Racing
The Cox Plate is one of the most coveted prizes in Australasian racing, and while anticipation builds towards the 106th running on Saturday, Matamata horseman Gary Hennessy is reflecting fondly on his former star Ocean Park’s heroics in the weight-for-age feature 14 years ago. The son of
Racing
Donovan Cooper made a winning return to the saddle at Ashburton on Sunday, and just four days later he will be reunited with his favourite horse, dual Guineas winner Hello Hayley (NZ) (Hello Youmzain), at Ascot Park. The Canterbury-based apprentice jockey has been sidelined for the last couple of
Racing
Gavin Bedggood has been one of the few Australian trainers to campaign in New Zealand over the past year, and he has been richly rewarded, with his grey entire Kingswood (Roaring Lion) scoring elite-level success on both sides of the Tasman, highlighted by his heroics in Saturday’s Gr.
Racing
Former Gr.1 Barneswood Farm New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) favourite Hawea (Hellbent) has been withdrawn from the southern classic and will head for a freshen-up following her last-placed finish in the Gr.2 Soliloquy Stakes (1400m) at Ellerslie on Saturday. The Hellbent filly had been eye-catching
Racing
Everest Day at Randwick has become one of the centrepieces of the Australasian racing calendar, and Saturday’s edition will once again have plenty of Kiwi flavour, including the Lisa Latta-trained Platinum Pantheon (Hanseatic) in the A$1 million Listed Silver Eagle (1300m). While New Zealand-bred sprinting sensation
Racing
Raymond Connors has fond memories of the Gr.3 New Zealand Cup (3200m) and he is on a path to try and claim his third with his talented stayer Trav (NZ) (Almanzor). The Bulls trainer won back-to-back editions of the Riccarton feature with Blood Brotha (NZ) (Danzighill) (2011
Racing
Miss Magnetica (NZ) (Contributer) turned plenty of heads when dashing home from the back of the pack to win her maiden at Ellerslie last month, and she will now get the opportunity to test her talent at stakes level at the Auckland track this weekend. The daughter of Contributer was
Racing
Kiwi Group One winner Lara Antipova (Russian Revolution) will test her talent at elite level in Australia for the first time when she heads to Caulfield on Saturday to tackle the Gr.1 Thousand Guineas (1600m). The Fortuna Racing filly has had three starts from Te Akau’s Cranbourne base
Racing
Well-related gelding Shooting Stride will be seeking back-to-back wins when he heads to Gore on Friday to tackle the Gore Elite Plumbing (1335m). Bred by Pencarrow Stud, Shooting Stride is out of stakes winner Cote D’Or, and is a half-brother to Go Racing’s Gr.
Breeding
This Saturday will mark a quarter of a century since Ethereal’s (NZ) (Rhythm) win in the Gr.1 Caulfield Cup (2400m), and the blue hen is still enjoying life at Pencarrow Stud, near Cambridge, at the ripe old age of 29. Bred by Pencarrow Stud principals Sir Peter and
Racing
Apprentice jockey Jack Taplin is going from strength to strength and scored a deserved first stakes win when piloting the Kenny Rae-trained Fraudster (Profiteer) to victory in the Gr.3 Barneswood Farm Stakes (1400m) at Ashburton last Saturday. “It was bloody awesome, especially to get it for Kenny who
Racing
Peachy Keen (NZ) (Reliable Man) caused a boilover when taking out Saturday’s Ashburton Cup (1600m) at odds of 103-1, and now stakes targets await the grey gelding. The six-year-old son of Reliable Man had failed to fire since winning the Cromwell Cup (2030m) last November, finishing