Wandering Eyes

Willydoit (NZ) (Tarzino) firmed up his Gr.1 Trackside New Zealand Derby (2400m) favouritism when he made it back-to-back wins at Ellerslie in the Horizon By SkyCity 1600 on New Year’s Day. From his outside gate in the eight-horse field, Willydoit settled at the back of the pack for jockey Masa Hashizume before improving to sit three-back on the fence. Turning for home he was stuck behind a wall of horses, but Hashizume kept a cool head and waited for a gap to open. When one presented, the country’s leading jockey was quick to take it and Willydoit was able to show the qualities that have earned him Derby favouritism when shooting away to a 2-3/4 length victory over Group Three winner Tuxedo (NZ) (Tivaci). Shaun Clotworthy, who trains the three-year-old son of Tarzino in partnership with his wife Emma, was duly impressed with his performance. “It is a pretty big statement. It looks like he is a well above average horse,” he said. With victory, Willydoit shortened into $3 favouritism for the Derby ahead of the Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott-trained Checkmate (NZ) (Mongolian Khan) at $10. Clotworthy has no doubt his charge will see out the 2400m Derby distance on Champions Day at Ellerslie in March. “He has got a nice turn of foot and he will get a Derby distance,” he said. “He is a pretty relaxed individual and he doesn’t take too much out of himself. “We will just see how the horse pulls up, but that (Guineas path) looks the logical programme.” Bred by Westbury Stud principal Gerry Harvey, Willydoit was offered through the farm’s 2023 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 1 Yearling Sale draft where he was purchased by Clotworthy for $75,000. Following his 1150m trial victory at Waipa in October, American-based syndicator My Racehorse joined the ownership group. My Racehorse offers affordable ownership through micro shares, with their business model famously showcased by Gr.1 Kentucky Derby (2000m) winner Authentic, with My Racehorse’s 12.5 percent stake in the former US Horse of the Year shared among 5,000 people. Wearing My Racehorse’s red and black silks, Willydoit has now won two of his three starts, after placing on debut, and earned more than $62,000 in prizemoney. View the full article

Central Districts filly Too Sweet (NZ) (Satono Aladdin) lived up to punters expectations when she downed a handy field in the Gr.2 SKYCITY Eclipse Stakes (1200m) at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day. Brought north by trainer Roydon Bergerson after winning on debut at Trentham back in October and then finishing second at that venue in early December, the daughter of Rich Hill Stud stallion Satono Aladdin closed as the $3 Fixed Odds favourite for the first stakes race of the New Year after some inspired late support. Rider Michael McNab took the initiative when the filly made a lightning beginning from her outside (9) barrier and dictated proceedings from another well backed runner in Sweet Ice. Having her first start going in the clockwise direction, Too Sweet handled the tricky Ellerslie circuit with ease as she cornered beautifully and then kicked away from her rivals at the 300m. La Dorada (NZ) (Super Seth), Toretto (NZ) (Ardrossan) and Almakeitgood (NZ) (Ardrossan) all closed gamely but Too Sweet proved too strong as she hit the finish line 1-1/2 lengths to the good of her rivals. Bergerson was thrilled with the way his charge handled the Ellerslie track ahead of the $1 million TAB Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) at the Auckland venue on 25 January, and he is excited for the syndicate who race her, which includes his son Sam (co-trainer of runner-up La Dorada) and her Karaka Yearling Sale purchaser Chris Rutten. “There is nothing much better in racing than when you win a race for your son, the leading trainer in New Zealand,” Bergerson said. “She won pretty well and is a good horse with a good brain on her. “Michael took the initiative, as our plan was to drop in behind them, but she flew the gate and that was it.” Bergerson confirmed that Too Sweet would follow in the footsteps of another top juvenile filly he trained in Wolverine, who won the same event in 2022 before finishing runner-up to Dynastic in the Karaka Million 2YO three weeks later. “I think she is as good as Wolverine as she has a great turn of foot and probably has a better brain all around,” he said. “Sam can take over now as we will leave her at Te Akau where she will go out on the water walker for a week and then bring her back here in three weeks.” McNab admitted he threw the original game plan out the window when the filly jumped brilliantly at the start. “The plan was to ride her quiet from a wide gate as there looked good speed (on paper),” he said. “After I’d gone a few strides, I thought I might as well be the one who takes it up (pacemaking) and it worked out really well. “She was a little aggressive and quite fresh, but she found a good kick and that gives you confidence for what’s ahead. “She can race from behind, from the front, so she can do it all.” TAB Bookmakers shortened her price dramatically for the Karaka Million 2YO immediately after the victory, and she now sits as the $4 Fixed Odds favourite ahead of La Dorada ($5.50) and Almakeitgood ($7). Rutten paid $50,000 to purchase Too Sweet from Phoenix Park’s draft at Karaka last year, and he is no stranger to Karaka Millions success, having won the race with Vespa in 2014 and has collected minor placings with Touche (2013), Kingsman (2016), Yourdeel (2019), Avonallo (2021), and Wolverine (2022). He also had success with Scott Base in the Karaka Million 3YO (1600m) in 2018. View the full article

Son of Sun winning the Group 3 Queen Elizabeth II Cup (2400m). Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images) Progressive stayer Son of Sun continued his golden run at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day when taking out the Group 3 Queen Elizabeth II Cup (2400m) in the hands of in-form hoop Matt Cartwright. The five-year-old son of Tavistock had won four of his six prior starts at the Auckland venue, including the Dunstan Horsefeeds Stayers Championship Qualifier (2100m) last month. His record on the track didn’t evade punters attention, who backed him into $5.50 favouritism with Picklebet for Wednesday’s staying feature. Travelling midfield for much of the journey, Son of Sun spotted leader Arby five lengths at the top of the straight, but under the urgings of Cartwright, he was able to reel in his rival to score by a neck. 2025 Queen Elizabeth II Cup Replay – Son of Sun https://horsebetting.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Ellerslie-2024-Group-2-Queen-Elizabeth-II-Cup-01012025-Son-Of-Sun-Bruce-Wallace-Grant-Cooksley-Matt-Cartwright.mp4 “He won well, he is a good stayer and hopefully he carries on with it,” said Grant Cooksley, who trains Son of Sun in partnership with Bruce Wallace. Son of Sun has now won six of his 18 career starts and nearly $340,000 in prizemoney, but Cooksley believes the best is still ahead for the gelding. “I think he is going to be a little bit better in six months,” he said. “I know he is a five-year-old, but he is a slow-maturing horse, and he has come along very well.” A return to Ellerslie for the Group 2 Auckland Cup (3200m) on Champions Day in March is an obvious target for Son of Sun, but Cooksley said he hasn’t made any set plans. “He is nominated (for the Auckland Cup), but we will see what happens,” he said. Bred by Malway Farm, Son of Sun was purchased by Baiquing Sun out of Cambridge Stud’s 2021 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 1 Yearling Sale draft for $65,000 and is raced by Sun under his New Zealand Gingkosun Investment Ltd banner. The Group 3 Queen Elizabeth II Cup (2400m) has proven to be a successful race for Cooksley and Grant, who won last year’s running at Pukekohe with Trust In You, who went on to run in last year’s Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m). The six-year-old gelding finished sixth in the Group 2 Rich Hill Mile (1600m) at Ellerslie on Wednesday and is also a major player for the Auckland Cup, sharing top billing for the staying feature on the horse racing bookmakers Futures Market at $10 alongside his stablemate and Australian raider Interpretation. Horse racing news View the full article

What Yarra Valley Races Where Yarra Valley Racing – Armstrong Grove, Yarra Glen VIC 3775 When Thursday, January 2, 2025 First Race 1:30pm AEDT Visit Dabble Racing in Victoria heads to Yarra Valley on Thursday afternoon, where a competitive eight-race meeting awaits punters. The track has come up as a Soft 5 at the time of acceptances, but with clear skies forecast, it is likely to begin as a Good 4 come race one. The rail sticks in its true position, with the first event set to jump at 1:30pm AEDT. Best Bet at Yarra Valley: Scottie’s Legacy Scottie’s Legacy found one better at her first crack at the 2000m at Mornington last time out, but the 1950m BM58 she strikes on Thursday looks to be a relative easy kill on what she has displayed so far. For a stayer on the rise, the Almanzor mare has a strong turn of foot and is set to be aided by a genuinely run event throughout. With Logan Bates claiming 2kg, she gets in perfectly with just 58kg on her back, and with a well-timed sprint, Scottie’s Legacy looks different gravy against this lot. Best Bet Race 6 – #2 Scottie’s Legacy (4) 4yo Mare | T: Mark Walker | J: Logan Bates (a2) (60kg) Bet with Neds Next Best at Yarra Valley: The Marg Factor The Marg Factor has not won in 15 months but may not get a better chance than when she lines up in BM58 company. The seven-year-old mare was only grabbed in the shadows of the winning post at Cranbourne on December 13 when leading over 1400m and a repeat effort up to 1500m should see her break through for an overdue victory. In barrier two with Tianni Chapman claiming 2kg, the Hvasstan mare should have no issue holding the lead, and if she can kick off the home bend, The Marg Factor should prove too hard to run down. Next Best Race 7 – #9 The Marg Factor (2) 7yo Mare | T: Peter Gelagotis | J: Tianni Chapman (a2) (59.5kg) Bet with BlondeBet Best Value at Yarra Valley: Li’l Brazen Li’l Brazen has been well supported with horse racing bookmakers at both starts this campaign but is yet to break through for that elusive maiden triumph. The three-year-old filly looked like the winner first-up before finding one better over 1000m, before seemingly struggling to run out the 1143m last time out at Geelong. The Brazen Beau filly steps back to the 1000m scamper third-up, and from barrier seven, if Joe Bowditch can land the one-one and stalk the speed, Li’l Brazen has shown enough so far to suggest she can run a bottler here. Best Value Race 3 – #8 Li’l Brazen (7) 3yo Filly | T: Phillip Stokes | J: Joe Bowditch (56kg) Bet with Picklebet Thursday quaddie tips for Yarra Valley Yarra Valley quadrella selections Thursday, January 2, 2025 2-5-6-9 2 1-6-9 3-6-11-13 | Copy this bet straight to your betslip Horse racing tips View the full article

Bourbon Empress winning the Group 2 Rich Hill Mile (1600m). Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images) Trainer Stephen Marsh believed he had two live chances going into the Group 2 Rich Hill Mile (1600m) at Ellerslie on New Years Day, and that judgement proved spot on as his lightweight runner Bourbon Empress downed a talented line-up of milers to claim victory. The four-year-old daughter of Proisir had caught the eye when finishing a hard-charging second in the Stella Artois 1500 Championship Final (1500m) at Ellerslie on Boxing Day, notably a race that stablemate and race rival Provence had missed in favour of a start (and victory) in the Royal Descent Stakes (1400m) on the same day. Marsh found it hard to split the pair leading into the feature mile and felt luck in running might play a role in the final outcome. That was exactly how it played out as Bourbon Empress and rider Matt Cartwright found clear running wider out in the home straight as Provence and Sam Spratt were cluttered up behind runners desperately searching for room in the final 300m. Bourbon Empress swooped to the front at that point with the well-supported Jaarffi on her inner, and that pair slugged it out to the finish, which went in favour of the Marsh runner by just under a length with Uderzo holding out a late charge from the unlucky Provence to finish third. 2025 Group 2 Rich Mile Replay – Bourbon Empress https://horsebetting.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Ellerslie-2024-Group-2-Rich-Hill-Mile-01012025-Bourbon-Express-Stephen-Marsh-Matt-Cartwright.mp4 Marsh was all smiles and delighted the planning for an assault on the race had paid off so well for his team. “That was ultra satisfying as we were worried about her wide draw (12), although you then get Provence who was drawn on the fence (1) and didn’t get any luck,” Marsh said. “She was three wide with cover and when she came out you could see she was going to finish it off. “That race (the Stella Artois Final) has been a great race for us as a lead-up and she has run really well today and will keep improving. “She loves it here at Ellerslie and there is a nice race for her here on Karaka Millions night, so she can have a wee breather and come back for that.” The race Marsh was referring to is the $1 million Elsdon Park Aotearoa Classic (1600m) for the four-year-olds on January 25. Cartwright was also rapt to secure a big race victory on the mare who he has ridden in three of her four career wins. “I’ve been riding this horse most of her prep and she is a mare that just wants to please you,” he said. “She was down in the weights and got a good run and she showed what she has got. “She has threatened to be up to this sort of class if everything went her way and it did today. “It got a bit sticky as she missed the kick, so I just put her away and we followed the second horse (Jaarffi) three-wide but with a good cart into the race and she got there nicely with the light weight (53kgs). “She is still green as she ran in but there is room there for improvement in the future.” Horse racing news View the full article

Dream All Day (NZ), ridden by Blake Shinn winning at Flemington. (Photo by Pat Scala/Racing Photos) Waikato Stud-bred star Atishu has produced some of the highlights of her illustrious career at Flemington, and her promising full-sister Dream All Day won at the same venue on New Year’s Day. Dream All Day is by champion Waikato Stud stallion Savabeel out of the No Excuse Needed mare Posy. That same mating produced Atishu, the winner of 11 of her 47 races and more than $5 million. Her three Group One triumphs include Flemington’s Champions Stakes (2000m) and Empire Rose Stakes (1600m). Those achievements are a hard act for any younger sibling to follow, but Dream All Day has made an encouraging start with six starts for two wins, four placings, and $137,300 in stakes. The four-year-old was sent out as a $2 favourite with Neds on Wednesday on the strength of her last-start placing at Ballarat, where she produced a strong finish for third in the $250,000 Emerging Stars Final (1400m) on December 7. The outside gate in a field of nine presented a challenge, but Dream All Day broke well and worked forward to take the lead in the hands of leading jockey Blake Shinn. They were able to dominate the race from that point on, kicking away in the straight to beat second favourite Enxuto by three-quarters of a length. There were another three lengths back to the third-placed Wascaly. “It was obvious that there wasn’t going to be a lot of pace in the race,” Shinn said. “I just had to try to get her out of the barriers a bit better than her last couple of starts. Once she did that, it gave me the option to roll forward and lead. We dictated the race and she was just too good. “There’s more under the hood too. She’s just got to come back to us a little more, especially when ridden in that vein. She’s a work in progress but has plenty of upside. Waikato Stud can breed a good one, and it’s great to ride a winner for them.” Dream All Day’s connections believe increasing distances will favour the emerging mare. “That was very soft win today, really,” said Michael Kent Jr, who trains in partnership with Mick Price. “She was pulling away at the line, with Blake riding her hands and heels. “This shows how versatile she is. She’d been giving away big starts in her first two runs of this campaign, not really by plan, but she’s just been jumping up instead of out when the gates open. “We left Blake with a very open book today. She began well and then had to work a little bit to take the lead, but it was good to see her do that. “She’s bred to get 2000m or 2400m, so with the turn of foot and class that she has, she might be a nice mare for our stable. “I think there might be a race over 1800m in a few weeks that might suit her, but we’ll talk to Mark Chittick and Waikato Stud and make out a plan”. “You’d like to give her another win and then put her away. She’s a lovely mare for the future.” Horse racing news View the full article

Miraval Rose ridden by Craig Williams wins the Kensington Stakes at Flemington Racecourse on January 01, 2025 in Flemington, Australia. (Photo by Pat Scala/Racing Photos) Miraval Rose kicked off 2025 with a hard-fought victory in the Listed Kensington Stakes at Flemington, showcasing her class and determination over the 1400m trip. Guided by Craig Williams, the four-year-old mare prevailed by a neck over Moedown, with Roll On High finishing a close third. The win marked her third career stakes success and a promising start to the new year. Settling midfield early, Miraval Rose tracked the pace set by Windstorm and The Open before making her move in the straight. Williams timed his run perfectly, steering her to the front with 150m to go and holding off a strong challenge from Moedown to claim victory in 1:21.60 at $4 odds with PlayUp. 2025 Kensington Stakes Replay – Miraval Rose https://horsebetting.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Flemington-2025-Listed-Kensington-Stakes-01012025-Miraval-Rose-Grahame-Begg-Craig-Williams.mp4 Rebecca Shanks, representing trainer Grahame Begg, praised Miraval Rose’s improvement this preparation. “She’s taken a huge step forward from her first-up run and was incredibly unlucky last start when caught wide,” Shanks said. “Today, she was spot-on condition-wise, and Craig gave her the perfect ride. At the top of the straight, she was always going to be hard to beat.” Williams highlighted the flexibility in the pre-race strategy, adding, “The plan was to be positive, but with a tricky field and no clear pace, I was given the freedom to adjust. She’s such a professional, and there’s still more to come from her.” Miraval Rose’s victory continues her strong record at 1400m, where she has now won three time from four attempts. Owned by a passionate syndicate, the mare has amassed $444,725 in career earnings. Runner-up Moedown ran a bold race for Charlotte Littlefield, narrowly missing a second stakes win in as many weeks, while Roll On High produced a strong finish to secure third. Windstorm and The Open, early pace-setters, faded late, with Windstorm finishing last. Begg’s team is now considering a tilt at the Magic Millions Carnival on the Gold Coast, depending on how Miraval Rose pulls up. “She’s a very classy mare with plenty of potential,” Shanks said. “There’s no doubt we’ll see more highlights from her this year.” Horse racing news View the full article

Real Class winning the Group 2 Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes (2000m) at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day. Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images) Promising filly Real Class has put herself firmly into $1 million Group 1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) calculations following her victory in the Group 2 Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes (2000m) at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day. The daughter of Vadamos settled midfield for jockey Rory Hutchings, who elected to improve his filly three-wide from the 800m mark and hit the lead within 200m. Her rivals were looming on the turn, but Real Class was able to show her tenacity and repelled their advances to win by three-quarters of a length over the fast-finishing Bella Montagna. Real Class is accruing an enviable record, having now won two of her four career starts, and was well backed by punters on Wednesday following her third placing in the Group 2 Eight Carat Classic (1600m) at the Auckland track last week. 2025 Group 2 Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes Replay – Real Class https://horsebetting.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Ellerslie-2024-Group-2-Sir-Patrick-Hogan-Stakes-01012025-Real-Class-jenna-Mahoney-Rory-Hutchings.mp4 Trainer Jenna Mahoney, who races the filly with her partner Grant Dixon, is excited about Real Class’s prospects following the win. “It was a top ride from Rory,” she said. “It is nice to have another handy one in the stable.” Mahoney is now eyeing a path towards the New Zealand Oaks at Trentham in March and believes the distance is ideal for her filly. “She should love the 2400m, the further she goes the better she will get I think,” she said. Bred by Greg Tomlinson under his Nearco Stud banner, Real Class is out of Group One performer Mill Duckie, who herself finished 10th in the same race in 2009 before going on to win the Listed Sunline Vase (2100m) and place in the New Zealand Oaks for trainer Richard Collett. She also added two Group 2 Rich Hill Mile (1600m) placings to her record, as well as placings in the Group 1 Thorndon Mile (1600m), Group 3 Eagle Technology Stakes (1600m) and Group 3 Trentham Stakes (2100m). She has gone on to produce stakes performers Righteous Mate and High Class, as well as Real Class, with Mahoney training High Class to a runner-up result in the 2015 running of the Listed Soliloquy Stakes (1400m). It was this association that led to Mahoney acquiring Real Class. “Because we had a lot to do with the family, we got offered her to carry on with and we decided to give her a go off Gordon Cunningham from Curraghmore,” Mahoney said. While Mahoney is looking forward to a potentially lucrative autumn campaign with her filly, she said there has already been interest from foreign buyers. “There has been a fair bit of interest from Australia, so we will see what happens,” she said. Horse racing news View the full article

Willydoit winning at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day. Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images) Willydoit firmed up his Group 1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) favouritism when he made it back-to-back wins at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day. From his outside gate in the eight-horse field, Willydoit settled at the back of the pack for jockey Masa Hashizume before improving to sit three-back on the fence. Turning for home he was stuck behind a wall of horses, but Hashizume kept a cool head and waited for a gap to open. When one presented, the country’s leading jockey was quick to take it and Willydoit was able to show the qualities that have earned him Derby favouritism when shooting away to a 2.75 length victory over Group Three winner Tuxedo. Shaun Clotworthy, who trains the three-year-old son of Tarzino in partnership with his wife Emma, was duly impressed with his performance. “It is a pretty big statement. It looks like he is a well above average horse,” he said. With victory, Willydoit shortened into $3 favouritism with horse racing bookmakers for the Derby ahead of the Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott-trained Checkmate at $10. Clotworthy has no doubt his charge will see out the 2400m Derby distance on Champions Day at Ellerslie in March. “He has got a nice turn of foot and he will get a Derby distance,” he said. “He is a pretty relaxed individual and he doesn’t take too much out of himself. “We will just see how the horse pulls up, but that (Guineas path) looks the logical programme.” Bred by Westbury Stud principal Gerry Harvey, Willydoit was offered through the farm’s 2023 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 1 Yearling Sale draft where he was purchased by Clotworthy for $75,000. Following his 1150m trial victory at Waipa in October, American-based syndicator My Racehorse joined the ownership group. My Racehorse offers affordable ownership through micro shares, with their business model famously showcased by Group 1 Kentucky Derby (2000m) winner Authentic, with My Racehorse’s 12.5 percent stake in the former US Horse of the Year shared among 5,000 people. Wearing My Racehorse’s red and black silks, Willydoit has now won two of his three starts, after placing on debut, and earned more than $62,000 in prizemoney. Horse racing news View the full article

Too Sweet winning the Group 2 Eclipse Stakes (1200m) at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day. Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images) Central Districts filly Too Sweet lived up to punters expectations when she downed a handy field in the Group 2 Eclipse Stakes (1200m) at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day. Brought north by trainer Roydon Bergerson after winning on debut at Trentham back in October and then finishing second at that venue in early December, the daughter of Rich Hill Stud stallion Satono Aladdin closed as the $3 Fixed Odds favourite with BlondeBet for the first stakes race of the New Year after some inspired late support. Rider Michael McNab took the initiative when the filly made a lightning beginning from her outside (9) barrier and dictated proceedings from another well backed runner in Sweet Ice. Having her first start going in the clockwise direction, Too Sweet handled the tricky Ellerslie circuit with ease as she cornered beautifully and then kicked away from her rivals at the 300m. La Dorada, Toretto and Almakeitgood all closed gamely but Too Sweet proved too strong as she hit the finish line 1.5 lengths to the good of her rivals. 2025 Group 2 Eclipse Stakes Replay – Too Sweet https://horsebetting.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Ellerslie-2025-Group-2-Eclipse-Stakes-01012025-Too-Sweet-Roydon-Bergerson-Michael-McNab.mp4 Bergerson was thrilled with the way his charge handled the Ellerslie track ahead of the $1 million Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) at the Auckland venue on January 25, and he is excited for the syndicate who race her, which includes his son Sam (co-trainer of runner-up La Dorada) and her Karaka Yearling Sale purchaser Chris Rutten. “There is nothing much better in racing than when you win a race for your son, the leading trainer in New Zealand,” Bergerson said. “She won pretty well and is a good horse with a good brain on her. “Michael took the initiative, as our plan was to drop in behind them, but she flew the gate and that was it.” Bergerson confirmed that Too Sweet would follow in the footsteps of another top juvenile filly he trained in Wolverine, who won the same event in 2022 before finishing runner-up to Dynastic in the Karaka Million 2YO three weeks later. “I think she is as good as Wolverine as she has a great turn of foot and probably has a better brain all around,” he said. “Sam can take over now as we will leave her at Te Akau where she will go out on the water walker for a week and then bring her back here in three weeks.” McNab admitted he threw the original game plan out the window when the filly jumped brilliantly at the start. “The plan was to ride her quiet from a wide gate as there looked good speed (on paper),” he said. “After I’d gone a few strides, I thought I might as well be the one who takes it up (pacemaking) and it worked out really well. “She was a little aggressive and quite fresh, but she found a good kick and that gives you confidence for what’s ahead. “She can race from behind, from the front, so she can do it all.” Horse racing bookmakers shortened her price dramatically for the Karaka Million 2YO immediately after the victory, and she now sits as the $4 Fixed Odds favourite ahead of La Dorada ($5.50) and Almakeitgood ($7). Horse racing news View the full article

It’s straight back into action for our best drivers and trainers, Dexter Dunn completes an amazing year and Next Gen heads south in the first News Briefs for 2025. No rest for premiership winners Just hours after clinching their latest drivers and trainers’ premierships, Blair Orange and Robert and Jenna Dunn will be back in action today as the 2025 season gets underway at Rangiora, starting at 1.10pm. The season wrapped up after last night’s big Auckland Cup meeting at Alexandra Park with Orange finishing with 196 wins, and surpassing $3.5m in stakes earnings for the first time. Orange finished 59 wins clear of nearest challenger John Dunn (137) with Sam Ottley third (108) after becoming the first woman to get 100 wins in a 12 month season. It was Orange’s eighth premiership win in a row while the Diamond Racing combo also went back to back with 137 wins in 2024. Steve and Amanda Telfer were next on 116, with Barry Purdon and Scott Phelan third with 77 but the most stakes earnings at $3.29m. Their stable star Merlin, who finished second behind Republican Party in last night’s $250,000 Trillian Trust Auckland Cup, was the top earning horse in this country for the year. He amassed $796,125 with seven wins from 13 starts. Aussies Just Believe ($690k) and dual New Zealand Cup winner Swayzee ($540k) were next. To see today’s fields at Rangiora click here DD no 1 in USA Dexter Dunn can also look back at a personal best 2024. The ex-pat Kiwi champion, who has just won his fifth USA Driver of the Year title in six years, had 304 wins in the year with total stakes of $16.64m. It was his most successful year yet. He was the leading stakes earner in North America by a long stretch with Yannick Gingras second on $14.5m and Jason Bartlett on $12.6m. Dunn had 304 wins, with the winningest driver being Aaron Merriman with 871. His stakes earnings were $8.6m. Dunn will soon be heading to Australia for the Ultimate Driver Championships at Albion Park in Brisbane in February alongside the likes of Gingras and newly crowned NZ Junior Driver premiership winner and Trillian Trust Auckland Cup winner Carter Dalgety. The end for Freehold Freehold Raceway, the oldest race track in the USA, has held its last meeting. Situated in New Jersey, Freehold has been in existence for 170 years. But with land values increasing and dwindling crowds the decision was made earlier this year for it to close. Its last meeting was held on December 28. One racegoer described driving to the last meeting as “like going to a funeral”. Girl power at the Mot There was a nice mother-daughter double at Motukarara Racecourse on Sunday. In Race 3 Sam Ottley continued her amazing run of success of late by winning with Justa Terra, trained by her mother Denise at West Melton. And two races earlier Rolleston trainer Bernard Lomas lined up two trotters, The Gardeners Pride and her daughter Senior Constable Liz in the same race. The Gardener’s Pride is now 10 and has had nine placings from 36 starts while Senior Constable Liz is just a two-year-old filly with three lifetime starts. Mum was fourth, her daughter 10th. Next Gen heads south Information on HRNZ’s Next Gen ownership initiative will be available at Omakau tomorrow (January 2) and at Cromwell (January 6). A booth manned by HRNZ staff will be on course for both race days. Racegoers will also get the opportunity to enter a draw to win a share in a racehorse. For more information on Next Gen click here Tickets for HRNZ awards Tickets for next month’s HRNZ annual awards at Addington Raceway will go on sale from next Monday, January 6. Tickets costing $130 each include a food and beverage package. The awards will he held on Saturday, February 8, with doors opening at 5.15pm and the awards getting underway at 6pm. For all enquiries contact courtney@hrnz.co.nz View the full article

An appreciation, by T.D. Thornton Over the course of 45 years as a jockey, trainer, owner and breeder, Patricia E. Meadow never really cared for it to be publicized that she was a Harvard University astrophysics major who had additionally earned a medical-school degree. She rarely, if ever, referred to herself around the racetrack by her hard-earned “doctor” title. Although Meadow accumulated only 32 victories from 480 lifetime starts over nearly four decades of training and hadn't saddled a winner since 2019, her passing Dec. 29 was met with an outpouring of fond remembrances from people whose lives she touched in the Thoroughbred communities of New England, upstate New York, and in Aiken, South Carolina, where she died at age 74. Horseplayers might recall Meadow's name as the conditioner of a small stable of long shots that competed as recently as this past season at Saratoga Race Course, where they occasionally outran their odds. Others who were lucky enough to have a closer relationship with the private and charmingly eccentric Meadow–a woman who exercised her own horses up until very recently and often insisted on hand-walking her starters from the backside to the paddock on race days–affectionately referred to the soft-spoken, bespectacled trainer as “galloping granny.” In numerous online postings in her honor over the past several days, those who knew Meadow used adjectives like inspiring, philosophical, gracious, unpretentious, meticulous and, yes, even stubborn to describe how she made lasting impressions upon those she met in the horse world. In the program, Meadow was listed as the trainer, owner and breeder (under the stable name Sky Band Farm) for most of the horses she entered, starting with her very first runner at Suffolk Downs in 1987. For decades, her Canton-based racing outfit 25 miles south of Boston consisted of a handful of Massachusetts-breds that she mated, foaled and raised herself. In general, her Thoroughbreds weren't very fast, but they were sound, healthy and exceptionally well-cared for. Even on the hardscrabble New England circuit of the 1990s, Meadow's horsemanship was well respected by trainers who competed against her and deeply appreciated by the jockeys who rode for her. During that time I would occasionally cross paths with Meadow and exchange pleasantries on the Suffolk backstretch, where I worked as the track's media relations director and announcer. I recall her as painfully shy, but always polite, thoughtful and articulate. Minding her own business in Barn 16A, Meadow preferred to blend into the workmanlike cacophony of the backstretch, distinguished by pensive blue eyes, renegade wisps of hair that escaped her graying ponytail, and a kind word for everyone she encountered. The one thing that did stand out like a beacon about Meadow's stable, however, were the unconventional names she chose for her homebreds. Favoring internationally themed monikers that often started with the letters Z, Y and Q (and in esoteric combinations that made racecallers cry out, “Buy a vowel!”), Meadow christened her babies Zyxt, Zwyn, Zhu, Zaqqum, Yttyzz, Ydy, Qyrghyz and Qom, to name just a few. You could always tell without looking at the Racing Form if she had acquired a horse from someone else, because it had a name you could actually pronounce. Meadow had long asserted her resistance to having her unique combination of being a doctor and a horse trainer featured as a media curiosity. In my 2007 book about Suffolk Downs, Not by a Long Shot–A Season at a Hard-Luck Horse Track, I briefly recounted my one and only attempt to arrange an interview with Meadow for a local newspaper. Our phone conversation went something like this: Me: Patty? I was wondering if you'd be interested in helping out a reporter who's looking to do a profile on interesting people at Suffolk Downs. Meadow: Thank you, but I'd rather not. Me: Um, all right. Would it be okay if I just asked you a few questions about your background as a doctor and passed the info along to the writer? Meadow: I'd prefer to talk about my horses. Me: Well…Okay…Could I ask you about some of the offbeat names you've chosen for them? Meadow: Which ones do you consider “offbeat?” Me: Ybbs? Meadow: An Austrian river. Me: Ysaye? Meadow: A 19th Century Belgian violinist. Me: Qom? Meadow: A holy city in Persia. Me: Qyrghyz? Meadow: A people in Kyrgyzstan. Without the Americanized spelling. Look, I don't like phone interviews, so you really should come down to my barn and talk to me in person if you want to do this. I stopped by Meadow's shedrow on several subsequent occasions. But the doctor always seemed to be conveniently out whenever anyone carrying a reporter's notebook happened by. Patricia Meadow | courtesy of Barry Bornstein The one and only news clip in the Suffolk Downs press box files about Meadow was a 1980 Boston Globe profile of a bashful 29-year-old med school grad breaking into the game as an apprentice jockey. In that piece, Meadow explained how she grew attached to horses at a young age. It started when her father, a pillar of the Harvard Medical School faculty, had given her a pony at age six to teach responsibility. By the time Meadow was 14, her parents allowed her to spend three months at a Nebraska horse farm, where she enthusiastically juggled barn chores while honing her riding skills. In exchange for a summer's worth of hard work, the farm's owner promised Meadow a yearling colt to take home to the family farm in suburban Boston. But as the hours on the farm morphed into days and weeks, the excited teen increasingly appalled her mother and father with talk about staying out of school to continue learning about horses, maybe even training for the Olympic equestrian team. It was then that the Midwest horseman gave Meadow a talking-to before sending her home with her colt. “He sat me down and told me to go to school and finish my education,” Meadow said in that 1980 Globe interview. “He said I could always go back to horses, but it would be harder to go back to school. Education has always been important in my family, and I knew first things first. But I also knew when I got to a stopping place in my medical career, I wanted to go off and do what I wanted to do–be with horses.” So Meadow went to Harvard for four years as an astrophysics major. Upon graduation, she allowed herself a break, which ended up being two years on a New Mexico ranch. Then she enrolled in med school, landed her second Harvard degree in 1978, and served a rigorous internship at Georgetown Hospital for one more year, certifying her as a doctor. With an interest in research and the option to remain at Georgetown for two more years to get certified in internal medicine, Meadow instead decided to become an apprentice jockey at Suffolk Downs. “Neither her mother nor I look on horses as anything but a large mass of muscle,” Dr. Henry Coe Meadow explained in that Globe piece that profiled the ups and downs of his daughter's 0-for-42 rookie season as a rider. “When she was younger, we thought it would be a good idea for her to have a pony to care for. We didn't know it would develop to this point….I'm sure this is an interlude. When people ask me when she's coming back, I say, 'Soon, I hope.' Her mother and I are scared to death she'll hurt herself.” Meadow, in that same Globe article, acknowledged that the choice between medicine and horses was difficult, because “the two are so all-consuming that I don't know if it's possible to do both.” But, Meadow added with a glint of optimism that ended up ringing true for the final 44 years of her life, “I think it will work itself out.” The post For Patricia Meadow, A Life with Horses Was Both Destination and Journey appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

The Florida Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association (FTHA) held its fifth annual awards and membership dinner Dec. 21. This event gives FTHA the opportunity to recognize excellence in the Thoroughbred industry and at Gulfstream Park. View the full article

Barry Irwin, founder and chief executive of Team Valor, said he hopes Quid Pro Quo would be able to emulate the achievements of the group's Ipi Tombe, who was trained by Mike de Kock to win the 2003 Dubai Duty Free (G1).View the full article

Maiden Watch: Week of Dec. 23-Dec. 29View the full article

There are 10 horse racing meetings set for Australia on Wednesday, January 1. Our racing analysts here at horsebetting.com.au have found you the best bets and the quaddie numbers for Ascot, Canterbury, Flemington & Sha Tin (HK). Wednesday’s Free Horse Racing Tips – January 1, 2025 Ascot Racing Tips Canterbury Racing Tips Flemington Racing Tips Sha Tin (HK) Racing Tips As always, there are plenty of promotions available for Australian racing fans. Check out all the top horse racing bookmakers to see what daily promotions they have. If you are looking for a new bookmaker for the horse racing taking place on January 1, 2025 check out our guide to the best online racing betting sites. Neds Code GETON 1 Take It To The Neds Level Neds Only orange bookie! Check Out Neds Review 18+ Gamble Responsibly. What are you really gambling with? Set a deposit limit today. “GETON is not a bonus code. Neds does not offer bonus codes in Australia and this referral code does not grant access to offers. Full terms. BlondeBet Signup Code GETON 2 Punters Prefer Blondes BlondeBet Blonde Boosts – Elevate your prices! Join BlondeBet Review 18+ Gamble Responsibly. WHAT ARE YOU REALLY GAMBLING WITH? full terms. 3 Next Gen Racing Betting Picklebet Top 4 Betting. Extra Place. Every Race. Join Picklebet Review 18+ Gamble Responsibly. What are you really gambling with? Full terms. Recommended! 4 It Pays To Play PlayUp Aussie-owned horse racing specialists! Check Out PlayUp Review 18+ Gamble Responsibly. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Full terms. Dabble Signup Code AUSRACING 5 Say Hey to the social bet! Dabble You Better Believe It Join Dabble Review 18+ Gamble Responsibly. THINK. IS THIS A BET YOU REALLY WANT TO PLACE? Full terms. Bet365 Signup Code GETON 6 Never Ordinary Bet365 World Favourite! Visit Bet365 Review 18+ Gamble Responsibly. GETON is not a bonus code. bet365 does not offer bonus codes in Australia and this referral code does not grant access to offers. What’s gambling really costing you? Full terms. Horse racing tips View the full article

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Ruling there is a question of fact whether Steve Asmussen willfully violated federal wage and hour laws in Kentucky, a federal appeals court vacated a lower court judgment and sent the matter back to the trial court for further handling.View the full article

Juddmonte's lightly raced Pleasant, third in the Nov. 2 Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) at Del Mar, pursues her first graded stakes win when she races against six other foes in the $100,000 Las Flores Stakes (G3) Jan. 4 at Santa Anita Park.View the full article

HRNZ is pleased to announce a new safety gear package is available for some of our younger and newest participants. From January 1,2025 new licence-holders aged 30 and under will be eligible for the package, as long as they have enrolled, are actively participating in or have completed the Harness Horse Cadet Scheme. The new Licence-holder Safety Gear Packages are as follows : New Trials Drivers 30 years of age or younger will receive a Helmet and Safety Vest New Junior Drivers 30 years of age or younger will receive Driving Pants, Skivvy and Driving Boots New Trainers 30 years of age or younger will receive a full set of Quick Hitch race harness or a one-piece harness driving suit. HRNZ will be contacting anyone it believes is eligible for the package in the New Year. If you think you are eligible and have not been contacted in January please get in touch. All enquiries should go to natalie@hrnz.co.nz Participants that do qualify will receive a letter they can take to their local harness store. View the full article

By Adam Hamilton As we welcome in the New Year owner Kevin Seymour admits a hunger to chase feature race success in NZ is high on Leap To Fame’s priority list in 2025. As the champion pacer nears a racetrack return, Seymour admits Leap Too Fame’s future stallion career called for Kiwis to see him race in the flesh. “As his stallion career gets closer, there’s certainly value and importance in winning a big race in NZ so they can see with their own eyes how good he is,” he said. “There’s a chance, when he does retire, he could even stand at stud in NZ. “Obviously we really wanted him to go to the NZ Cup in November (2024), but it didn’t work out. We’ll look at the best options to get him across in the new year, once we’ve got him back up and running.” Leap To Fame could have a three-race Victorian campaign, starting on January 18. Seymour said plans would be finalised “in the next week or so.” “We’re looking at a few races in Victoria around the Hunter Cup,” he said. “It’s getting close to decision time. He may go down without a lead-up run, just a trial. “We’ll have to make the call in the next week or so with the Ballarat Cup ($100,000 on January 18). We need to get some solid racing into him before a race like the Hunter Cup.” Leap To Fame won last year’s Hunter Cup and stayed in Victoria for the $100,000 Group 2 Cranbourne Cup a week later. “We would likely do that again,” Seymour said. “It worked well and fits his build-up to the Miracle Mile as well. “It’s no secret we love taking the horse to the country (tracks) when we can. He got a great reception at Cranbourne last year.” Leap To Fame won 15 of his 16 starts in 2024, but missed the Victoria and NZ Cups as well as the NSW Inter Dominion series with a niggling lower throat infection. “We’ve got some lost time and opportunities to make up for,” Seymour said. “But, we also don’t want to plan too far ahead with the issues he’s had over the past couple of months. “We’re close to deciding how we approach Melbourne and then the Miracle Mile is the next big one. “Beyond that, we’ll just wait and see, but there are lots of options and it’s great to have the Inter Dominion back here (Brisbane) in July.” Leap To Fame turns six tomorrow (Wednesday), but Seymour said there wasn’t any set plan when to retire him to stud. “We’ve always said he’s a racehorse first and while he’s racing and winning like he has been, he’ll keep racing,” Seymour said. “We’d love him to become the richest pacer of all-time and he could do that if he has as big a year in 2025 as he did this year.” View the full article

The Travers Stakes (G1) had it all. An exciting matchup. A thrilling finish. A packed house at America's most beloved racetrack. In years to come it will be mentioned as one of the great moments in the long and storied history of Saratoga.View the full article

Though only seven furlongs, the San Vicente has sent seven winners on to victory in the Kentucky Derby (G1), and Bob Baffert has Barnes and Romanesque entered in the Jan. 4 stakes race at Santa Anita Park.View the full article

In his 30-year career, Gryder was a multiple graded stakes race winner of over 4,000 races worldwide with over $123 million in purses. In 2009, he won the $6 million Dubai World Cup (G1) on Well Armed by a record 14 lengths.View the full article

While specific comeback races have yet to be decided, owner Mike Repole has a few primary targets in mind for his two stars, who are about to turn 4 on Jan. 1.View the full article