Latest news with #Corowa
News.com.au
a day ago
- Business
- News.com.au
Warren, Corowa Monday previews: Country Champs winner chasing a treble
COUNTRY Championships-winning trainer Doug Gorrel shapes up for a treble at Corowa on Monday with three horses all blessed with a direct connection to a Melbourne Cup winner. First of the Wagga-housed visitors to race is Dantains Prize, which sports the same predominantly bottle green colours of Gorrel's Country Championships heroine, Asgarda. Like her, Dantains Prize was born and raised at the historic Lamont family farm, Kooringal Stud, which is also home to her sire Prized Icon. Dantains Prize's Melbourne Cup connection dates back 80 years to her eighth dam, Rainbird. As for Gorrel's filly, she is still searching for her first medal of any kind after half a dozen starts. That said, she did manage to hand in her current personal best at her most recent outing when clocking in fourth in an Albury 1400m Country Maiden. 'She's not a bad little pony in trackwork but she's yet to produce it on race day so it was good to see her run that race the other day,'' Gorrel said. 'We've taken the shades (blinkers) off to see if that helps, but she's going well, and if she wants to do it, she has certainly got some wins in her. 'It just concerns me she hasn't put one away yet but she's only had the six starts so here's hoping Monday is the day 'It's really up to her, she's cherry ripe and she's ready to win.' Gorrel meanwhile is rightfully more bullish about the winning prospects of stablemate Tycoon Artie which just happens to claim the aforementioned 1945 Melbourne Cup winner Rainbird as his ninth dam. Tycoon Artie's four white feet have carried him to four wins in his 18 starts including two of his last four appearances. His most recent victory was a comfortable win at the very same venue over the very same trip as Monday's Carlton & United Breweries Benchmark 58 Handicap (1200m). 'He's in top form and probably deserves the paddock but we're going to give him one more and then he can go and have a break,'' Gorrel said. 'He is creeping up in the weights, but I think he'll be pretty hard to beat with John Kissick on. 'He hasn't got enormous ability, but he does try.' All three of Gorrel's Corowa bound trio will be ridden by Kissick, rounded out aboard Sorry Sunshine in the final race on the card. Sorry Sunshine was bred by Gorrel, using a stallion that he says 'no one has ever heard off'. That stallion is Apologia which won once in 11 starts: an 800m maiden at Wingatui, ironically on Melbourne Cup Day in 2006. But that's not Apologia's only connection with the race that stops a nation. His fourth dam is the celebrated broodmare Taiona whose four stakes-winning offspring include Gurner's Lane which famously ran down the immortal Kingston Town in the 1982 renewal. As for Sorry Sunshine, he tackles the eminently suitable Balldale Hotel Benchmark 58 Handicap (1600m) with a solid, recent, fourth still fresh in his trainer's mind. 'I normally space his runs back he can back-up,'' Gorrel said. 'He's done it before. He backed up and won at the Wagga carnival ten days after a non-TAB meeting at Deniliquin so he can do it. 'He probably deserves the paddock too but I think there's one more in him. 'He's just starting to winter up a bit in the coat but his work has been good and it looks a good race for him.' â– â– â– â– â– DUBBO master Michael 'Mick' Mulholland aims to maintain his current hot streak when Warren hosts its first winter meeting of 2025 on Monday. Mulholland is closing in on 200 winners, nine of which have come at the track widely accepted to be the 'Randwick of the West' thanks to its long straights and sweeping bends. Two of Mulholland's last four runners are winners and while his last runner – Jasper's Way – was officially 10th of 13 at Gunnedah, it could and should have been so much different. 'He had no luck at all actually,'' Mulholland said. 'I thought he could have run in the first three if he could have kept going up the fence. 'He was running into it nicely and the 1600m will suit him right down to the ground on Monday. 'He hasn't got a real lot of gate-speed, so he'll sit back a little bit and work into it. 'He's just a big three-year-old that is still learning more than anything.' Jasper's Way is sure to start considerably shorter than his $61 Gunnedah starting price when he fronts-up on Monday for the Warren Showgrounds Class 1 & Maiden Plate (1600m). Jasper's Way is a son of the former crack two-year-old Pariah and member of one of the most notable families in the Australian Stud Book. His fourth dam is Stage Hit whose seven wins include the now Group 1 features; the Coolmore Classic and Canterbury Stakes. There is sure to be a great deal of interest centred on Mulholland-trained gelding The Impeckable which will partner Jasper's Way on the hour-long drive, west from Dubbo. A striking brown/black coloured gelding, The Impeckable hasn't raced since winning at Orange on November 22 last year but has put in the groundwork for his return with a couple of trials at Narromine and Mudgee respectively. 'I was getting him ready for a TAB Highway but a few little niggly things came into play and the weather and things like that,'' Mulholland said. 'This will be his first run back. He's fit enough but I'm just not a hundred per cent if he's a hundred per cent there though, that's all. 'Even though he has trialled good both times, I'm just not convinced myself. 'He has been against some pretty handy horses, and he's hasn't been far away all his runs, he has been very honest right through.'
The Guardian
3 days ago
- General
- The Guardian
Death of baby in Corowa home is ‘tragic' but remains a mystery, says coroner
The circumstances of the death of an apparently 'thriving' three-month-old baby remain unknown, an inquest has concluded. 'It is tragic, but we simply don't know what happened to KP,' NSW deputy state coroner Kasey Pearce said on Friday. The infant KP was found dead at his mother's home in Corowa in the NSW Riverina region in January 2022. The inquest revealed possible causes of death including drowning, suffocation and inadequate nutrition, Pearce said at the inquest in Sydney. But there was insufficient evidence in support for any of these. She said the available evidence from the inquest did not allow her to find cause, place or manner of KP's death. Pearce also rejected the account his mother gave police after KP's death, which included leaving her baby in the care of an unidentified man. 'It is implausible and inconsistent,' she said. 'Unfortunately, the result is there is no evidence leading up to the death of KP.' Pearce said the coroners court knew nothing about KP's emerging personality, but the baby was loved by his family. 'Until his premature death he seemed to be thriving,' she said. The inquest examined the actions of those involved in the care of KP and his mother before his death. These included services from the Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ), Murrumbidgee local health district and Albury Wodonga Health. There were shortcomings in the actions of the organisations, but Pearce said her findings did not suggest that KP's death could have been avoided. 'On the contrary I was impressed with the care and professionalism of all who cared for KP,' she said. ''It appeared to those who saw KP with his mother that KP was safe in her care.' In the lead-up to his birth, DCJ completed a safety assessment where potential dangers were noted including his mother's mental health and drug abuse. But KP was deemed as 'safe with a plan', provided the involvement of social workers, and the support of family and community services. In retrospect, Pearce said there were signs of increasing risk for KP after his birth. His mother missed appointments including for a dietician and lactation consultant, and did not always answer the door to social workers. 'Even on days when she was clearly aware they would be visiting,' Pearce said. In her recommendations, Pearce said the NSW Health Safe Start program should formalise its administration and governance, including the clear allocation of roles and expectations. The program offers care and early intervention programs for pregnant women and their infants, and was responsible for providing services to KP and his mother. On January 12, 2022 a family member attended the granny flat where KP lived with his mother, and heard baby cooing sounds, Pearce said. 'It is the latest point in which we can establish that KP was alive,' she said.
ABC News
3 days ago
- Health
- ABC News
NSW coroner unable to determine cause of death of baby found in freezer
A coronial inquest has found there is not enough evidence to determine the cause of death of a three-month-old baby boy whose body was found in a freezer at a rural New South Wales property. The body of the child, identified only as KP, was found wrapped in a blanket on the top shelf of a freezer at a Corowa property in 2022 after police were called to do a welfare check. The coroner, Magistrate Kasey Pearce, identified several "missed opportunities" between the mother and support services leading up to the baby's death, but found they were unlikely to have changed the outcome. The findings follow a three-day inquest held in Albury in December. The inquest heard the baby's family had been advised of the hearing but were not in attendance. No charges have been laid over the death. The inquest heard the last evidence of KP being alive was seven days before his body was discovered and that investigators suspected he died sometime during a four-day period in 2022. Magistrate Pearce said despite evidence from witnesses and medical experts during the inquest, it was not possible to determine the cause, manner or location of KP's death. "Several possibilities as to the cause of KP's death were canvassed in the evidence," she said. "The possibility of drowning, of suffocation accidental or otherwise, and the possible effects of inadequate nutrition, but ultimately the unsatisfactory state of the evidence is that none of the possibilities that were identified by the doctors rise to a level of probability." Magistrate Pearce said at the time of his "premature death", KP seemed to be thriving. The inquest heard during a police interview, the mother said she had left KP with a man who she referred to as "Only" in the days before the baby was found dead. Magistrate Pearce said she found the account given by KP's mother "inherently implausible". The coroner said there were inconsistencies in the way the mother had described the events to the police. "I am unable to accept that the events described by the mother occurred. "Unfortunately, the result is that there is simply no evidence to what occurred in the days leading up to KP's death." The inquest was told the mother had been referred to the NSW-run Safe Start program for families at risk of adverse outcomes in the perinatal period. The Department of Communities and Justice (DCJ) was also involved with the mother and baby after cannabis was detected in the baby's urine. Magistrate Pearce said the failure by DCJ to conduct a risk assessment of the case may have been a missed opportunity, but not one that was likely to have changed the outcome. She said in her opinion there were shortcomings in the DCJ practitioners' compliance with various policies and procedures, which in some respects could have been done better. But Magistrate Pearce noted her comments came with the benefit of hindsight. "I was impressed with the care and professionalism of all who dealt with KP and his family." The coroner recommended that Albury Wodonga Health and Murrumbidgee Local Health District work together to formalise the administration and governance of the Safe Start program for the catchment area.
News.com.au
18-05-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Corowa, Port Macquarie previews: What can the Pons do with a Drunken Sailor?
Former reinsman James Ponsonby is set to harness another of his bargain buys into a profit making machine when New Zealand-bred blue blood Drunken Sailor heads to Corowa on Monday. The four-year-old son of Ocean Park has banked $55,335 in the space of 11 starts for the Hawkesbury -based Ponsonby. Should he win today's Balldale Hotel Benchmark 58 Handicap (1600m), he will add another $13,950. All this from an initial outlay of just $1,250 at the Inglis January 2024 Online Sale. Drunken Sailor was purchased at Karaka at the NZB Yearling Sale in 2022 by TFI for the not insignificant sum of $220,000. They were the same original owners from whom Ponsonby purchased his iron-horse Philipsburg for $20,000 after an Aquis spend of $110,000, also at Karaka. 'The Burg', as he is known to his owners, including 2GB Radio's top-rating broadcaster John Stanley and SKY Racing presenter Andrew 'Marto' Martin, has won ten races and earned $626,142 with the promise of more to come. Drunken Sailor's Monday mission comes third-up into his present campaign and off a closing second at Queanbeyan on Mother's Day with Winona Costin in the saddle. Exceedingly Hot dominates in the third at Queanbeyan! ðŸ'° @KeatingsCoriah @nickoliveracing — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) May 11, 2025 • 'He got held up from probably the 400m basically all the way round there to halfway up the straight,'' Ponsonby said. 'Winona said he hit the line really well. 'He's obviously drawn the carpark on Monday but he comes in probably, I'd say at this stage, to barrier 12 or 13. 'John (jockey John Kissick) has had good luck on the horse in the past and hopefully he can weave a bit if magic and get him into the right spot there on Monday 'The horse is getting to mature now and he is settling a lot better so hopefully as he gets up to 2000m in the end, he'll have the manners but still have the speed of a seven furlong/miler horse so that should benefit him later on his career.' Drunken Sailor will have company on the 700km trek from Hawkesbury to Corowa in the shape of Statesville who lines-up in the Campbell's Wines Benchmark 58 Handicap over 1400m. The Aquis Farm-bred son of Written Tycoon has been underwhelming in his four starts this campaign but against considerably stiffer opposition to what he meets on Monday. 'He is probably better suited in a 58 than he has been in any of the previous races, it has just taken a hell of a long time to get his Benchmark down,'' Ponsonby explained. 'They've kept him at a reasonably high country benchmark for it seems like forever. 'So hopefully ridden quietly, we can see a bit better performance but it's been a real shame because I really used to think he was going to make a handy horse but he just didn't progress as far as I would have liked.' Ponsonby will be about as far away from Sydney as it gets to the start the week but he'll be back in town in more ways than one this weekend with the stable captain, the aforementioned Philipsburg. 'He is off to a 2400m at Randwick next Saturday and then depending on how he goes, he might have a little freshen up after that or he could head onto a Group 3 in Brisbane (Premier's Cup) the following weekend,'' Ponsonby said. 'The Burg' will be ridden on Saturday by Costin who has steered the son of Per Incanto to six of his 10 wins including those back-to-back wins at Doomben and Eagle Farm last month. â– â– â– â– â– Spring ambitions for Minervini's Gem Exciting two-year-old Gemologist claimed the scalp of a million-dollar baby on debut and will on Monday be tasked with 'beating the older horses' when he travels to Port Macquarie. The Mark Minervini -trained son of Caulfield Sprint and San Domenico Stakes winner Graff announced himself with a comfortable win in the coveted Star Kingdom held each year at Muswellbrook in May. The 2025 edition attracted a stellar line-up including the Waterhouse/Bott -trained Jet who was knocked down for $1 million at the Gold Coast in 2024. 'Gemologist is a very nice horse and I think he beat a very nice horse,'' Minervini said. 'He's done well since that win. 'He is actually owned in Port Macquarie, the owners weren't at Muswellbrook the other week but they'll be there on Monday. 'I am not too sure if he will have too many more runs this prep. We might put him away and get him ready for the spring. 'He is a couple of months away from being a three-year-old but if he could go there and beat the older horses, I think it is a feather in his cap for sure.' Gemologist gets away from them late and wins at Muswellbrook! ðŸ'Ž @Aaronbullock90 — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) May 2, 2025 Minervini meanwhile is fast closing on 500 wins; his first coming at Strathalbyn late in 1995. The former master of Morphettville was pleased to welcome another former South Australian to his Newcastle stables in 2025, namely Bella Kathleen who is on her way to Port Macquarie on Monday. A daughter of Melbourne Cup -winner Fiorente, Bella Kathleen broke her maiden status at Gawler on debut back in the winter of 2023. Her next win came on April 12 this year at what was her first run for Minervini in a Newcastle Class 1. Bella Kathleen was runner-up at her subsequent outing in the hotly-contested Godolphin Tiara. 'I wasn't disappointed in her run but I was disappointed she didn't win it at Muswellbrook but the mare that beat her, Gentileschi, got beaten in a photo on Saturday at Scone so the form there is pretty solid,'' Minervini says. Minervini's Monday kicks off in the opener with the well-bred Pratt having his first run for the barn having previously been handled by Chris Waller. 'We have tried to place him to win,'' Minervini says. 'I am really happy with him. I think he is a horse that has got a fair bit of ability.'
News.com.au
18-05-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Shayne O'Cass's best bets and Inside Mail for Corowa and Port Macquarie on Monday, May 19, 2025
Form analyst Shayne O'Cass presents his best bets and inside mail for Monday's NSW meetings at Corowa and Port Macquarie. • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! â– â– â– â– â– COROWA TIPS BEST BET Race 4 No.9 HOT ONE: Placed at three of five, was fourth and fifth at the others so is highly reliable. NEXT BEST Race 3 No.3 CHOICE WITNESS: Beat Urafiki at Albury in January. Goes well enough fresh to win this. VALUE Race 1 No.5 SUNDROP: Been all around the mark so far. Getting so close now. QUADDIE Race 4: 9 Race 5: 4,5,8 Race 6: 1,6,9 Race 7: 3,6,9 JOCKEY TO FOLLOW Lachlan King will be popular in the TAB Jockeys Challenge. COROWA INSIDE MAIL HOT ONE (9) was scratched from Echuca on Saturday to run here instead. The Wangaratta resident has placed at two of her five career starts and one of them was a solid, on-pace, third at Albury so she does handle 'our way of going'. Form reads well. SHEBRINGS BEAUTY (10) remains winless after 17 starts but she has placed eight times, four of them were seconds. Looks likely to medal again it would seem. PRIDE OF JEZZA (3) has drawn 2 and gets Blaike McDougall. HOT ONE (9) to win (best bet), exacta 9 to beat 10. ADASITI (5) was $10 into $8 when he beat a field of 14 in a Wagga Country Maiden on January 9 – and was spelled. He resurfaced there at home again on Wagga Cup day, $81 into $61, in a Class 1 and be certain that his 9th of 14 was way better than it reads. All three of TYCOON ARTIE (4) 's wins have been at 1200m. The stablemate of Asgarda is in grand form ahead of this and is blessed with a grand draw too. BET: ADASITI (5) each-way, quinella 4,5, Daily Double 1st Leg 5, 2nd Leg 6. LYSANDER (9) was scratched from a race at Parkes' Cup day meeting on Sunday. The son of Pierro has been racing in tremendous form for the whole preparation; in fact, he has won two of his last four and importantly, both were circa 1400m. SALUTE AGAIN (1) is quite a formidable horse on his best day (s). He has run well in better races than this and was devoid of luck at Wagga on Cup day. He was a near three-length winner at his only track/distance run before today. BET: LYSANDER (9) to win. WARPAINTED (6) has won twice in seven starts. He broke his maiden here in a 1400m affair at start two so he's always been handy. As for start seven, that was his first one for Donna Scott and even though he beat two home, it was the Wagga Guineas and he wasn't beaten far at all. DRUNKEN SAILOR (3) has done some good things in a relatively short time. Drawn wide so will need some luck but third-up today, he's beautifully placed and off a recent 'second'. BET: WARPAINTED (6) to win, quinella 3,6. â– â– â– â– â– PORT MACQUARIE TIPS BEST BET Race 3 No.9 LUNE D'EXCELLENCE: Sent out positive signs for the future first-up at Newcastle. NEXT BEST Race 1 No.2 PERASTA: Becoming costly but gets conditions to suit today. VALUE Race 4 No.7 RANHITA: Only won 1 from 21 but this is possibly within her reach. PORT MACQUARIE INSIDE MAIL GEMOLOGIST (5) won the coveted Star Kingdom on debut and did it comfortably in the end on a Heavy 9 at Muswellbrook. The difference today is that he is a 2YO taking on older horses which is difficult but not impossible. Good draw, Bullock remains. LOVE RAT (6) gets back in these shorter races but can really rattle on home more often than not. He was a noticeable closer in quite a deep Benchmark 58 here on a Heavy 8 first-up. BET: GEMOLOGIST (5) to win, quinella 5,6. AFRICAN DIAMOND (5) had trialled well prior to her debut run here at Port Macquarie on April 27 where she finished five-lengths third at $4.40. To be fair, it was a Heavy 8 and she was eighth of 10 at the 400m. PIEDI VELOCI (2) was tipped out after a rather encouraging debut at Murwillumbah. Market the true guide. RISK FOR REWARD (4) 's 'poor' first-up record is a little misleading. BET: AFRICAN DIAMOND (5) each-way, Daily Double 1st Leg 5, 2nd Leg 9. CALVARY (6) is a Matthew Dunn-trained direct relative of Naturalism bred to swim and that seems to be the way it has worked out with the 3YO having a win and a third on his two Heavy track runs. The win came while racing first-up as he is today. His dangers include his stablemate MISS UCHITEL (9) whose only run on Heavy was a big one. NAUGHTY NURSE (10) handles the wet admirably and won her maiden here at Port. BET: CALVARY (6) to win, quinella 6,9. BELLA KATHLEEN (9) has two wins; one at Gawler for one of her previous handlers, the other for former SA master Mark Minervini at Newcastle. Backed that up with a second to Gentelischi. YORIKIRI (7) saves his best for Port Mac; he has raced here eight times for three wins and three placings. His heavy form is more than acceptable. No reason why he can't make it win number four today. EMPUSA (10), a third generation descendant of Merlene, wears blinkers first time.
