Well that was much better, Chase A Dream and Merlin stepped up last night 🤗 whew thank gawd for that.....all the Trot slots look filled, just 2 to go in the Pacers.....Oscar had his mind on the job 😆 givin NAPromised and Bet N Win a good look as his rump, good warm up for next week....   Cheers Iraklis

You are so right 😀

American Promise may have secured a Kentucky Derby (G1) spot in winning the $500,000 Virginia Derby March 15 at Colonial Downs, but his Derby preparations are not over.View the full article

I didn't hear Mark, thank for that info. Yes, driven patiently is the answer with high speed horses like Chase and DSD. As you say, storming around the field full throttle to get to the front or parked takes its toll on most horses. Swayzee and Leap To Fame can do it but most horses aren't as tough as that pair of champions. 

Great times PS 😀

I don't think so Janitor as he has performed well at Auckland before . But I think Mark just wanted to win so he could speak to the pretty Brittany after the race lol . But seriously and no doubt you would have heard Mark . He couldn't understand why he performed so bad at Auckland , because he was working well , so that's why he lined him up and added the Blinds . Like you I couldn't back him after the Auckland run .  Horses aren't stupid and with Mark back on its makes a big difference because he is so patient . I reckon if drivers loop the field , attack and give horses real gut busters a few times , often they simply give up and don't try in races 

Scratching replacement Trentham R9- 3,9 Thanks.

I agree. I follow Chase A dream but gave up after his poor run at Alex Park. ??Tonight, wow, the real Chase aDream was on show. Bolted in, jogged it. Perhaps he prefers the left hand track?

Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert has called upon Mike Smith to fill in for Tyler Gaffalione, who sustained a broken ankle in a starting gate mishap, to ride Madaket Road in Saturday’s $1 million Florida Derby (G1) at Gulfstream Park. View the full article

Japan's top sprinters mix it up in the Takamatsunomiya Kinen (G1) March 30 at Chukyo Racecourse, a race marked in recent years by big upsets.View the full article

So much has happened in the real world since American Pharoah swept the 2015 Triple Crown and capped his 3-year-old season with a historic "Grand Slam" win in the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) at Keeneland. View the full article

Keeneland opens its spring meet on Friday, April 4, to launch 15 days of exceptional Thoroughbred racing, featuring 19 stakes worth a spring meet record $9.4 million. View the full article

It's a quiet weekend up here but we do have a flat card at Leopardstown on Sunday which features three Group 3 races including the Ballysax over 2000m which has been the starting point for any number of Coolmore champions over the years. Just seven go - Aidan O'Brien has three, Joseph O'Brien has two and Adrian Murray has the other two for AMO Racing. Ryan Moore rides DELACROIX who is currently 16/1 for the Derby. On his final juvenile run, he was beaten a nose in the Racing Post Trophy by HOTASZHELL. It remains to be seen just how ready the Ballydoyle horses are - they often need a run and Aidan himself alluded to the fact they "might be better by the end of April, beginning of May" so not a race in which to play but interesting to see if DELACROIX is a serious classic contender. We've also got the entries through for the first day at Aintree's meeting - the ground is currently Good, Good to Soft in places and being watered as our long dry spell continues. Four championship races on the first afternoon - the Manifesto Novices Chase over 4000m features Arkle winner JANGO BAIE who needed every inch of the 3200m at Cheltenham and this will be a big help. He faces a strong challenger in HANDSTANDS who beat him a short head in the Scilly Isles at Sandown in early February. It seems Willie Mullins won't have as big a squad this year as last when he was competing for the British Trainers' Championship but he has entered IMPAIRE ET PASSE who won his first two chases well but was only third to BALLYBURN at the Dublin Festival. The Triumph Hurdle form is well represented in the Boodles 4-y-o Hurdle over 3200m. Cheltenham runner up LULAMBA looks a key player on this sharp track and should confirm the form with fourth placed LADY VEGA ALLEN and sixth placed HELLO NEIGHBOUR. Aintree's version of the Gold Cup is known as the Brooklands Golden Miller Bowl over 5000m. No sign of the leading Cheltenham performers as you might expect and the lightly raced GREY DAWNING has been put in at 15/8 favourite. The highlight of the first day looks to be the Aintree Hurdle over 4000m where CONSTITUTION HILL, who was a faller in the Champion Hurdle, bids to get his career back on track. He faces Mares Hurdle winner LOSSIEMOUTH, the useful BRIGHTERDAYSAHEAD and an intriguing and fast improving performer in WODHOOH who won a warm 4000m handicap hurdle at Cheltenham. Much more when we get the final declarations on Tuesday.

Queen Azteca takes on males in the UAE Derby (G2) April 5 at Meydan Racecourse. She will be the lone Scandinavian on the card, and a first ride on the big night for Carlos Lopez.View the full article

The Road, presented by Gainesway and Darby Dan FarmView the full article

You do meet some great people over the years in harness racing. JD was definitely one of them and a great eye for a horse too. and a lucky streak too. I always feel gained something good for life from his confidence and good will.  One trip in the 80's, we took his nice Colt to Adelaide but got beaten by top Vic man Vinnie Knight . which was pretty normal and not unusual at all,  but afterwards we tottered off to the brand new Casino that had opened in the old Adelaide Central train station, and people were queued right down the block at near midnight to get in . ( Many losing their holiday/Christmas pay in one sitting that went in , as had no idea what they were doing with it being all new to them.  so JohnD says "F ..this  . follow me young fella" , and we went right up front of queue and JD flashes his badge from the Auckland Star paper.'  '' Journo !!" he declares at the door, and they let us straight in lol.😁  Then JD sits with his mates drinking and gossiping for a couple of hours , constantly giving me casino chips to take to the tables for him (being a young bloke first time in something like that as well)   while he relaxes. so he never went near A gambling table. but Kept giving me a chip's to put on for him on this and that. roulette mainly . and he won a few bob and kept slinging me chips so I was well in front too 😆. we often bounced good luck off each over the years. nothing better than harness racing as a sport. and been great to meet blokes like JD (and Jim Smith)  along the way. 

Only met JD once but left a lasting impression with his generosity and joie de vivre. Always remember a story a bar owner mate of his told us about JD.  He had been in Auckland hospital for an operation on his leg,  still  on crutches,  on the way  home he stopped the taxi while he went into mate's bar for a beer.    His mate  made the mistake of telling  him a joke, JD laughed so hard he banged the operated leg on the table, hobbled out to still waiting taxi and it headed back to the hospital.   Reckon shortest discharge ever.  There are too few genuine , decent characters in this life they we can afford to lose people like JD.  

Yes we are going to suspend you but we will still let you drive next Friday in the two slot races. After that when you will not have any important drives we will suspend you so you can sit it out with no penalty at all. Well played Mr Purdon running rings around the stipes as usual. CHASE A DREAM - pre-race warmed. Driver M Purdon admitted a charge under Rule 869(3)(b) in that he drove carelessly by allowing his runner to shift inwards near the 1400m when not sufficiently clear causing interference to LITTLE SPIKE which broke losing all chance. After viewing the replays and hearing submissions on penalty the Adjudicative Committee suspended Mr Purdon's driver's licence from the conclusion of racing on 4 April up to and including 22 April 2025 (4 days).

It was funny . I looked at the field , saw Chase a Dream and thought why is Mark starting him after last week lol