Wandering Eyes

This week on the Guerin Report, fresh off his side beating the Black Caps in the tests, Michael chats with England coach Brendon McCullum. They reflect on the series, discuss Baz’s coaching style, his career, as well as what and who he loves in cricket and racing. Guerin Report – Ep. 18, Ft. Brendon McCullum View the full article

Ben and Ryan Foote will head to Ellerslie on New Year’s Day with a pair of in-form black-type chances whose longer-term feature race prospects are equally as strong. The father and son combination will be represented by Myakkabelle (NZ) (War Decree) in the Gr.2 Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes (2000m) and Vega For Luck (NZ) (Lucky Vega) in the Gr.2 Skycity Eclipse Stakes (1200m). War Decree Filly Myakkabelle is a two-time winner who finished a sound third against older opposition two runs back and was luckless when fifth in the Gr.2 Eight Carat Classic (1600m) at Ellerslie on Boxing Day. She missed the jump and settled three back on the fence before diving between runners in the straight to be strong to the finish. “She was very, very good the other day and the step up to 2000m will really suit her down to the ground,” Ryan Foote said. “The wide draw (11) isn’t ideal, but she seems to have bounced out of that run on Boxing Day very well.” Foote said it wasn’t always the plan to back up Myakkabelle so soon, but her recovery rate had been excellent. “She came through the race so well and didn’t get a lot of luck in running so we thought we’d put the nomination in and have a look,” he said. Thursday’s outing will be another step for Myakkabelle toward her autumn goal of the Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks (2400m) at Trentham. “The Oaks is the main one and we’ll pick the right path to it and do the right thing by the filly,” Foote said. Myakkabelle is a daughter of the imported Lawman mare Myakka Park who is a half-sister to two European stakes winners. The pedigree has also made its mark here with the Gr.2 Tauranga Stakes (1600m) and the Listed Rotorua Cup (2200m) winner Bella Waters whose half-brother Immediacy was successful in last season’s Gr.2 Autumn Classic (1800m). Myakkabelle was purchased for $55,000 out of the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sale draft of Inglewood Stud, who also bred and sold Vega For Luck for $60,000 at Karaka. The Lucky Vega colt is guaranteed a start in next month’s $1 million TAB Karaka Millions 2YO Classic (1200m) following the encouraging start he’s made to his career. His debut victory at Tauranga has been followed up with third placings at Ellerslie and Pukekohe, most recently in the Listed Challenge Stakes (1100m). “He hasn’t put a foot wrong since his last run, he’s got a good gate (one) so he should be able to stick to the rail and give them something to chase,” Foote said. “It’s a chance to give him more experience at Ellerslie and to decide if we do put a set of blinkers on to spark him up for the Karaka Millions. “He won’t have them on Boxing Day, but we’ve still got them up our sleeve.” Vega For Luck is the first foal of the winning Darci Brahma mare Badea, a half-sister to the Gr.3 Eulogy Stakes (1600m) winner Lilikoi. View the full article

Matamata horseman Benji King has a lifelong association with Henrietta, Dowager Duchess of Bedford, and he was delighted to train his first winner for her at Taupo on Monday. The Dowager Duchess has been a long-time family friend of the King family and continues to breed from her mares at Benji’s father, Nick King’s, Brighthill Farm in the Waikato. One of those mares was the late Inertia, a half-sister to multiple Group One winner and former Cambridge Stud stallion Tavistock. Benji King was there when she foaled an Ocean Park chestnut filly three years ago, and he was immediately taken by the filly, who was subsequently named Mid Ocean (NZ) (Ocean Park) and was entrusted to his care. She won her first trial over 850m at Waipa in October before finishing runner-up in an 800m trial at Pukekohe earlier this month, giving King plenty of confidence heading into her debut in the Two Mile Bay Sailing Club (1200m) at Taupo on Monday. From her inside barrier, Mid Ocean was able to find early cover three back on the fence for jockey Courtney Barnes. Turning for home, Barnes was able to find a gap between runners, and Mid Ocean was able to power through to find the lead and hold on to record a half length victory over the fast-finishing Cypher. The Dowager Duchess was trackside for the win and was rapt with the result. “It is just wonderful,” she said. “Her mother is a half-sister to Tavistock. It is a family we have had since ‘75. “Benji loved her as a foal, so I told him he could train her. It is so great to have Benji train her, I have known him since before he could walk.” It was King’s second training victory, and he said it was a sentimental one given the family history. “I was there when she foaled and we have had her the whole way through,” King said. “She is my first three-year-old winner and my second ever winner, so it’s pretty exciting.” King was hopeful of a bold showing given the filly’s trial performances and was pleased she was able to bring that form to raceday. “We did have high hopes,” he said. “But a first starter as a three-year-old you are always a bit unsure, but that was pretty pleasing.” King is now excited for what the future holds for the regally-bred filly. “I would like to hope that she will get over a bit of a trip and then she could become quite valuable with some nice races ahead,” he said. View the full article

Riverton trainers Graham Eade and Brooke Kincaid are eyeing the lucrative Southern Cups Bonus with their stakes performer Riviera Rebel (NZ) (Road To Rock), and will kick-off his campaign towards the series at their home track on New Year’s Day. The series begins in February with the Gore Cup (2000m) before it moves onto the Invercargill Cup (2600m), Listed Dunedin Gold Cup (2400m), Wyndham Cup (2000m) and culminates with the Riverton Cup (2147m) on April 19. Points are accrued throughout the series, with the winner of each racing earning five points, three points for second, and two points for third, with the exception of the Riverton Cup, with the winner earning 12 points, runner-up six points, and third place four points. The horse with the highest points at the conclusion of the series will be awarded a $50,000 winner takes all bonus. Eade and Kincaid are keen to chase the southern spoils on offer with Riviera Rebel, who has been freshened following his runner-up performance over 2000m in October, and his handlers have been pleased with the way he has returned. “He has had a break and he has worked up nicely, he is very well,” Eade said. Riviera Rebel will jump from barrier 10 in the Dynes Transport Tapanui Cup (1200m) on Wednesday, with the distance being the only query for Eade. “He generally flies the gates, so I don’t know whether the draw will be a problem, but the distance could be,” he said. Eade is also looking forward to lining up last start winner Intercept in the Cecil Ferguson/Kevin Burns Memorial, and he said she has progressed well since scoring her maiden victory over 1200m at Gore earlier this month. “She is flying,” he said. “That last run didn’t do her any harm at all. She has been working well and eating up. I am happy with her.” Eade is also upbeat about the chances of stablemate Orepuki Gem (NZ) (Raise The Flag), who will be tested over a mile for the first time in the Crowley Classic. “We have been trying to get him up over distance because he is bred to stay,” Eade said. “It is a question mark with him as we get up in distance, but his brother, Orepuki Lad, went pretty well, so it’s just a wait and see thing.” The stable will also be represented by Maryweka in the Pure Otago Cheeries.co.nz Handicap (1200m), The Tui Toiler in the Carriers Arms Hotel Summer Cup (2147m), Ataahua Pipedream in the ODT Southern Mile Qualifier (1600m), and Gintys Girl in the Flippn Fresh Fish/Pankhurst Sawmilling (1600m). View the full article

What Flemington Races Where Flemington Racecourse – Melbourne, Victoria When Wednesday, January 1, 2025 First Race 1:10pm AEDT Visit Dabble The traditional New Year’s Day meeting at Flemington awaits punters on Wednesday afternoon with an eight-race meeting scheduled. The Listed Bagot Handicap (2800m) and Listed Kensington Stakes (1400m) headline what is a competitive day of racing, set to be run on a Good 4 with the rail in its true position the entire circuit. Action from Flemington is set to commence at 1:10pm AEDT. Bagot Handicap Tip: Grand Pierro Grand Pierro arguably should have gotten the better of Goldman in the Pakenham Cup last time out, but when the pair meet again on Wednesday, the five-year-old looks poised to go one better. Having loomed as the winner inside the final furlong, the Jason Warren-trained stayer was simply worried out of it by his rival and was beaten a long neck on the line. He meets Goldman and race favourite Muramasa better at the weights than what he did last time out, and if Grand Pierro can replicate his efforts at Flemington, the $10 with horse racing bookmakers looks like a great way to kick off the new year. Bagot Handicap Race 6 – #5 Grand Pierro (10) 5yo Gelding | T: Jason Warren | J: Zac Spain (54kg) +900 with Picklebet Kensington Stakes Top Tip: Running By Running By was a handy winner of the Inglis Bracelet at the Flemington mile two runs back, and on the back of a hard luck run at Pakenham, she can be a Flemington winner once more. She bungled the start at Pakenham last time out and clearly used up too many carrots as he peaked on her run a touch when beaten a long neck. As long as Saffie Osborne can have the Impending mare out of the barriers cleanly, Running By should land a plumb spot from barrier four and prove too hard to hold out. Kensington Stakes Race 4 – #2 Running By (4) 5yo Mare | T: Ciaron Maher | J: Saffie Osborne (55kg) +270 with Playup Best Bet at Flemington: Trapeze Warrior Trapeze Warrior has been unlucky at his last two starts when forced to travel wide without cover, but back up the Flemington straight should see him return to the winner’s stall. He was massive in defeat down the straight in the Melbourne Cup Carnival when going down a half length to the impressive Pisanello over 1100m, and as he steps back to 1200m for just the second time in his career, there is no reason why Trapeze Warrior cannot make it two wins from as many starts at the trip. Best Bet Race 3 – #3 Trapeze Warrior (8) 4yo Gelding | T: Phillip Stokes | J: Thomas Stockdale (58.5kg) +250 with Neds Next Best at Flemington: Both Sides Now Both Sides Now has done nothing wrong at each of her last three starts, winning twice and finishing third to suggest she will take some catching on Wednesday. Having been rated perfectly out in front at Moonee Valley on December 6, the plan looks to be similar at Flemington, having drawn barrier two. Jett Stanley’s 2kg claim gets the Puissance De Lune progeny in with 56.5kg on her back, and with a relatively uncontested leaf, Both Sides Now should prove too hard to run. Next Best Race 5 – #6 Both Sides Now (2) 4yo Mare | T: Ciaron Maher | J: Jett Stanley (a2) (58.5kg) +280 with BlondeBet Wednesday’s quaddie tips for Flemington Flemington quadrella selections Wednesday, January 1, 2025 1-6-11 1-2-3-5-7 8-9-11 2-4-7-10 | Copy this bet straight to your betslip Horse racing tips View the full article

What Canterbury Races Where Canterbury Park Racecourse – King Street, Canterbury NSW 2193 When Wednesday, January 1, 2025 First Race 2:40pm AEDT Visit Dabble Twilight racing returns to Canterbury Park Racecourse on Wednesday afternoon, with a competitive eight-part program lined up for New Year’s Day. The rail reverts to the true position the entire circuit, and with no significant rainfall predicted in the lead-up, punters can expect the Good 4 rating at the time of acceptances to hold true on race-day morning. The opening event is scheduled to get underway at 2:40pm local time. Canterbury Sprint Tip: Time To Boogie Time To Boogie caught the eye returning from a 336-day spell at Randwick on December 21 and looks primed for a second-up assault. The Sooboog gelding fended off all but Iowna Merc on that occasion, only fading late due to a lack of race-day fitness. Rachel King gets the opportunity to dictate terms from barrier one, and whether she elects to lead or take a sit, Time To Boogie will prove hard to hold out in the $200,000 Canterbury Sprint. Canterbury Sprint Race 7 – #10 Time To Boogie (1) 5yo Gelding | T: Michael Freedman | J: Rachel King (53kg) Bet with Playup Best Bet at Canterbury: Sounds Unusual After back-to-back minor placings, the Chris Waller-trained Sounds Unusual appears set to peak third-up in campaign. The four-year-old was simply no match for stable companion Great White Shark in his latest outing at this course and distance on December 13 but showed plenty of fight to get within five lengths of another progressive type. Nash Rawiller can sit handier from barrier two this time around, and provided he can lob into the one-one, Sounds Unusual will prove hard to hold out. Best Bet Race 1 – #2 Sounds Unusual (2) 4yo Gelding | T: Chris Waller | J: Nash Rawiller (59kg) Bet with Neds Next Best at Canterbury: Lady Extreme Lady Extreme is nearing her first win of the preparation after being narrowly defeated in back-to-back starts. The daughter of Extreme Choice ran into a smart one in the form of Zoubaby last start at Randwick on December 14, and with the third-placegetter High Blue Sea already claiming victory since, punters can follow the form-line with trust. Lady Extreme has shown tactical speed in the past, and with a lack of tempo engaged in this BM72 contest, watch for Jay Ford to make every post a winner aboard the lightly raced five-year-old. Next Best Race 4 – #4 Lady Extreme (3) 5yo Mare | T: Blake Ryan | J: Jay Ford (57kg) Bet with BlondeBet Best Value at Canterbury: Atlas John Atlas John was luckless at Canterbury on December 20 and should have finished much closer than what the 4.3-length margin may suggest. The son of Castelvecchio was held-up behind a wall of horses in the final 400m, only getting clear running when it was all over. The extra 100m to chase down his rivals should be a major positive, and provided he can get a fair crack at his rivals, Atlas John should give a sight at the each-way price with horse racing bookmakers. Best Value Race 2 – #1 Atlas John (4) 4yo Gelding | T: Richard Litt | J: Jay Ford (56kg) Bet with Picklebet Wednesday quaddie tips for Canterbury Canterbury quadrella selections January 1, 2025 2-4-6-8 1-3-11-14 3-4-5-9-10 4-7-11-12 | Copy this bet straight to your betslip Horse racing tips View the full article

David Hayes’ exciting four-year-old will be kept to sprinting with two top-level features in sight.View the full article

Selections for Alexandra Park tonight Auckland Aaron White Commentator Race 1 3.13pm 2 Hillbilly 7 Pat Yates 1 Rebel Castleton 6 Rewiri Hill Race 2 3.39pm 3 Colonel Lincoln 8 Frisco Bay 4 Always B Stunning 6 Gotta Go Miki Race 3 4.04pm 1 Abman 3 Greased Lightnin 2 Roy Kent 7 Cheer The Captain Race 4 4.30pm 7 Invisible 5 Hooray Henry 1 Sugar Ray Lincoln 10 Louezyana Race 5 5.07pm 12 Magic Dream 7 Halberg 11 Con Grazia Love 4 Father Barry Race 6 5.47pm 6 Dance Till Dawn 7 Mr Kaplan 8 Treacherous Gall 9 Seaclusion Race 7 6.19pm 4 Muscle Mountain 5 Oscar Bonavena 2 One More Moment 1 Virginia Clowers Race 8 6.48pm 8 The Surfer 7 Hezasweetie 3 Heaven High 11 Fernetti Race 9 7.17pm 7 Merlin 9 Don’t Stop Dreaming 6 Sooner The Bettor 3 Better Eclipse Race 10 7.43pm 2 Romeo Foxtrot 6 Kaipaki Jack 7 Regal Girl 5 Sunset Hill View the full article

With two-year-old racing on a real roll, the 2025 season for the juveniles will kick off early in February. Harness Racing New Zealand has just released its draft schedule for the 2YOs for the first half of the year. “Given the enormous uptake we saw in the Entain 2YO Bonus in 2024, we feel it is imperative that we provide both owners and trainers some clarity as to where racing opportunities lie, particularly early in the 2025 season,” says HRNZ’s Head of Racing and Wagering Matthew Peden. The 2YO pacers will start on February 7 in the North Island and February 9 in the South while the 2YO Trotters start on March 21 in the South, with the North following two days later. “It is a draft schedule and while we aren’t expecting wholesale changes to it,” says Peden, “we have the capacity to programme additional races for two-year-olds in both gaits should demand outweigh supply.” “We expect to see a continuation of trends we saw in 2024, with a larger number of 2YO pacers and trotters lining up to race than what was historically the case”. Included in the schedule between January and the end of July are three $100,000 Group 1s – the Diamond Creek Classic at Invercargill on April 27, the Welcome Stakes at Addington on May 23 and the Young Guns Final at Alexandra Park on May 2. To see the draft schedule click here View the full article

By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk After a scarcely believable year Carter Dalgety has clinched his first Junior Drivers Premiership. The talented 21-year-old had his 66th success this year when Evangalist cleared out to a three length win in the Irving Family Mobile Pace at Reefton yesterday. With closest challenger Sam Thornley on 64 wins, and not driving at the last meeting of the season at Alexandra Park tonight that means Dalgety cannot be overtaken. “It’s a huge thrill,” says Dalgety, “as a kid you want to become a driver and then to win a junior drivers’ premiership is very humbling. It’s a big goal to tick off.” Dalgety’s year started with him being named Cadet of the Year at February’s HRNZ annual awards. Only weeks later he became the fastest junior driver ever to get to 100 career wins. He now has 145 wins overall. Such was his success that he was a clear leader of the junior drivers’ premiership until he decided on a working holiday in the USA mid year. He was awarded a $15,000 Valachi Downs Young Scholarship and decided to spend some of the money from it to dip his toes into the North American harness racing scene. He stayed with former mentor and good mate Dexter Dunn, who has just clinched his fifth USA Driver of the Year title. What was meant to be six weeks turned out being three months away. The trip included a win at the famed Meadowlands in New Jersey and a winning treble in Philadelphia. When he got back in this country in late September Sam Thornley had a eight win lead at the top of the premiership. At the time Dalgety said he was still going to give the premiership “a go” and so he did. Despite looking beyond his reach Dalgety clawed back the lead with his four wins on Invercargill Cup day at Ascot Park on December 20 being critical. “That day was unbelievable.” It was his second Ascot Park Hotel Invercargill Cup triumph, following on from Krug two years earlier. Both were trained by his parents Cran and Chrissie Dalgety. As for the best wins of 2024? “That Invercargill Cup win was awesome and the other highlight was in the Northern Oaks with All You Need Is Me (Alexandra Park, March 22 2024).” But his 2024 isn’t done as yet. He has three drives at Alexandra Park’s huge night tonight including Republican Party in the $250,000 Trillian Trust Auckland Cup against hotshots Merlin and Don’t Stop Dreaming at 7.17pm. He will also drive Magician in Race 4, the Rogers Reunion Mobile Pace (4.30pm) and Fernetti in Race 8, the Woodlands Stud – TAB Northern Metro Final (6.48pm). In the future Dalgety would love to emulate Sam Ottley who has just chalked up her 100th win in a season – becoming the first female driver in this country to do it in a 12 month season. But that may have to wait. Next year is already looking busy. He is booked for the brand new Ultimate Driver Championship at Albion Park in Brisbane in February. It will feature 10 drivers competing in a 20-race series over two nights, with Dalgety taking on the likes of Dexter Dunn, Yannick Gingras, Kate Gath and Gary Hall Jnr. And then he will use the remaining funds from his Valachi scholarship win to go to Sweden, with his trip to Scandinavia taking in the world’s greatest trotting race, the Elitloppet. View the full article

You know what they say about trotters in form and Premium Player continued his brilliant run with a West Coast hat-trick at Reefton yesterday. And those who had backed the Father Patrick four-year-old at Westport on Boxing Day and December 28 were rewarded when he won again, paying $7, with an emphatic victory in a strangely run Dawsons Hotel Reefton Trotters Cup. The Gavin Smith-trained trotter won by three lengths for driver John Dunn. Premium Player settled three back the fence, before being sent forward to take the lead. He then trailed behind El Conqueror before Tu Tangata launched a bid three wide. With all the action out wide Premium Player got a sneaky run on the inside before clearing out by three lengths. Against the likes of Paul Nairn-trained stablemates El Conqueror, Masterly and Tu Tangata it was a decent step up on what he’d raced against at Westport. “He did it!” was the post on the Gavin Smith Racing Stable’s Facebook page. “Proud of our wee fella winning all three days of the coast circuit, he’s such a neat horse to have around.” “Great reward for (stable client) Ted Edwards who puts a lot into the game. “Thanks again to the Dunns and Diamond Racing for taking him over for us with a textbook John Dunn drive to get the hat trick.” It was Premium Player’s fourth win in 19 starts. Th Matt Purvis-trained Piccadilly Pete was in the running for a hat-trick himself in the Rosco Constructors Reefton Pacers Cup after winning on both days at Westport for driver of the moment Sam Ottley. The favourite started off 20m and had to bide his time as Teds Legacy settled three back the fence before pushing onto the lead. Piccadilly Pete then launched turning for home and looked to be a real chance before Teds Legacy and trainer-driver Jim Curtin rallied and and held on by a length from Dennis Denuto and Piccadilly Pete in third. Curtin had a driving double on the day, also winning with Signal Hill in Race 1, the Speights Trot, as did Ben Hope with Franco Elvis and Blue Rock Dancer for his parents Greg and Nina Hope and Kyle Cameron with Opawa Peak and Carrera Kahu. View the full article

Pierre Ng and Beauty Waves after sealing Group 3 glory. Photo: HKJC Hong Kong runs two Group races over 1000m at Sha Tin each season, and trainer Pierre Ng is aiming to sweep both contests with Beauty Waves (131lb) when the smart sprinter lines up in Wednesday’s HK$4.2 million Group 3 Bauhinia Sprint Trophy Handicap (1000m). One of three entries for Ng across the Group 3 double-header, Beauty Waves showcased serious potential with victory in October’s HK$4.2 million Group 3 National Day Cup Handicap (1000m) at Sha Tin – one of four wins for the speedster in Hong Kong – before he was a luckless sixth in December’s HK$26 million Group 1 Hong Kong Sprint (1200m). The son of Starspangledbanner boasts a steadily rising rating of 103, and faces five opponents in this week’s Bauhinia Sprint Trophy: Howdeepisyourlove (135lb), Magic Control (125lb), Whizz Kid (122lb), Harmony N Blessed (121lb) and Awesome Treasure (115lb). Ng is wary of Cody Mo’s Magic Control, who boasts a victory over Wunderbar – the only horse to defeat the Group 1-winning Ka Ying Rising not once but twice. Magic Control has since finished first in a barrier trial by nine lengths over the 1000m turf course at Sha Tin. “Beauty Waves was a bit unlucky in the straight last start. This time he’s running over 1000 metres. We have Hugh Bowman on him, it’s a small field and hopefully he runs well or can even beat a very good horse – Magic Control,” Ng said. “He’s done well after his last race.” Wednesday’s card also features the HK$4.2 million Group 3 Chinese Club Challenge Cup Handicap (1400m), where Ng fields Taj Dragon (120lb) and Drombeg Banner (115lb), as he aims to enhance his championship-leading 26 wins this term. Taj Dragon won the 2024 running of this race and goes for his seventh course and distance success after finishing 10th in the HK$36 million Group 1 Hong Kong Mile (1600m) behind Voyage Bubble last outing. “It’s much more suitable for him to be in Group 3 under handicap conditions. Luckily, we have California Spangle running and carrying top weight, so Taj Dragon carries a lighter weight. Over this distance and with this weight – I think he’ll be very competitive,” Ng said. California Spangle (135lb), Beauty Joy (129lb), Red Lion (122lb), Healthy Happy (115lb), Patch Of Theta (115lb), Chiu Chow Spirit (115lb), Green N White (115lb), Tomodachi Kokoroe (115lb) and Fantastic Treasure (115lb) round the Chinese Club Challenge Cup field. Drombeg Banner won first-up this season and shapes as a pace angle from barrier 11 for Ng. “He’s running really well, especially in his last few races with heavy weights. He gets a light weight now and he’s a good, consistent horse,” Ng said. Trainer Tony Cruz is weighing up dodging Ka Ying Rising in next month’s HK$13 million Group 1 Centenary Sprint Cup (1200m) by instead stepping back up to the mile for the HK$13 million Group 1 Stewards’ Cup (1600m) – both races are run on 19 January, 2025 at Sha Tin. “There’s the mile and the sprint. I might go for the mile instead; we can’t beat Ka Ying Rising. He’s too classy, that horse,” Cruz said. “I’m very happy with him (California Spangle), condition-wise he is very good. I’m happy with everything about him.” Green N White has five wins over 1400m at Sha Tin and chases a sixth in the Chinese Club Challenge Cup for trainer Ricky Yiu, who said: “It’s a big task for him. He’s out of the handicap, but in saying that, I still think he will run a good race. “I’m not saying he might win but he will be close, I’m really happy with him.” Horse racing news View the full article

Race 1 RIPPLE CREEK DUAL CODE & RTL MAIDEN 2000m STU DARCI (T Comignaghi) – Trainer Mr. J Phillips advised Stewards, he was satisfied with the post-race condition of STU DARCI, and it is his intention to carry on with the gelding’s current preparation. The post Tapanui Racing Club @ Gore, Sunday 22 December 2024 appeared first on RIB. View the full article

Race 8 LODGE COMMERCIAL MILE 1600m CRACKERCOL (V Colgan) – Co-trainer Mr. A Scott reported to Stewards, the stable was satisfied with the post-race condition of the gelding, however, CRACKERCOL has now been sent for a brief freshen up. The post Waikato Thoroughbred Racing @ Te Rapa, Saturday 21 December 2024 appeared first on RIB. View the full article

Gifted mare Jaarffi (NZ) (Iffraaj) looks well placed to turn her fortunes around on New Year’s Day when she headlines a formidable team at Ellerslie for Lance Noble. The daughter of Iffraaj will step out in the Gr.2 Rich Hill Mile (1600m) while stablemate Terra Mitica (Ulysses) will take aim at the Gr.3 Queen Elizabeth II Cup (2400m). Noble prepares the stakes contenders for Cambridge Stud and they also have in-form runners First Dance (NZ) (Zousain) in the Eagle Technology (1200m) and Frostfair (NZ) (Written Tycoon) in the Barfoot & Thompson (1400m), with Warren Kennedy to ride the quartet. Jaarffi was unplaced last time out in the Gr.3 J Swap Sprint (1400m) at Te Rapa, but her Karaka-based trainer quickly moved on from that performance. “She drew wide and missed the kick, she had her head to the side when they jumped,” he said. “She got back in a big field and was no chance, after about 10 strides I’d forgotten the race, it was mission impossible.” Noble is expecting a far more competitive effort from Jaarffi on Wednesday. “She runs well at Ellerslie, she’s had two starts there for two wins and has a better draw this time and I’m sure she’ll run really well,” he said. “It is her first time at 1600m, although she won the special conditions race (Rangitoto Classic) over 1500m last prep, so I don’t think it holds any fears.” Queen Elizabeth contender Terra Mitica placed in the Gr.3 Balmerino Stakes (2000m) before she struck trouble in the running when out of the money in the Gr.3 Counties Cup (2100m). At her most recent outing, the English-bred six-year-old daughter of Ulysses finished third on the course and will drop 2kg on New Year’s Day. “She’s not a big mare and she’s had to carry a bit of weight in her last couple of starts,” Noble said. “What I like about her is that she likes the firm ground at Ellerslie. It’s quite an even field and she’ll get her chance.” Zousain filly First Dance broke her maiden at her third appearance before a spell and returned to finish fifth over the course and distance earlier this month. “She needed that run, we gave her a break after she won and went in without a trial,” Noble said. “She’s done well since and looks well. She’s a three-year-old racing against the older horses, but we are really happy with her.” Frostfair will bid to complete a hat-trick of wins and the progressive daughter of Written Tycoon looks a stakes contender in waiting. “I think so, she hasn’t been out of the top four in any of her races and she’s really come of age,” Noble said. “Her last win was strong, she we gave her a little break and she’s since won a trial nicely at Counties, so she sets up well. She’s got a good barrier and we’re pretty hopeful.” View the full article

Naughty Rascal, the lone stakes winner in the field, will face two Chad Brown trainees, Treaty of Rome and the undefeated Septarian, owned by Resolute Racing, in the Mucho Macho Man Stakes at Gulfstream Park.View the full article

Check out this week’s The Box Seat with Matt Cross and Greg O’Connor View the full article

Live racing at Mahoning Valley Race Course was canceled Monday following the conclusion of the second race due to “track conditions”. In an image posted to the social media site X, the track noted that racing would resume on New Year's Day with a first post of 12:15 p.m. The post Mahoning Valley Cancels Monday Card Due To Track Conditions appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article

There are six horse racing meetings set for Australia on Tuesday, December 31. Our racing analysts here at horsebetting.com.au have found you the best bets and the quaddie numbers for Warrnambool and Wyong. Tuesday’s Free Horse Racing Tips – December 31, 2024 Warrnambool Racing Tips Wyong Racing Tips As always, there are plenty of promotions available for Australian racing fans. Check out all the top online bookmakers to see what daily promotions they have. If you are looking for a new bookmaker for the horse racing taking place on December 31, 2024 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

Explore an array of exciting racing promotions from top horse racing bookmakers on Tuesday, December 31. Enhance your betting experience with enticing bonus back offers, designed to add extra thrill to your wagers. Discover these top-tier promotions to maximise your betting potential today. The top Australian racing promotions for December 31, 2024, include: Today’s best horse racing promotions Top 4 Betting. Extra Place. Every Race. Bet and win up to 4th place. Picklebet T&Cs apply. Login to Picklebet to Claim Promo Same Race Multi | Select 2-4 runners in the same race to get bigger odds Available from approx 8:30am local track time on race day. Availability dependent on field size. Neds T&C’s Apply. Login to Neds to Claim Promo Blonde Boosts Elevate Your Prices! BlondeBet T&C’s Apply. Login to BlondeBet to Claim Promo Odds Drift Protector If the price at the jump is bigger than the price that you took, we will pay you out at the bigger odds Eligible customers. T&C’s apply. Login to Bet365 to Claim Promo Best Tote and Starting Price Guarantees a dividend equal to the highest of the official win dividend paid by the three Australian TAB pools or the official starting price. Maximum stake: $2,000. 18+ Gamble Responsibly. Login to BoomBet to Claim Promo Owners Bonus – Win a bet on your horse & receive an extra 15% of winnings in cash Account holder must be registered as an official owner of the nominated horse. Fixed odds only. PlayUp T&Cs Apply. Login to PlayUp to Claim Promo Daily Multi Insurance Any race. Any runner. Any odds. Get a bonus back if your multi loses. Check your Vault for eligibility Login to UniBet to Claim Promo How does horsebetting.com.au source its racing bonus offers? HorseBetting.com.au meticulously assesses leading Australian horse racing bookmakers, revealing thoroughbred bonus promotions for December 31, 2024. These ongoing offers underscore the dedication of top horse racing bookmakers. In the realm of horse racing betting, when one bookmaker isn’t featuring a promotion, another is stepping up. Count on HorseBetting.com.au as your go-to source for daily rewarding horse racing bookmaker bonuses. Enhance your value with competitive odds and promotions tailored for existing customers. Easily access these offers by logging in to each online bookmaker’s platform. For valuable insights into races and horses to optimise your bonus bets, trust HorseBetting’s daily free racing tips. Horse racing promotions View the full article

Springboard Mile winner Coal Battle could move into second place on the Road to the Kentucky Derby leaderboard with a Jan. 4 victory in the $250,000 Smarty Jones Stakes at Oaklawn Park.View the full article

Cuyathy's Johannes has emerged from his three-quarter-length win in the $202,000 San Gabriel Stakes (G2T) at Santa Anita Park in good order and will continue his march forward to the $1 million Pegasus World Cup Turf (G1T) at Gulfstream Park Jan. 25.View the full article

The Turfway Park Holiday Meet concluded Dec. 28 with rider Gerardo Corrales clinching his sixth title, Mike Maker securing his 23rd training crown and Resolute Racing earning its first leading owner title.View the full article

Even now, having broken his own record haul to secure a sixth consecutive general sires' championship, we cannot quite call him another Bold Ruler. But if Into Mischief can extend his reign through 2025, so matching the sequence achieved by the Claiborne legend between 1963 and 1969, he will give formal gilding to his status as the stallion who best defines our epoch. Bold Ruler actually added an eighth title in 1973, but that modern record–we must leave Lexington's 19th century career as a bewildering case apart–does not feel secure even with Into Mischief now entering the veteran stage. The libido that has underpinned the Spendthrift champion's hegemony shows no sign of diminishing as he turns 20 and, despite a forbidding fee nowadays, his book actually climbed back to 193 mares this spring from 174 in 2023 (a book that produced a stellar 82% live foals). And of course it is sheer volume that not only guarantees Into Mischief continued momentum, even if he happened to be pensioned tomorrow morning, but also makes him the poster boy of the modern commercial era. Because here is the triumphant paragon of an industrial model that has become so dominant that several of the more conservative farms are conspicuously releasing the brakes on book sizes. With the defeat of the mare cap, you can see people looking at Spendthrift and Coolmore and deciding: “If you can't beat them, join them.” But it would be ridiculous to treat an animal as freakishly prepotent as Into Mischief as any kind of template. He proved capable of siring top horses even from the mediocre mares he covered as a prototype for the kind of incentive schemes by which Spendthrift's late owner B. Wayne Hughes so enjoyed rocking the Bluegrass boat. And from that base he has followed a trajectory that is by no means guaranteed, and steadily improved his black-type ratios (while stretching out his stock to Classic distances) with his upgrading mares. That has brought him to a touching moment of parity with Tapit. Both are currently credited with 166 lifetime black-type winners as a virtually identical proportion (c 11.5%) of their named foals. The venerable Gainesway champion, whose book is being carefully supervised these days, must very soon be deposed as North America's all-time leading sire–very possibly in 2025. His progeny earnings stand at $213.5 million, while Into Mischief has just raced passed his latest career milestone on $200.6 million. And Into Mischief has already laid down a marker for 2025 by also topping the table for 2-year-old sires, with Citizen Bull leading his six stakes winners and seven graded stakes performers. (Both of those represent class highs, but hats off to Nyquist and rookie McKinzie for two juvenile Grade I winners apiece. More follows below, incidentally, on McKinzie and an absurdly tight race for the freshman crown.) Tapit | Gainesway With total progeny earnings of $35,368,704 (all stats updated through December 29), Into Mischief has shattered the record of $28,562,932 he posted in 2022. That felt inevitable the moment Laurel River won the G1 Dubai World Cup, but the fact is that Into Mischief would have fallen only marginally short (at $28,212,648) even if that particular horse had never left his stable this year. And, as we've indicated, the fact that he sent out far more foot soldiers than any other sire–474 starters, with his son Goldencents next on 397–does not alone account for the fact that he duly tops every column, from stakes performers through to Grade I winners (five). For his ratios nowadays are strong, too. His 35 black-type winners represent 7.4% of starters. Aside from a couple of freshmen, who are obviously a case apart, that clip is matched among active competition in Kentucky only by Oscar Performance (10 at 7.5%) and Not This Time (17 at 7.4%). Of course, nowadays that blend of quality and quantity also applies to Into Mischief's mares. His first foals conceived at six figures are now turning six, and his latest juveniles were sired at $225,000. So we must give due credit to those among his pursuers still maintaining superior percentages in crucial indices. Best Of the Rest With his expanding arsenal, for instance, Gun Runner has reached a new personal best of $22,485,868, securing second place with only a fourth crop in action. That's up from $17,663,202 and third place in 2023. And his dozen graded stakes winners, including four at the elite level, represented 4.7% of starters, against 17 for Into Mischief at 3.6%. Overall Gun Runner's average earnings per starter were $88,180, compared with $74,618 for Into Mischief. Just under one in 10 of his starters made a graded stakes podium, which looks pretty wild compared with Into Mischief's 6.5%. But he was actually matched by third-placed Justify, who accumulated $16,149,027 with just a third crop in play. These two young guns really haven't missed a beat. By the same token, they have not had to overcome the challenges that delayed the rise of the ruler they aim someday to dethrone. The venerable Mineshaft obviously owes fourth place to the desert plunder of Senor Buscador, who accounted for 76.7% of his total $15,680,634 bank, though it was nice to see him close out 2024 with a 2-year-old stakes winner (Jenkin in the Year's End Stakes at Oaklawn). But Constitution certainly took a major step forward–as many had confidently anticipated–in finishing just behind on $15,400,026. While just lacking that Grade I headliner he elevated himself sharply, with a sixth crop into the gate, from $10,641,524 and 15th place in 2023. And of course he now also has a son making waves in Tiz the Law. While Curlin slipped a few places this year, just making the top 10 on $13,792,523, he included another three elite scorers among his dozen graded stakes winners, the latter compiled at a class-high rate of 5.2% of starters. Curlin | Sarah Andrew Broodmare Sires Tapit's diminishing footprint sees him drop right down the general sires' table to 27th, but by the same token his daughters are increasing their own reach. And while the venerable gray surrenders his broodmare sire title to the late Street Cry (Ire), he appeared as damsire to an unrivalled 34 stakes and 16 graded stakes winners in 2024. Street Cry, sire of a couple of epoch-making female talents on the racetrack, has proved unsurprisingly effective as a distaff influence. He owes the division laurels to globetrotter Rebel's Romance (Ire), but his daughters produced four additional Grade I winners this year. Another lamented Darley stallion, Bernardini, continues his rise in this sphere in seventh, matching Tapit's class-high 32 graded stakes performers (similarly including three Grade I winners) at 5% of starters. But watch out for Blame, whose precocity in this sphere is already well established: his daughters are operating at mad, off-the-charts ratios, with 17 stakes winners and eight graded stakes winners at 9.5% and 4.4% of 2024 starters. His footprint for now remains too narrow to put him any higher than 34th (up from 49th), but those strike-rates are more than DOUBLE almost all those above him. (In other words, stand by for more Blame in the next instalment of our Value Sires series!) Second-/Third-Crop and Turf Sires Among the younger sires trying to consolidate their status, the cream rose to the top in the second-crop table through the maturing stock of Omaha Beach. Having finished behind three neighbors in a Spendthrift monopoly of the 2023 freshman title, this time round he tops the table on all class indices, for instance with 11 and 21 black-type winners and performers (respectively at 6.8% and 13% of starters), and two Grade I winners (among five placed at that level). Runner-up Audible cannot match those ratios but has similarly thrived through his first sophomores (sixth as freshman) and ties Omaha Beach with six graded stakes performers. But the cavalries behind some of these young commercial sires continues to astound. Fourth-placed Vino Rosso, for example, has accumulated exactly 200 starters in 2024 with only a second crop of juveniles into the gate! Let's hope some of those young stallions showing promise under the radar get more attention than Preservationist, who has now left the country despite a class-high 56% winners to starters in 2024. Having come up with the Epsom Derby winner City of Troy, Justify continues his dynamic start with the third-crop title, though runner-up Good Magic has achieved a historic distinction by joining only Man o' War and Gallant Fox in siring Classic winners from both his first two crops. Obviously he must allow some credit to Puca (Big Brown), who gave him both Mage and Dornoch, but he matches Justify with three elite scorers this year. Justify stands alone, however, when it comes to sheer weight of stakes action: he has had no fewer than 41 black-type and 25 graded stakes performers, at a knockout 16% and 9.8%, respectively. This looks a pretty vintage group overall, with City of Light securing third through flagbearer Fierceness and Oscar Performance matching the top two with five graded stakes winners. As noted above, the Mill Ridge star's 10 stakes winners have come at an outstanding 7.5%: he had just 134 starters, compared with 326 for Mendelssohn who duly claims fourth. Oscar Performance actually made the top 10 on the general sires' list when measured by earnings per starter. Unsurprisingly he did the same on the overall turf list, despite only sending a third crop of juveniles to the gate. But the grass champion is Twirling Candy, whose outstanding campaign places him sixth on the general sires' list, with $8,457,529 of his aggregate $15,174,744 banked on the green. No surprise to see Justify (a few cents shy of $8 million) lying second, nor the splendid veteran War Front in fourth, but those who take a prescriptive view of pedigrees must clock none other than Into Mischief between them. If you consider that his stock will typically experiment with grass only if not working out on the main track, it reflects pretty scandalously on the big international programs that he has been given virtually zero opportunity in Europe. McKinzie -86_PRINT_credit_Gainesway-1024x745.jpg" alt="" width="632" height="460" /> McKinzie | Gainesway Freshman Sires Go To the Wire And finally we come to the incredible race for freshman sire. We've had to leave it late, because that's just what the three protagonists have done. In fact, the issue remains so desperate that it feels best to defer final congratulations until the last cent of purse money has been definitively paid out. As things stand, however, it does look as though McKinzie has just held out, with the added insurance of apparently the trio's sole remaining entry–that I can trace, at any rate–before midnight on New Year's Eve. (That's the aptly named Not Too Late, who at time of writing was set to contest Monday's Parx Future Stars Filly Stakes.) But it has really gone to the wire, Tiz the Law making a dramatic late lunge through the neck success of Legal Empress after a stretch duel for a maiden at Oaklawn on Sunday. Previously the Coolmore sire had been lying third on $2,665,687, behind Vekoma on $2,717,095 and McKinzie on $2,729,178. This 11th hour bonus took his bank to $2,731,687–in other words, just inching the Ashford stallion past McKinzie. But whoa, what's this! Not much over an hour later, McKinzie's daughter Kinzie Queen, though beaten a long way into fifth of seven in the Year's End Stakes on the same card, scraped together $6,650. With debutante Young and Pretty having added a few dimes for her 18-length fourth of seven at Gulfstream, McKinzie appears to have pulled it out of the fire, with the updated standings placing him on $2,736,038, a wafer-thin lead of $4,351 over Tiz the Law, with Vekoma barely 10 grand further behind on $2,721,295. As we've cautioned, however, we need to let the ink dry on this–not least because of some ongoing contention regarding certain runners overseas. (Another data source was on Monday still showing Tiz the Law with a lead of $533!) There must have been gnashing of teeth at Spendthrift on Sunday after Vekoma's son Red Miller, 2-1 on the morning line for his debut at Tampa Bay, came through as a veterinary scratch. He had clocked the fastest of 111 four-furlong breezes working from the gate at Belmont last month. But then how many other “shoulda coulda woulda” moments have been endured, through the last few months, by each of these stallions? But this is just a rosette, after all, and the sage professionals standing these horses will know that each deserves celebration for more or less forcing a dead heat. Tiz the Law especially deserves recognition in having fielded only 50 starters, against 68 for McKinzie and as many as 83 for Vekoma, nonetheless matching McKinzie's two graded stakes winners (plus his two others placed at that level). But McKinzie has artfully made his bullets count, his only two black-type winners both contriving Grade Is–at which level, moreover, he has had two others placed! Vekoma, for his part, has meanwhile made numbers tell with no fewer than 39 individual winners, equaling the domestic record shared by Wildcat Heir and Chapel Royal. Tiz the Law | Coolmore That did not turn out to signal some transformative impact on the part of either of those horses. While too many young stallions are nowadays industrially exploited through a fleeting window of opportunity, the fact remains that all these horses have only just started out. We must give an especially honorable mention to Complexity, however, who set a strong pace before running out of reinforcements (56 starters) and fading into fourth. Even so his five stakes winners were only matched by McKinzie and Vekoma, while Complexity also joined the Gainesway sire and Tiz the Law with two graded stakes winners. As a class, they have mustered 11 of those, compared with just three for the historically underachieving freshmen of 2023. For bureaucratic purposes, every Thoroughbred turns a page on New Year's Day. But their official birthday is only ever a milestone on a slow, circular road that can only be travelled with much perseverance and more luck. We wish you plenty of that vital ingredient in 2025. The post Into Mischief Has A Bold Mission For 2025 appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions. View the full article