Chief Stipe

Caulfield Cup-winning jockey Pat Cosgrave will make a flying visit to Auckland this weekend to partner the Chris Waller-trained Nobu in the Gr. 1 Vodafone New Zealand Derby at Ellerslie. The 36-year-old Northern Irishman shot to prominence in this part of the world when he partnered Benbatl to win the Gr. 1 Caulfield Stakes last October and added the Gr. 1 Caulfield Cup a week later aboard Best Solution. Cosgrave, who is currently based in Dubai, won’t arrive in Auckland until Saturday morning but is looking forward to the challenge and linking up with the Waller stable once again. “I rode Comin’ Through for Chris Waller in Dubai a couple of times earlier in the year and I know his racing manager Charlie Duckworth well, so the ride has come through that,” Cosgrave said. “Chris asked if I would be interested in going down and riding Nobu, and I had never been there (New Zealand) before. Chris is a world-class trainer, so I have taken the opportunity to go down and see how it goes. If Chris is sending it there, he must think it has a live chance in the big race.” Cosgrave said he had already watched some videos of past New Zealand Derbys to get an idea of what awaits and he would be doing more homework before making the journey. “Between now and Saturday I’ll be going through all his races and looking through some of the opposition as well and hopefully see how the race is going to pan out,” Cosgrave said. “I want to learn as much as possible, there is not much point in going all the way down to ride this horse and not have my homework done. “I’ll be there early and I’ll walk the track a couple of times and Charlie has helped me pick up another ride beforehand.” Cosgrave will ride the Graham Richardson and Gavin Parker-trained Stilton in the Gr. 3 McKee Family Sunline Vase. Cosgrave was impressed with Nobu’s last-start fourth in Rating 65 company at Ellerslie over 2100 metres, closing late after going back to last. “Charlie said his closing sectionals were very good and that he should improve with the step up in distance, so he looks a nice ride,” he said. The seven-time Group One winning rider is embracing the challenge of riding in another jurisdiction, having clocked a few air points throughout his career. “I rode in the UK all summer last year and then went to Melbourne for three or four weeks to ride for Godolphin,” Cosgrave said. “Then I came back here to Dubai in the second week of November and I’ve been here since. “I’m really looking forward to getting to New Zealand, it is going to be interesting and something new and hopefully the horse will run a big race. “I’ve ridden in Ireland, UK, France, Germany, Italy, Turkey, South Africa, Dubai, Australia and now New Zealand. There’s not many places left, probably the only place I haven’t been is the US.” Cosgrave has four rides at Meydan in Dubai tomorrow night before boarding a plane to Auckland and is hoping to amass some nice rides ahead of the world’s richest raceday, the Dubai World Cup meeting on March 30. With six Group One races on the programme and three Group Two races, the total purse for the World Cup meeting is a mind-boggling US$35 million. Cosgrave said the Super Saturday meeting on March 9 would provide a clearer indication as to which horses might figure on World Cup night, but he already has some irons in the fire. “I’m hoping to ride a horse in the UAE Derby (Group Two, 1900m) for (American trainer) Kenny McPeek, a horse called Grecko, but things are more finalised after the 9th of March. “That confirms what is going to get in and what is going to run, but I’m also hoping to pick up a ride for Saeed (bin Suroor). Something might pop up between now and then, fingers crossed. “Between myself and Christophe Soumillon, we ride the horses for Saeed bin Suroor and freelance after that. Saeed is first and after that we pick up what we can. It is tough racing during the carnival, but it is good.” Cosgrave reported that last year’s Gr. 1 Dubai World Cup winner was on-track for another tilt at the carnival’s feature. “I galloped Thunder Snow on Tuesday morning, he is in good form and he is going to run on Super Saturday and crack on to World Cup night,” he said. Meanwhile, the jockey said he would love to return to Australia at some stage following his success in spring. “I really enjoyed coming down to Australia and obviously, I did pretty well winning the two Group Ones,” Cosgrave said. “I’d love to come back but have nothing planned yet, but you never know what could come from riding for powerful owners and a good trainer like Chris Waller.” View the full article

Geez give us a break there isn't a horse in Australasia that can get within cooee of her. Last win she breaks the track record on her ear!

video-1551042168.mp4

Ellerslie Race Scratchings R1: R2: R3: R4: R5: 3 R6: R7: R8: R9: R10: 1 TAB Meeting #2 with the first of 10 races starting at 12:15pm Doubles: 1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8, 9-10 Trebles: 1-2-3, 4-5-6, 8-9-10 Quaddies: 2-3-4-5, 7-8-9-10 Pick 6: Starts on race 5 with a $25,000 Guaranteed Pool Track conditions: Good 3 […] 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

A strong performance by Emily Margaret at Wingatui on Saturday could earn the stakes-winning filly a trip north to contest the Gr. 2 Norwood Family Wellington Guineas on March 16. The Kevin and Pam Hughes-trained daughter of Pins will line up in the Listed NZB Insurance Stakes, and her connections have been pleased with her build-up. “She seems fine, she’s freshened up a wee bit,” Kevin Hughes said. “We have good paddocks here (Riccarton), so she went down to the paddock every day and just had a swim for a few days, with all these firm tracks, just to get the jar out of them a bit. “She galloped up on Tuesday and managing with a float trip under her belt she should be spot on for the day.” Hughes said riding tactics were the undoing of his filly in the Gr. 3 Desert Gold Stakes last month with jockey Samantha Collett entering a speed duel with Lisa Allpress, aboard outsider Miss Valencia, down the back straight, with the pair subsequently fading late. However, he was pleased with her last start runner-up performance over 1400 metres at Riccarton earlier this month, which Hughes said has readied her for Saturday’s contest. “She got murdered at Wellington with Lisa (Allpress) and Sam Collett going head-to-head,” Hughes said. “Next time she came out I said to Sanu (Toolooa, jockey) just to settle her. He did that very well, but I just don’t think the both of them saw that one (Taponisme) flashing down the outside. “It was a good run and it was good to get that one under her belt and hopefully it should have her back where she should be again.” Emily Margaret has had an extensive three-year-old preparation, which started back in September with victory in the Listed Canterbury Belle Stakes. Hughes is hoping his filly can add to that tally on Saturday. “She’s tough, nothing worries her,” he said. “She eats everything and she just progresses. She’s naturally a bit tubby, so that helps when you have got a big three-year-old season on you. “Robbie Hannam will ride her and she’ll settle in front, you can take her out if something has a crack. “She’s the highest-rated horse in the field and she’s best to just let roll and set her own pace and tough it out, especially coming up that bit of a dip at Wingatui.” Hughes is eyeing a return to Trentham next month with his filly if everything goes to plan on Saturday. “If she comes through the race well, then we will probably go and have a look at the boys in the Wellington Guineas,” he said. “That’s the plan, to have a good run there at Wingatui, hopefully we can win it, and then go up to Wellington. The travel doesn’t seem to worry her. She just gets off and carries on.” View the full article

So Thomaas have you been a wage earner all your life? Or are you living off the Capital Gains and "wise" investments of your family? We know you cant be living off your punting. How many Socialists will be at Cheltenham?

Defending title-holder Happy Clapper has been given top weight of 59 kilograms for the A$3 million Doncaster Mile, two kilos more than he carried last year and one kilo more than fellow eight-year-old Hartnell. The two are also Epsom Handicap winners over the course and distance, with Happy Clapper successful in 2017 and Godolphin’s Hartnell the winner last spring. Happy Clapper also ran second in the Doncaster in 2016 to Winx and was runner-up again a year later to It’s Somewhat. Trained by Pat Webster, Happy Clapper ran second to Winx in the Apollo Stakes on February 16 and will meet her again in Saturday’s Chipping Norton Stakes before heading to Melbourne for the All-Star Mile. Star colt The Autumn Sun is the highest-weighted three-year-old on 55 kilograms, six kilograms above the minimum for three-year-olds. In Sydney Cup weights also released yesterday, Melbourne Cup winners Almandin (2016) and Rekindling (2017) are the top two in the handicap with 58 and 56.5 kilograms respectively. Muntahaa, who ran ninth in the 2018 Melbourne Cup, is next on 55.5 kilograms, having been transferred from John Gosden to Lindsay Park. The Doncaster is on the first day of The Championships, April 6, with the Sydney Cup a week later. View the full article

A slot in the Everest is up for auction, with GPI Racing to offload the one it bought for Chautauqua. Auctioneer Inglis will manage the sale with those interested to submit expressions of interest over the next nine weeks. The successful bidder will act as ‘Slot Licensee’ (as referred to in the conditions of the race) from the date of completion of sale through to the date of payment of prize-money for the 2019 Everest. Greg Ingham’s GPI Racing was an original slot-holder and like the others, paid for three years. But with Chautauqua now retired, Ingham said the group had decided to make the slot available for this year with the 2019 edition worth A$14 million. “When we purchased our slot in the Everest, it was with a view to our champion Chautauqua competing in the race year after year,” Ingham said. “He is essentially retired, therefore we have decided to make the opportunity to be part of this great race available to someone else. “It is already an incredible sporting spectacle and we have loved being a part of it in its first two years and there is no doubting that the third renewal is going to be even bigger and better again.” Chautauqua finished fourth in 2017 but did not run last year. Racing NSW chief executive Peter V’Landys said he believed there would be “intense interest”. “It was always envisaged that the slots in the Everest would be tradeable,” he said. “Accordingly, we are happy that this part of the concept is being utilised as this adds even further intrigue to the race. “With prize-money of A$14 million, it’s potentially very good value for an owner of a horse that may be otherwise a fringe contender to get a start in the race.” View the full article

Hastings Race Scratchings R1: R2: 2 R3: 5,9 R4: 3,7,10 R5: R6: R7: 8 R8: 8 NZ TAB Meeting # 4 with the first of 8 races starting at 2:17pm Doubles: 1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8 Trebles: 2-3-4, 6-7-8 Quaddies: 1-2-3-4, 5-6-7-8 Pick 6 starts on Race 3 with a Guaranteed Pool of $25,000 Track conditions: Dead 5 Weather: Fine […] 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

Hastings Race Scratchings R1: R2: 2 R3: 5,9 R4: 3,7,10 R5: R6: R7: 8 R8: 8 NZ TAB Meeting # 4 with the first of 8 races starting at 2:17pm Doubles: 1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8 Trebles: 2-3-4, 6-7-8 Quaddies: 1-2-3-4, 5-6-7-8 Pick 6 starts on Race 3 with a Guaranteed Pool of $25,000 Track conditions: Dead 6 Weather: Fine […] 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

Two of Jack Harrington’s favourite girls are on their way back to the track, but don’t expect to see them out toughing it with the big guns this season. The young, up-and-coming trainer will begin the process of getting former Breeders Crown winner Renezmae back to the races after a long absence when she steps out at Wednesday’s Rangiora trials and open class trotting mare, Hey Yo came back into work last week after five weeks in the paddock. And for Harrington the sight of seeing them both back in full flight is exciting. “They’re flagship horses for me, so having them back around the place and in work is great,’’ he said. “They’re at different stages at the moment and we’re not rushing to get to anything with either of them at this stage.” Renezmae will step out in what will be the first of two or three trials for her before she heads back to the races having not been seen since the middle of last year. A good break in the paddock has worked wonders for the now four-year-old and Harrington said being able to give her that good break was a nice change. “We’ve been pretty busy with her since she was a two-year-old and she hasn’t really had that opportunity to get a good break,” he said. “But she’s had four months out and has come back in fantastic order, she’s really bulked up and I’m very happy with her work – she’s still a little bit round, but that will come off with a few runs under the belt.” With a 74 rating, placing the mare is going to be the hardest challenge for Harrington but he’s happy to potter around in the graded races for now. A race like the Four and Five-Year-Old Trotting Championship may come into reckoning should she exceed expectations in her return, but it was unlikely. Hey Yo was given a good break after her Auckland campaign in which not much went right, but Harrington isn’t that keen to get back up there with her anytime soon. “She just doesn’t trot quite as well up there; she went great races and most of them were in NZ records, but she’s better the other way around. “We’ll just potter around with her too and look to add to her credentials as a broodmare but there’s no real serious plans at this stage.” With his two trotting stars back in work and ticking along, Harrington is also working with a promising line up of two-year-old trotters. He’s got three engaged at Wednesday’s trials but has the most time for Musculature Metro, a Muscles Yankee colt who is a half-brother to Massive Metro. “We had to scratch him from Addington the other night because he’s got an abscess, but I think he’s the best of them at this stage.” http://media.harness.org.au/vic/MXM27081710.mp4 View the full article

Talented local filly Miss Labasa has been a big mover in markets for tomorrow’s Gr. 2 Little Avondale Lowland Stakes at Hastings. After opening at $18 on the TAB’s Final Field market for the $100,000 three-year-old fillies’ feature, the Swiss Ace filly has been tightened to $10. She is now the fourth favourite behind Imelda Mary ($2.70), Queen Of Diamonds ($3.60) and Sentimental Miss ($7.50). Miss Labasa began her career with three impressive victories, then took on the Karaka Million 3YO Classic at Ellerslie. After over-racing in the early to middle stages, she finished 11th. “She’s improved no end since her last start,” trainer John Bary told www.theinformant.co.nz “Her work’s been really good and she had an excellent hitout on the course proper last Friday morning. “We’ve applied blinkers and ear muffs, and she’s been relaxing beautifully in her work and really stretching out. “She’s drawn nicely in gate six tomorrow. If she settles in the running and sees the trip out, which I think she will, she should be right there at the finish.” View the full article

Transtasman trainer Mike Moroney will shoot for a fourth victory in the $1 million Gr. 1 Vodafone New Zealand Derby at Ellerslie on Saturday. Great Command (1996), Cut The Cake (2003) and the outstanding Xcellent (2004) are the previous New Zealand Derby winners for Moroney, who recently trained the 50th Group One winner of his career when On The Rocks took out the Herbie Dyke Stakes at Te Rapa. This year his hopes rest with the Ocean Park colt Arrogant, a last-start placegetter in the Gr. 2 Waikato Guineas at Te Rapa. “We thought it was a really nice effort in the Guineas,” Moroney’s New Zealand training partner Pam Gerard said. “He did all of the hard work in front and was stuck down in the worst part of the track, but he stuck on really well all the way to the line. “We’ve been very happy with him since the Guineas and he’s going into Saturday in great condition. “You never really know with the step up to 2400 metres, they’re all trying it for the first time, but the way he relaxes in his races and finishes them off gives us a little bit of confidence.” Arrogant will be ridden by Cameron Lammas and is rated an $18 chance in the TAB’s fixed-odds market. Surely Sacred is the $3 favourite ahead of Vernanme ($5.50), In A Twinkling, More Wonder and Sword In Stone (all $10). View the full article

Rags-to-riches filly Imelda Mary will be out to continue her rich vein of form when she contests the Gr. 2 Little Avondale Lowland Stakes at Hastings tomorrow. The Wayne Hillis-trained filly has been a revelation this term, winning three of her past four starts including a dominant last-start victory in the Gr. 2 Sir Tristram Fillies’ Classic at Te Rapa. The Matamata trainer is pleased with the condition of the daughter of Ferlax, who he purchased for just $3,500 as a yearling and subsequently named after his elderly mother. “There has been a bit of improvement in her since her win at Te Rapa but we have just been maintaining her really,” Hillis said. “She’s up and fit and racing keeps ticking her over. “She is quite a tough filly. She has been to Christchurch and back for the Guineas and she had a little break after that but only a couple of weeks.” Imelda Mary, of whom Hillis shares ownership with family friends Chris Delamore and Ross Robertson, has been racing since August. The improving filly broke her maiden at Matamata in December at her 12th career start after six starts as a two-year-old, including a down-the-track performance in the Karaka Million. “We paddock train as soon as the weather is alright, so around the beginning of November right through till around the end of April, so they have plenty of time to relax,” Hillis said. “She always gave me the impression she would come up as a three-year-old. “I thought she was a three-year-old more than anything and I wasn’t going to run her in the Karaka Million but I wanted to give her a few runs for education. As we got closer to the race we thought she was going to make the field, so we thought we may as well have a go given the prize-money. “I have always been waiting for her to get up in distance because I thought she might show something but I didn’t know she was going to be this good.” Hillis said Imelda Mary would likely be ridden forward of midfield from barrier seven tomorrow. “At anything less than a mile she had no early speed to take a position and it has only been in her two distance races that she has got a bit handier,” he said. “She shouldn’t end up too far back from seven, but if she does end up back in the race she can come on from there.” Safely through the Lowland, Hillis said Imelda Mary would contest the Gr. 1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks at Trentham on March 16, although that may not necessarily be her season finale. “She is nominated for the Australian Oaks (April 13) and all going well we will press on to there and that will be her final. We will just go race by race to see how she is handling it. It is only four weeks after the New Zealand Oaks so she wouldn’t need a run in between.” Hillis said Imelda Mary rated up with the better three-year-old fillies he had trained. “Final Destination won a couple of Group Ones including the New Zealand 1000 Guineas and this one isn’t far behind her, while Boulevardofdreams and Kainui Belle were also pretty good,” he said. Hillis said he was getting great pleasure out of seeing the filly named after his mother, Imelda, footing it with the country’s best three-year-olds. “She’s getting on and has got dementia now, so I thought I would name a horse after my mother and it is just fate that she has turned out good,” he said. “Dad trained and racing is all we did when I was born, so she has been in racing herself all her life and this is giving her a real kick along.” View the full article

Last year’s Auckland Cup winner Ladies First will continue on a path towards the Gr. 1 Sydney Cup despite finishing 10th in the Gr. 1 Haunui Farm WFA Group One Classic at Otaki on Saturday. “The run was a pass mark,” trainer Allan Sharrock said. “We are happy the way we are tracking. She looks really well. She went super first-up (when sixth in the 1600-metre Listed Wairarapa Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes) and they often throw in one like that, so I’m not too worried at this stage.” Ladies First will have one further start in New Zealand, the Gr. 1 Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes at Ellerslie on March 9, before heading across the Tasman to contest the Gr. 2 Chairman’s Quality at Randwick. “She’ll now go to the 2000-metre race at Ellerslie at weight-for-age, through that into the Chairman’s and then a week later the Sydney Cup,” Sharrock said. View the full article

Hong Kong favourite and dual Group One winner Pakistan Star has joined expat New Zealand trainer Paul O’Sullivan’s Hong Kong stable. The erratic galloper has been transferred from Tony Cruz’s stable, along with Pakistan Friend, following a decision made by owner Kerm Din. O’Sullivan is excited to have such a high-quality horse join his barn and is looking forward to targeting some Group One races this season with his new acquisition. “When it comes to Group One horses, I am a bit light at the moment so I didn’t hesitate at all,” O’Sullivan told the South China Morning Post. “It’s nice to have runners in the big races and he’s only six, so there is plenty to go with him. “He has been well followed, when he’s good he’s great but when he’s bad, he is disappointing. He is hard to get a line on. “I’ve got no plans for him at all, it’s only just happened, so I will have to look at what is coming up. He is a little bit hit and miss, so we will see how we go with him.” View the full article

Rule Number(s): 870(3)Breaking Horse RegulationsFollowing the running of race 7, the Sims Pacific Metals Mobile Trot 1700m an information was filed by Senior Stipendiary Steward Mr Mulcay instigating a protest pursuant to rule 870(3). The particulars of the information are that HEAVYWEIGHT HERO (placed 4th) galloped in excess of 150m over the early ... (Feed generated with FetchRSS)View the full article

Rule Number(s): 870(3) Breaking Horse RegulationsFollowing the running of race 7, the Sims Pacific Metals Mobile Trot 1700m an information was filed by Senior Stipendiary Steward Mr Mulcay instigating a protest pursuant to rule 870(3). The particulars of the information are that WAR MACHINE (placed 5th) galloped in excess of 150m inside the final 400m ... (Feed generated with FetchRSS)View the full article

Rule Number(s): 870(3) Breaking Horse RegulationsFollowing the running of race 7, the Sims Pacific Metals Mobile Trot 1700m an information was filed by Senior Stipendiary Steward Mr Mulcay instigating a protest pursuant to rule 870(3). The particulars of the information are that MAJESTIC ONE (placed 5th) galloped in excess of 150m over the early stages ... (Feed generated with FetchRSS)View the full article

Rule Number(s): 638(1)(d)Following the running of race 1,Valchi Downs an Information was filed pursuant to Rule 638 (1)(d). The Informant, Mr Oatham, alleged that Mr Waddell permitted his mount EFFERVESCENT to shift in near the 250 metres when insufficiently clear crowding THE HELIX which was forced in crowding LOWRIDER which ... (Feed generated with FetchRSS)View the full article

Rule Number(s): 869 (3) (b)Following the running of Race 3, the Masterguard Pace Pace, an information was filed by Stipendiary Steward Mrs C Tibbs against Open Horseman, Mr L McCormick, alleging a breach of Rule 869(3) (b) in that Mr McCormick, when driving SHADOW DANCER, shifted outwards when not entitled to causing ONEDIN SMILER, ... (Feed generated with FetchRSS)View the full article

Bettors Delight? They take time don't they?

I have some sympathy for the caretaker. They had nearly 25mls of rain on the Thursday and Friday prior to raceday. The 8mls the caretaker put on wouldn't have made a hell of a lot of difference. They hadn't had any significant rain in the previous 3 weeks. Imagine the uproar if the 18mls they got on the Friday was only enough to wet the surface and the races were called off after Race 1 because a horse slipped. All comes back to soil structure. If it's stuffed then you don't have any buffer either way. The 8mls probably helped rather than hindered. I don't think any of our tracks could take an inch of rain in the 24 hours prior to raceday without a downgrade. I agree Freda with regard to the dirty paddock and rough fence. Surely there are still some farmers on the committee that take pride in the appearance of yards and paddocks.

View the full article

Don't you think they tax us all enough now as it is?