News

Te Rapa trainer David Greene turned his back on the local race meeting on Saturday and took three runners to Wanganui instead, making a 600km round trip that proved to be well worthwhile.

A reputation for being a perennial placegetter is now a distant memory for Glamour Tycoon, who scored her second win in a row with a dominant performance in Saturday’s Listed O’Learys Fillies’ Stakes (1340m) at Wanganui.

Enigmatic galloper El Vencedor capped off some consistent form and provided trainer Stephen Marsh with a winning black-type double when he bolted clear to win the Gr.3 Eagle Technology Stakes (1600m) at Te Rapa.

Brian and Shane Anderton’s classy performer Capo Dell Impero continues to be the perfect advertisement for their Wingatui-based sire Ghibellines, adding the Happy Hire Cromwell Cup (2030m) to his impressive record on Sunday.

Champion Victorian jockey Blake Shinn will be in action in New Zealand on Boxing Day at Pukekohe Park as well as at the lucrative Karaka Millions meeting at Ellerslie on January 27.

Cambridge trainer Shaune Ritchie has crossed the Tasman for a second tilt at the Jericho Cup (4600m) at Warrnambool on Sunday, four years on from a highly creditable first attempt.

A busy Saturday afternoon is looming for Cambridge trainer Stephen Marsh, who has 19 runners entered across the Te Rapa and Wanganui meetings including strong chances in all four black-type events.

Kylie Hoskin is hoping she has the luck of the Irish at Te Rapa on Saturday, having secured expat Samantha Wynne to ride Zaila in the Gr.3 Eagle Technology Stakes (1600m).

Handicap conditions won’t be in the favour of middle-distance specialist Defibrillate when the classy gelding contests the Listed Steelform Roofing Group Wanganui Cup (2040m) on Saturday.

Leading Otago trainers Brian and Shane Anderton are set to make their presence felt with two well-credentialled runners in Sunday’s $50,000 Happy Hire Cromwell Cup (2030m).

There has been a massive injection of stakes money to the racing calendar this year and Matamata trainer Wayne Hillis is keen to get his hands on some of it.

Johnathan Parkes has had many memorable wins throughout his riding career, but his victory aboard Chase at Otaki on Thursday would feature right up there sentimentally.