WYNDHAM HRC, Saturday, March 4 Race 1: ARANNALEA (6, Blair Orange), 3, 30m, 2400m std: “Gets in winnable race and seems good, so a winning chance.” CHEVIOT HRC @ Addington, Sunday, March 5 Race 7: KOWHAI MONARCH (1, Samantha Ottley) & EYRE I COME (7, Blair Orange), mob 1950m: “Kowhai Monarch has been a victim Addington not holding races for his grade. He gets in a tough race but he can’t earn sitting in a box at home.” “Eyre I Come was a surprise winner last week. He seems very well and a good chance again.” Race 9: LIBERTY ROSE …
Lennytheshark gets revenge in 2017 Miracle Mile
LENNY’S A SUPERSTAR A nose cost Lennytheshark victory in last year’s Miracle Mile when Australia’s most popular pacer was beaten by Have Faith In Me. So that made revenge all the more sweeter at Tabcorp Park @ Club Menangle tonight when Lennytheshark prevailed by that barest possible margin, beating Mark Purdon’s trio of Smolda, Lazarus and Our Waikiki Beach in the $750,000 Group One Ainsworth Miracle Mile . . . the 50th running of the elite invitation-only race. It was an emotional reinsman Chris Alford who returned after ‘Lenny’ broke the magical 1:50 mark, rating 1:49.2 in a fabulous finish …
Vincent beats Ultimate Machete in NSW Derby
VINCENT LEAVES RIVALS BREATHLESS IN NSW DERBY ree out of three ain’t bad . . . Group Ones that is. Only this time the Mark Purdon stable also bagged the Trifecta as well as Vincent, the next superstar of harness racing in this country, captured he $200,000 Wards Accounting Group NSW Derby at Tabcorp Park, Menangle, on Saturday, 25, 2017. Vincent beat Ultimate Machete and Motu Meteor to give the powerful All Stars stable the first three over the line as they completely monopolised this blue riband event. Vincent (Mark Purdon) found the front fairly easily in a 58.3s lead …
Princess becomes Queen of Menangle
A PICCADILLY PRINCESS BECOMES QUEEN OF MENANGLE There are few sights more stirring than two great horses going head-to-head in a battle royale. And that was the case in the Group One Macarthur Square Ladyship Mile at Tabcorp Park at Club Menangle tonight when champion pair A Piccadilly Princess (Natalie Rasmussen) and Frith (Luke McCarthy) fought out a thrilling finish to this elite mares’ sprint on Saturday, February 25, 2017. At the end A Piccadilly Princess stuck out her nose right on the line to beat the gallant Frith by a nose, with the winner rating 1:50.4 for the mile. …
Mark Purdon gets Menangle party started
MARK PURDON GETS MENANGLE PARTY STARTED Not that he needed any incentive, but the sight of his 90-year-old father Roy striding through the gates of Tabcorp Park Menangle on Saturday, February 25, 2017, signalled the start of a big night for champion trainer-driver Mark Purdon. A little over an hour later Purdon landed the first Group One of the evening, the HQ Insurance NSW Oaks, with a masterful drive to score with his latest ‘female’ stable star in Partyon. Caught behind the leader, Takara Truffle for most of the race, it was always going to be a case of simply …
NZ Premier Yearling Sales details, 2017
NZ PREMIER YEARLING SALES DETAILS, 2017 Overport Lodge trainer Mark Jones purchased another five from this year’s NZ Premier Yearling Sales, including a six-fugure purchase in Lot 495, Harmony Delight, a daughter of champion sire Bettor’s Delight, for $120,000. Harmony Delight is the fourth foal from a former Harness Jewels 2YO Diamond winner in Gotta Go Harmony (p2, 1:55.5), a Christian Cullen daughter of former Australian Derby winner and tough filly and 2002 NZ Pacer of The Year, Elect To Live (1:55.5, 19 wins from 35 starts for $577,992). The lightly-raced Gotta Go Harmony (four wins from 22 starts for …
Australasian Classic Yearling Sales, 2017, details
MARK SECURES TWO FROM 2017 AUSTRALASIAN CLASSIC SALE Sales details from the Australasian Classic Yearing Sales at Karaka on February 20, 2017: 1 A/c Woodlands Stud (NZ) Ltd, Clevedon: Delightful Jessie (B f Bettor’s Delight-Jessies Cullen), PGG Wrightson (as agent), Australia, $20,000. 2 A/c Miss C L Phelan, Papakura; & J H Price, Wellsford: Suarez (Br c Majestic Son-Jaqui N), J W Dickie, Papakura, $16,000. 3 A/c B A Spurdle, Te Kuiti: The Fonz (B c A Rocknroll Dance-Jilletto), passed (res. $15,000). 4 A/c Karnup Racing Pty Ltd, West Australia: Jack Jones (B c Art Major-Jacinta Jones), P I & …
NZ METRO, AUCK-HORORATA TC, Feb. 23-26
NZ METRO TC, Thursday, February 23 Race 1: CASTLEREAGH (4, Mark), mob. 1950m: “Good run first-up. Has drawn better so an each-way chance.” Race 7: LIBERTY ROSE (9, Mark) & SHEEZA SPORT (10, Samantha Ottley), mob. 1950m: “Liberty Rose has been trialling nice and banking on luck from the draw but an each way chance.” “Sheeza Sport has been trailing nice too. If she gets any luck is a strong chance.” Race 10: SAY YOUR PRES (1, Mark), 2600m std: “Going good races and an each-way chance.” Outside drives Race 2: FRANCO CALIPH (6), mob. 1950m: “Went ok in the …
Miracle Mile field for 2017 drawn
MIRACLE MILE FIELD DRAWN FOR SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25 By Michael Court Mark Purdon’s star pair drew perfectly in the barrier draw for the Ainsworth Miracle Mile at Tabcorp Park @ Club Menangle on Sunday. The only problem was, neither of them was Lazarus. Inter Dominion winner Smolda drew gate one and Our Waikiki Beach drew four but is expected to come into gate three when the second emergency, Major Crocker, is scratched, despite drawing barrier two. Purdon’s star four-year-old Lazarus threw the race open when he drew out in gate eight (will come into six with the emergencies out) but …
David Aiken duo secure Miracle Mile berths
DAVID AIKEN STABLEMATES EARN MIRACLE MILE STARTS By Michael Court Hectorjayjay and Lennytheshark gave David Aiken a double-barrelled attack on next week’s $750,000 Ainsworth Miracle Mile when they won the two qualifying sprints tonight at Tabcorp Park Menangle on Saturday, February 18. Lennytheshark quickly found the front and led all the way to win the Canadian Club Sprint in 1:50.3, beating Yayas Hotspot and Aztec Bromac with the first two horses automatically sealing Miracle Mile spots alongside Chariots Of Fire winner Lazarus. Trainer David Aiken barely had time to smile as he quickly harnessed up Hectorjayjay, who put in a …