Country was highlighted by the fact 51% of his New Zealand yearlings were sold to Australian buyers this year. “Everyone at Cambridge Stud is delighted for the stallion, but particularly for the breeders, owners and trainers of the four winners today,” Cambridge Stud chief executive Henry Plumptre said. “We know Tavistock has great depth with his runners going into the Spring Carnival this year and it is fantastic to start on a very positive note.” Tavistock will stand for $50,000+GST at Brendan and Jo Lindsay’s Cambridge Stud, in a roster which features Champion European gallopers Roaring Lion and Almanzor, in addition to New Zealand-bred bluebloods Burgundy and Embellish. View the full article

New Zealand Group One placegetter Travimyfriend has broken through for his first Australian. New Zealand Group One placegetter Travimyfriend has broken through for his first Australian win and given his trainer Rachael Frost her first Melbourne Saturday city success since her move across the Tasman. Frost relocated last year from New Zealand to Mornington where she trains a small team of horses including Travimyfriend and recent Sandown midweek winner Deep Euphoria. Travimyfriend was third in the Group One Haunui Farm Classic (1600m) in New Zealand in February last year while he had been winless in nine starts since arriving in Victoria. The six-year-old gelding almost caused a boilover when he ran a close second at Sandown last month as a $151 chance and he went into Saturday’s Ladbrokes Info Hub Handicap (1400m) off back-to-back city placings. Sent out at $16 in the field of seven with Michael Dee aboard, Travimyfriend improved from back in the field approaching the home turn in the soft conditions before racing to a 2-3/4-length victory over $2.15 favourite Organza. Last-start Caulfield winner Elite Drake was another three-quarters of a length away third. “His last few starts he has tried quite hard so he has deserved it,” Frost said. “He is Group One placed and multiple stakes placed in New Zealand. “He has finally put his hand up.” Frost believes a big drop in weight, despite stepping up in class, suited Travimyfriend. And while she said Travimyfriend never really liked wet tracks that much back in New Zealand, he has appreciated getting on rain-affected ground in his recent runs. “Since it has rained he’s really improved,” Frost said. “He has problems with his back so the firm tracks probably didn’t help him.” View the full article

Gagarin clears the last fence on his way to victory at Trentham. Tough as teak ten-year-old Gagarin proved the best stayer when he came from last in the early running to win the Grant Plumbing Wellington Steeplechase (5500m) at Trentham. The Kevin Myers-trained Pentire gelding wasn’t at his fluent best when jumping the first few fences in the 5500m contest but slowly warmed to his task as the field completed the first of three laps of the unique figure eight Trentham steeplechase course. Rider Mathew Gillies allowed his charge to bowl along behind his nine rivals before slowly working his way into contention with just over 1600m to run. Gagarin quickly went from last to first as he put the pressure on with two fences to jump. With Kipkeino closing quickly at the last fence it looked like Gagarin was in serious trouble however he found plenty in the last 200m to hold out Kipkeino’s brave challenge with last month’s Hawkes Bay Steeplechase winner, Perry Mason gripping on well for third. “He’s been working pretty well at home during this campaign,” said stable representative Luke Myers. “Matt rode him beautifully, sat back quiet then set him alight. “He’s (Gagarin) come back fresh and ready to go this season and has been performing on the track which is good to see.” Gillies had a beaming smile as he explained how his instructions were to settle off the pace in the early stages. “That was the plan that Kevin set, as when he is amongst the field, he pulls a bit,” he said. “It’s such a long way and he’s that good a jumper he can make his way up. He saved a lot of ground in that final bit so it was a credit to Kevin, who I have to thank for putting me on. “He used to love that kind of heavy (track) but now it’s a test for him. It just about found him out but he had the guts to carry on.” Successful in the Manawatu Steeplechase (4200m) last month, Gagarin has now won three times over the bigger fences to go with his three wins on the flat and 4 wins over hurdles that include a victory in the 2015 Great Northern Hurdle (4190m). Race favourite Chocolate Fish failed to finish after being pulled up with 1200m to run following some indifferent jumping in the middle stages of the event. View the full article

Front-running tactics proved a winning move for Another Dollar. A plan to use new front-running tactics on classy mare Another Dollar (NZ) (Ocean Park) proved a winning move at Doomben on Saturday. There were only six runners in the race and none of them had led at any of their starts Trainer Chris Waller’s Queensland manager Paul Shailer realised the situation and instructed jockey Ryan Maloney to lead on the mare. It worked with Another Dollar beating her stablemate Savacool (NZ) (Savabeel) by 1-1/4 lengths with three-quarters of a length to Mongolian Wolf in third. “She might not have ever won at Doomben but she had placed in all five starts here including in the Queensland Oaks when second to a pretty smart horse in Youngstar,” Shailer said. “In other words in a genuinely run race she was always going to be hard to beat. She was the class in the race and it showed through.” It was only the third win for Another Dollar who has been stakes placed on another four occasions. “There isn’t a lot for her up here and I am not sure what Chris has in mind for her,” Shailer said. Another Dollar is raced by some of Waller’s biggest owners including Frank and Christine Cook, Peter Tighe and Noel Greenhalgh. Maloney said Another Dollar had always been travelling strongly and she would appreciate even further at her next start. View the full article

No Tip and Aaron Kuru take a fence in the early stages of the Anuka Smoker Wellington Hurdle. Fresh from securing a feature jumping double on their home track at Hastings last month, the training partnership of Paul Nelson and Corinna McDougal were at it again at Trentham on Saturday when No Tip took out the Anuka Smoker Wellington Hurdle (3400m). The lightly raced Mettre En Jeu seven-year-old was having just his ninth career run and only third over fences when he out-stayed his rivals on the brutal Heavy11 track conditions after a beautifully judged ride from Aaron Kuru. Kuru allowed No Tip plenty of time to find his rhythm in the early stages of the contest as Pukekohe raider Arite Guru set a farcically slow pace out in front. The speed went on when topweight Laekeeper went to the front with 1600m to run with No Tip still a conservative dozen lengths from the lead but beginning to make a move for Kuru. Rounding the home bend Laekeeper was travelling well however he bungled the last fence which allowed Kuru and No Tip to slip through along the inner to claim victory from Bad Boy Brown and a brave Laekeeper. McDougal, who was struggling to contain her excitement as she waited for her charge to return to the Trentham birdcage, admitted she had some doubts when No Tip was so far off the lead with 1000m to run. “That was amazing although I was ooh come on Aaron (during the race), but I don’t know what to say as I’m just so excited and happy,” she said. “I’ve worked for Paul (Nelson) for a long time so I think we both know the ropes, but I’m learning so much and this is just amazing.” No Tip is the younger half-brother of last month’s Hawkes Bay Hurdles (3100m) winner, No Change and is also a half to former top jumper Ho Down who won eight races, including both the Hawkes Bay Hurdles and Awapuni Hurdle (2900m) while he also finished runner-up in the 2009 Great Northern Hurdles (4190m) The victory also eased Kuru further ahead in the race for the Jumps Jockey premiership this season where he now has 15 wins, three clear of his nearest rival Shaun Fannin. View the full article

Annie’s Song extends nicely to make a winning debut at Ruakaka. Local two-year-old Annie’s Song indicated she could be a filly with a big future after she made a winning debut over 1000m at Ruakaka on Saturday. The Chris Gibbs and Michelle Bradley-trained youngster was well supported off the back of a handy performance at the Avondale trials last month and delivered on that promise as she drove clear in the run home to win comfortably by a length and a quarter for rider Craig Grylls. “She’s going to make a lovely three-year-old, as on what she has done today, she is going to improve,” co-trainer Michelle Bradley said. “We don’t push our two-year-olds so we will see how she comes through this. She is showing signs that she is growing so we will see how she goes from here.” Grylls was impressed with the Darci Brahma filly’s performance and predicted she had a good future ahead of her. “She jumped out quite good and came back to me nicely,” he said. “When I presented her, she has let down really good. She feels like she has a nice future ahead of her as she has a lovely big action and big stride on her.” The win would also have been a boost for part-owner Shayne Heape who was missing from the on-course action while recovering in hospital due to a bout of ill health. Heape, who races the filly with Gary Hannam under their GS Bloodstock banner along with her co-breeder Terry Archer, had been hoping to attend the races today as both an owner and as the representative of the day’s major sponsor, Whangarei ITM. “We’re hoping that this is a real pick-me-up for Shayne who was desperate to be here but circumstances have meant he couldn’t make it,” said Whangarei Racing General Manger Bill Colgan. “He is a past-president of the Club and has one hundred guests on-course through Whangarei ITM and their hospitality function so I know he will be gutted he couldn’t make it, especially as Gary (Hannam) is also overseas at the moment. “We’re hoping he has received a huge thrill from what was a terrific win.” View the full article

Back to back Hong Kong Horse of the Year, Beauty Generation New Zealand-bred superstar Beauty Generation claimed the Hong Kong Horse of the Year award for the second year in a row at a sparkling ceremony held at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel tonight, Friday, 12 July. A four-time Group One victor this term, Hong Kong’s best galloper was also named Champion Miler for the second consecutive year. Beauty Generation is the eighth horse to win back-to-back Horse of the Year titles in Hong Kong’s professional era, joining other timeless heroes Silver Lining, Co-Tack, Quicken Away, River Verdon, Fairy King Prawn, Silent Witness and Ambitious Dragon. John Moore’s stable star had a remarkable 2018/19 campaign in which he went unbeaten and registered a Hong Kong record of eight wins in a season. In addition, he set a new all-time prize money record of HK$84,770,000 and earned the equal-highest rating (127) ever achieved by a Hong Kong horse in the LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings. The Patrick Kwok-owned six-year-old also smashed the course record for 1600m at Sha Tin when he had to concede weight to all other rivals in the G2 BOCHK Wealth Management Jockey Club Mile. The Champion Miler completed a clean sweep in all the Group One mile races this term, including going back-to-back in the big two for his division, the LONGINES Hong Kong Mile and the FWD Champions Mile. Zac Purton was in the saddle for every one of his races this term. Meanwhile, Beauty Generation also secured the bulk of the public vote to claim the Most Popular Horse title. A graduate of Libby and Sam Bleakley’s Highden Park, Beauty Generation, a son of Road To Rock, was sold for just $60,000 at New Zealand Bloodstock’s Select Yearling Sale, with Kylie Bax’ Hermes Syndications signing the docket. He was later traded privately from Anthony Cummings Sydney stable after a Group One placing in Australia. Beauty Generation is crowned Horse of the Year and owner Mr. Patrick Kwok Ho Chuen receives the trophy. Beat The Clock, a graduate of New Zealand Bloodstock’s Ready To Run Sale where he was sold for $200,000 by the Van Dyke family’s Prima Park, was named the season’s Champion Sprinter. The John Size-trained five-year-old was a dual Group One victor this term, claiming the Centenary Sprint Cup and the Chairman’s Sprint Prize. The Hinchinbrook gelding, who was bought by Bill Mitchell for Merrick Chung, continued to be a model of consistency with two wins, two seconds and two thirds from just six starts this term, all at Group race level – he has placed in the first three in all of his 21 starts in Hong Kong. Zac Purton sealed the Champion Jockey title for a third time and was also elected the Most Popular Jockey of the Year. The Australian rider had a fantastic season, becoming only the second jockey to reach 1000 wins in Hong Kong. He also set a new single season prize money record, and could yet match or better Joao Moreira’s all-time record of 170 wins in a season at the 2018/19 season finale on Sunday, 14 July. Lifetime Achievement Award, the season’s Champion Trainer award and the winner of the Tony Cruz Award for the season’s leading homegrown rider will be revealed and presented during racing at Sunday’s season finale at Sha Tin. View the full article

Mauna Kea heads will contest the Whyte Handicap (1600m) at Trentham. Hawera trainer Paul Moseley has no reason to doubt his consistent galloper Mauna Kea heading into Saturday’s El Cheapo Cars Whyte Handicap (1600m) at Trentham but admits his mind has been working over-time pondering what might prevent the son of Per Incanto from claiming the lion’s share of the $40,000 stake. From the testing Trentham track to second-up syndrome and the looming shadows of top-rater Dolcetto and improving race-rival Our Bandit, Moseley doesn’t ooze the confidence of the punters that have made his last-start winner the $3.20 favourite. But he would not be surprised to see his ginger horse, affectionately known as Borris, salute again. “We didn’t expect to win fresh-up and I’m a great believer in the second-up syndrome, where they quite often go poorly after winning like he did. But he’s a simple horse and he just does what he’s got to do,” Moseley said. “He’s just Borris, he just goes out and does it. He doesn’t seem to improve from one run to the next. He has been like that since we got him. “He basically jumps out and sits wherever you want him.” After initially pre-training the now five-year-old, Moseley was pleased to receive the horse back from good supporter Allan Sharrock, who trained Mauna Kea for his first seven starts for a couple of placings. “We’ve had a lot of Allan’s cast-offs over the years owned by Eddie Bourke, but even though Eddie isn’t in the ownership of this one, Allan had it in his mind to send him back to us. “When we first got him, he was a little nugget chestnut horse with no brains, but he has been very consistent.” In his subsequent 13 career starts for Moseley, Mauna Kea has won six races and been placed on a further four occasions. Robbie Hannam will ride Mauna Kea on Saturday at 54.5kgs, receiving a whopping seven-kilo pull in the weights from last-start stakes winner Dolcetto on a testing Heavy11 track. “He’s never been to Wellington in the heavy so that’s what’s going through my head, it’s the ground basically, and they don’t call it the punter’s graveyard for no reason,” Moseley said. “They’ve all got to get through it and the weight-relief from Dolcetto has got to help. The other horse I am a bit scared of is Wayne Marshments one, The Bandit. It looks like it’s coming into form.” With just four horses in work, Moseley, who comes from a renowned racing family, mixes training horses and working for Fonterra, with his wife Dale also an integral part of the operation. “We could do with a few more in work, but it works well balancing work with Fonterra and training a small team,” Moseley said. Moseley is also a fan of his home-training base, which is one of a number of racecourses earmarked for closure from racing, as the industry looks to consolidate. “I think it will carry on as a training centre. It’s the best track in Taranaki,” Moseley said. “There are around 60 horses working here, a third of which are trotters, and there are seven or eight tracks to work on, with a plough, grass and sand. Hawera-trained horses have always done well and I think a lot of it is down to having good training tracks.” View the full article

Apprentice jockey Tina Comignaghi picked up a double at Phar Lap Raceway on Tuesday, securing her 100th career riding win. The South Island hoop recorded her 99th win aboard Miss Ricky Bobby in the More FM Sprint (1200m). Later in the card Comignaghi was able to kick home Rainman to win the Hardgrave Decorating Mile (1600m) aboard Rainman for employers John and Karen Parsons, to bring up a century of wins in the saddle for the 29-year-old. Indentured to the Parsons, Comignaghi is in her fifth season of riding in New Zealand and is currently experiencing her best term with 40 wins. View the full article