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#61
11-24-2007, 02:52 AM
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Results from Ellerslie Saturday:
Murdoch Newell Stakes - Vincent Mangano (now 3-for-3) 1st, Key Message 2nd, Lady Alberton 3rd Auckland Breeders Stakes - Irlanda (6 wins from 12) 1st, Ististar 2nd, My Hangover 3rd First Sovereign Stakes - Brianna (5 wins from 10) 1st, Imananabaa & Crossyourheart DH 2nd Counties Cup - Spin Around (former Hong Kong horse who suffered a near-fatal injury, awesome story...25-1, bit of an upset) 1st, Kerry O'Reilly 2nd, Ombre Rose 3rd. It was a really good day of racing. Nice to relax after an intense Friday night! As for Muse, I'm exhausted and everything hurts...but I can't wait to do it all again tomorrow.  
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#62
11-24-2007, 10:09 AM
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Quote:
When you've recovered, tell me more about the HK horse. 
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#63
11-26-2007, 03:03 AM
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He's a 7 year old (Spinning World - Be Yourself), who has now won 8 races from 37 starts and $680,000.
He was usually ridden by Felix Coetzee in his HK career (can't find who trained him sorry), and had 22 starts there in 2004-05, mostly at around a mile, for 4 wins, 3 seconds and 2 thirds. Most of his starts there are listed as 'INT' and 'PRG' grade (intermediate and progressive I assume?), so he didn't race at the very highest level there but was a decent horse. At the end of 2005 he suffered his injury in a training accident (I can't find what the injury was in particular sorry), and apparently it was a 50-50 decision whether to put him down or try to save him. Luckily they chose to save him! He was sent to NZ to recover after surgery and he was looked after by Steven Cooper (a British horseman who now lives here), and he has trained him since he returned to racing here in NZ. He's won 2 stakes races in NZ and ran 4th in a G1 in April. His legs are still a bit fragile so he refuses to try his hardest on dry tracks, but when the track's a bit softer he's always run well. And that's what he got on Saturday.
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#64
11-26-2007, 11:54 AM
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Thanks for the story. Luckily they chose to save him is right.
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#65
11-29-2007, 07:19 AM
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Just Cruising = the best broodmare in NZ at the moment.
Dam of: Seachange - Winner of 5 G1s Korau Road - G3 winner, twice placed in G1s Keepa Cruisin - Only a maiden winner but placed in 2 G2s and a G1...until today's huge win over the boys in the G1 Levin Classic. Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jb_PmX1DsY8 What a tough filly she is, in her 10 starts she has been in the first 3 eight times and was 4th the other 2. This was also Keeper's 2nd G1 win as a sire...and 2nd this month after Insouciant won the NZ 1000 Guineas.
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#66
12-05-2007, 02:29 AM
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Spin Around has done the Counties Cup-Avondale Gold Cup double! He was 25-1 in the Counties Cup and 12-1 in the Avondale, but he was way too good both times, moving from average handicap horse to G2 & G1 winner in under a month. Amazing.
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHsl-b-w2LE
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#67
12-05-2007, 05:47 AM
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Oh, and I just found out he raced in Hong Kong with the name Better Boy.
http://www.hkjc.com/english/racing/R...p?HorseNo=D134 Last edited by _ed_ : 12-05-2007 at 07:59 AM.
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#68
12-07-2007, 10:09 PM
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Quote:
If you ever hear of a horse named Bulldozer, let me know! Love him to death, he was hurt and retired although he could be somewhere else now. Thanks for posting the video. Nice!
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#69
12-08-2007, 02:16 AM
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Alamosa was a VERY nice winner of the Avondale Guineas today.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uF5ZA_un_To He's now won 6 out of 13 and only been out of the money once. His next target is the G1 Zabeel Classic on Boxing Day against the older horses (including Xcellent, Wahid & Dorabella). That should be a hell of a race. Tough task for a 3yo but Alamosa is class. The big summer racing at Ellerslie is getting really close now! 10 stakes races on 2 days (Boxing Day and New Year's Day). Christmas? Nah. Boxing Day is what I'm really excited about.
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#70
12-16-2007, 01:47 AM
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One of those days at Te Rapa yesterday. All the best horses kept getting rolled by big longshots.
The day can be summed up with the Johnstone Handicap, where the brilliant Charliehorse finished out of the money for only the 3rd time in his career and 38-1 Belthazar won it.  Was a different story down at Awapuni though, 1000 Guineas winner Insouciant was even money favourite in the G3 Eulogy Stakes and killed them. Won easing up by 4 lengths. One of the best performances of the year I think, although the field was weak for a G3.Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=93DdPIiQUuo And just a few hours ago Best Gift (now known as Carlisle Bay, the name he had before he went to HK), had his first run back in NZ over a mile at Ellerslie (couldn't go to day because I'm at work  ). He didn't run very well, was out of the money and about 5-6 lengths behind the winner Sir Slick. Think he'll improve with more distance though.
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#71
12-18-2007, 12:29 AM
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Oh crap, I posted the replay somewhere else.
Great to see him back though, even if he was last. Wonder why he's having problems going in the gate. Hmmm..... * * * An update..... Jokers Wild Bouncing Back From Infection (Whew!) Former champion New Zealand juvenile Jokers Wild is still hanging in after being hit by a life-threatening blood infection following an operation to remove bone chips from his fetlock three months ago. The Mike Moroney-trained entire had the operation after he ran last to Bon Hoffa in the Group One Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on September 22. However the horse suffered severe lameness after the operation due to the staphylococcus infection and had to have surgery twice within 24 hours at the Ballarat Veterinary Hospital. While he will not race again, it is hoped he can be saved so that he can stand at stud. "He had a staph infection and was in a box with his leg in a cast, but it was removed on the weekend," Moroney's stable manager Anthony Feroce said. "It all depends how he is going to be without the cast in the next week or so. "At this stage he's alright, but he needs to be able to walk and put pressure on the leg. "If he can do that then he should be out of the woods," Feroce added. Jokers Wild, now a four-year-old, won two Group One races in New Zealand as a two-year-old and last season won two Group Two races and was runner-up in three Group One races there before finishing a gallant and very close third behind Miss Finland and Casino Prince in the Group One Australian Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield in March. By Black Minnaloushe, Jokers Wild raced 20 times for seven wins, five placings and $531,733 in prizemoney. Meanwhile Feroce said Redondo Beach had pulled up well following his win in the Western Health Cup (2500m) at Flemington last Saturday. "It was a good win and we are looking forward to the Bagot and taking on Gallopin. It should be a good race," he said. Redondo Beach will clash with the Danny O'Brien-trained Gallopin, who won over 2000m at Flemington on Saturday, in the Listed $150,000 Bagot Hcp (2500m) at Flemington on New Year's Day.
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#72
12-21-2007, 06:30 AM
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2 amazing days of racing coming up on Boxing Day and New Year's Day at Ellerslie. 10 stakes races on the 2 days. Really exciting.
BOXING DAY Newmarket Handicap (1200m Handicap) Last year: 1st Kay's Awake, 2nd St Verdi, 3rd Donna Rosita - Kay's Awake G1-placed since, St Verdi stakes winner since, Donna Rosita G1 Railway winner. Entries this year include: Captivate (G1 winner), Needuask (G2 winner), Kay's Awake again, Clifton Prince and the very fast Magic Tryst. Eight Carat Classic (G2 1600m 3yo fillies) Last year: 1st Veloce Bella, 2nd Princess Coup, 3rd Irlanda - Veloce Bella has won 2 G2s since, Princess Coup won the Oaks and Kelt and Irlanda is undefeated this year including 2 G2s. Entries this year include: Insouciant , Keepa Cruisin , Anna Bek and Bella Valentina. Should be a great race.Zabeel Classic (G1 2000m WFA) Last year: 1st Mikki Street (amazing performance, died in a training accident a week later ), 2nd Sharvasti, 3rd Fiscal MadnessEntries this year include: XCELLENT , Alamosa, Sir Slick, Dorabella. Stunning field. I can't wait.Great Northern Guineas (G2 2100m 3yo) Last year: 1st Santagostino, 2nd Mettre En Jeu, 3rd Uberalles Entries this year include: C'est La Guerre, Prince Kaapstad, Six O'Clock News, Mission Critical, Avancer, Sircross. This is the first real prep race for the Derby on the same track in March. This is probably the race I'm most excited about on the day.
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#73
12-22-2007, 01:13 PM
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Sounds Xciting!
Jump up and down and blow smoochies and wave wildly to X for me!!!!! (Poor Mikki Street).
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#74
12-26-2007, 05:16 AM
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The weather was really bad at the start of the day but half way through the Newmarket the sun came out and it was awesome.
Really big crowd: Too lazy to put the videos on Youtube right now, so I'll post links to the videos on the Ellerslie website instead! Newmarket Handicap: Needuask was a very impressive winner of this race. After he won the G2 Concorde last start we were wondering if it was a fluke...well, obviously it wasn't. This was an even bigger performance. Clifton Prince went well under the top weight for 2nd and Mary Ellen closed nicely for 3rd. Eight Carat Classic: Satinka, very unlucky in more than one big race so far this season, finally got her turn. She was ridden brilliantly by Bruce Herd (who also won the Zabeel on Sir Slick), with a beautiful run along the inside, and just held out Pretty Vegas and Keepa Cruisin in a tight 3-way finish. Insouciant was very disappointing, it was her first time on a right-handed track and Michael Walker said it felt like she didn't like racing this way around at all. Great Northern Guineas: This race had no pace at all, which disadvantaged a lot of the back runners, but Prince Kaapstad still won impressively. It was another great ride by Samantha Spratt (who also won the Newmarket on Needuask), but the horse was headed by Il Divo and fought very strongly to regain the lead. A really excellent performance. Six O'Clock News closed nicely for 3rd. Zabeel Classic: A bit sad to see Xcellent's unbeaten NZ record broken, but if any horse had to do that I'm glad it was Sir Slick. He's just such a tough horse, he goes straight to the lead in every race and makes it almost impossible for anyone to get past him down the stretch. When he's in his best form there aren't many better horses to watch in NZ. Now it's only 6 days until the next big day, January 1! Last edited by _ed_ : 12-26-2007 at 06:45 AM.
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#75
12-27-2007, 02:44 AM
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What races are Jan. 1st ed?
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#76
12-27-2007, 03:53 AM
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In winter we're happy with 1 stakes race on a day, on Jan 1 we've got 6!
Eclipse Stakes (G3 1200m 2yo) The biggest 2yo race of the season so far. Last year Grand Dancer won it at 40-1. Haven't heard of him since. It looks like most of the good early 2yos are going to be there, like Vincent Mangano, Silk Spur, San Bernardino and Minstrel Court. Royal Stakes (G2 2000m 3yo fillies) Satinka's going to try to do what hasn't been done for a long time, winning the Eight Carat Classic-Royal Stakes double. Not sure who else is going there at the moment, Satinka will be the favourite though. Last year Keep The Passion won it (25-1), she's been disappointing since, but Dorabella was 2nd. Dunstan Championship (2200m Handicap) This is a really good race for finding good horses for the following season. A horse called The Fuzz won it last year, now he's running some good races in Australia for David Hayes. The favourite for it is Aukay, who has so far only won 2 races but has been in the first 3 14 times out of 16. Looks like a talented horse. Rich Hill Mile (G2 1600m Handicap) Sir Slick's going in this! He'll have a massive weight, but that can't stop him when he's at his best. One of the best mile races of every year. Dezigna won it last year. City Of Auckland Cup (G2 2400m Handicap) Pasta Post: 7 starts, 6 wins. There are 2 last-start G2 winners in the race, Everswindell and Mirkola Lass, but Pasta Post is at even money. This is a really good horse. Last year Highflying was a 40-1 winner, she's been G1 placed since. Railway Handicap (G1 1200m Handicap) Our sprint championship. Is Needuask the real deal? Looked like it in the Concorde and Newmarket. He's favourite to make it 3 in a row but he's a long-priced favourite at 6-1. Others in the field are 2005 winner Baldessarini, back from a 18-month injury layoff, and some very fast fillies in Jazella, Crossyourheart, Martini Red, Magic Tryst, Imananabaa and Brianna. Should be awesome. Another 30-1 longshot won it last year, Donna Rosita. She never raced again, they decided to retire her.
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#77
12-30-2007, 10:27 PM
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#79
01-01-2008, 03:24 AM
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New Year's Day was one of the best days of racing I've been to in my life! It was a hot, sunny day, the track was perfect and the racing was unbelievably good.
Eclipse Stakes: The favourite was the impressive San Bernardino, but it was a gutsy little filly with a big white face who took out the G3 Eclipse. Lady Alberton, who has never been further back than 3rd in her career, hit the lead at the top of the stretch and fought so bravely. Very strong win. Dunstan Championship: Cross Roads won his 5th from 8 career starts when he got his nose down at just the right time in a 3-way photo to win the Championship against a deep field. This has been a good race for finding top stayers of the future in the last few years, I think Cross Roads is another one. Genuine contender for the Auckland Cup in March. Royal Stakes: Satinka did the double! The Eight Carat on Boxing Day and now the Royal Stakes 6 days later. Kaatoon and Keffiya were impressive too, but the winner was way too good. One of the best performances of the day. Rich Hill Mile: The best effort by any horse all day was Sir Slick, who carried 60.5kg (134 pounds) and missed by a neck. Full credit to Fiscal Madness though, he had the second highest weight and ran a great race, a well-deserved G2 win after being 2nd and 3rd in so many in the last few months. Railway Handicap: Imananabaa looked like one of the best sprinters in NZ this time last year, like when she was unlucky in coming 3rd in this race last year. After that she had some injury problems and went missing for 9 months, but she bounced back to winning form today. Brilliant. Needuask was brave in 2nd, he's definitely a genuine G1 horse. There was a fall in this race, the horse was fine but the jockey broke his collarbone. Hope Tomohiro has a quick recovery. City Of Auckland Cup: PASTA POST! He's a star. He's now won 7 out of 8 in his career, and this was his best performance so far. One of the strongest handicap fields of the year, and he killed them, running away with his ears pricked. Here's Pasta Post enjoying the applause: 
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#80
01-10-2008, 11:47 PM
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* * * Good luck, Carlisle Bay (wow it's hard not to call him Best Gift)!!! # FORM HORSE DRAW RTG WGT JOCKEY TRAINER 1 32983 Cog Hill 6 110 61.0 Opie Bosson Richard Collett, Pukekohe Park 2 2X7X5 Carlisle Bay 5 108 60.0 Chad Ormsby (a) Lance O'Sullivan & Andrew Scott, Matamata 3 44147 High Octane 1 101 56.5 Andrew Calder Gregor Robson, Cambridge 4 7X755 Desert Flight 3 99 55.5 Cameron Lammas Richard Coxon, Matamata 5 0X746 The Silence Sir 7 91 53.5 Neville Couchman, Cambridge 6 5X306 Primavera 8 89 53.0 Frank Ritchie, Cambridge 7 7X143 Golden Dollars 2 88 53.0 Derek Satherley, Cambridge 8 668X7 Fly'n' High 4 83 53.0 Royce Dowling & Linda Laing, Cambridge
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