Day: 21 December 2024

The Allan Sharrock training polish was to the fore again at Trentham on Saturday when classy mare Islington Lass(NZ) (Proisir) stepped up to a middle distance for the first time in her 16-start career to score a clear-cut victory in the Gr.3 Humphries Construction Manawatu Cup (2300m) The seven-year-old had hinted at her last start in the Gr.3 Great Northern Challenge Stakes (1600m) at Ellerslie that she was looking for more ground when finishing off strongly over the final stages of the contest. With Michael McNab aboard, the daughter of…

Matt Dixon collected his biggest win as a solo trainer when his much-improved mare Marotiri Molly(NZ) (Per Incanto) ran away with the Gr.2 Bramco Granite & Marble Manawatu Challenge Stakes (1400m) at Trentham on Saturday. Foxton-based Dixon trained five Group and Listed winners in partnership with David Haworth between 2009 and 2014, but had not scaled those heights since resuming his career on his own in 2019. Marotiri Molly has changed all that. Dixon has had to be patient with Marotiri Molly, who was an eight-length trial winner as an…

The familiar combination of trainer Robbie Patterson and jockey Craig Grylls continued their outstanding success rate in stakes races when promising filly Leica Lucy(NZ) (Derryn) took out the Gr.3 Lawnmaster Eulogy Stakes (1600m) at Trentham. The daughter of Grangewilliam Stud-based stallion Derryn had impressed when winning on debut at New Plymouth last month before being narrowly beaten over 1400m at Trentham a fortnight ago. Relishing the step up in distance to 1600m on Saturday, Leica Lucy settled sweetly in midfield for Grylls as pacemaker Vanish set up a strong tempo…

A pair of talented three-year-olds from last season locked horns in the Te Rapa straight on Saturday, with Tanganyika(NZ) (Ace High) claiming a narrow win over Talisker(NZ) (Embellish) in the Print House (1400m). The Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott-trained Tanganyika showed real promise in a five-start campaign as a three-year-old, recording two wins, a second and a third. His only time outside the top three was in the Listed Uncle Remus Stakes (1200m) at Ellerslie in February, where he finished strongly from last to cross the line fifth and only…

Overlooked in the lead-up to Saturday’s Gr.2 Happy Hire Wakefield Challenge Stakes (1100m) at Trentham, Intention(NZ) (Bivouac) burst out of the shadows of her higher-rated rivals and scored an impressive upset win. The $175,000 feature was only the second start for the Awapuni filly, who finished fourth on debut at Otaki on November 28 after jumping awkwardly from the starting gates and then bucking in the early part of the race. Carrying the blue and white colours of Tineke Balcombe’s In To Win Syndication, Intention headed down to the start…

Promising filly Komocean(NZ) (Ocean Park) made it two wins from two starts when she dealt to her rivals in fine style when taking out the second event on the card at Trentham, the Breeze Wellington 3YO (1200m). Trainer Allan Sharrock has a big opinion of the Ocean Park filly and expressed it after she overcame a slow start when winning impressively on her home track at New Plymouth earlier in the month. Punters agreed and sent the half-sister to former Gr.1 Telegraph (1200m) winner Signify out a warm favourite ($2.40)…