Racing: Hawke s Bay owner shares in two wins on big Karaka Millions night
28 Jan, 2021 08:45 PM
9 minutes to read
Need I Say More is at full stretch as jockey Troy Harris urges the gelding to victory in the Group 3 Cambridge Stud Almanzor Trophy (1200m) at Ellerslie last Saturday.
Hawkes Bay Today
By: John Jenkins
Matamata trainer Jamie Richards prepared the winners of three of the feature races at last Saturday s Karaka Million night at Ellerslie and Waipukurau s Michael Ormsby shared in two of them.
Richards saddled up Need I Say More to triumph in the Group 3 $70,000 Cambridge Stud Almanzor Trophy (1200m), On The Bubbles to take out the $1million Karaka Million Two-year-old (1200m) and Entriviere to score in the Group 3 $70,000 Concorde Handicap (1200m).
Te Akau to the fore at home trials
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2021-01-14T11:14+11:00
It was a big day for trainer Jamie Richards and his team at the Matamata trials on Tuesday, with 32 runners, including star mares Melody Belle and Probabeel.
11-time Group One winner Melody Belle headed into her 1200m heat with plenty of condition, but pleased Richards with her runner-up effort ahead of her Gr.1 Thorndon Mile (1600m) target later this month.
“Melody Belle looked pretty big and burly before the start,” Richards said.
“She has got a bit of tightening up to do yet. A big, strong hit-out like that will bring her on and we have got enough time to give her an exhibition gallop before we head to the Thorndon first-up.”
Racing: Waipukurau couple back in the winning groove
7 Jan, 2021 08:33 PM
9 minutes to read
Hastings-trained Pablo Esk completed a winning double on his home track when beating the grey Motivation in the main race at the Hawke s Bay New Year s Day meeting.
Hawkes Bay Today
By: John Jenkins
It has been a long time between celebratory drinks for Waipukurau thoroughbred owner-breeders Peter and Ann Evans but they were back in the winners circle at Hastings on New Year s Day.
The couple bred and share in the ownership of Bold Iris, who capped off two good minor placings with a deserved maiden success in a 3-year-old maiden race over 1200m.
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The Group 1 Sistema Railway (1200m) was the pinnacle event on a day awash with black type features at Ellerslie on Friday and it more than lived up to its billing as the heavyweights of New Zealand sprinting took their shot at Group 1 glory.
When the dust settled it was the red-hot team of Jamie Richards and Opie Bosson who combined with exceptional mare Avantage to take the spoils with a quality performance befitting the status of the race.
Up against a field that contained last year’s winner in Julius, former juvenile Group 1 star Summer Passage and the new kid on the block in Levante amongst others, Avantage showed why she is at the top of the tree in New Zealand, courtesy of a ten out of ten ride from Bosson.
Rider Troy Harris had a lapful of horse as he angled into the clear at the 300m where Tavi Mac dashed to the front and cleared out from his rivals, eventually posting a one and a half-length winning margin over Callsign Mav with southern mare Kiwi Ida taking third. Sharrock makes no secret of the affection he holds for his pint-sized poster boy. “He has a special place in my heart, this horse,” Sharrock said. “He’s not the best horse I’ve ever trained, but he is the toughest I’ve ever laid a hand on. “The tenacity he shows every time he lines up is just amazing.