New Zealand
NZ Racing and Breeding News – 18 May 2025
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Racing
Australia
Liberami passes distance test
Liberami (NZ) (Turn Me Loose) opened up more options for his trainer Robbie Griffiths when he stretched out beyond 1600m for the first time in his career and took out Saturday’s A$130,000 Murray Cox Handicap (1800m) at Flemington. The New Zealand-bred gelding brought a rich vein of
Australia
Imperialist rocks Rough Habit
The Queensland Winter Carnival is proving to be a happy hunting ground for Imperialist (NZ) (Churchill), who collected his second Brisbane black-type prize in Saturday’s A$250,000 Gr.3 HKJC World Pool Rough Habit Plate (2000m) at Doomben. The New Zealand-bred son of Churchill opened his winning account
Australia
Basilinna books Melbourne Cup ticket
Emma-Lee and David Browne’s victory in the A$300,000 Listed Lexus Andrew Ramsden (2800m) at Flemington on Saturday was enormously valuable in more ways than one for the Kiwi couple. A first black-type success for their homebred mare Basilinna (NZ) (Staphanos) carried plenty of value in itself, but
New Zealand
Queiroz and Francee combine for stunning Trentham stakes victory
Visiting Brazilian hoop Bruno Queiroz is making every post a winner in his local riding stint by adding a maiden New Zealand stakes success to his bag of tricks as he guided gallant mare Francee (NZ) (Iffraaj) to a thrilling victory in the Listed James Bull Rangitikei Cup (1600m) at
New Zealand
Grylls guides promising filly to Ellerslie victory
Promising three-year-old Celestial Wonder (Xtravagant) showed plenty of courage as she put in a resolute finishing burst to take out the Evergreen Bloodstock (1100m) at Ellerslie. The Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson-prepared filly had looked good during her opening campaign, where she won her second start before being put aside
New Zealand
Do You Just blitzes Champagne rivals
A masterful front-running ride by Warren Kennedy and a powerhouse performance from Do You Just (So You Think) turned Saturday’s Listed Skycity Champagne Stakes (1600m) at Ellerslie into a one-horse race. The pair led every step of the way in New Zealand’s longest two-year-old race and romped home
New Zealand
First-up formula pays off again with Spencer
Saturday’s Stout Roofing (1200m) was the second year in a row that Erin Hocquard has used a May meeting at Trentham as a first-up assignment for Spencer (NZ) (Derryn), and the Waverley trainer’s stable star has struck gold on both of those occasions. A Rating 75 sprint at
New Zealand
Sterling Express doubles up at Ellerslie
Progressive galloper Sterling Express (NZ) (Shamexpress) made it a winning double at Ellerslie to open his current campaign when he took full advantage of a superb Warren Kennedy rails-hugging ride to capture the Network Visuals (1400m). The four-year-old gelding had suggested he was reaching a new peak in this preparation
New Zealand
Coulthard signs off on a high
Saturday’s Harrison’s Carpet Hard Flooring 3YO (1600m) at Trentham brought the curtain down on Coulthard’s (NZ) (Redwood) three-year-old season and hinted at an even brighter future as a four and five-year-old. The Lisa Latta-trained Coulthard has made a favourable impression in his first racing preparation, which kicked
New Zealand
Mercurial sharpens up with trial success
Stephen Marsh is eyeing a light winter campaign with his Group One-winning sprinter Mercurial (NZ) (Burgundy), who shook off some cobwebs with a trial win at Cambridge on Friday. The winner of six of his 36 starts, including last year’s Gr.1 Telegraph (1200m) at Trentham, Mercurial has been
New Zealand
Knights Realm Chasing Trentham Triumph
Cambridge trainer Clinton Isdale had a pleasing day at Riccarton’s synthetic meeting on Thursday, and he is hoping he can take that form into the weekend. He tasted success as an owner when the John and Karen Parsons-trained Funfetti (NZ) (Embellish) romped home to a four-length victory in the