Racing: Irish Whisper sold to Canadian interests

Miss Moonlite who ran a track-record 1.54.7 at Richmond Park yesterday. Photo by Tayler Strong.
Miss Moonlite who ran a track-record 1.54.7 at Richmond Park yesterday. Photo by Tayler Strong.
Talented trotter Irish Whisper has been sold to Canada by Oamaru owner Bev Williamson.

Irish Whisper is now under the direction of Papakura trainer Tony Herlihy for a race at Alexandra Park on Friday night.

The Sundon-Little Contessa gelding, bred by Williamson, is booked on a flight from Auckland on Friday week. Irish Whisper has been at Papakura for a month after travelling there with trainer Phil Williamson for the Harness Jewels.

Irish Whisper has won four of his seven starts. Three of his wins have been at Addington where he rated 1.58.1 for 1950m (mobile).

He qualified at Forbury Park 11 months ago.

Irish Whisper has been bought by John Curtin, acting as agent.

Curtin, the manager of Auckland Reactor, said the entire would resume work with Mark Purdon and Grant Payne ay Rolleston on Monday.

Auckland Reactor has been spelling for the past fortnight at Pukekohe after three weeks out in Australia. The winner of three heats of the Interdominion in Perth, he pulled up distressed after finishing seventh in the Final on March 2.

He was found to be suffering equine viral arteritis, an acute viral disease. He was not permitted to leave Australia until he was cleared.

• Miss Moonlite lowered a 15-year track record when she won a heat of the Golden Girls series over a mile in 1.54.7 at Richmond Park yesterday.

The 4yr-old Christian Cullen-Dancingonmoonlight mare, trained by Andrew Stuart for Wibble Holdings, bettered the mark of 1.56.2 set by My Only Vice, a 4yr-old gelding, in 1997.

The previous record for a mare at Richmond Park was 1.57.3 by Glen's Sister in 2002.

Miss Moonlite was served by Bettors Delight this season but she failed to conceive.

"We thought we would bring her back for the Golden Girls series but she has had a lot of trouble getting down on her heels," Stuart said.

"My farrier, Jono Murfitt, has worked on the problem for four or five months and if it wasn't for him she wouldn't be racing.

"She will probably go back to Australia for the Breeders' Crown in August."

Miss Moonlite ran a bold race fresh up at Addington on May 31, then broke a hopple on the home turn on the first day of the Nelson meeting.

She won the Breeders' Crown Consolation for 3yr-old fillies at Melton last August.

Piper Heidsieck set a track record of 3.47.2 (2.01.8 rate) for 3000m when he led for most of the way in the Nelson Winter Cup yesterday.

He bettered the record of 3.48.4 set by Love That Lavros in the 2007 Nelson Winter Cup. Piper Heidsieck had also won on the first day of the meeting for owners Scott Plant, of Auckland, and Rose Dunn, wife of the trainer, Robert.

Tijuana Bromac equalled the track record of 2.57.7 for 2400m (mobile) yesterday. The 3yr-old is owned and trained at Fairhall (Marlborough) by Anne-Marie Best.

The Burning Question set the record in January.

• Paris H is back with her part-owner, Daryl Trainor, at Forbury Park. She has been placed in four of her past six starts when trained by Graeme Anderson and Amber Hoffman.

Tumundal is now in the Oamaru stable of Warren Bartlett. Tumundal won fresh up at Forbury Park in March and placed in two other starts for Anderson and Hoffman.

• Borrack won a steeplechase at Warrnambool yesterday, maintaining his unbeaten record in two starts in Australia.

The gelding was ridden by Steven Pateman.

Borrack, who won a 2800m flat race at Flemington at his previous start, is in the Ballarat stable of Kevin Myers.

• Rewa, who has a win and a second in two starts, is set to resume racing at Washdyke on Friday.

The Traditionally mare, trained at Ashburton by Jan Hay, won first up at Ashburton last July, then finished second at the Grand National meeting.

• Reuben Percival is a late entry for the Stayers Cups at Rosehill on Saturday, AAP reports.

Reuben Percival arrived back in Sydney on Monday after finishing fifth in the Brisbane Cup (2400m) on Saturday.

He will be monitored this week before a decision is made on a start. Reuben Percival won the Stayers Cup (3200m) by five lengths last year.

• A British bookmaker has given up on the Diamond Jubilee Stakes as a contest after framing a betting market without Black Caviar.

William Hill has posted an alternative set of odds on the Royal Ascot feature.

Black Caviar is a long odds-on favourite to win the sprint after arriving safely in England last week for her first international test.

Bated Breath has been made 4-1 favourite despite uncertainty over his place in the field.

Trainer Roger Charlton is weighing up between the King's Stand Stakes and the Diamond Jubilee Stakes.

 

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