New Zealand Racing

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Highview Stakes:

Diamond Deck
Special Mission
Royal Taat

She did it! Great performance. She was well back in the field but ran on powerfully down the outside to run down the tearaway pacemakers Special Mission (who fought on well) and Satinka. She's finally broken her maiden, and done so in a G3, the strongest 3yo race of the season so far.

Special Mission was so brave, and has now won 3 out of 4 with a great 2nd in the other race.

Insouciant had a terrible run, missed the jump and was hanging badly all the way down the straight, did well to get 4th. Probably wouldn't have beaten Diamond Deck with a good run, but should have been 2nd. Can forgive her for this run if she learns to behave herself properly in future.

Amazing day for The Oaks Stud so far, they won the first with Keeperinthemyst and now Diamond Deck has carried their colours to victory in the Highview...and they've got Seachange in the Stoneybridge.

The undercard races have been good, I was really happy to see 2 stakes winners at Ellerslie from last season come out and win today. Russian Conquest (3 c St. Petersburg - Woodminco, 10:4-1-0) led all the way and held on to beat the highly rated El Cuento and unbeaten Fritzy Boy in a 3-way photo, then Bonaichi (4 m Fusaichi Pegasus - Bonanova, 13:3-2-0) was near the back around the turn but flew down the outside and won by an increasing margin.

Now just an hour until the Stoneybridge. Result of that and videos of both races to come a bit later.

[my miss storm cat]

Oh nice!

Thanks for the results..... I was just trying to find them and had given up.

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And a G3-winning and G1-placed filly from last season Irlanda (4 m O'Reilly - Cenphic, 10:4-3-1) has just come out and won the Bay Ford Stakes for fillies & mares. Nice to see her back to her best!

On to the Stoneybridge.

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Seachange
Sir Slick
Princess Coup

They didn't think it was worth taking her to the sales as a yearling because her front right leg is so badly formed and swings out when she runs. And they hoped she would finish in the first 5 in her first start in a maiden...now she's won 12 out of 20 and 5 G1s. And she just tries so hard every time, it's impossible not to love her.

Sir Slick was brave in defeat but Seachange cruised up beside him while McKeon had her under a tight hold, and she just drew away.

Princess Coup flew from well back to get 3rd, the Kelt in 2 weeks is a perfect race for her...if she can beat Seachange.

And Railings went a very nice race over a distance too short for him, he was way back around the turn but ran on nicely to finish about 7th.

I'll post videos a little bit later.

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Videos:

Highview Stakes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LLB9GSYlILU
Stoneybridge Stakes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0WIqyfu8n8

[my miss storm cat]

Originally Posted by _ed_

And Railings went a very nice race over a distance too short for him, he was way back around the turn but ran on nicely to finish about 7th.

Awww, thanks for the visual. Good boy! (Him, not you).

(Oh okay you too...)

I'll watch the videos in a bit when i'm awake.

Thanks for the results!

[my miss storm cat]

Damn.

Feel better, good boy.

Injury for Jokers Wild after Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes
26 Sep 2007
By Rob Burnet

Former top New Zealand two-year-old Jokers Wild (NZ) sustained a chipped knee in his right-front fetlock after his run in last Saturday’s Group I Sir Rupert Clark Stakes (1400m)at Caulfield.

News of the injury was reported on Wednesday and connections are presently considering their options over the top-line galloper.

Jokers Wild, a four-year-old entire by Black Minnaloushe, is a multiple Group I winner, including the Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes at Awapuni.

His last win was in the Group II Wellington Guineas over 1600m at Hastings in October 2006, but he raced against the best at three including two Group I placings that season on some unsuitable tracks.

Trainers Mike and Paul Moroney started his latest campaign in the Group I Mudgway Stakes over 1400m at Hastings on September 1st, and a first up fourth was the result behind the flying mare Seachange.

Overall his race career to-date is 20 starts for seven wins and five placings, with stakes of $A353,000.

In other news ex-pat New Zealand jockey Greg Childs returns from Melbourne to ride Railings in the Group I Kelt Capital Stakes (2040m) at Hastings on October 6th. Childs rode Railings, by Zabeel, to victory in the 2005 Caulfield Cup (2400m).

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Yeah. I hope we see him race again, don't think we've seen the best of him.

First stakes races of the summer at NZ's main track on Saturday! Bonecrusher and Soliloquy Stakes at Ellerslie. Looks like some nice fields for those 2 races, with the likes of Pierre Joseph, Double Or Nothin, Rios and Lovetrista running.

It'll be my first trip to Ellerslie since April. The crowd won't look anything like the Derby Day picture I've got as my avatar, but I always love racing at the big E so I'm really looking forward to it.

They should be good races, so I'll put the videos up as usual...but mainly to show off how awesome my home track is.