A well-judged Kelly Myers ride has helped New Plymouth gelding Tisse (NZ) (Belardo) break through for his first black type success.

Allowed to start at odds of $18 in the Gr.3 Gee & Hickton Thompson Handicap (1600m) at Trentham, Tisse would have been at much longer odds on the final turn as he was several lengths behind the speed.

But Myers kept to the inside of the track, taking gaps that arrived, and Tisse showed a devastating sprint to score by a short neck from The Scunner, who looked to have the race at his mercy when he took the lead 200m from the line.

Favourite Astoria Brooke finished well for third after taking a wide path in the stretch and taking a while to wind up.

“He’s such a grouse horse, I just love him,” Myers said of the Allan Sharrock-trained six-year-old.

“I was following Astoria Brooke the whole way and didn’t want to let her out of my sights. She sort of went out and the gap just presented in front of us and he was an absolute jet.”

Tisse came into the race after finishing seventh in a 1500m handicap at Te Rapa on September 26, and Sharrock’s stable representative Charlotte Schrider said there was a lot of confidence in him.

“Allan was really keen on him, especially with 53 kilos on him and drawn nine,” she said.

“He worked really good and he had a jumpout on Wednesday and he worked brilliantly through that. We took him over a few cross-country jumps on the Thursday and it’s just worked beautifully.

“He showed such tenacity at the line and it was a beautiful ride by Kelly.”

Myers rode Tisse in the jumpout at Stratford and said the feeling she got from that, plus the stable’s belief in the horse, meant she had faith in his prospects leading into the race.

“I think the crew were quite confident to be fair, and you know when Allan’s confident that you can be confident too.”

A $30,000 purchase from the Woburn Farm draft at the 2022 New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sales Series, Tisse is owned by The Crow Family Trust. He has now won six of his 26 starts, with his previous best effort at stakes level being a third-place finish in the Listed Rangitikei Gold Cup (1600m) in May.

His unraced dam Miss Percy is a half-sister to Gr.1 Auckland Cup (3200m) winner Titch and to Threepence, the dam of dual Oaks winner Pennyweka. - Alastair Bull LOVERACING.NZ News Desk

Old Fashioned doubtful for 2000 Guineas

Unbeaten Waverley colt Old Fashioned (NZ) (Proisir) is unlikely to contest the Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton on November 14 after a minor foot issue forced his withdrawal from Sunday's meeting at Trentham.

The Bill Thurlow-trained three-year-old had been among the leading contenders for the Riccarton classic following his impressive victory in the Gr.2 Hawke's Bay Guineas (1400m) on September 26, where he defeated subsequent Gr.2 Soliloquy Stakes (1400m) winner Asturia.

Old Fashioned was scheduled to have his final Guineas lead-up in Sunday's Thefracclub.com Three-Year-Old (1400m), but his scratching has left connections resigned to missing the southern feature.

“He’s just got a minor foot issue, that’s all. It’s just one of those things, they get them from time to time,” Thurlow said.

“It means he missed today, and going forward it’s not likely we’ll get to Riccarton now because we’ve missed today’s race.”

Old Fashioned has drifted from $5 to $8 in TAB's fixed odds market for the 2000 Guineas.

“It’s pretty much certain he’ll stay at home,” Thurlow said. “I’ll leave it a few days but I’d think it’s too awkward now.”

Thurlow indicated the colt would likely be given a break before returning to racing over the summer.

“We’ll probably ease up on him and race him after Christmas. You wouldn’t see him for a couple of months,” he said.

Part-owner Matthew Goodson, who races Old Fashioned alongside his wife Dianna Perron, said the colt's long-term future was the priority.

“We’re reluctant to put too much pressure on him when he’s not 100 percent,” Goodson said.

“You need everything to go right in the spring to get to the Guineas in 100 percent shape. It’s just a bugger, but hopefully he will be back around Christmas time.

“There’s a lot of races ahead in the season. We’d rather look after him in light of those rather than get to the 2000 Guineas and not have a horse afterwards.”

The Trentham race Old Fashioned was due to contest was won impressively by Thunder In Motion, a $700,000 NZB Ready to Run Sale graduate who broke his maiden at his second start for trainer Mark Forbes.

Meanwhile, current 2000 Guineas favourite System Of Play is scheduled to have his final lead-up in Monday's Gr.2 James and Annie Sarten Memorial (1400m) at Te Rapa, where he will meet fellow Guineas contenders Raymond, Rip Tide, Justin Case, Incandescent and Coniston. - NZ Racing News

Guineas option for impressive Thunder In Motion

Promising three-year-old Thunder In Motion (NZ) (Per Incanto) put himself in contention for a tilt at next month's Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) with an impressive maiden victory at Trentham on Sunday.

The $700,000 NZB Ready to Run Sale graduate produced an explosive turn of foot to win the THEFRACCLUB.COM Three Year Old (1400m) by three lengths for trainer Mark Forbes and jockey Joe Doyle.

Thunder In Motion jumped well before settling at the rear of the three-horse field behind Singletary and High Rock. Angled widest turning for home, he quickly put the result beyond doubt.

The performance came at just his second raceday appearance, having finished runner-up over 1100m at Taupo on debut, and the spacious Trentham circuit appeared to suit the promising youngster.

The race was robbed of some interest when last-start Gr.2 Hawke's Bay Guineas (1400m) winner Old Fashioned, who had been installed favourite, was scratched on Sunday morning after suffering a minor setback.

Forbes was delighted with the performance and said the gelding had made significant progress since his early education.

“Obviously they paid $700,000 for him out of the Ready to Run Sale last year,” Forbes said.

“We gelded him after his first trial, which was a little bit disappointing, but his whole preparation this time in has been very impressive.

“We didn't really want to lead. Even though he jumped well, I'm glad Joe took a sit on him and he's got an explosive turn of foot.”

Connections will now consider whether to pay a late entry fee for the Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton on November 14.

“We will get him home and there is a race in three weeks,” Forbes said. “Whether we do consider paying the late nomination, we will just have a think about it when we get him home.”

Doyle was equally enthusiastic about the performance, although he admitted the small field had made it difficult to fully assess the gelding's ability.

“He's a horse we think a lot of. I was a bit gutted this morning when the favourite came out because I thought we'd get a better line on him,” Doyle said.

“You can only beat what's around you and he has been very impressive. All he will do is improve.

“He's a lovely horse. They paid a lot of money for him and I think they'll be getting it back.

“He's still a touch green but all he wants to do is please you. Well done to the connections and to Mark as well. His team is absolutely flying at the minute, so fair play to him.”

Bred by Trelawney Stud, Thunder In Motion was purchased by Mainland Chinese owners Shijiazhuang Hongtao Horse Breeding for $700,000 at the 2025 NZB Ready to Run Sale.

He is by Little Avondale Stud's outstanding stallion Per Incanto out of the Rock 'n' Pop mare Joan's A Jett, a half-sister to Gr.1 Toorak Handicap (1600m) winner Allez Wonder. - NZ Racing News

Puzzle puts pieces together at Trentham

Promising three-year-old filly Puzzle (NZ) (Satono Aladdin) opened her winning account with a convincing performance at Trentham on Sunday, with trainer Johno Benner confident there is plenty more to come from the daughter of Satono Aladdin.

Prepared at Otaki by Benner for owner Gary Harding, Puzzle appreciated the improved track conditions when scoring a two-length victory in the Rat Tat (He's 26) Maiden (1400m).

The filly had finished third on debut at Waverley on a Heavy 8 surface but relished the Good 4 footing at Trentham, where she produced an impressive turn of foot under Craig Grylls.

Settling midfield in a slowly run contest, Puzzle was brought into the clear by Grylls before accelerating strongly to put the result beyond doubt.

The hard-luck story of the race was $1.50 favourite Top Marks, who settled behind the leader from an inside draw but was shuffled back to last and never saw clear running.

Benner admitted he had expected Top Marks to prove too strong but was delighted with the way his filly capitalised.

“Honestly, coming here today, I thought she'd run second,” Benner said. “I think the horse that was pretty unlucky there (Top Marks) is a good horse, but we took advantage of that.

“It was a great ride by Craig. We got further back than I expected on a pretty slow tempo, but he had to do that to get one-off.

“She let go quickly and she's a good-actioned filly that is going to get 2000m, so it's all upwards from here.”

While Puzzle was initially nominated for the Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton, Benner elected not to proceed with the classic campaign, believing the filly would benefit from more time.

“We had her in the 1000 Guineas early in the piece, but decided not to make the next payment, simply because I think it's a little bit of a bridge too far for her at this stage,” he said.

“She's been a slow-maturing filly and thanks to Gary and Linda, who are very patient with two or three of these sorts of horses I've got in the barn, we're able to do what we want with them and take our time.”

Benner is now considering a short break for Puzzle before targeting some of the better fillies' races over the summer and autumn.

“There are plenty of stakes races for fillies around here over Christmas, so whether she has a little let-up now and we look at some of those better fillies' mile races, and then into the autumn with the 2000m races, we'll see.”

Harding purchased Puzzle for $170,000 from Brighthill Farm's draft at the 2024 NZB National Weanling Sale.

By Rich Hill Stud stallion Satono Aladdin, Puzzle is out of the Rip Van Winkle mare Henley Road, a half-sister to four-time Group One winner Callsign Mav. - NZ Racing News