Latest news with #BetNWin
NZ Herald
01-05-2025
- Sport
- NZ Herald
Harness racing: Cups king Dunn eyes up mighty trotting surprise at The Park
Add to that the potential fitness doubts over Bet N Win, who missed that lead-up race last Friday, and all of a sudden Mighty Logan becomes the horse to beat in the Rowe Cup. 'It is getting to the stage where he has to have a good chance,' Dunn says. 'He has the manners and if he settles handy, that gives him a big advantage over Oscar and Muscle Mountain. 'We all know how good Bet N Win is but he missed a race last week, which isn't easy when you are racing over 3200m, so a lot has gone right for us that hasn't for other horses.' Dunn says Mighty Logan always had the potential to be a Cup winner but his improvement, coupled with others' disadvantages, means his time may come sooner than expected. Still, he is a nine-win horse up against some more proven stars so will need to produce the same level of performance as last Friday to complete the double. Either Oscar Bonavena or Muscle Mountain could win without surprising while Bet N Win is talented enough and could sit handy on the markers doing no work, the usual path to 3200m glory at Alexandra Park. Earlier in the night, Dunn will partner Ya Rite Darl (Race 7, No 6) in the Woodlands Trotting Oaks against her own stablemate Frazzled and favourite Habibti Pat. Habibti Pat was the best of the three in the Derby last Friday but if Ya Rite Darl can use her gate speed to cross to the lead, that will be a huge help. The stable also has a handy filly in Cool For Cats (R8, No 1) in the Delightful Lady Final and her tactics could be crucial as, if she leads, then Australian visitor Ripples could get the race-winning trail but if she doesn't hold the lead, it becomes advantage to Alecto.
NZ Herald
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- NZ Herald
Naughty Oscar expected to be on best behaviour on Anzac Day at Alexandra Park
Oscar Bonavena finds himself in the unusual position of blowing the start from behind a mobile plenty of times in the last year, but actually being better behaved from a standing start. His biggest gaffe came in the $600,000 TAB Trot at Cambridge last start when he exploded into a full gallop at the start, extinguishing his own chances, and he was lucky not to take out eventual winner Arcee Phoenix. Purdon says the veteran trotter has been on his best behaviour in his work since and Purdon's only option is to turn the page. 'He has been really good in his work, and we all know he has been a bit funny in mobile races, but I don't think he will have any issues from a stand,' says Purdon. 'I'd love to see him step well because the horse on the front line will run along with it being only 2200m, and for the horses on the handicaps, the closer they can settle the better. 'So it could be a race where one of the big names that can step best might end up the best winning chance.' With Bet N Win, Muscle Mountain, Not As Promised and Queen Elida also back on that 10m mark Oscar Bonavena will have plenty of high-class rivals in the same boat as him. Blair Orange will partner Oscar Bonavena as Purdon is suspended and he also drives Chase A Dream in the $100,000 Dawson Harford Messenger for the elite pacers. Chase A Dream's season and maybe career looked to be in the balance after a couple of dreadful runs to start this season, but he bounced back with a huge win in the Flying Mile at Cambridge and a brave second to Leap To Fame in the $1 million Race by Betcha. With no Merlin in Friday's 2700m mobile Chase A Dream is the $2.60 favourite after drawing barrier 6, with Auckland Cup winner Republican Party the big winner in the draw, securing the ace. 'I am rapt with how he is working and I am really glad I let him miss the Taylor Mile [two weeks ago],' says Purdon. 'I think he will be hard to beat and I wouldn't be scared to see Blair use him off the gate as he will be good in front.' Michael Guerin wrote his first nationally published racing articles while still in school and started writing about horse racing and the gambling industry for the Herald as a 20-year-old in 1990. He became the Herald's racing editor in 1995 and covers the world's biggest horse racing carnivals.
