New Zealand Racing, 2016-17

[_ed_]

Terrible conditions, but that was a nice win for The Soultaker. Seemed to be going backwards, but showed great heart in the stretch.

[_ed_]

Big day at Hastings on Saturday. I hope the weather improves.

# 5 RED BADGE SPRING SPRINT (G3)
1400m, $70000, OPN HCP, 02:53 p.m.
1 9 TAURUS 60.0 100
2 11 ANTONIO LOMBARDO 59.5 99
3 10 RINGO 59.5 99
4 7 ADMIRAL 55.0 90
5 6 BLATHWAYT 55.0 90
6 3 IRISH HEARTBEAT 54.5 93
7 4 REILLY LINCOLN 53.0 89
8 8 PERSUASIVE 53.0 86
9 2 GET THAT JIVE (AUS) 53.0 85
10 5 JUSTLIKEYASISTER 53.0 82
11 1 NEW YORK MINUTE 53.0


# 6 SACRED FALLS HAWKE’S BAY GUINEAS (G2)
1400m, $100000, 3YO SW, 03:31 p.m.
1 5 HEROIC VALOUR 56.5 80
2 2 UGO FOSCOLO 56.5 74
3 1 BARCELO 56.5 72
4 4 WYNDSPELLE 56.5 72
5 3 KINGSMAN 56.5 70
6 7 MONGOLIAN FALCON 56.5 69
7 10 JON SNOW 56.5 63
8 9 O'REILLY'S CHOICE 56.5 63
9 11 TECHNICIAN 56.5 63
10 8 IMPULSIVE HABIT 56.5 54
11 6 BABE 54.5

# 8 LIVAMOL CLASSIC (G1)
2040m, $250000, WFA, 04:41 p.m.
1 17 BENZINI (AUS) 59.0 105
2 5 JULINSKY PRINCE 59.0 104
3 3 AUTHENTIC PADDY 59.0 103
4 12 WILLIE CAZALS (IRE) 59.0 102
5 2 SAINT EMILION 59.0 100
6 13 EL PESCADO 59.0 97
7 16 FARM BOY 59.0 94
8 6 HASSELHOOF 59.0 94
9 10 HUMIDOR 57.5 89
10 15 BATTLE TIME 57.5 79
11 4 RASA LILA 57.0 101
12 14 BOHEMIAN LILY 57.0 97
13 8 PLATINUM COMMAND 57.0 94
14 1 CELEBRITY MISS 57.0 91
15 18 MIME 55.5 99
16 9 FANATIC 55.5 83
17 11 SAVARIA (B1) 57.0 89
18 7 NYMPH MONTE (B2) 59.0

[_ed_]

After getting up at 5am and six hours on the road, I'm at Hastings. The weather is fine, but the damage has been done - the track's officially slow.

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Wow, a couple of upsets already in the first three races. This could be an interesting day.

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Mongolian Falcon was other-worldly today.

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Willie Cazals?! The old man did it. That's a great training performance to bring him back from leg injuries that seemed to be career-ending.

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This weekend features three key preps for the Guineas races at Riccarton.

Firstly the Zacinto Stakes at Riccarton on Saturday:

# 6 ZACINTO STAKES
1600m, $70000, 3YO SW, 03:33 p.m.
1 4 HALL OF FAME 56.5 72
2 1 LEADING ROLE 56.5 63
3 2 STEPHENSTIHLS 56.5 55
4 6 COBBLERTOTHESTARS 56.5 53
5 3 STARVOIA (AUS) 54.5 68
6 5 ZIGWIG 54.5 63
7 7 AVE MARIA 54.5



Then the fillies at Ellerslie, also on Saturday:

# 7 DUNSTAN FEEDS SOLILOQUY STAKES
1400m, $50000, 3YOF SW, 03:58 p.m.
1 14 MYSTERY SHOW 56.5 72
2 16 IT'S TIME FOR MAGIC 56.5 71
3 11 HONEY RIDER 56.5 70
4 5 ASTARA 56.5 68
5 15 BELLA GIOIA 56.5 67
6 6 GOLD RUSH 56.5 67
7 1 GLASS SLIPPER 56.5 65
8 8 HELLO M'LADY 56.5 65
9 2 CHICANE 56.5 63
10 9 CORTADO 56.5 63
11 3 JOY ANNA 56.5 63
12 10 VEEARMA 56.5 63
13 7 SPINDLE 56.5 62
14 13 BABE 56.5 60
15 12 LEICA LADY 56.5 54
16 4 DOUBTLESS BAY 56.5


Finally, the biggest prep race of them all, at Te Rapa on Monday:

# 7 JAMES & ANNIE SARTEN MEMORIAL (G2)
1400m, $100000, 3YO SW, 04:15 p.m.
1 2 MONGOLIAN FALCON (AUS) 56.5 76
2 6 UGO FOSCOLO 56.5 73
3 15 WYNDSPELLE 56.5 72
4 5 XIONG FENG 56.5 72
5 3 BARCELO 56.5 71
6 11 ICHIBAN 56.5 68
7 8 MYSTERY SHOW 54.5 72
8 16 IT'S TIME FOR MAGIC 54.5 71
9 7 HONEY RIDER 54.5 70
10 10 ASTARA 54.5 68
11 14 BELLA GIOIA 54.5 67
12 13 GOLD RUSH 54.5 67
13 12 GLASS SLIPPER 54.5 65
14 4 ROYAL FASHION (AUS) 54.5 63
15 1 THISTLEDONICELY 54.5 62
16 9 BABE 54.5 60