TSR Weekly Wrap | 24 April 2025
Well, it’s taken a while, but we’re set to have our first starter in New Zealand.
Unbeaten Ripples has made the trip across the ditch to contest the Gallagher Insurance Young Gun 2yo Fillies’ Series.
She has drawn gate three in a heat over 1700m at Auckland’s Alexandra Park on Friday night (April 25).
The NZ-bred Ripples is staying at Mark and Nathan Purdon’s stable at Matamata, and will be driven by Blair Orange, who won the 2023 Ballarat Pacing Cup on Copy That and will represent NZ in the 2025 World Drivers’ Championship in NZ.
The first five in the heat earn a start in a group 2 $70,000 final on May 2.
Ripples won a Bathurst Gold Tiara heat on debut last month and took out the group 1 final.
HAROLD SMITH came off 20m to take out the listed $20,000 Bendigo Trotters Cup on Wednesday night (April 23).
That’s three wins in a row for the 7yo.
He was part of a Bendigo treble for us and four winners for the day with another success at Charlton.
We have a big number of finalists for the Victorian horse of the year awards, to be presented at Melton on Monday, May 26.
2yo pacing fillies: Iveseenheavernslight, Let Her Roll, Miss Australiana
2yo pacing colts/geldings: Always Hot, Fox Dan, The Highlight Reel
3yo pacing fillies: Kiss, NZ, Showsomejoy NZ, Very Pretty
3yo colts/geldings: Bay Of Biscay, Best Deal, Miki To Success.
4yo pacing mares: Major Delight, Sweet Bella
4yo pacing entires/geldings: High Above, Perfect Class
Aged pacing mares: Ladies In Red
LATEST STABLE WINNERS
POPPY WAH WAH (Mark Pitt) 4yo gelding: Hattam Street Tyre and Mechanical Pace, 1650m, at Bendigo, April 23. MR 1:53.9 LH 55.9 LQ 27.6. Congratulations NM Stanton, F Khouiss, S Chalghin, AF Khouiss, JA Downey.
HAROLD SMITH (Mark Pitt) 7yo gelding: Bendigo Trotters Cup, 2650m, at Bendigo, April 23. MR 2:1 LH 57.6 LQ 28.7. Congratulations Avenue Bloodstock Syndicate, TD Bagrie.
DOWNBYTHETEESIDE (Mark Pitt) 3yo colt on debut: Star Sports Maiden Pace, 2150m, at Bendigo, April 23. MR 2:1.3. LH 57.4 LQ 27.3. Congratulations ABR Bloodstock, Summit Bloodstock, Imperial Racing & Bloodstock, R A Spice, BP Fitzgerald, SG Doughty, Power Group, RL Scott, J Fry, M Shuttleworth, N Rantanen-Reynolds, JGJ Roberts, MC Dedini, KA Tattoli.
TUIVASA (Mark Pitt) 3yo colt: Lianyuk Maiden Pace,. 2100m, at Charlton, April 23. MR 1:57.6 LH 56.6 LQ 28.2. Congratulations Justin Baker and Clayton.