Progress on the Hastings track re-cambering project has reached another key milestone, with a successful set of trials completed on Tuesday.
A total of 11 heats were run on a surface rated a Soft 7, with the running rail out 5 metres from the inside. All trials were conducted safely, marking an important step forward in the Return to Racing process.
Those in attendance, including senior riders, representatives from Hawke’s Bay Racing Inc., the Racing Integrity Board and the New Zealand Racecourse Managers Association, all agreed that the track performed as expected and is heading in the right direction.
The next major step will be a race meeting, scheduled for Thursday, May 21, subject to ongoing track preparation and monitoring. It will be an industry day comprising of only six races.
NZTR Head of Tracks and Infrastructure Tim Lambert commented on the track’s progress saying, “while there is still work to be done, Tuesday’s outcome provides strong confidence in the progress made to date and the path ahead.”
Fannin gives away jumps riding
Hastings-born Shaun Fannin, who has dominated the New Zealand jumps jockey ranks in recent years, has announced his retirement from hurdle and steeplechase race-riding.
It’s a decision that has been in the works for the last couple of years, with Fannin winding down his riding commitments as he focusses on developing his Awapuni stable alongside his wife and training partner Hazel.
“I am not looking to ride over fences anymore, I think that part of my life is over and I will be focussing solely on training,” Fannin said.
“I have been thinking about it for a while and it’s just Hazel and I with the horses, so the stable is dependent on us both.”
Fannin will still be eligible to ride in highweight races, as he did at Wednesday’s Woodville meeting.
In a riding career that has spanned 14 seasons, the 30-year-old horseman has won 174 races, including 23 prestige jumps events, and he has been crowned New Zealand Jumps Jockey of the Year on five occasions.
His partnership with champion jumper West Coast has been his most celebrated in recent times. The Mettre En Jeu gelding has won 12 jumping races to date and Fannin has been aboard each time.
The pair have combined to win the Grand National Steeplechase a record three times as well as the Great Northern Steeplechase (twice), the Wellington Steeplechase, Hawke’s Bay Steeplechase and Manawatu Steeplechase.
“I did ride some very good horses like Sea King, Zed Em and Tallyho Twinkletoe, and Kick Back right at the start was my favourite for a long time,” Fannin said. “But my association with West Coast and the weight that he carried for so many races, he would be my favourite.”
His association with West Coast was one of Fannin’s main driving factors to remain in the saddle, along with the rise of his own jumper Jesko.
The heir apparent to West Coast, Jesko stormed onto the jumping scene last year, winning four consecutive steeplechases, including the Wellington Steeplechase (4900m), before finishing runner-up in the Grand National Steeplechase (5600m), where Fannin was forced to vacate his ride on West Coast in favour of his own jumper.
Jesko then bounced back to claim the Great New Zealand Steeplechase (6200m), stamping his mark as the new king of New Zealand jumps racing. However Fannin said this week the horse has suffered a minor tendon injury and has been ruled out for the rest of the season.
Champion sprinter makes it 20 on end
Ka Ying Rising confirmed his status as the world’s best horse with a record-breaking victory in the Group 1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m) at Sha Tin last Sunday to crown a flawless season, sealing the Hong Kong Speed Series and extending his winning streak to 20.
The son of Windsor Park Stud stallion Shamexpress has now broken the Sha Tin track record in each of his last two runs – one at 1200m and also in the 1400m Group 1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup. His time of 1m 07.10s was slightly better than his previous record of 1m 07.12s.
Ka Ying Rising now owns six of the nine fastest times ever run over 1200m turf at Sha Tin.
After a slowly run first 200m, Ka Ying Rising accelerated over the final 400m, running a blistering 21.52s – his fastest final sectional.
Adding the Chairman’s Sprint Prize to his Group 1 Centenary Sprint Cup (1200m) and Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup triumphs completes the Hong Kong Speed Series for a second consecutive season and delivers his connections a bonus of HK$5 million. He becomes just the second horse to win the Series twice.
Stablemate Tomodachi Kokoroe flew the gates, but Ka Ying Rising was able to sit in third position with his main rival, last-start Group 1 winner Satono Reve, sitting on his outside.
Superbly ridden again by Zac Purton, the world’s highest-rated horse was urged to go at the 300m and did what he has done so often, leaving the opposition in his wake.
Despite not being ridden out, he set another track record and finished 4-1/4 lengths in front of Satono Reve, who was again behind the great sprinter.
An emotional Purton said Ka Ying Rising was something special, and it was amazing what he could do.
“It was pretty painless,” Purton said. “His speed was nice, he was in a good rhythm, and it was just a matter of him turning up and doing what he has all season, and he did that.”
Trainer David Hayes admitted he was relieved to win, given the pressure of having his horse start at such short odds when the second favourite was 90/1.
“You tend to worry that you are going to let everyone down,” Hayes said. “He doesn’t, does he? In the Year of the Horse, he is now one of the all-time greats, I think. The way he is running times and rating so incredibly well.
“A long time ago I thought he might have been the best horse I trained, and about a year ago I thought he was definitely the best horse I trained, and now I think he is one of the best horses I have ever seen.”
Hayes said Ka Ying Rising would now be spelled before defending his title in the world’s richest race on turf, the Group 1 The Everest (1200m) in Sydney in October.
Top Aussie performer Antino retired
Multiple Group 1 winner and dual Queensland Horse of the Year Antino has been retired from racing after his fourth placing in the Brisbane Handicap (1600m) at Eagle Farm last Saturday.
The Tony Gollan-trained seven-year-old was found to have heat and swelling in a tendon on his off-foreleg on Sunday.
After consultation with the owners, the decision was made to retire the striking son of Redwood from racing.
The gelding retires as a winner of 13 races from 33 starts including the Group 1 Toorak Handicap (1600m) in 2024 and last year’s Group 1 Doomben Cup (2000m). He is also a winner of consecutive Queensland Horse of the Year titles in 2024 and 2025.
In addition to his 13 career victories and seven minor placings, Antino shared a particularly good affinity with jokey Blake Shinn, who mastered the mid-race move on the exciting weight-for-age galloper to win the Doomben Cup.
“It is with tremendous sadness we have had to make this decision given the thrills and excitement he has provided the racing industry from fans to our staff and owners,” Gollan said.
NZ hope in South Australian Derby
Last start Group Three winner Geneva has earned his place in this Saturday’s Group 1 South Australian Derby (2500m), marking trainer Kylie Hoskin’s first trans-Tasman campaign.
Winner of the Group 3 Manawatu Classic (2100m) following a third-placing in the Group 1 New Zealand Derby (2400m), Geneva’s preparation on the track has been smooth sailing and, despite some travel hiccups, there is no dampening Hoskin’s enthusiasm for the challenge.
“It's really exciting to be contesting a Group 1 in Australia,” Hoskin said. “You always hope you're going to have one good enough to get over here, so it's very exciting.
“The travel has been a bit of a nightmare as the plane we were originally scheduled to fly to Melbourne on had an engine issue and was delayed.”
Rory Hutchings, who was aboard the Time Test gelding at his most recent victory at Trentham, has returned to Australia and retains the ride.
“It is good to have him on because the horse can be a little bit tough in the running,” Hoskin said.
“He doesn't always want to settle, and Rory rode him perfectly at Trentham and knows the horse well.”
The winner of three of his 12 starts, Geneva has raced every month between August and March and enters Saturday’s contest with five weeks between runs.
“We've spaced a lot of his races, so he's often had a month in between runs,” Hoskin said. “He's a naturally fit horse. I don't have to pile a heap of work into him. He eats well, and he's a pretty calm and cool character. I'm not worried about the fact he's been up a while.”
“Morphettville should suit him as he likes to go left-handed and we already know the distance won’t be a problem as he handled the distance in the New Zealand Derby, even despite copping some interference in the home straight.
“To win a Group 1 in Australia would honestly be a dream come true.”