News Briefs - October 26

Telfers retain healthy lead in premiership

Helped by B D Joe's all the way win in the Ashburton Flying Stakes on Monday, Steve and Amanda Telfer now have an eight win lead at the top of the trainers' premiership. They have 79 for the year, eight ahead of Robert and Jenna Dunn. Mark Purdon and Hayden Cullen are just one adrift on 70 after a big day at Ashburton when they won with No Matter Wat, Sherlock, Queen Of Diamonds and Millwood Nike.

The Mountain climbs to eight

With his emphatic victory at Ashburton on Sunday Muscle Mountain is now the equal most winningest horse in this country in 2022. His victory in the What the Hill Ashburton Trotters Flying Sprint was his eighth from 12 starts this year. That puts him equal with unbeaten juvenile Merlin (eight from eight) and the now sidelined Aardie's Express who won eight from nine.

Habibi Inta goes to stud

2019 Dominion winner Habibi Inta has been retired from racing and will go to stud. The eight-year-old who won 11 from 42 starts will stand at Grant and Di Beckett's Phoebe Stud in North Canterbury for $2500. One of Habibi Inta's big selling points is that he will be this country's only source of "fresh" semen from a son of champion French stallion Love You. After coming back from injury Habibi Inta only raced twice this year, finishing seventh on both occasions.

Another milestone for Dexter

Champion ex-pat driver Dexter Dunn has passed $12m in stakes earnings for the year. The 10-time Kiwi champion has now earned $12,007,251 in stakes in 2022, second only to Tim Tetrick on $12,683,110. Dunn has 258 wins, compared to Tetrick on 484, and Aaron Meriman who has the most on 706.

Wat a mare!

Mach Three mare Wat A Woman is on some winning streak. Owned by the Canterbury-based Studholme Bloodstock the 12-year-old mare's first four foals have all won over the last week. Yuko (Bettor's Delight) and Wat A Feeling (Sweet Lou) won at Newcastle, and then Manhattan (Bettor's Delight) won at Ashburton on Monday, as did No Matter Wat (A Rocknroll Dance). The mare is currently in foal to Art Major.

Wins keep coming for ex Kiwi mare

The former Mark Jones-trained pacer Braeview Kelly has become the fastest mare in Australia this season. The four-year-old won at Menangle over the weekend in 1:49.6 for trainer-driver Jack Trainor. She has now had six wins and two placings from eight starts in Australia, after having seven wins for the Canterbury-based Jones before being exported earlier this year.

Golf anyone?

Calling all golfers. The annual pre New Zealand Cup and Show week golf tournament is on at Avondale. It will be held on Sunday, November 6, just two days before the New Zealand Cup. Entry costs $50 and includes on and off course refreshments. For more information click here 

Club News : Invercargill

It will be a great evening at Ascot Park Raceway in Invercargill on Thursday (27 October) as the club hosts a Fast10 race meeting. With 8 races on the card the first commences at 5.33pm with the final race set to go at 7.53pm.It promises to be a great night with quickfire action, each race just 20 minutes apart. It is the ideal opportunity for patrons to head to the races after a day at work. The club hosted a Fast10 event last season although at the time crowd restrictions were in place so Thursday’s meeting is the ideal opportunity to check out Fast10 racing.