News Briefs : October 19

First for Sky Major progeny

Sky Major has had his first win as a sire. The nicely named Helium, by Sky Major out of Cooking With Gas, won at Oamaru on Sunday in just his second start. He was seventh on debut. Bred by Trevor Casey, Helium is co-owned by Casey and Ken Barron, who also trains the two year old gelding. He won by three lengths, running the 2000m mobile in 2:26.6.

More records for Dexter

A world record has been claimed by champion Kiwi driver Dexter Dunn, with None Bettor winning at Yonkers. The Australian-bred pacer won in 2:20.3, a new world record for a race at the 1 1/4 mile (2000m) distance. The winning time of 2:20.6 surpassed the 2:21.6 set at Colonial Downs in Virginia 15 years ago.

Perfect six from six

Canadian driver Natasha Day completed a clean sweep when she won all six races in the Ontario women's harness racing championship. Nine drivers were involved at five different racetracks, but it was Day who stole the show, remaining unbeaten.

Another big time win for Norwegian trotter

A winner of trotting's biggest race the Elitloppet in 2020, Norwegian star Cokstile has claimed another big international race - the $1m MGM Yonkers International Trot. It was the nine-year-old's 28th win and has taken his career earnings past $2m. The 20-to-one outsider cleared out to win by four lengths in 2:23 for the mile and a quarter.

Unbeaten filly in record-breaking form

The Australasian 1609m two-year-old fillies record has been lowered by more than a second. Major Delight stopped the clock in a semi final of the NSW Breeders Challenge at Menangle on Saturday night at 1:50.5, eclipsing the old mark set by Solo Almasi in 2020. It was her fifth win from as many starts.

IRT sponsor big trot at Kaikoura

Kaikoura's feature race for the trotters has got a new sponsor. Run and won by Muscle Mountain last year as the Majestic Son South Bay Trotters Cup (Group 3) this year it will be sponsored by IRT. Your Horse. Our Passion. Majestic Lavros won the race in 2020, with I Can Doosit winning three times in a row (2010-2012) and Bordeaux going back-to-back in 2016 and 2017.