No Change (red colours) stretches his neck out under the urgings of jockey Chris Johnson to score a narrow victory in a Rating 75 race over 1600m at Wanganui last Saturday.
Hastings trainer Paul Nelson pulled off a master stroke when he produced No Change to win a Rating 75 race over 1600 metres at Wanganui last Saturday.
The 8-year-old gelding was coming off a last start second in a 2500-metre hurdle race at Hastings three weeks before and many thought he would find the 1600m distance too short. He was overlooked by the punters and returned a dividend of $19.10 for a win and $6.60 for a place.
Aided by a great ride by South Island jockey Chris Johnson, No Change began quickly from the No 1 barrier and was prominent throughout. He trailed the leader Waipipi Lad until the home turn and then quickly took over and kept up a strong gallop to the line to win by a long head from She's Poppy and Boxachocolates.
"The 1600 metres was more like a 2000-metre race and it was a great ride by the jockey," Paul Nelson said this week.
"Gee, he [Johnson] is riding well at the moment and he certainly knows where the finish line is," he added.
Johnson doesn't exert a lot of energy when riding out a finish but keeps his mounts perfectly balanced and seems to be able to get the best out of them with just a minimum of urging.
He was mainly using just hands and heels aboard No Change over the final stages, prompting commentator Bruce Sherwin to say: "That's about as vigorous as he gets in a finish."
No Change, who was bred by Nelson and his wife Carol, has now won the couple six races and more than $97,000 in stakemoney. The Shinko King gelding's last win before this latest success was in a 2200m flat race at Waipukurau in December 2015.
Nelson is now unsure what the immediate future holds for No Change as, although he coped well with the heavy-10 track conditions at Wanganui, he does struggle in really testing conditions.
"There is not much for him as far as flat races go because he doesn't like it when it gets really heavy. He goes best on a wet loose track," Nelson said.
"There is a highweight back at Wanganui in a couple of weeks time and so we will look at that, and then he can probably run in something at Hastings at the beginning of July."
No Change's win was a welcome change of luck for Nelson. He lost one of his top performers in San Pedro, who died suddenly at the beginning of last month, and three of his other top jumpers, Second Innings, Zardetto and Rocky, have all sustained injuries that will prevent them competing this year.
He said he still has 14 horses in work including the well performed Amanood Lad, who was formerly trained in the north but has been in the Nelson stable for about six weeks.
"He seems to be coming to hand well and might have a run in the amateur riders' race at Trentham this Saturday," Nelson said.
He is also likely to line up Perry Mason and The Shackler in the hurdle race at the Wellington meeting.
Extra incentive for top punter
The winner of the 2017 Bay Ford New Zealand Punter of the Competition, to be held at the Hastings racecourse on October 7, will receive automatic qualification into the Kiwi Punting Championship in Christchurch the following month.
The Kiwi Punting Championship Final will be held at Addington Raceway on November 17 and is restricted to 40 contestants.
The winner of the Hawke's Bay competition will be provided with flights to and from Christchurch and accommodation for two people courtesy of Hawke's Bay Racing Incorporated, Addington Raceway and the New Zealand Racing Board.
The KPC final will have a total prize pool of $80,000, with the winner also qualifying to compete, on an all-expenses paid basis, at the National Horseplayers Championship in Las Vegas from February 9-11, 2018. This competition has an estimated prize pool of US$2.5 million.
Addington Raceway chief executive Dean McKenzie was thrilled to announce this first direct KPC connection with the thoroughbred code.
"The New Zealand Punter of the Year Competition at Hastings is the longest-running elite punting contest in the country and we are delighted to provide a pathway for their winner to come to Christchurch and get a shot at the $80k prize pool as well as a chance to win the trip to Vegas to play for a life-changing pot of cash."
Hawke's Bay Racing Incorporated chief executive Andrew Castles stated: "We are delighted to see a tangible connection between the horse codes and the NZRB through the two premier punting competitions in the country. This can only lead to bigger and more attractive contests for our core wagering customers, which is a win for us all."
As a central part of widening the customer base and making the KPC the go-to event for all New Zealand punters, one major change has been made to the KPC final rules set down for Show Day in Christchurch.
For the first time punters will not have to invest a minimum amount per race at Addington Raceway, rather a single turnover level qualifying criteria will be used.
This will effectively see contestants able to bet on any horse or dog race the NZ TAB takes wagering on between noon and 6.30pm on Show Day. As long as they meet the turnover criteria, which has been set at $8000 (1.6 times the starting pool of $5000) then they will be eligible to share in the $80,000 prize pool and win the trip to the NHC in Las Vegas.
Rules and event dates for the 2017 KPC will be available at www.addington.co.nz once finalised.
Battle plans laid
Trainers Tim and Margaret Carter are already eyeing the Group 1 races at this year's Hawke's Bay spring carnival for their talented 4-year-old Battle Time, who returned to his best form with a game half-length win in an open 1400m race at Ellerslie last Saturday.
The Cambridge husband and wife combination are keen to improve the entire's Group 1 record after he was placed in the Diamond Stakes at Ellerslie as a 2-year-old and in the New Zealand 2000 Guineas at Riccarton at 3. He could contest all three of the Group 1 weight-for-age races at Hastings in the spring, the Tarzino Trophy (1400m), Windsor Park Plate (1600m) and the Livamol Classic (2040m).
The Battle Paint 4-year-old's last success was in the Group 2 Couplands Bakeries Mile (1600m) at Riccarton in November last year. His form subsequently dropped away, but a third placing at Te Rapa on May 20 was a strong pointer for Ellerslie.
HB-bred unbeaten
Chopin's Fantaisie, bred by Taupo's Pat Lowry, made it two wins from two starts in Singapore with another impressive performance on Sunday.
The Pins 3-year-old scored a head victory over another promising galloper, Magic City, in a 1400m event and they were 1-1/2 lengths clear of the rest of the field.
Chopin's Fantaisie is out of the Oregon mare Golden Gamble and a full-brother to the former Hong Kong Horse of the Year in Ambitious Dragon. He was sold for $150,000 at the 2015 Karaka yearling sales and is trained in Singapore by Michael Clements.
HB Spring carnival plans
The Queensland campaign for New Zealand filly Bella Gioia is over and she will now be spelled and aimed at the Hawke's Bay spring carnival.
The New Zealand 1000 Guineas runner-up was unplaced in her Australian debut in the Group 3 Fred Best Classic (1400m) on May 25 and a decision has been made to rest the Swiss Ace filly.
"She ran into that awful track at Eagle Farm and it took the sting right out of her," trainer Shaune Ritchie said.
"We could have freshened her up and carried on, but that would take time and we felt that might impede her spring. She's having a break over there and she'll be out for another two weeks when she gets back.
"She won't lose too much residual fitness and we will have her back and ready for the spring.
"We'll probably look for something soft first-up to give her some confidence and I've got no doubt she is a Hawke's Bay carnival horse, but we'll just see what happens later on."
Serious Satire retired
Serious Satire, winner of the Group 3 Gold Trail Stakes at Hastings in October 2015, has been retired from racing.
"We didn't get to see the best of her, but that's the way it goes sometimes," trainer Stephen Marsh said.
"She's going to Exceed And Excel."
Bred and raced by David Paykel, Serious Satire won three of her 12 starts. She is a daughter of More than Ready and the Zabeel mare Zarzuela, who was a Group 2 winner and Group 1 placed.
Fenwick honoured
Allan Fenwick's services to the New Zealand thoroughbred code over many years has been recognised, being made an officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the Queen's Birthday honours list.
For 12 years, he was chief executive of New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing and was also a member of the International Cataloguing Standards Committee representing the Asian Racing Federation, as well as a board member of the TAB and the NZ Racing Authority.
Fenwick is a director of the NZ Racing Hall of Fame and is involved with the NZ Racehorse Owners' Federation, the Central Region Apprentice Academy and NZ Equine Research Foundation.
Grylls off to Singapore
Craig Grylls, who rode Willie Cazals to win the Group 1 Livamol Classic at Hastings in October last year, has been granted a three-month licence to ride in Singapore.
The 27-year-old has kicked home more than 700 winners and is in seventh spot on the national premiership with 61 winners.
His Singapore licence is effective from the issuance of the work permit.
Grylls, who comfortably rides at 53kg, also won the 2014 running of Group 1 Windsor Park Plate at Hastings while his other Group 1 victories include the Ford Diamond Stakes, Manawatu Sires' Produce Stakes, New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes, NRM Sprint and the Thorndon Mile.
Prince sold to Hong Kong
Talented colt Prince Hareem has been purchased by overseas interests and will do his future racing from the Hong Kong stable of John Moore.
The sale of the Iffraaj 3-year-old has been confirmed by Cambridge trainer Stephen Marsh, who was also involved in the ownership of the horse.
"It's very hard to win the sort of money that was on offer," he said.
"He's an extremely talented horse and he's still very much untapped."
Prince Hareem finished runner-up in his first two appearances before he won consecutive races at Hawke's Bay and at Te Rapa.
A $70,000 Karaka purchase in 2015, Prince Hareem was raced by Lincoln Farms, Dennis James, Ian Middleton and Marsh.