Didn't you once tell me something about Vosne Romanee and how he didn't sell as a young one?

Anyway lovely for him and for his connections and oh Sir and Banchee!

:tro:

Yeah, that's right. People said he was too narrow in his front half to be a racehorse. Um, yeah, about that... :D

Another good NZ horse, Tavistock (or Lord Tavistock as he's known in Australia), won a G2 at Flemington yesterday. :)

Is there a reason for this?

(... and am I crazy or wasn't Falstaff known as Our Falstaff over there? Something like that!).

Something like that.

It's because there's another horse in Australia already registered with the name Tavistock. It doesn't matter if it's a horse that's only raced once in some country track and finished last - they still have to change the name of the NZ horse.

Mufhasa is another one - he's called King Mufhasa in Australia.

The Oaks on Saturday...

1 21114 Zarzuela 1 86 56.0 James McDonald (a) Mark Walker, Matamata
2 20113 Eileen Dubh 4 85 56.0 Jonathan Riddell Francis Finnegan, Woodville
3 12176 Adaline (AUS) 12 82 56.0 Leith Innes Stephen McKee, Ardmore
4 12192 Keep The Peace 19 82 56.0 Opie Bosson Shaune Ritchie, Cambridge
5 22911 A Chance To Dream (AUS) 10 80 56.0 Mark Du Plessis John Sargent, Matamata
6 11322 November Rain 2 78 56.0 Michael Walker Richard Collett, Pukekohe Park
7 18561 Posavina 13 78 56.0 Hayden Tinsley Mark Walker, Matamata
8 25543 Corsage 5 74 56.0 Vinnie Colgan Mark Walker, Matamata
9 31773 Miss Sharapova 6 74 56.0 Michael Coleman Ken Kelso, Matamata
10 43171 Nike Princess 23 73 56.0 Paul Taylor Donna, Dean Logan & Chris Gibbs, Ruakaka
11 96308 Jungle Juice 21 70 56.0 Rosie Myers (a) Donna, Dean Logan & Chris Gibbs, Ruakaka
12 16913 La Marina 15 70 56.0 Robert Hannam Janelle Millar, New Plymouth
13 05810 Poppy Rose 18 70 56.0 Lisa Allpress Danica Guy, Matamata
14 98123 Shamarose (AUS) 22 70 56.0 Buddy Lammas Graham Richardson, Matamata
15 52126 Platinum Princess 16 69 56.0 Kelly Myers Lisa Latta, Awapuni
16 34148 Southern Heights 9 69 56.0 Chris Johnson Guy Lowry & Grant Cullen, Hastings
17 54314 Miraflores 3 68 56.0 Sam Spratt Mark Walker, Matamata
18 0184 Utopia 20 68 56.0 Scratching John Sargent, Matamata
19 90418 The Goddaughter 11 68 56.0 Darryl Bradley John Sargent, Matamata
20 63416 Pomellato 17 67 56.0 Mark Walker, Matamata
21 72272 Innocent Lady 7 59 56.0 Graeme & Mark Sanders, Te Awamutu
22 56292 Ekstra Dane 14 59 56.0 Bryce Revell, New Plymouth
23 5534 Arctic Heights 8 56 56.0 John Sargent, Matamata

Love this field. Zarzuela or A Chance To Dream, I think.

I thought wrong.


Keep The Peace! She really deserved a G1.

Replay soon.

Oh good for her! She has a really nice record, doesn't she?

Can't wait to see the replay.

Yeah, very good - 8 starts, 4 wins, 3 seconds.

Replay: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHcT4IgX72o

Very nice!

I feel sorry for this kid. (... and being a moron didn't realize he was the son of Noel Harris).

Is his career over?

http://www.stuff.co.nz/sport/racing/...on-drug-charge

I hope not - he's one of the most talented young jockeys in NZ. He's always had weight problems, and I guess he's resorted to a banned diuretic or something. :(

I hope he gets a chance to come back.

It must be hard.

Everyone needs multiple last chances.

So I was looking for Sir Slick news and found this instead...

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/racing/new...ectid=10635224

Any idea who else is in the George Ryder?

I found the field:

1 BLACK PIRANHA Con Karakatsanis 113
2 DANLEIGH Chris Waller 115
3 DAO DAO Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes
4 DRUMBEATS Peter Snowden 100
5 EL SEGUNDO (NZ) Colin Little
6 HEART OF DREAMS Mick Price
7 KING MUFHASA (NZ) Stephen Mckee
8 LORD TAVISTOCK (NZ) Andrew R Campbell
9 MR BARITONE (NZ) Michael Moroney 105
10 PALACIO DE CRISTAL Grahame Begg 100
11 ROAD TO ROCK Anthony Cummings 109
12 SNIPER'S BULLET Tracey Bartley 114
13 TICKETS Peter G Moody 100
14 TRIPLE HONOUR (NZ) Chris Waller 107
15 TYPHOON TRACY Peter G Moody 118
16 VISION AND POWER (NZ) Joseph Pride 112
17 WALKING OR DANCING (NZ) Brett Partelle 101

Jesus that's some field!

Why did i think Tracy was going in the race with More Joyous?

Too many good ones to try to keep track of!

She's entered in both. Which one will she run in? It is a mystery!

NOOOOOOOO!

http://www.racingandsports.com.au/ra..._For_21_Months

That's a really tough punishment. I hope he comes back after that long break hungrier for success and better than before. We need him!

I think you'll like some of these results from today...

Sires' Produce Stakes (G1): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYbH1Tn2n7Q
Awapuni Gold Cup (G2): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLuLYhjfSlI

"SIR SLICK MAY HAVE THEM IN TROUBLE HERE....."

Oh my God ed I am ******* dying here!

Saw your post, didn't know they were entered, didn't go and look at results so i could be surprised.

Sorry Banchee didn't do it but she has so many great wins and was absolutely thrilled to see our boy with the silly name do it!

Clicked on the other race and I'm thinking okay yea He is entered but who else is here and maybe RR will win and He will be 2nd and aaaahhhhhhhh..... I'm laughing and crying at the same time. That was brilliant! One of my favorites of all time now and all the concern between the two of us.... age, injuries, form and look what he does? :D

I am over the moon and so happy to be proven wrong.

He is amazing and you all are lucky to have a national treasure like him. :)

Right when he crosses the finish.... what is the announcer saying?

I've probably woken half the neighborhood blasting it trying to figure it out!

Thank you for the fantastic way to start the day my friend. :tro:

I'll try to translate it for you!

"He is back, the warhorse of NZ racing. Salute him, he's a beauty! Sir Slick the prize."

Oh thanks! :D :tro:

* * *

Just because...


Sunday, April 04, 2010
War horse Sir Slick wins third Gold Cup

By John Jenkins

New Zealand’s war horse Sir Slick, who almost died on Christmas day of rat poison, was given a heroes reception when he bounced back to his best to win his third Awapuni Gold Cup yesterday.

Trainer and co-owner Graeme Nicholson recalled in his victory speech how he found Sir Slick struck down by a mystery illness and how it was later revealed that someone had mixed rat poison in his feed.

Nicholson said if it wasn’t for Te Aroha vet, Graeme Waugh, who spent four hours working tirelessly on Sir Slick, the horse probably would have died.

“He got the horse right again and then unfortunately died himself of a heart attack last week,” Nicholson said.

“He was only 52 and his funeral is in Te Aroha next Tuesday and I’ll be parading Sir Slick there,” he added.

Sir Slick was having his 117th start yesterday and chalked up his 22nd win.

He was contesting the Awapuni Gold Cup for the fourth year in succession, following wins in 2007 and 2008 and a second behind MacO’Reilly last year.

“Slick and I love this place,” an emotional Nicholson said.

Matamata apprentice Samantha Collett renewed her association with Sir Slick yesterday and the win was her biggest to date.

“I’ve won the Group 3 Tauranga Stakes on him and been placed in a lot of other group races but this is my best win,” a happy Collett said.

She had Sir Slick in the lead in the early stages of the 2000-metre race but was content to let him settle in the trail when Robert Hannam was keen to lead on Borrack.

“As soon as I got to the 600 I just clicked him up and he took the lead again and kicked away,” Collett said.

Sir Slick had 1-3/4 lengths on his rivals at the finish, with Manonamission running on well to fill second ahead of Red Ruler and Vosne Romanee.

Red Ruler’s rider Mark Du Plessis said the horse would probably improve from the run, just his second one back after a break, while Vosne Romanee's rider Opie Bosson said the horse felt okay but couldn’t produce the necessary sprint in the straight.

“He took a while to wind up and was just grinding to the line,” Bosson said.

Vosne Romanee is booked on a flight to Sydney later this month where he will contest the Group 1 $A350,000 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Randwick on April 24.

http://www.thoroughbrednews.com.au/n....aspx?id=46049

Keep the Peace and Monoco Consul...

Do you see either one winning the Australian Derby and are there any other NZ kids going?

Monaco Consul could win it if he was back at his best, but he hasn't run that well for a while...

Keep The Peace is good enough, but she only just lasted to win the Oaks here over 2400m, and the Derby horses are probably better, so she might struggle with the distance in that race. But if she does well, it will show that Australia will have to look out whenever Katie goes over there! Katie's definitely a better horse than KTP.

Handsome Zulu (3rd in the Derby) might be going too. The Derby winner, Military Move, isn't, which is a shame because I think he would have a good chance.

Military Move, Handsome Zulu and Corporal Jones will all race in Hong Kong next season.

Thanks ed. :)

What's the next big race over there?

Most of them are done now. :(

Only two G1s left - one this Saturday for fillies and mares, which is going to have Culminate, Boundless and Veloce Bella in it, and then the Easter Handicap next week - both over a mile.

Then there's nothing until the Mudgway in September. :( But Mufhasa's trainer has already said that's his next big target, so that's exciting.

We're mostly looking at 2yo races now and starting to think about the spring!

Wow the fields are packed with superstars! I really like all three.

Post the field when you can cause I'm an idiot and have a hard time finding NZ stuff. :confused: :wf

Oh and I'm lazy. :D

That was a really nice run by Monaco Consul.

That was a great effort!

Sorry I didn't post the field, I've been busy in the last few days so didn't see your post until it was too late!

Here's the replay:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_XVrhXfoXw
I think she must have been annoyed I didn't include her name in my last post about the race! So good to see her back to her best. Nice run by Culminate too.

Hahahaha oh my God GOOD for her and yes I think she was very annoyed with you! :D

Wow that was nice to see.

Glad I had no idea who was gonna win.

I was thinking last night that even though I don't know much about NZ rcing? If someone asked me to write a list of 10 of the best girls in training right now i could do your horses in a second but can't think of 10 over here without having to really think. :eek:

A wonderful race by a very nice girl. Good for her!

Thanks for posting the replay.

Last G1 of the season. :( But it's a good one!

EASTER HANDICAP

1 85451 Sir Slick 8 109 59.0 Graeme Nicholson & Paul Allbon, Te Aroha
2 15364 Spin Around (AUS) 13 106 57.5 Vinnie Colgan Steven Cooper, Ardmore
3 00658 Rags To Riches 4 105 57.0 Michael Coleman Liam Birchley, Eagle Farm
4 74712 Culminate 21 104 56.5 Stephen McKee, Ardmore
5 11201 Run Like Al 18 104 56.5 Sam Spratt Jakki Good, Waiuku
6 11923 Vonusti 2 104 56.5 Noel Harris Tim & Margaret Carter, Cambridge
7 020X0 Gallions Reach 10 102 55.5 Richard Yuill, Pukekohe Park
8 01231 Juice 16 102 55.5 Hayden Tinsley John Wheeler, New Plymouth
9 08080 Mandela 22 102 55.5 Richard Yuill, Pukekohe Park
10 34243 Tell A Tale (AUS) 19 102 55.5 James McDonald (a) Mark Walker, Matamata
11 15916 Irish Opera 6 100 54.5 Stephen McKee, Ardmore
12 90052 Prince Kaapstad 20 98 53.5 Richard Yuill, Pukekohe Park
13 11032 Arlington (AUS) 7 96 53.0 Graeme & Debbie Rogerson, Tuhikaramea
14 21504 La Etoile 1 95 53.0 Matthew Cameron Roger James & Paul Mirabelli, Cambridge
15 20X74 Our Star Pupil 9 90 51.5 Jason Collett (a) Jim Pender, Tauranga
16 13222 November Rain 14 86 51.0 Richard Collett, Pukekohe Park
17 40133 Obsession 15 86 51.0 Frank Ritchie, Cambridge
18 45151 Time Keeper 12 84 51.0 Graeme Nicholson & Paul Allbon, Te Aroha
19 X1610 Keffiya (AUS) 3 87 51.0 Vincent Ho (a) Andrew Scott, Matamata
20 41533 All In Tempo 11 86 51.0 Bryce Revell, New Plymouth
21 48064 Back In Black 5 84 51.0 John Steffert, Te Aroha
22 29115 A Chance To Dream (AUS) 17 78 51.0 John Sargent, Matamata

Is it okay if I root for 7 horses? :wf :D

An amazing group.

Safe trip home, Sir Slick. :cool:

I'll be happy if any of the above win (but especially Sir Slick or Tell a Tale.

Oh Gallions Reach too).

Who wins this, ed?

I'll go Tell A Tale, La Etoile and Culminate. But I won't be surprised if I'm completely wrong!

And I was!

Replay: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAt2iOjjiD4

Um, wow. :confused:

But this was amazing - the Champagne Stakes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c58AyW79ZOA

Such a good boy. I think he's going to be the best 3yo of all the 2yo horses we've seen this season. Derby, maybe?

These were great!

(Hahahaha Sir Slick never ceases to amaze me).

G3 Hawke's Bay Gold Cup: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7SLzVvGxZw

:)

Fantastic!

She was flying and oh I didn't even know Sir Slick was running (again)!

Great race... good for her!

Having withdrawals...

Isn't there any news ed?

Even if the season is over, no NZ horses are racing anywhere? :confused:

There was a G2 on Saturday, which Ekstreme won on an off track.

And Mufhasa, Culminate and Wealth Princess (probably some others too) are on a plane to Australia for the Brisbane Winter Carnival. Hope they do well!

Me too!

Where's our good Sir?

Any retirements we need to know about?

Sir Slick might be going to Brisbane too!

As for retirements - Jazzella and probably La Etoile. Culminate might retire after this Australian trip, and Boundless will only have a few races at the end of the year before she retires too.