It is often a case of which juvenile can handle the Heavy conditions best in the Listed John Turkington Forestry Castletown Stakes (1200m), but there was certainly a touch of class about this year’s impressive victor Actionbelle (Bivouac).

The daughter of Bivouac had produced a tidy debut effort for third at Matamata behind Dubawi Diva (NZ) (King Of Comedy), giving the father-son training partnership of Ben and Ryan Foote confidence to head south to Otaki for Friday’s $80,000 feature.

While noted among the chances, it was Te Akau’s last-start winner Honour Roll (NZ) (Savabeel) and Robbie Patterson’s proven heavy-tracker Shamelia Kirk (NZ) (Shamexpress) who fought out favouritism, with the former eventually closing on top at $2.60.

When the gates opened, it was Honour Roll who won the early speed battle, striding to the lead while Actionbelle settled on the fence just behind midfield. Shamelia Kirk levelled up to Honour Roll turning for home, but when he kicked clear, it was Actionbelle mounting the challenge to his inside.

Honour Roll had the upper hand for much of the straight for Michael McNab, but Actionbelle kept finding for younger brother Sam McNab, and when Honour Roll tired late, she kept up a strong gallop to win by a 3 -1/2 length margin to Shamelia Kirk, who closed off nicely to fill second ahead of Back Of The Bus (NZ) (Hello Youmzain).

The Castletown was another accolade to add to a breakout season for McNab, who has ridden 51 winners and three at stakes level this term after riding his first winner just over a year ago.

“Her debut run couldn’t have been much better I thought, and stepping up to 1200m today, she was always going to be a very good chance,” he said.

“The track conditions were obviously a query, and the two favourites had shown a bit, but she was very tough.

“I couldn’t get off the fence, but where I was hadn’t been touched much and I just tried to encourage her to slide forward without doing too much. I tried to nurse her to the corner and when Michael took off, I thought it must be time to go.

“The leader put a couple of lengths on us, but she never gave up and got there in the end.”

Ryan Foote extended his gratitude to co-owner Jim Bruford, who purchased Actionbelle out of Henley Park’s draft at New Zealand Bloodstock’s Ready To Run Sale for $90,000.

“It was great to get a stakes win for the team, they are big supporters of ours,” he said. “She’s a nice horse with a bright future.

“This is one that Jim selected, he is a very good judge. We’re just happy to have backing from him.

“It (the race) didn’t really go as planned, I wanted to get off the fence, but they all came out wide and she just seemed like she handled the track conditions best.

“We’ll see how she gets home and pulls up as to whether we come back in two weeks.”

Foote is referring to the Listed Phils Electrical and Gipsy Caravans Ryder Stakes (1200m), also to be run at Otaki in a fortnight.

Out of a five-time winner and stakes placed Not A Single Doubt mare in Balancing Act, Actionbelle was initially purchased by Henley Park as a weanling at the Inglis Great Southern Sale and passed in at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale in Melbourne, before she was reoffered and sold as a two-year-old at Karaka last November. - Jess de Lautour

Rolston to begin new chapter with Yulong

Danny Rolston, one of the world’s most respected bloodstock judges, will begin a new chapter in his career next month when he joins burgeoning thoroughbred powerhouse Yulong Investments as their Head of Racing.

Formerly the Director of Sales at New Zealand Bloodstock, Rolston has spent the last four years with the Hong Kong Jockey Club as their Executive Manager International Sale/Owner Advisory Services, where he has overseen five editions of the annual Hong Kong International Sale, culminating in last week’s successful 2026 sale.

“I have been in Hong Kong for four years and the time has gone really quick,” Rolston said.

“I arrived during COVID and the first sale I presided over was in 2022. I have seen a few different versions of the sale between COVID impacted, the strength in the economy, and the dip in the economy last year.

“It has been a real ride, this is the fifth sale I have overseen and we had a really good renewal on Friday last week. We had a pretty good feeling that the sale was going to be strong and to be able to do that when I am signing off, I couldn’t have dreamed of a better transition.”

Rolston is grateful for his time with the Hong Kong Jockey Club and said his professional growth has been immense, and he has appreciated his family’s support while he has continued his career offshore.

“When the opportunity came to move to Hong Kong it wasn’t just professional, it was personal as well for my whole family,” Rolston said. “I have been wickedly proud of how my wife, Sharon, and kids have dealt with it.

“I can’t explain how professionally I have grown in my time working there and the opportunity to understand better the business of racing and its global impact. You really get a good opportunity to see that from a high level in Hong Kong, and even how important New Zealand is in the big scheme of things.”

With his time in Hong Kong coming to an end, Rolston is turning the page to a new chapter as he gets set to join Yulong Investments.

“Another chapter begins, I am very excited,” Rolston said.

Rolston has had a long-standing relationship with Yulong principal Zhang Yuesheng, and he said when he was looking at returning to Australasia, Yulong was a natural fit.

“I have had a pretty strong relationship with Mr Zhang and his family for quite a number of years,” Rolston said. “When I started looking at moving closer to home, it was a pretty easy conversation to have, and it worked pretty quickly.”

While Rolston has spent the last two decades primarily working in the bloodstock side of the industry, racing is nothing new for the former jockey, and he is looking forward to the challenge his new role will offer.

“The new role is racing specific, but they are so interconnected and I would like to think I will be able to offer some support to the other sides of the Yulong business as well,” Rolston said. “It is a new challenge moving from bloodstock into racing, but it is not something I am unfamiliar with.”

Rolston will be based out of Yulong’s headquarters in Nagambie, but the New Zealander will return home on a frequent basis with Yulong expanding its presence on this side of the Tasman, which has been felt this season through the Group One success of Well Written and Ohope Wins.

“I love that Mr Zhang has not only been buying horses out of New Zealand, but racing them there as well,” Rolston said. “He has had a long-term relationship with New Zealand, and I think it is great he is showing his support for the New Zealand industry.”

Rolston is set to start his new role on August 1 but will return home to spend some quality time with his Waikato-based children before making his move across the Tasman with his wife. - Joshua Smith

Taplin scores first treble

It was a memorable day at Cambridge on Thursday for local apprentice jockey Jack Taplin, who recorded his first treble at the synthetic meeting.

Taplin was upbeat about his chances heading into the meeting, with the 22-year-old hoop booked to ride two favourites in Ebony Gem (Snitzel) and Lady Iris (NZ) (US Navy Flag), but is was aboard the Bruce Harvey-trained Rocmont (NZ) (El Roca) that he scored his first win of the day in the Remembering Ngakau Hailey 1300.

From his wide draw, Taplin took the gelding back to settle at the rear of the field. There was plenty of pace upfront and the pair soon found themselves several lengths adrift of the pack, but under the urgings of Taplin, Rocmont made up the deficit and rejoined the field with 800m to go.

Entering the home straight, Taplin guided his charge out wide and Rocmont began to make solid inroads, collaring Oban (Impending) and Lhasa (Hellbent) in the final 50m and he went on to win by a neck.

Taplin went on to guide Ebony Gem to victory in the TAB 970 before bringing up the 100^th season win for his employer, Stephen Marsh, aboard Lady Iris in the TCL Earthworks 970.

“It was great to ride my first treble,” Taplin said.

“I was quietly confident with a couple of them going in. I thought Ebony Gem was my best for yesterday, but I ended up with a couple of other wins, which was great.

“Rocmont was a bit of a surprise, he went really well. It was good to get a winner for the chairman (Waikato Thoroughbred Racing chairman Bruce Harvey) and stay on the right side of him.

“It was also great to get the win for Stephen, I believe it was his 100^th win of the season, which would have put a smile on his face.”

Taplin is hoping to continue his winning momentum into the weekend where he will have seven rides at Ruakaka on Saturday, and he is particularly excited about the prospects of the Mark Brosnan-trained Fly My Wey (NZ) (Sweynesse) in the ITM/GIB Whangarei Gold Cup (2100m), who will benefit from Taplin’s two-kilogram claim.

Taplin has ridden the son of Sweynesse once before when fifth in the South Waikato Cup (2000m) at Matamata in March, and he is confident of an improved result this weekend, and bookmakers share his confidence, with Fly My Wey currently a $5.50 second favourite behind Drop Of Something (NZ) (Telperion) at $4.80.

“He is definitely my best tomorrow and he has a good record on the track,” Taplin said. “A couple of kilos off is going to help him too.

“He is beautiful old horse, he is an absolute dude and does everything himself.”

With 49 wins to his credit this term, Taplin is happy with the way the season has gone despite it being interrupted by injury, and he singled out his win aboard Capo Dell Impero (NZ) (Ghibellines) in the Founders Cup (2600m) as his season highlight.

“The season hasn’t been too bad, I have been kicking a few over after coming back from injury,” Taplin said.

“I won the Founders Cup for the Andertons on Capo Dell Impero down at Riccarton, and it was really good winning that.” - Joshua Smith