Racing: Gambles pay off for Aegon in $1 million Karaka Classic Mile
23 Jan, 2021 11:00 AM
3 minutes to read
Aegon (inner) gets the best of Amarelinha to win the $1m Karaka Million 3YO Classic at Ellerslie. Photo / Kirstin Ledington
NZ Herald
By: Michael Guerin
Two different Aegon gambles paid off to the tune of $530,000 at Ellerslie on Saturday night.
The 2000 Guineas winner remained unbeaten when he held out Amarelinha in the $1 million Karaka Classic Mile, two outstanding three-year-olds going to the line all but locked together at the end of a stirring 1600m.
But in winning Aegon not only set up an almost certain Australian campaign but paid back the faith and patience of trainers Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman.
Racing: Mongolian Wings set to take flight
9 Jan, 2021 09:00 AM
4 minutes to read
Mongolian Wings should be hard to beat at Ellerslie. Photo / Trish Dunell
NZ Herald
By: Michael Guerin
Mongolian Wings gets the perfect chance at Ellerslie to take a small step down the path that led his father to greatness.
The 3-year-old will try to make it three wins on end in the $50,000 Te Akau Gingernuts Salver at Ellerslie; the 2100m event the next race on the path to the Vodafone Derby, also at Ellerslie, on March 6.
Mongolian Wings sire Mongolian Khan not only won that Derby but also the ATC Derby in Sydney as a 3-year-old before capturing the Caulfield Cup as a 4-year-old, making him one of the great modern Kiwi stayers. His son has a long way to go to equal dad but has started in the right fashion.
Racing: Weight of expectation heavy for Callsign Mav
8 Jan, 2021 08:00 AM
4 minutes to read
Group 1 winner Callsign Mav and the 63kg he will be asked to carry in the open handicap over 1400m at Awapuni is a big task. Photo / File
NZ Herald
By: Michael Guerin
Trainer John Bary has an addition to one of racing s oldest sayings and punters should take note before backing the best horse racing at Awapuni tomorrow. Everybody in racing knows weight can stop a train, says Bary, and I think it can even stop a bullet train.
The bullet train in question is Bary s Group 1 winner Callsign Mav and the weight in question is the 63kg he will be asked to carry in the open handicap over 1400m.
Racing: Jamie Richards has the firepower at Ellerslie for Boxing Day
23 Dec, 2020 08:35 AM
5 minutes to read
Brando is odds-on in the Shaws Wire Ropes Uncle Remus after a bullocking win at Te Rapa. Photo / Trish Dunell
NZ Herald
By: Michael Guerin
For a young trainer on the verge of a racing domination rarely seen before in this country, Jamie Richards never gets carried away.
The New Zealand trainer for Te Akau, Richards sits ninth in the world rankings of horse trainers and is a study in being measured and exact, his analysis not often clouded by emotion.
But he lets his guard down for just a few seconds when discussing the team he takes to Ellerslie this Saturday.