Chief Stipe

No more fake than your posts. Both carried 65kg's!

Dexter Dunn. There is good news and bad for fans of champion harness racing driver Dexter Dunn. The good news is the Kiwi superstar of the sulky is killing it in his first full season in North America. The bad news is, that means he won’t be seen back driving here any time soon. Or, in fact, maybe ever. Dunn left for the States last winter hoping to break into the big time but knew just how hard difficult that could be. He honestly thought he might last three months but hoped to build a foundation to make a real go of a career this year or the next. But after 210 wins this year alone worth US$3,792,250 in stakes, Dunn sits in the top echelon of North American harness reinsmen. He is the fourth highest-earning driver in the United States and Canada and sits 13th on the two-country premiership but that is often skewered toward drivers who dominate at smaller tracks and wrack up some huge numbers, whereas Dunn is based in the most competitive harness racing scene in the world. Dunn’s numbers are huge themselves, with his 1336 drives so far this year already well past the 1263 drives he had in 2009, his busiest ever seaso in New Zealand. The North America season is the calendar year, so the now 29-year-old has driven more horses and nearly as many winners as his best New Zealand’s season at just the half way stage of their season. “To be honest, it has been gone remarkably well,” Dunn told the Herald. “I knew it would be hard to break into over here because I had tried before so for it to go this well is very satisfying. “I have had a lot of support from some really good people and I’ve also worked pretty hard.” That has meant a huge change in lifestyle for Dunn, who might have driven three or four days a week on average in New Zealand but now often drives at two meetings in a day and drives in some capacity almost every day. “There is a lot of racing over here so the lifestyle is simply that, racing,” says Dunn. “I have had days where I have driven 25 horses at two different meetings, and that is just the actual races. “And then we have the qualifiers (trials) which often has like a dozen heats for the babies alone at this time of the year. “And if you want to get good drives you need to be driving at the qualifiers too. “So I drove right through the winter to get established and that really helped. “But it is a life that doesn’t leave a lot of room for anything else”Dunn has already tasted elite level success in the Fan Hanover in Canada and finished second in the North America Cup there and when the Herald caught up with him Monday night (US time) he has just driven a treble at Yonkers. But what comes next is more important, with the richest races just around the corner as well as the dream of getting on a special juvenile pacer. “There are a lot of really big races coming up and that will be fun. “But it is also very different from back home. The outsiders don’t tend to win here quite as often and obviously we don’t get driving fees, so driving in all those races doesn’t matter as much as stakes do. “It has gone incredibly well though so I have no plans to come back home to drive any time soon,” says the 10-time NZ premiership winner. Michael Guerin View the full article

Mel Mara beating Sweet Lou as a three-year-old at The Red Mile Mel Mara 1:47 ($1,028,397), a world champion racehorse and conqueror of the world’s two fastest harness racing pacers Always B Miki (1:46) and McWicked (1:46.2) and the outstanding Sweet Lou (1:47), will be standing his introductory season at Northern Rivers Equine Veterinary Clinic, Kyabram, near Shepparton, of Dr Kath McIntosh. His will stand for a fee of $2,500 including GST in Australia and $2,500 plus GST in New Zealand. Mel Mara’s record speaks for itself and entitles him to the claim of being one of the best performed stallions ever offered for service in Australia. A real speed merchant, Mel Mara paced a winning mile in 1:47 on a mile track and 1:47.2 on a five-eighths track and was race-timed between 1:47 and 1:47.4 on five occasions. He paced six winning miles in sub 1:49 and 15 in 1:50 or better and is one of only two horses ever to record six final quarters in better than 26 seconds. In all, Mel Mara won 26 races and was placed on 27 occasions for $1,028,397 in stakes. He took his record of 1:47, winning in Free-for-all company at The Meadowlands, in which he comfortably defeated the two fastest horses in history, Always B Miki and McWicked, leading from the outset and carving out the last half in a sensational 52.4 with a last quarter in 25.4. The time equalled the world record for an older pacing stallion on a mile track and was only a tick outside the all-time world mark. Mel Mara defeating the two fastest horses in history, Always B Miki 1:46 and McWicked 1:46.3 Mel Mara in a world record 1 47, last quarter in 25 4 A winner in 1:52 as a two-year-old, Mel Mara competed against one of the greatest ever crops of three-year-olds, winning four races with four placings for $339,080 in stakes. The highlight of his sophomore season was his brilliant come-from-behind win in the $130,000 Ontario Sires Stakes Gold Series Final in 1:51.8, beating the Little Brown Jug winner Michael’s Power 1:48.1 ($1.9m) and Warrawee Needy 1:46.4 ($1.2m). He also won a division of the Bluegrass Stakes at The Red Mile, sitting parked throughout in 1:49.4 with the last quarter in 26.1, and finished runner-up in an Ontario Sires Stakes Gold Final, John Simpson Memorial and a Breeders Crown elimination. Mel Mara later competed with real distinction against the leading open class pacers in North America. He won two eliminations of the Ben Franklin at Pocono Downs and finished a neck second in the $500,000 Final and third in the $116,000 Allerage Farm Pace in 1:48.2 at The Red Mile. The list of champion pacers that Mel Mara met and defeated reads like a classics date book. They include Always B Miki 1:46 ($2.8m), Sweet Lou 1:47 ($3.4m), McWicked 1:46.2 ($4.1m), Foiled Again 1:48 ($7.6m), Clear Vision 1:48.2 ($2.7m), Michael’s Power 1:48.1 ($1.9m), Warrawee Needy 1:46.4 ($1.2m), Bolt The Duer1:47.4 ($1.8m) and Rockin Ron 1:47.2 ($1.6m), to name only a few. A commanding individual, 16 hands, foaled in 2009, Mel Mara is the fastest and richest son of former champion pacer Lis Mara 1:47.3 ($2.1m) and as a representative of the famed Cam Fella sire line his influence promises to be widely exerted. M L Revrac, the dam of Mel Mara, is a member of one of America’s greatest families – that tracing to Jessie Pepper – a tribe noted for producing top racehorses and leading sires. M L Revrac, dam of four winners (three in 1:55), is by the great Matt’s Scooter, sire of Mach Three among others, from Just Peachy, dam of six winners with two in 1:55, by Nihilator from the Stakes-winning mare Peach Bottom 1:55.3 ($348,609), from the outstanding matron Gidget Lobell, the dam of seven winners including the great No Nukes. Others from this branch of the Jessie Pepper family have been Rock N Roll Heaven 1:47.3 ($2.7m), the Canadian champion Silent Swing 1:48.4 ($2m), Clear Vision 1:48.2 ($2.7m), the Adios Stake winner Armbro Animate 1:50.1 ($1.2m) and Survivor Gold 1:51 ($897,929). For bookings, a test mating or further information contact Dr Kath McIntosh at Northern Rivers Equine Veterinary Clinic on phone 0427 497 429 or (03) 5852 2845 or visit the website www.nrequine.com.au Peter Wharton View the full article

Probabeel and jockey Opie Bosson after winning the Karaka Million 2YO (1200m) at Ellerslie in January. Te Akau took out the trifecta in the Karaka Million 2YO (1200m) earlier this year with Probabeel, Aotea Lad, and Yourdeel dead-heating for third with Appellant, and trainer Jamie Richards said the rising three-year-olds are coming to hand nicely ahead of their spring campaigns. Yourdeel went from strength-to-strength after his placing in the Karaka Million 2YO, winning three Group races on-end, including the Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m) at Ellerslie and the Gr.1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) at Awapuni in March. A set plan has yet to be planned for the son of Dundeel. “Yourdeel is ticking along nicely and is getting ready to trial. We will sit down with Chris (Rutten, owner) and the boys closer to the time and map out a bit of a program with him.” Aotea Lad had five starts as a juvenile, all at stakes level, taking out the Gr.2 Wakefield Challanege Stakes (1100m) at Trentham on debut last December, before going onto finish runner-up in three consecutive races. The son of Savabeel is being set to tackle the Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld NZ 2000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton in November and is likely to kick-off his three-year-old season in the Gr.3 Cambridge Stud Northland Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) at Ruakaka in September. “Aotea Lad will trial twice and probably run in that race at Ruakaka, we have used that three-year-old race up there to kick them off and set-weights seems to suit,” Richards said. “He’ll be put on a path towards the 2000 Guineas, whether that means he goes to the South Island a little bit earlier or he goes through Hastings and Te Rapa, we’ll just let him tell us.” The Brendan and Jo Lindsay-owned Probabeel had a strong two-year-old season, winning three of her four starts in New Zealand before finishing fifth and sixth in her two start Australian campaign. The daughter of Savabeel will likely return to Australian shores in spring, however, a decision has yet to be made whether that will be to Melbourne or Sydney. “Probabeel looks great, she is coming up well,” Richards said. “She is a big, strong filly and she could well be on a plane back to Sydney or Melbourne. “We’ll trial her twice and sit down with Brendan and Jo and work out a bit of a program.” Te Akau have a rich history in the Karaka Million 2YO, having won the last three runnings of the race and Richards believes they could have the firepower once again to be competitive in the rich 1200m race. “There would be no reason why the other horses (rising two-year-olds in the stable) couldn’t step up and perform like they have been over the last couple of seasons,” he said. “Dave (Ellis, Te Akau Principal) was the strongest he has ever been at Karaka and we are really looking forward to seeing how the young crop of horses can come through.” One yearling that Richards thinks could develop into a possible contender is the Written Tycoon colt out of Redoute’s Choice mare Into the Groove. Ellis went to $475,000 to secure the colt out of Hallmark Stud’s Book 1 draft at Karaka earlier this year and Rirchards said he is showing promising signs at this early stage. “There are a lot of nice horses here going through the paces. At this very early stage there is a nice Written Tycoon colt that is part of Dave’s stallion syndicate, and he looks early. “He could well be a Karaka Million horse. He’s just a beautiful colt with a great attitude and a great action. Whether he is a natural two-year-old, I am not sure. “We have also got some nice Savabeels there, a More Than Ready colt, and a Pins colt that are all coming up well. “Until we put a little bit more pressure on it’s a little bit unknown, but I’m looking forward to seeing how they progress through the winter and into the spring.” View the full article

Promising hurdler El Corby (outside). A tilt at next month’s Hospitality New Zealand Canterbury Grand National Hurdles (4200m) at Riccarton is beckoning El Corby if he can regain is best form at Te Aroha on Sunday. Te Awamutu trainer Clinton Isdale is expecting the Istidaad nine-year-old to bounce back to his best after his first hurdle for the stable ended in disappointment in last month’s Awapuni Hurdles (2900m). “He was unlucky. He was travelling really well into the race. He was coming off the bridle nicely when another horse fell in front of him,” Isdale said. “He had nowhere to go and went down over the top of him. We were confident with him going into the race. He’d won well on the flat the start before and he was working well. “He’s come through it fine. He hasn’t left any feed. We’ve had the chiropractor go over him and his work has been good, so it’s all go for Sunday. With a bit of luck this weekend, we’re hoping he can win.” A winner of three of his 14 hurdle starts, including two in the role at Te Aroha, El Corby looks a leading prospect in the Victor & Frank Matijasevich Open Hurdle (3100m). “We just want to finish a jumps race because he’s had no luck. If he could win, we’d think about getting him to Christchurch for the Grand National.” Sunday’s race will be El Corby’s fifth start in Isdale’s care, having previously been trained by owner Graham Falconer. “I rode work for Graham all the time and he thought rather than bring him to the track every morning himself, he’d leave him with me. He’s been with me this whole preparation,” Isdale said. It’s shaping as a busy weekend for Isdale, who will produce Colorado Bay in the Richards Construction 1200 at Awapuni on Saturday, hoping to improve on his third placing at the track two starts back, while Georgethefifth looks the horse to beat in the maiden steeplechase at Te Aroha and he will don the silks himself to ride Gingee in the amateur riders’ race the same day. Georgethefifth was beaten a nose at his steeplechasing debut last month at Te Aroha. “First time going over the steeplechase fences, he just got a bit lost. He just didn’t have the fence to follow and didn’t really know what it was all about,” Isdale said. “He got a bit tired but he rallied well again late. He will be better for that first experience of chasing and we’d like to think he’d go close.” Isdale has had 13 rides as an amateur jockey for two wins and was optimistic of a bold run from Gingee on Sunday. “He’s had two starts at Te Aroha for two placings. He fell last start but I’ll roll forward and put him into the race and see what can happen. “I love the amateur races. It’s a good break from the training. I haven’t ridden in as many as I’d have liked this season because I went up to China to help Craig Thornton and with 20 in work, it’s hard to justify a trip away for the day.” View the full article

Premier Brisbane trainer Tony Gollan will have a large number of runners at Doomben on Saturday but much interest in his team will centre of the debut of two-year-old Knight Mariner (NZ) (Tavistock). The colt, who will be having his first start in the Madam Wu Two Year Old (1350m), has impressed in a recent trial. Knight Mariner was picked out of Riverrock Farm’s 2018 NZB Ready To Run Sale draft for $240,000 by Gollan’s bloodstock adviser John Foote, as a possible future stayer. He is bred to be a top-class stayer being by the sire of many Group One staying race winners in Tavistock and out of the staying bred mare Soltina (NZ) who is a half-sister to Group One winner Captivate. Gollan first trialled Knight Mariner in February when he ran second and then put him away to further mature. “He is a lovely big horse, but he isn’t the full package just yet,” Gollan said. “Knight Mariner is bred to be a good stayer and maybe he could be our Derby horse next year. But that is getting a long way in front of ourselves and let’s take things slowly. “Whatever he does on Saturday he will improve on. But I like giving these staying bred horses their first starts over a bit of ground late in the season.” Knight Mariner was second in handy time in a trial at Doomben two weeks ago when he hit the line hard. Jim Byrne, who rode him in the trial, will again have the mount on Saturday. -AAP View the full article

Melody Belle. The darling of the New Zealand turf is nearing a return to the track after a favourable winter preparation. Melody Belle, who is all but assured of taking home the title of New Zealand Horse of the Year after winning five Group One races this season, has pleased trainer Jamie Richards with her work and he said she will likely trial at Te Rapa in the coming weeks. “We are looking forward to next season with her,” he said. “She has done well through the winter and she will trial in about ten days at Te Rapa. She will have a couple of trials like she did last year.” The rising five-year-old daughter of Commands is set to take a similar path in the spring as last year, however, the Fortuna Syndicate-raced mare will also tackle the Gr.1 Livamol Classic (2040m) at Hastings. “If the weather plays havoc she’ll just shoot away for a gallop and then she will head to the Foxbridge (Gr.2, 1200m). We have opted to try and win the triple crown at Hastings with her.” While a tilt at Australia in the spring remains a possibility, her connections are eyeing the All Star Mile (1600m) in autumn. “We’ll just see how her form is like in the spring, what we would like to do is get her ready for the All Star Mile at Flemington,” Richards said. “She was about to be given a wild card this year, but she had done a fair bit of travelling by that stage of the season. “I think if we were able to aim her towards Hastings, then possibly Australia if she was going good enough, and then give her a break. Then head to that race (All Star Mile) and maybe Sydney afterwards, that would be a pretty good looking campaign.” View the full article

Cyber Attack. Cambridge trainer Tony Pike has experienced a successful Queensland winter campaign, headlined by The Bostonian’s Group One double, and he is hoping to cap it off in style at Doomben on Saturday. Stable runner Cyber Attack will contest the QTIS Three-Year-Old Handicap (1350m) after two previous unplaced runs in Australia this preparation and Pike expects a better result on Saturday with the gelding. “If he brings his best form, he should go close,” he said. “He was a bit tardy out of the barriers last start and lost his spot and ended up in a terrible position. “Each time he’s had to come to the outside after he got too far back. He’s better off coming through the field.” Cyber Attack won’t be Pike’s last runner in Australia this winter, with Sacred Day set to contest the Listed Grafton Cup (2350m) next week. View the full article

Platinum Rapper leads a strong team at Awapuni on Saturday for local trainer Lisa Latta. Lisa Latta is poised to become a $20 million woman this weekend. The Palmerston North trainer has 12 horses entered for Awapuni on Saturday and with several strong chances engaged, she looks likely to bank the $22,000 she needs to break $20 million in New Zealand stakes earnings, according to NZTR figures. It is believed she will become the first woman to reach the mark. “I hadn’t realised I was getting close to $20 million and it’s not something you ever think about but it’s always nice to hit these milestones,” Latta said. “We’ve got a good team in and 12 is pretty much the usual number we have for an Awapuni meeting. We’ve got horses that should handle the wet track and some really nice chances.” Exciting Makfi filly Platinum Rapper headlines the Latta team at Awapuni, tackling the BJW Motors 3YO 1200, having placed behind Dolcetto and Rosewood in the Listed Ag Challenge Stakes (1600m) at Wanganui last month. “The 1200m might be a bit sharp for her this weekend but I’m really happy with her,” Latta said. “She had a couple of weeks in the paddock after Wanganui. It was a great run against the older horses at weight-for-age. We went there looking for black-type and it was nice to get it, especially as a three-year-old. “She’s always shown quite a bit right the way through and she handles it wet, though I don’t know about bottomless. She should be doing her best work late on Saturday. The way the track will be, it will race more like 1400m anyway.” A younger half-sister to Latta’s Gr.3 Winter Cup (1600m) winner from last year Platinum Command, Platinum Rapper was a $55,000 Karaka yearling buy on the advice of Neville McAlister, who races the filly with Lincoln Farms Bloodstock. While Latta said there were few similarities between the siblings, both have the Winning Edge Presentations Winter Cup at Riccarton on August 3 as their main targets. “She’ll have one more run, at New Plymouth on Opunake Cup day, either in the Opunake Cup or the three-year-old race that day,” Latta said. “She’ll get into the Winter Cup on the minimum.” Latta, who sits on 949 New Zealand wins, rated last-start Trentham winner Platinum Spirit as one of the stable’s best chances at Awapuni in the Rayner Building 2YO 1200 but expected her whole team to run well. View the full article

Gifted. Riccarton-based owner-trainer Taylor Burnett couldn’t be happier with his $2,500 gavelhouse.com purchase Gifted. Having bought the Alamosa mare in May 2018, the now five-year-old took her earnings to almost $46,000 since her move to the South with a gritty victory at Ashburton yesterday. Off the back of a win less than a fortnight ago at Riccarton Park, Gifted proved once again just how tough she really is, leading the entire 1600m trip to beat her rivals home by a long neck. “It was a great performance from her,” offered Burnett. “Going into the race the track was probably a little bit firm to what she prefers.” Apprentice rider Tanya Jonker has struck up a solid relationship with the mare, piloting her to all three of her Southern wins with Burnett attributing her intuition as part of yesterday’s success “Having lead the entire trip was a different way of racing for her but Tanya knows the horse well and that was where she was happiest.” “She has pulled up really well, she came home and ate up all her dinner. It’s like she hasn’t raced.” “We are still aiming for Grand National week with her but for now she will have the next couple of days off and come August, we will see how she is feeling and go from there.” Gifted was sold on account of Wellfield Lodge having won one for Kevin Gray and is out of the stakes-placed Groom Dancer mare Her Hidden Talent. View the full article

The allowances distort the stats when onr is comparing the weight that the handicapper gave originally. Yesterday at Whanganui high weight horses without allowances won all the races on a bog H11 except the last. With the last race the winner, the hot favourite, was so good it could have carried its carded weight and more and still bolted in. I would say the apprentice allowance on a heavy track tipsters got a thrashing yesterday.

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Rule Number(s): Rule 632 (1)Following the running of Race 4, the Mainland Coachwork Ltd Rating 65, an information was filed by Stipendiary Steward, Mr D Wadley, requesting a ruling under Rule 632 as to whether KING OF THE DANCE, ridden by Mr D Prastiyou, received a fair start. Mr P Corbett, trainer of KING OF THE DANCE, was present ...View the full article

Rule Number(s): 614(2)Following the running of Race 5, the JJ’s Ltd Open Handicap, an Information was filed by Stipendiary Steward, Mr D Wadley, against Licensed Trainer Ms J Gordon, alleging neglect in saddling (2) SHAKTI and (3) THE GORDONIAN by presenting both runners bearing the wrong saddlecloth numbers. Rule 614(2) ...View the full article

You not the RIU are ignorant in this case. There is NO Heavy 12! 6mls on a H11 would make stuff all difference. So increase the rating to 12 what happens when there is 6mls on it? Bring in a H13? Now the only argument Vile might have had was it was a H10 not a H11 BEFORE 6mls. He would have been well and truly stuffed in OZ as they stop at H10!

Admiral winning at Tauranga last month. Te Awamutu horseman Stephen Ralph has experienced one of his biggest seasons-to-date and he can now call himself a Group One-winning trainer after the deeds of Santa Monica in the Railway (1200m) at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day. It was a career highlight for Ralph who later in the season picked up his second stakes win of the term when Speedy Meady dead-heated the Gr.3 Cambridge Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) at Te Rapa with Vigor Winner. “It has been enormous (this season),” Ralph said. “The prizemoney has been great and the two stakes wins have been awesome.” Ralph is looking forward to next season with both runners, who could kick-off their campaigns in the Gr.2 US Navy Flag Foxbridge Plate (1200m) at Te Rapa next month. “They have both had their first 300m gallops this (Wednesday) morning,” Ralph said. “We are absolutely stoked with them, especially Santa Monica. She had three months out and she has come back looking more of a mature horse, a lot stronger, and has the same demeanor about her. “Hopefully we can kick-off like we did last year and that could be in the Foxbridge.” While Ralph is pleased with the way Speedy Meady has spelled, he still thinks the best is yet to come from the son of Swiss Ace. “With Speedy Meady, we still look at him and think he is immature,” he said. “He’s 16.1 hands, but he doesn’t look it. We just feel the best is yet to come with him. “He has shown he has got the ability. He could miss the Foxbridge Plate, but they will go through the same prep together and we will just see how far they can get.” Meanwhile, Ralph has his focus set on Te Rapa this weekend where Admiral will line-up in the US Navy Flag Foxbridge Plate 17 Aug 1600. The seven-year-old gelding pleased his connections with his 1-1/4 length victory on a Heavy11 track at Tauranga last start and Ralph believes he can make it back-to-back wins on Saturday. “I can’t fault him, I am absolutely rapt with him,” he said. “His work on Tuesday was right where we wanted it. “We couldn’t be happier with the way he is working. I just thought he was really strong last start. “The race before at Ruakaka, it was a fitness race for him, and everything that we wanted to do worked out, it set him up nicely for Tauranga. “He has improved since then, so I think the only thing that will beat him will be the track or a bad ride.” Admiral has won all seven of his starts on a heavy surface, and with the track rated a Soft7 on Wednesday, Ralph is hoping the wet weather forecast is accurate heading into the weekend. “I think the only problem we have got, because we have the perfect draw (barrier three), is the track itself,” Ralph said. “He’s so strong on those heavy tracks and he has got that high cruising speed, he just keeps going.” The son of Align will once again be ridden by apprentice jockey Eilish McCall, with Ralph electing to utilise her three kilogram claim. “Eilish has been going really well on him and she is hitting a bit of a purple patch at the moment,” Ralph said. “Now she knows the horse, which is even better, and I think her confidence is pretty high.” View the full article

OK OK guys I got it wrong - at least I admitted it!

As you were however you didn't state the date in your post. The same principles apply though. 12mls fell overnight on a track that would have already been at field capacity.

No "hate" narrative Thomaas - don't take it personally but you are writing crap! The track was rated a Heavy 11 at 6:20 am this morning. FACT. 21mls of rain (nearly an inch in imperial terms) fell overnight. FACT. For a track where the soil was already at field capacity 6mls makes no difference! FACT. The forecast was for more heavy rain falls during the day. FACT. Vile made an error. He may get a refund though if the forecast rain eventuates as the meeting may be abandoned probably due to vision issues and/or surface water.

Reliable Team winning at Happy Valley on Wednesday. New Zealand-bred horses were active at Hong Kong’s Happy Valley racecourse on Wednesday, taking out half of the eight race card. Zacinto gelding Not Usual Talent took his Hong Kong record to three wins from 10 starts when victorious in the Class 2 Hoi Ha Handicap (1650m). The Benno Yung-trained four-year-old was ridden by Aldo Domeyer and while pleased with the win, he expects to see improvement from the gelding in the new season. “He was a bit clumsy amongst horses but once I gave him daylight he was fluent, he actually quickened for a big horse, which is quite nice,” Domeyer said. “When they’re relaxed like that and quicken with such a long stride, I think they’ve always got a chance. Something about him makes me think he’ll be better next season.” Not Usual Talent was purchased out of Ascot Farm’s 2016 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale draft for $34,000 and went on to win two of his three starts in New Zealand for former trainer Stephen Marsh before his move to Hong Kong. Domeyer went on to ride fellow Kiwi-bred Sparkling Dragon to win the Class 3 Lai Chi Chong Handicap (1200m) for trainer Tony Millard. “The horse has unfortunately lost his early speed but you’ve got to hand it to Aldo today, he didn’t panic, he waited and then he came,” Millard said. Sparkling Dragon was sold through Prima Park’s 2016 New Zealand Bloodstock Select Yearling Sale draft for $85,000. Reliable Team added a third win for the New Zealand-breds when taking out the Class 4 Sham Chung Handicap (1200m). Leading Hong Kong jockey Zac Purton was pleased with the win although he believes the gelding still has a lot to learn. “He did a good job, he had a heavy weight (60kg) and the gate (9) wasn’t kind again but he was able to get in a good spot,” he said. “The way the race was run through the mid-section was a little bit kinder this time and I was able to sit and wait and cuddle him to the corner. “He still wants to do a little bit wrong.” The Reliable Man gelding was purchased out of Phoneix Park’s 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale of 2YOs for $430,000. The Casper Fownes-trained Family Leader continued the New Zealand-bred dominance on the night when winning the Class 4 Wong Chuk Wan Handicap (1800m). Fownes was pleased with the win but admitted his gelding was not an easy ride for jockey Vincent Ho. “He’s not the easiest of horses, he’s hard work but (Vincent’s) a fit jockey – a fit horse and an incredibly fit trainer,” Fownes quipped. “I thought his chances were gone when that check (with 450m to go) happened but it’s nice that he picked himself up and persevered – he stayed on strongly. The blinkers first time helped him to focus a little bit.” Family Leader was purchased out of Curraghmore’s 2016 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale draft for $135,000 View the full article

Vincent Ho. If there was a title for the fittest jockey in Hong Kong, Vincent Ho would certainly be a contender and the many hours spent hitting pads in the gym paid off for him in the Class 4 Wong Chuk Wan Handicap (1800m). The rider had to niggle the Caspar Fownes-trained Family Leader from the outset to race in fifth spot, and, through pelting rain, he was hard at it before the field of 12 had reached the 600m pole. There was no respite for the jockey’s busy arms: a check 450m out made the task more strenuous, but Ho was up to it, driving from six lengths down at the turn to clinch a grinding last stride victory. “He’s not the easiest of horses, he’s hard work but (Vincent’s) a fit jockey – a fit horse and an incredibly fit trainer!” Fownes quipped. “I thought his chances were gone when that check happened but it’s nice that he picked himself up and persevered – he stayed on strongly. The blinkers first time helped him to focus a little bit.” It was a first win for the Makfi four-year-old at his 12th start, the bay having placed third over 2200m the time before. “I said to Vincent I’d hoped that he could have got out and got going on him because he’s really dour, he stays all day. The rain helped us a little bit,” Fownes said. Family Leader was purchased out of Curraghmore’s 2016 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier draft for $135,000 when knocked down to Michael Steadman. -HKJC View the full article

Write photo caption here by replacing this text. Zac Purton followed a four-timer at Sha Tin last weekend with a double on Wednesday night that began with victory on the promising Reliable Team. Frankie Lor’s three-year-old made it two from two with a three and a half-length success in the Class 4 Sham Chung Handicap (1200m). “He did a good job, he had a heavy weight (133lb) and the gate (9) wasn’t kind again but he was able to get in a good spot,” the champion jockey said. “The way the race was run through the mid-section was a little bit kinder this time and I was able to sit and wait and cuddle him to the corner.” The Reliable Man gelding flashed his tail when Purton communicated a desire for better focus close home and the rider confirmed that the youngster was babyish in the run. “He still wants to do a little bit wrong,” he said. Reliable Team was purchased by Upper Bloodstock for $430,000 out of Phoenix Park’s 2017 Ready To Run draft. -HKJC View the full article

FFS Vile could have scratched early in the morning without incurring a fine. The 6mls plus of rain occurred BEFORE 6am. It was closer to 10mls. Geez the float wouldn't have even left by then! Wake up Thomaas - Vile made an error.

Jockey Aldo Domeyer Jockey Aldo Domeyer has made a rapid advance since arriving in Hong Kong at the start of May and he annexed his first Hong Kong treble when the promising Not Usual Talent took the finale at Happy Valley on Wednesday night. “I thought I had a pretty fair card and could go well but I didn’t expect it would go as well as it did. From five rides I had three winners and two places, so it all went accordingly,” the South African rider said. “I thought I’d take my chances the way the going was today: horses with bad draws, just sit them in, and horses with good draws, just hold my position. Things worked out quite nicely, I just timed my runs and here we are!” he said after Not Usual Talent had capped earlier wins on Showing Character and Sparkling Dragon. Domeyer’s victory on Not Usual Talent came in the night’s quality contest, the Class 2 Hoi Ha Handicap (1650m). The Benno Yung-trained four-year-old took his Hong Kong record to three wins from 10 starts with a deep-closing half-length verdict over Mr So And So. “He went up nine pounds for his win last time but I still thought it was a handy galloping weight because he was quite fluent in his last win. He’s a big horse so I thought he’d carry the weight, especially on this going, which I thought he’d enjoy more than any other horse,” he said. “He was a bit clumsy amongst horses but once I gave him daylight he was fluent, he actually quickened for a big horse, which is quite nice. When they’re relaxed like that and quicken with such a long stride, I think they’ve always got a chance. Something about him makes me think he’ll be better next season.” Not Usual Talent, a son of Zacinto, was pinhooked as a yearling by Ascot Farm from Park Hill Stables’ 2016 New Zealand Bloodstock South Island draft. He was then purchased out of their Ready To Run draft for $34,000. Domeyer was also successful on Sparkling Dragon in the Class 3 Lai Chi Chong Handicap (1200m). Domeyer delivered the charging O’Reilly gelding late to give Millard his first win since 5 May. “The horse has unfortunately lost his early speed but you’ve got to hand it to Aldo today, he didn’t panic – he waited and then he came,” Millard said. “He’s settling in nicely and he’s getting a nice spread of rides, not just from me, he’s getting a lot of support. He’s very strong, he’s in that same mould as Felix Coetzee – they are tough and they are strong.” -HKJC View the full article

Trainer Leslie Khoo is hoping it was a dislike of Polytrack that was behind Beauty Diva’s lacklustre debut run in Singapore. The Singaporean handler brought the Showcasing two-year-old filly to Kranji with high hopes she would live up to her brilliant fifth place to Probabeel in January’s Karaka Million (1200m). Her New Zealand jockey-turned-trainer Clint Isdale (ex-assistant trainer to Bruce Marsh at Kranji for a short while) told Khoo that Beauty Diva should be a lovely prospect for Singapore, but her first outing in the second Leg of the Singapore Golden Horseshoe series, the Thoroughbred Breeders Australia Centenary Stakes (1100m) on June 9 fell way below expectations. She did show early speed, jumping smartly on the bridle to settle among the leading bunch, but caught three wide. As the pace picked up from the 400m, apprentice jockey Zy Nor Azman tried to dig the filly up to stay in touch, but she noticeably started to fade out to eventually beat two home, more than 18 lengths off the winner Rocket Star. Khoo is not giving up on the filly. He will race her in this Sunday’s fourth and penultimate Leg, the S$75,000 Magic Millions 2YOs in Training Sale Stakes over 1200m, the first instalment to be staged on turf. The last Leg is the Aushorse Golden Horseshoe on July 19, also run over 1200m on turf. “I didn’t expect such a bad run, especially if you consider her good New Zealand form and her run in the Karaka Million,” said Khoo. “She came to us with no problem, has acclimatised well and has been working well, but she didn’t put in the run I was hoping for. Maybe she didn’t like the Polytrack. “She never raced on such a surface in five runs (for one win on debut over 800m at Counties last September). She didn’t look comfortable on it and she also had a hard race. “She is a lot fitter after that first run, and I hope she can run an improved race this Sunday. All goes well, she will run in the Golden Horseshoe.” Khoo has handed the reins to senior rider Benny Woodworth for her second-up run. Khoo also launches another New Zealand-bred juvenile in Communication (x El Roca) in the Magic Millions race, but is not holding his breath for this newcomer raced by the MA Racing No 2 Stable (same owner as his former top three-year-old Lord O’Reilly). “He’s not shown much and I think he’ll need the run. Daniel Moor will ride Communication,” he said. -STC View the full article