Latest news with #DiamondsDay
Otago Daily Times
08-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Otago Daily Times
Delightful Peg flawless in Southern Oaks
Delightful Peg delivered a tight-knit crew a special thrill when showing her true worth to win the group 2 Macca Lodge-Nevele R Stud Southern Oaks. The Canterbury pacer had flown into a gallop when taking the passing lane in her last two starts leading into Southland's premier race for 3yr-old fillies. But when driver Matthew Williamson angled the Brad Mowbray-trained filly into exactly the same spot on Diamonds Day at Ascot Park yesterday, she delivered a powerful and professional victory. Williamson and Mowbray's association dates back to around the time they produced Deliskha to run fourth in the 2017 Southern Oaks Final, making the win special for them. "That would be one of my more special wins, just because Brad has been a great mate of mine and we have had a lot to do with each other," Williamson said. "It is just super to win a nice race for him." Delightful Peg's victory also gave Mowbray and his family a moment to treasure. The pacer is raced by the trainer alongside his mother-in-law Jenny Knight and wife, Melanie. "Mel does a lot at home. She is looking after the team while we are down here," Mowbray said. "Jenny is a great supporter of ours as you would expect, so it is great to be able to win a nice race for her." While she had made errors in her last two starts, some tinkering on the training track with Delightful Peg's gear by Mowbray proved crucial in getting the filly to her best on Diamonds Day. The trainer admitted it had been a process to get Delightful Peg to become a group 2 winner, but he had had faith in her ability. "She has been a project right the way through. We are just over the moon." "We have taken small steps. There have been setbacks but times like today make it worth it," Mowbray said. Williamson landed back-to-back Southern Oaks wins having won the race last year with Flying Ellie. The reinsman was denied another group race victory late when Duchess Maria downed Who's Ya Daddy to win the group three Entain Southern Classic on Diamonds Day. Williamson's brother Nathan produced the filly for a slick and professional win in her first start. Five Crown left a strong field with few excuses when clearing out to win the day's feature for 3yr-old colts and geldings. Driver Blair Orange burnt early with the Mark and Nathan Purdon-trained pacer, who still had plenty in reserve to race away to win the group 2 Alabar Southern Supremacy Stakes. Though the pacer looked in full control throughout, Orange admitted there were some nervous early moments in the sulky. "The one draw was always in the back of my mind that it wasn't ideal for him." "I would have loved 2 or 3. I asked him for an effort early and I nearly lost him around that first corner but he gathered himself up nicely and he was pretty strong to the line." Diamonds Day's Group One feature was taken out by the red-hot favourite Jumal. The pacer delivered a powerful front-running victory for trainer Steven Reid and driver Samantha Ottley.
Otago Daily Times
08-05-2025
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
Williams' win perfect start to busy week
Tim Williams made the perfect start to his racing week; now he just hopes his form can continue. Williams and his Stonewall Stud team got yesterday's Diamonds Day warm-up at Ascot Park under way by producing Mandala for an overdue victory. The stars aligned for the 3yr-old, which is hopefully a sign of things to come for the Steve and Amanda Telfer camp when the feature races are up for grabs at Sunday's Diamonds Day meeting. "It was three years in the making, but she found the perfect race and was able to produce a result," Williams said. "The 1700m was ideal and back to the mobile — she had been missing away in stands." "We also tinkered with a bit of gear. "I wasn't sure she was going to find the markers early, but once she did I was pretty confident she would be hard to catch." Williams will jet to Auckland today to link up with a Stonewall Stud team that includes Stella Rouge, one of the key contenders in the group 1 Northern Oaks. After that, the reinsman's attention will be firmly on Diamonds Day, where the Telfer stable will start a strong lineup. Among them is group 2 Alabar Southern Supremacy Stakes hopeful CCArden. The pacer showed his worth when running a gutsy second to hot favourite Five Crowns in a recent heat of the series. "His last start, the grass probably didn't suit him but his second behind Five Crowns is a fairly good indication of how he will measure up," Williams said. "He hasn't raced the better 3yr-olds too much and probably doesn't have their ringcraft yet. "But the harder they go, the better it will suit him." Seaside Rose drops back in class on Sunday after her impressive win in the Southern Belle Speed Series Final at Winton. With the mare thriving, Williams is hopeful her excellent recent form can continue. "Drawing 8 isn't ideal, but she has proven she can rough it. "Her confidence is on the up, she seems to be improving with every run and there is no reason she can't go another nice race." Double Jeopardy looks another key threat for the Stonewall Stud team in Sunday's Regent Car Court Country Cups Final. "Initially I was a little bit disappointed with his last start at Winton, but looking at the times he probably couldn't have gone much better," Williams said. "Ascot Park should suit him if he can step away and get handy like he has been." The Telfer stable also starts Treasure Cove in the group 2 Alabar Southern Supremacy Stakes, Elektra King in the group 2 Macca Lodge–Nevele R Stud Southern Oaks, and Slots in Diamonds Day's finale.
Otago Daily Times
28-04-2025
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
After commanding Diamonds Day win, Jumal has trainer, driver in his thrall
Jumal, with Samantha Ottley at the reins, winds down having won the Diamond Creek Farm Classic at Ascot Park in Invercargill on Sunday. PHOTO: HRNZ / YOUTUBE There is only going to be one argument between Steven Reid and Samantha Ottley after Jumal's Group 1 win on Diamonds Day. The 2-year-old justified his red-hot favouritism on Sunday with a brilliant win in the Diamond Creek Farm Classic at Ascot Park. While Reid and Ottley are in agreement on Jumal being a classy customer, the pair are yet to agree on who is the bigger fan of the exciting youngster. "I think Steven thinks he's his No1 fan, but no, I certainly am," Ottley said. "He is just a wee gem. For having three starts, he is just such a wee professional. "If you look at him now, you wouldn't even know he has had a race." Ottley's high opinion of Jumal was part of the reason the reinswoman took no chances in Sunday's Group 1 feature. After runner-up Freeze Frame took the lead off the favourites early, Ottley immediately retook the front. "I thought on paper he was the best horse in the field, so I thought I would take luck out of it. "I knew he would be good in front or in behind." Reid and Ottley have formed a winning association in the months since the trainer moved from Auckland to Canterbury. The reinswoman was full of praise for the trainer, who has unearthed yet another star pacer in Jumal. "You get a lot of confidence driving for Steven," Ottley said. "He has his horses ready to go and they're very, very sharp. "I have been lucky not just to drive for this fellow, but I have had a few winners for him, and I hope it can continue." Jumal is raced by Malcolm Wrigley from Reid's old stomping ground in Pukekohe. The northern owner, who made the trip south to take in Jumal's Group 1 triumph, shares in the ownership of the pacer with Reid's partner, Bella Storer. Ottley and Reid contributed to a special result for the Dawe family on Diamonds Day with Rakero Lightning. The pacer ran second to Midnight Babe in Sunday's opener, both horses raced by Dawe Contracting. The quinella came days after the death of Ray Dawe, who owned both Dawe Contracting and Rakero Racing Stables alongside Ronnie and Kevin Dawe. Midnight Babe is by champion sire Bettor's Delight from the outstanding former race mare Beaudiene Bad Babe, who won the Group 2 Southern Oaks Final on Diamonds Day in 2009.
Otago Daily Times
25-04-2025
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
Five gems to sparkle on Diamonds Day
Months of buildup will culminate at tomorrow's Diamonds Day meeting which has served as southern harness racing's day of championships for decades. Journalist Jonny Turner has followed the form of each Diamonds Day contender through the season ang gives his take on who will be best placed when the big day arrives. Betterthancash Race 10 The saying "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" seems to apply perfectly to Betterthancash. The pacer has been brilliant in all his recent outings in the southern country cups, especially with his last-start win at Winton. Previously, Betterthancash had taken full advantage of starting from the front line, but he came off a handicap and did significant mid-race work in his big Winton Cup win. Though he again faces a handicap in the Southern Country Cups Final, 10m looks very workable for Betterthancash, who beat almost all of his key rivals in that last-start victory. All signs point to another strong effort from the four-year-old, and there seem to be even fewer reasons for punters to lose faith in him. Seaside Rose Race 8 She has been absolutely in the zone in her last two starts in Southland, and the timing of Diamonds Day 2025 could not be better for her. Seaside Rose jogged to victory in the Southern Belle Speed Series Final at Winton last weekend, not appearing as though she ran a sharp time as she cruised clear of her rivals. The mare drops in grade tomorrow, and though she starts from a tough draw in barrier 8, she looks well capable of delivering a crushing victory. Secret Agent Man poses the clearest threat to the mare. He was just OK in his last start at Wyndham but expect trainer Nathan Williamson to have the pacer finely tuned for a bigger Diamonds Day performance. Jumal Race 6 How do they beat the red-hot favourite in Diamonds Day's group 1 feature? Given he has comprehensively dealt to many of his rivals leading into tomorrow's clash, it is a question with few strong answers. Jumal has looked explosive in his short career, and though group 1 races are never easy to win, the race tomorrow appears to have come along at the perfect time for this youngster. He is trained by a master in Steven Reid, who is rarely without a classy horse in his barn. An in-form Samantha Ottley takes the reins from barrier 6, which seems the only slight negative. However, in a field of just seven — with the scratching of D Mac, who has been sold to Perth interests — that draw does not look like a massive hurdle to overcome. Julie Jaccka Race 4 Winning her last two starts would ordinarily put Julie Jaccka in an awkward spot on Diamonds Day. But rather than copping the usual 14 rating points for those victories, the mare has only gone up three thanks to the junior concession of driver Dan Anderson. That puts Julie Jaccka on a very workable 10m handicap, where she looks ideally placed against horses she has mostly beaten in recent weeks. Usually beginning smartly and possessing a nice turn of foot, she must again rate a big winning threat if she can stay handy to the speed. Practical Magic — the often tipped and regularly beaten mare who has been written about extensively in this column — is the clear danger to the favourite. She again gets the advantage of the front line and could take some catching, especially if she can put a buffer between herself and Julie Jaccka. Brewster Baker Race 5 It is concerning enough that Brewster Baker does not bring proven manners to tomorrow's juvenile trotting feature. However, most of his rivals are in the same position, being baby squaregaiters. Brewster Baker produced a brilliant win in his last start, staging a big recovery from an early gallop at Addington. While he is clearly risky, so too is his main rival and favourite, Who's Ya Daddy, who broke and then recovered to run third in the same race. While early-season trotting features for 2yr-olds are not for the faint-hearted, those who choose to play into the race can follow Brewster Baker, knowing he has shown — on exposed form — that he is the most talented horse in the field so far. It is surprising he has not been installed as the early favourite for the Entain Southern Classic, so he may offer more value tomorrow than he possibly will going forward.
