News Briefs : November 16

[Wandering Eyes]

What a week it’s been for milestones.

Steve Telfer, part of the country’s top training combo with sister Amanda, chalked up his 500th training success when Darling Me won the Bob McArdle Southern Mares Classic at Addington on Show Day. Telfer has had 131 wins on his own account, 179 with Amanda and a further 190 in partnership with Chris Garlick between 2012-17. Darryn Simpson had his 100th training success when Show No Fear won the Listed Canterbury Spa and Pools Fillies Classique at Ashburton last Thursday , while Lyndon Bond had his 50th when Major Dolmio won the first at Winton on Sunday.

3 from 3 for Sundees Son

When Sundees Son won his third Dominion in a row on Show Day it also gave the Horse of the Year the three fastest times in New Zealand’s biggest Trotting race. After his epic battle with Muscle Mountain last Friday Sundees Son stopped the clock at 3:58.4. It was the second fastest time ever nearly two seconds slower than his 3:56.6 race record in 2021. In 2020 he set a then record with 4:00.5, just inside Monbet’s 2016 mark of 4:00.7

Self Assured biggest earner by far

After his win in the Show Day NZ Pacing Free For All at Addington Self Assured has now earned $892,825 in stakes this year. He is by the far the highest earning horse in the country, $455,831 clear of now three-time Dominion champion Sundees Son ($436,831). Two-time New Zealand Cup champion Copy That is third on $355,262.

Dates confirmed for WDC

The dates and venues have been decided for the 2023 World Driving Championships. They will be contested by 12 drivers from 11 countries over 20 races at four different tracks in three different countries. Those countries will be the Netherlands, Germany and Belgium between August 14-18.

Let It Ride keeps winning

A nine-race winner in this country before being exported in 2018, Let It Ride N has had his 10th win this year in North America, the victory coming in the snow at Dayton Ohio over the weekend in 1:51. The nine-year-old was trained in this country by Tim Butt and Jonny Cox before heading across the Tasman and then to the States.

Pumpkin squashes rivals in Kidz Kartz

Gemma Liefting from the Franklin Club was the proud winner of the Westview Racing and Enterprise Recruitment Kidz Kartz New Zealand Cup at Addington on Show Day. Gemma drove Pumpkin to victory after Nikita Bourke and Chaos had earlier triumphed in the Templeton Medical Centre Kidz Kartz Cup Prelude at Riccarton last Wednesday.

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