Bowman Hopes To Go One Better In Railway

Thursday, 30 December 2010 03:15

Refreshed from a Christmas holiday in Ireland, leading jockey Hugh Bowman is hoping to start the new year is style with a Group One victory on Saturday.

Bowman heads to New Zealand on Friday morning to ride Australian sprinter Monton in the Railway Stakes (1200m) at Ellerslie.

It will be the second year in a row Bowman will spend New Year's Day across the Tasman.

"I rode in this race last time and ran second to Gold Trail on Atapi," Bowman said.

"So it would be good to go one better this time."

The Tim Martin-trained Monton announced he had returned to racing in fine order with an impressive last-to-first win at Rosehill on December 4 with Nash Rawiller on board.

"I was riding another horse in the race and he (Monton) was outstanding," Bowman said of the first-up win over 1100m.

"He's always shown class and deserves a chance at this type of race for sure.

"I'm rapt to be on him and it looks to be a great race for the horse."

Monton will start from barrier four and is the $2.80 favourite with TAB Sportsbet to make it back-to-back Australian victories in the race following the Gary Portelli-trained Gold Trail's success at the start of this year.

Bowman's weight had risen to 63kg when he returned from an overseas holiday in the middle of the year, but the top Sydney hoop made sure he kept his weight in check during his week and a half away in Ireland.

"I was away for three weeks that other time and I was struggling with my weight when I went," Bowman said.

"This time my weight was pretty settled, I was only away for a week and I looked after it a fair bit because I've got some important rides obviously with Monton and also Schiffer in the Magic Millions (on January 15).

"I have to ride her at 54kg."

Monton has won four of his 11 starts including the Group Two Hobartville Stakes (1400m) in the autumn when he defeated subsequent Group One winners Shoot Out and Captain Sonador.

Funtantes In Line For New Zealand Trip

Thursday, 09 December 2010 03:45

A trip to New Zealand for the Group One Railway Stakes at Ellerslie on New Year's Day could be the reward for Funtantes if she's successful in the Group Three George Moore Stakes at Eagle Farm.

The mare's trainer Rob Heathcote is yet a Group One race after 11 years trying but believes Funtantes is capable of measuring up against the Kiwi sprinters.

"I was two strides away from winning my first Group One with Woorim when he ran third in the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes in Melbourne recently," Heathcote said.

"The Railway Stakes is not big prizemoney-wise but it's a Group One which is enticing.

"If she wins or runs well we'll give the Railway serious consideration and this will probably be her last run before she goes over.

"I'm not sure where she'll run next if she doesn't go to New Zealand."

Funtantes was a good thing beaten last start after being held up when runner-up to the Liam Birchley-trained Falco Star in the Keith Noud Quality (1200m) at Doomben last month.

Jim Byrne rode Funtantes in the Keith Noud and has been retained for Saturday's 1200m feature which has been added to the Eagle Farm program after it was one of six races abandoned last week.

"Jim was a victim of circumstances on her last start," Heathcote said.

"He tried going wide to find a run but had he stayed where he was then Funtantes wins for sure."

Heathcote was thankful the barrier draw was again kind to Funtantes after she drew barrier two.

"She's hardly had a decent barrier in her life yet she drew barrier four for the George Moore last week and now she's got barrier two," he said.

Heathcote could have dual representation in the George Moore Stakes if there's a scratching to allow first emergency Gundy Son to sneak into the field.

Unlike Funtantes, Gundy Son, who was scratched from Doomben on Wednesday, has drawn the near outside in barrier 16.

"If Gundy Son can get a start he's not without some hope," Heathcote said.

"I'd prefer him on a dry track but he's been placed on a heavy.

"He won't disgrace himself if he gets a start, that's for sure."

Gundy Son is a five-time winner from 20 starts but hasn't raced since finishing fifth to Tightrope in a 1200m class six at Eagle Farm in June.

The son of Falvelon has had two barrier trials to prepare him for his comeback and trounced the promising Bianca Jewel by five lengths in his latest trial over 860 metres at Doomben on November 23.

So You Think The Star Of 2010

Thursday, 30 December 2010 02:30

The greatest recognition of the New Zealand thoroughbred in 2010 probably came from an Irish chequebook.

Coolmore Stud in November reportedly parted with $30 million for a controlling share in champion New Zealand-bred galloper So You Think - making his estimated total value $60 million - after a stellar Melbourne spring campaign.

It's believed to be the highest amount paid for an Australasian thoroughbred, spent with a future racing and breeding campaign in mind for the Cambridge-bred four-year-old stallion.

Already a star after winning the Cox Plate in 2009 as a three-year-old at his fifth start, the $110,000 yearling purchase reeled off five consecutive wins in Melbourne in spring, including a second Cox Plate, before running third to French raider Americain in the Melbourne Cup. He will race in Europe next year.

As So You Think's value was reaching stratospheric levels, stakes at all levels in New Zealand were on the way down as the recession bit.

The country's former flagship race, the Kelt Stakes, fell from $2 million two years ago to $250,000 this year when it was called the Kit Ormond Memorial Spring Classic.

The government funding match which saw some other races reach $1 million lapses at the end of this season. At the bottom end, stakes plummeted as low as $5000.

At year's end, racing clubs were hit by the news that a downturn in tote turnover meant that the board's distribution of funding for the season would be cut by between $5 million and $6 million.

Division continued over the One Racing concept, which aimed to consolidate administration of the thoroughbred, harness and greyhound codes with the New Zealand Racing Board.

Harness and greyhound racing opposed it, thinking it was a power grab by the thoroughbred code. Racing Minister John Carter shelved the concept in June.

Carter took a strong line against the industry's heavy reliance on poker machine money for stakemoney and sponsorship, saying this had to stop or legislation would be looked at.

After a survey undertaken by the racing board showed only 16 per cent of the population had a positive opinion about racing and betting, board chairman Michael Stiassny ordered racing clubs to undergo an independent audit, with the threat of betting licences being withheld if the audit results didn't stand up.

In May, the Avondale Jockey Club decided to suspend racing for a year because of financial problems.

Thoroughbred breeders lost access at home to the most exciting stallion since Zabeel - So You Think's sire, the Coolmore-owned shuttle stallion High Chaparral.

In addition to So You Think's triumphs, three more of his progeny from his first crop conceived at Windsor Park in Cambridge - Shoot Out, Descarado and Monaco Consul - produced the trifecta in the AJC Australian Derby in April.

Descarado and Monaco Consul, the 2009 Victoria Derby winner, then finished first and third in the Caulfield Cup, the week before So You Think's second Cox Plate.

High Chaparral's success inevitably saw Coolmore Stud decide to shuttle him to their own Australian stud, still close enough for New Zealanders who wanted - and could afford - his services.

In addition, those breeders selling his 2009 and 2010 foals are sure to do well at yearling sales next year and 2012.

Sandwiched between Descarado and Monaco Consul at Caulfield was Harris Tweed, one of the team providing a stellar spring to trainers Murray and Bjorn Baker.

Harris Tweed subsequently ran fifth in the Melbourne Cup, three days after Lion Tamer convincingly won the Victoria Derby.

At home the Bakers unearthed We Can Say It Now, who looked a potential superstar as she ran away with the Levin Turf Classic and the Captain Cook Stakes.

Those wins followed a very unlucky run in the One Thousand Guineas behind King's Rose, who franked the form with an easy victory in the Eulogy Stakes.

King's Rose's trainer Jason Bridgman took over at Te Akau racing stables this year after Mark Walker departed to head Te Akau's new Singapore stable.

Walker had just taken out his fifth trainers' premiership with a record 108 wins.

It was a top year for Awapuni trainer Jeff Lynds, who had two of the best horses in the country. Vosne Romanee earned Horse of the Year accolades when he won the New Zealand Stakes (2000m), his third Group One of the 2009-10 season.

But by the end of 2010 he'd been superseded by stablemate Wall Street, who won four Group One races in 2010 - the most important being the Emirates Classic (1600m) on the final day of the Flemington Cup carnival.

Lynds completed a great calendar year with six Group One wins when Booming won the $200,000 Zabeel Classic on Boxing Day.

Another Christmas Cracker For The Bakers

Sunday, 05 December 2010 03:15

New Zealand father and son training partners Murray and Bjorn Baker are looking forward to Christmas.

Not because what might be under the Christmas tree but more about three large packages worth a great deal of money.

To be more precise they are three racehorses, including brilliant three-year-old filly We Can Say It Now who made her older rivals look second-rate in the Group One weight-for-age Captain Cook Stakes (1600m) at Trentham on Saturday.

We Can Say It Now heads to the spelling paddock for a freshener but will return to the Bakers' stable in Cambridge soon after Christmas Day to prepare for autumn racing in Australia.

Also entering the stable at about the same time will be two of their other heavyweight performers, Victoria Derby winner Lion Tamer and Harris Tweed who was second in the Caulfield Cup and fifth in the Melbourne Cup.

Bjorn Baker, who was on hand for the Captain Cook, was almost pinching himself in what he had to look forward to.

"In three or four weeks time we are going to have a pretty good team coming back into work," Baker said.

He said Lion Tamer would likely be aimed at the $A1.3 million AJC Australian Derby (2400m) in Sydney on April 9 in preference to the $2.2 million New Zealand Derby because of the richer lead-up racing in Australia.

On the agenda for Harris Tweed are the weight-for-age events of the $A1 million Australian Cup (2000m) in Melbourne on March 12 and the $A2.25 million BMW Stakes (2400m) in Sydney on April 2.

We Can Say It Now is also likely to head across the Tasman with one target being the Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington in Melbourne on March 5.

He said he was astounded at the way We Can Say It Now overcame barrier 15 in a field of 18 to be up in third position inside the first 200 metres.

"She seems to get there without having to do any work which was the amazing part of it," he said.

We Can Say It Now was the $2.80 favourite but Baker admitted he was on tenterhooks as the horse was having her second start within eight days.

"It was a little bit nerve-wracking going into the race. There was a lot at stake," he said.

"She was either going to look like a star or it would have been considered a bad move to back her up from Otaki if we had got beaten.

"She had run a career best at Otaki and you are always scared if they will run up to same level again."

The filly is owned and was bred by Paul and Lyndall Makin of Australia.

Paul Makin is best known as the head of the syndicate which owned Starcraft, the winner of five Group One races in four countries - including two in New Zealand.

Starcraft is the sire of We Can Say It Now and shuttles between Australia and England for stud duties.

The families of the 29 men lost in the West Coast mining disaster will benefit from We Can Say It Now's win after Makin pledged $25,000 to the Pike River Miners' Relief Fund.

Lynds' Group One Roll Continues

Monday, 27 December 2010 07:15

New Zealand trainer Jeff Lynds has rounded out the year with yet another Group One triumph.

Lynds won his sixth elite race for the year and his eighth in 15 months when Booming got up in the final strides to take the Zabeel Classic (2000m) at Ellerslie on Boxing Day.

Booming's triumph added to three from Vosne Romanee since the end of September 2008 - one of them including the Zabeel Classic last year - and four from Wall Street including the Emirates Stakes on the final day of the Melbourne Cup carnival.

"We've had a lot of good horses over the years, but we've sold a number of them," Lynds said.

"We've just kept working hard."

Lynds had hoped to get Booming to the Melbourne Cup this year after his Auckland Cup second in March but decided to concentrate on home racing after establishing he would have a tough job earning a Cup start.

"He had a nagging cough which meant we couldn't run in the Sydney Cup and he's only really just shaken it off this season," Lynds said.

"He's a good horse and after winning this hopefully he'll go up the weights and that will get him a better chance of a Cup start next year."

In the meantime, Booming is likely to head to the Marton Cup before taking on the Wellington Cup in late January.

He could also be back for the Auckland Cup in March.

Booming was a late pick-up ride for Vinny Colgan, who only got the mount after Opie Bosson was stood down from riding after the first race.

"Jeff told me I was number one pick once Opie couldn't make it," he said.

"He gave me a great run and once he got out in the open he picked up really well."

Booming's triumph came at the expense of favourite Red Ruler and Ginga Dude, who were fighting out the finish until Booming breezed past near the line.

Red Ruler put up a brave effort after working up 700 metres out to pressure the front-running Ginga Dude, who had got away with easy sectionals in the middle of the race.

Trainer Graeme Boyd said Ginga Dudewould not run again until March, when he would head back to Australia.

Ginga Dude had a three-start spring campaign in Melbourne for a win in the Group Three David Jones Cup, third to So You Think in the Group One Mackinnon and fourth in the Sandown Classic won by Zipping.

Booming's win topped off a great day for his sire Don Eduardo, whose daughter Dashing Donna earlier won the listed Newmarket Handicap.

So You Think's Little Brother Born

Wednesday, 01 December 2010 07:15

A full brother to Australian champion So You Think has arrived at New Zealand's Windsor Park Stud.

Triassic gave birth to the High Chaparral colt late on Tuesday night.

The mare's part-owner and marketing manager of Windsor Park, Michael Moran, said the colt was very much like his famous brother.

"He's very similar to So You Think," Moran said.

"He's a lovely dark brown colour like So You Think and he has a white spot with a fine white stripe down the middle of his nose.

So You Think cost $110,000 as a yearling and has raced in Australia 12 times for eight wins including two Cox Plates and prize money of more than $5.6 million.

Irish racing and breeding giant Coolmore recently paid a reported $30 million for a half share in So You Think.

The four-year-old has left Bart Cummings' stable and will travel to Ireland at the end of the month where he will be prepared by Aidan O'Brien.

Strong Pace Needed For November Rain

Thursday, 23 December 2010 05:15

Richard Collett thinks November Rain should get the strong pace she needs in Group One company in Sunday's Zabeel Classic at Ellerslie.

November Rain has come as close as any horse to becoming the trainer's first Group One winner in 23 years of trying, running seconds in the New Zealand Oaks (beaten a short head) and the Easter Handicap.

The Stravinsky mare tends to get back early and Collett said she would need some speed on, but he was confident she would get it.

"In a 2000-metre race at Ellerslie with 14 in it, with a short run to the first corner, at Group One level, there's going to be pressure and it seems to suit her best when they race with a bit more pressure," Collett said.

"I can see that there's going to be a fair bit of speed there, there's horses that like to roll along.

"It's a capacity field and there's going to be a lot of horses wanting to get to a position early."

November Rain comes to the race after a storming victory in a Group Two 1600m race at Te Rapa on December 11, achieved despite being blocked early in the straight.

She once again faces weight-for-age conditions on Sunday but the field is much hotter with proven weight-for-age performers Ginga Dude, Red Ruler and Vosne Romanee heading the field.

"It's the best of what's around at the moment. The top three are the yardsticks," Collett said.

"But I feel we're in the top four chances."

Jason Collett, who was aboard November Rain for the first time last start, retains the ride.

November Rain was being kept safe by TAB bookmakers at $8 on Thursday.

Favourite at $3.50 was last year's runner-up Red Ruler who shook off some ordinary spring form in Melbourne to win a sprint fresh at Pukekohe on December 1 and followed that with a fourth under 62kg at Te Rapa.

Second favourite at $5 is Ginga Dude who is having his first race since a rather more successful Australian campaign than that of Red Ruler.

Ginga Dude easily won the Coongy Handicap and ran third to So You Think in the Mackinnon Stakes, and would be hard to beat if he replicates that form.

Michael Walker is back across the Tasman to take the mount.

Red Ruler's conqueror last year, reigning Horse of the Year Vosne Romanee, put up his best performance of the season with a strong-finishing eighth to We Can Say It Now in the Group One Captain Cook Stakes (1600m) and would be a strong chance if he can find last season's form.

Tinseltown Shines At Pukekohe

Sunday, 21 November 2010 06:15

The New Zealand arm of Mike Moroney's stable posted its second feature win in 10 days when Tinseltown took out the Group Two Counties Cup at Pukekohe to confirm a second attempt at the Wellington Cup.

Moroney is mainly based in Melbourne with new training partner Andrew Clarken overseeing Saturday's winner Tinseltown and Altered Image, winner of the Group Two Coupland's Mile in Christchurch on November 10.

The wins were important for Clarken who replaced Moroney's brother Paul as training partner from August 1.

Clarken, 38, was Mike Moroney's assistant when he opened his first Australian stable in Adelaide in 1997 and moved with him to Melbourne.

He spent a total of 8-1/2 years with Moroney before again linking with him this year and moving to New Zealand in February.

Tinseltown finished seventh in last year's Wellington Cup but the stable is keen to have another crack at the race rather than the Auckland Cup (3200m) in March.

"That's the one that will suit him the best," Clarken told NZPA.

Tinseltown has been unplaced in the past two Auckland Cups and Clarken said there was greater confidence the horse would be better off at the 2400 metres at Trentham on January 29.

"Unless he's really seasoned we don't think he'll get two miles (about 3200m). He's sort of struggled at that distance beforehand," Clarken said.

Tinseltown went into Saturday's 2200m race with only two starts up to 1600 metres since returning from the Brisbane winter carnival but Clarken said that seemed to suit the horse.

"He's a pretty clean winded horse and he comes to hand pretty quickly," he said.

"He doesn't need a lot of racing.

"We try and keep a bit of freshness about him and he seems to give us a bit more turn of foot that way."

With the Avondale Gold Cup this season switched from December to February, a likely next start for Tinseltown is the Group Two Waikato Cup (2400m) at Te Rapa, Hamilton, on December 11.

Tinseltown carried topweight of 57kg at Pukekohe and had a good run four back on the inner for rider Craig Grylls.

The gaps opened nicely in the home straight for the horse to hit the front with 200 metres to run and he scored by 1-1/2 lengths as $5.10 favourite.

Second was Six O'Clock News who raced mid-field and ran home well down the outer with 1-1/4 lengths to He's Heroic in third who.

More Tough Times For NZ Racing Industry

Wednesday, 15 December 2010 07:15

Racing clubs were rocked with the news on Wednesday that forecast funding from the New Zealand Racing Board to thoroughbred, harness and greyhound codes will be cut by between $NZ5 million and $6NZ million this season.

The board had hoped to return $NZ132 million to the codes, but that was now more likely to be $NZ127 million-$NZ128 million, board chief executive Andrew Brown told delegates to the New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing annual conference in Wellington.

The continuing bite of the recession had hindered the TAB's turnover, particularly on domestic racing which was 11.5 per cent down on budget for the year to date, he said.

While the TAB had enjoyed a good Melbourne Cup day, punters did not spend up at Cup week in Christchurch, despite good crowds. Off-course revenue was down noticeably for the week.

"Activity on the tote reflects ... a reduction in the amount people are spending per bet," Brown said. "The October GST rise did not help us either."

The number of bets with a $100 spend or more was down 15 per cent, he said.

The board was doing well with fixed odds betting and revenue from showing its races overseas and would continue its efforts to drive revenue up, but the next couple of months would be crucial as far as domestic tote turnover went, he said.

The board would soon start a promotion pushing its exotic bets such as trifectas and first fours which had higher takeout rate, giving the TAB a bigger return.

While it would continue its attempts to drive revenue some of its plans, such as refitting its TAB agencies, would be delayed.

But it would push ahead with its Helix betting engine, with a phased introduction starting in April.

The thoroughbred body reacted to the forecast cut by chopping the riding fees it pays for its lower-graded "free" meetings, a saving of $NZ1.5m.

NZTR chairman Guy Sargent described the forecast funding cut as a big shock, and said most of it would have to be dealt with in its funding model for the 2011-12 season.

"We are still a long way out, we could get a really good Christmas and we might get back, but at this stage it is not positive," he said.

NZTR would continue to push for all-weather synthetic tracks but whether the racing board would see it as a spending priority was not clear, Sargent said.

Greg Purcell Appointed NZTR Chief Executive

Wednesday, 17 November 2010 01:56

The Board of New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (NZTR) has appointed Greg Purcell to the position of Chief Executive.

He will take up the position at NZTR on 16 January 2011.

Greg is currently Managing Director of Equinox Consulting Services Pty Ltd in New South Wales, Australia.

The company specialises in providing strategic and business planning, business optimisation and project management services to the racing and wagering industries.

Over recent years Greg's clients have included Tabcorp, the New Zealand Racing Board, Harness Racing NSW and Greyhound Racing NSW.

Prior to this Greg held a number of senior management positions in the racing industry including Chief Executive of Racingcorp, Chief Executive of New South Wales Country Racing Council and a senior management position at the Australian Jockey Club.

Guy Sargent, NZTR Chairman, announced the appointment today: "We are delighted to have appointed somebody of Greg's calibre. His wide experience in the racing industry, together with his commercial background, is very good news for thoroughbred racing in New Zealand."

Greg added: "I'm excited by the opportunity of becoming involved in New Zealand racing and the growth prospects for this industry. I am committed to building on NZTR's leadership role in thoroughbred racing in New Zealand and to see further improvements for industry participants and stakeholders."

"I have seen racing from several angles having been a stable hand, an administrator, an owner (of more than 90 horses), a professional bookmaker, and an honorary country racing club official, among other roles."

"I am looking forward to working very closely with stakeholders across all aspects of the New Zealand racing industry.