Ellerslie tomorrow.
First day of the flat season there, finally! It should be our best season ever too, with 3 races worth $1 million or more between January and April including the $2.2 million NZ Derby.
Tomorrow's a pretty quiet opening day though, just a couple of minor 3yo stakes races. But there are still lots of nice horses.
Race 5
Soliloquy Stakes
3yo Fillies 1400m
1 320X5 Raid 10 76 56.0 Leith Innes Stephen McKee, Ardmore
2 846X1 Annie 2 68 56.0 Vinnie Colgan Don Dwyer, Pukekohe
3 X3143 Shock 3 68 56.0 Michael Coleman Mike & Paul Moroney, Matamata
4 21X84 Awesome Planet (AUS) 1 67 56.0 Opie Bosson Graeme Rogerson, Scott Lucock & Roydon Bergerson, Tuhikaramea-Palm Nth
5 16 Sub Prime 4 67 56.0 Samantha Collett (a) Jim Collett, Matamata
6 334X2 Alberton Princess 5 59 56.0 Sam Spratt Richard Yuill, Pukekohe Park
7 654 Fastnfree 11 55 56.0 Noel Harris Bill Pomare, Rotorua
8 0X4 Karloushe 9 55 56.0 Danielle Johnson (a) Richard Yuill, Pukekohe Park
9 4 Mercury Lady 8 55 56.0 Cameron Lammas Lance Noble, Matamata
10 7X5X4 Glamorous Girl 7 54 56.0 Andrew Calder Roger James & Paul Mirabelli, Cambridge
11 75X0 Lady Power 6 50 56.0 Craig Grylls (a) Graeme & Mark Sanders, Te Awamutu
These girls are probably a bit behind Juice, Il Quello Veloce and that lot, but there's still some talent.
Race 6
Open Hcp 1200m
1 356X7 Clifton Prince 8 104 58.0 Andrew Calder Peter McKay, Matamata
2 5380X Floydeboy 11 102 57.0 Grant Cooksley Patrick & Trent Busuttin, Cambridge
3 7611X Volscar 1 100 56.0 Cameron Lammas Vanessa & Wayne Hillis, Matamata
4 3233X Culminate
5 98 55.0 Sam Spratt Stephen McKee, Ardmore
5 296X0 Irlanda 3 98 55.0 Michael Coleman Lance Noble, Matamata
6 3313X Indikator 6 95 54.5 Noel Harris Keith Opie, Te Aroha
7 32314 Tuscany Dancer 10 94 54.0 Tasha Collett (a1) Tania Skinner, Te Awamutu
8 171X0 Martini Red (AUS) 13 93 54.0 James McDonald (a1) Ross Elliot, Cambridge
9 5575L Rabkalajo 7 93 54.0 Trudy Thornton Gale Julian, Wanganui
10 42223 My Lips Ar Sealed 2 90 53.0 Toni McMullen (a4) Graham Richardson, Matamata
11 74622 Vicenzo 12 90 53.0 Lynsey Satherley Ernie Griffiths, Paeroa
12 784X0 Ebony Babe 9 86 53.0 Craig Grylls (a) Richard & Chris Otto, Te Awamutu
13 587X7 Rapid Rielle 4 85 53.0 Michelle Wenn James Hatton, Ardmore
Very nice race. Culminate! She was 2nd in two G1s last season, hope she wins one this season.
Race 8
Bonecrusher Stakes
3yo 1400m
1 811 Takeanotherchance 8 80 56.0 Jason Waddell Garry & Steven Barlow, Newbury Park, Palm North
2 21123 Rough Odds 2 75 56.0 Mark Hills Craig Ritchie, Pukekohe Park
3 73X31 Al Qurhah 6 74 56.0 Sam Spratt Peter McKay, Matamata
4 6X21 Headsiwin 15 68 56.0 James McDonald (a) Donna, Dean Logan & Chris Gibbs, Ruakaka
5 1X Kildonan (AUS) 13 68 56.0 Andrew Calder Yves Seguin, Cambridge
6 15 Redessi (AUS) 1 68 56.0 Craig Grylls (a) Richard & Chris Otto, Te Awamutu
7 16 The Diamond Knight 14 68 56.0 Leith Innes Steven Pinfold, Byerley Park, Kingseat
8 61037 Blakmandu 10 67 56.0 Gavin McKeon Sandy Dravitzki, New Plymouth
9 196 Merrymaker 9 67 56.0 Michael Coleman Mike & Paul Moroney, Matamata
10 510 Red Tiger (AUS) 12 67 56.0 Grant Cooksley Ken Kelso & Thomas Russell, Matamata
11 42X2 Late Addition 11 59 56.0 Scratching Graeme & Mark Sanders, Te Awamutu
12 2 Santorielli 3 58 56.0 Vinnie Colgan Peter McKay, Matamata
13 42X All In Tempo 4 57 56.0 Reese Jones Bryce Revell, New Plymouth
14 2 Elusive Fortune 5 57 56.0 Opie Bosson Mark Walker, Matamata-Rangiora
15 65X43 Crown Of Thorns 7 56 56.0 Troy Harris Mike & Paul Moroney, Matamata
Kildonan! I posted a video of his debut a few months ago, he won it by 9. Been waiting for him to race again. Tough field for him though, some really nice horses here.
Should be a good day.
