Chief Stipe

Aveross Don won his third race as a trotter at Motukarara last Sunday and is looking like being a pretty useful sort for... Want to read this content? For free user content sign up here Free Online Content View our subscription options and get behind The Informant paywall Already a member? Login here View the full article

Last year’s Queensland Oaks winner Sociable makes a belated return to racing at Addington this week with no... Want to read this content? For free user content sign up here Free Online Content View our subscription options and get behind The Informant paywall Already a member? Login here View the full article

DENNIS RYAN R2 POP STAR PRINCESS Talented mare knocking for a win and gets no better opportunity than this. MIKE BROWN ALTERNATIVE FACT R5 TAURANGA Won this track and distance early January. Big run last time to finish second after covering extra ground in race won by leader. JOHN JENKINS FELAAR R6 TAURANGA Highly promising […] Want to read this content? For free user content sign up here Free Online Content View our subscription options and get behind The Informant paywall Already a member? Login here View the full article

JONNY TURNER LETTERKENNY BOY R12 ADDINGTON Wiped out on resumption so run best forgotten. Should roll forward over the sprint trip and outmuscle them. GARRICK KNIGHT SLATE R2 WAIRIO Huge debut effort last week, finishing close-up after doing a power of work on a 2.55 run. Drawn to advantage over the mile. FRANK MARRION YOU […] Want to read this content? For free user content sign up here Free Online Content View our subscription options and get behind The Informant paywall Already a member? Login here View the full article

Trainer Lance Robinson has traded one Wingatui rider for another as Boots ‘N’ All prepares for Saturday’s Seaton Family Memorial Hororata Gold Cup at Riccarton. Want to read this content? For free user content sign up here Free Online Content View our subscription options and get behind The Informant paywall Already a member? Login here View the full article

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Stunin Magic will need to find the right piece of real estate if she is to win her debut at Winton on Saturday for trainer Stevie Golding. The Sunin Cullen filly will be the former champion junior driver’s first runner as a trainer and will be driven by Samantha Ottley. Sunnin Magic’s draw, in barrier one on the second row, means Ottley could have a tricky task in finding a cosy spot for the filly to occupy during the run. That is something Golding has plenty of experience with through his work as a real estate agent. And it is a role he is enjoying. “It is going pretty good, really good, actually.” “It has probably been better than expected and hopefully it continues.” There is some crossover between the real estate market and the harness racing industry for Golding. Many of his clients are involved in harness racing. “A lot of my clients are harness people.” “That is why I have kept my foot in the door, to show that I am putting something back in to the game.” Golding’s day job means his new venture in to training will be treated as a hobby. “It is just a hobby, so I get up in the morning and train a couple and then go in to the office.” “It is working out pretty good.” “It will be something different just doing it as a hobby.” Stunin Magic goes in to her debut having won her qualifying trial at Rangiora at the end of last month. With premier racing at Addington on Friday night, it made sense for Golding to trek the filly south for her first start. “It is probably a bit of an ask going down there first up.” “But you have got premier night at Addington on Friday night and there is nowhere really to go and it will probably make her as a horse whatever happens on Saturday.” Stunin Magic’s fate could rest in the hands of driver Brad Williamson, who steers the horse she follows out in Rakabeach. Rakabeach showed good gate speed when running sixth after drawing wide in her last start at Winton. “It is probably a good draw, because she shouldn’t have a gut buster and if she has a bit of luck she might be good enough to run a hole.” Samantha Ottley has a busy weekend in the sulky. She will drive at Addington on Friday night, before heading to Winton on Sunday and Waimate on Sunday. Former premiership winning junior driver Stevie Golding is enjoying his career as a real estate agent. View the full article

Rule Number(s): 638 (3) (b) (ii)Following the running of Race 1, the Sims Bakery Rating 72 1200, an information was filed by Stipendiary Steward, Mr J McLaughlin, against Licensed Apprentice Jockey (Class B), Miss A Comignaghi, alleging that, as the rider of BARABAS in the race, “used her whip in an excessive manner prior to the 100m.” ... (Feed generated with FetchRSS)View the full article

Rule Number(s): 534(2)(a)This charge arises from race 1, Grand Tavern 2200. An Information was filed pursuant to Rule 534 (2)(a). The Informant, Stipendiary Steward, Mr Davidson, alleged that Trainers (Mr James and Mr Wellwood) advised Stewards that CORNISH POINT had mistakenly been administered a substance (on race morning) ... (Feed generated with FetchRSS)View the full article

Rule Number(s): 869(2) & Use of the Whip RegulationsFollowing the running of Race 6, Commodore Hotel Mobile Pace, an information was filed by Stipendiary Steward, Mr S P Renault, against Licensed Open Driver, Mr M J Howard, alleging that Mr Howard, as the driver of FOR THE KITTY in the race, used his whip on more occasions than permitted by Clause (b) ... (Feed generated with FetchRSS)View the full article

Put up or shut up. How do you quantify "underestimated"? Come on put your picks up against Mard's? I've you the opportunity if you are that good and more credible then show us. Stop spouting on about crap subjective whole population data.

Put up or shut up! Blinkers are irrelevant when assessing the performance of a horse in a specific race. With or without them Redzel couldn't beat a better horse!

So you don't use Betfair's info to bet on other agencies? This Blinker thing has been done to death. I'd say by many many points that Mardigras is well in front of you in terms of credible analysis. So put up or shut up! Go head to head against Mardi and I'll provide the forum for you to do it. Let's see how good you really are.

Show us the full stats and I'll happily show you the flaws in their analysis! I'd be weary of any betting agency giving me advice on what to back afterall they want me to lose!

Bollocks! How hard would it be to put UPDATED Track Conditions above each race? Or for the TAB to send the alert to the small number of twitter punters? Nothing to do with the Stipes. They're running a race meeting not giving out useless information. Bit like expecting the referee of a rugby game to tweet - "looks like Moody has an ankle problem in doubt for the first try of the game"!!! I'd prefer the stipes got the horses in the right gates and checked that the notified equipment was actually on or not on the horse.

The TAB has a mobile app. They receive the updated information why don't they send the tweet as according to you it is to assist the punter.

It's unfortunate for the rest of us that you whack out anything at all. As for changing track conditions the last I heard you couldn't actually tweet a bet so isn't the appropriate place for that information to be updated is on the TAB site? Given they have spent $50 perhaps they could auto tweet to their customers. After the "young one" HAVE to use the TAB to have a bet don't they?

It does cost money to tweet. If it takes time for the stipes to do it then it costs. The last I heard they weren't doing their job for no pay. It costs money to gather the information and to enforce the supply of that information. Those costs far out weigh any benefit to anyone.

Fresh from preparing Sentimental Miss to win the New Zealand Oaks last Saturday, Awapuni trainer Lisa Latta has further classic success in mind with her talented three-year-old gelding Platinum Invador. The son of Redwood has enjoyed an easy time since finishing third in the New Zealand Derby and is now being aimed towards the Australian Derby on April 6. “He had a week in the paddock after the Derby,” Latta said. “He looks fantastic. He has been with Chrissy Bambry on the water treadmill and she sent me a video of him on Saturday and he was running around his paddock like he hadn’t raced for weeks. “He will fly to Sydney next Monday and we’re going to go to the Tulloch. He has proven he can back up, so we thought that was a good option.” After a luckless run in the Avondale Guineas, Platinum Invador won at Otaki a week later to secure his place in the New Zealand Derby field. He backed up again for the Derby and was a fast-finishing third coming from last on the home bend. Blake Shinn is booked to ride him in the Tulloch Stakes. View the full article

Exciting four-year-old Rondinella will not head to Sydney to take her place in the Gr. 1 Ranvet Stakes on Saturday, but a trip across the Tasman still remains on the cards for the Roger James and Robert Wellwood-trained mare. “She’s not heading to Sydney this weekend, but we certainly still have some hope that she will get over there,” Wellwood said. “There are two main options, there’s the BMW or the Chairman’s.” The Gr. 1 BMW is at Rosehill on March 30, while the Gr. 2 Chairman’s Quality will be run at Randwick on April 6. The daughter of Ocean Park put in a bold showing at her last start, finishing third behind Melody Belle and Danzdanzdance in the Gr. 1 Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes at Ellerslie. “I thought it was a really good run from her,” he said. “The track definitely didn’t suit her and the two mares who beat her are proven on heavy surfaces. “She got inconvenienced at about the 500-metre mark and when she finally got balanced up she started making up ground on two of the benchmark horses in New Zealand, so I thought it was a super run that had a lot of merit.” Rondinella has had seven starts this preparation, which included three wins and a second in the Listed Kaimai Stakes as well as her last start placing. Wellwood said the decision was made not to head over this week to avoid running her on an unsuitable surface so late in her campaign. “She’s come through the Bonecrusher really well,” Wellwood said. “She’s coming through her runs extremely well now. “In saying that, she has had a fair bit of racing in a short period of time and to give her another race on a surface that doesn’t suit her just wasn’t ideal this weekend and the rain doesn’t look like it’s going to stop in Sydney.” Meanwhile, stablemate Hanger could head towards the Gr. 2 Manco Easter Handicap at Ellerslie on April 20 after his solid second at Tauranga on Saturday. “It was a good performance. Unfortunately the winner got a bit of a kick on the turn and by the time he got out it proved very hard to reel them in at Tauranga,” Wellwood said. “I thought it was really good to see him relax and race kindly because sometimes he can do things a little bit wrong. We are undecided yet as to where we will head with him, but the Easter is on the radar.” View the full article

Attending the Golden Slipper barrier draw has further whetted Adelaide trainer Chris Bieg’s appetite as he prepares to saddle his first Sydney starter when Free Of Debt runs in the world’s richest race for two-year-olds. Bieg has last-start Blue Diamond Stakes third placegetter Free Of Debt in Saturday’s A$3.5 million Golden Slipper and the trainer was on hand to draw barrier 10 for the colt at this morning’s function in Rosehill racecourse’s Grand Pavilion. “It’s very surreal, it’s actually happening now,” Bieg said. “I couldn’t believe it. It’s very different, like nothing I’ve experienced before. “South Australia don’t have anything like this. Even the Blue Diamond, that was a really good morning. We enjoyed the barrier draw there, but this is next level. This is amazing, so I’m very excited.” Bieg said he wanted Free Of Debt to draw between barrier six and 11, so he was thrilled to secure 10. Free Of Debt will jump from gate eight if the first two emergencies do not gain starts. “I think from there we are not dictated to what we actually have to do. Where he is, is perfect really,” Bieg said. “One out and one back in the run would be my best outcome I think.” Free Of Debt has been in Sydney for more than a week preparing for Saturday’s big event and won a barrier trial at Randwick last Thursday. He has his final piece of work on Wednesday at Rosehill, which Bieg said would be more of a maintenance gallop. And while Free Of Debt is not among the leading contenders in the market, his trainer believes the Unencumbered colt can give it a shake. “Why not?” he said. “He’s done nothing wrong. We’re a small stable in the big world, I guess that’s the reflection of the market. That stable support is not quite there. “But he doesn’t know he is $34 and he will be giving them a scare on Saturday.” Todman Stakes winner Yes Yes Yes has lost favouritism for the Golden Slipper after drawing the outside barrier. The Chris Waller-trained colt was favourite before drawing barrier 19 in the capacity field of 16 plus three emergencies, but is now a $7 chance behind Cosmic Force, the new $5 favourite after drawing barrier two. The five James Cummings-trained Godolphin-owned horses have come up with contrasting draws, Microphone drawing one, Tenley six and Pin Sec five, while Kiamichi has 17 and Exhilarates 18. Microphone and Tenley share the second line of betting at $6 after the draw. View the full article

Rotorua Race Scratchings R1: R2: R3: R4: R5: 4 R6: R7: TAB Meeting #2 with the first of 7 races starting at 12:32pm Doubles: 2-3, 4-5, 6-7 Trebles: 2-3-4 , 5-6-7 Quaddies: 1-2-3-4, 4-5-6-7 Pick 6: Starts on race 2 with a $25,000 Guaranteed Pool Rotorua Final Field Win & Place Betting Option Numbers R1: […] Want to read this content? For free user content sign up here Free Online Content View our subscription options and get behind The Informant paywall Already a member? Login here View the full article

He’s resigned himself to the fact that he probably can’t win unless something remarkable happens, but that’s not stopping Andrew Stuart from getting a little excited about having one of his star prospects back on the track this week at Addington. Last season’s Queensland Oaks winner, Sociable, will make her first appearance since July of last year and her first appearance on New Zealand soil for more than a year when she tackles a strong intermediate grade event at Friday night’s premier meeting. But coming back as a rating 80 winner of five of her 11 career starts, she’s been lumped with the outside of the front-line draw in the race and Stuart said that pretty much puts an end to her chances of success in a fresh state. “You look at that field and from that draw and it looks pretty tough for her,” he said. “Which is a shame, because she’s come back super – she’s stronger and bigger, just about as big as me,” he laughed. The now four-year-old mare did show at last week’s Rangiora trials that she hasn’t lost any of her ability during her time away from the track with a dashing victory to beat smart types Mongolian Cavalry, Chiller Bay and Born To Run. “I thought she was pretty smart that day and it indicated she was right back to where we know she can be, that’s for sure.” With such a high rating, placing the daughter of Buy Kiwi Made is going to prove a difficult task for her North Canterbury trainer and while the optimum goal for the season would be to qualify for the Harness Jewels at Addington, even that might be asking too much. “There’s this race for her this week and then another next week and we’ll have to take it from there. “She’s got no money in the bank for the Jewels and with that rating it’s going to be pretty hard to earn enough to get in. “I have been told I should take her to Auckland, but she’s done a lot of travelling in her life and I’m kind of thinking that I shouldn’t really have to ask her to leave Canterbury and go to Auckland to qualify for a Jewels meeting that is here anyway.” The current cut off for the top 12 in the Four-Year-Old Diamond is around the $20,000 mark meaning that even with success over the next two weeks, she would still be struggling to earn her way in. “We’ll just see what happens, who knows she might really surprise us, but it’s going to be hard.” Friday night’s assignment sees her taking on some smart types in the unbeaten Delightful Major, northern raider Mr Yips, Nandolo, Smokin By and Cullenburn. Sam Ottley has been booked to take the drive. View the full article