Day: 17 April 2024

After spending more than two decades travelling the world as a chef, Gavin Opie returned to New Zealand 14 years ago to pursue his initial love of horses, and now he has joined the 100-win club as a trainer. He brought up the milestone at Arawa Park on Wednesday when Opaea Joe (NZ) (Puccini) got his nose in front on the line to take out the Lance Lawson 1230. “We have had a lot of seconds, so to get that off the back now is great,” Opie said. “It was…

Eudora (NZ) (Pins) has proved to be an invaluable and much-loved member of the Waikato Stud broodmare band. A racing career was never a possibility for the daughter of Pins, but she has endeared herself to the Matamata operation with her deeds at stud and a 100 percent record with all six of her foals successful. “Eudora’s a great old girl, she had an early breeding start because she’s only got one eye and didn’t race and she’s done a fantastic job,” farm principal Mark Chittick said. The star of…

A bright future is being tipped for Super Photon following his debut win in the Arawa Park Hotel 2YO 1150 at Rotorua on Wednesday. The son of Super Seth jumped away fairly from his ace barrier and took an early trail behind pacemaker Force Of Law before jockey Joe Doyle was able to navigate him into the coveted one-one position behind the regally-bred Magice. Turning for home, Super Photon peeled three-wide and quickly ranged up alongside the Magice and Force Of Law and showed his class in the concluding stages…

Good Oil (NZ) (Dalghar) has continued to impress Andrew Forsman this season and the Cambridge trainer will give the eye-catching frontrunner his first Australian test in Saturday’s Listed Mornington Cup (2400m). The son of Dalghar took time to develop, only breaking his maiden early as a four-year-old, but a season later he has rapidly stepped through the grades over middle-distance trips with 11 top-four finishes in his 13 starts this term. In his familiar pace-making role, Good Oil almost caused an upset in both the Gr.2 Avondale Cup (2400m) and…

Wairarapa gelding Times Ticking (NZ) (Tavistock) has an affinity with the South Island, and he will be looking to extend that record when he heads to Riccarton on Saturday. The eight-year-old son of Tavistock has won three of his seven starts in the south, including the Gr.3 Canterbury Gold Cup (2000m), Listed Easter Cup (1600m), Banks Peninsula Cup (1800m), and was third in the Gr.3 White Robe Lodge WFA (1600m) at Wingatui in February. He will return to Riccarton this weekend where he will attempt to defend his crown in…

Group Two performer Zaila (Street Boss) was in a purple patch of form late last year and trainer Kylie Hoskin is hoping she can pick up where she left off when she heads to Ellerslie on Saturday. The five-year-old daughter of Street Boss was fourth in the Listed Fulton Family Stakes (1500m) and Gr.3 Eagle Technology Stakes (1600m) before gaining black-type when runner-up to subsequent Group One winner Campionessa (NZ) (Contributor) in the Gr.2 Cal Isuzu Stakes (1600m) at Te Rapa in December. “It was such a good run in…

David Hayes concedes stable newcomer Little Brose (Per Incanto) faces a big challenge at his Hong Kong debut in the HK$22 million G1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m) on FWD Champions Day at Sha Tin on Sunday, 28 April. The former Australian sprinter, a Group 1 winner of the 2023 G1 Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) for two-year-olds, faces tough local and international opposition in the feature sprint. Japanese runner Mad Cool (Dark Angel) is a Group 1 winner, while Hong Kong sprinters California Spangle (Starspangledbanner) and Victor The Winner (Toronado) have…