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).

Dicko’s Dance delivers Banquo’s seventh Wwinner

Banquo’s three-year-old gelding Dicko’s Dance won Race 3 over 1400m at Tauranga on Wednesday, outlasting Whistlejacket in a stirring duel for trainers Darryn and Briar Weatherly. He is Banquo’s seventh individual winner from 16 runners, including Group winner Justin Case.

12 October 2026

Group 1-placed Ardrossan filly heads to Guineas

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