Year: 2022

New Zealand Bloodstock’s 2022 Ready to Run Sale Breeze Ups took place at Te Rapa Racecourse on Monday 17 October, with 148 two-year-olds having the opportunity to gallop down the home straight of Waikato Racing Club. Ideal weather and track conditions saw a smart display of Breeze Up times throughout the duration of the first day, with NZB also opting to include an anemometer reading for the first year. While each juvenile is expertly prepared by New Zealand’s leading consignors, there was plenty of action on course during Day One,…

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A trip south to Riccarton next month to contest the Gr.1 Barneswood Farm 1000 Guineas (1600m) has been locked in for Pennyweka after her win in the Mardigras Events 3YO Premier (1300m) at Hastings on Saturday. Trainer Jim Wallace was pleased with what he saw from the daughter of Satono Aladdin over the weekend and will now press on for a tilt at the southern fillies feature. “I thought she was very impressive, it didn’t surprise me,” said Wallace, who also co-bred and owns the filly. “I was a little…

Leading Sydney jockey James McDonald has committed to riding New Zealand raider La Crique in the Gr.1 Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) at Flemington later this month. “We have just had confirmation this afternoon that James McDonald will ride La Crique in the Empire Rose on the 29th,” said Katrina Alexander, who trains in partnership with her husband Peter. “That is really exciting news and we couldn’t wish for a better result.” McDonald’s previous win in the race came aboard another New Zealand-bred in Shillelagh, who he rode to victory in…

Graeme Rogerson is setting Sharp ‘N’ Smart the task of joining an exclusive four-horse club. Since the inaugural Gr.1 Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) in 1978, only four horses have completed the Spring Champion Stakes-VRC Derby double: Stylish Century (1989), Nothin’ Leica Dane (1995), Monaco Consul (2009), and Ace High (2017). The list of notable horses that failed to complete it is longer – Kingston Town, Beau Zam, Danewin, Tie the Knot, Dundeel, and Rogerson’s own outstanding three-year-old Savabeel. In addition, for the first time there is just a seven-day gap…

Champion jockey Opie Bosson has no plans to appeal the lengthy suspension he incurred on the closing day of the Hawke’s Bay spring carnival. While it will cost him Group One opportunities at the upcoming New Zealand Cup meeting at Riccarton, Bosson will take his medicine and concentrate on remaining busy to keep his weight under control during his enforced spell. Te Akau’s retained number one rider copped a six-week suspension at Hastings on Saturday after admitting to a charge of careless riding. He will be side-lined until Saturday, December…

Celebrating a stallion’s first elite-level victory is an important milestone for any stud farm, but it is made even better when they race the Group One victor themselves. That was the case for Windsor Park Stud at Hastings on Saturday when their mare Mustang Valley dominated the Gr.1 Livamol Classic (2040m) to win by 5-1/4 lengths, bringing up her sire Vanbrugh’s first Group One win. “It was fantastic for Mustang Valley to get the Group One, she deserved it. She has been there or thereabouts in all of her races,”…