Racing
Skymax (NZ) (Ferrando) and Novak’s (NZ) (El Roca) winter preparations have been geared towards Friday’s TAB Polytrack Championship (2000m) at Cambridge, and trainers Graeme and Debbie Rogerson, and Clinton Isdale, are hoping the pair can claim the lion’s share of the $75,000 purse on offer. Skymax
Racing
Mr Fortrus (Magnus) has made his presence felt in the South Island since joining trainer John Blackadder’s Rangiora barn earlier this year, and he furthered that with victory in the $75,000 Polytrack Championship (1200m) at Riccarton on Wednesday. The now seven-year-old gelding joined Blackadder as a
Racing
Promising four-year-old Phantom Major (Snitzel) broke through in impressive fashion with victory in Wednesday's $100,000 Schweppes Handicap (1200m) at Canterbury, producing a powerful finishing burst at just his second race start. An entire son of Snitzel, Phantom Major has been given plenty of time by
Australia
The Gr.1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) has emerged as a more serious first-up option for star mare Aeliana (NZ) (Castelvecchio) after a barrier incident ruled her out of a Warwick Farm trial on Tuesday. The multiple Group One winner got her hind leg caught in the starting gates before
Racing
Local trainers Michael and Matthew Pitman were confident of a bold showing from Star Ballot (NZ) (Tarzino) at Riccarton’s synthetic meeting on Wednesday, and the gelding duly delivered when taking out the Betavet Natural Solutions Open (2200m). The father-and-son duo weren’t shy in sharing their opinion
Racing
Danica Guy can’t wait to get to Ellerslie next month where her Group Three winner Lupo Solitario (NZ) (Satono Aladdin) is set to have his first tilt at elite-level in the Gr.1 Proisir Plate (1400m). The now six-year-old gelding was a standout for the Matamata
Racing
Romanoff (NZ) (Belardo) and Affirmative Action (Yes Yes Yes) gave trainer Pam Gerard a dream result when they quinellaed the Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton last year, and the Matamata horsewoman is hoping they can have another successful spring preparation. They both had their first public
Racing
Chris Waller can see a lot of Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed) in his current staying star Aeliana (NZ) (Castelvecchio) and the ground-breaking trainer is keen for the mare to follow the former champion’s path to the 2021 Melbourne Cup via the Cox Plate this spring. A three-time
Racing
Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars) made his first public appearance for 2026 at the Flemington jumpouts on Monday as the now nine-year-old tracks towards a much-anticipated comeback in the Gr.1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on August 29. Co-trainer JD Hayes said Mr Brightside, who was
Racing
Local trainers Michael and Matthew Pitman hold a strong hand heading into the middle day of the Grand National Festival of Racing at Riccarton, where they will be chasing the lucrative prizemoney on offer at the synthetic meeting. At the top on their hit list is the Polytrack Championship (1200m)
Racing
His Spring Carnival program might be a little different this year, but there will be a similar starting point for Jimmysstar (NZ) (Per Incanto). Ciaron Maher's explosive gelding will have his first trial of the campaign over 900 metres at Warwick Farm on Tuesday morning. The son of
Racing
Group Three winner Spencer (NZ) (Derryn) scored a confidence-boosting win at Ruakaka on Saturday ahead of his return to stakes company in the Gr.2 Waikato Stud Foxbridge Plate (1200m) at Te Rapa later this month. The seven-year-old gelding hadn’t featured in the money in the