The heading is a line uttered by Yogi Berra, not only a great American baseball player but also an unwitting sage when it came to explaining some of life’s issues. Another was: “When you come to a fork in the road, take it.” One hot summer, Berra was signing autographs in Florida wearing his customary... Read More

Did Saturday’s Ladbrokes Top 2/3/4 Benchmark 100 handicap remind you of anything? Think back to the end of February and the Oakleigh Plate (Gr 1, 1100m). The explosive turn of foot displayed by Jimmysstar (Per Incanto) that day was a feature of the meeting. There was a strong similarity in style even though Saturday’s Moonee... Read More

According to the calendar Chase (Zed) will not reach nine years until October 3 but according to the breeding calendar he is now nine, and after 58 starts has broken through at black-type level to land the Winter Cup (Gr 3, 1600m). Stock of Zed (Zabeel) are noted for their toughness and Chase is no... Read More

Here we are at the end of the season and it seems to have passed in a flash. Highlights were many and the annual Breeders’ Awards, held this past Saturday, provide a timely reminder of the successes enjoyed by the New Zealand industry for 2024-25. In particular were the deeds of Ka Ying Rising (Shamexpress),... Read More

“Only the strong survive” is a fitting category to be applied to lightly raced Joshua Brown (Dalghar) who slogged it out best in Saturday’s Opunake Cup (Listed, 1400m). Running a similar time to a normal 1600 metres suggests that “slog” is the appropriate description. Carrying the minimum weight of 53 kilograms he was the least... Read More