Racing: Big wins for Beauden and On The Bubbles at Awapuni
3 Apr, 2021 11:00 AM
3 minutes to read
Where the bloody hell are you? Rider Ryan Elliot has time to take a good look around as Beauden is well clear in the Awapuni Gold Cup (2000m) yesterday. Photo / Race Images
Where the bloody hell are you? Rider Ryan Elliot has time to take a good look around as Beauden is well clear in the Awapuni Gold Cup (2000m) yesterday. Photo / Race Images
NZ Herald
Jamie Richards and Te Akau Racing s dominance of New Zealand 2-year-old racing rolled on with a richly deserved Group 1 triumph for On The Bubbles in yesterday s Sires Produce Stakes (1400m).
Beauden and rider Ryan Elliot clear out in the Awapuni Gold Cup on Saturday.
Awapuni has been the happiest of hunting grounds for Beauden, who returned to his favourite track on Saturday for a career-best victory in the Gr.2 City of Palmerston North Awapuni Gold Cup (2000m). It was the 11th win of a 36-start career for the Bullbars gelding, who has been near-unbeatable at Awapuni – eight of his victories have come from only 10 appearances at the Palmerston North track, including the last two editions of the Listed Marton Cup (2200m). Saturday’s win was the best of the lot. Up against a quality field that featured this season’s Group One winners, Callsign Mav and Royal Performer, along with high-class performer Prise de Fer, Beauden dropped back to second-last as Hunta Pence led the field through most of the 2000m journey.
Racing: Concert Hall escapes New Plymouth Raceway, ends up in children s playground
7 Feb, 2021 01:30 AM
3 minutes to read
Concert Hall. Photo / Trish Dunell
NZ Herald
By: Michael Guerin
Superstar racemare Concert Hall is relatively unharmed after a scary escape from New Plymouth Raceway that saw her end up in a children s playground.
Trainers Roger James and Robert Wellwood could only breathe a sigh of relief knowing that one different turn and the wonderful racehorse could have ended up galloping through central New Plymouth on Saturday afternoon.
Concert Hall is one of New Zealand s best racehorses and won the Group 1 Zabeel Classic at Ellerslie on Boxing Day so convincingly she was being set for the A$1.5 million Australian Cup in Melbourne next month.
peter rubery/race images
Ryan Elliot has an armchair ride aboard Beauden as they combine to take out the Listed Japac Marton Cup (2200m).
Exciting stayer Beauden has returned to the scene of his 2020 triumph in the Listed Japac Marton Cup (2200 metres) and made it back-to-back victories in the race with a devastating performance. The Team Rogerson-trained 6-year-old came into the race at Awapuni, Palmerston North, off the back of an emphatic four length win in the Taupō Cup, where regular rider Ryan Elliot had set him alight well before the home turn that day to blitz his race rivals.
Racing: Graeme Rogerson backs Beauden to deal with top weight for Marton Cup defence at Awapuni
7 Jan, 2021 07:10 AM
3 minutes to read
NZ Herald
Trainer Graeme Rogerson says punters shouldn t be put off by Beauden s 60kg top weight as he tries to defend his Marton Cup title at Awapuni on Saturday.
Although Rogerson is famous for his pre-race confidence, in this case the numbers back him up.
Beauden carries 60kg with the next best on 57kg and then the majority of his rivals on 53kg.
Not too long ago horses carrying 60kg in Cup races were the kiss of death for punters but in recent weeks an array of horses have carried huge weights to win. So often the top weights might be giving away 5-7kg but are rated as much as 30 points higher than some of those at the bottom of the handicaps.