Butch Castles previews a big second day of the Hawkes Bay Spring Carnival with Bevan Sweeney and the racing at Riccarton Park with Matt Cross ahead of this weekend.
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Racing New Zealand
Breakfast with the Kiwis (27/09/2024)
A.B.C. Thursdays. Welcome back. Grey's Anatomy is all new. Why didn't you tell me you were pregnant? The drama going down. Bunchy jumper from the bridge. Your cord snapped. You need all hands on deck. Is unbelievable. You think your gods give to this hospital? You're just another doctor. My relationship with Catherine is complicated. I'm going to sue you. Your lawyers know where to find me. You're unbelievable. Grey's Anatomy. Only Thursdays, 10/9c on ABC. And stream on Hulu. Live on SCN Track. Welcome to Breakfast with the Kiwis. Kickstart your day of racing. Have breakfast with the Kiwis. Head to Love Racing, go Ben's in. Good morning. Welcome to Breakfast with the Kiwis. Great to be with you for another edition of the show as we get towards the end of September. And a big couple of days coming up across New Zealand in racing, of course. Butch Castle, the CEO of Waikato Throw Red Racing, is with us here again. Morning. Butch, how are you? Yeah, good thanks, Jordan. Yeah, really looking forward today to of the Hawkes Bay Spring Carnival feature race, the Aerofield stud plate. Great to have such an iconic Australian brand sponsoring a Group 1 race here in New Zealand. So looking forward to that, of course, the AHD Animal Health Direct Hawkes Bay guineas on the undercard as well, which will be a cracking race. Absolutely. Two guests on the programme today, as we chat about Hawkes Bay and Rickard and Park as well. Matt Cross will be with us in just a moment. But to begin proceedings this morning, butch, let's have a chat to Bevan Sweeney, who's with us again on the programme. Morning, Bevan, how are you? Yeah, good morning. 10, great to be joining you for the second day of the Spring Carnival. I'm just on my way up to the bay. And there is a little bit of rain around. However, I think it's just about the amount that they would have possibly put on an irrigation. So we look as they will be set for another great trek on Saturday. Yeah, played so well the first day. Bevan, everything got their chance. Rail goes out to four metres, which shouldn't make too much of a difference. Got some really good fields, the first of them. I thought we'd look at race three. The Robin McTaggart Cup, a couple of scratchings out of Friday at Terrapa, Master Faye, and Wild Night, the two that are in the market. Yeah, well, Master Faye, we know it's call it. The race didn't go to plan for him. It put up a last time. It was very good. I put a row of kayak. We'll remember that win at LSE. So he is a horse who had a bit of beef on him, butch when I saw him originally. And that's what Terrapa said, post-hets. The weight just had to come off, if it has. He's the clear top selection in that particular race. He's a very, very sharp sprinter. He gets him with 56.5 from a good drawer. And Finney Colgan is a board. Other dangers? Well, we just don't know about Wild Night, do we? But the market sees that he's going to run a race here on Saturday in. One I'm really interested in keeping an eye on is a mere called no rain either. Of course, she was placed, or she was a winner on Black Top. Sorry, I reckon at the end of last preparation. I think she was sprint pretty well. I know Bill Cello was quite keen on her new chances when she didn't get to compete the other day. And she gets another good gait with just 53. But the master fake clearly top selection in the race. Race five, cracking renewal of the AHD Animal Health Direct. Hawkes Bay, Guinea's unbridled joys come out, which robs it of a little bit of interest. But Gee, poetic champion was good the first day. These have been some really good efforts from Whiskey and Roses as impressed me with its two wins and captured by Love Ren into a high, high class filly when ran her up put on the first day. Which way'd you go and even rest? - It's an interesting race. Product champion, he'll be interesting at the 1400 meters. And I don't think he'll get that easy sort of sit on tempo. This set of a with a lardie and a couple of others going forward to put a bit of pressure into it. So he is a good horse though. If he gets his own way in front, he can be very, very dominant. Captured by Love, she is lovely for me when she walked into the boot cage. The other day, I thought, wow, she's a real up-and-comer. And she was bitten by maybe a really top one on Alabama last, but she chased really hard and the sectionals were good. She's favourite in the market. I'm going to go outside here. The two-year-old that's gone to three, and I think really has improved to seven-glee, the three-year-old cop by seven-year-old. But the win at tempo was outstanding. And second status is winning against Sam behind poetic champion last time. But the last bit of this horse's work was fantastic. I think it can land a little bit closer to them. It really did unleash very strongly. So I'm savagely over captured by Love and a poetic champion if he gets that soft-leged rod on the mix. And look, the Cuban-wise figure around Heath Lucid, my gut tells me this is a serious, serious horse. He's on a path to the Derby. But look, it wouldn't surprise him if he pokes his head up in this feature. - Big improver for me, super photon. Money says, 17s, into 8s, gets the barrier. And Sam Weatherly to ride. He was just too good as a two-year-old to discount yet I reckon. Right out, the Arrowfield stud plate, feature group one level. Pretty even in the betting stakes around a couple of Meers in the skew-wiff. Mulk time in the market as well. Fereg Leone was, Sefereg Leone was very good. The first day, El Ventsidor showed at the end of last prep that he's a genuine wait for a group one horse. Even race, probably not the strongest renewal we've had for a while, but very even. - Yeah, very, very even. And I think luck will be a major player in this sort of race. I would've been very keen on Mulk time bringing that different form one to the race. If she hadn't drawn out, I just can't see her getting in the first half of the field. In fact, I think she might be back large with Oyo, Cess Bomb. The young man, Akles and Carol, very talented to finish, holds the ride. Look, this is really strong tempo in this race. She can get home and it's very quick over the last couple hundred meters, but it'll take some ride for her to win. Before, El Ventsidor, you would think, would lead, and I think Fereg Leone comes across and gets us set outside here. I think it makes those two serious players in the race. If skew-wiff from that draw, of course, who's the services of OP Boston can get us what one off then she is a major danger. Look, I'm really hopeful, butch. We get a little bit more rain. I'm really hopeful that Fereg Leone can get the job done for Josh Shaw. She has been very, very good for him over quite an extended period now. Of course, she was second in the good one on day number one. Maybe she's a little bit suspect at 1,600 meters, but if she sits outside, El Ventsidor, she'll be right there at the finish. I think El Ventsidor will run a race, skew-wiff another one in the market that should be heading the line strongly. And the Puma Bell says she's a right-run butch. I don't think she's out of this as well. She's got a lot of quality. Look, often a mile starts, a great starter, that had a lot of courses, a big long run down the back, but it is indeed said horror-started hostings, isn't it? Well, it's a real decision moment, and if the horse isn't concentrating, then you can be in a terrible spot very, very quickly on the corner. So, lack does play a factor in how this all shakes out. Skew-wiff is a very good mirror as we saw last season in Australia. I think you'd be through the money for her. You'd think Opie gets, and I'm going to go fairly early on, the over-skew worth just by a very short margin. El Ventsidor will ride in the mix of mine, or for an on-speed position. And if everything went right for malt-time, there would be absolutely no support if malt-time could pick up a group one. Yeah, it'd be wonderful for us, Lawson, Carol, I saw an interview with him earlier in the week, and it was just fantastic how excited he was and how thrilled he was with the opportunity to ride this mirror who he referred to, and said if she was a human, she'd definitely be his girlfriend. So, he's just beside himself with excitement, and good luck to him. He's a much, much improved rider in the North. Right out of the Sioux Homes Memorial Cup, the other open handicap on the card, 2,000 metres. Real interest here for our Australian listeners with roles, and Maddie Raymond across to hopefully they thought run in the Arrowfield, and then the Liverpool Mall hasn't got a run in the Arrowfield, so I'd want to be pretty competitive in a race fight, this, wouldn't it? Yeah, you'd have to think so. But, of course, of course, that's one, what, 750,000. So, he comes into this even with the 59, and nicely through. I don't think they'll also have it all as own way with a couple of other talented types. And here, I think Muza beam will really improve, sickened up on better track conditions, and nearby Elmin Zor. I've always respected Prince Elby. He's getting a couple of kilos off and specked down to the 58 and a half, and Kelvin Tolar is really good at travelling a horse into the North Island. I think the race falls away. A friction post, those, the odyssey is going nicely enough. There's money for category for the feminine and chauffeur team, but there often is the process. Blinkers on, they're down to the 51 kilos. Should make it really competitive, but, look, if you're going to go on a great one, you should be winning this even with the 59. Yeah, it should well be. And the last, I thought, was a really good bidding race, but there's one in here that's a great pro. Ice nines and threes might have been knocked off a little bit, and that's kind thoughts. Didn't get all favours the first day. Gee, it's a good horse when it's right this year. I know that they hold her in pretty high regard. Ken and Hill out of the pike stable as well, but your 9.50 and 3.20 for kind thoughts. That'd do me. You're reading my mail, butcher of King Day 1, and I did speak to Katie that day, and I said, "Well, maybe 1,400 metres, it takes her a long time to wind up." Well, she gets to 1,600 metres on Saturday. Grills aboard, decent sort of gate. She just needs to posy up. And it'll be a process of watching through the day, but if she can posy up, it's that little bit closer. I think she's an outstanding bit on the programme like you. I think maybe the best value across the day. You know, there's some quality in here. She was brilliant on Day Number 1 for Kevin Myers. Steven's always had a big opinion of still being on. Ken and Hill, they'd have to run on Day Number 1, but was also pretty good behind a smart one and what's in, you know, length and weight. It's best if he got a bit of rain, would be a little bit dangerous. But I'm with, you know, all of the con thoughts and probably have beat on the programme for both of us. Wow, we couldn't both be wrong, Swin, surely. (laughing) Well, it happened before, but as you know. (laughing) What's the best on the card outside of that one is the best each way. Oh, well, I don't want to put any pressure on our friend Rambo, but I think Sunset Boulevard just is in the right race. So I think it meets a week of race in it. Meet on Day Number 1, it's got an inside gate. It was only beating the link behind Chief. Should get the trailing position again. It's around about 350 in the market, right? And Elliot keeps the rider a lot. That race, just two more ice seats that it was down to the ground. It has been a little erratic, but it seems to be getting better and better with time. So get your money, you'll need to go on kind thoughts late on Sunset Boulevard. Well, I don't know that I can have a bit in race one and wait till race nine, but anyway, (laughing) I'm scared to talk. (laughing) Again, you're not the only one. (laughing) Thanks, Swains. Have a good day in the bag. All right, mate. Yeah, have a good day today. (mumbles) Cheers. There have been 20 with us on the program here on Breakfast with the Kiwis. On the other side of the break, we'll have a chat to Matt Cross to round out the show. That's next. (upbeat music) Your list needs a breakfast with the Kiwis. Love Racing.NZ. Your home of New Zealand thoroughbred racing news, previews, reviews, profiles and more. Welcome back to Breakfast with the Kiwis here on SCN. Great to be with you, Butch Castles, the CEO of Waikato thoroughbred racing with us. And as we continue on our preview of the weekend with Hawkes Bay and Rickard and Park coming up, it's time to chat to Matt Cross on the program here. Butch as we welcome him in. Hello, Matt, how are you? Yeah, very good. Thanks, Jordan. G'day to you. Hi to Butch once again. Great to be back on the show with you guys Rickard and Park tomorrow as we build our way through spring. We've got a soft five track. We had a couple of mills of rain over the night. Find enough sort of day. So that track book should be perfect enough for what looks to be a decent program there tomorrow. Yeah, it is. As you build towards a couple of weeks, great to see some North Island interest already down there. And plenty to get enthused about. Let's have a look at a few of the feature races. We'll start with race number five, perfect scenario. The favorite he was good at winning in his fresh state, which he can be. Claiming three kilos again, but looks like he's going to be pretty hard to beat again. Yeah, and I think the big key as well is stepping up to 4,700 meters. He was 147 days in between runs. When he was able to win last time at Rickard and Park, he was off the track the entire way. Barry won for him. Could be a little bit of a trick that they're going to have to negotiate from there. If he does get back midfield on the inside, it'd be requiring a wee bit of luck. But on that first up run, even with the telegram that a half weight rise, he's hard to beat. I think the base in the race is number eight. River Euro rebelled to run top three. He looks the natural leader in the race. I didn't see there being a loss of pace, so if River Euro rebel lands on speed, he has been fresh and he'd be pretty hard to get past here. And he's getting about three dollars for him to run top three at the moment. So he's definitely the base in the race. Five if he'll be racing super up to 1,400 meters, so two and number nine specialty. There's third up after a pretty decent spell. He was year away from the races and has tipped him proving with two runs under a spell from another up to 1,400. We'll suit and gets down to 51 kilos. Perfect scenario, hard to beat barrier one, just a little slight negative. I think River Euro rebel top two, top three is the base in the race. Gets down to 52 kilos. We'll be keeping a watch in brief on that. Righto, retail therapy, it was good last time. In fact, it's been good all preparation. They backed it off the map, resuming. It was unlucky when second last time in good last time. They backed it again. Can it make it three from four this prep? - I think it can and over the mile, the fact that she jumped away a lot sharper last time gives us more confidence from the barrier drawer of four. She's dropping three kilos going up in grade retail therapy. Look, if you saw her in the parade, you would think how is she a nice horse because she's not big. She still had probably two or three weeks to go on the coat last time that when she won retail therapy. So, look, I think she'll improve again on what I saw occur in the parade last time resale therapy. She didn't win quite as easy in terms of the late sprint, but I just like the way that she podied up up towards the speed and that tracks just slightly improved, which I think will help her. So she can win the game for sure. She meets some handy types, though, including number two Royal Bella, who was fourth at alarm at her last time that in behind Hugo. That form stacked up all over the place. There's been three subsequent winners to come out of that. And he raised three wide, no cover throughout. He's been back to the trials. He ran sick in the behind walk horse in the trial. He can win Royal Bella. I thought the seven deep views he would roll forward from the wide barrier draw him to lock him if you play in his zotics. And eight El Viento has won two from six. First up, just okay. I'm behind Goldie's chance in the strong field, but has since trialled really well and gets up in distance from 1200 to 1600. Two, seven, 11, eight retail therapy. Yes, she can. I think she may be just short enough in the market, though. It's number seven feature, really, the way the Macamarie Business and North Canterbury cap in John L. Rocker. John L. Rocker was good last time. Favorite, but a loose favorite at $4.20. Yeah, but it'd be interesting to see if Cork can turn the tables. We're talking about a length and a half margin. And she comes in two kilograms better off than John L. Rocker this time in. But what you have to bear in mind is she's sort of been deep into her campaign, Cork. So she might be racing at her absolute peak, whereas John L. Rocker, even though he comes in two kilograms, worse off, might just have that improvement getting up to 2,000 meters with the two runs under his belt. So I'm going to stick with him, John L. Rocker. I think he's a very good horse. He did race a bit keen early last time. So he might have still been on the first side with those two runs under his belt, hard to beat. Paul Cork, she's racing super. She's loving record in part. Three fierce flight. Well, 2,000 meters, you might think the step up in trip or suit. But I reckon he's looking for further. He wants another 1,200 meters, I think. He is flight. He is one of those horses I'd be happy to back at this stage of his preparation in the futures for the Martin Collins New Zealand Cup. Currently $12 in our market. So to hear, he'd be a sort of a long play if you're looking for one. And number six star ballot. He's roughly getting up to 2,000 meters. He just snagged back from a wide draw last time. He gets up to a suitable trip now. And he generally performs when he gets past 2,000 meters. And they put up $31 for him, which is massive. There's two, four, three and six points in the face deck. Second last leg of the quad E.G. This is tricky. There's horses that have been racing well, like Denner Rauer. There, Moosarif is good on a light preparation. And the money has come $750 into $5 already. But the chances don't end there, there's multiple hopes. Yeah, I think Moosarif is also a barrier draw upgrade. He goes from barrier eight last time. And he'll jump from barrier number three this time around. He was wide no cover early last time, hit it halfway down. But I love the way that he fought to the line. Up to 2,000 meters is son of Redwood. That Redwood, I think he's hard to beat in the eighth, Moosarif but two. Nine, Denner Rauer, Tennekomaniagi, jumps back on. He did a wee bit keen last time over the 1,600 meters through the early part. So if she can relax over the 2,000 meters, she can play. Three death stars, Percy has definitely got another win in him. And seven milted sound will be running on. He's had a couple of runs over the staying trips this time and so time for him to put his hand up. 2,9, 3, 7, I think Moosarif is the best in the race. OK, and the last, as we've said before, and we'll say no doubt again. Tough way to finish there at Tariqinum Park. The number one son out of the Jamie Bullard stable is the favourite. It's also the market mover, been money for him, the number one son. And on the strength of the fresh out run, must be hard to beat. I thought Masaney was super winning, resuming as well. Well, the number one son, he's pretty much the number one half brother as well. Of course, he's a half brother to champion race horse, Mr Brightside. And if he is as good as him, he'll be winning some races with the number one son. I thought Shinto could win again. He got us made in win last time over 1,400 meters here on a soft fire at the back end of August. He's a month in between runs. But what I like about him is that he has that early contextual speed. And the way that he falls on and that made him victory, the step up 65 should be no worries for him. He's a big horse, he'll carry the weight, so he's hard to beat. The number one son is second up after 3,000 in 43 days away from the races. So naturally, you think it improves. 8 Masaney, yep, that big finish that she showed it when you tell me last time is going to bring you into it. I think she'll suit record in. And five Nuncio, first up victory super. Since then, I think has performed a link below what he showed with that first up run. If he can perform up to his maximum Nuncio, they'll certainly know he's there. Shinto will give you something to cheer for, though. But I think he'll be in front for the most part. Right, well, you nailed it. Last time I asked you for your bit of the day on the card when we were on the radio. What's the best at record and park on Saturday? Well, you know what? I mentioned Riviera Rebel, I think he's the best bet top three. I'm happy to get such an easy lead there. Epi-Beel might roll out. Dazzling misses first up. She generally shows a bit of tempo, but I think they'll take a trail with her. So if they leave Riviera Rebel in front alone, then I think top three, he'd have to be the best bit of the afternoon. And if you're playing Mulkey's butch, age of discovery, should win race number two. He didn't win by much on day boot, but he looks a horse who will suit getting up to fourteen hundred meters. He should be winning. He's about a dollar forty-five, so I lock him for your Malties in the second. Goldie's chance it was last time at a good price. And I see she's in again at a good price on Saturday. Be a chance again on the back up. Yeah, for sure. She's a lovely meagoldie's chance. It was a super win because she caught a really bad bump at the start, which meant that she got back generally through her preparations. The pastor seemed to get up on speed and fight on, but I guess even though it wasn't great, she caught that bump at the start. It might give connections confidence around her that she can come from back in the field and she'd have to be a hope again for sure. Yeah, for sure. Right, I thank you, Tom, Matt. Good calling, Rickett and Park, as we build towards that wonderful week in November. Yeah, and to you, have a great day out of Talaper as well, but... Thanks, Matt. Matt Cross with us here on Breakfast with the Kiwis. Thank you, Matt. And thank you, butch. Catch up again next week. Good man. Cheers, Jordan. Before we round out the show today, let's get an update for Ladbrokes. Take on the fun and download the Ladbrokes app today. Chances are, you're about to lose. Jared, Tim, where are we looking around New Zealand this weekend? Big day of racing at Hastings, of course. Jordan, we're going to kick off in race number five. It's the group two Hawkes Bay guineas, probably no real surprises here. Captured by love, couldn't have done a lot more without winning fresh from a break. It's a firm $2.45 a big part in favor at Ladbrokes this morning. There has been interest for a few of them, though, including super-photon. The Ladbrokes bookies went up with $17 about this boy earlier in the week. Clearly, that was the wrong price. He's into $8 today, and is the clear Ladbrokes market mover. Race number seven is the big one. It's the group one. Arrowfield stud plate over the mile is the case to be made for a few of them here. Certainly, if the Ladbrokes market is to be believed. Skew if, of course, already a group one winner over a mile here in New Zealand remains a warm $4.40 favorite in the Ladbrokes market. For ugly only has certainly had Mayros as well, those $6.50, likewise, Vincidor at the same price. Marley Ston, a small drifter today, $7 out to $7.50, and a push for one bold cat a little further down the order as well, $19.00 into $16.00. Rickarden, of course, an on-race program headlined by the North Canterbury Cup. Race number seven on the program. It's an open one from a betting perspective here at Ladbrokes as well. John O'Rocco holding position on the top one of betting, $4.20. It's been a really nice push for star ballot at odds as well, $31.00 into $14.00 today. That's it for me this week. Pump it. It's good luck out the way. Hope you can find a winner. Thank you, Jared. Pleasure as always. Take on the fun with Ladbrokes and download the Ladbrokes app today. Chances are you're about to lose. For free and confidential support, visit gamblinghelponline.org.au. That's it for breakfast with the Kiwis, we'll see you again next week.