News briefs - 10th October

By Garrick Knight

Hill and Jones announce new training partnership

Two of Canterbury’s most accomplished horsemen are teaming up.

Brendon Hill and Mark Jones announced their new training partnership on Wednesday, one which will likely take flight next month.

Hill, a New Zealand Cup and Miracle Mile-winning trainer, and Jones, who has won the Rowe Cup and Dominion Trot, will still operate from their own properties for now.

“If I was to be honest, I could say we’ve both been treading water to a certain degree and this gives us both a really good lift,” said Hill in an joint statement.

“It’s something very positive and I’m keen to work really hard and give it a good crack.

“If anything, it just takes a wee bit of pressure off both of us to run this as a business together.”

Jones, who already runs a stable in New South Wales as well, described it as a new challenge – something “we all need from time to time”.

“Like Benny, I’m really looking forward to this with some excitement.

“Two good training brains coming together, bouncing ideas off each other, pre-planning our targets – it’s going to work really well.”

Star Galleria suffers injury

The New Zealand Cup campaign for the North Island’s most accomplished pacer, Star Galleria, is in serious doubt after he suffered an injury this week.

The pre-post favourite for Friday night’s Kerry Hoggard Memorial Holmes D G had to be scratched by trainer Steven Reid on Wednesday.

Reid told HRNZ he noticed a small amount of filling in a leg and, while vets remain optimistic, there is a chance it could be a major injury.

The leg will be scanned when noticeable swelling subsides, either on Friday or early next week.

Even in the best-case scenario, the setback will likely see him miss next month’s New Zealand Cup, which is less than five weeks away.

The TAB reacted to the news by drifting Star Galleria out to a quote of $41.

Full brother to Lazarus is born

Bethany, the dam of champion pacer Lazarus, foaled a full brother to her illustrious son in the early hours of Monday morning.

The colt, by Bettor’s Delight, was born in Timaru at the property of local vet Donna Williamson.

It was Bethany’s first foal in three years after failing to get in foal the previous two seasons.

He is just the third foal in seven years since Lazarus was born, the others being the Nigel McGrath-trained four-year-old, Artstanding, and an unsighted American Filly three-year-old called Beautifilly.

All three were bred by Mosgiel breeder Gavin Chin, who is said to thrilled at Bethany’s last offering.

Lazarus is currently standing his first Down Under season at stud, based at Yirribee Pacing Stud in New South Wales.