New Zealand
Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) hopeful Wolfgang (NZ) (Puccini) will fly to Melbourne on Wednesday to commence his path towards the A$10 million feature. The Group Three winner was set to start his spring campaign at Wanganui 10 days ago, but inclement weather curtailed those plans and trainers Peter
New Zealand
Capable synthetic performer Branciforti (NZ) (Belardo) is presented with an opportunity to turn her form around on Wednesday as the clock ticks down on her racing career. The daughter of Belardo will again step out on the polytrack in the Cambridge Equine Hospital Handicap (1550m) and a change of fortune
New Zealand
Palmerston North trainer Paul Peake broke a two-decade winless drought at Woodville on Sunday when his gelding Lazy (NZ) (Complacent) scored his maiden win in the Mamona 2100 at his 29th attempt. The eight-year-old son of Complacent was sent forward from his wide gate by apprentice jockey Crystal Lindsay to
Breeding
Just a few days after the catalogue was launched for the 2025 Ready to Run Sale at Karaka, the world’s leading sale of two-year-olds celebrated another new stakes-winning graduate – Arigato (NZ) (Charm Spirit). Bought for $150,000 from the 2020 Ready to Run Sale, Arigato led from start to
Racing
A trans-Tasman ownership double prompted long and enthusiastic celebrations for Ashburton’s Barneswood Farm. Husband-and-wife Chris and Sarah Green and business partner Ger Beemsterboer’s colours were carried to victory at The Valley by Desert Lightning and at Ellerslie by progressive mare Arabian Songbird. “It was brilliant and we were
Racing
Group One glory eluded Wexford Stables at Ellerslie, but trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott were nevertheless buoyed by the performances of their representatives. Tomodachi fared best of the stablemates when third in the Gr.1 Proisir Plate (1400m) while Checkmate and Waitak were less than four lengths off
New Zealand
Six years in the making, El Vencedor (NZ) (Shocking) now stands as New Zealand’s champion. The Cambridge-trained galloper was crowned Sport Nation Horse of the Year for 2024-25 at New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing’s black-tie Awards dinner in Hamilton on Sunday night, proof that some champions simply need time
New Zealand
Timaru trainer Stephanie Faulkner admitted to doubting Richard Stomper’s (NZ) (El Roca) prospects before and during the LOVERACING.NZ Remembering Grey Way (1600m) on Sunday, but the talented six-year-old kicked off his new campaign with a tenacious front-running victory on his home track. It was the first raceday appearance
New Zealand
The 370km journey from Matamata to Woodville has proven to be a worthwhile commute for Jakama Krystal (NZ) (Jakkalberry), who collected her third jumps success at the course in Sunday’s $50,000 Jude Challies Property Brokers Woodville Tararua Steeplechase (4800m). The Jakkalberry mare is now the winner of eight
New Zealand
Ultra-consistent mare La Crique (NZ) (Vadamos) earned a unique place in New Zealand racing history at Ellerslie on Saturday with her seventh runner-up finish in a Group One race. The Vadamos mare produced another top-drawer performance in the Gr.1 Proisir Plate (1400m). Almost half of the 16-horse field lined
Racing
The early spring has tended to bring the very best out of Quintessa, and that trend continued at Ellerslie on Saturday with a spectacular last-to-first performance at $36 odds in the Gr.1 Proisir Plate. The $400,000 weight-for-age triumph came almost exactly a year after the Te Akau Racing
Racing
Lollapalooza went into Saturday’s Gr.3 Gold Trail Stakes (1200m) at Ellerslie as a maiden, but she came out of it as one of the leaders of her generation and the clear favourite for the Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m). The $150,000 three-year-old fillies’ feature was