Push Record

Tomorrows Castletown Stakes has become a very good late season guide to three year old form and I don't think this years contest will prove any different.


The two horses with the most potential in this years race are Prince of Wales and Aspinal.


While the likely heavy track will negate a little of their class advantage the Foxton track with it's sandy base usually plays pretty fair and as long as it doesn't get gluey these two should fight it out.


Castletowns are often won off the front when the track is reasonable but horses need to get to the outside when the rains come. Both POW and Aspinal have drawn to get off the fence and judging by the Pin's fillys wayward ways on debut this could prove a blessing.


It's a tough to call but I'll plump for POW. He has a little more street smarts than Aspinal at this stage and down the short Foxton straight there is no time for star gazing.

At the $6.50 quote for Aspinal I'm going to have something as a saver though.

My roughy is Spirit of Unicorn. He'll handle it if it gets deep and he's rock hard fit.

Remember to put a cassette in the VCR.

Another Pre emptive Strike By Waikato

You could never accuse Gary or Mark Chittick of been slow out of the blocks.

In another bold move they have purchased a racing share in the four-year-old Rios.

The Chitticks have more form than Graham Burton when it comes to securing bloodstock on the rise and one imagine's they will have negotiated a buyer friendly provision to convert their shareholding into stallion shares and standing rights if the son of Hussonet fires in Melbourne this spring.

It's still an interesting move when you sit down and analyse it and given their track record you'd be a brave person to question it.

As far as genes go it's a no brainer. He offers wonderful outcross blood being totally free of Northern Dancer on his top line and through the hugely successful Last Tycoon as his dam sire he offers breeders access to the prized Mill Reef blood.

And as a son of Gussy Godiva - currently the hottest of favourites for the NZ Broodmare of the Year title - he's part of the pre eminent Sneetch/Sellou family that's been throwing up any amount of high class runners throughout Australasia and North America (Black Mamba) of late

In my opinion he's a hand short of been the ideal height for a sire but Hyperion and Northern Dancer were smaller and they weren't bad.

Interestingly in recent times Waikato have shown a trend for standing sires not considered big by modern standards. I'm thinking Savabeel, Fast N Famous and Scardee Cat.

Waikato have any amount of well bred mares by a cross section of stallions so finding compatability in terms of blood and physical makeup won't be difficult although it will be interesting to see if the double up of Last Tycoon through O'Reilly mares is pursued.

As a specimen he has the looks of an equine Hugh Jackman and I'm told by those close to the stable, the manners of Phillip Sherry. Blessed with a gorgeous head - a trait of the Sellou/Sneetch clan according to Sam Williams - if the expression black cats leave black kittens stands true he should sire some outstanding types.

Finally I come to his race record. Is it good enough ? It probably isn't as far as warranting an immediate spot in the Waikato line-up is concerned but it's better than it looks on paper.

Excuse the pun but last season he was a classic case of a horse getting extended in distance to chase the Classics and this season he didn't have much of a break from his Sydney autumn campaign before racing through the tough Hawkes Bay series culminating in the 2000m of the Kelt.

His best form has clearly been at 1400m to a mile and within that range he was able to beat the high class Alamosa in the Wellington Guineas and then run a close third with him second in the NZ 2000 Guineas.

A calculated gamble by the Chitticks or a bold move? Defintely the later with very little downside I'm guessing and a huge amount of upside.

Something tells me those Chitticks would play a pretty good hand of poker.

Affection is not part of the Equation

I had another look at her when I arrived on the salesground, actually I pulled her out twice. Yep I was falling for her bigtime. A bit lacking in the gaskins but Towkay would smarten that up an experienced studmaster and friend explained to me. She had a such a kind eye and a lovely strong yet feminine head. It was like a highschool romance.

I didn't anticipate been so nervous. I only bid to $6,500 but it was $1,500 over budget. Alas I was the underbidder. She was bought for an Asian client I discovered afterwards- their pockets are a bit deeper than ours.

A friend said later I should have bid with my heart. I'm happy enough. As someone said to me once, horses are like trains, another one is always coming round the corner. I just hope I feel the same way I felt about lot 506.

The Breeding Bug

Well, I've spent a really interesting couple of days following bloodstock agent Michael Wallace as he goes about his profession at the National Weanling, Broodmare and Mixed Sale.

You can read about my experience in next months NZ Thoroughbred.

And yes I did fall for a mare whom I m going to bid for on Wednesday. I've managed to persuade a couple of mates to come in with me and if we pick her up within budget she'll more than likely visit Towkay in the spring.

You wouldn't be able to buy a top of the range mountain bike with our budget but it's still ruddy exciting as the hours tick before she goes through the ring.

Masterton RC at Woodville

I haven't got an eye on the weather down the Island but there's a few who go round at Woodville that I thought had next up about them at the Bay meeting a fortnight ago.

Master Nagol, Katipo, Finale and Lago Rider.

The Sun May Have Gone Down But Not The Memories

The other night I stumbled across a piece about the great golfer Jack Nicklaus watching the 1973 Belmont Stakes. Jack had invited some friends around to his home to watch Secretariat's attempt to secure the triple crown. What transpired was probably the most complete performance by a racehorse, ever, anywhere.

Anyway, as the article went on, as the chestnut locomotive galloped towards the finishing line Jack dropped to his feet and started banging the floor, crying profusly while his startled guests looked on.

Asked years later by a sports commentator about this most un Nicklaus like behaviour, the 'Golden Bear' remarked "I don't know why I did that" to which the interviewer replyed "youve spent your entire life searching for perfection, and you finally saw it." Jack nodded.

Sunline's passing yesterday bought back memories of my Nicklaus like moment - in typical kiwi male style still my only one - on a public racecourse for petes sack, sober, in front of thousands.

It was the 1999 Cox Plate and the Valley was packed especially where we were on the lawn near the finish line.

It was a pretty handy cast that year. Tie the Knot, Intergaze,Sky Heights, Redoutes Choice and Testa Rosa amongst them. They could get along.

I started yelling when Sunline put the pressure on at about the 800m mark. By the time she had the field shot to pieces half way down the home straight, there were tears streaming down my face. I can still see remember my friends looking at me like what have you taken!

It may not have been quite the 73 Belmont Stakes -I was only 6 then and anyway Mohammed Ali held more of a fascination - but it was and still is my cataclystic moment following the racehorse.

You broke me down just like you did your oposition. Thanks for the wonderful memories girl. RIP

Weekend Racing

Nice place money for Pinzee.

On Saturday I only like Dezigna in the Rotorua Cup, especially with the weather looking dodgy.

He meets All In Black 2.5kgs better off at the weights, handles wet tracks (one of the few Volksraads that do) and I liked the way he hit the line at Hastings.

I'll be having something on Larry's Never Late in the SA Derby. Bit of sentiment, bred by a friend but has always looked like he'd be better in the autumn and he stays like the mother in law.

There are a couple of outstanding bets at Woodville on Sunday - if the weather holds.