Tavistock's Times Ticking Wins G3 Sprint

Media Release - Saturday October 15

A sustained closing burst carried veteran galloper Times Ticking to a fresh-up victory in an incident packed finish to the Gr.3 Red Badge Spring Sprint (1400m) at Hastings.

 Times Ticking (red side winkers) strides to the front as he takes out the Gr.3 Red Badge Spring Sprint (1400m) at Hastings Photo credit: Trish Dunell

The Alby MacGregor-trained seven-year-old hadn’t been seen since finishing third at the venue back in early July, however MacGregor had him in peak condition off the back of an easy trial win over 1000m at Foxton earlier in the month.

In a race where numerous runners wanted to take advantage of being close to the pace, rider Opie Bosson sat back towards the rear before looming into contention approaching the home turn.

Just as Old Town Road claimed pacemaker Tavis Court and looked set for victory, Times Ticking arrived on the scene to nab the pair and record his seventh career victory.

However, the drama of the close finish wasn’t over at that point as Times Ticking and Old Town Road moved in considerably at the post and squeezed Tavis Court resulting in a chain reaction that saw the riders of Old Town Road (Lisa Allpress), Tavis Court (Faye Lazet), Cross Roads (Darren Danis) and Pull No Punches (Mereana Hudson) all dislodged from their mounts.   

MacGregor was delighted to see his pride and joy take the win after he had finished second in the race last year to subsequent Group One winner Two Illicit, but also expressed his concerns about what happened at the winning post.

“I was very pleased with him going into the race, but sometimes you just don’t know on that type of track,” he said.

“I told Opie I wasn’t giving him any instructions and to just play it how he saw it.

“He stripped a fit horse and he had enough to put in a finish like that on a pretty tricky track, so it was a class ride.”

Advertisement

“It was great to see him win but I have to admit I was worried when I saw those jockeys on the ground at the end.

“That’s something that you never want to see and thankfully they all got away pretty much unscathed,”

All riders involved in the finish line skirmish were quickly back to their feet, however both Allpress and Lazet were stood down from their remaining rides on the programme.

MacGregor will now think about a hit and run mission to the New Zealand Cup Week Carnival at Riccarton in November, where the Gr.3 Coupland’s Bakeries Mile (1600m) is the target for Times Ticking.

“We want to see how he comes through this race, but I am thinking about Riccarton,” he said.

“I don’t think he will have another run before then as he goes well fresh and as long as he is fit and well then that’s what he will be set for.”

Raced by MacGregor and Vicki Lackner who co-bred the son of Tavistock, Times Ticking has now won seven of his 23 starts and over $194,000 in prizemoney. – NZ Racing Desk

Advertisment
More Reading...
Lucrative Pay Day For Adiella In Magic Millions National Classic
Coming off a last start second in the Group 3 Magic Millions Fillies & Mares Mile (1600m), the Improving 4yo The Mission mare Adiella recorded her sixth carer victory, adding the $500,000 Magic Millions National Classic to her record.
Another Day, Another Stakes-Winner for Wootton Bassett
A homebred for Marc Chan, quality Wootton Bassett (GB) colt Green Impact closed out his juvenile season winning the Group II Champions Juvenile Stakes at Leopardstown and he bounced back into the winner’s list at the same venue overnight.
Wootton Bassett 2YOs on the March
Wootton Bassett’s star Northern Hemisphere two year-old Albert Einstein has been ruled out of Royal Ascot with a sprained joint that will require a few weeks off, but the red hot sire added two more talented debut winning juvenile colts at The Curragh overnight.
Juvenile Trial Watch – Rosehill
There were six heats for juveniles at Rosehill on Friday that featured some interesting winners including stakes-placed filly Horseshoe Hill, a couple of unraced youngsters by Zoustar and the highest priced yearling by Prague.
Pencarrow Stud hits a hundred winners in stellar season
Pencarrow Stud has celebrated an outstanding achievement with a century of homebred winners for the season.
€1.85million Sale-Topping Frankel Filly Wins Epsom Oaks for Coolmore
The Group I Epsom Oaks (1m4f) had a raging hot favourite in undefeated Godolphin entry Desert Flower, but she came up short in her first try at the classic trip going down to finish third behind the Aidan O’Brien trained duo Minnie Hauk (Frankel and Whirl (Wootton Bassett).
Sires With Winners - Thursday June 5
Here is the full list of 36 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Hellbent's Sunrays Shines With Consecutive Stakes Wins
Saturday’s opening race at Eagle Farm, the Listed $160,000 BRC Show A Heart Stakes (1500m) saw Kelly Schweida’s talented Hellbent filly Sunrays record her second black type victory.
Sires With Winners - Friday June 6
Here is the full list of 31 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Sires With Winners - Tuesday June 3
Here is the full list of 30 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.