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).

The Corner with Garry Chittick

No Corner last week; this week the Annual Thoroughbred Racing Awards night certainly deserves acknowledgment. It is the second of two nights of measurement of Thoroughbred achievements for the year, with the first focussing on our Breeders’ awards.

9 September 2026

Savabeel’s Group 1 daughter Belle Cheval retired

Belle Cheval, by champion sire Savabeel, enjoyed a stellar career: placing in the NZ 1000 Guineas, winning the Almanzor Trophy and Uncle Remus Stakes, finishing second in The Kiwi, then claiming Group 1 glory in Australia’s Vinery Stud Stakes before retiring to broodmare duties.