New Zealand
Roger James is now the most successful trainer in the history of the Gr.1 Trackside New Zealand Derby (2400m), but even that enormous achievement was overshadowed at Ellerslie on Saturday by the new superstar of his Cambridge stable. Orchestral became the sixth Derby winner for James, following on from
New Zealand
Te Akau Racing’s former trainer Jamie Richards had a stranglehold on the Mufhasa Stakes (1400m) on New Zealand Derby Day, and his successors Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson continued that tradition at Ellerslie on Saturday. The runaway premiership leaders won the Mainstream Plumbing-sponsored Group Three feature with classy Waikato
New Zealand
Unheralded Almanzor filly Positivity sprang an upset at Ellerslie on Saturday when she fought doggedly in the run home to take out the Gr.3 McKee Family Sunline Vase (2100m) and claim her first stakes victory. The Andrew Forsman-prepared three-year-old was having just her fifth start and had looked a
New Zealand
Underrated mare Maria Farina outsprinted several of the country’s top gallopers to secure Saturday’s Gr.3 Haunui Farm King’s Plate (1200m) at Ellerslie. The daughter of Contributer has flown relatively under the radar this season, despite having accumulated six career victories, including the Listed Lightning Handicap (1200m)
New Zealand
Te Akau Racing make their presence felt in a volume of top-flight New Zealand races, with Karaka Millions, Guineas, and weight-for-age crowns in constant flow. However, the iconic Gr.1 Trackside New Zealand Derby (2400m) is one that has eluded the Matamata giant since cult hero Gingernuts in 2017, and
New Zealand
Legarto catapulted herself into the spotlight in last year’s A$1 million Gr.1 Australian Guineas (1600m), and Te Akau Racing is hopeful another Kiwi filly can follow suit in the Flemington feature on Saturday. That filly is Quintessa, a daughter of Shamus Award that has only once finished
New Zealand
Two breakthrough performers from November’s New Zealand Cup Carnival will line up alongside a pair of promising staying three-year-olds in a talented team for New Plymouth trainer John Wheeler at Ellerslie on Saturday. The Hall of Fame horseman’s first runner will be Oso Savvy in the $90,000
New Zealand
The curtain has come down on the decorated career of Callsign Mav following his sixth placed run in last Saturday’s Gr.1 Trackside Otaki-Maori Classic (1600m). Purchased as a weanling out of Windsor Park Stud’s 2017 National Weanling, Broodmate, & Mixed Bloodstock Sale for $3,000, he belied
New Zealand
Seven years after settling for second in their last raid on New Zealand’s premier classic, expat trainers Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young are resigned to running into one better again when Interlinked contests the Gr.1 Trackside New Zealand Derby (2400m) at Ellerslie on Saturday. Busuttin and Young tackled
New Zealand
Breakthrough performer Pericles will be out to continue a remarkable summer for his part-owners Hugh Fletcher and Dame Sian Elias when he lines up in the Gr.3 Mainstream Plumbing Mufhasa Stakes (1400m) at Ellerslie on Saturday. The pair’s familiar Fletcher tartan colours have been carried to eight wins
New Zealand
Winning a Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) is nothing new for Roger James, with the Cambridge trainer looking to extend his tally in the Classic to an even half dozen at Ellerslie on Saturday, while training partner Robert Wellwood will be looking for his first. Tidal Light (1986), Roysyn
New Zealand
Debutante two-year-old Altari (NZ) (Savabeel) produced a smart victory in the Congrats Captured By Love & Te Akau Racing Maiden 2YO (1200m) at Matamata on Thursday. When trialling on 20 February at Tauranga, Altari was trapped out, steadied 600m, ranged wide and flattened out 200m for a smart win, and