jack

Leigh put up the following prizes:
$40 to each of the two Group winners from pool play ($20 to each member of the Group winning pair)  
$100 to the Championship play-off winners ($50 each) 
$50 to the Championship runner-up - losing Grand finalists ($25 each)  
$50 to the Plate winners ($25 each)  
$20 to the Bowl winners ($10 each) 
That works out as follows:
Kilcoyne & Canada $50 each
Jack & Manfield $45 each     (group winners + championship runner-up)
SNM & Kloppite $25 each
Double R & Basil Brush $20 each
Winner & Catalano $10 each
Usual rules - single bet, Win, Place or EW.  Suggest you post your bets on here and message Scooby as well.  Be sure to give him enough notice to place bets.

Cheers Manfield... Congrats to the Champions Kilcoyne and Canada  , It was right down to the wire... A game of inches!! Thank s to Pete , John and Scooby for well run Competition ...
Thanks All for the challengers..

Cheers Manfield... Congrats to the Champions Kilcoyne and Canada  , It was right down to the wire... A game of inches!! Thank s to Pete , John and Scooby for well run Competition ...
Thanks All for the challengers..

Cheers Manfield... Congrats to the Champions Kilcoyne and Canada  , It was right down to the wire... A game of inches!! Thank s to Pete , John and Scooby for well run Competition ...
Thanks All for the challengers..

Cheers Manfield... Congrats to the Champions Kilcoyne and Canada  , It was right down to the wire... A game of inches!! Thank s to Pete , John and Scooby for well run Competition ...
Thanks All for the challengers..

Cheers Manfield... Congrats to the Champions Kilcoyne and Canada  , It was right down to the wire... A game of inches!! Thank s to Pete , John and Scooby for well run Competition ...
Thanks All for the challengers..

Well done Canada and Kilcoyne on your narrow win.
If Snow on May had got up in the last we might have scrapped on just 
Anyway congrats on the win
 
And Jack thanks for being a great partner 
And thanks to organisers and John for his scoring 
 
Cheers
 
Good effort Jack

Geez how unlucky was Angel Capital....climbing over them.

1.  Ellerslie R3.  2/6. BB
2. Ellerslie R6.  5/6
3. Ellerslie R7.  8/12. 
4. Randwick R4.  1/4
5. Randwick R5. 1/2
6. Randwick R6.  2/6
7.  Randwick R7. 1/13
8. Randwick R8.  7/8
9. Randwick R9. 2/12
10. Randwick R10.  6/18
11. Mornington R8. 4/5
12. Mornington R9. 12/15. BB   All the best Jack ...today might be our day 
But Canada and Kilcoyne formidable team
Cheers

Well I guess that we can all have a different opinion. 
If that was my horse, I’d would have been tickled pink acknowledging him that way. 
Even Bruce Sherwin was effusive in his praise for the horse and the win. 
Liz

Toa Haka winning the $350,000 TAB Southern Alps Challenge (1600m). Photo: Race Images South Toa Haka too tough in Southern Alps final
Kevin Robertson, LOVERACING.NZ News Desk
11 April 2026 Local runner Toa Haka claimed the biggest prize of his career when he made every post a winner in the $350,000 TAB Southern Alps Challenge (1600m) at Riccarton on Saturday.
The six-year-old son of Iffraaj began his raceday career in the north in 2023 under the tutelage of Te Rapa trainer David Greene where he collected a win and four placings from 16 starts before transferring to the Riccarton base of David Walsh in late 2024.
In a further 16 starts before Saturday he had produced five wins and a further five placings and went into the Southern Alps Challenge final off the back of a game win at Ashburton over 1300m earlier in the month, which qualified him for the contest.
Such was the quality of the field, the free-going gelding was allowed to start at a generous $34 Fixed Odds quote and immediately took up pacemaking duties in the hands of in-form apprentice Amber Riddell.
Riddell dictated terms and had Toa Haka travelling powerfully rounding the home bend as they slipped clear by two lengths and asked the rest of the field to chase them down.
Although visibly tiring in the last 50m, Toa Haka clung bravely to the lead and took the major spoils by a long head from the late charging Sir Albert, Betty Spaghetti and Stonybreck who finished virtually in a line behind him.
Walsh was thrilled with the effort from a horse who has just kept on improving with age.
“What a great result as he is such a genuine horse,” Walsh said.
“He was quite immature when I got him and has just got stronger over time. He is very game and the best part about him is he gives it his all and knows where the finish line is.
“The plan today wasn’t to lead but I always say to my jockeys that if no one else wants the front don’t be afraid to go there as if you get beaten it is my fault not yours.
“Amber (Riddell) came back in and said that nobody really wanted to lead and when he jumped so well it seemed the right thing to do as he likes the track and is hard to get past when he is at his best.
“He has had three preps for us and when he has won for us he has won his next start as well, so when he is on he is really on.”
While it was his first test beyond 1400m, Walsh wasn’t worried about the distance as Toa Haka’s breeding suggested he would thrive on the challenge.
“His dam was a very good mare who won up to 2000m at Group level so I thought he would get a mile as he can relax during his races and he’s now got the maturity to cope with it,” he said.
“I don’t have any plans for him after today as I don’t make those sort of decisions on raceday and I like to see how they pull up before looking ahead.
“He goes on most track surfaces and has performed well on good tracks as well as with the sting out so we will have options for him.
“What will be interesting is how many rating points he gets from today which will have a bearing on what we do with him next.”
Out of the Darci Brahma mare Rasa Lila, who won the Gr.2 Travis Stakes (2000m) and the Gr.3 Cuddle Stakes (1600m) as well as being placed in the Gr.1 Windsor Park Plate (1600m), Toa Haka was bred by Sir Peter Vela’s Pencarrow Thoroughbreds Ltd and purchased by Greene for $40,000 out of the Pencarrow draft during the Book 1 Sale at Karaka in 2021.
He was offered for sale during the gavelhouse.com October 2024 thoroughbred auction where he was purchased by owner Brendan Hewlett for $1,800.
Saturday’s victory took his record to seven wins and nine placings from 33 starts and over $363,000 in prizemoney.

Thanks Rightfirsttime. It was a tight battle wasn't it.
Big battle for us next week

Congratulations Jack & Manfield on your semi-final win today and for progressing to the Grand Final next week. You had our measure for pretty much the whole afternoon, as Phil and I struggled to achieve the giddy heights we reached the previous Saturday. Best of luck Jack & Manfield in your Grand Final. We'll be cheering for you.
Thanks Phil for being a great team-mate. We did very well making the Semi-Final.
And most importantly, thank you John & Scooby for a wonderful competition. Has been an excellent entertainment these past many weeks. Absolutely superb administration of the comp each week, John, as always. Many thanks.
 
 

Super win by Sir Delius deserved this after his hiccup in the spring. Good he has a NZ connection as well...congrats to all involved Autumn Glow had every chance maybe 2000m a bridge too far at this stage.

...Allow the man , his moment in the sun!

...Allow the man , his moment in the sun!

Rather 'over the top' display the last 100m on Platinum Attack.
Yes a fine win was imminent - unless you fell off eh wot? Twasnt that long ago someone fell off Road To Paris when it shied near the winning post...
Pull yer head in, mate ...for your own sake, your horse's sake, and everyone's sake!
 
 

Back to work at Cafe and still catching breathe after a brilliant night of trotting at Cambridge last night. a good mate Grant taking his pacer LEAP TO FAME to world class level. was quite something . never seen anything like it before.
Back at the  Cafegallops where a strong field was assembled for Pairs action as well,  Howie and I having a crack at Chief Jack ( an old team Skipper of mine and lovely bloke ) and his partner Manfield. hope they have a great day out and Howie is primed for action like Keayang Zahara was to 'trot boldly' into the Final next week. best of luck Howie old mate 🍻. 
here we go >
1.  Randwick R1/  1 - 5
2. Randwick R2/  11 - 15
3. Randwick R3/  1 - 9
4. Randwick R4/  6 - 8
5. Randwick R5/   2 - 3
6. Randwick R6/   3 - 10
7.  Randwick R7/   13 - 14  BB
8. Randwick R8/   2 - 3   
9.  Randwick R9/       7      
10. Randwick R10/  3 - 4
11. Caulfield R8/     12 - 13  BB
12. Caulfield R9/     6 - 9          much thanks for your scoring effort John and best of luck to your team competing today. Thanks Jack, Manfield and Scooby 🏆

Thanks Jack 
So Randwick R10 is now 3 / 5
My bad, sorry SNM

1.  Randwick R1.  3/11. BB
2. Randwick R2.  4/15
3. Randwick R3. 2/7
4. Randwick R4.  6/10
5. Randwick R5. 1/3
6. Randwick R6. 3/9
7.  Randwick R7.  8/11 BB
8. Randwick R8.  8/9
9. Randwick R9.  1/7
10. Randwick R10. 3/8
11. Caulfield R8. 2/6
12. Caulfield R9. 3/6   Cheers    

here's a lovely old photo of Cardy being prepared by some of New Zealand s greatest horsemen ever. 
Here Nz Champion trainer Barry Purdon is Manning a brush on his back , and brothers Owen and quite a young Mark Purdon are oiling the hooves and sprucing the then 22 year old Cardigan Bay up for a rare visit to Alexandra Park to show off to the adoring crowd.  

1.  Randwick R1  :  1,6
2. Randwick R2  :  8,15
3. Randwick R3  :  4,9
4. Randwick R4  :  8,10
5. Randwick R5  :  1,3
6. Randwick R6  :  2,9
7.  Randwick R7  :  1,11 **
8. Randwick R8  :  1,2
9. Randwick R9  :  1,2
10. Randwick R10  :  3,4
11. Caulfield R8  :  2,12 **
12. Caulfield R9  :  6,12
Cheers

1.  Randwick R1    5x8
2. Randwick R2    9x10
3. Randwick R3    4x9       BB
4. Randwick R4    1x6
5. Randwick R5    3x4       BB
6. Randwick R6    2x3
7.  Randwick R7   1x14
8. Randwick R8    1x8
9. Randwick R9    1x2
10. Randwick R10 4x5
11. Caulfield R8     6x13
12. Caulfield R9     1x3

Best of luck to my team-mate, Phil. It's been good to get this far, my friend. It'll be great to go even further. 🙂
Good luck to our match-up rivals this week, Jack & Manfield. Hopefully we can keep you two in sight.
Thanks again for another grand comp, John & Scooby. Great fun every Saturday. Your efforts are very much appreciated.
 

It's Masterton, NOT Masteron.

You'd better believe it's true everywhere.
It would be easy to look at the UK racing industry (and that of Ireland and to an extent France) and imagine it's all sunshine and roses.
It isn't.
We race for buttons by your standards and survive on the historical tradition of our racing (which we do well) and the quality of the commercial bloodstock industry (which again we do well).
Racing and going racing is experiencing a wave of popularity - aided by some decent weather, the Easter meetings all reported very good crowds butthe industry can't survive on high days and holidays alone. The bread and butter or tripe and onions meetings are vital but don't get the numbers through the gates.
Some of our best horses end up heading to Hong Kong or Australia and we can't compete with Japan or the Middle East in terms of prize money.
If it weren't for the likes of Coolmore, Godolphin and one or two other big outfits, we'd be dead in the water.
Our governance is very different to yours - the power lies with the triumvirate of the racecourses, the horsemen and the bookies. The racecourses sell the product to the bookies who show it in the shops and via the specialist tv channels and the horsemen get their share via prize money generated from media rights coverage and racecourse income. The BHA (the equivalent of NZTR) is simply the regulatory body. The courses own the product and drive the fixture list.
The two big shadows over us currently are a) the decline in the horse population and b) changes in the taxation regime affecting the bookies. What that means is the bookies don't want to pay so much for horse racing in the shops but the horsemen need the media rights income to help with the buttons. The falling horse population either means more uncompetitive racing (for which the bookies won't pay) or fewer races (which hurts the courses and the horsemen).
The crunch may come soon if the plan is to cut the number of races by 10% in 2027 - we currently have about 10,000 races per year on flat and jumps and on all surfaces at 1,500 fixtures so you either run more six race fixtures or you drop meetings.
Ireland has the same issue but they start with fewer meetings and races so there's more capacity.
The problem is everyone wants more racing and more courses - a second synthetic in Ireland and more fixtures in the UK.
The big problem in NZ, as I see it, is the clubs don't own the product. They should, they should sell it back to Entain and use the income for track improvements and more prize money as well as creating and controlling a more horsemen-friendly fixture list so you don't get absurdities like small fields in the north and CD while SI horses are getting balloted out.