Month: April 2022

The auction of Te Akau Racing’s Festivity (NZ) concluded on Friday night with Hunter Valley-based Yarraman Park Stud securing the stakes-winning daughter of their resident sire I Am Invincible for NZ$480,500. “Obviously we follow the I Am Invincible progeny extremely closely and we were keen to secure her as she was electric, extremely fast and is a lovely style of horse,” said Yarraman Park General Manager Matt Scown. “This is a family we know well having had her dam on the farm for Shadwell before she was sold with Festivity…

Auckland Thoroughbred Racing (ATR), formerly Auckland Racing Club, has selected Fletcher Living to develop a 6.2ha parcel of land at Ellerslie Racecourse known as The Hill, for residential housing.  The proposed development will include approximately 370 residential units in a mix of different housing types including apartments, duplex, terraced and detached houses. Some of the dwellings will be allocated to Fletcher’s retirement living business, Vivid Living.   Auckland Thoroughbred Racing chief executive Paul Wilcox said that developing the unused land will benefit the community. “As part of our Club’s plans to…

New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing’s new chief executive, Bruce Sharrock, officially takes up his role on Monday, 4 April. The NZTR Board announced Sharrock’s appointment in February when Chairman Cameron George stated the Board recognised Sharrock’s proven track record in outstanding leadership, industry knowledge and relationships. “We have confidence in Bruce’s ability to continue the momentum already underway and take NZTR into new territory,” George said. “His understanding of the priorities our industry faces, and the actions required to create a sustainable future for thoroughbred racing will be critical as we…

With Ellerslie out of commission for next year’s Karaka Million meeting, New Zealand Bloodstock has announced the rich twilight fixture will be held at Pukekohe on January 21. New Zealand Bloodstock’s 2023 National Yearling Sales Series will kick off at the Karaka Sales Centre on the following Sunday, 29 January and run through to Friday 3 February.

It is a case of back to the future as Mark Walker assumes control of Te Akau Racing’s Matamata stable with the ushering in of April and the champion horseman will have a strong hand to play at Saturday’s Group One meeting at Awapuni. Walker spent 11 years in Singapore at the helm of Te Akau Racing’s Kranji operation, where he was crowned champion trainer on four occasions, adding to the five national premierships he amassed in New Zealand prior to his Singapore departure. With Jamie Richards securing a license…

As well as giving his retiring co-trainer Murray Baker a shot at an astonishing sixth and final win in the Gr.1 Australian Derby (2400m) at Randwick on Saturday, rapid improver Regal Lion (NZ) (Jakkalberry) is shining the spotlight on an emerging family-run New Zealand breeding and syndicating operation. An eye-catching placegetter in the Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) and Gr.2 Tulloch Stakes (2000m) in his last two starts, the Jakkalberry gelding was bred by Barbara and Carl McComb. He has become a headline performer for Redcraze Racing, which is made…

It will be a rare occurrence for Tony Pike on Saturday when he heads to Avondale to line-up five runners. With Ellerslie out of action with the installation of a StrathAyr track, the rarely utilised Avondale track has been called upon to take up some of the slack left by the absence of its Auckland contemporary. “Back at Avondale is something a little different, it hasn’t been happening for a while,” Pike said. “Getting back on a new track will be good considering a lot of the other tracks have…