RACING WRAP
Racing Wrap 25th May 2025
Performance
of the Day Portland
Mark
The standout
win of the day was by Portland Mark, winning his first C5 race, with a winning
time 18.28 (4.57 & 13.71).
There were two
significant facts to this win. Firstly, his winning time of 18.28, well under
the C5 ST of 18.48, was recorded on a winter surface. The majority times for
other races on the day were well above the Grade ST.
Secondly, he
won the race at both ends. In doing so left in his trail some of the best
Northern Sprinters.
Trained by
Tracey & Lisa Craik for the Sparkle and Fade Syndicate. The win was Portland
Mark’s 15th win from 59 starts with stake earnings of $35K.
Noteworthy
Performances
·
Big Time
Central
Big Time Central led all the
way to win the All The News At Trackside (C2) Series Final in 18.64. The minor
placings going to You Turn and Undone. Big Time Central is raced by Chris
Dowman and trainer Rob Roper.
· Local primed for Restricted Age Races
Papa Kiwi and Opawa Philipa
indicated with strong wins that they are both primed for the Auckland Derby and
Auckland Oaks on Sunday 8th June 2025.
Papa Kiwi held on gamely to win the Mt Wellington TAB Stakes (C5/4) from Turtle Watch in 30.83.
While the spotlight finally focused on the ultra-consistent Opawa Philipa as she held out Grand Vue Ace in the Pump & Engineering Stakes.
· Away from the Track
Gary Martin is the newly crown
STARBETS Champion, winning the STARBETS Autumn Edition with 123.5 points.
STARBETS is an oncourse picking competition held over ten weeks,
The ‘Hot Dog’ may be a winner? The recently introduced TAB banner identifying the Hot Dog for races may be a winner. The AGRC’s total domestic turnover exceeded $300K for the first time since October 2024, excluding the Auckland Cup meetings.
Times
375m Best of Day Portland
Mark 18.28
First Section Portland Mark
4.57
Run Home Portland Mark 13.71
457m Best of the Day Papa
Kiwi 30.83
Run Home Papa Kiwi 15.13
Trainers 3 Wins Peter Heterick
2 Wins Sean Codlin and Jared Udy & Neissy Cottam
Dog to Follow
Aces
Aces, stepping back up to 527m, was an eye-catching run for third behind Opawa Philipa.
Racing Wrap 18th May 2025
Performance
of the Day Big Time
Lena
Big Time Lena,
who is currently racing in a rich vein of form, cleared out to win the Hewlett
Electrical Sprint (C5) by 5½ lengths.
Hunter Karen won
the tussle to lead and cut through the opening section in a sedate 4.50. Then
Big Time Lena asserted her superiority to take control of the race. Her winning
time 18.30 (PBT 18.27) on a track impacted by showers throughout the meeting.
This was Manukau
Spring Queen’s twelfth victory at the Manukau Stadium this season.
Noteworthy
Performances
·
Opawa Stacy
Opawa Stacy tracked Turtle
Watch throughout the race and proved too strong in the run home to snatch victory
in Mt Wellington TAB Stakes within the shadows of the winning post.
This was Opawa Stacy first run back in the Northern Region following her luckless run in the New Zeal Oaks at Christchurch. Sam is now faced with a decision as to whether it is the Waterloo Cup or the Auckland Oaks.
· Hobbyists Shine
The ‘hobbyists’ trainers enjoyed
a good day at the track winning three of the eleven races.
·
Justin Foot captured the C0 sprint with Big Time Texan,
a recent acquisition to his kennel.
·
Tom Patton brought Cartoon back to the Manukau Stadium
to win the Sportsbowl Function Centre C1 Heat in 18.75. Cartoon’s record is now
two wins from four starts at the track.an
·
The evergreen Dynamite Boy gained his second victory
at the Manukau Stadium for Kay Herbert and the Young Guns Syndicate. Sparingly
trace at Manukau his first win was in March 2023.
Times
375m Best of Day Big
Time Lena 18.30
First Section Hunter Karen
4.50
Run Home Big Time Lena 13.80
457m Best of the Day Opawa
Stacy 31.12
Run Home Opawa Stacy 15.27
Trainers 2 Wins Ron & Nyomi O‘Regan and Ross & Lynne Udy
Dog to Follow
Bumrah’s Rahul
After a tardy beginning Bumrah’s Rahul bulldozed a path through the field to get within a length of Hunter Honey.
Racing Wrap 11th May 2025
Performance
of the Day Big Time Lena
It was party
time for Big Time Lena and her Fan Club.
On her return
to the Manukau Stadium from the jump Big Time Lena quickly displayed her love
for the track as she slid across the field from box 7 to assume control of the
race. Thereafter, it was a race over situation and the current Manukau Sprinting
Queen cleared out to win her eleventh race at the track in 18.36 (BOD) by three
lengths.
Noteworthy
Performances
·
Wondering Why
Wondering Why scored a dominant
win in the Suline Stakes. From box seven she shadowed Kiwi Sea, who went through
the initial stages of the race in a solid 15.78. Across the top bend Wondering
Why cut clear of the field. Aan advantage she held to the line winning in a 30.97.
Trainers Ross & Lynne Udy are currently holidaying in Bali and no doubt they enjoyed a Bintang or two.
· You Turn
You Turn made it three wins
from five starts when winning the MPS Fencing Sprint (C1) in 18.69 (ST 18.82). Trained
by Phil Green, the son of Victoria Lu, 16 wins including 2022 Silver Bracelet, looks
to have a touch of class and he will quickly progress through the grades.
· Portland Andy
The money came for Portland
Andy who was returning from a break in racing on the downgrade. His punters
never had any concerns as he matched strides early with the speedy Waerenga
Nova. When she relented, he had total control of the race, winning by five
lengths in 18.49, run home 13.92.
Times
375m Best of Day Big
Time Lena 18.34
First Section Hunter Karen
4.54
Run Home Big Time Lena 13.78
457m Best of the Day Wondering
Why 30.97
Run Home Wondering Why 15.19
Trainers 2 Wins Peter Heterick and Mark & John Smith
Dog to Follow
Big Time Walter
Eye catching second behind Portland Andy.
Racing Wrap 4th May 2025
Racing was at
Cambridge Raceway, courtesy of Cambridge Raceway and the Waikato GRC
Performance
of the Day Hunter
Lou
Hunter Lou, who
gained a start off the reserve bench, after starting from box five sat outside
Opawa Stayer through the first section in 14.33. Applying the afterburners
across the top he spread the field. Maintaining a strong gallop, he had a two-length
margin at the winning post.
Trained by
Ross & Lynne Udy, he was the subject of solid support on the tote when racing
on the downgrade at Manukau on the 19th April. The Punters who stuck
with him were well rewarded with SP $5.50.
Noteworthy
Performances
·
Boom lateral
Boom Lateral’s stamina was to
the forefront when cleared out to win the Veteran’s Race by 3 ½ lengths in 21.55.
his 6.67 run home time being the fastest run home of the day. In January he won
the Auckland Stayers Cup (779m).
Trainer Rob Roper is currently enjoying a golden run at Cambridge, four winners from his last twelve starters.
· Aces
Aces, who is thriving on
racing, extended his winning streak to four with a dominant win in the C2 All
The News At Trackside Sprint. His time 21.29 (BOD 21.14) indicates that he can
extend this winning streak. On Thursday night he can collect a Bonus C2 win.
· Portland Ding Us
Portland Ding Us made it two
wins for the week when winning the Hewlett Electrical Sprint(C5) in 21.14 (PBT
21.02). He is becoming an ATM for Tracey & Lisa Craik and the Sparkle and
Fade Syndicate with 15 wins and stake earning s of $44k from 53 starts.
Times
375m Best of Day Portland
Ding Us 21.14
First Section Opawa Stayer
14.33
Run Home Boom Lateral 6.77
457m Best of the Day Thrilling
Muse 25.66
Run Home Gone Walkabout 6.88
Trainers 4 Wins: Jared Udy & Neissy Cottam
2 Wins Mark
& John Smith
Dog to Follow
Epic Pepper
Watch out for Epic Pepper (SP $39) back at Manukau. Fresh up since November 2025, she caught the eye parked outside the pacemaker, Suppose, and kicked on along the rail to hold second placing.
Racing Wrap 19th April 2025
Performance
of the Day Wild Pansy
The Hewlett Electrical
Sprint (C5) was tailormade for Wild Pansy. Hunter Karen led a bunched field
through the first section in a sedate 4.60, with Wild Pansy lurching around the
outside of the pack. Through the bend Wild Pansy sustained her run and took control
of the race, scooting away to win in by 2 ½ lengths in an 18.47 (BOD) Her run
home a slick 13.87.
The win was
Wild Pansy fifth win from ten starts at the Manukau Stadium since joining Ross
& Lynne Udy’s team in January.
Noteworthy
Performances
·
Hattrick of
Wins
Three kennels reaped all the
Easter Treats by training three winners on the day.
·
Ron & Nyomi O’Regan – Tilly Wormwood, Bear O’Clock
and Big Time Bumper
·
Mark & John Smith – Joe Bananas, Gone Walkabout
and Sakura
· Jared Udy & Neissy Cottam – Aces, Thrilling Nash & Waerenga Soni
For Big Time Bumper it was his first win on the track in twenty-six starts.
· Aces
Aces received a saloon passage
on the inside of Opawa Hipkin and kicked clear to record a strong win in 18.77
(ST 18.84). It also two wins in the week for the Jared Udy & Neissy Cottam
trained runner, having won at Cambridge on Wednesday.
Times
318m Best of Day Wild
Pansy 18.47
First Section Foxtrot Mila & Waerenga Nova 4.58
Run Home Wild Pansy 13.87
527m Best of the Day Gone
Walkabout 30.79
Run Home Gone Walkabout 15.03
Trainers 3 Wins: Ron & Nyomi O’Regan, Mark & John Smith and Jared Udy & Neissy Cotta
Dog to Follow
Bay Flyer
Bay Flyer recaptured his form with a strong win in the C4 sprint. Previously once on form he was a dominant force.
Racing Wrap 13th April 2025
Performance
of the Day Go Cooper
Go Cooper
made it three wins in ten days when clearing out to win the C3 Pump &
Engineering Stake by 2½ lengths.
Having recorded
a strong win in a quality restricted age race at Cambridge on Thursday night,
the Bookies had him at compressed odds. After a tardy start he weaved a path
through the field to take control of the race from Big Time Central in the back
straight and applied the afterburners to clear the field. His winning time of 30.91
was just outside his PBT 30.90, the run home 15.05.
Go Cooper is
raced by Opawa Racing Limited and Sam Lozell and trained at Putaruru by Sam.
Noteworthy
Performances
·
Phil’s Hattrick
Phi Green enjoyed a hat-trick
of wins on the day, namely You Turn, Foxtrot Mila and You Pick One, to the
delight of the punters.
Phil is no stranger to training three winners in a day but having reduced the size of his team in recent years, this was a special day. Sunday’s runners took his total number of starters at the Manukau Stadium to 69 where in recent seasons he would have lined up 200-300 runners. His UDR for the season is a .3768, second on the Manukau Stadium’ Trainers Table.
· Big Time Lena
It was advantage to the wide
runner in the Hewlett Electrical Sprint. Big Time Lena avoided the mid race shuffle,
and powered home down the middle of the track to grab victory from Hunter Karen
and Just One Grin. Trained by Peter Heterick for Stacey McCarthy this was a well-deserved
win. Big Time Lena’s most recent win was in the Silver Bracelet on Auckland Cup
Day.
· Big Time Lockey, a Living Billboard
Big Time Lockey, the silent
achiever, won his 11th race for the season (career 22 wins) and has season
stake earnings of $20k.
When the AGRC introduced the SPECA Veterans’ Races in July 2024 Big Time Lockey’s career was in a tailspin. He had recently joined Ron & Nyomi’s kennel, from Team Cole., He had the ‘Gold Card’ but was graded at C3 and regularly sat on the reserve bench. Finally in September he downgraded to C1 and qualified for the SPECA Veterans’ Races.
The downgrade reignited his racing career and he is now 14th on the GRNZ’s Greyhound of the Year Table (based on wins), with 11 wins. While he will not feature in the Nominees list for the GRNZ Annual Award he is the billboard for ‘Our Dogs Love to Race campaign.
Times
318m Best of Day Wild
Pansy 18.45
First Section Dynamic Kiwi 4.55
Run Home Wild Pansy 13.86
527m Best of the Day Unique
Sunrise 30.79
Run Home Unique Sunrise 15.03
Trainers 3 Wins: Phil Green
Wins Sam Lozell and Jared Udy & Neissy
Cottam
Dog to Follow
Highs And Lows
Highs And Lows will derive huge benefits for his race debut.
Racing Wrap 30th March 2025
Performance
of the Day Just One
Grin
Just One Grin
turned the Hewlett Electrica Sprint into a one act affair. He stepped in front and
after cutting out the first section in 4.48, he charged to the winning post in
a very slick 13.69 run home time. The overall time was 18.17 just outside his
PBT of 18.16.
Only three
other dogs have won in 18.17 or better this season, namely Jerry Cola 18.06,
Everest Sky (18.14) and Hunter Lou (18.17). So, this performance rated in the top
five fastest sprints at the Manukau Stadium this season. What made performance even
more meritorious was the track was running outside ST in all other grades.
Just On Grin
is trained by Tracey & Lisa Craik who enjoyed a wonderful day at the office
with Portland Nicky, Ingratiate and Portland Mark also winning on the day.
Noteworthy
Performances
·
You Turn
You Turn benefited from his first
race day appearance spreadeagling the CO sprint winning by 8½ lengths, his time
18.80 was well under the 18.86 ST.
You Turn is the first winner for the Bernardo-Victoria Lu litter, Victoria Lu being a Silver Bracelet winner. Trained by Phil Green for owners Faye Lockhart and the Estate of Ray Adcock.
· Boom Lateral
The Auckland Stayers Cup
winner, Boom Lateral made it back-to-back wins at the Manukau Stadium when he turned
to the C1 527m race into a romp in the park. His 30.72 winning time is well
under the 30.90 ST.
· Epic In Trouble
Epic In Trouble chalked up the
hattrick of wins at the Manukau Stadium when taking out the All The News at
Trackside (C2) Sprint in 18.76. While she enjoyed a saloon rails passage early in
the race, she drifted off the rail into the straight and had to dig deep ton
reserves to peg back Youtan Poluo.
Times
318m Best of Day Just
One Grin 18.17
First Section Just One Grin 4.48
Run Home Portland Mark 13.68
527m Best of the Day Boom
Lateral 30.72
Run Home Boom Lateral 14.84
Trainers 4 Wins: Tracey & Lisa Craik
2 Wins Ron & Nyomi O’Regan and Rob
Roper
Dog to Follow
Aldebaran
The money (SP $1.60) came for Aldebaran, who was racing on the downgrade, but he could not withstand the powerful finishing sprint of Big Time Walter.
Racing Wrap 23rd March 2025
Performance
of the Day Wild
Pansy
Wild Pansy racing
in a C5/4 took advantage of racing away from the Northern Region’s best sprinters
to score a decisive win. Starting from box 8 in a competitive race in the
opening section she applied the afterburners and took control of the race into
the bend. Thereafter, it was race over and she won by an ever increasing 4 lengths.
Her 18.35 winning time was Best of the Day and included a slick 13.74 run home.
This was her
third win at Manukau since purchased by Alan Bear and joining the Ross &
Lynne Udy Kennel after the Auckland Cup Carnival.
Noteworthy
Performances
·
The ‘Smith Show’ Rolls On
Sakura kicked to hold the
rails run into the first turn and thereafter she toyed with opposition to race
away and gain her first middle distance win. Her 30.75 was well under the 30.85
(ST) for C2 dogs. Other winners for Mark & John Smith on the day were Gone
Walkabout, who graduated to C5, and Not Like Us.
· Portland Nicky
The money came for Portland
Nicky and once the boxes opened her supporters could quickly head to the payout
queue. Trained by Tracey & Lisa Craik Portland Nicky was having her first
race day appearance since the 5th December 2024 and she had a class edge
on the opposition in the Our Dogs Love to Race Sprint (C2/1) winning in an 18.62
(ST 18.75).
· Waerenga Nova
Waerenga Nova scored her 15th
win at the Manukau Stadium when she dug deep to win the All The News at Trackside
Sprint (C3). Whilst in greyhound terms she has held a ‘gold card’ for a while she
retains the box speed to regularly feature in the quickest first sectional
times list at the Manukau. Stadium. Trained by Jared Udy & Neissy Cottam her
stake earnings now exceed $32K.
Times
318m Best of Day Wild
Pansy 18.35
First Section Waerenga Nova 4.57
Run Home Wild Pansy 13.74
527m Best of the Day Gone
Walkabout 30.59
Run Home Gone Walkabout 14.91
Trainers 3 Wins: Mark
& John Smith
2 Wins Tracey
& Lisa Craik and Jared Udy & Neissy Cottam
Milestones Sean Codlin 60th win for season
Rob
Roper 30th win for season/ 20th win at Manukau.
Peter Heterick 20th win at Manukau.
Dog to Follow
Hunter Lou
Hunter Lou will benefit from his first race day start 30 days. Plus, he will be racing on the downgrade.
Racing Wrap 16th March 2025
Performance
of the Day Thrilling
Wilma
Thrilling Wilma,
once clear of the pack steadily made ground through the bend. On straightening
she shifted wider on the track and stormed home to pick up the two speedsters,
Waerenga Nova and You Pick One, within the shadows of the winning post.
This was Thrilling
Wilma’s 13th win and took her earnings to $31k. Trained by Danialle
Elder for the Green. Smith Bright & Mcleod Syndicate. An ownership group
that also enjoyed wins on the day with Unique Sunrise and Shadowed.
Noteworthy
Performances
·
Just Loves to Win
Just One Grin made it three
wins in eight days when taking out the Hewlett Electrical Sprint (C5) in an
18.39. Race caller Aaron White aptly summed the feat up by saying Just One Grin
just ‘loves to win.’
· Hunter George
Hunter George proved too
strong as he sprinted clear to win in the All The News at Trackside Series
Final in 18.63. While he is wide runner destined for C5 ranks he continues to wander
all over the track in the straight. Trainer Rob Roper had two winners on the
day the other Big Time Hinda, who recently resumed racing after an enforced
layoff winning the last race.
· Unique Sunrise
Unique Sunrise won the Mt Wellington
TAB Stakes on the first turn when he held the lead over Spin Black. He held a
strong gallop throughout to score a strong win in a 30.59 (ST 30.77). His win made
it the 20th win for Mark & John Smith for the season at the Manukau
Stadium, equaling their 2023/24 total.
Times
318m Best of Day Just
One Grin 18.39
First Section Waerenga Nova & Go Amber 4.58
Run Home Just One Grin 13.79
527m Best of the Day Unique
Sunrise 30.59
Run Home Unique Sunrise 15.00
Trainers 3 Wins: Mark
& John Smith
2 Wins Tracey
& Lisa Craik, Ron & Nyomi O’Regan and Robert Roper
Dog to Follow
Not Another
Not Another was making ground late after jostling for racing room early.