New Zealand
NZ Racing and Breeding News – 30 July 2023
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Racing
New Zealand
Champion sire Proisir completes Rich Hill Stud’s unfinished business
After a series of near-misses for foundation stallion Pentire, Rich Hill Stud has finally broken through and taken top honours with New Zealand’s new champion sire Proisir. The 2022-23 season saw Savabeel’s eight-year reign as champion Kiwi sire broken in spectacular style. Proisir sired 47 winners from 89
New Zealand
Enchanted Elle claims Te Rapa feature
Underrated mare Enchanted Elle provided trainer Shaun Phelan with another major prize as a trainer when she took out the Taumarunui RSA Gold Cup (2200m) in the hands of apprentice Jess Allen Allen gave the five-year-old daughter of Jakkalberry a perfect trip in transit and the pair drove clear shortly
New Zealand
Nail biting finish to the Ryder Stakes
In a thrilling finish to the Listed Phils Electrical & Gipsy Caravans Ryder Stakes (1200m), Cambridge visitor and race favourite Itza Charmdeel got in the deciding stride at the winning post to claim the two-year-old feature at Otaki. The Roger James and Robert Wellwood-trained son of Charm Spirit went into
New Zealand
Turn The Ace back to his best on favourite track
Turn The Ace returned to his favourite track at Te Rapa on Saturday and immediately bounced back into the winner’s enclosure with a dominant front-running victory in open company over 1400m. The strapping son of Turn Me Loose had won three of his six starts at the Hamilton venue,
New Zealand
Horse of the Year Awards to celebrate champions
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 and Michael
New Zealand
MacFire running hot
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
Phelan's duo on song for cup
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 split the
New Zealand
Karaka Millions meeting receives million dollar boost
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 million from
New Zealand
Awapuni Triumph: Mark Walker Makes History with 200 Domestic Wins
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 brought
New Zealand
Johnson to head Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association
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 been
New Zealand
Persistence key to polytrack runner
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 see connections