No Excuses Needed Plays Starring Role

8 October 2012

No Excuse Needed made his present felt on premier day at Hastings when his strapping son Aldebaran Star ran the lower grade sprinters into the ground. The WS graduate was too slick for his Rating 85 opposition to post the fifth win of his career.

Trained by her part-owner Trina Riddell at Awapuni, the chestnut was ridden by her husband Jonathan. “He’s a horse that gets up on speed and keeps rolling,” he said. “He was humming at the 600 so I was happy to put the pressure on and they couldn’t catch me.”

A half-brother to the stakes winner Tootsie (Pins), Aldebaran Star was too slick for the former Hong Kong galloper Super Boy and No Excuse Needed also produced the third placegetter Taurus. He is from the family of the Gr 1 winners Guiseppina (Telegraph Handicap) and The Pooka (NZ 2000 Guineas).

Pure Alpha delivers again as Ardrossan continues to rise

Ardrossan gelding Pure Alpha led throughout to win by 1.29 lengths at Eagle Farm for owner Ozzie Kheir, taking his earnings past $300,000. The result caps a stellar run for sire Ardrossan, whose yearlings fetched up to $450,000 this year on strong Hong Kong form.

28 August 2026

The Corner with Garry Chittick

It is difficult to maintain momentum when sitting in judgment of racing’s governance. After all, I get no pleasure in searching for non-credible decisions, but one is perpetually bewildered by the rationale behind many of the positions that make little sense.