New Zealand Racing, 2011-12

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We had a lot of rain in Auckland yesterday. So the track is now slow, and quite a few horses have been scratched.

But it's a beautiful, warm, sunny day today! It's gonna be great.

[my miss storm cat]

Happy New year!

Thanks for the odds and yeah i am so excited and I'm not even going.

Special wishes to my big three haha... Upsala, Atapi and my Mr.and very, very big The Hombre!

If Banchee wins will I be able to hear you from here?

Have a fantastic time!

[my miss storm cat]

You need to tell us how it was!!!!!

Only results I have seen so far (and no replays yet) was for the Railway and hooray for The Hombre finishing 2nd. No idea where my others finished, if Banchee won, etc. (Oh except for Railway results and I guess Atapi and Upsala didn't do very well).

(That's okay, of course).

Want to hear about it from you!!!

[my miss storm cat]

Just watched a few of the replays... I am impressed with Atomic Force.

Not who I was rooting for but wow... overcame a lot there and so wide... very nice.

The Hombre gave it his best though.

A little too much to have asked from Upsala. Still llove him though.

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That sunny weather didn't last, sadly. And there were lots of horses scratched - including Banchee, Atapi and Six O'Clock News. But it was still a great day!

The result of the Eclipse was a surprise, with Warhorse easily beating stablemate and favourite Irish Rebel. Warhorse had failed to win in his two starts before this. But I went back and looked at them, and he was really unlucky both times - completely blocked in the stretch. He turned things around today and looked really good.

Green Supreme was impressive in the Dunstan. That's three wins in a row for him now, and he looks like a really nice horse. I was happy to see Hot Pursuit run her best race in a long time to take second.

Make sure you watch Silent Achiever's run in the Championship Stakes - WOW! Beating the boys, and doing it so, so impressively. I like this filly a lot, and I think she's a massive chance in the Oaks later in the summer.

The Royal Stakes was one of the big surprises of the day, with Chicharita flying down the outside to win it for the Moroneys. They've always liked this filly a lot, and now it's easy to see why! Planet Rock looked so good for most of the race but hit a wall near the end - this was her first race beyond a mile, and maybe that's not her thing. Chicharita's owner-breeder said it was the greatest moment he's had in racing.

Platinum Princess was amazing in the Rich Hill Mile. She was carrying a big weight and got a long way off the lead, but she was so strong down the stretch. Great performance. Smoulder finished strongly as well, and Villifye (half-sister to Miss Keepsake) did well to get third.

Then it was the Railway, which you've already seen. Atomic Force was amazing, and his connections were so excited! So even though I sometimes don't like it when Australians come over and win our races, I was happy with that result. The Hombre was so good too, and Twilight Savings got ANOTHER Group 1 placing.

And the last race was the City of Auckland Cup, which was won by one of my new favourite horses - Single Minded. He fractured a leg last year, and his career was in danger. Now he's a G2 winner and headed for G1 races. And I love the way he runs. He's not all that fast, but he just keeps going and keeps trying his heart out. Great little horse, and so well named.

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Oh, and Flash Hapi won on the undercard.

[my miss storm cat]

Thanks for filling me in and yes I watched all and yes it would be humiliating to tell you just how many replays I watched one after another!