Audio
AUDIO: John Galvin
Andrew Bensley catches up with Fortuna Syndicate's John Galvin after Melody Belle brought up her record breaking 14th Group One win. https://soundcloud.com/nz-racing-desk/john-galvin-saturday-march-13-2021
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Audio
AUDIO: David Ellis
Te Akau Racing's David Ellis talks to Andrew Bensley after a big day at Ellerslie where they quinellaed two Group One races. https://soundcloud.com/nz-racing-desk/david-ellis-saturday-march-13-2021
International
Lor hopes Winning Dreamer can demonstrate Group 1 potential
Winning Dreamer (NZ) (Deep Field) will attempt to upstage the upper echelon of Hong Kong’s sprint division when he contests a hot Class 1 Lantau Island Handicap (1200m) at Sha Tin this Saturday as trainer Frankie Lor plots a path toward next month’s Gr.1 Chairman’s Sprint
International
Kiwi trio feature in World’s best
Three New Zealand-breds have featured prominently in the latest Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings. Probabeel (NZ) (Savabeel), Kolding (NZ) (Ocean Park), and Furore (NZ) (Pierro), have each been given a rating of 117, ranking them 12th equal in the world this year. The Jamie Richards-trained Probabeel is
Australia
Newnham hoping for luck of the Irish
Former Kiwi The Irishman (NZ) (Tavistock) will have his first stakes tilt in Australia at Rosehill on Saturday when he contests the Gr.2 Phar Lap Stakes (1500m). He won first-up over 1400m at Warwick Farm last week and pleased new trainer Mark Newnham with the way he handled
Australia
Arcadia Queen under All-Star cloud
Leviathan owner Bob Peters said star mare Arcadia Queen (Pierro) will be given every chance to line-up in Saturday’s A$5 million All-Star Mile (1600m) after she failed a second vets inspection on Friday. The $3.90 favourite presented with two out of five lameness in her
New Zealand
Full crowds for Auckland Cup Day
Following the Government's announcement that Auckland will join the remainder of the country in COVID-19 alert level 1 from midday today, crowds will be welcomed on-course to Ellerslie’s Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Cup Day on Saturday. Gates for tomorrow’s Auckland Cup Day will open
New Zealand
Late Sistema bid for Fonsalette
Group One plans weren’t originally on the cards for Fonsalette (NZ) (Belardo) this weekend, but that all changed earlier this week when the nominations came out for the Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m). The juvenile feature had attracted just four nominations, and with Group One honours on the line
New Zealand
Harris excited about Group One duo
Despite being booked for only two rides, Saturday’s Auckland Cup meeting at Ellerslie has the potential to be a special day in the saddle for Troy Harris. The 32-year-old has recorded six Group One victories in his riding career, and he has two strong chances to add
New Zealand
Injury halts Auckland Cup plans
Wanganui trainer Raymond Connors put a circle around the Gr.1 Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Cup (3200m) several months ago for promising stayer Hurry Cane (NZ) (Nom Du Jeu), but injury has put a halt to those plans. The eight-year-old gelding was heading towards the two-mile feature
New Zealand
Sound result for promising three-year-old
Milford Sound (NZ) (Ocean Park) broke maiden ranks on Thursday with a stylish win in the Piccadilly Books Stocktake Sale On Until 15 March Maiden (1600m) at Riccarton. The son of Ocean Park stepped out a $1.50 favourite in the mile contest and trainer Andrew Carston admitted to feeling
Breeding
Business model change for Valachi Downs
Matamata thoroughbred nursery Valachi Downs is set to return to a boutique breeding and racing operation following a number of years of growth and business diversification. “Kevin and Jo Hickman are refocusing Valachi Downs as a more private and smaller nursery and racing stable with the same goal of producing,