Light at end of the tunnel for embattled jumps racing

The early signs are good.
There have been some new names, equine and human, at jumps education and trials days with the promise of overseas jumps jockeys willing to winter in New Zealand – they are now getting a very attractive $400 per ride.
The Grand National Steeplechase at Riccarton has been boosted to $200,000 with the potential West Coast could head there aiming for a record fourth straight win in the iconic race.
And the Nelson/McDougal comeback star The Cossack could possibly follow him south to set up something truly special, a rivalry to make jumps racing the highlight of race meetings rather than a novel sideshow.
So jumps racing enthusiasts have reasons to smile as they prepare for some class horses racing on an unseasonably good track at Te Rapa today.
'There is a good feel about things and I think we will get the jockey numbers we need with a few riders returning and some new ones coming from overseas,' Nelson says.
'There have been some new faces around the jumps days from stables we haven't seen jumping horses before and there are some good people involved and pushing it hard.
'We have 17 horses in work here and 14 are either jumpers now to are heading that way, so we are right behind it.'
The fact Te Rapa has been able to attract three races today is a promising sign as early season races run on Soft 6 tracks, as it was rated yesterday, have sometimes struggled for numbers in recent years.
There is plenty of form there too, with the open hurdle highlighted by last season's Great Northern winner Lord Spencer, his runner-up Mont Ventoux, the always exciting freegoer English Gambler and the Nelson/McDougal-trained pair of Taika and Dictation.
'It is a lot better than a normal open hurdle and should be a really good race,' Nelson says.
'If I try to tip you one of mine, the other one would probably win. We all now how good Taika is [Pakuranga Hunt Hurdle winner] but Dictation is a pretty talented horse.'
While they are both still finding their ceiling over hurdles, their stablemate Nedwin has already been to the top of our hurdling ranks and tries his hand at steeplechasing today in the restricted open chase over 3900m.
Nelson says his steeplechase debut today doesn't mean a permanent change for Nedwin.
'He might change between the two but he is pretty well and ready for this week.
'But, and I will say this about all four of ours, a bit of rain and a slightly softer track would suit them better.'
While it is encouraging to see three jumps racing today as most of the flat stars are spelling there is still some talent in today's open handicaps even after favourite Twain pulled out of the sprint because of a slightly off blood report.
That leaves the sprint quite even but if the track remains in the soft range it would seem to provide Velocious with a chance to return to the winner's circle providing she jumps away better than she has in recent starts.
Harlech will need every bit of his 4kg claim in the open 1600m as it still only brings his weight down to 58kg while most of his rivals carry just 54kgs or less.
The juvenile Race 3 is stacked with promising trial form and there is enough depth across to card to give punters a proper autumn feeling, one to be replicated when Ellerslie holds a rare Sunday meeting tomorrow.
English jockey George Rooke has enjoyed a breakthrough season in New Zealand, and he has been rewarded for his consistency with a trip to Sydney today. The 24-year-old hoop will cross the Tasman to partner the Roger James and Robert Wellwood-trained She's A Dealer in the Chalouhi Handicap at Randwick with a view to heading towards the Queensland Oaks at Eagle Farm next month.
Michael Guerin wrote his first nationally published racing articles while still in school and started writing about horse racing and the gambling industry for the Herald as a 20-year-old in 1990. He became the Herald

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RNZ News

12-06-2025

• RNZ News

Auckland Grammar principal calls out Sport NZ over 'Year 14' athletes

1st XV rugby match between Nelson College and Marlborough Boys. Nelson College, Nelson. Photo: Chris Symes / Auckland Grammar principal Tim O'Connor has challenged Sport NZ to take a stand on extra-year students returning to schools on sporting grounds. The issue of 'Year 14' athletes has raised its head again, with Marlborough Boys' College admitting it has five such players in its First XV , which scored a historic - and controversial - win over Nelson College last month. That 28-26 result came after Marlborough were awarded a first-half penalty and instead of aiming for the posts, the goalkicker struck for the corner, where one of his teammates chased it down for a try that was eventually awarded. O'Connor told Checkpoint that bringing students back for an extra year for sporting purposes was a distortion of their roles as educators and openly wondered where the national sporting administrators were in this debate. "Really, our role as principals and our role as schools is to educate young people," he said. "Sport NZ talks about balance is better, but where are they in this discussion? "They haven't come out to say, 'why are we allowing this to occur?' "I'd love to see them being more proactive and having the courage to speak up on this. "Perhaps there are organisations that want to turn a blind eye to what is the pathway for young men and rugby in this country frankly. We need to get beyond that." RNZ has approached Sport NZ for reaction to O'Connor's comments. Auckland's 1A competition has put is members on notice that Year 14 players will not be permitted from next season. O'Connor admits two of the 12 teams currently have two such players each on their rosters. "We discussed that at the beginning of the year and felt the fair thing to do was give everyone 12 months' notice, and then we wouldn't be allowing that to occur again." Earlier this year, the issue led to a ban on extra-year rowers at the prestigious Maadi Cup regatta at Lake Karapiro. School Sport NZ is now considering a total ban on the Year 14 athletes . "There is no doubt there is a distinct advantage - muscle co-ordination and technical ability - in a sixth-year student," O'Connor said. "They're taking away positions from students who are coming through their natural schooling years. "For example, Rieko Ioane could have returned - we could have encouraged him to return, because he would have met all the other criteria, and he could have returned to play rugby for another year, which would have been a huge advantage to our school. "Our view was Rieko should actually carry on with his life and move to the next stage, and we'd fully support him in doing so." Now an 81-test All Black, Ioane debuted for Auckland and the NZ sevens team the year after leaving Auckland Grammar, and made his test debut aged 19. O'Connor insisted his school would not take the field against Marlborough with their Year 14 players. "I don't know why there would be a reason to play them," he told Checkpoint . "I'd rather play in a competition where we know there is a level playing field and we're treating each other with respect. "In the 1A competition, mid-season, we have about six teams who could still win it - that's a great competition, that keeps it alive across multiple schools." Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

RNZ News

11-06-2025

• RNZ News

Eligibility row erupts over five ‘Year 14s' in controversial Marlborough Boys' College first XV

The Marlborough Boys' College first XV is again attracting controversy Photo: Sky Sport The schoolboy rugby team that made international headlines last month over a controversial try is facing further claims of dubious tactics by rivals. RNZ has learned Marlborough Boys' College, one of the top rugby schools in the South Island, has five "year 14" students in its first XV team this season. The make-up of the team has raised concerns about the integrity of the first XV competition, known as the Miles Toyota Premiership, and wider questions about the overheated nature of schoolboy rugby. The year 14 phenomenon, whereby students return for a sixth year of high school for sporting purposes, has long been a source of contention in secondary school sport. The practice has been banned in rowing . In 2018, age eligibility for secondary school rugby changed from under-19 to under-18 as of 1 January of the competition year, which appeared to temper the environment around first XV rugby. But school sports officials say the Marlborough Boys' College example shows more needs to be done to rein in the practice. One parent claimed the Marlborough team's actions are "making a mockery" of the premier competition, which involves schools in the Crusaders' catchment area stretching from Nelson, at the top of the South Island, to Timaru. "The biggest issue I've got is not necessarily what they're doing, although I don't believe what they're doing is in the spirit of secondary school rugby. But when you have five boys coming back to play rugby, they're blocking the path of other boys who won't get the opportunity to play in the first XV and share that experience with their peers," said the parent, who asked not to be named out of concern that their children may experience backlash. "I know there's a lot of people in Blenheim who aren't particularly happy with the approach here. There'll be some that are delighted because [Marlborough] are sticking it to the big Christchurch schools and beating Nelson [College] who are their local rivals. But how they're achieving it is pretty questionable in my opinion." Tonga Taumoefolau, coach of the Marlborough Boys' College first XV, disputed claims that having five year 14s in the team had created an uneven playing field, and questioned the motives of those "calling us out". The Marlborough Boys' College team, known as the Falcons, sit second in the premiership with five wins from five outings this season, just behind Christchurch Boys' High School, which has an additional bonus point. "I think your sources are revealing a bit about their character, that's how I feel," said Taumoefolau. "Two of the year 14 boys are not in the starting line-up, so only three of those boys are starting our games and what I would call our regular mainstays. I'm really bemused we've got a bunch of schools worried about what we're doing when you consider some of the stuff that goes on in other schools. "I would suggest it might also be worth looking at how many schools have imported players from the islands in the past." Taumoefolau also claimed that having five year 14s in their line-up was not unusual in the context of the competition. He said in 2021 one rival school had nine year 14s in its first XV, while another school had six in 2023. He declined to name those schools and RNZ has been unable to verify the claims. Tony Smail, chief executive of Canterbury Rugby, which governs the competition, was unavailable for an interview, but in a statement confirmed the union was aware Marlborough Boys' College had five year 14 players registered this season. "It isn't common that there are five players in any given year at Year 14 but the key consideration for eligibility is age, not year level," he said. Tim Grocott, principal of Shirley Boys' High School, says other principals may have said "we don't think that's right" if they'd known earlier about the number of Year 14s in the Marlborough Boys' team Photo: RNZ / Niva Chittock Tim Grocott, principal of Shirley Boys' High School in Christchurch, which also features in the premiership competition, said he was shocked to learn there were five players in the Marlborough line-up. As player registration data only captures date of birth and year the player first started at the school, the number of year 14 students playing secondary schools rugby is difficult to quantify. But Grocott said having five in one team "is very, very unusual". "I haven't heard of a school who's had that number in previous years and a quick check of all of the team rosters of the premier competition… it appears that it is significantly higher than any other school," he said. Grocott said he is aware of one other school in the competition that "potentially has one or two year 14s". "What this issue has highlighted is I think there's probably a need for schools to be much more aware of what's happening and potentially push back a bit more," he said. "If we'd known earlier, perhaps the principals could have got together and said to Marlborough Boys' College, 'we don't think that's right'. It's not a level playing field. How are we going to operate in a better way that actually identifies and demonstrates the values of secondary school sport? Because I don't think having five year 14s does that." Marlborough Boys' College principal Jarrod Dunn insisted his school did not set out to stack its rugby team with year 14s to gain a competitive advantage. He said in previous years the school may have had "one or two" students return for year 14. This year was an "anomaly" with eight students returning to school because it was difficult for young people to find employment in the region. Of the eight students who started out the year, two have since left school. "We've not gone out to keep these boys at school just for rugby. That's not what we're about - we're a school, we're an academic institution. We're not a rugby club," he said. "[The students] are all in an academic programme and some of that includes through our Gateway and our Trades Academy trying to find work for those people. "At the moment, I guess because of the climate, it's a lot harder to find that work. And when you look at the age of these boys, all under 18, some of them are just not really mature enough to enter the workforce, so we'll try and find ways to keep them in school so we can try and help get them into employment when they do leave." Dunn said he understands the argument that the sixth year students could be blocking the pathway for other players to experience first XV rugby, but he did not think it was fair to deny the year 14 boys the opportunity to participate in all areas of school life. The school's first XV has already been in the spotlight this season after making international headlines following a try-scoring stunt in their narrow 28-26 win over neighbouring rivals Nelson College. The controversy occurred in the 33rd minute of the match when Marlborough were awarded a penalty shot in front of the posts, and the ball was placed on the kicking tee for a shot at goal. As the Nelson team huddled behind the posts, the penalty taker side-footed the ball to the left corner, which was chased down by his Falcons teammate, who dotted down in the corner. After a lengthy discussion between the referees, the try was awarded. The footage quickly went viral, with former international rugby referee Nigel Owens weighing in on the legality of the try. The incident also re-ignited another debate over the merits of broadcasting schoolboy rugby games. The match was Sky Sport's first live televised first XV match after a two-year hiatus, which was brought about in large part due to schools raising concerns about players being exposed to an unhealthy level of scrutiny. Some schools - notably those involved in Auckland's 1A competition - have elected not to allow Sky to broadcast its games due to player welfare concerns. Dunn said the furore that erupted after the school's win over Nelson has made him question whether televising secondary school sport "is the right way to go". "It's definitely had an impact on a couple of our players," he said. "There's the pressure for these boys to perform, which can be both positive and negative. The TV and the media can put these boys in the spotlight when they have a good game, but if they don't have a good game or they make a decision that the public don't agree with, then the keyboard warriors come out, and with the power of social media, it gets pretty nasty. "The person I feel the most sorry for is the referee because they're giving up their time to adjudicate the game and one decision which whether it's right or wrong, they get crucified for." Grocott, the principal of Shirley Boys' High School, said he believes in general the temperature around schoolboy rugby in the South Island is cooling. "I think there's now a growing understanding that secondary school sport is a byproduct of being at school and getting an education, and that is our core function. We are there to educate and sport is a by-product of it, it's a fantastic by-product but we are not here to develop professional athletes," he said. "In terms of what I would call school behaviour, there's a few outliers around exploiting the rules around poaching and this year 14 issue, but in general it is improving. For those schools you have to ask what they are trying to achieve here? Are they interested in educating young people? Or are they looking to win rugby competitions and market their school on that basis? And I think where the challenge lies is finding that perspective." The furore in the South Island competition comes as School Sport NZ - the organisation that governs high school sport - is currently reviewing its eligibility rules for secondary schools events in 2026. Mike Summerell, chief executive of School Sport NZ, declined to be interviewed for this story, but said the organisation is hoping to have a draft go out to schools for final consultation in the coming days. As reported by RNZ earlier this year, School Sport NZ is weighing up a blanket year 14 ban at national secondary schools events after the issue erupted in rowing. In January, schools voted overwhelmingly in favour of a rule change for the Maadi Regatta , making students returning for their sixth year of high school ineligible to compete in the prestigious event. The move was engineered by a group of around 60 high school principals from across the country who, concerned the practice had become "a black mark" on the sport, called for a special general meeting to vote through a change to the eligibility rules for the event. The vote forced School Sport NZ to make a hasty change to its own rules, carving out a separate clause for rowing. Summerell told RNZ back in February that the "year 14 issue" is something that officials are looking at closely after receiving a number of submissions from principals pushing for the ban to be implemented across all "championship level" secondary schools events. He said widespread changes to the rules would have to be weighed up against the positive effects of sport being a vehicle to keeping young people engaged in education. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

Otago Daily Times

01-06-2025

• Otago Daily Times

Royals reign after close-fought match

The top-of-the-table clash in the Women's South Island League between Dunedin City Royals and Otago University was a close-fought battle. But the Royals came out on top courtesy of Amy Hislop's goal in the 18th minute to secure a 1-0 victory. After a period of sustained early pressure, University were unable to clear and an attempted headed clearance landed at Hislop's feet two yards out to finish. The Royals continued to have most of the possession in the first half and the game saw some robust challenges with the students' Ella Morgan having to be carried off before halftime. The second half was more of an even affair with both teams doing extremely well to stop shots and cancelling each other out. The win puts the Royals on 21 points and University remain in second on 18 points. Roslyn Wakari made the long trip up to Nelson and took a 15th-minute lead through Zara Pratley. But Nelson replied with two goals in three minutes to lead 2-1 before the break to win. In the Southern League, the Royals' men travelled to Selwyn and were rewarded with a 5-2 win. It looked promising for the Royals early on when Brady Jacobs had a ninth minute shot that struck the post. But Selwyn played the ball through the middle and Finlay Cottoem struck from the edge of the box. The home side doubled their lead when Luke Mackay scored from the penalty spot on 31 minutes. Jacobs fired home a volley in the 33rd minute and the Royals very nearly equalised just before halftime. The equaliser eventually came 17 minutes from time when Max Davidson rifled home from the edge of the box. Charlie Fawcett, who was introduced as a substitute only two minutes earlier, was on hand to benefit from the Selwyn keeper spilling the ball. Fellow substitute Cato Williams found himself unmarked in the penalty box and he made no mistake striking home a well-directed cross from the left flank in the 89th minute. Jacobs scored the goal of the game in the sixth minute of injury time, cutting in from the left wing and unleashing an unstoppable shot from outside the penalty box . The Royals move into third-equal on in a very congested table with five teams on 13 points. After last week's heartache of conceding a late goal to lose in Nelson , Wānaka again succumbed to a late goal to lose at home 2-1 to Ferrymead Bays. Anthony Sprowson pulled the home side level with a 22nd minute equaliser. However, Bays Kasper Marson scored the winner with seven minutes left. Nomads upset Nelson 3-0 and Cashmere Tech won 8-4 against Universities of Canterbury. • Queens Park grabbed local bragging rights winning 2-1 against Old Boys in the Southern Premiership Invercargill darby. Queens Park took the lead in first half stoppage time when Cameron Johnson fired home from close range. Old Boys equalised with nine minutes remaining when a long ball forward caused Queens Park keeper Jayden Castle to come out of his box and with Old Boys pouring forward they regained possession, having their initial shot blocked on the line however Jayden Dawson was on hand to score. In the fifth minute of stoppage time Anton Fitzgerald secured the win. Northern continued their 100% record claiming their sixth consecutive victory with a 3-0 win against Northern Hearts. Rory Hibbert scored a brace in the first half and claimed his second consecutive hat-trick when he scored early in the second. Green Island upset Roslyn 3-1 at Ellis Park to claim their first win of the season. The home side started slow with Green Island looking to press and hassle. The tactic worked when they took the lead through Seb Smith. Roslyn equalised midway through the first half when Joe Wood pounced on the loose ball following a corner. Green Island took the lead on 66 minutes through Harrison Mclean's penalty and Ryan Walker secured the win when Roslyn failed to clear and he tapped home from close range. Mosgiel benefited from Roslyn's slip and moved into third place on the table with a comprehensive 6-0 win against the Royals. It was 3-0 at the break thanks to goals from Harvey Stephens, Reece Butenshaw and Morgan Day. Three goals in four minutes in the second half did the damage for the Plainsmen with Stephens claiming his hat-trick and Kowin Hancock getting the goal his all round play deserved.