Chief Stipe

Rule Number(s): 870(3) and Breaking Horse RegsFollowing the running of Race 1 (Crafar Crouch Construction Trot) Senior Stipendiary Steward Mr Mulcay lodged a protest (Information A11419) alleging that “Milly An Eyre” breached Rule 870(3) and the Breaking Horse Regulations by breaking for a distance in excess of 50m within the final 200m of the home ...View the full article

Rule Number(s): 638(1)(d)Following the running of Race 2, Commodore Hotel & Taggart Earthmoving Maiden, an information was filed by Stipendiary Steward, Mr J M McLaughlin, against Licensed Apprentice Jockey (Class B), Mr B B Hong, alleging that Mr Hong, as the rider of MOUNT HERCULES in the race, “permitted his mount to shift ...View the full article

Rule Number(s): 638(1)(d)Following the running of Race 4, North Canterbury Veterinary Clinics Benchmark 72, an information was filed by Stipendiary Steward, Mr J M McLaughlin, against Licensed Apprentice Jockey (Class B), Mr S Toolooa, alleging that Mr Toolooa, as the rider of AUGUSTACE in the race, “permitted his mount to shift ...View the full article

Rule Number(s): 213(1)Mr Munro sought a ruling pursuant to r 213(1)(j) in race 3, the Forbury Park Junior Drivers Handicap Trot as to whether ARDEE TROUBLE was struck by the tapes after rearing at the start and was thereby denied a fair start. That rule provides: 213(1) A Stipendiary Steward at any time may scratch from a ...View the full article

Rule Number(s): 869(3)(b)Mr Renault alleged that Mr O’Connell (ALEXY) drove carelessly near the 300 metres in race 11, the Forbury Park Claimer Series Mobile Pace, while driving ALEXY. Mr McIntyre, Manager of Stewards, demonstrated that ALEXY was racing towards the rear of the field just before the home turn. He demonstrated ...View the full article

Rule Number(s): 869(4) and Passing Lane RegulationsThis charge arises from the running of Race 5, the IRT Mobile Pace 1609m. Senior Stipendiary Steward, Mr J Muirhead alleged that Mr Herlihy was in breach of Rule 869)(4) and Clause 4 of the Passing Lane Regulations in that as the lead horse on the running line entering the final straight he did not maintain ...View the full article

Rule Number(s): Rule 870(3), Breaking Horses and 16 (1) Monte RegulationsFollowing the running of 1, the Haras Des Trotteurs Monte Saddle Mobile Trot 1609m three Information’s instigating a protest were filed by Senior Stipendiary Steward Mr J Muirhead alleging that the 3rd, 4th, 6th and 7th placed horses galloped and were in breach Rules 870(3), the Breaking Horses and Monte ...View the full article

Rule Number(s): 638(1)(d)Following the running of race 2, Seeka Aongateete Maiden, an Information was filed pursuant to Rule 638 (1)(d). The Informant, Mr Oatham, alleged that Mr Goindasamy permitted his mount OUT OF THE PARK to shift in near the 1300 metres when insufficiently clear of POWALIGN which was checked. Rule 638(1) ...View the full article

Rule Number(s): 636(1)(d)Following the running of race 2, Seeka Aongatete Maiden, an Information was filed pursuant to Rule 636(1)(d). The Informant, Mr Oatham, alleged that Mr Goindasamy failed to ride OUT OF THE PARK out to the end of the race when there was a reasonable chance of finishing 5th. Mr Goindasamy acknowledged ...View the full article

You may well be right but bear in mind that a quirk of using a smart phone is that predictive texting sometimes inserts the full stop as anticipation of an end of sentence. I have the same problem all the time and frequently have to correct it.

Setarip Syndicate. New Zealand’s oldest harness racing syndicate is set to celebrate its 50 year anniversary in Southland this September. A syndicate that celebrates comradery, social outings and rugby ties, the Setarip Syndicate was first formed in on 19 September 1969, after a rule change then allowed more than four people to share in the ownership of a horse. The syndicate was one of five registered on that day, with Setarip now being the oldest surviving syndicate in the country. Remarkably, after 50 years the syndicate still has two original members, Joe Wilson the syndicate manager and Clark Neil. Wilson was also able to bring his two sons Paul and Andrew into the syndicate. Former original syndicate member, the late Ted Mortimer, is also still represented by his family in the syndicate too. Current members are: Joe Wilson, Clark Neil, Gary Tippett, John Archer, Ron Baron, Murray Brown, Daryl Burgess, Bruce Campbell, Paul Challis, Terry Edgerton, Pauline Flanders, Wayne McCulloch, the Mortimer family, Stephen Sanders, Colin Sanford, Jill Slaughter, Collin Telfer, Nick Wells, Trevor Tomlins, Paul Wilson, John Woodger, Steve Pulley, Dean Mcloud, Carl Hana, Andrew Wilson, Kylie White and Wayne Grey. View the full article

Always B Miki is to stand for $7,000 this coming season Alabar is pleased to announce the service fees for our 2019/20 roster – a line-up which boasts a strong mix of proven harness racing sires and exciting young stallions. Heading the list is Art Major at a fee that remains unchanged. Art Major has once again enjoyed another stellar twelve months and continues to sire winners at the very highest level. Art Major looks assured of serving another full book of mares in 2019/20 so breeders are asked to book early to avoid missing out. Ultimate Machete is our new addition this season. We are thrilled to be standing him as he is a record-breaking, multiple Horse-of-the-Year son of Bettors Delight with a pedigree laden with stakes winners. Always B Miki is a stallion who undoubtedly has all the credentials to be a successful sire and he represents great value to Southern Hemisphere breeders. The fastest standardbred of all time has served three consecutive full books in the US at US$12,500. His first crop yearlings will certainly light up the sale rings in America later this year. Always B Miki has also enjoyed tremendous support in both Australia and NZ serving 77 stakes winners or dams of stakes winners to date incl the dams of such current stars as Princess Tiffany, Ride High, Pelosi, Bettor Joy, Mirragon, etc. Vincent is another extremely exciting young stallion who we have a lot of faith in. A winner of 16 of his 19 starts, Vincent is the horse that Mark Purdon believed was going to take the place of Lazarus and be the next industry superstar. You can access Vincent at an extremely competitive fee and capitalise on the wonderful support he received in his first season. Rock N Roll Heaven, Roll With Joe and Sportswriter are proven Group One stallions, and all three continue to enhance their record with a constant supply of new high quality winners. We are extremely proud of our two trotting stallions and how their progeny are performing. Majestic Son continues to set the standard in the trotting ranks. He will once again be the champion stallion in both New Zealand and Australia thanks to stars such as Sundees Son, Alpha Male, Royal Charlotte, Majestic Man, Enhance Your Calm etc. Peak has made a strong start to his career. From a small crop, he already has four two year old winners across Australia and New Zealand – that number is second only to the great Muscle Hill. Our roster is rounded out with the young Group One stallions A Rocknroll Dance, Betterthancheddar, Auckland Reactor, He’s Watching, Sunshine Beach and Sir Lincoln. Our full roster is available below: Stallion Standing Aus Fee (incl GST) NZ Fee (plus GST) A Rocknroll Dance* NZ $5,000 $5,000 Always B Miki* Aus $7,000 $7,000 Art Major Aus $14,000 $14,000 Auckland Reactor Aus $2,500 $2,500 Betterthancheddar Aus $4,400 $4,000 He’s Watching NZ $5,000 $5,000 Majestic Son NZ $5,000 $5,000 Peak NZ $2,500 $2,500 Rock N Roll Heaven Aus $8,000 $7,000 Roll With Joe Aus $6,600 N/A Sir Lincoln (Lincoln Royal) NZ $2,000 $2,000 Sportswriter Aus $4,400 $4,000 Sunshine Beach USA Aus $4,000 $4,000 Ultimate Machete* NZ $3,300 $3,000 Vincent* Aus $4,950 $4,500 *Standing in conjunction with Nevele R Stud. Important Notes: – After previously being based in New Zealand, Auckland Reactor and Sportswriter will be standing at our Australian farm this season. – Shadow Play will not be returning this season and Grinfromeartoear has been retired due to age-related health issues. View the full article

Invincibella (right) and Jason Collett on their way to victory at Eagle Farm Ex-pat Kiwi jockey Jason Collett put some narrow defeats at the highest level well behind him on Saturday when he captured his first Group One victory in the saddle when successful on the Chris Waller-trained Invincibella in the Tattersall’s Tiara (1400m) at Eagle Farm. “It feels pretty good this morning,” Collett said on Sunday as he began the long trek back to Sydney from Brisbane. “We didn’t celebrate too much as I knew I had a long drive back today but it feels pretty good to finally achieve a Group One win after going close on quite a few occasions.” Collett produced a copybook display on Invincibella, having the mare in a handy position throughout before launching his bid at the top of the Eagle Farm straight. Momentarily headed by three-year-old filly Pohutukawa, Invincibella fought back to claim her first Group One success and 11th career win overall. “We managed to get in a good spot early on and coming to the home corner I was starting to get a little confident as there hadn’t been a great deal of speed on and she was travelling easily at that stage,” Collett said. “I asked her to slide forward and she got to the front pretty quickly but then Pohutukawa went past us and I was thinking ‘not again’. “To her credit she (Invincibella) doesn’t give in and is very strong in a finish and that told over the last 100m as she got her nose back in front when it mattered.” Delighted to get the Group One monkey off his back, Collett admitted that things had been falling into place with his riding in the past six months after a slow start to the season. Currently sitting at number eight on the Sydney Metropolitan jockeys’ premiership with the second-best strike rate in the top ten, Collett is pleased with how his season has panned out. “I didn’t get off to the best start to the season but since January it has come good,” he said. “I’ve managed to pick up some good wins along the way including the Magic Millions Snippets (1200m) on Egyptian Symbol for Bjorn Baker and things have progressed well from there. “I’ve been getting some really good opportunities so hopefully I can keep that momentum going into next season now.” In completing the milestone, Collett joined his sisters Natasha and Alysha in riding a Group One winner, an achievement that was not lost on the laidback son of well-known New Zealand trainers Richard and Judy Collett. “It is a pretty special feeling now that I have joined the Group One club along with Natasha and Alysha,” he said. “I actually tried to give Dad a call to let him know but he’s on a fishing trip up in Alaska somewhere and was on a plane when I called. “I think he probably had a good few messages on his phone when he could switch it back on so I’m expecting a call at some stage. I think he might even be getting a bit of stick as he’s the only one in the family without a Group One now.” View the full article

Sir Peter Vela enjoying the Royal Procession on the last day at Royal Ascot New Zealand has been well-represented in the four-carriage Royal Procession on the final day of Royal Ascot with Rosehill-based trainer Chris Waller enjoying a memorable 24 hours. On Saturday, the former Foxton horseman landed the Gr.1 Tattersall’s Tiara (1400m) at Eagle Farm with Invincibella to provide him with a record-breaking 18th Group One win for the season. Waller eclipsed the previous record of 17 set by legendary trainer Tommy Smith in 1979-80 but had a good reason for not being on-course at Eagle Farm on Saturday to celebrate. Chris Waller during the Royal Procession at Royal Ascot Liesl King He and his wife Stephanie, also originally from Foxton, were thousands of miles away getting ready for an appointment with Her Majesty The Queen as part of an elite line-up. Every day of the five-day Royal Ascot Festival, come rain or sunshine, The Queen arrives at the entrance of Ascot’s straight mile at precisely 2 p.m. Drawn by the famous Windsor Greys, Her Majesty’s Landau leads the procession of carriages up the mile, past the Silver Ring, Grandstand and Royal Enclosure before finishing with a circuit of the Parade Ring. Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, accompanied The Queen on this occasion in the lead carriage. The Wallers were not the only New Zealanders in the procession, with Sir Peter Vela and his wife Lady Pamela Vela sharing the second carriage with General Sir Adrian Bradshaw and his wife, Lady Bradshaw. Sir Peter Vela, who was knighted for services to the thoroughbred industry, is the owner of leading thoroughbred auction house, New Zealand Bloodstock, and a successful breeder and racehorse owner through his Pencarrow Stud in Tamahere. Vela was one of six people appointed to the Racing Industry Transition Agency on Friday, with the goal of turning around the fortunes of the New Zealand racing industry. View the full article

Intimidate scores a handsome victory at Riccarton Rangiora trainer Nick Wigley was holding his breath just moments before the start of Saturday’s two-year-old contest at Riccarton as smart filly Intimidate put on a petulant display behind the starting gates. The Charm Spirit filly held up the start of the 1000m event before finally entering her stall under the urgings of the Riccarton barrier staff. Safely loaded away Intimidate then proceeded to give her race rivals a galloping lesson as she led all the way in the hands of rider Tina Comignaghi to register her first victory at just her second start. Wigley admitted he was getting a little anxious as he watched the pre-race drama unfold. “She can get a little toey at the best of times and when she started playing up it had me on edge a little,” Wigley said. “Earlier on she was quite a calm filly but she suffered a pretty decent case of shin soreness after her first start back in October and since then she gets pretty fired up about things. “She starts to shake and play up which she did going out onto the track on Saturday and then around at the start. “Once she loaded away, she was fine and Tina said she stood there as good as gold so I think in the future we might get her loaded away first to try and alleviate any problems.” Bred and raced under the Wigley family’s Inglewood Stud banner, Intimidate had been offered for sale as a yearling during the 2018 Karaka Book 1 Yearling Sale but returned home after not fetching a bid. “We took her up to Karaka but no one wanted her so we brought her home again,” Wigley said. “She has always showed us plenty of ability and we thought she would be a Welcome Stakes (Listed 1000m) contender back in the spring but after failing first up when she went shin sore, we put her away for a decent break to let her mature. “She had won two trials leading into Saturday and after her last trial win on a slow track at the start of the month, Tina was confident she would handle the going on Saturday. “She did it well in the end so she can have another break before we bring her back in the spring. I think a race like the Canterbury Belle Stakes (Listed, 1200m) in September would be a good target for her.” Wigley also paid tribute to the staff at Inglewood Stud who have been instrumental in getting the filly back to her best after her spell. “The girls at the stud have done a great job with her and have put in many hours to get her back in top shape,” he said. “They deserve a lot of the credit and I’m sure they were feeling pretty chuffed after the result.” Wigley announced that one of those staff, Kayla Milnes, would be entering into a training partnership with him in early July. View the full article

Emily Farr has a pat for Gobstopper before contesting his first hurdle event at Te Aroha Former New Zealand Cup winner Gobstopper revealed a new string to his bow when he made a successful debut over fences at Te Aroha on Sunday. The Andrew Campbell-trained galloper had carved out a handy career on the flat with his Group Three victory in the 2018 New Zealand Cup (3200m) the major highlight of his six wins before Sunday’s contest. Some indifferent form since that New Zealand Cup triumph saw Campbell trial Gobstopper over fences to sharpen him up but he was reluctant to commit to a hurdle start until following the advice of jumps rider Emily Farr. Gobstopper responded with a polished display for Farr in the maiden 3100m event, jumping fluently near the pace throughout. Farr sent Gobstopper to the lead at the 600m where he established a winning break on his rivals and although he made a mess of the last fence, he cruised home by a widening 13 lengths at the finish. “I know him inside and out as I ride him every day,” Farr said. “They (his owners) were ‘we don’t want to jump him, but we should jump him’ but I was like he jumps that good he will look after me. “Coming to the last I knew I was on the wrong leg but I thought if I sit still, he will bunny hop it and he did. “He doesn’t have the speed like he used to and he likes to sit and do his own thing so you can’t tell him what to do, you just have to sit there and ask him nicely. “As an older horse this gives him something different and with the speed he has, all you need to do is concentrate on jumping the fences.” Campbell cut a relieved figure as his charge returned to the winner’s enclosure, admitting his heart was in his mouth at the last fence. “I was worried the whole way as jumping is not my favourite game,” Campbell said. “My heart was in my mouth at the last but it’s good when they win though. “Emily has done a lot of work with him and I take my hat off to her, she is a champion.” By Tavistock out of handy racemare Bagalollies, Gobstopper is the younger brother of dual Hong Kong Horse of the Year, Werther who was trained by Campbell throughout his early career before being sold to Hong Kong interests after placing second in the 2015 Gr.1 Queensland Derby (2400m). View the full article

Chouxting The Mob gets up at Flemington to record his fourth win in a row Under the urgings of champion jockey Damien Oliver, Simon Morrish-trained Chouxting The Mob has overhauled his rivals to continue his winning run in a staying race at Flemington. The five-year-old gelding went into Saturday’s Great Ocean Road Handicap (2520m) having won his past three starts and knuckled down to his task in the final 200m on a soft track to extend his winning streak. Chouxting The Mob, the $2.15 favourite, defeated Flow Meter ($81) by a long neck with Last Week ($3.40) another neck away third. “As I continue to say, I don’t know how good he is but he is a real stayer,” Morrish said. “I’d love to see 3000-metre, 3200-metre races for him. “He’s a credit to himself and it was a great ride.” Just like two weeks ago when Chouxting The Mob also won at Flemington over 2500m, Saturday’s race was a heat of the Banjo Paterson Series. The final of the series is a $150,000 race over 2600m at the same track in two weeks, which Morrish said looks a logical option. “It’s pretty hard to throw last start winners out into the paddock,” Morrish said. “But he’s been terrific to us and I don’t want to hurt him. We’ll just see how he pulls up. The Final is there in a fortnight and we’ll see what happens. “I think it’s the obvious thing to do but we’ll see how he pulls up.” View the full article

Sleeping Beauty is clear of Art Deco (outer) and New York Minute as she heads to the winning post at Tauranga Class performer Sleeping Beauty underlined her credentials on the deep winter tracks when she out-toughed her female rivals to take out the Listed Ultimate Ford and Mazda Tauranga Classic (1400m) under weight-for-age conditions at Tauranga on Saturday. The six-year-old Rip Van Winkle mare has fashioned an impeccable record on wet tracks having now won five of her ten starts, along with a further three placings on tracks rated in the Heavy range. Faced with a puggy Heavy11 surface, the Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott-trained runner took no prisoners as she bounced well from the starting gates to sit outside pacemaker New York Minute throughout. Rider Craig Grylls took the initiative with 700m to run as he drove his charge to the lead before establishing a winning break shortly after turning for home. Despite feeling the effects of her earlier exertions in the final 200m, Sleeping Beauty rallied gamely to win by a length and threequarters from Taranaki visitor Art Deco with New York Minute a nose back in third. Co-trainer Andrew Scott paid tribute to the gritty nature of his charge after the race. “She was up on speed and Craig had to make a move on her which had us worried that it might fire her up, but she has kept up a really strong gallop,” he said. “She’s just so versatile and can handle any ground, she’s just a really good racehorse.” Bred and owned by Sir Peter Vela, Scott was quick to mention how the victory would be received at Vela’s Pencarrow Stud operation. “We were out at Pencarrow Stud on Monday and all the staff out there will get a great kick out of this,” he said. “They all work hard in behind the scenes so to see this mare crack on and get the money makes it a good team effort. “She seems to be getting more tractable and is learning to race. “It is very encouraging so fingers crossed we can crack on to the Foxbridge Plate (Gr.2 1200m) and those early stakes races.” Grylls was also impressed with the effort by his mount who made it two black-type wins in a row after taking out the Gr.3 Rotorua Stakes (1400m) at her last start. “She jumped really good although we had to do a bit of work to get outside the leader,” Grylls said. “She settled nice and travelled really strong throughout and I was just hoping that she would keep going through it (the ground) when I let her head go. “I could hear them coming but she had done enough so it was a good effort.” A daughter of Danehill mare Kailey Princess, Sleeping Beauty has now won ten of her 23 starts and over $238,000 in prizemoney. View the full article

Lil Miss Swiss is under the cameraman’s nose as she out-finishes Scapolo at Riccarton Under-rated mare Lil Miss Swiss produced a devastating late burst to snatch victory in Saturday’s feature flat race at Riccarton, the Greenwood Amberley Cup (1600m). Dropped out to a clear last in a strung-out field by apprentice rider Tanya Jonker, the Rip Van Winkle five-year-old looked a forlorn hope when still spotting the leaders a conservative ten lengths at the 800m mark. Set alight by Jonker down the outside rail in the home straight, Lil Miss Swiss claimed the lead in the final bound as she denied evergreen galloper Scapolo a fairy tale conclusion in his 78th and final start, as she snatched the victory by a short head. Co-trainer Kelvin Tyler, who prepares Lil Miss Swiss with daughter Aimee at the venue, advised the team has bigger things in store for their charge later in the winter. “That is the only way to ride her, drop her out and come around them,” Tyler said. “Tanya knows her well although I did think it might be a bit short for her (Lil Miss Swiss) today and maybe not quite wet enough. “I know she is well as she has been working the track down and she is in a good place. “We don’t have a lot of races down here for these staying types, so possibly we will take her north for the Parliamentary Handicap (Trentham, July 13) next.” The victory was the 6th in a 38-start career for Lil Miss Swiss who had also taken out the Listed Riverton Cup (2170m) earlier in the year. Class performer Scapolo tried hard to claim his 21st career victory after trainer Kevin Myers advised the race would be the last in a wonderful career that commenced back in 2011 when placed in a Listed juvenile event at his raceday debut. The Bachelor Duke nine-year-old proved a model of consistency throughout his career which saw him claim victory at stakes level on four occasions while also registering 14 stakes placings including finishing third in the 2016 Gr.1 Haunui Farm Group One WFA Classic (1600m). View the full article

Valante (middle) clings gamely to his lead at Tauranga A gutsy front-running effort saw tough as teak gelding Valante defy his rivals to run him down in the Orora Kiwi Packaging Kiwifruit Cup (2100m) at Tauranga. The Graeme Lord-trained seven-year-old was niggled at in front throughout the entire 2100m journey but refused to lie down as he fought off the late challenges of The Kipling Girl and Redcayenne to take out the major spoils in the event. Almost hoarse after cheering home his charge, Lord admitted the stars had aligned for a race he had been targeting for some time. “The puggy track was what he had been waiting for all winter,” Lord said. “This was one of the races I had been setting him for and when we went to Ruakaka last week it was a bit of a bonus running third. If he had of won, we knew he would still be getting into this on the minimum (weight). “He won at Waipa a year ago on a puggy track and to have 53kgs on his back today was a bonus. “He’s one tough boy and I’m just rapt.” Rider Donovan Mansour admitted he wasn’t certain of victory when the challenges kept coming but praised the toughness of his mount over the concluding stages. “He makes you earn your riding fee,” he said. “It was very sticky out there and when those horses looked to come past me in the last 50m he actually put his head down and got to the line. “I thought I was going have to give up the lead at one point and coming to the 800m I wasn’t confident at all. “You’re not quite sure how well you’re going but he just dug down deep and he did it well.” Raced by a large syndicate that includes former trainer Peter McKay, his wife Kim and Lord himself, Valante had been earmarked for a jumping career when sent to Lord but his form on the flat has seen him remain untested over fences to date where he has now picked up his sixth career victory. View the full article

Hotshots Slam (A’Isisuhairi Kasim) scores as he pleases even after being trapped three deep. Nobody could begrudge trainer Shane Baertschiger for earning the tag of “king of the kids” in Singapore on Friday night after three of his two-year-olds won one after another – the well-backed trio of Charming Diamond (NZ) (Showcasing), No Regrets (NZ) (Showcasing) and Hotshots Slam (NZ) (Swiss Ace). For good measure, No Regrets, a son of Showcasing, saluted in the highlight of the night, the third Leg of the Singapore Golden Horseshoe series, the S$75,000 IRT Juvenile Stakes over 1200m while the other two, Charming Diamond, also by Showcasing, and Hotshots Slam, who is by Swiss Ace, landed the two Restricted Maiden races, both run over 1100m on Polytrack. As if the night could not get any better, Baertschiger later went on to make it a sensational four-in-a-row with debutant Wassergeist, a son of Fastnet Rock he raced in Melbourne with trainer Trent Busuttin. The Australian handler certainly has an embarrassment of riches in the two-year-old ranks this year. After the treble feat, he singled out Hotshots Slam as the most impressive of the three winners, even professing he might be the best of his batch of juveniles this year. “The barrier (nine) was a concern for Hotshots Slam. He was caught three wide but he won well – he could be my best two-year-old this year,” said Baertschiger after Hotshots Slam clocked a quick time of 1min 5.19secs without being fully extended, an early indication of his vast potential. “He will go for the Aushorse Golden Horseshoe. His second trial was enormous. When Matty (Kellady) gave him a squeeze, he finished off like a smart horse. “It’s a shame he was scratched because of mucus. Matty was meant to ride him then, but he couldn’t make the weight (49.5kgs) tonight.” It was lightweight jockey A’Isisuhairi Kasim who did the honours on Hotshots Slam on Friday, as he did on Charming Diamond, a noticeable trend that has given the former two-time Singapore champion jockey a kickalong on such juveniles for a while now. “I was happy to sit on the outside on both winners for Shane as they are two-year-olds and don’t like taking so much kickback, especially for Charming Diamond on the Poly,” said A’Isisuhairi. “There was a lot of speed on the inside, but both horses came back nicely beneath me. Hotshots Slam was very impressive and Charming Diamond also produced a good strong finish, and should win more races. “I don’t ride a lot for Shane, but they were all young horses with lightweights, which I can ride. I don’t mind these young horses, they are good opportunities for me. “One might end up becoming one of the best horses in Singapore.” Baertschiger would not go as far as putting his three winners on such a pedestal yet, but all three should be in the mix for the last Leg, the Aushorse Golden Horseshoe (1200m) on July 19. “I had three in the third Leg, so I had to run the other two elsewhere. The handicap (49.5kgs) in the other two races also helped (make the decision on how to split his five horses),” he said. “Both horses in the 2YO race ran well. They dictated the race, and it’s good they have the rails to guide them. “No Regrets got a bit lost when Boom Shakalaka headed him, but he kicked back and got the bob. Boom Shakalaka was a bit unlucky (the pair were split by the fast-finishing Mister Dynamo), but they both ran well. “No Regrets has a high action and when he ran on Poly for the first time, I thought he was a hack, but luckily, he levels it out on the turf. “They won’t run on Polytrack for sure, but the Aushorse will be their grand final.” In a thrilling three-way go, No Regrets held on by a short head from Mister Dynamo, who denied Baertschiger the quinella by a head. The winning time was 1min 10.84secs for the mile on the Long Course. Jockey John Powell said he was suitably impressed with the way the Auric Stable-owned No Regrets picked himself off the canvas to overhaul his stablemate Boom Shakalaka, who incidentally, had A’Isisuhairi in the irons. “From the good gate, the plan was to lead. At the 300m, the other horse got a neck on us, but I think he got there too soon and got lost,” said the Australian jockey. “My horse scored a tough win.” As for Charming Diamond, a debut third to Big Hearted – who was incidentally scratched from Friday’s third Leg – Baertschiger is adamant he should have won in easier fashion had he drawn better than 12. “He was caught three and four wide. It was a big win; he ran time (1min 4.86secs) for the 1100m on Polytrack,” he said. “If he draws a barrier, he wins easy.” View the full article

Etah James. A mare who holds a special place in Matt Cumani’s career has made her way back to the trainer’s care for a shot at the Tattersall’s Cup in Brisbane. After a four-run New Zealand campaign in recent months, six-year-old Etah James returns to Australian racing in Saturday’s Group Three race over 3000m at Eagle Farm. Cumani trained the New Zealand-bred Etah James for her first 15 starts after she was sent to him by her part-owners and breeders. The mare, who made her debut in Victoria in April 2017, won six of her first 10 starts highlighted by the 2018 Group Three Lord Reims Stakes in Adelaide, Cumani’s first stakes race success. After failing to fire during the 2018 spring, Etah James returned to New Zealand and did her recent racing for trainer Mark Lupton, one of her owners. Cumani is looking forward to seeing what Etah James produces on Saturday. “To be honest it was a bit of a surprise,” Cumani said. “She wasn’t performing well last spring so we sent her back to New Zealand. “The plan was probably just to give her time off and then look at breeding from her, but the guys there thought that she was doing so well they thought they would give her another go. “She put in some pretty creditable performances, especially last time out when second in a 2200 metre race (Ellerslie, June 1). “Zacada was third so it was pretty good form and they thought she was going well so why not have a go at that 3000 metre race.” Etah James has been in Queensland for a couple of weeks and Cumani says she is in great shape. “I’m really happy with her,” he said. “Full credit to Mark and his team because he’s got her really fit. “It will be fascinating to see how she goes. She’s an old favourite. She was my first Group winner and it would be nice if she could get another one.” Cumani said the connections seemed open-minded about future plans. “If she goes really well she could stay up there for another Cup race later on. Or if she wins really well she could come down to Melbourne,” he said. “Equally if she doesn’t perform then I’m sure they’d be happy to go back and breed from her this year.” View the full article

English Rose winning at Otaki on Friday. Te Akau apprentice Chelsea Burdan continued her good strike rate with stable runners when riding English Rose to victory in the Sunrans Spa Rating (2100m) at Otaki on Friday. Burdan commenced her career with a win aboard Lady Zeraph in September at Waipukurau, and her victory aboard English Rose was her sixth for Te Akau from 24 starts. “It was hard work in that ground,” Burdan said. “She was settled around at the start and coming here today I thought she would have a pretty good chance in that field. “Although three-wide she was happy in her work and I felt quite confident through the run. She came into it nicely at the 600m and kept up a strong enough gallop. I just kept pushing her out and she was happy.” English Rose, a full-sister to 2016 New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of The Year Sofia Rosa, was purchased by Te Akau principal David Ellis out of Westbury Stud’s 2016 New Zealand Bloodstock Premier Yearling Sale draft for $200,000. “It was a tough effort by the mare and a good ride by Chelsea,” Ellis said. “She’s a young lady that will go to the next level. She’s working hard, looks good on a horse, determined to do well, and she will get a lot more opportunities. “It took Jamie (Richards) to 97 wins which is an incredible effort by a young guy in his first season as sole trainer. I think it goes to show what a great future he has as a trainer. “Having won Group races on both sides of the Tasman, seven Group Ones altogether, and to have what will undoubtedly be the Horse of the Year in Melody Belle, it indicates what a top job he and the staff are doing. “We’ve got terrific staff around us. From the breaking in process here at the stud to being educated by world-class track work riders, it all helps in getting these wonderful results.” Ellis said Te Akau had syndicated 60 horses since November and brought a lot of new people into racehorse ownership. “We’ve just bought our 61st horse, syndicated 60 horses since the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready the Run Sale in November and we only have two very small shares left in two horses.” View the full article

Cyber Attack will contest the Stella Artois 3YO Plate (1400m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday. Cambridge Trainer Tony Pike is hopeful the good times can continue to roll when he saddles Cyber Attack in the Stella Artois 3YO Plate (1400m) at Eagle Farm, in Brisbane, on Saturday. The Kiwi horseman has had a fruitful Queensland Winter Carnival, most notably landing a Group One double with The Bostonian, while barnmate Endless Drama placed third in the Gr.1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m). Although Cyber Attack was a later addition to the touring party to Queensland, Pike was pleased with his first-up performance when a luckless seventh in the Listed Daybreak Lover Stakes (1200m) and believes the son of Shamexpress can measure up on Saturday. “It was quite a good race and, barring bad luck, he probably doesn’t win but he might have run second. I was pretty happy with the run and he had no luck in the straight at all,” Pike said. “The top-weight is going to be hard to beat on Saturday, a horse called Vega One, but he’s drawn a good gate and I’d be surprised if he’s not in the top three anyway.” With last-start rider Blake Shinn already committed to Vega One, Pike has called upon the services of Mark Du Plessis, who has made every post a winner since moving from New Zealand to the Sunshine State in the middle of last year. Cyber Attack is following a path trodden by The Bostonian, who spring-boarded off a trio of Queensland races at three to return at four to usurp the first two legs of Brisbane’s Group One sprint triple crown — the Doomben 10,000 (1200m) and Kingsford Smith Cup (1300m). “The owners were keen to have a go in Queensland and he will probably end up running in the same three races The Bostonian contested last year. The Daybreak Lover which was his first run, this race and the Sunshine Coast Guineas (Gr.3, 1600m) probably next Saturday,” Pike said. Pike has already enjoyed success in Brisbane this week, with talented four-year-old Sacred Day winning over 2240m at Doomben on Wednesday. The get-back runner has been thwarted by sit and sprint races in his two previous Queensland runs and was put into Wednesday’s race by apprentice Corey Bayliss when the tempo slackened. “Corey is apprenticed to Barry Lockwood where we’re staying and I’ve been watching him over the carnival,” Pike said. “He’s a good polite kid and he rides well, so with the 61kgs it was a good opportunity to give him a ride. “Sacred Day will probably head to the Grafton Cup (Listed, 2350m) now in three weeks and that’ll probably be his last run over there and it would be a nice race to pick-off on the way home.” With the Queensland Winter Carnival winding down, Pike’s raiding party is down to three, consisting of Terra Sancta, Cyber Attack and Sacred Day. “Terra Santa will run in the Caloundra Cup (Listed, 2400m). She’s unbeaten at the Sunshine Coast and seemed to love it down there last year,” Pike said. “The Bostonian, Endless Drama and Intrigue all came back home last Sunday. The others are spelling up there and will come back some time in the next month.” Despite The Bostonian’s Brisbane heroics, Pike said he hadn’t had any phone calls regarding a slot in the A$14 million The Everest (1200m) but was pleased with the way he and Endless Drama had come through their runs in the Stradbroke. “They both pulled up super. The Bostonian slipped coming out of the gates and It was a bit of a worry as to whether he pinched a muscle behind or something, but he seemed fine a couple of days afterward. It’s very unfortunate that happed but they’ve both pulled up really well.” Pike has four runners at Tauranga on Saturday and rates Bolt From The Blue and Out Of The Park in the opening two races as strong winning chances. “Redcayenne is also a good chance in the Kiwifruit Cup, just as long as it doesn’t get too heavy,” he said. Pike, who is also President of the New Zealand Trainers’ Association, is encouraged by the passing of the Racing Amendment Bill and the appointments to the Racing Industry Transition Agency (RITA). “It’s encouraging, but obviously timing is of the essence,” he said. “There are some good things on the horizon such as racefields legislation, point of consumption tax and (the repeal of) the gambling levy. “My personal opinion is that outsourcing (of the TAB) needs to happen sooner rather than later and hopefully we can get some more money into the game.” View the full article

Who Dares Wins could win his fourth successive race on Saturday. The Tony and Lyn Prendergast-trained Who Dares Wins will be in search of his fourth successive victory on Saturday when he contests the Greenwood Amberley Cup (1600m) at Riccarton, for which he has been installed a $3.80 fixed odds favourite by TAB bookmakers. The in-form galloper has been lumped with topweight of 61.5kgs, but his trainers believe victory is not out of the question and they have resisted the temptation to put a claiming apprentice on, electing to stick with proven senior rider Jason Laking. “It’s a big ask, but we need to get a race into him as there is not much more before the Winter Cup (Gr.3, 1600m),” Lyn Prendergast said. “He’s a big horse and he can carry weight more than most, but in saying that, there is a fair gap between him and those who have opted to claim and some of the lightweight chances. But we’re really happy with him. He’ll do his best and if he gets beaten, so be it.” The six-year-old gelding has struck a purple patch this campaign and has crept from a rating of 89 at the beginning of the preparation to now be rated 100. “He raced below par last season and he had a bit of a joint issue, but wasn’t unsound as such,” Prendergast said. “We treated him with IRAP therapy as he had a bit of arthritis and fluid in the joint and it really helped him. Now he’s a really happy changed horse. “It was just a bit of wear and tear which happens with horses that try really hard like he does.” The Winning Edge Presentations 122nd Winter Cup at Riccarton on August 3 is the main goal for Who Dares Wins and Prendergast said the fact there are no allowances in the Group Three feature would help compress the weights. “It is our main aim and he would carry no more than 60kgs, and where we go after that I wouldn’t know,” she said. While Who Dares Wins has the picket-fence formline, stablemate Queen Jetsun is racing consistently but has found one better in each of her past three starts and Prendergast is hopeful that Saturday is her day when she contests the North Canterbury Veterinary Clinics Benchmark 72 (1400m). “She deserves one after three successive runner-up finishes,” Prendergast said. “She tries her guts out and I really think she is a 64-rated horse that can compete in any grade. She’s had a few issues, she had a cannon bone operation about a year ago, but she’s all good now.” The West Melton-based trainers are enjoying a bumper season with 14 winners and 18 placegetters from 93 starters and Prendergast, who has trained in partnership with her husband Tony since 1980, credits a number of factors for the success. “We’ve got great staff, including our daughter Kerry, who is the foreman, as well as Kylie Williams, plus a couple of highly competent female stablehands,” Prendergast said. “The horses have obviously got to have the ability, but I feel we are getting the max out of them and they’re placed to advantage. “I think where we are too is a big benefit. We’ve got 24 acres and our own track and they love it out here. We put them out in the paddocks and they are happy horses. We can do most of the work at home and the horses just love the environment.” View the full article