Chief Stipe

Geez you write some crap. Given the weather forecast and supposedly past experience of Wanganui PLUS a H11 Vile should have expected what he got! He hardly could have expected the track to improve! Next you will be spouting on about Coppins theory of heavy "holding" or "loose." If you are going to post at least post something sensible.

If you want to enforce change with regard to whipping then any horse where the whip rule is broken should be immediately disqualified.

Eclipse Me and driver Steven Allard. WILKES-BARRE PA – Eclipse Me N equaled the world record for older pacing mares on a 5/8-mile track when she won the $17,500 featured distaff pace in 1:48.2 during the Tuesday harness racing twilight card at the Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono. Eclipse Me N, a seven-year-old daughter of Real Desire coming off a 1:50.4 win at Yonkers, went right to the front for driver Simon Allard and stayed in firm control of the race, going out in :26.3, posting :27.3 splits in the middle for :54.1 and 1:21.4 clockings, and then storming home in :26.3 to equal the divisional world record first established right here at Pocono by Drop The Ball on August 17, 2013. Pocketsitter Shebang N finished two lengths behind the new world champion, who is trained by Rene Allard, is owned by Allard Racing Inc., Yves Sarrazin, and Donald Mac Rae, and reduced her mark from 1:50.1. The freshman trotting colt Paulie Walnuts is perfect after two career starts after a wire-to-wire 1:56.2 victory, not only a lifetime best but also a North American season’s record. The likely reason trainer Gareth Dowse could lure driver Jim Morrill Jr. to Pocono for his first appearance since May 19, Paulie Walnuts went to the front early and had no problems throughout the mile, although Hit Show did very well from the pocket to stay within 1¼ lengths of the winner at the finish. The son of Andover Hall out of D Liteful Hanover (a half-sister to Donato Hanover) looks like a potential stakes colt for owner Howard Taylor. Anthony Napolitano drove five winners on the Tuesday Pocono card, three of them for trainer Jose Godinez. PHHA / Pocono View the full article

Comeback winning at Trentham. Write Article text here. View the full article

Simply Optimistic. Simply Optimistic will be vying to make it back-to-back wins in Sydney on Saturday when he contests the Kensington Handicap (1300m) at Randwick. The Brendon Hawtin-trained gelding won over 1200m at Randwick on a Heavy8 track last month and the Waikato conditioner has been pleased with his progress since then. “He has thrived since his win last start and the extra 100m won’t hurt him,” he said. “The forecast in Sydney towards the end of the week is for rain, so there’s every chance that they will be running on a similar track. “Things are looking good there, so I am looking forward to the weekend.” The son of Encosta De Lago will be ridden by Hugh Bowman and Hawtin said he will take his advice onboard when planning the next steps with his charge. “We are not going to plan too far ahead, we just want to get this one out of the road and hopefully he runs well,” he said. “Hugh will be able to jump off and give us a good guide on how high we can set our goals this prep. We just don’t want to get too far ahead of ourselves at this stage.” View the full article

If you have a product to sell let me know.

Rule Number(s): 869(2)- Use of the Whip RegulationsFollowing the running of Race 1, Ultimate Machete at Alabar Mobile Pace, an information was filed by Chief Stipendiary Steward, Mr N M Ydgren, against Licensed Junior Driver, Ms A S Mugford, alleging that Ms Mugford, as the driver of DON’T TELL ANGE in the race, “used her whip on more occasions than ...View the full article

Brendan and Jo Lindsay have purchased a 10 percent share in Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) aspirant Blue Breeze. Auckland Cup-placed Blue Breeze will race in the Cambridge Stud colours this spring as the stayer attempts to qualify for this year’s $A8 million Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington. Brendan and Jo Lindsay have bought a 10 percent share in the five-year-old Bullbars gelding stayer ahead of an ambitious Melbourne Cup bid. Breeder Tony Gavigan said the current ownership group had sold down their shareholdings and the Lindsays’ buy-in would cover the costs of Blue Breeze’s upcoming Australian campaign. Byerley Park-based Allan Morley will continue to train the horse. “Brendan and Jo Lindsay have bought 10 percent from the existing owners equally and have also acquired the rights to have their Cambridge Stud colours on board,” Gavigan said. “He’ll be nominated for the Melbourne Cup and we’ll see how he comes along. He’s been in work since the first of May and he’s going well. He ran the last 600m of his work at Byerley Park on Friday in 35.7 (seconds).” Blue Breeze is set to resume at Ruakaka on Saturday week and will probably have one further run in New Zealand before tackling the Listed Wyong Cup (2100m) on September 6. He will then contest the Gr.3 Newcastle Cup (2300m) a fortnight later before a shot at the Gr.1 Metropolitan Handicap (2400m) at Randwick on October 5. “He’ll fly to Sydney on the first Monday in September and run in the Wyong Cup the following Friday,” Gavigan said. “On my calculations, we’ll need 53kg to make the Melbourne Cup field and we expect to get maybe 52kg so he will need a rehandicap from the Metropolitan to make the Cup field. “His Auckland Cup placing means he is fully qualified for the first balloting clause. We will use a New South Wales jockey in New South Wales and a Melbourne Cup-proven jockey should he make the field.” A winner of three of his 23 starts, Blue Breeze finished third to Igraine in this season’s Gr.3 Counties Cup (2100m) at Pukekohe, second in the Gr.2 Avondale Cup (2400m) and third in the Gr.1 Auckland Cup (3200m), both of those Ellerslie races won by Glory Days. “Igraine’s win in the Caloundra Cup (Listed, 2400m) and Glory Days’ third placing in the Sydney Cup (Gr.1, 3200m) gives us a good line on his form,” said Gavigan, who raced the Robert Priscott-trained Plume d’or Veille, who finished eighth in the 1989 Melbourne Cup. “Blue Breeze is a better two-miler. He’s a rising six-year-old and is only just now fully mature.” View the full article

Jacob McKay with Mighty Connor after his win at Te Rapa in April. While on face value three-year-old gelding Mighty Connor didn’t have an overly successful three-year-old campaign, trainer Jacob McKay believes the son of Sebring can breakthrough at stakes level in the coming season. McKay purchased Mighty Connor out of Little Avondale Stud’s 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale draft for $40,000 and he is now eyeing sprint features with his gelding after he competed up to 2200m this season. “I bought him thinking that he would be a two-year-old,” McKay said. “He is only a small horse, so it was a pretty big effort to get up over ground and compete against the older horses as well when he won at Te Rapa (over 2200m). “I was probably a bit tough on him. We threw him in the deep end a few times for some of those staying races with black-type. “I still think that at some point he is going to be good enough to win a stakes race. He has just been quite immature.” Mighty Connor has returned to McKay’s Matamata barn after spelling since his unplaced run in the Gr.2 Valachi Downs Championship Stakes (2100m) at Ellerslie in April and McKay is eyeing some Group One sprint targets with his charge. “He has had a nice, long spell and is back in work now and we will wait for the better tracks in the spring time for him,” he said. “If he can come up good enough I’d like to get to something like a Railway (Gr.1, 1200m) or Telegraph (Gr.1, 1200m) or something like that with him, but there is a bit of water to pass under the bridge and he has got to come up good enough. “Long-term for next season either of those two races would be likely targets for him.” Meanwhile, stablemate Mr Universe is also being set on a stakes path after showing signs of improvement towards the end of his three-year-old preparation. “What he did towards the end of the season I think showed a bit of his ability. Even though he was only in rating races, his closing sectionals were better than the Group sprints that were on the same day,” McKay said. “That was the case down in Palmerston North and up at Ellerslie, so he definitely has got the ability there. “He is still a colt, so he is going to have to be getting some black-type pretty soon to warrant staying a colt. I think he has got the ability there, he’s just got to get it right on the day.” View the full article

Tom Nally. Seventeen year old Tom Nally was destined to get into harness racing one way or another. His grandfather Vin Nally has been involved in the industry in Southland since the 1970s and he was always keen to get the next generation involved. “I never knew too much about horses and only knew he worked with them when I was about eleven. That’s when I clicked onto it. I love going out there its great fun,” Tom said. He said a few of Vin’s grandchildren helped out at the Nally farm at Makarewa over the holidays and he enjoyed breaking in young stock with his grandfather. Some of those included Maidonthebeach (7 wins), Tiziano (8 wins), Holly Havoc a recent winner at Forbury Park, and Whiskeyinthejar. Tom left school when he was 16. “School wasn’t really my thing. I just wanted to start working with horse’s full time.” Most of the horses Vin Nally breaks in are for his good friend Graham Cooney and they all head to Ryal Bush trainer Hamish Hunter, which is where Tom has ended up as well. He says the move has given him the chance to learn how to drive and rate horses. “I used to like working with the young ones but lately I’ve loved driving them. I’ve come a long way. Hamish and Vincey have taught me a lot.” Nally works between thirty five to fifty hours a week at Hunters and he says driving a horse to a stopwatch has been one of the more challenging aspects of his probation. “It didn’t come easy for a start and it took me a while to get the hang of it especially round different tracks. I’ve been getting better lately.” He currently holds a stable hands licence and has almost completed the required number of workout drives to get his trials licence. “I’ve got three more drives at the workouts and then in September or October I’ll be able to get it.” Nally is also a part of the Southland Cadet Scheme and says he enjoys the activities and being part of the group. “It’s good fun actually and it’s not too hard. The bookwork is the hardest for me because I’m not really into that sort of stuff but I knuckle down and do it. I’ll get it done and get my licenses.” He says the best horse he’s driven is Maidonthebeach while the best horse he’s seen racing is Scarrymcleary, owned by Vin and The Dolomite Syndicate,. He’s won thirteen pacing and a further eight trotting. He rates Matty Williamson as his favourite driver. Bruce Stewart View the full article

Tristan Larsen. Sixteen year old Tristan Larsen has always been around horses with his father Kirk and mother Michelle running a successful harness racing stable at Branxholme. “I just sat on Dad’s knee when I was younger and started from there,” he said. The first horse he was allowed to drive was Auckland Cup winner Howard Bromac. “He was sort of retired, and Dad let me drive him. He was quiet and nice to drive.” Although the fire was lit early on, it really sparked into life when Tristan leased his first horse. “What really got me into it was leasing a horse off Nevele R Stud. He was by Changeover and I broke him in and did all the work with it. That got me really keen. Unfortunately he broke down before Larsen got him to the races. Larsen left school in January this year and at the moment is working at his father’s stable and also for Ryal Bush trainer Brett Gray. “It works out really well for me. I do two hours at Dad’s in the morning, I go to Brett’s at about 8:30 and when I get home I help Dad again. It’s good being in two stables, getting more drives.” This season he’s driven at the workouts. He’s also had one race day start at Ascot Park after he and James Forbes were called on to fill in when junior drivers Sheree Tomlinson and John Morrison were not able to make it on time for an Invercargill meeting. “I’ve got the hang of how it (driving) works at the workouts. I had that race day drive when the drivers’ plane got delayed so that gave me a bit of a taster.” Tristan has also bred his first horse, a filly by Stunin Cullen out of Hoshi Bromac. “It’s going along very nicely. I’ve done all the work including breaking in to the cart.” Hoshi Bromac, a full sister to Howard Bromac, won once from twenty starts and has left Sur Le Fur (Courage Under Fire) the winner of thirteen, Varenna, Divine Justice and Calypso Rock, (A Rocknroll Dance three year old) which qualified this season. Larsen says the best horse he’s seen is Adore Me and his favourite driver is Blair Orange. “He can rate a horse and is a good horseman to learn off.” Larsen hopes to have his junior drivers licence this coming season. Bruce Stewart View the full article

Tony Herlihy One of the most unlikely charges toward this season’s Horse of the Year honours has been put on hold for a week. But if Kenny’s Dream can pull off a title that will cement her broodmare career champion trainer of trotters Phil Williamson will have good mate Tony Herlihy to thank. Just three months ago Kenny’s Dream was a battling southern trotter going nowhere fast, except at home where she worked well before failing to live up to that on racenight. Williamson brought her north hoping the right-handed racing her work had suggested would suit her would re-ignite her stumbling career. Not even he could have dreamed what would unfold. Kenny’s Dream has won four of her five starts at Alexandra Park, the last two when trained by Herlihy and captured a $25,000 race last Friday night. Herlihy will allow her to bypass the 2200m main trot at Alexandra Park this Friday because her handicap would have made it awfully hard to win but she is likely to take on 2700m again next week. And if she continues on her winning way then the Four-Year-Old Mare of the Year title looks as good as hers. She already has more wins than any other mare of her age, with four this season and five would almost certainly wrap up the title. Her biggest rival might actually be a horse who hasn’t raced in New Zealand this season in Show Gait, who won the Breeders Crown for three-year-old trotters in Victoria last August. Because that falls outside our season Show Gait’s group one performance will be eligible for votes for the four-year-old mare category but the fact that race was nearly a year ago and she hasn’t raced since means many voters will overlook her. So the title looks the surprise package Kenny’s Dream’s to lose and while four-year-old trotting mare of the year is hardly the most glamorous title in racing, it stays in the yearling sales catalogues for as long as that family exists. That and the fact Kenny’s Dream is beautifully bred means Williamson, who still owns the mare, now has a serious broodmare prospect on is hands. “I think Phil is pretty happy about how it has all gone,” laughs Herlihy. “He hoped the trip up here would turn her around and it has totally changed her. “Now she races like a really good mare yet is laid-back at home. “So we will probably give her one more start and then a spell and might even nominate her for the Inter Dominions since they are close to home.”A horse of the year title for Kenny’s Dream could make for a big awards night for Herlihy as he has two Jewels winners in Tickle Me Pink (three-year-old filly) and Bolt Of Brilliance (juvenile male trotter) who could also win HOTY titles. Add to that his open class star Temporale, who is due back into stable work in a few weeks, new top level graduate in Forget The Price Tag and one of the country’s best juvenile trotting fillies in Cheeky Babe and the South Auckland trainer has one of the strongest trotting teams in Australasia. “I probably have 8 or 10 trotters here from about 30 horses in work and with the improvement in the breed they are easier to train than they used to be.” Michael Guerin View the full article

I think you are over reacting somewhat. Others have their own strong opinions and they are free to express them. Hardly a "systematic, childish, naive ambush"!

Excalibur. Shaune Ritchie hasn’t given up faith in Excalibur’s ability to win a feature staying race despite being off the winner’s list for 16 months. “I thought he had an off-season last campaign,” the Cambridge trainer said. “He wasn’t rounding his races off like he can, but he had a tough year before that and horses sometimes have an off-year. “Actually he looked to be coming up huge early on, but he had a stone bruise and it took a long time to get over it and he just wasn’t right. If he comes up well he could win some good races. He’s got the ability.” Excalibur won five races within six starts during the summer of 2018, including three on end, culminating with victory in the New Zealand St Leger Trial (2100m) at Hastings before finishing seventh in the Gr.1 Auckland Cup (3200m). This season he was runner-up in the Listed Karaka Classic (1600m) second-up at Pukekohe and pressed on along the cups trail with his best efforts being a fourth in the Gr.3 Waikato Cup (2400m) at Te Rapa and a sixth in the Auckland Cup. Ritchie kept the Tavistock gelding ticking over with a few autumn runs and plans to send him north to Ruakaka as part of his squad being temporarily trained there from the end of this month to prepare for a spring campaign. View the full article

Gobstopper (left) out in front in his hurdles debut at Te Aroha last month Gobstopper made an impressive start to his jumping career, winning his maiden hurdle at Te Aroha by 13 lengths last month, and his connections have elected to test his talents across the Tasman. A proven galloper on the flat, Gobstopper won the Gr.3 New Zealand Cup (3200m) in 2017, and trainer Andrew Campbell was pleased with his debut performance over fences, but admitted it wasn’t a particularly enjoyable experience to watch. “I knew he went alright and has the flat ability as well, winning the New Zealand Cup, but I was pretty pleased to see him win like that, it was pretty good in the end,” he said. “It was scary, but good. I had my heart in my mouth the whole way and coming into the last (fence) it was even worse. “I knew he had it in the bag but he bungled it. He stood up though, so that was the main thing. “We learnt a lot off that. He hasn’t jumped off a really heavy track like that before. He usually jumps a bit better than that and hopefully there is plenty of improvement left in him.” The son of Tavistock is now set to fly to Melbourne where he will contest the Brendan Drechsler Hurdle (3500m) at Pakenham on July 21 before a potential tilt at the Grand National Hurdle (4200m) at Sandown on August 4. “He’s flying out on Sunday. We are staying in Cranbourne in Melbourne,” Campbell said. “He trials on the 12th (of July) and his first race is at Pakenham on the 21st. It’s over 3500m and is a $100,000 race. “Depending on how he goes, there is the Grand National Hurdles two weeks later at Sandown. “If he goes no good for some reason we will just send him home, but if he shows enough we will carry on for one more.” Campbell will travel across the Tasman with Gobstopper and they will be joined by jockey Emily Farr after she rides at Te Aroha on Sunday. Farr will care for Gobstopper on their Australian campaign and Campbell said she and partner Shaun Phelan should take most of the credit for the gelding’s jumping success. “Emily and Shaun have done all the schooling,” he said. “They have taught him to jump and have done all the work, I take no credit whatsoever, I am just the name on the paper really. They are champion people. “Emily will be staying with him and riding him in the races. She knows him inside and out, so it works in great. I’ll just keep going back and forth.” While Gobstopper’s immediate plans lie with jumps racing, Campbell is eager to get him back competing on the flat and is eyeing another Australian target with his charge. “He will have a maximum of two runs and then we will give him a break and probably try and get him to the Jericho Cup (4600m),” Campbell said. “There’s a race (on September 29) at Taranaki which would qualify him, so he will probably have one start prior to that and then if he won that we would go for the Jericho Cup in December.” View the full article

How many have won carrying the "average"? As both Barry and Curious have pointed out all you are doing is drawing a line through the top weight. Nothing more. Which with the Melbourne Cup leaves you another 23 horses.

I don't see your point about averages. No mention of Standard Deviation. Plus in each of the two cups only ONE horse has carried the average weight to win "this century." So I don't see how weight would help you select either the winner or value.

There you go get on the high weights. Who would have known NOT Thomaas!

But this article talks about the effect of weight on INDIVIDUAL not in relation to the field it is racing in.

Perhaps so but a wider handicap spread isn't the current reality. If anything your latest post supports the analysis that weight isn't a factor in determining value.

Rule Number(s): Rule 638(3)(b)(ii)Following the running of the RACING SUNDAY AUGUST 11 an Information was lodged by Senior Stipendiary Steward Mr M Williamson against Class A Rider Mr C Lammas alleging that Mr Lammas as the rider of CHAPEAU used his whip excessively prior to the 100 metres mark. Rule 638(3)(b)(ii) provides : A Rider ...View the full article

Rule Number(s): Rule 638 3 (b) (11)Following the running of the TANALISED MILE, RACE 5, 29 June 2019, an Information was lodged by Senior Stipendiary Steward Mr M Williamson against Class A Rider Miss S Spratt, alleging that Miss Spratt used her whip excessively prior to the 100 metres mark when riding O'GUY. Rule 638(3)(b)(ii) provides ...View the full article

Michael Pitman realised a lifelong ambition when Enzo’s Lad raced at Royal Ascot last month Despite fighting the after-effects of a 30-hour travel schedule during his return to New Zealand from the United Kingdom, leading South Island trainer Michael Pitman is still buzzing about his experiences over the past two months. Pitman and the owners of sprinter Enzo’s Lad took on the best the world has to offer with a three race campaign that began in Hong Kong with the Gr.1 Chairman’s Sprint (1200m) and then moved to the famous Royal Ascot carnival in England where they tackled the Gr.1 King’s Stand Stakes (1000m) and the Diamond Jubilee Stakes (1200m). Whilst a wet track and other circumstances didn’t favour Enzo’s Lad in any of the three events, Pitman is eternally grateful for the opportunity to experience the magnificence of the Royal Ascot carnival. “It may be a cliché but we have just had an experience that money just can’t buy,” Pitman said. “We’re not making any excuses for how our horse performed but the whole thing was simply more than just a horse race. “We got to see racing at its very best and I’m delighted that the people who own Enzo’s Lad got to be such a part of that as it was simply amazing.” Of the many highlights for Pitman it was the treatment that he and the owners of Enzo’s Lad were met with that stands out the most for him. “You just couldn’t ask for better treatment,” he said. “From the time we left for Hong Kong and then made our way over to the UK we were treated to the very best that there was to offer. “We stayed with a number of the other international horses at Jane Chapple-Hyam’s property which was just first-class. “It was fantastic to see those horses and how they operate and I have definitely picked up some practices that I will be implementing back here at home. “Interestingly, while Enzo’s Lad didn’t manage to put his best on the track, every horse he worked with at Jane’s came out and won their next start.” Pitman also admitted he had his breath taken away at times with the action both on and off the track at Royal Ascot. Enzo’s Lad (outside) made a dream into reality for co-trainer Michael Pitman when he raced at Royal Ascot last month Peter Rubery (Race Images Palmerston North) “Without a doubt I think I saw the world’s best sprinter in Blue Point and the staying equivalent in Stradivarius,” he said. “Blue Point won both of the races we ran in and he was simply magnificent while Stradivarius won his second Ascot Gold Cup (Gr.1, 4014m) with Frankie Dettori on board. “Taking nothing away from those racetrack performances, the hospitality we received was also out of this world. “On the days where we raced, we had our own VIP corporate box for our personal use while we also were given access to the official hospitality enclosure on the other days we went. “I got to meet the Queen and spent 20 minutes with her which was just amazing and something I never thought I would ever have the opportunity to do. “It was all a little overwhelming at times but they are memories I will treasure and never forget. “I’m already thinking about how we can get a horse back there next year and failing that I am dead keen to lead a tour group there.” Pitman is clearly upbeat about the future and has good reason to be after receiving the news that he had received a clean bill of health from his recent battles with bowel cancer during the trip from Hong Kong to London. Pitman will go under the knife again today (Tuesday) to complete the procedure he was supposed to undergo before the trip to Hong Kong. “They are putting me on the operating table again on Tuesday to basically reconnect my plumbing,” he said. “They will remove the colostomy bag and a few other things and hopefully that will be the end of it. “Obviously I can’t wait for it to be over and to get back into things. “I have made the commitment that when I reach 2000 career wins, I will hand over the training reins fully to my son Matthew so that will be my focus now. “I’m over the 1800 mark at present so I’d like to think we can do that in a year or two. We’ve definitely got the best team of horses I think we have ever had, so I’m definitely looking forward to the new season.” View the full article

Green Energy winning at Sha Tin on Monday. The Danny Shum-trained Green Energy, a New Zealand-bred son of Rip Van Winkle, returned from an eight-month injury absence to win Monday’s public holiday feature at Sha Tin, the Class 2 Hong Kong Reunification Cup Handicap (1200m). John Moore’s Thanks Forever and the Frankie Lor-trained Big Party were expected to dominate and were sent off at odds of 3.3 and 1.7 respectively. The hype horses failed to live up to expectations though as the 41/1 outsider stalked the lead, shifted out at the top of the straight and forged on to a neck win under Dylan Mo. “Green Energy had a left-fore tendon issue, which he had since he transferred from Peter Ho last season,” Shum said. “He had two really hard races early in the season and he got an injury, which was really bad. “We took him to Conghua and there was a moment when I said to the owner, ‘I want to retire him’ – I didn’t want him to struggle but they were very generous and said ‘take your time, we have a lot of time, just do your job’. “It wasn’t a strong field for a Class 2 1200m race and he’s got good ability. He had a good draw (1) and he can kick, so I told the owners he had a good chance, even when at that time he was 49/1 – he shouldn’t have been that price. “The horse is not 100 percent fit – I’ll run him again in the Class 2 on the last day of the season,” he said. The six-year-old gave Mo his biggest career success and his 24th this term. Originally sold by Haunui Farm for $250,000 at the 2014 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale to the bid of Bruce Perry, Green Energy raced as Vanderkemp for Kris Lees in Australia. The son of Rip Van Winkle was purchased privately on behalf of his new owners by bloodstock advisor Ian Sham. Meanwhile, ex-pat Kiwi trainer Paul O’Sullivan has his stable in fine late-season form. The handler saddled the first two home in the Class 5 World-Class Leadership Handicap (1650m, dirt) as the Karis Teetan-ridden Hidden Spirit (NZ) (Alamosa) charged home from deep to finish three lengths ahead of stablemate Mi Blanco (NZ) (Cape Blanco). Deal Maker (NZ) (Darci Brahma) had his first start for Jimmy Ting in the Class 4 Continuous Development Handicap (1650m, dirt) and hit the mark under Chad Schofield with a two and three quarter-length win. The win made it a race-to-race double for The Oaks Stud stallion Darci Brahma, who is the sire of Beauty Loyal, the winner of a Class 4 over 1400m in the race prior. View the full article

Igraine winning the Listed Caloundra Cup (2400m) on Saturday. With stakes wins on both sides of the Tasman, imported European mare Igraine has earned herself a special place in Brent and Cherry Taylor’s broodmare band and hearts. The Trelawney principals are in the midst of a winter escape to Spain, but watched with delight as the Robert Priscott-trained Igraine scored a dominant victory in Saturday’s Listed Caloundra Cup (2400m) in Queensland. “It was a huge thrill to see her do that,” Brent Taylor said. “She’s a mare we’ve always had faith in. We bought her for her broodmare credentials as much as anything else, but she tries so hard on the track, and you do get quite emotionally attached to the ones that give their all like she does.” Igraine was a £65,000 purchase at the 2017 Tattersalls Broodmare Sale in Newmarket, bought by Paul Moroney on the Taylors’ behalf. She made an auspicious New Zealand debut almost exactly a year ago, winning at Te Rapa on July 7. Since then she has won the Caloundra Cup and the Gr.3 Counties Cup (2100m), along with placings in the in the Waikato Cup (2400m), Chairman’s Handicap (2000m) and Premier’s Cup (2200m), all at Group Three level, in addition to the Listed Hawke’s Bay Cup (2200m). “She’s added so much to her value,” Taylor said. “She was always a very viable proposition, both in terms of racing and breeding. She’s by Galileo and out of a Group One-winning mare (Iota) who’s produced a Group One winner (Ito). “So she always had a special position in our broodmare band set aside for her, but her performances have really exceeded our expectations and have certainly made her a very valuable mare. “She’s not the first horse we’ve imported out of Europe, we’ve been doing it for a few years now, but she’s definitely the most successful on the racetrack. “A few years ago there was Stella Livia, who was also trained by Robert. She won a couple of races, then produced the top-class Australian sprinter Spieth.” A breeding career now also beckons for Igraine, with the possibility of one final start in the Listed Grafton Cup (2350m) on July 11 before the curtain comes down on her racing career. “We’ll see how she’s come through this race and make a decision,” Taylor said. “Since Paul bought her in December 2017 and she came to New Zealand and went through quarantine, she’s been with Robert the whole time. We wanted to maintain the European style of training that she was used to. So she hasn’t had any time out of the stable. “But as long as Robert is still happy with her, the Grafton Cup looks like a nice option for one last run before she heads down to the Hunter Valley.” The likeliest candidate for Igraine’s first mating is Fastnet Rock. The champion stallion’s proven cross with Galileo mares has produced 17 stakes winners, at 25 percent stakes winners to runners, including Magicool, Zhukova, Qualify, Intricately, Unforgotten, Age of Fire and Rivet at the elite level. “He’d be the obvious choice for her,” Taylor said. “It’s a cross that works particularly well. “When we breed mares in Australia, we try to focus on proven stallions. He’s certainly that and we’ve had good success with him in the past.” Meanwhile, the Taylors are hoping lightning could strike twice with another import, Leytana, who won a trial at Te Rapa last week. “She’s hopefully going to run this weekend,” Taylor said. “It’s the same Te Rapa meeting as the one where Igraine made her New Zealand debut last year. I don’t know if she’s another Igraine, but not many are. “She’s by Intello, a son of Galileo, and she’s pleased us with her progress so far. It’ll be good to see how she goes.” Despite their outstanding success with Igraine, the Taylors have no immediate plans to recruit more mares from Europe. “We’ve bought quite a lot of fillies in New Zealand and in Australia in the last few years, so our numbers are up around 25,” Taylor said. “There’s not a lot of room for anything new out of Europe at the moment. “We’ve got a few well-performed mares retiring to stud this spring – Indecision, who’s been racing in Queensland recently as well, along with Vinevale and Astor.” View the full article