Dates have been finalised for a return to racing process at the Hastings racecourse.
New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing has granted Hawke’s Bay Racing the date of May 21 for a return to racing on the track.
Liam O’Keeffe, the track manager at Flemington racecourse in Melbourne and the person who has overseen the reconstruction work carried out on the Hastings track, will be meeting with members from the Racing Industry Board and other Racing Industry organisations at the Hastings racecourse on March 18 to confirm things.
The two new running rails, being shipped from Australia, are also expected to arrive in Hastings about the same time and once they are erected training gallops will then be allowed on the course proper.
An initial set of jumpouts will then be held, scheduled for April 7, and a full set of trials are planned for April 28.
Providing there are no problems, a six-race industry day race meeting will be held on Thursday, May 21, as a lead-up to a return to full race days in the new racing season.
There will be no racing on the track in June and July before another meeting is planned for late August, ahead of the three-day spring carnival in September and October.
La Dulcin’ee a track specialist
A more patient ride and the return to her favourite track brought success for Hastings-trained La Dulcin’ee at last Sunday’s Wanganui meeting.
The Per Incanto mare, prepared by Patrick Campbell, scored a game half- length victory in a Rating 65 race over 1360m, her third win from 28 starts.
The six-year-old was on the quick back-up, following a third placing over 1400m at Waipukurau the previous Sunday.
On that occasion La Dulcin’ee was hunted out of the barrier by jockey Bruno Queiroz to take a clear lead but was run down in the home straight.
In-form woman jockey Leah Hemi was aboard the mare at Wanganui last Sunday and didn’t bustle her in the early stages, letting her settle behind the pace before asking her to improve.
La Dulcin’ee was caught three-wide, without cover, but Hemi had the mare travelling well and moved her up to challenge for the lead on the home turn.
She shot clear soon after and kept up a strong run to the line to comfortably hold out the minor placegetters Riomosa and Stipulator.
“She did plenty in the running but was ridden a bit quieter and was relaxed, which made all the difference,” Campbell said this week.
“And she seems to always go well at Wanganui for some reason.”
La Dulcin’ee has now had seven starts on the Wanganui track for two wins, two seconds and two thirds and is raced by Campbell in partnership with Dene Smith (Hastings) and Lee’anne Stewart from Ashburton.
Stewart’s late husband Norm originally had a share in the mare but passed away in March of last year.
Before he died he got to see La Dulcin’ee chalk up her maiden win amidst his hometown birthday celebration at Ashburton on February 23 last year.
Ironically, her latest win came just one day short of 12 months since that first win.
Campbell now intends taking La Dulcin’ee back to Wanganui for her next start.
“She is still in Rating 65 and so she can go back to Wanganui on March 14,” Campbell said.
There is a 1200-metre and a 1600-metre race that day but, now she is settling better, we’ll probably try her over 1600,” he added.
Riddell on Tulsa King for Derby
Hastings-trained Tulsa King remains on target for the Group 1 $1.4million New Zealand Derby on March 7 but will have a change of jockey for the 2400m feature.
Samantha Collectt has been aboard the three-year-old in his last two starts, for a second in the Listed Gingernuts Salver (2100m) at Ellerslie on January 11 and a fourth in the Wairoa Cup (2100m) at Waipukurau a month later.
However she now has a commitment to That’s Gold for the Derby, the horse she rode to an impressive 3-1/2 length win in last Saturday’s Group 2 Avondale Guineas (2100m) at Ellerslie.
So trainer Aaron Bidlake has engaged experienced jockey Jonathan Riddell for Tulsa King and is happy with the choice, given that Riddell rode the John Bary-trained Jimmy Choux to win the 2004 running of the New Zealand Derby.
“Jonathan has already ridden a Hastings-trained winner of the Derby and he has ridden well for me in the past so I’m pleased to have him on board,” Bidlake said.
Bidlake has kept Tulsa King up to the mark in trackwork and decided to take him to the Waipukurau jumpouts on Tuesday to give him an exhibition gallop on the course proper.
“I worked him with stablemate Trust Alone and he went super,” Bidlake said.
“They worked in from just after the winning post and quickened over the last 800 and it was pleasing work.”
Bidlake said Riddell, who was having his first sit on the Tulsa King, was really happy with the way the horse stretched out.
“Even though he is only a small horse he’s a big strider and Jonathan was impressed,” Bidlake added.
“It is now all systems go for the Derby.”
Dee has golden book of rides
Melbourne-based expat Mick Dee is set for a return to familiar territory at Ellerslie on March 7 with a strong book of Champions Day rides.
Since relocating to Victoria in his late teens, 29-year-old Dee has enjoyed immense success, interspersed with regular trips home for feature race assignments.
One notable such occasion was last year’s inaugural Champions Day when he achieved a career highlight with victory on Willydoit in the Group 1 Trackside NZ Derby (2400m) as well as the Group 3 Sunline Vase (2100m) on Island Life.
This time around Dee will partner Aksil in the Derby, while his book also includes Belle Cheval in the Listed NZB Kiwi (1500m), Lara Antipova in the Group 1 Sistema Stakes (1200m), Waitak in the Group 1 Bonecrusher NZ Stakes, Grail Seeker in the Group 2 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai Classic (1400m) and Espionage in the Group 3 Haunui Farm King’s Plate (1200m).
Last year Dee conjured a form reversal out of Willydoit after he had been unplaced in the Group 2 Avondale Guineas (2100m), and he’s hoping he can do the same again on Aksil.
In last Saturday’s Avondale Guineas, the Katrina and Simon Alexander-trained gelding, who now races in the OTI Racing colours, finished a below-par sixth after racing keenly in the early stages.
“I’ve been told he was quite fresh in what was his first run over ground and he’ll have the blinkers off for the Derby, so I’m hoping he’ll be better for the experience,” Dee said on Tuesday.
“He looked pretty good when he won at Ellerslie the time before.”
With the news that Group 1 NZ Oaks winner, Ohope Wins, is set to be transferred to Chris Waller and will not be running in the Derby, the reframed TAB futures market is now headed by Oaks runner-up Autumn Glory at $3.50, while Aksil is on the fourth line at $12.
The most fancied of Dee’s Champions Day rides is Lara Antipova, who remained unbeaten with her last-start victory in the Group 2 Matamata Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) and is currently quoted at $1.50 for the Sistema Stakes.
“I’m really looking forward to riding Lara Antipova in the big two-year-old race, she looks the best of that age-group,” said Dee.
He will also combine with another Mark Walker/Sam Bergerson-trained filly in Belle Cheval, who likewise is weighted below stable rider Opie Bosson’s minimum.
Last Saturday the Savabeel filly completed her NZB Kiwi preparation with a comprehensive win in the Uncle Remus Stakes, but Dee is keeping his feet on the ground given the challenge presented by the unbeaten Well Written.
“She certainly looks the goods that other filly, but I’m happy to be riding one that also has a strong formline – you never know what might happen.”
The prospect of being legged up on the well-proven Wexford Stables pair Waitak and Grail Seeker is also something Dee is looking forward to.
“I’m not sure what to make of Waitak’s run the other day, but I think they’re going to change things with his training and hopefully that can turn him around. On his day he can win anything.
“Grail Seeker also has strong Group One form and she’s been targeted at the fillies and mares’ race, so she should be a good ride too.
“I always enjoy coming back home to ride and it’s great to have such a solid book on what’s become New Zealand’s biggest raceday.”
Record win by Ka Ying Rising
David Hayes believes Ka Ying Rising’s extraordinary dominance can continue indefinitely after the world’s premier sprinter demolished quality opposition to post a Hong Kong record 18th successive victory in course record time in the Gr.1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m) at Sha Tin on Sunday.
Stretching his unbeaten sequence beyond Silent Witness’ longstanding mark of 17 wins, slotted between 2002 and 2005, Ka Ying Rising imperiously steamrolled his opposition in 1m 19.36s to smash the previous course record of 1m 19.92s, jointly held by Encouraging and Packing Hermod.
Jockey Zac Purton confirmed Hayes had told him pre-race “to break the track record” after he had ridden Ka Ying Rising hands-and-heels to the finish, 3-1/2 lengths clear of the opposition.
Improving his overall record to 19 wins from 21 starts – after two narrow seconds as a three-year-old – Ka Ying Rising jumped quickly from barrier three to sit second behind Copartner Prance and clocked 21.93s from the 1200m to the 800m before putting his rivals to the sword over the final 800m in a blistering 43.96s.