Tuesday 9 March 2010

New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame

On Friday 5 March 2010 the New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame inducted 10 new inductees at a black tie dinner at Ellerslie before an audience of 400 people. The new inductees are:

Ray Verner

Became a Master Trainer, renowned for his conditioning of horses and named NZ Racing Personality of the Year in 1978.

Trained top stayers such as Good Lord (two Wellington Cups, Cup); sprinters Blue Blood and Gold Hope; and weight-for-age horses Prince Majestic and The Gentry.

John Wheeler

More successful in than any other New Zealand trainer of modern times.

Trained three near-champions – Poetic Prince, and (in Australia) and won major Australian races (including a dozen Group Ones) with all three.

Dominated Australia's jumping scene for years (winning seven Great Eastern Steeplechases at Oakbank); and won the Nakayama Grand Jump in Tokyo with St Steven.

Linda Jones MBE

Led the 1970s fight for the right of women to be jockeys.

Media sensation in her first riding season, 1978-79; was equal-second in NZ Jockey's Premiership when a race fall halted her season.

Her success and celebrity status took pressure off young women who were to follow.

First female jockey in the world to ride a recognised Derby winner; to ride winners at Ellerslie and Trentham; and against male jockeys at a registered Australian meeting.

David Peake

First appeared on winning jockeys' list 1962-63; retired 40 years later as the winner of 2,085 races in New Zealand, the third highest-winning jockey in New Zealand history.

Won six NZ Jockey Premierships, rode most winners of any jockey in the 1970s (794) and held the course record for winners at Ellerslie (392) until topped by Lance O'Sullivan.

Grenville Hughes

Other jockeys bettered Grenville's lifetime tally of 1,278 wins, but none equalled his popularity with the public. Grenville had charisma.

A master stylist and judge of pace, he excelled in weight-for-age races and is especially remembered for his partnership with chestnut champion Mainbrace, on whom he won 23 races from 24 rides.

Grey Way

164 starts, 51 wins, 27 seconds, 21 thirds, NZ$235,020, A$8,400.

First win at Rangiora October 1972, his last win was on the same racecourse eight years later. His 50 wins in New Zealand, often against outstanding opposition, beat Black Duke's previous NZ record of 46.

Won from 1200m to 2000m but probably best at 1600m, at which distance he scored great wins in the ARC Easter Handicap and the WRC George Adams.

Defaulter

28 starts, 22 wins, one second, one third, 11,890 pounds.

Outstanding performer at the end of the 1930s; won last seven at two years and 10 straight as a three year old, a first-up defeat at three interrupting a sequence of 18.

Beat the best in Australia as well as New Zealand, winning five weight-for-age races in Sydney against vintage opposition and at distances from seven furlongs to two and a quarter miles.

He was a successful sire.

Horlicks

40 starts, 17 wins (six at Group One), 10 seconds, 2 thirds. NZ$3,411,682, A$625,000.

Won 16 in Australia and New Zealand, including New Zealand's first two $1million races and the L K S MacKinnon Stakes in .

But career highlight undoubtedly the grey mare's defeat of a strong international field in the , in which she ran the 2400m in world record time.

Later successful broodmare, Melbourne Cup winner Brew being her best progeny.

Eulogy

Imported to New Zealand 1915, bred 13 winners of 70 races.

Her four best foals (Commendation, Esteem, Epitaph and Homage) between them won 10 three- year-old classics and 10 prestigious two-year-old races.

Eulogy's eight daughters bred some of the best racehorses of the era. The family has bred on, later descendants including champions Show Gate, Il Tempo, Kingdom Bay and . Miss Potential ushered the family into the new millennium.

Bonecrusher

44 starts, 18 wins (nine Group One, six of these in Australia), five seconds, 12 thirds; NZ$674,225, A$1,679,495.

Champion NZ 3YO, home wins including NZ Derby and Air , followed by stunning Sydney wins in Tancred Stakes and AJC Derby.

Following spring won a memorable Cox Plate duel with Waverley Star.

Beat At Talaq in Australian Cup, again displaying huge will to win.

Won another Air New Zealand Stakes at five, despite injury problems.

The principal sponsor of this year's Racing Hall of Fame event was New Zealand Bloodstock, while other key sponsors were Trelawney Stud, Marie Leicester and Paul Kenny, Taranaki Racing, Dunstan Feeds, TRAC, Canterbury Jockey Club, Racing Club, Majestic Horse Floats, The Informant and Coupland's Bakeries.

Jumps Racing Programme 2010

The Jumps Racing Programme for 2010 has been finalised.

These races are subject to change, with official programmes published in the Thoroughbred Racing Monthly. For full details, click here: http://www.nzracing.co.nz/Documents/4269/JUMPING%20PROGRAMMES%202010%20- %20Distances.pdf to view the full article (requires Adobe Acrobat reader).

$1m Racing Safety Development Fund

The Minister for Racing has invited applications from racing clubs to the second round of the Racing Safety Development Fund for the 2009/10 racing year.

The Fund supports projects that improve racecourse health and safety.

The second round of the 2009/10 Fund opened for applications on 1 February 2010 and will close on 31 March 2010. $475,600 (GST excl.) is available for allocation.

Southland RC 21 March 2010 - Venue Change

Due to the unsuitability for racing of the surface at Ascot Park the Southland Racing Club meeting on Sunday 21 March has been transferred to Gore. There have been some amendments to the programme due to the unavailability of a 1600m or 1100m starting point at Gore and the addition of a tenth race, a Rating 70 1200m event. The new programme is:

Open Handicap 2000m (no change) Rating 90 1355m (was 1600m) Rating 90 1200m (no change) Rating 75 & Jumpers 2000m (no change) Rating 75 1355m (was 1600m) Rating 70 1200m (new race) Rating 65 1355m (was 1360m) Maiden 2000m (no change) Maiden 1355m (App Riders) (was 1360m) Maiden 1200m (was 1100m)

Central Region Ford Dealers 102 nd Manawatu Sires Produce Stakes - Saturday 3 April

The Manawatu Sires Produce Stakes at Awapuni, remains the most prestigious race at Awapuni and one of the most exciting autumn events on the New Zealand. Fashions in the Field competitions and live music from Chris Ward.

For further details, or to purchase a hospitality package, please make contact by email [email protected] or on (06) 356 4940.

Thoroughbred Bonus Scheme – Recent Results

Central Otago, Friday 5 March B Bonus 2nd Imani (4g Eltawaasul – Sothys) $1,350

Cromwell, Sunday 7 March B Bonus 1st Heaven’s Up Here (4g Danasinga – Levitate) $5,475 3rd Tapinsky (4m Stravinsky – Tapildo) $675

Thoroughbred Bonus Scheme - Upcoming Bonus Races

Wed 10 Mar Auckland RC 3&4YO 2200m $15,000 Thu 11 Mar Canterbury Racing Rating 75 1600m $7,500 Fri 12 Mar Otaki-Maori RC F&M Maiden 1400m $15,000 Sun 14 Mar Waverley RC Rating 80 1400m $7,500 Wed 17 Mar South Waikato RC Rating 70 1400m $7,500

For eligible 4YO horses.

Bonus race information beyond these dates can be found on www.nzthoroughbred.co.nz or www.nzracing.co.nz websites.

Advertise in the NZTR Marketplace

Whether you need to buy or sell, looking for or offering employment, selling a horse off the track or selling agistment or gear, you can do it all here. Send us a picture or logo to advertise your ad (if you have one), plus a small introduction (50 words or less) and we will do the rest! It’s that easy! See some examples here: http://www.nzracing.co.nz/marketplace/ Contact James Preston to book your space: [email protected]

Turnovers for the period ending 7 March 2010 Date Club On-Course Off-Course Fixed Odds Starters 09-10 08-09 3/3 Waikato 55,531 6.1% 696,573 12.3% 124,981 229.0% 76 13.6% 4/3 Marton (1) 31,339 17.9% 718,086 13.6% 59,755 35.5% 87 18.7% 5/3 Central Otago (2) 64,426 N/A 778,164 N/A 80,080 N/A 103 N/A 6/3 Auckland 884,576 23.1% 2,591,037 7.1% 566,538 7.6% 108 0.9% 6/3 Hawke’s Bay (3) 96,870 80.9% 1,117,461 28.5% 235,797 123.7% 95 1.0% 7/3 Otago (4) 235,367 12.4% 1,007,293 2.9% 141,305 48.3% 118 8.5%

Notes: (1) Marton JC; 8 races this year, compared to 9 last year. (2) Central Otago RC; no equivalent meeting last year. (3) Hawke’s Bay RI; 10 races this year, compared to 9 last year. (4) Otago RC; 11 races this year, compared to 12 last year.

Thoroughbred Summary – 09/10 Year To Date 1 August 2009 – 7 March 2010

Off Course On Course Fixed Odds Total Turnover $242, 570,847 $33,230,904 $34,403,908 $310,205,658 Variance v Last Year 1.2% 1.1% 31.0% 3.5% Races No of Races v Last Year 1,883 1.2% 1,883 1.2% 1,422 28.6% 1,883 1.2% Avg. Turnover per Race $128,821 2.3% $17,648 0.1% $24,194 1.9% $164,740 4.7% v Last Year Runners No of Runners v Last 20,450 1.7% 20,450 1.7% 20,450 1.7% Year Avg. Turnover per $11,862 2.9% $1,625 0.6% $15,169 5.3% Runner v Last Year

Note: ‘Total’ figure includes On-course, Off-course, Fixed Odds, Pick 6 and Six Pack Turnover. Turnover figures are supplied by the New Zealand Racing Board.

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