Whanganui Chronicle
  • Whanganui Chronicle home
  • Latest news
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Sport
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology

Locations

  • Taranaki
  • National Park
  • Whakapapa
  • Ohakune
  • Raetihi
  • Taihape
  • Marton
  • Feilding
  • Palmerston North

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • New Plymouth
  • Whanganui
  • Palmertson North
  • Levin

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Whanganui Chronicle / Sport

Taurus tops off memorable double

By Iain Hyndman
Whanganui Chronicle·
5 Jun, 2016 09:14 PM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save
    Share this article
Jonathan Riddell takes Taurus to the winner's post in the feature race at Wanganui Racecourse on Saturday. PHOTO/BEVAN CONLEY

Jonathan Riddell takes Taurus to the winner's post in the feature race at Wanganui Racecourse on Saturday. PHOTO/BEVAN CONLEY

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Taurus completed a perfect day for hometown trainers Evan and JJ Rayner at Wanganui Racecourse when he broke through for a deserved black type reward on Saturday.

The 7-year-old triumphed in the feature $50,000 Listed Ag Challenge Stakes, a race he had placed in twice previously including a runner-up finish 12 months ago.

"It's been a very good day and it's always nice to win your home track feature," Evan Rayner said.

Taurus, whose stablemate Hundyamonth had been successful earlier in the programme, has now won 10 races and his lengthy list of minors also includes no fewer than eight at stakes level.

"He's a very good and honest horse," Rayner said.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"We'll look at the Opunake Cup now, although he's going to end up with topweight."

Taurus, who was second in the Hawera event in 2013, could also be in line for another trip to Riccarton for a third crack at the Group 3 Winter Cup. He was runner-up three years ago and sixth in 2014.

"We'll probably have to think about it and further down the track there's the Foxbridge Plate," Rayner said.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"I won that with Baltaine a few years ago and this horse is right up there with him."

Taurus was given a cosy run behind the pace by Jonathan Riddell and they proved too strong over the final 200m for Designated Driver and Endure.

The victory, his first at 1600m, was just reward for a loyal band of owners who have supported the Rayner stable for years.

The Starry Eyed Syndicate has had some notable gallopers, including All American, arguably the Rayners' best until his untimely death, Valhalla, Doc Holiday, Wolf Pack and Just A Lover who ran third on Saturday.

The Rayners also produced Star O'Fraaj to run third.

Spokesman Graeme Berghan and several other syndicate members were on hand to witness the win. The Aucklander said syndicate members had pretty much stayed the same over the years and they had had immense fun.

Changes to barn-mate Hundyamonth's training regime and gear paved the way for the 4-year-old to post a front-running success under apprentice Holly Andrew in the Wanganui Chronicle 1340m.

"He's a thinker so we schooled him over the pony fences this morning and put the blinkers on him as well," Rayner said.

That win, too, was just reward for his large band of owners. He is raced by the St Johns Club Syndicate No1 which involves around 20 club members, including president, Royce Tunbridge.

The club was rocking on Saturday night with owners, the trainers themselves and supporters taking centre stage.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Save
    Share this article

Latest from Sport

Whanganui Chronicle

Coaching guru moves south to take role at Cricket Whanganui

Sport

Rugby: Tough preseason ahead for Steelform Whanganui

Sport

Rugby: Marist Clovers reclaim title with dominant win


Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Sport

Coaching guru moves south to take role at Cricket Whanganui
Whanganui Chronicle

Coaching guru moves south to take role at Cricket Whanganui

There will not be much 'sitting in the office and looking at a screen'.

20 Jul 05:00 PM
Rugby: Tough preseason ahead for Steelform Whanganui
Sport

Rugby: Tough preseason ahead for Steelform Whanganui

17 Jul 05:00 PM
Rugby: Marist Clovers reclaim title with dominant win
Sport

Rugby: Marist Clovers reclaim title with dominant win

17 Jul 05:00 PM


Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky
Sponsored

Solar bat monitors uncover secrets of Auckland’s night sky

06 Jul 09:47 PM
NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • Whanganui Chronicle e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Whanganui Chronicle
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • NZME Events
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP