Decorah digs deep for cup success

3 January 2016

Pins mare Decorah was a brave and deserved winner of the Gr 3 City of Auckland Cup at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day. The six-year-old was in front at the top of the straight and she answered every call from Opie Bosson for the seventh win of her career.

Trained by Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman, she went into the feature staying event off the back of her third placing under 60kg in the Gr 3 Waikato Cup. “She had been working very well and she doesn’t mind a bit of rain,” Baker said. “I’ve got a lot of admiration for her – she’s only small, but she’s got a big heart.”

Decorah is nominated for the Gr 1 Auckland Cup, but Baker said the mare’s future may be determined by the handicapper. “She does go very well at Ellerslie and we’ll have to see what sort of weight she’ll get.”

The Corner with Garry Chittick

The two of you will be aware of my ongoing concern as to the future of our sport. You could argue I have a vested interest; well, I did have, but my interest now is to give the future generations the opportunity my generation had. Now I can tell you, hand on heart, there were many financial thin times. 1975 was my fledgling start with five mares on 130 acres that occasionally flooded with the well-bred, non-race-winning Super Gray.

12 August 2026

Classy Debut Victory For Major Beel’s Brother Savagram

From a pedigree known all too well by the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott stable, 3yo Savabeel colt Savagram (NZ) kicked off his race career in the best possible way, highlighting himself as a potential black-type performer.