New Zealand
As the 2022/2023 season draws to a close, the superstars of New Zealand racing will be acknowledged and celebrated at the prestigious New Zealand Thoroughbred Horse of the Year Awards on September 10. The black-tie dinner event will be hosted by highly-regarded racing personalities in Jayne Ivil
New Zealand
Te Awamutu trainer Debbie Sweeney has been impressed with MacFire’s run of form of late and she is hoping that continues at Te Rapa on Saturday where he will contest the Property Brokers Taumarunui 3YO (1400m). The son of Saville Row failed to flatter in his first two starts,
New Zealand
Shaun Phelan is expecting improved showings from his lightweight prospects in the main event on the Te Rapa card on Saturday. The Cambridge trainer holds a decent hand in the Taumarunui RSA Gold Cup (2200m) with Enchanted Elle and Pacheco to go head-to-head and finds it difficult to
New Zealand
New Zealand’s richest raceday will be further enhanced in 2024 with stakes increases and the launch of a new partnership announced for New Zealand Bloodstock’s iconic Karaka Millions Twilight Meeting. The prizemoney for the feature three-year-old race for sales graduates will be boosted to $1.5
New Zealand
Mark Walker is in rarefied air after becoming the first New Zealand trainer to record 200 domestic wins in a season at Awapuni on Thursday. Te Akau’s head trainer went into the synthetic meeting requiring two wins to reach the mark and his eight-strong team duly delivered. Redsheis
New Zealand
The New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders Association has announced that Nick Johnson will take up the position of Chief Executive Officer in early October. Johnson, an ex-pat New Zealander, has extensive experience in the commercial world of sales and marketing and a huge passion for the thoroughbred industry. He has
New Zealand
Any thoughts Riccarton trainer Ryan Thistoll might have had that Strike Force (NZ) (Battle Paint) would become easier to deal with as he got older have long since dissipated. Thistoll's patience with the Battle Paint seven-year-old gelding has been severely tested at times but persistence could
New Zealand
Melissa Douglas’ dream start to her training career continued at Oamaru on Wednesday when Shejengar (NZ) (Echoes of Heaven) scored her first win in the Stephen Heffernan Property Brokers (1200m). It was Douglas’ second start as a trainer, with Shejengar runner-up in her debut outing at Wingatui earlier in
New Zealand
Shaun Clotworthy didn’t foresee Quirky Habits (NZ) (Belardo) contending for black-type honours as a two-year-old, but has been more than happy to be proved wrong by the youngster. With wife Emma, he prepares the son of Belardo whose late season progress has seen him emerge as
New Zealand
Corrina McDougal has enjoyed another successful racing season in partnership with Paul Nelson, and the Hastings trainers hope to top it off in style with last-start winners Taika (NZ) (Mettre En Jeu) and Raucous (NZ) (Nom Du Jeu) at Te Rapa on Saturday. A son of Mettre En Jeu,
New Zealand
The unique strength of the current three-year-old crop has been reflected in the flat racing finalists for the 2023 New Zealand Thoroughbred Horse of the Year awards. All five finalists in the three-year-old category – Legarto, Pennyweka, Pier, Prowess and Sharp ‘N’ Smart - were Group I winners
New Zealand
Punters had plenty of faith in Stonybreck (Tavistock) at Cambridge on Wednesday, backing him into $1.20 favouritism for the Pryde’s Easifeed 1550, and the Tavistock gelding duly delivered. In the hands of leading jockey Michael McNab, Stonybreck jumped well to sit outside leader Branciforti and hit the lead