Bagrie runners ready to fire

NEW CHUMS AND OLD STAGERS BOOST BAGRIE TEAM

Apart from some spasmodic contradictions by the weather, racing and life as we know it has returned to normal.

Accordingly, the Weekly Warble, which keeps an ear and an eye on what’s happening at Tom Bagrie’s Ohoka barn, resumes after a brief hiatus to peer through a few knotholes and around a couple of corners to see what’s going on – and what’s not – on the Bagrie estate.

Let’s look first at what won’t be seen – if that’s even remotely possible.

Two horses that were there last year are absent in 2026. Hoof It Hagrid and Sacetas, which enjoyed success when trained by Tom, are towing around a new set of colours, those of Robert and Jenna Dunn. We shall continue to follow their fortunes because they are still in the family. Robert is one of Tom’s uncles and John Dunn, husband of Jenna, is therefore one of Tom’s cousins. Some of the three horses’ owners continue to have interests in other horses that race out of the Bagrie stable.

TOMORROW AT ALEXANDRA PARK

Walkinonsunshine will be striving to improve her already accomplished record on the Auckland track when she takes on the R48 and faster fillies and mares in race 6 (7.44pm), the Group 3 H R Fisken & Sons Breeders Stakes Handicap Trot over 2700m at Alexandra Park on Friday.

In a six-horse field, her strongest opposition should be provided by Belle Neige which concedes 10m to her from the standing start.

TOMORROW AT ADDINGTON RACEWAY

Two Bagrie runners, Blue Collar and Last Honours, will be making their debut after patient preparations designed to hone their ringcraft and build their fitness as they line up against more experienced rivals.

The trotter Blue Collar (John DUNN) has cut his teeth on five trials and a workout to set him up for his first race start in race 2 (5.59pm), the Road Metals Mobile Trot, over 1980m.

He’ll leave from 4 at the barrier and, though he was labelled second favourite by the TAB bookmakers, it is a daunting assignment to leave the barrier at speed and maintain the trotting gait throughout without faltering. If he can do so under the steadying hand of John Dunn, he can make his first run a winning one.

Last Honours (John DUNN) has been primed by no fewer than nine trials and a workout for his first raceday appearance and he has much to live up to. By Bettors Delight out of Valiant Heart, the four-year-old is a full brother to the grand mare Bettors Heart, the winner of 23 of her 115 races, runner-up 15 times and placed third 16 times. For those deeds, her connections were rewarded with $590,352.

Whatever he might achieve in his career, his first win might be the most important of all because, without it, he can never aspire to be the champion that his relation was. It will be a white-knuckle moment for the Bagrie family at 6.36pm on Friday as the tape flies for the  “Thanks For 40+ Yrs Of Support Garry Thompson Pace.” It will seem a long 2600m. One thing is sure; he has been well prepared.

Hoof It Hagrid (Riley HARRISON) lines up in race 4 (7pm), the Woodlands Stud Trot, over 2000m, and Sacetas (John DUNN), after an eight-month spell, returns to the racetrack in race 5 (7.30pm), the Meg Cunneen “Hivari” Mobile Pace, over 1950m.

 

SUNDAY AT RANGIORA RACEWAY

Grass takes precedence at Rangiora on Sunday and Bella Ciao (John DUNN) should not mind that at all. She finished a close-up fifth on it two starts ago after trailing throughout with less than two lengths covering the first five to cross. She drew 2 on that occasion; on Sunday, she has drawn 1. She will be contesting race 3 (1.20pm), the Ruby Hoof Creme – Putting Your Best Hoof Forward Mobile Pace, again over 1950m. It will be her 15th start. She has had two second placings and two third placings. A win is overdue. Perhaps she’ll get it on Sunday.

Playing With Stars (John DUNN) doesn’t like grass. I was still saying so after she was unplaced on it for the 10th time and was lining up at Rangiora on February 6 to extend her run to 11 unplaced starts on grass. I was still saying it when she was sitting third last and muttering something unprintable under her breath. She doesn’t like grass. But, at the 600m, she was looking interested. Not making a lot of ground but interested. Then she started to come and kept pressing on. She was a couple of lengths behind the winner but she was second.

She’s on grass on Sunday on the same track in race 4 (1.51pm), the Canterbury Honda – Thanks For Your Assistance at CATR Pace, over 1950m – and she has drawn 1. Can she do it again? No clue. Maybe she only does it on February 6. I suppose we’ll find out.

Unlike Playing With Stars, Hi Hopes (John DUNN) definitely likes grass; 23 starts on it, 5 wins and five placings. And, on Rangiora grass, he has started three times for a win and a second placing. What he doesn’t like is drawing 14 in a 14-horse race. That is where he is drawn in race 10 (5.24pm), the Goodwin Contracting Mobile Pace, over 1950m, on Sunday. Cruel, isn’t it? After an unlucky fifth at Addington last Thursday, Sunday’s race was made for him – as long as he didn’t draw 14. John Dunn can sometimes perform wonders; maybe he can whisk something up on Sunday.

 

From Tom Bagrie