Racing
Northern targets await promising juvenile I Am Belle following her debut victory in the Elmwood Trading Co. Two-Year-Old Premier (1000m) at Riccarton on Wednesday. The daughter of I Am Invincible jumped away well under Central Districts hoop Bruno Queiroz and raced three-wide throughout. Race favourite Zaharias looked the obvious danger
Racing
Manawatu dairy farmers Mark and Tania Stratford had a result to savour on the opening day of the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale when their homebred colt by Harry Angel out of Ocean Spray fetched $425,000 to the bid of Hong Kong trainer Mark Newnham and Sweetbriar
Racing
The revamped Spring Carnival programming, which sees the Gr.1 C F Orr Stakes (1400m) run at Caulfield this Saturday, is perfect for Jimmysstar (NZ) (Per Incanto) according to his trainer Ciaron Maher. Fresh off a dominant win in the $3 million Russell Balding Stakes (1300m), Jimmysstar has returned to
Racing
Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars) has emerged from his unplaced Champions Mile run without any issues, but racing’s popular warhorse is likely heading for a spell. Co-trainer Ben Hayes said on Sunday morning that the weight-for-age star had eaten up and trotted up without problems on Sunday after concerns raised
Racing
Cambridge trainer Andrew Forsman and jockey Craig Grylls proved a potent combination at Tauherenikau on Sunday, claiming three of the eight races across the afternoon. Both were coming off the back of successful Saturday meetings, Forsman taking the Listed Legacy Lodge Sprint (1200m) at Pukekohe with Force Of Nature (NZ)
Racing
Otaki galloper Driftin (NZ) (Merchant Navy) picked up her first win in more than two years when causing an upset in the Challenge Carterton R75 (1000m) at Tauherenikau on Sunday. The five-year-old by Merchant Navy had been a winner on the Cambridge Synthetic in September 2023 but was unplaced in
Racing
Linebacker (NZ) (Super Seth) has been sent for a spell after a spring campaign that didn’t go to script. For the second year in succession, spring plans haven’t gone to plan for high-class galloper Linebacker, but his trainers remain adamant he will return bigger and better in the
Racing
Untapped four-year-old Smart Love (NZ) (Savabeel) continued her stunning rise through the grades with a dominant display in the opener at Pukekohe Park on Saturday. The daughter of Savabeel had been unbeaten in her last three starts, one of those coming at the end of a brief three-year-old campaign and
Racing
The Joe Pride-trained Ceolwulf (NZ) (Tavistock) landed the Gr.1 Champions Mile (1600m) at Flemington after a stirring 400m battle with runner-up Pericles with a nose margin in his favour. The five-year-old son of Tavistock was well and truly headed by Pericles (Street Boss) inside the final furlong but relished
Racing
Stephen Marsh had to wait until the 24th season of his career to win his first Gr.1 Barneswood Farm New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m), but an emerging superstar gave the Cambridge trainer his missing piece at Riccarton on Saturday with a performance that was worth every moment of that
Racing
A perfectly judged front-running victory on Just Charlie (NZ) (Zed) in the Listed Nautical Boat Insurance Metropolitan Trophy (2600m) capped a memorable New Zealand riding debut at Riccarton on Saturday for apprentice jockey Logan Bates. Born and raised in Canterbury and a son of leading southern rider Kylie Williams, Bates
Racing
Progressive stayer Thebudgiesmugla (NZ) (Redwood) showed his versatility when winning his second race at Rosehill in the space of a couple of weeks for trainer Bjorn Baker. The five-year-old son of Redwood was gallant on Saturday carrying 59kg topweight under Dylan Gibbons when winning the Chandon Handicap (2400m) on a