A rejuvenated Lindisfarne is back at Riccarton today for the Homeby Steeplechase.
The 9yr-old has won his last two starts over country, both at Riverton, after being off the winning list for almost three years.
"He was a bit sore last season and the heavier tracks seem to suit him this year," John Yeo, his Invercargill owner-trainer, said.
Yeo took over the training of Lindisfarne last season from Wanganui trainer Kevin Myers after leasing the Lord Ballina gelding from James Wallace, of Masterton. Wallace has since given Yeo the Lord Ballina gelding.
Lindisfarne won two flat races, a hurdles and steeplechases at Wanganui and Hastings for Myers. Lindisfarne was unplaced in the 2008 Grand National Steeplechase.
Dan Moran is attempting to go one better than last year in the Homeby, when he chased home Counter Punch. Tommy Hazlett, who rode Counter Punch, has the mount on Dan Moran. The 9yr-old Dan Moran has had five flat races in the past two months.
Torrent is the best performed jumper in the open hurdles today. He has won three times over hurdles and he finished second to Lautenschlager at Riverton at his last start.
Yeo has Roseline in contention for race 8 today. Roseline won over 2000m on a heavy track at Riccarton at this meeting last year.
Klassicpins, who won over 1400m at the same meeting, is in race 9 today. Klassicpins was a last-start winner at Wingatui for trainer Murray Hamilton, who has been winning races on a regular basis in recent weeks.
• Paul Harris, the Rangiora trainer, has had his name removed from the unpaid forfeit list of New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing without penalty after a prompt settlement.
Chief racecourse inspector John McKenzie confirmed that Harris had his name entered on the unpaid forfeit list last Friday. McKenzie declined to give details but he said the amount was due to a racing club.
"He made a settlement by Monday and because it was so prompt, his name was removed retrospectively. Otherwise, horses in his stable would have been stood down from racing for 28 days," McKenzie said.
• Graeme Rogerson trained his first winner in March 1970, not 1974 as stated in a New Zealand Press Association story yesterday.
The horse was Morven Queen in the second division of a race for 2yr-olds at Rotorua. Morven Queen was part-owned by Rogerson and ridden by Roger Lang.
Rogerson then 21, subsequently surrendered his licence for two years after a brush with officialdom.
He won the third race on the card, a highweight, with Dee Light at the first meeting held at Ruakaka in May 1977. He won the first of 12 NZ training premierships in the 1979-80 season with 72 wins.
