Racing
Allan Sharrock is balancing stronger opposition against the prospect of a rain-affected track as he weighs up Ladies Man’s chances of claiming back-to-back Gr.1 TAB Mufhasa Classics (1600m) on Saturday. Ladies Man won last year’s Trentham weight-for-age feature with a brilliant final burst to claim La Crique
Racing
Expat jockey Rory Hutchings has adopted his proven “have saddle, will travel” approach to another summer stint in New Zealand. Last summer the 30-year-old former champion apprentice made the most of his opportunities with 14 wins from 100 rides, including the Gr.1 Herbie Dyke Stakes (2000m) and Listed Fulton
Racing
Unbeaten filly Well Written (Written Tycoon) is back in work and while exact plans have yet to be confirmed, a clearer picture of her New Year schedule is forming. The only certainty is that her primary target is the $4 million NZB Kiwi (1500m), and with that speculation is mounting
Racing
Stephen Marsh has his sights set on further feature-race success, with his proven performer Provence (NZ) (Savabeel) confirmed for Saturday’s Gr.1 TAB Mufhasa Classic (1600m) at Trentham. The Cambridge trainer took his black-type tally for the first four months of the season to seven when Ammirati (NZ) (Savabeel)
Racing
A sparkling gallop between races at Ellerslie on Saturday has completed Crocetti’s preparation for another round of major summer sprints. The speedy five-year-old cruised through his 1000m exhibition to the satisfaction of trainers Danny Walker and Arron Tata and regular rider Warren Kennedy. “They timed him to run 58
Racing
After an extended stand-down from riding due to concussion, leading jockey Opie Bosson has been cleared to resume duties in time for an important Group One date. Bosson was sidelined at the Avondale race meeting on November 6 after being unseated while pulling up on one of his mounts. He
Racing
Twelve months since the start of a frustrating run of Group One seconds in the TAB Mufhasa Classic (1600m), Te Awamutu mare La Crique is ready to go one better in next week’s Trentham feature. That close second was the first in a frustrating and almost unbelievable sequence of
Racing
Ken and Bev Kelsos’ millionaire duo of Legarto and Alabama Lass are well on target for further major assignments as the feature summer racing period looms. An easy trial win at Te Aroha on Wednesday has confirmed that Legarto is ready to resume her career in the Gr. 1 TAB
Racing
Proven stars from Wexford Stables were out in force at Tuesday’s Taupo trials as they limbered up for important assignments on the horizon. First cab off the rank in the open 1100m heats was Waitak (NZ) (Proisir), already the winner of the Gr.1 Howden Insurance Mile (1600m) and
Racing
Opting for Cambridge apprentice Sienna Brown as Spencer’s rider at Wanganui on Saturday wasn’t a difficult decision for the talented gelding’s connections. Brown was already familiar with Spencer from his time with Waverley trainer Erin Hocquard, having ridden him twice for a win and a third placing
Racing
New Zealand-bred sprinting sensation Ka Ying Rising continued his dominance on Sunday when defending his crown in theGr.2 BOCHK Private Banking Jockey Club Sprint (1200m) at Sha Tin. Fresh off returning back to Hong Kong following his heroics in last month’s A$20 million The Everest (1200m) at
Racing
A professional display from speedy Otaki visitor De Armas (NZ) (Ardrossan) paved the way for a decisive victory in the first stakes race on Saturday’s Pukekohe programme, the Listed Counties Challenge Stakes (1100m). Trainer Johno Benner trekked north with the daughter of Ardrossan, who went into the race off