Pike Racing

A huge congratulations to stable apprentice Sam McNab for winning “MOST OUTSTANDING RIDE BY AN APPRENTICE” for the 2025/26 season🏆🐎

Sam rode Maldini to victory in the Dunstan Horsefeeds Stayers’ Championship Final (2400m) at Ellerslie on Boxing Day.

An outstanding win along with many others throughout the season 💚

🐎✨ ELLERSLIE RACES ✨🐎

Just the two runners today.

Race 4 - 1.27pm
GROCERS GIRL
J - Kyle Wilson Taylor

Race 8 - 3.57pm
CANNON HILL (pictured)
J - Sam McNab

🐎🐎🐎🐎🐎🐎🐎🐎🐎🐎🐎
MATAMATA RACES

Just the one runner today:

RACE 7 - 4.04pm
STARLIT EXPRESS : continues to work well and is always there about. George Rooke stays on board.

🐎🐎🐎🐎🐎🐎🐎🐎🐎🐎🐎

🐴🐴🐴🌿🌿🌿🌤️🌤️🌤️🍊🍊🍊🐴🐴🐴🌿🌿🌿🌤️🌤️🌤️🍊🍊🍊

The busy weekend continues with a chilly start to a fine spring day.

TE RAPA RACES

RACE 3 - 1.45pm
SHIRASE : - 1st 🫶🫶🫶She will be neutral from the wide gate in what looks to be a strong maiden field. Her work has been solid since her promising debut start and she should be there abouts once again.

RACE 5 - 2.50pm
ASTORIA BROOKE - 1st 🩷🩷🩷: A mare that seems to relish the Te Rapa track and the heavy conditions shouldn't be of any concern. Another with a wide drawn but has the benefit of the 2kg claim with in form apprentice Sam Mc Nab in the saddle.

RACE 6 - 3.25pm
ELIUD - 2nd 👍👍👍: Didn't appreciate the sticky conditions last start so we will give him the benefit of the doubt and go again. He is a lovely horse to have around but does need to start putting his hand up on race day. Also has the 2kg benefit of Sam McNab.

RACE 7 - 3.57pm
SLIPPER ISLAND : Looks in great order fresh up this preparation. He has plenty of improvement to come as he rolls into this season but today should set him up nicely going forward.

🐴🐴🐴🌿🌿🌿🌤️🌤️🌤️🍊🍊🍊🐴🐴🐴🌿🌿🌿🌤️🌤️🌤️🍊🍊🍊🐴🐴🐴🌿🌿🌿🌤️🌤️🌤️🍊🍊🍊

GOOD LUCK TO OWNERS AND CONNECTIONS

Multiple Group Three winner retired to broodmare paddock Tough Cambridge mare Churchillian (NZ) (Churchill) has run her final race, with the multiple Group Three winner retired ahead of the upcoming breeding season. The Tony Pike-trained daughter of Churchill proved a model of durability and consistency, winning 11 of her 28 starts Her three black-type vi...

🍻🍻🍻🍻🥂🥂🥂🥂🐴🐴🐴🐴🌳🌳🌳🌳🍻🍻🍻🍻🥂🥂🥂🥂🐴🐴🐴🐴🌳🌳🌳🌳🍻🍻🍻🍻🥂🥂🥂🥂🐴🐴🐴🐴🌳🌳🌳🌳

HAWKES BAY RACES

RACE 2 - 12.22pm
DEEP PURSUIT - 6th : Strips fitter going into today and claims the 2kgs with apprentice Sam McNab on board. His work has been pleasing but he will benefit from any improvement in track conditions.

RACE 3 - 12.55pm
HERVEY BAY - 3rd 👌🏼: He has improved since his fresh up start in NZ and continues to thrive back in the NZ environment. Michael McNab rides from gate 6 and again any improvement in the track will be appreciated.

RACE 8 - 3.59pm
HONEY BADGER : - 3rd 🍯🍯Put a line through her last start as she's much better than that. She loves the heavy tracks and the wide gate may be of benefit today.

🍻🍻🍻🍻🥂🥂🥂🥂🐴🐴🐴🐴🌳🌳🌳🌳🍻🍻🍻🍻🥂🥂🥂🥂🐴🐴🐴🐴🌳🌳🌳🌳🍻🍻🍻🍻🥂🥂🥂🥂🐴🐴🐴🐴🌳🌳🌳🌳

GOOD LUCK TO OWNERS AND CONNECTIONS

🐎🐎🐎🐎🍀🍀🍀🍀⛵️⛵️⛵️🐎🐎🐎🐎🍀🍀🍀🍀⛵️⛵️⛵️🐎🐎🐎🐎🍀🍀🍀🍀⛵️⛵️⛵️

TAUPO RACES

Leading into a busy weekend for the Team with 5 runners at Taupo, followed by Hastings Saturday and Te Rapa Sunday.

🐎🐎🐎🐎🍀🍀🍀🍀⛵️⛵️⛵️🐎🐎🐎🐎🍀🍀🍀🍀⛵️⛵️⛵️🐎🐎🐎🐎🍀🍀🍀🍀⛵️⛵️⛵️🐎🐎🐎🐎🍀🍀🍀🍀⛵️⛵️⛵️

RACE 2 - 1.07pm
ELLENDALE - 2nd 👌🏼👌🏼: On debut after some educational trials. She is a lovely filly in the making and whatever she does today she will only improve going forward.

RACE 4 -2.19pm
TRULY DEVINE - 3rd 👍👍: Won her most recent trial at Waipa with Sam Collet in the saddle. Her work has been pleasing and she looks in fantastic condition, we should see a bold fresh up run.

RACE 5 - 2.54pm
VIA FONTANELLA - 4th 👍👍: Has returned from her spell a much more mature filly but just needs to get some race day fitness under her belt. Drawn well in gate 5 with Michael McNab in the saddle.

RACE 6 - 3.28pm
ALL ON BLACK - 4th 👌🏼👌🏼: A promising Proisir gelding on debut, he's drawn a touch awkwardly in gate 9 so hopefully with some scratching's he will come in a bit. The race day experience will stand him in good steed going forward into the spring.

RACE 7 - 4.03pm
ADMIRAL VOS- 2nd 👊🏻 : Another fresh up after a spell and looks in great order. His work has been solid since his recent trial at Waipa and Michael stays on board.

🐎🐎🐎🐎🍀🍀🍀🍀⛵️⛵️⛵️🐎🐎🐎🐎🍀🍀🍀🍀⛵️⛵️⛵️🐎🐎🐎🐎🍀🍀🍀🍀⛵️⛵️⛵️🐎🐎🐎🐎🍀🍀🍀🍀⛵️⛵️⛵️

GOOD LUCK TO OWNERS AND CONNECTIONS

🌳🌳🌳☀️☀️☀️🍹🍹🍹🐎🐎🐎🌳🌳🌳☀️☀️☀️🍹🍹🍹🐎🐎🐎

CAMBRIDGE SYNTHETIC

Just the two poly queens go around today as we near the winter Poly meetings :

RACE 1 - 1.09pm
IN THE VINEYARD : The Poly track queen for the most 2nd placings 🙈. Certainly knocking on the door for a win and she rightly deserves one. George Rooke stays on board.

RACE 4 - 2.52pm
PINK GIN : The small but mighty filly that just keeps on giving. She's due another day in the limelight for her enthusiastic connections. She relishes the poly track and if she can get away well from gate 4 she will be going close once again. Sam McNab claims 2kgs.

🌳🌳🌳☀️☀️☀️🍹🍹🍹🐎🐎🐎🌳🌳🌳☀️☀️☀️🍹🍹🍹🐎🐎🐎🌳🌳🌳☀️☀️☀️🍹🍹🍹🐎🐎🐎

GOOD LUCK TO OWNERS AND CONNECTIONS

🌞🌞🌞🌳🌳🌳🐎🐎🐎🌞🌞🌞🌳🌳🌳🐎🐎🐎🌞🌞🌞🌳🌳🌳🐎🐎🐎

ELLERSLIE RACES

Everyone a bit excited to be heading back to our favorite track at Ellerslie. The sun is shining and the after all the rain the track has come up a soft 5.

🌞🌞🌞🌳🌳🌳🐎🐎🐎🌞🌞🌞🌳🌳🌳🐎🐎🐎🌞🌞🌞🌳🌳🌳🐎🐎🐎

RACE 1 - 11.55am
GROCERS GIRL : Strips fitter after a solid trial at Avondale. She continues to thrive and has come back a much stronger filly. A small field of mostly lightly raced horses where she should be running home strongly and will only improve as she gets over more ground.

RACE 5 - 2.17pm
HERVEY BAY : A Hong Kong returnee that has loved being in the NZ training style again. He trial nicely at Waipa recently and we hope to see a positive debut start from him today. Michael McNab rode him at the trials and stays on board today.

RACE 10 - 5.09pm
HIGH COUNTRY : Fresh up this preparation, he's drawn tricky gate 13 which isn't ideal but Ellerslie looked to be a good place to kick of this campaign. So long as he is hitting the line strongly we will see him improve as he get the race day fitness under his belt.

🌞🌞🌞🌳🌳🌳🐎🐎🐎🌞🌞🌞🌳🌳🌳🐎🐎🐎🌞🌞🌞🌳🌳🌳🐎🐎🐎🌞🌞🌞🌳🌳🌳🐎🐎🐎

GOOD LUCK TO OWNERS AND CONNECTIONS