Top southerner retires

Southland's horse of the year in 2022, Sand Wave has been retired.

A fetlock injury has convinced connections to call time on his racing career after winning 10 races from 29 starts, and $176,442.

His trainer and regular driver Nathan Williamson once said of the horse : "He's not a wimp .... when it gets tough he can tough it out."

During a brilliant three-year-old season the pacer won six of 13 starts and more than $127,000 in stakes, including the Group 2 Alabar Supremacy Stakes Final at Ascot Park. In the same year he was also third in the New Zealand Derby behind Akuta and Republican Party.

In the 2023 Gore Cup he won in record time, with his 3:18.7 eclipsing Pulp Fiction's old mark set in 2015 (3:20.9). That was his 10th and final win.

He last raced on February 11, in the Wairio Cup, where he finished second behind Tact McLeod.

His future now could well be at stud.