ZEDWILLDO runs in the BM 115 Hurdle over 3500m – Race 2 @ 3.30pm NZT with Dean Parker to ride in a five horse field – gave a great sight when leading most of the way in a Maiden Hurdle at Coleraine two weeks ago but blundered the 2nd last fence and spoiled his chances – meets 3 runners here who have already won over the Hurdles, so class may be an issue, but jumped well in a trial during the week and ready to run a bold race – TAB says “rough chance” – No Odds showing yet
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Tuesday 4th August

Matamata

On Monday NZTR announced the nominations for the prestigious category awards for the annual Horse Of The Year evening to be held to in Auckland on Sunday, the 6th of September at the International Convention Centre – the unbeaten LARA ANTIPOVA was a certainty to be nommed for the 2yo Of The Year Award, but it was a great thrill for the Fortuna team to see that Leaderboard has been nominated for the Champion Jumpers Award. LEADERBOARD, who was retired from racing in June, won Australia’s richest jumping race, the Grand National Steeples at Ballarat in 2025.

John says “We are thrilled and humbled to have two of our relatively small team of runners nominated for awards on this very special annual occasion which showcases the very best of our nation’s thoroughbreds. We have had a great run over the years, particularly with the Two Year Old of The Year award, winning it twice before (Darci Brahma in 2005 and Melody Belle in 2017) and nommed on two other occasions (Kapsdan in 2004 and Bellatrix Star in 2024) and of course Melody Belle won several other categories during her glittering career and was named Horse Of The Year twice in a row – Lara Antipova was a superstar as a 2yo and we are very proud of her, but to have Leaderboard nominated for the Jumpers Award is a big thrill for me personally and a great reward for his ownership group who supported him during his illustrious eight year career. And a big shout out for those Fortuna clients who have shares in both horses, Shar Amner, Sandra Upson, Brett Lidington, Mike/Darryean Glendinning, Alister Grant, John Durning and Greg Managh”

2025–26 New Zealand Thoroughbred Horse of the Year Awards Finalists & Winners

New Zealand Jockeys’ Premiership Winner: Craig Grylls

New Zealand Trainers’ Premiership Winner: Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson

New Zealand Apprentice Jockeys’ Premiership Winner: Amber Riddell

New Zealand Owners’ Premiership Winner: Gerry Harvey

Newcomer to Training – sponsored by gavelhouse.com: Ebony Turner

Champion Two-Year-Old Finalists: Dream Roca (NZ) (El Roca), Lara Antipova (AUS) (Russian Revolution) and Seize The Day (AUS) (I Am Invincible)

Champion Three-Year-Old Finalists: Belle Cheval (NZ) (Savabeel), Ohope Wins (NZ) (Ocean Park), Road To Paris (NZ) (Circus Maximus) and Well Written (AUS) (Written Tycoon)

Champion Sprinter-Miler Finalists: First Five (NZ) (Almanzor), Jaarffi (NZ) (Iffraaj), Jigsaw (AUS) (Manhattan Rain), Provence (NZ) (Savabeel) and Waitak (NZ) (Proisir)

Champion Middle Distance Horse Finalists: Kingswood (GB) (Roaring Lion), Legarto (NZ) (Proisir), and Waitak (NZ) (Proisir)

Champion Stayer Finalists: Manzor Blue (NZ) (Almanzor), Ohope Wins (NZ) (Ocean Park), Paradise Storm (FR) (Masked Marvel) and Road To Paris (NZ) (Circus Maximus)

Champion Jumper Finalists: Captains Run (NZ) (Nom Du Jeu), Jesko (NZ) (Atlante), Leaderboard (USA) (Street Cry), Nedwin (NZ) (Niagara), Suliman (NZ) (Redwood) and Taika (NZ) (Mettre En Jeu)

Jockey of the Year Finalists: Opie Bosson, Craig Grylls and George Rooke

Jumps Jockey of the Year Finalists: Emily Farr, Will Featherstone, Mathew Gillies, Jay Kozaczek and Hamish McNeill

Trainer of the Year Finalists:   Stephen Marsh, Mark Walker & Sam Bergerson (Partnership)

Owner of the Year Finalists: Brian Anderton and the Estate of Lorraine Anderton, Archer Family, Cambridge Stud, Jill Devine, John Elstob and Denise Bassett, Gerry Harvey, JML Bloodstock, Jomara Bloodstock, The Oaks Stud, Pencarrow Thoroughbreds, Tony Rider, Kelvin and Vanessa Tyler and Yulong Investments

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LARA ANTIPOVA wins Cranbourne jumpout in stylish fashion

Preparing for her debut run on Australian soil at Caulfield on Saturday 15th of August, the unbeaten three year-old Filly, LARA ANTIPOVA, was impressive when taking out a 800 meter jump out at Cranbourne on Monday morning, in the hands of Mick Dee – click HERE to see the jumpout and HERE to see Mick Dee’s post trial comments and a summary from Mark Walker.

The late Wally O’Hearn writing in 2020

Looking over the Matamata racecourse on Saturday morning, it was hard to imagine the incredible scenes that centred on the track half a century ago. Saturday, July 11 marked 50 years since jackpot fever hit Matamata, then a township with a population of just over 4000 in the town and borough. Imagine the impact of a crowd estimated at 30,000 (maybe even more) cramming the course to have a crack at the jackpot which began at $217,535.50 and by the time the first of six legs was underway it had swelled to a huge prize of $482,687 (now equates to around $8 million today).

At a cost of 50 cent per line, the jackpot was affordable to all and Peter Moran, a Te Aroha carrier, spent just $2 on his winning ticket to become the biggest individual jackpot winner. Jackpot betting had been introduced in New Zealand 16 months earlier at the Tauranga meeting with a modest opening pool of $733 and over three years ‘’jackpot fever’’ was to bring sudden riches and bitter disappointment without precedent in New Zealand.

John Christophers, then secretary of the Matamata Racing Club, recalls how people from everywhere flocked to the racecourse, either by foot, cars or train (which stopped right outside the course). “We had to employ security guards to be on duty the night before the races and even I was stopped coming into the office on race morning,’’ said John. “I had to tell them if they didn’t let me through they wouldn’t have a racemeeting. They were only doing their job.’’ 

Accountant Stephen Lindsay, a long-time MRC committee member and treasurer, recalls how the Matamata jackpot became the lead story on the front page of the Melbourne Herald and how Maurie Conder, the honorary jackpot steward, had trouble getting the jackpot forms to the course at 7 a.m., because of the traffic jams. “By 8.15 a.m. it became apparent that there were insufficient jackpot forms so a plea went to the commercial printing division of the Matamata County Mail and at 8.30 they had the presses running,’’ said Stephen. Aided by a police car with the lights flashing and the siren blazing, the freshly printed forms were escorted to the track.

Norm Crawford, who was training from his Willow Stables, clearly remembers the occasion. ‘’Everyone in town had a hell of a lot of friends wanting to stay over on the Friday night. Our place was chocker,’’ he said. ‘’There were cars parked all outside the course right down straight by the railway line and some people even slept in their cars to be ready to get into the gates when they opened. It was mayhem outside the course, but once inside the gates it was pretty well-controlled.’’ Norm recalls how difficult it was to get his horses to the racecourse on raceday. ‘’In those days we walked our horses straight out the gate and straight across the railway lines to the track, but on Jackpot day it was a problem being held up by all the cars on both sides. The cars were everywhere. It truly was an amazing racemeeting.’’ 

To this day Norm still believes he should have won the second leg of the jackpot with John Rose. Stablemate Timbrook had run second to the Dave O’Sullivan-trained Sea Dream in the first race and John Rose, ridden by Gary Bell, filled the same placing in the steeplechase behind the Hastings visitor Running Bear. ‘’John Rose was fighting it out with the winner and he got run off by him at the last fence,’’ recalls Norm. 

While huge queues of punters waiting to wager on the jackpot, with the Weekly News describing the display of human patience and tolerance as “astonishing,” the two-year-old event (a non-jackpot race) uncovered a potential superstar, Panzer Chief. Peter Moran, a passionate racing man who had raced horses, was impressed by Panzer Chief and with his major jackpot windfall he was keen to purchase him.

Danny Weatherley was Panzer Chief’s original regular rider, and had been impressed by him in trackwork and again when winning his two trials going into that Matamata debut. ‘’Old Ray Ward, a farmer from around Matamata, owned and trained him and right from the first time he worked I knew he could be something special,’’ said Danny. “He ended up drawing 24 (the outside) at Matamata and Ray thought about scratching him, but I told him even if he drew 34 he would still be too good. From his outside draw, he jumped straight to the front and bolted in (by five lengths).” 

“Just after that Peter Moran put in an offer of $20,000, but I told Ray to wait until after the next meeting at Paeroa and he would win there, too, and be worth more. He won easily again and Peter came back with an offer of $25,000 (equates to more than $400,000 now) and I told Ray he would be mad to turn it down. He needed the money to pay off his farm. He did that and still had some left in the bank.’’ 

Transferred to the Te Aroha stable of John Revell, Panzer Chief went on to extend his winning streak to nine and become one of the top three-year-olds of the 1970-71 season, winning 10 of his 21 races that term including the Group 1 win in Trentham’s George Adams Handicap against the older horses. He later went to America, where he won his first two starts in stakes races (one in track record time) and ended his career with a record of 18 wins from 1200m to 2200m.

Danny was unbeaten on Panzer Chief and will never forget Jackpot day at Matamata. ‘’Like the other local jockeys, I took my gear up to the track and put it in a locker that day before,’’ said Danny. ‘’Then on raceday I walked from the Fred’s (Beguely) stables on Burwood Road to the track. There were cars everywhere and people getting off trains, too. I’ve never seen anything like it.’’ The on-course totalisator turnover on Jackpot Day was $392,284 (over $6 million in 2020 dollars), $15,000 more than bet offcourse. As Stephen says, ‘’One can imagine the security involved for the $265,000 ($4.4 million)  placed on the jackpot that day — all in hard cold cash”

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