Snow Excuse makes up for lost time

10 July 2013

Snow Excuse returned to the winners’ list with a vengeance at Pukekohe this afternoon with a runaway victory over 1200 metres. The Ralph Manning-trained four-year-old gave his Rating 75 rivals an emphatic five and three-quarter length drubbing under the country’s top apprentice Rory Hutchings.

The son of No Excuse Needed had been a dual winner as a two-year-old, but his defeat of Testa Secret in the Listed Ryder Stakes nearly two years ago was his last taste of success. “He’s a big horse and improved with each run after a long time off,” he said. “He’s got major joint issues so we gave him a long break to decide if we would even run him again.”

Raced by Manning with his parents Bob and Kathleen and Ivan Julian, Snow Excuse was a $4500 weanling buy from WS’s 2009 draft to Karaka. He is a half-brother to four winners with their dam the former smart Australian juvenile and Listed Maribyrnong Trial Stakes winner Kirkberg.

The Corner with Garry Chittick

It is not the easiest role, that of Chairman of our Thoroughbred Racing Board. Like all chairmanships, one’s mind is rarely not occupied with the responsibility. To our Chairman, I say thanks. A lifetime in the industry, Chairman of our largest club, it is difficult to identify someone more suited to the role.

14 May 2026

Sav’s girl Chispa targeting the Gr.1 Oaks

Savabeel filly Chispa enhanced her Queensland Oaks credentials with a dominant Randwick victory for Chris Waller and James McDonald, with the Pencarrow Stud-bred and raced filly surging clear over 1800 metres in impressive fashion.