Shepparton in the Goulburn Valley raced on Thursday afternoon November 20, on a lightning fast track despite rain overnight. Locals played a big part during the day, with no less than five winners on the eight event card from the Goulburn Valley and beyond.
As David Medhurst ambled his way through the latter years of college he had his sights set on a career that had been close to his heart from an early age. While his classmates at St Virgil’s College’s Austins Ferry campus were contemplating the next steps in their education process, Medhurst was planning a move that he hoped would open the doors to the world of harness racing.
New Zealand’s latest harness racing star, Auckland Reactor, has been withdrawn from next Friday’s $500,000 Miracle Mile due to quarantine restrictions both in Australia and on his return to New Zealand.
It’s a feature race in its own right, but tomorrow night’s MHRC Classic could also be known as the Cranbourne Cup Preview. The $20,000 Moonee Valley event is shaping as the best pointer yet towards the following weekend’s $60,000 Group 2 race at Cranbourne.
Two time defending champion, Be Good Johnny, was today scratched from next weeks $500,000 SEW-Eurodrive Miracle Mile. Trainer -driver John McCarthy rang NSW Harness Racing Chief Executive John Dumesny to tell him of the agonising decision.
The Bendigo Club staged a daytime fixture at Lord’s Raceway on Monday November 17, with the squaregaiters taking pride of place on the program. The very exciting youngster Conaroyal made it two from two in the Intergrating Technology 3-Y-0 Trotters Handicap.
Highly-promising New Zealand-bred four-year-old Can Return Fire has overcome a worrying injury and is poised to return to his winning ways when he contests the XXXX Gold Golden Nugget prelude at Gloucester Park on Friday night. Chris Lewis will resume from suspension to drive the brilliant gelding who has drawn perfectly at barrier one in the 2130m prelude.
Australia’s TAB Sportsbet is giving harness racing fans the chance to snare some juicy odds on their favourite Miracle Mile runners. While the race isn’t conducted until Friday week, TAB Sportsbet earlier this week announced that they will open a market available for Fixed Odds betting on Saturday morning.
This Saturday night’s SEW-Eurodrive Miracle Mile barrier draw will feature on SKY Channel with live crosses throughout the night. The barrier draw will be conducted at approximately 9:30pm with all the breaking news concerning where each horse has drawn, to be broadcast via live crosses in between the scheduled race coverage.
Those Aussie harness racing drivers must surely have some of the strongest breaths in all of Australasia. . . Just ask prominent New Zealand standardbred agent, John Curtin of JC International, who got pulled up for drinking and driving in Auckland last night (Nov 18) when in fact the breathalyzer was picking up alcohol fumes from prominent Victorian reinsman, Damian Wilson - who was sitting in the backseat of Curtin’s red Kia Magentis.
The leading trainer in New South Wales, Paul Fitzpatrick knows that Friday night’s Cordina Quicken Chicken Sprint is the last chance for his horse, Make Me Smile, to impress the Harold Park directors in a bid to secure a start in the Miracle Mile on the last Friday in November.
Young trainer,driver Garrett Newton will compete in his first group one race on Friday night when his five year old mare Dymondee competes in the Cordina Chicken Farms Ladyship Mile. The daughter of D M Dilinger has raced through her grades in the past twelve months and graduated into metropolitan company and Newton couldn’t hide his excitement after she was invited to compete in the event.
Drouin trainer Debbie Quinlan scored a terrific victory with the 5-Y-0 D M Dilinger/Lauraville mare Miss Deville in the Mach Three@Stallion Station Pace for C0 class over 2105 metres at the Cranbourne fixture on Wednesday November 19.
One of Tasmania’s greatest ever race mares Jane Ellen died this week at age 22. Jane Ellen succumbed to chronic arthritis and had to be euthanized at Neil and Beth Richmond’s property in Victoria on Monday. Jane Ellen was bred by Karen Dornauf who also raced the mare and later managed her broodmare career.
Connections of New Zealand Cup winner Changeover have confirmed their invitation to contest the 2008 SEW-Eurodrive Miracle Mile. Debate had raged as to whether or not trainer Geoff Small and the Auckland Trotting Club Syndicate would head to Australia, with tight quarantine restrictions preventing them from returning to New Zealand in the short term.
Six down, two to go! That’s the story surrounding the 2008 SEW-Eurodrive Miracle Mile field. To be conducted on Friday week, Australasia’s premier sprint promises to be a race for the ages,
with triple Inter Dominion winner Blacks A Fake, Melpark Major, the unbeaten Auckland Reactor, Changeover and Special Albert already in the field.
Multiple premier trainer-driver Barrie Rattray has waited a long time for well-bred mare Mi Mademoiselle to live up to her breeding. In Launceston on Sunday night she finally delivered the good’s by producing a powerful finish to defeat one of last season’s best two-year-old fillies Karalta Crown in the PDF Nationwide Tamar Valley Pace over 1680m.
The recent retirement of Safari, yet another one of those monsters sired by Fake Left, was unfortunate and disappointing in more one ways than one. At one time, Safari was heading to New Zealand well in advance to be prepared by Premier Stables for a possible third consecutive success in the New Zealand Cup, a venture which would have surely added a whole new excitement dimension to that race if not the FFA and week as well.
Australia’s premier sprint race will be run without Australasia’s fastest pacer following today’s shock news that Lance Justice has aborted plans to contest the Miracle Mile with Smoken Up. The Melton trainer-driver confirmed that the six-year-old was still suffering from an injury that had hindered his entire campaign and even if he was offered one of the remaining two invites for $500,000 Grand Circuit feature he wouldn’t be taking it up.
Lance Justice, trainer-driver of Smoken Up, Australasia’s fastest horse who boasts a lifetime mark of 1:51.9, has relieved the pressure on Directors of the NSW Harness Racing Club after advising the Club that his pacer would not be available for the Miracle Mile.
The Tasmanian Government has announced a major overhaul for racing in the state.
The State Government’s planned overhaul of Tasmania’s racing industry has been largely welcomed.
Bruce and Elizabeth Clarke created history last night when they were crowned the 2008 Gordon Rothacker Medallists in front of a sell out crowd at Moonee Valley Racecourse. The Terang husband-and-wife combination are the first joint winners of Victorian harness racing’s premier honour.
Local pacer Special Albert scored an upset win in the Newcastle Stevedorse Mile last night gaining a much sort after SEW Eurodrive Miracle Mile invitation. Starting at 50/1 the track specialist which has not been beaten in all 13 starts at the Newcastle International Paceway withstood a protest, last against first, before being declared the winner.
You could understand if fledging trainer Jenni Lewis was frightened to contemplate where it all might end for amazing trotter Billy Royle. One of just four horses in the Warragul hobby trainer’s stable, the rejuvenated squaregaiter last night scored his biggest win with an upset victory over a talent packed Chris Howe Trotters Cup field at Moonee Valley.
Golden Showgirl, one of last season’s top two-year-old fillies and a Breeders Crown heat and consolation winner, made a triumphant winning return at the Maryborough midweek meeting.
Lucky Elsie, the 2006 Cordina Chickens Ladyship Mile winner, has been issued with an invitation to contest 2008 race. The $100,000 Ladyship Mile will be conducted next Friday night (Nov 21) at Harold Park, with Queenslanders Good Lookin Girl, Fleur De Lil and Victorian Deanna Troy already invited.
Officials from the NSW Harness Racing Club have today announced they will be closely monitoring the performances of three mares not racing at Harold Park heading into next Friday’s $100,000 Cordina Chickens Ladyship Mile.
Cordina Chicken Farms Ladyship Mile invitee Good Looking Girl is fighting for her survival. The defending champion has succumbed to injury, a severely fractured pelvis, and is currently under 24 hours care in an attempt to save her life.
Flying grey gelding Argent Treasure bounced back to top form and emerged as a major prospect in the $175,000 XXXX Gold Golden Nugget at Gloucester Park on November 28 when he produced a spectacular finishing burst to win a prelude in dashing style at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Talented four-year-old Lively Royce, one of the early fancies for the $175,000 XXXX Gold Golden Nugget championship at Gloucester Park on November 28, faces a race against time to be fit for the big race.
New Zealand-bred four-year-old Total defiance warmed up for the $175,000 XXXX Gold Golden Nugget championship on November 28 with a runaway victory in the IAWCC-Centro Stakes at Gloucester Park on Friday night to extend the son of In The Pocket’s wining sequence to seven.
Former leading reinsman Lindsay Harper won the Parliamentarians Cup three years in a row at the start of this century, and at Gloucester Park on Friday night his sons Donald and Kyle fought out the finish of the 2008 Parliamentarians Cup.
Blacks A Fake added yet another accolade to an already unforgettable 2007/08 season when he was named the 2008 Victorian Horse of the Year. The Natalie Rasmussen trained and driven gelding gained the judges nod to take his place on an honour roll containing harness racing greats including Maori’s Idol, Popular Alm, Gammalite, Shakamaker, Sokyola and last year’s winner Sting Lika Bee.
Boom pacer Auckland Reactor is now the third horse to be invited to contest the $500,000 SEW-Eurodrive Miracle Mile at Harold Park on November 28th. The unbeaten star registered his 13th straight
victory when successful in the Firestone FFA at yesterday’s New Zealand Cup meeting.
High-priced New Zealand import Im Themightyquinn faces an acid test when he contests the $20,500 XXXX Gold Golden Nugget prelude over 2536m at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Smart Victorian four-year-old Tanabi Bromac has firmed to favouritism for the $175,000 XXXX Gold Golden Nugget championship following consistent support from Eastern States punters.
Quality four-year-old Gransagenic will have an ideal opportunity to push his claims for a start in the XXXX Gold Golden Nugget championship when he contests the 2130m Vite Italiane Stakes at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
A new Tasmanian Racing Board and Integrity Assurance Board will be formed under legislation to be introduced in State Parliament today (November 11) to reform Tasmania’s racing industry.
It’s almost 12 months overdue, but Victorian harness racing fans are finally going to get another look at former New Zealand trotting star Glenbogle. The Group 1 winner was brought to Australia late last year by Kiwi trainer Kevin Fairbairn for the December trotting features, but he succumbed to injury in the week leading up to the Australian Trotting Grand Prix.
Conjecture rages as to whether Good Lookin Girl will be defending her Cordina Chicken Farms Ladyship Mile trophy. Due to contest the $100,000 event on Friday week at Harold Park, Good Lookin Girl has suffered an injury setback this week. Trainer Bill Dixon is all but resigned to the fact that his star mare willnot be at the Glebe circuit next Friday night.
Well bred three-year-old Ontick signaled his arrival as a possible contender for some of the feature races late this season following an impressive win in a 3A0 over 2090 metres at Tattersall’s Park in Hobart last Sunday. With in-form reinsman Ricky Duggan aboard, Ontick came from well back in the fields to score a runaway victory over Our Sir Lew and King For A Day.
The New South Wales Racing Club announced today that Victorian mare, Deanna Troy, has been invited to contest the $100,000 Cordina Chickens Ladyship Mile at Harold Park Raceway. Deanna Troy was an impressive winner of The Blossom Lady at Moonee Valley last Saturday night, and as a result, forced her way into the elite eight-horse field on November 21 at the Glebe circuit.
Cincinnati Kid won’t just be striving to go a couple of spots better than last year when he steps out in tomorrow night’s $50,000 Group 2 Legends Mile at Moonee Valley. Trainer-driver Mark Peace is also hoping to shore up a start in the prestigious Miracle Mile later this month in Sydney with the son of In The Pocket.
Bendigo reinswoman Tanya Cavallaro stole the show at Kilmore on Thursday night. She bagged three winners from four drives on the eight-race card. The Big Shot ($8.90), trained by Heathcote horseman Ron Sheppard, started the ball rolling in the claimer, coming off a 20m handicap and reeling off a 57.9 seconds last half to win by two metres.
The racing future of star Tasmanian pacer Richie Walton is in doubt after he was diagnosed with a degenerative bone disorder in his nearside hock. Richie Walton, that set a state mile rate record in Hobart last season, was expected to be one of the state’s prime contenders for next month’s $150,000 Group 1 Tasmanian Pacing Championship.
There was a remarkable occurrence at Gloucester Park on Friday night. After leading reinsman Chris Lewis had completed a double by driving Sneakyn On Over to victory in the Cool Ridge Spring Water Handicap he was suspended for ten days for causing interference to Smooth Advance.
Powerful New Zealand-bred four-year-old Mister Odds On, placed in the Caduceus Club Classic, the Western Gateway Pace and the WA Derby last season, broke through for his first feature success when Colin Brown drove him to a brilliant all-the-way victory in the $35,000 Cadbury Schweppes Country Cup at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
High-priced New Zealand import Im Themightyquinn warmed up for the $175,000 Golden Nugget championship in impressive fashion at Gloucester Park on Friday night with a commanding performance in the Gatorade Handicap over 2503m.
Evergreen nine-year-old Scruffy Murphy further enhanced his prospects in the rich feature events in the summer carnival when he crushed his rivals in the 2536m Schweppes lemonade Stakes at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
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