Year: 2022

Even before Wednesday’s barrier draw, Michael Kent Jnr was keen to see I’m Thunderstruck (NZ) (Shocking) settle closer than usual in this weekend’s A$1 million Gr.1 The Might And Power (2000m) at Caulfield. Coming up with the inside alley has only solidified the co-trainer’s desire to see that happen. The five-year-old son of Shocking will start from the same barrier he won the Gr.1 Makybe Diva Stakes from two starts ago in what shapes as a Cox Plate-defining race. “We wanted to ride him a touch closer and he won…

New Plymouth trainer Robbie Patterson is adamant the best of Secret Amour (NZ) (Niagara) is still to come. A winner of five of her 15 starts and coming off a fast-finishing second placing behind Deerfield when resuming at Wanganui last month, Secret Amour will contest Saturday’s Gr.3 Grangewilliam Stud Taranaki Breeders’ Stakes (1400m) at Hawera. Patterson is again expecting big things from the six-year-old but is predicting that even bigger spoils could be waiting further ahead. “She’s going really well. She only missed the Metric Mile at Awapuni because of…

A life with horses is the only thing Tayla Mitchell has wanted and she is now living that dream with her chosen vocation as a jockey. The 18-year-old apprentice is in her second season of riding and has made a flying start to the new term, recording her 12th win of the season aboard the Mark Jones-trained Phelan The Power in the Coupland’s Bakeries Mile Trial (1400m) at Riccarton last Saturday. “It was a really good opportunity,” Mitchell said. “Mum got me the ride on him through her friend Sue…

The last time Jason Laking answered a North Island call-up from Te Akau he repaid the powerful racing operation’s faith by claiming a Group One victory. The Ashburton-based jockey will be hoping for a similar outcome on Saturday at Matamata where he has jumped at the opportunity to guide the fortunes of five representatives of Mark Walker’s stable. “Te Akau’s got a fair few in and they were running out of jockeys so they needed me up there,” he said. His rides include Prise De Fer in the Gr.1 Arrowfield…

Trainers Ben and JD Hayes remain upbeat about the chances of Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars) heading into the business end of spring racing. The Bullbars five-year-old finished fifth of six runners in the Gr.1 Underwood Stakes (1800m) last start but that hasn’t deterred the Lindsay Park team. The New Zealand-bred gelding had being in winning form prior to that run, taking out the Gr.1 Doncaster Mile (1600m) earlier this year before winning his first two outings this preparation, including the Gr.2 PB Lawrence Stakes (1400m) and Gr.3 Feehan Stakes (1600m).…