Season of triumph and tragedy
With the last day of the racing season looming on Monday, racing writer Jonny Turner looks back on the season that has been with a local perspective.
August
Miss Three Stars and Samantha Wynne prove too tough for the favourites Platinum Command and Masa Tanaka to win the Winter Cup at Riccarton.
Stunnin Dude claims the Kurow Cup at Oamaru for trainer Paul Court and driver Blair Orange.
Ngairo wins the 127th Grand National Hurdles, while Upper Cut wins the 142nd Grand National Steeplechase at Riccarton.
Titan Banner is crowed Horse Of The Year at the Otago Harness Racing Awards at Forbury Park. Phil Williamson took the trainers award, while Brad Williamson claimed best driver and best junior and Neville Simpson was recognised for his significant contribution to Otago harness racing.
White Robe Lodge stallion Ghibellines’ first foal is born, a colt out of Ali Rosa.
Oamaru trainer Phil Williamson trains his 500th winner when Pyramid Magic wins at Gore.
September
High Forty is crowned the Otago Horse Of The Year at Wingatui, his trainers, Brian and Shane Anderton, take the trainers’ award while Jacob Lowry wins jockey of the year. Willow Gen Lodge stallion Pure Champion’s first foal is born, a colt out of Pins mare Spin A Fortune. Franco Nelson wins his first race in 16 months when running down Tiger Tara to win the Hannon Memorial at Oamaru.
Quality racemare New Years Jay is retired — her career ends with eight wins from 26 starts for $67,405 in stakes.
Southern commentating great Dave McDonald is honoured at Ascot
Park for his 40 years of race calling in the South.
October
More The Better downs All Stars stablemate Ultimate Machete to win a heat of the 3yrold Sires Stakes Series at Forbury Park.
New South Wales reverses its ban on greyhound racing that was due to come into force on July 1, 2017. Jameka becomes the first 4yrold mare to win the Caulfield Cup after winning the VRC Oaks as a 3yrold. Light rain on its good2 rated track forces the Oamaru Jockey Club to abandon its race meeting.
Winx brilliantly wins her second consecutive Cox Plate by eight lengths to reaffirm her place in Australian racing history.
Captain Dolmio runs away for a threelength win in the Tuapeka Cup at Forbury Park.
November
Almandin wins the Melbourne Cup in a thrilling finish from Heartbreak City for trainer Robert Hickmott and rider Kerrin McEvoy.
Brian and Shane Anderton train five winners on Wingatui’s Melbourne Cup day programme. Jacob Lowry wins a personalbest four races on the day for the stable with Serve The Aunt, Tommy Tucker, Willow and Gallant Ruby, while Shankar Muniandy rides Waylay to win.
Ugo Foscolo wins the 2000 Guineas at Riccarton.
The Otagobred Lazarus brilliantly wins the New Zealand Cup by 10 lengths in the recordbreaking time of 3:53.1 for driver Mark Purdon, who trains the horse with Natalie Rasmussen.
American Warrior wins the New Zealand Greyhound Cup for trainers Jean and Dave Fahey. Monbet shows his class to win the Dominion Handicap at Addington, while Lazarus backs up his momentous New Zealand Cup win by downing Christen Me in a thrilling New Zealand Free For All. Otago driver Rory McIlwrick scores an undercard win with Golden Gate.
La Diosa takes the 1000 Guineas for trainers Mandy & Matt Brown and rider Racha Cuneen, while Pump Up The Volume wins the 152nd New Zealand Cup. Longserving Forbury Park administrator and ownerbreeder Viv Anngow dies.
Revelator narrowly takes the Cromwell Cup.
December
Sailesh and Jay Abernethy win the Brothers In Arms drivers series at Oamaru.
Keep The Courage provides Wingautui jockey Sha Wahab with his first win in New Zealand on his home track.
Oamaru driver Brad Williamson wins his first race in Australia when reining All About The Cash at Narrogin during the Australasian young drivers’ championship. Smolda wins the $A1.1 million Interdominion final at Gloucester Park in Perth.
Tragedy strikes the South Island horse racing fraternity when jockey Rebecca Black dies in a race fall at Gore racecourse.
Temuka trainer Brent White and stable reinsman Stephen McNally combine for a winning treble at Forbury Park with Bear’s Rest, Belmont Jet and Ultimate Fella. Hundreds gather for the funeral of fallen jockey Rebecca Black as her casket takes one final lap around Gore racecourse during an emotional tribute.
Batman rails like a greyhound to win at listed level at Wingatui for trainer Neill Ridley and rider Kylie Williams. Also at Wingatui, the Michael and Matthew Pitman score quartet of wins with Montoya Star, No Emotion and Prince Ransom and Son Of Maher.
Tommy Tucker lugs 60kg and gives his 12 opponents at least 3.5kg to win his second consecutive Timaru Cup.
Coup Darci Be shows his love for the Kurow track by claiming out the Kurow Cup.
Dream About Me wins the Auckland Cup at Alexandra Park.
January
Revelator prevails in an exciting threehorse finish to beat Kaharau and No Emotion in the Waikouaiti Cup.
Classie Brigade holds out stablemate Ears Burning to win the Central Otago Trotting Cup, while Monty Python wins the trotting free for all.
Secret Power scores a tenacious win in the Central Otago Summer Cup at Omakau, while Flag The Groom wins the Clare Memorial Gold Cup. Mossdale Conner wins the Roxburgh Cup with a powerful finish on a deeply rainaffected track that was hammered by rain hail and gusty wind.
Phil Williamson scores his 500th trotting win in New Zealand when Astral Ruler noses out Just a molly archer at Cromwell. Glenferrie Classic wins the Cromwell Cup.
A big late finish enables Raise You Ten to claim the Gore Guineas for trainers Brian and Shane Anderton and rider Courtney Barnes.
Signify takes out the Telegraph at Trentham, while Savaria wins the Wellington Cup.
The New Zealand Racing Board announces a $4.77 million industry funding boost to lift race stakes, improve old infrastructure and encourage young people into the industry.
Classie Brigade wows racegoers with a sensational win in the Invercargill Cup, the Graeme Andersontrained Eamon Maguire also wins in trackrecord time.
February
Wellknown Otago racing identity John Mills dies following a short illness.
The sponsors dominate the White Robe Lodge Handicap when
Coulee and jockey Courtney Barnes win the group 3 race over stablemate Tommy Tucker and Jacob Lowry. Residential claims the Dunedin Guineas, while La Nouvelle Vague wins the Dunedin Gold Cup.
Rising star Gingernuts wins the New Zealand Derby at Ellerslie, Chenille wins a rain delayed Auckland Cup. Bonneval wins the New Zealand Oaks at Trentham.
Bruce Negus wins four races on his former home track at Waikouaiti with Sundons Flyer, Zimfandel, Em Ay and Zulu Courage. Boomer Bailey wins the Waikouaiti Cup. New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing boosts its minimum race stake to $10,000, to the delight of local racing officials.
Dunedin Gold Cup winner La Nouvelle Vague wins the Southland Gold Cup at Ascot Park, while stablemates Residential and Starvoia produced a repeat of their Dunedin Guineas quinella in the Southland Guineas.
Terry Moseley rides his 1000th winner in New Zealand with Admiral Rous at Riccarton. Roxburgh junior driver Genevieve Crawford wins her first race on Jerry Fitz at Gore.
March
Residential and Starvoia quinella the listed 3yrold fillies race at Wingatui.
Rory McIlwrick scores career win No 100 by steering Och Aye The Noo to win at Forbury Park.Graeme Anderson scored a winning training treble with Delightful Jay, Hope And Dreams and Bakari.
Nigel McGrath trains and drives Ears Burning to win the group 3 Northern Southland Cup at Ascot Park, while Monty Python wins the group 3 Southern Lights Trot. Harness Racing New Zealand rolls out its new ratingsbased handicapping system.
Roxburgh trainers Geoff and Jude Knight and stable reinsman Matthew Williamson set personalbests when they combine to win four races with Silver Dale, Fiery Ferret, Skylla and Seduce Me. Williamson also drives Whatasista to victory to make it five wins. A daring frontrunning drive pays of for trainerdriver Hamish Hunter when Acolyte wins the Waimate Cup.
Former Wingatui trainer and jockey Rodney Marsh dies. Local Barbara Verlinden scores her first winner when Shantav wins at Wingatui for rider Samantha Wynne.
Carrying the top weight does not stop White Robe Lodge galloper Coulee from defending her South Island Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes crown at Riccarton.
Harness Racing New Zealand announces maiden race winners will receive a $1500 on top of their winning stake.
April
Patrick Erin takes the Wyndham
Cup for trainers Brian and Shane Anderton and rider Rafi Firdhaus. Jacob Lowry rides a quartet of winners with Big Hitter, Twizel Guru, Taniwha and Keep The Courage. Blair Orange drives a treble at Forbury Park with Miss Fandango, Its Elvis and Shillelagh.
Vincent wins the New Zealand Derby at Addington in the scintillating time of 3.06 for 2600m, Westwood Beach pacer Eamon Maguire finishes third.
Tommy Tucker carries 60kg on a heavily soaked Riccarton track to win his second consecutive Easter Cup for trainers Brian and Shane Anderton and rider Jacob Lowry. Waikouaiti mare Break Dance wins the Southern Belle Mares Speed Series Final at Winton.
Ali Malcolmson wins his 100th race as a trainer at Forbury Park with Mr Majestic.
The Cran Dalgetytrained Bonnie Joan scorches across a wet Forbury Park track in a New Zealand record time of 2.00.2 for 1700m.
Can’t Catch Tim lived up to his name by winning the Dunedin Cup at Forbury Park for trainer Ray Adcock.
The New Zealand Racing Board announces a $12million stakes funding boost for the three racing codes.
Matthew Williamson achieves his 600th driving win with Dream Big at Forbury Park.
White Robe Lodge leads the way at the South Island thoroughbred sales.
Tommy Tucker gets his first group race win in the group 3 Canterbury Gold Cup win at Riccarton. Waikouaiti trainer Amber Hoffman wins the North Island Breeders Stakes on a night when Temporale wins the Rowe Cup.
Ring The Bell wins the Duke Of Edinburgh Silver Collar at Manukau.
Eamon Maguire scores a runaway win in the Southern Supremacy Stakes in Invercargill.
Bonnie Joan sets her second national record in the group 2 Southland Oaks with her 3.17.1 time for 2700m, while Peter Hunter is taken to hospital after a spectacular crash in a supporting race.
May
Greyhound Racing New Zealand increases stakes by 10%.
Australian racing administrator Bernard Saundry is appointed chief executive of New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing.
Majestic Man wins the 2yrold Sires Stakes trotting final at Addington. Hamilton East MP David Bennett takes over as Minister of Racing from Nathan Guy following a cabinet reshuffle.
White Robe Lodge apprentice Corey Campbell scores his first win aboard Perceptive on a day when Brian and Shane Anderton train five winners, also preparing Taieri
Gem, Newsflash, Satin Guru and Waylay.
Spanish Armada crushes her rivals in the New Zealand Oaks at Addington.
Trainer Sally McKay is left with nasty injuries following a freakish of training accident at Ascot Park. Michael Coleman joins an elite group in riding his 2000th winner in New Zealand.
June
Heaven Rocks delivers a crushing Harness Jewels win for Mosgiel partowners Phil and Margaret Creighton.
A winning double at Wingatui takes Chris Johnson to the lead in the national jockeys’ premiership on a day when Kina Win wins the Otago Steeplechase and Delacroix claims the Otago Hurdles.
Zentangle wins the Waimate Cup at Oamaru.
Dexter Dunn notches his 200th driving win of the season on Lord Roydon at Forbury Park.
Invercargill trainer Steve Lock scores his first quinella when Noble Gamble noses out Scarlett Lane at Forbury Park.
Pat Campbell wins the winter sprint series final at Forbury Park, while Jackalack Sue takes the Winter claiming series final.
Nicci Brown honours her late friend, Rebecca Black, by riding Point Proven to an emotional win in the annual amateur riders’ race at Wingatui.
July
Wingatui rider Shankar Muniandy wins his first group 1 aboard Indian Jade in the Perak Gold Vase, while riding in Malaysia.
Chelsea Faithful rocks punters with her first training and driving win with Understudy at Forbury Park. Jacob Lowry rides his 100th winner when scoring on Bullit at Ashburton. Dexter Dunn reaffirms his place in the country’s harness racing record books by breaking his own record for wins in a season and wins his 2000th race in New Zealand on Mistahmistah at Addington.
Tim Williams drives his 300th winner with the Jamie Gamesontrained Sauchiehall at Forbury Park. Ring The Bell wins the Otago distance final at Forbury Park. A winter blast hitting the South forces the Forbury Park Trotting Club to postpone its Thursday night meeting until Saturday afternoon. Rory McIlwrick is crowned New Zealand junior drivers’ series champion at Forbury Park.
After 40 years of service, Ken Dempster judges his last race at Forbury Park.
The Oamaru Jockey Club’s July meeting is postponed, and eventually cancelled.
Former Otago breeder Ray Anicich dies.