Members of Hawke’s Bay Racing Incorporated will get an opportunity to vote on the proposed Portsmouth Road Greenfields project at a Special General Meeting next Tuesday, December 2.
The meeting, timed to start at 6pm, will be held in the Cheval Room at the Hastings racecourse and the purpose is to seek an HBRI member decision on whether to proceed with the project.
Members were sent an invitation to the meeting last week which said that funding discussions with the Government have progressed positively and that HBRI is now seeking membership approval for the Greenfields development, the next step before final funding confirmation and public announcement can occur.
Business of the Meeting & Resolution
That the HBRI Members approve the proposed development of a new racecourse and Greenfields site at Portsmouth Road and authorise the Board to negotiate, finalise and execute the agreements and actions necessary to progress the project, including any related land sale or exchange and associated funding and consenting steps.
Notice of the Special General Meeting has been sent on behalf of Hawke’s Bay Racing with the support of NZ Thoroughbred Racing.
Financial members of HBRI are eligible to vote at the meeting on Tuesday and the resolution will be determined by a simple majority of votes cast. Proxy voting is not permitted under the Club Rules.
Grid Girl building good Aussie record
Hawke’s Bay-bred mare Grid Girl brought up her fifth Australian win and made it a perfect two-from-two record so far as a five-year-old when taking out last Saturday’s A$150,000 Rosemont Stud Fillies & Mares Pendant (1400m) at Cranbourne.
The daughter of Time Test had resumed from a spell as a $1.90 favourite over 1454m at Kyneton on November 5, where she romped to an eight length victory.
Last Saturday’s second-up assignment was significantly tougher, facing a talented field of mares under set weights and penalties conditions. But again Grid Girl came out on top.
Drawn gate six among a field of eight, jockey Michael Dee planned to go forward but faced an early setback when Grid Girl was slow to leave the gates. Dee still pressed forward out wide on the track, eventually taking the lead after 400m.
Grid Girl dominated the race from that point on, kicking hard in the straight and going on to win by three-quarters of a length.
“The plan was to lead or be outside the leader, but she was mucking around a little bit in the barriers and unfortunately bombed the start,” Dee said.
“I didn’t want to just concede and go back. I tried to make it as easy as possible for her to get across. We ended up doing a bit of work to get there, but she’s very tough, very competitive and has that will to win.
“I felt her kick when she sensed another horse coming.”
The Ben, Will and JD Hayes-trained Grid Girl has now had 17 starts for five wins, five placings and A$221,496 in stakes.
Grid Girl was bred by Hastings trainer Guy Lowry and is out of the five-time-winning Savabeel mare Chic.
Lowry trained Grid Girl for two third placings from two starts in the spring of 2023 before she was purchased privately by clients of the Hayes’ Lindsay Park stable.
Grid Girl is Chic’s first foal and the mare has since produced a Per Incanto three-year-old gelding called Suave and a two-year-old filly by Sword Of State named Stylish, both of whom are in the Hastings stable of Guy Lowry and Leah Zydenbos.
Great weekend for Elen Nicholas
Comeback jockey Elen Nicholas not only chalked up her biggest success with a masterful ride aboard Final Return in the Group 3 $170,000 Counties Cup at Pukekohe last Saturday but she added to a memorable weekend by winning two races at Invercargill the following day.
A horror run of injuries has forced the 29-year-old Nicholas to spend more time on the sidelines than in the saddle during her apprenticeship, but she has made a triumphant return this season to sit in seventh place on the national premiership with 23 wins. She ranks second only to Amber Riddell as the leading apprentice in the country.
The last fortnight has seen Nicholas make the most significant big-race impacts of her career. She guided Notabadspillane into second in the Group 3 New Zealand Cup (3200m) with a ground-saving ride at Riccarton on November 15, then went one better at Pukekohe a week later with an outstanding mid-race move in the Counties Cup.
Nicholas and trainer Janelle Millar intended for Final Return to go forward in the Pukekohe feature, but that plan appeared to go out the window when the gelding got squeezed out the back soon after leaving the starting gates and was a clear last with a round to go.
But the speed dropped right out of the race down the back of the track and Nicholas seized the initiative. She allowed Final Return to surge around the outside of the field, moving up alongside the front-running Khan Hunter by the 1000m mark.
Final Return had Khan Hunter covered soon after rounding the home turn, but he found himself under siege as Rosetown Princess loomed on the inside while Blue Sky At Night, Sharp ‘N’ Smart, Gigi, Sassy Lass, Aftermath and What You Wish For ran on out wide.
But just when it looked like he might be swallowed up in the final 150m, Final Return lifted again and held them all out, showing tremendous fight to cling on and win by a neck.
The Counties Cup was Nicholas’ first win in a Group or Listed race.
“This is definitely at the top of the list of my biggest wins,” the delighted Nicholas said. “I feel so lucky and I’m just grateful to be out here and doing this.”
Final Return is by Westbury Stud stallion Reliable Man out of the Zabeel mare Kind Return, who won four races and finished second behind Bazelle in the Group 1 Zabeel Classic (2000m) and behind Zarius in the Group 2 City Of Auckland Cup (2400m).
From 25 starts, Final Return has now had three wins, eight placings and $281,565 in stakes.
He made his mark in top-flight staying contests last season with a second in the New Zealand St Leger (2500m), third in the Group 3 Avondale Cup (2400m), fourth in the Group 3 Queen Elizabeth II Cup (2400m), fourth in the Listed Hawke’s Bay Cup (2200m) and sixth in the Group 2 Auckland Cup (3200m).
Ka Ying Rising on song again
New Zealand-bred sprinting sensation Ka Ying Rising continued his dominance last Sunday when defending his crown in the Group 2 BOCHK Private Banking Jockey Club Sprint (1200m) at Sha Tin.
Fresh off his heroics in last month’s A$20 million The Everest (1200m) at Randwick, he wowed his local fans once again when running out an effortless 2-3/4 length victor and extended his unbeaten streak to 15.
Jockey Zac Purton was pleased with his charge’s effort and said it was another confidence-boosting victory heading into next month’s Group 1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint (1200m).
“He just looks better all the time. He’s mentally getting better. It’s hard to say that he’s improving or that he’s going to get better, but he’s certainly enjoying what he’s doing and handling it really well,” Purton said.
Trainer David Hayes continues to be amazed by Ka Ying Rising and said Sunday’s effort was one of the best he has seen from the son of Shamexpress.
Ka Ying Rising has now won 16 of his 18 starts, including five at elite-level.
Good trials by Trentham candidates
Proven stars from Wexford Stables were out in force at Tuesday’s Taupo trials as they limbered up for important assignments on the horizon.
First cab off the rank in the open 1100m heats was Waitaki, already the winner of the Group 1 Howden Insurance Mile (1600m) and Group 1 Livamol Classic (2040m) this season and on target for a Group 1 hat-trick in the TAB Mufhasa Classic (1600m) at Trentham on December 6.
The big Proisir gelding was kept under a tight hold by Craig Grylls throughout his Taupo hit out and crossed in fourth place with plenty in reserve.
“They were all there for a day out just to bring them on,” said Lance O’Sullivan, who trains in partnership with Andrew Scott.
“Waitak has pleased us since we stepped up his training again and he did all that we wanted in the trial.
“Craig said he felt great and that will set him up nicely for the 1600m down at Trentham.”
Tomodachi, an equal $6 favourite with Crocetti for the Group 1 Telegraph (1200m) on January 4, also underlined her progress with a bold trial.
The free-going mare, who finished third in her sole start of the spring, the Group 1 Proisir Plate (1400m), was allowed to slide forward by rider Joe Doyle and was untroubled to score by a neck.
“That’s Tomodachi, she likes to run, and it probably didn’t help that they weren’t going that quick,” O’Sullivan said. “She’ll trial again next month and go into the Telegraph fresh. She’s right where we want her at this stage.”
The same approach is planned for stablemate and defending Telegraph title-holder Grail Seeker, who finished a well-held third in her Taupo trial. She is currently third favourite at $8 for the big sprint.
“She’s on target for Trentham and one more trial should set her up nicely,” O’Sullivan said. “She’s going really well and it’s good to see that she’s starting to carry more condition, which is a positive sign.”