Giant Strides In HK

17 January 2011

The well-related Smart Giant made up for an unlucky last-start defeat in Hong Kong when he opened his winning account with authority at Sha Tin last night. Trained by John Moore, the stud-bred and sold son of Pins was far too good for his opposition over 1400 metres to give leading jockey Darren Beadman an easy ride to victory.

A $A160,000 yearling buy out of the farm’s Sydney Easter draft in 2009, Smart Giant had finished runner-up in his first two appearances before circumstances went against him on New Year’s Day. The three-year-old was unplaced after rider Beadman had lost a stirrup iron early in the race.

The gelding is out of the O’Reilly mare Spring who has now left four winners, including the outstanding mare Daffodil (No Excuse Needed). Raced by the us, the $1 million earner was retired last year with three Gr 1 victories to her credit in the AJC Oaks, NZ 1000 Guineas and the Hawke’s Bay Challenge Stakes to be served by resident sire Pins.

Jess Greenfield awarded 2026 Mary-Lynne Ryan Young Achiever Award

On Saturday night, Jess Greenfield was awarded the loveracing.nz Mary-Lynne Ryan Young Achiever Award at the Property Brokers National Breeding Awards at Karapiro. When asked by Steve Davis what the future looked like for Jess, Greenfield humbly replied: “Just keep working away at Waikato Stud and see where we end up.”

22 July 2026

Ocean Park Trans-Tasman Double

With Andrew Forsman’s 3yo Ocean Park filly Pine Leaf breaking her maiden by a widening four and a quarter-lengths in the last at Cambridge on Wednesday, celebrations continued as just ten minutes later it was the Chirs Waller trained Velaris who saluted at Canterbury with fellow Ocean Park runner I Park finishing a gallant third.