Racing
A forecast for rain ahead of Saturday’s Trentham meeting has forced a rethink of plans for Tajana (NZ) (Darci Brahma) as she resumes her classic quest this weekend. Trainers Shaune Ritchie and Colm Murray had originally intended Saturday’s Gr.3 New Zealand Bloodstock Desert Gold Stakes (1600m) to
Racing
A return to Ellerslie next week is on the cards for promising three-year-old King’s English following his win in the Elsdon Park 1200 at the Auckland track on Sunday. The Snitzel colt has shown plenty of ability on the track, placing in his first two starts before
Racing
With the release this week of nominations for the Gr.1 Trackside NZ Derby, the focus intensifies for stamina signs amongst the three-year-old crop ahead of the March 7 Ellerslie classic. Amongst the 90-odd entries for the Derby are the first three placegetters in the first black-
Racing
Nearly a decade after taking up the mantle as private trainer to Cambridge Stud owners Sir Brendan and Jo Lady Lindsay, Lance Noble has delivered results that he hopes to embellish at one of New Zealand’s racing’s biggest events, Boxing Day at Ellerslie. From his base at Lindsay
Racing
Chris Wood acknowledges his emerging three-year-old That’s Gold (Lucky Vega) will have a fight on his hands in the Gr. 2 Jimmy Schick Shaw’s Auckland Guineas (1400m), but he’s still taking a positive approach to the Boxing Day challenge. The Ellerslie feature is dominated by
Racing
No-one knows better than Lance O’Sullivan what it takes to win the Gr.1 TAB Telegraph (1200m), which is as good a recommendation as any around the engagement of James McDonald for Tomodachi in the Trentham Group One sprint. During O’Sullivan’s storied jockey career, encompassing 12
Racing
The Canterbury Jockey Club have announced Group 1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) winner Romanoff (NZ) (Belardo) as their representative for the $4 million NZB Kiwi (1500m) at Ellerslie on Champions Day, 7 March 2026. When purchasing their slot for the Southern Hemisphere’s richest three-year-old race, the
Racing
Expat jockey Mick Dee is set to return to one of his happiest hunting grounds, Ellerslie, with a full book of rides on Boxing Day headed by El Vencedor in the Gr. 1 Cambridge Stud Zabeel Classic (2000m). Melbourne-based Dee may not have the profile of New Zealand’s
Racing
Patience, a diminishing commodity in the modern environment, remains a key marker for Raumati couple Christopher and Susanna Grace, two of New Zealand racing’s longest serving and most successful participants. No better example is the latest star of the Graces’ home-bred racing string, the Andrew Forsman-trained Hinekaha,
Racing
Trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson now have their sights set on the Gr.3 Cambridge Stud Almanzor Trophy (1400m) at Ellerslie for To Bravery Born (NZ) (Snitzel) on Karaka Millions night following his eye-catching first-up win at Te Rapa on Saturday. The three-year-old gelding has
Racing
With NZB Kiwi favourite Well Written confirmed to run in the Entain/TAB NZ slot in New Zealand’s richest race, attention is now being focused on decisions around other prominent candidates for the $4 million March 7 feature. Those horses include the Pam Gerard-trained Gr.1 New Zealand
Racing
A bright future is being tipped for well-bred three-year-old Day One following his maiden victory in the Barfoot & Thompson 1600 at Ellerslie on Thursday. He had shown a lot of promise at the trials before running fifth on debut over 1400m at Arawa Park last month,