Sunline Takes Fourth Straight NZ Horse of the Year Title
- Friday, 16 August 2002 00:00
New Zealand's wonder mare Sunline has done it
again. Just a couple of weeks after being crowned the Australian Champion for the third
straight year, her connections have returned to New Zealand to collect more awards.Tonight at the country's Mercedes Racing Awards the champion daughter of Desert Sun won her fourth consecutive New Zealand Horse of the Year title.
She was also crowned the Leading Weight-for-Age performer as well as being classed as the best in the Sprinter/Miler category. Songline, her dam, was again crowned as the country's broodmare of the year.
Of the 42 people who voted in the award Sunline
scored 63 per cent of the vote, while the Caulfield and Melbourne Cup winner Ethereal was
left with the remaining 37 per cent.
During the season Sunline won three Group One races in Australia and one in New Zealand. Ethereal also won three Group One events in Melbourne (two) and Sydney (one).
Meanwhile, other winners on the night included Ethereal (Stayer), Grout (Two-Year-Old), Leica Guv (Three-Year-Old), Phillip Quay (Journalist), St Steven (Jumps), Lance O'Sullivan (Jockey), while Sheila Laxon and the training partnership of Graeme Rogerson and Stephen Autridge tied for the training award. South Island identity Ray Coupland took the Outstanding Contribution award.
PICS - Quentin Lang.
New Zealand's Best Named at Mercedes Awards
- Friday, 16 August 2002 00:00
Jumps Jockey of the Year - Clayton Chipperfield
Broodmare of the Year - Songline (dam of Sunline)
Jumper of the Year - St Steven
Journalist of the Year - Phillip Quay (ThoroughbredNEWS)
Broadcaster of the Year - Andre Neill (Trackside)
Sprinter/Miler - Sunline
Stayer of the Year - Ethereal
Breeder of the Year - Peter & Philip Vela (Pencarrow Stud)
WFA Performer of the Year - Sunline
Two-Year-Old of the Year - Grout
Three-Year-Old of the Year - Leica Guv
Jockey of the Year - Lance O'Sullivan
Trainer of the Year - (TIE) Sheila Laxon AND Graeme Rogerson & Stephen Autridge
Owner(s) of the Year - Peter & Phillip Vela
Award for Outstanding Contribution in Racing Excellence - Ray Coupland
Apprentice Jockey - Michael Walker
Dewar Stallion - Zabeel
New Zealand Bloodstock Filly of the Year - Vapour Trail
Grosvenor Stallion - Volksraad
Horse of the Year - Sunline
Media Release - TNZ
Hannam a Winning Rider and Trainer at Rotorua
- Wednesday, 14 August 2002 00:00
One race later he added another win to his jockey's tally when he combined with Old Jalopy to take the other progressive class race on the programme.
Feilding-trained Old Jalopy scored narrowly from The Governess, with one of the favourites, Mick Bailey, third.
On weighing in, however, Mick Bailey's jockey Trudy Thornton was 2.25kg below her carded weight.
At a subsequent inquiry, it was found that the horse's lead-bag had been omitted while being saddled up. He was automatically disqualified.
Media Release - TNZ
Bosson Back in The Saddle
- Thursday, 15 August 2002 00:00
Bosson's recent career has been a stop-start affair due to injury. A badly broken collarbone counted him out of most of the summer of 2001 and six months ago he was sidelined again by a broken wrist.
He has been riding trackwork for the past month and reappeared at the Te Teko trials last week.
Watch Officer fits into Bosson's current weight range with 58.5kg on Saturday.
He is the horse on whom the then apprentice received a
lengthy suspension when he sat up near the finish and was beaten in a race at Tauranga.
Media Release - TNZ
O'Malley's Boy Takes Foxbridge Plate
- Tuesday, 13 August 2002 00:00
They dont come much smaller than the little bay who last Saturday registered his third black-type success and eleventh career win in the Westbury Stud-sponsored $27,500 Listed event.
In December 2000 OMalleys Boy scored his most notable success, in the Gr.2 Concorde at Avondale, while the same season he was denied Gr.1 glory in the Railway Stakes and Easter Handicap by the photo finish camera.
Try as he might, he had been unable to regain the winners stall in an extensive programme since the Concorde. Seven consecutive minor placings in handicap company had preceded Saturdays win and nobody begrudged the breakthrough, ironically under 58.5kg in the weight-for-age contest.
OMalleys Boy was purchased on the advice of Matamata bloodstock consultant Paul Moroney by his owners Danny and Judy Moss and Ken Syminton for $26,000 from the 1996 National Yearling Sales.
After his great run of form in the summer of 2000-01, they returned to Karaka where they purchased his Kingdom Bay (NZ) (Otehi Bay) half-sister for $60,000.
Now named OMalleys Girl, she was a trials placegetter as a two-year-old last season. The pair were offered by their Hunterville breeder Charles Grace, as progeny of the In the Purple mare Out Clear.
Media Release - NZTM
O'Sullivan Back for Taupo
- Thursday, 15 August 2002 00:00
O'Sullivan returned with his family yesterday from a week's break in Fiji and was at the Matamata track this morning, keen to tackle the new season.
At last year's Taupo meeting he rode six winners, including five from his brother Paul's team.
His book of rides there on Wednesday includes Wexford Stables runners Prince Rossi, River Chief and Chit Chat. Other O'Sullivan-trained candidates for Taupo are impressive Te Teko trial winner Seen the Light, who will again be riden by Gary Grylls, Danazira and Midway (Bruce Herd), and Florida (Michael Coleman).
Media Release - TNZ
Perfect Tonic for Owner and Trainer
- Tuesday, 13 August 2002 00:00
Ayrgo is owned and trained by Mrs Blackie, who rises every morning at 5.15am in time to have her charge ready to work at the Riccarton track by 6 oclock.
Not that Ayrgo is Mrs Blackies only daily interest, but her pre-dawn routine enables her to "do other things", such as keeping house and helping to care for her grandchildren.
Mrs Blackie has been involved with horses of some description since her childhood, beginning in pony club and graduating to an administrative role in that organisation.
While a relatively "late starter" in the racehorse ranks, she has enjoyed more than her share of success.
She won several races with Ayrgos half-brother Palago before a broken leg halted his career, and Saturdays listed race success was the eighth from 32 starts for Ayrgo.
The eight-year-old was ridden on Saturday by Riccarton-based jockey Terry Moseley, who not only has the regular raceday mount, but is also a great ally for Mrs Blackie in her daily training schedule.
"We all got a great kick out of winning on Saturday, especially in front of the home crowd," said Mrs Blackie. "Just about everybody I met afterwards said they had a nice collect."
Media Release - NZTM
Zimbabwean Jockey Breaks Kiwi Duck
- Wednesday, 14 August 2002 00:00
Twenty-six-year-old Norvall, a natural lightweight, has been attached to the stable of Cambridge trainer Brian Jenkins since arriving in the country several weeks ago.
Today's win on the Jenkins-trained first starter Letstristagain came in just his fourth New Zealand ride.
Norvall, a compatriot and good friend of Mark Du Plessis, rode more than 50 winners in his homeland, including the winner of Zimbabwe's major sprint, the Schweppes Gold Cup.
Stamina rather than speed was the deciding factor in the Rotorua mud today, Letstristigain coming from well back to outstay her maiden rivals.
The four-year-old is bred on the same Rhythm - Sir Tristram cross as the champion staying mare Ethereal.
Media Release - TNZ
Herd Returns to New Zealand
- Tuesday, 13 August 2002 00:00
Herd rode four winners at the Newcastle meeting last Saturday on his final day of riding in Sydney on his trip.
Two of these winners were for the powerful Gai Waterhouse stable which supported him so well during his Sydney sojourn.
Herd recorded 16 wins during his Sydney stint.
Media Release - TNZ
Walker Suspended in New Zealand
- Wednesday, 14 August 2002 00:00
Top apprentice Michael Walker received a three-day
suspension at Riccarton on Saturday. The New Plymouth rider pleaded guilty to a charge of careless riding on Katchakiwi.
The suspension will start after today's Rotorua meeting and end on August 22.
Walker will miss the Awapuni meeting on Saturday, but will be back for Hastings on August 24.
PIC - Quentin
Lang.
Media Release - TNZ
Sweeney to Rest Knee for Saturday
- Tuesday, 13 August 2002 00:00
Sweeney has decided to allow his injured knee more time to recover and will resume riding at the Counties meeting on Saturday.
Sweeney injured the knee when his mount, With Drawn, jumped sideways on leaving the barrier in the Westbury Stud Foxbridge Plate at Te Rapa last Saturday.
As a result With Drawn was slow away and tailed the field throughout.
Sweeney's knee is swollen and still quite sore hence his decision to bypass the Rotorua fixture.
Media Release - TNZ