Day: 25 June 2022

The combination of a confidence-boosting trip to Queensland and getting to her right distance range has proven to be a winning formula for improving stayer Shameless Miss (NZ) (Shamexpress). The mare had been competing at provincial and midweek level in Sydney before trainer Chris Waller opted to take her north where she posted an Ipswich victory in April. She returned home to land a brace of midweek metropolitan wins over staying journeys and continued on that trajectory on Saturday with a determined performance in the Stayer’s Cup (2600m) at Randwick.…

Underrated mare Sanibel (NZ) (Shamexpress) upset the applecart when she took out the Listed Team Wealleans Tauranga Classic (1400m) at Tauranga on Saturday. The Shane Brown-trained Woodville visitor went into the fillies and mares feature as a last start winner at Trentham over the same distance and produced a similar effort to secure her first black type victory and biggest career win. Ridden patiently by Kate Hercock, the five-year-old daughter of Shamexpress settled well back in the early stages and was a clear last with 600m to run. Hercock sent…

Smart stayer London Banker (NZ) (Tavistock) was back in the winner’s circle at Eagle Farm on Saturday when proving too slick for his rivals in the Gr.3 Tattersall’s Cup (2400m). The Kelly Schweida-trained six-year-old strung together four wins in his first campaign for the Queensland horseman last spring and has been building to a winning performance this term. Luckless when ninth after getting back in a sedately-run Gr.2 Q22 (2200m) at his most recent outing, jockey William Pike ensured the Tavistock gelding was more prominently positioned when camped behind a…

Two-year-old filly Rhonda Wood (NZ) (Redwood) overcame some unplanned travel and a rush to get her barrier certificate in the last seven days to run out a gritty winner on debut over 1000m at Riccarton. Bred and raced by co-trainer Bruce Tapper and his wife Karen, the daughter of Redwood only gained her barrier certificate a week ago so that she could be nominated for Saturday’s contest. Tapper and training partner Varma Ramhit then had to truck her north to Ashburton from their Timaru base on Thursday to get her…

Trainer Ben Foote was blissfully unaware that his impressive Tauranga winner Musigny Lass (NZ) (Iffraaj) had nearly blown her chances at the start of Saturday’s 1300m three-year-old contest. The daughter of Iffraaj had overcome some buffeting at the top of the Tauranga straight to charge home and down $1.30 race favourite Turn The Ace (NZ) (Turn Me Loose), however it was a hairy moment for apprentice rider Ace Lawson-Carroll as the barrier opened that went close to ruining her chances. Lawson-Carroll was turned sideways in the saddle shortly after the…

The Valachi Downs unreserved broodmare and stallion shares dispersal sale concluded on Gavelhouse Plus on Friday night and as expected blue-hen mare Baggy Green proved the highlight lot, selling for $1.75 million to Yulong’s Written Tycoon Syndicate. Grossing over $6.6 million, the 57-lot online sale is the highest grossing broodmare sale in New Zealand history, with a strong international buying bench keen to gain access to well-credentialed stock amassed by Kevin and Joanna Hickman, who have recently sold their pristine Matamata nursery. Having stretched to A$3.1 million to purchase four-time…