News Briefs : December 13

O'Reilly leading the way at AYDC

Champion Kiwi junior driver Sarah O'Reilly is a co-leader after the first night of the 1Equine Australasian Young Drivers' Championships in Queensland. The Canterbury-based O'Reilly had a win, a third and a fourth in the three heats to accrue 33 points to be on top jointly with Angus Garrard. Her win came with Beach On Fire in Heat 1, paying $17.20. Cambridge junior Zev Meredith is third on 27 points after taking out the third heat with Kash Us Back, while the third Kiwi involved Crystal Hackett is currently sixth on 16 points. There will be 10 heats in all finishing on Inter Dominion Grand Final night at Albion Park on Saturday. (Photo courtesy of Dan Costello).

Copy That goes under knife

Dual New Zealand Cup champion Copy That's racing future won't be known till next March at the earliest. The pacing millionaire has had surgery in Ballarat in Victoria to remove bone, cartilage and fragments from his knee. The star pacer, who's won 33 races, last raced in Auckland in September this year. It's expected to be three months before he returns to Lincoln Farms in Pukekohe.

Bargain buys big rewards

How's this for good buying? Aardiebytheseaside and Mantra Blue who quinellaed the $175,000 New Zealand Pacing Oaks at Addington on Sunday were purchased as weanlings for $3800 from the Woodlands Stud draft in 2020. Aardiebytheseaside was sold for $1500 and has now won over $220K in stakes, and $2300 purchase Mantra Blue has won nearly $90K. To see more click here

Stars heading south

Invercargill's huge meeting on December 22 is attracting some star talent. All Stars (Purdon Racing) have confirmed that Self Assured will head south for the $110,000 Group 1 Ascot Park Invercargill Cup as will Beach Ball who beat him on Grand Prix day at Addington last Sunday. And the in-form Oscar Bonavena will be a starter in the day's feature trot, the Group 3 David Moss Stakes.

Manning back in time for IDs

2015 New Zealand Cup-winning driver Kerryn Manning has had her first race day drive since breaking her wrist in four places at Melton in October. The 47-year-old Australian, who made history by becoming the first female driver to win the New Zealand Cup with Arden Rooney eight years ago, finished third at Horsham on Monday with The Sportz Star. She plans to complete her comeback by driving the very talented Plymouth Chubb in Saturday's Inter Dominion Trotting Grand Final at Albion Park.