Year: 2020

The Frank Ritchie-trained Fiscal Fantasy (Skilled) is now on the hunt for an elusive Group One victory after winning her third Group Three race at Ellerslie on Tuesday. The diminutive daughter of Skilled made it back-to-back wins in the Gr.3 Jarden Stakes (2000m), taking an inside passage down the straight to win by two lengths over former Melbourne Cup runner Charles Road. “She is a little beauty,” Ritchie said. “I bought her in Melbourne and she is diminutive to say the least and I had a bit of a problem…

Belardo filly Lullaby Moon added a second stakes victory to her record on Saturday when she won the Gr.3 Prix Miesque Stakes (1400m) at Chantilly, four weeks after winning the Listed Two Year Old Trophy (1200m) at Redcar. Ridden by Richard Kingscote the Belardo filly tracked the leader before taking the lead 400 meters out. She was challenged 200m from home before asserting her dominance and winning by two lengths. Lullaby Moon is the best performer from the winning Indesatchel mare Bold Bidder, herself a half-sister to the Stakes-placed pair of…

For the second term in succession, the Deputy Prime Minister will also be the Minister for Racing in New Zealand.  Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has revealed the ministerial positions for the new Government, with Grant Robertson being promoted to Deputy Prime Minister. In addition to Deputy PM duties, Robertson will continue to serve as Finance Minister and also focus on infrastructure, sport and recreation and racing. Robertson replaces Winston Peters, who played a key role in ensuring the racing industry received a $72.5 million COVID-19 emergency support package in May,…

TVNZ 1 will lure eyeballs across the country to watch the world’s most vibrant racing event, the Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) on Tuesday afternoon. A top-class TVNZ team of Toni Street, Matt Heath, Guy Heveldt, Jesse Tuke and Sonny Ngatai will host an hour of coverage from 4.30pm, featuring the famed race at 5pm. COVID’s impact on 2020 events mean some of the renowned Flemington side-line glamour will be missed this year, but to compensate, the TVNZ team will bring viewers the New Zealand industry opinions and local fashion to…

Rich Hill Stud’s John Thompson knows what it takes to breed a Melbourne Cup winner. In 2015, the Walton nursery, near Matamata, was represented by outsider Prince Of Penzance (NZ) (Pentire), who famously combined with Michelle Payne to triumph in the great race. On Tuesday, the stud will be represented by another feel-good Cup runner in Surprise Baby (NZ) (Shocking). A son of resident sire Shocking, himself a Melbourne Cup winner, Surprise Baby was sold by Thompson for just $5,500 as an untried three-year-old via gavelhouse.com, having failed to meet…

Group Three winner Sherrif (NZ) (High Chaparral) will be tested at weight-for-age for the first time at Ellerslie on Tuesday when he contests the Gr.3 Jarden Stakes (2000m). The Roger James and Robert Wellwood-trained six-year-old heads into the race off the back of two placings and his connections believe he is ready for a new challenge. “They have been preparatory runs and I have been happy enough with them,” James said of his three prior starts this preparation. “He is getting to a distance now where he is designed to…

For the past 12 months Horsham trainer Paul Preusker has meticulously focused on one race for his star stayer Surprise Baby (NZ) (Shocking) and the fruits of that planning will be revealed on Tuesday when the lightly tried Kiwi-bred contests the Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) for the second time. The knock-about horseman saddled the son of Shocking to finish fifth in a sedately run affair last year and 12 months on he believes the lessons learned from that race will hold Surprise Baby in good stead. Since last year’s Cup,…

AFL Great-turned trainer Denis Pagan provided one of the feel-good stories of 2020 when preparing Johnny Get Angry (NZ) (Tavistock) to win the Gr.1 Victoria Derby (2500m) on Saturday, but he was quick to deflect much of the credit to good friend and fellow Flemington trainer Troy Corstens. Pagan, who owns Johnny Get Angry outright in addition to training him to Classic glory six months after obtaining a trainer’s license, paid tribute to Corstens for sourcing the horse at the Karaka Sales in New Zealand as well as playing a…

There won’t be many people hoping for a dead-heat in this year’s Melbourne Cup, but Tony Rider will be one. The principal of Cambridge thoroughbred nursery Milan Park has a connection with two horses in the great race – Oceanex and The Chosen One. Rider bred the former and co-owns the latter and he said it’s a surreal moment to have two chances in the race that stops a nation. “It’s a dream come true to have a horse in the Melbourne Cup,” he said. “We were fortunate to have…