Year: 2024

Manawatu’s Josh Herd has been announced as the 2025 recipient of the Sunline Trust International Management Scholarship. The son of leading Central Districts trainer Lisa Latta and former top jockey Bruce Herd was inspired to apply for the scholarship after seeing the success of previous recipients, particularly fellow Palmerston North product Sam Bergerson, New Zealand’s leading trainer, alongside Te Akau training partner Mark Walker. “I have seen how successful some of the past recipients have been in the industry and thought it would be a pretty good pathway forward,” Herd…

Te Akau Racing will be well-represented in each of the four stakes races at Trentham’s LawnMaster Christmas At The Races meeting on Saturday. A pair of exciting juveniles in Cool Aza Rene and Marokopa Falls will kick off stakes proceedings when they meet for the first time in the Gr.2 Happy Hire Wakefiled Challenge Stakes (1100m), and like TAB bookmakers, trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson are struggling to split the pair. Both fillies are undefeated to date, with Cool Aza Rene winning on debut over 800m at Otaki in…

Oaks-bound filly Leica Lucy will have her first taste of Group racing at Trentham on Saturday, taking her place in the Gr.3 Lawnmaster Eulogy Stakes (1600m). Robbie Patterson, who trains Leica Lucy at New Plymouth, identified right from her debut success that the middle-distance of the Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks (2400m) would be the perfect fit. The filly showed she has plenty of short-range talent to work with before the $1 million feature in March, going down a head to Wingman over 1400m at Trentham a…

Four has been Buoyant’s favourite number since his return to New Zealand, with the Group Three winner having recorded that placing in all three of his starts this preparation, and owner-trainer Sabin Kirkland is hoping to break that sequence when he heads to Gore on Sunday. The six-year-old son of Dalghar had been hampered by foot issues, however, Kirkland believes he has got on top of those issues now and is confident of a bold showing in the Dynes Transport Tapanui Cup (1335m). “I am very happy with him,” Kirkland…

There aren’t too many accolades missing from expat Kiwi jockey James McDonald’s mantle, but recognition from his home country’s sporting industry has been one, and that has finally been rectified with his announcement as a finalist for the ISPS HANDA Halberg Sportsman of the Year. McDonald, who will end a short-term riding contract in Hong Kong this weekend, has had a year to remember in the saddle, culminating with securing his second LONGINES World’s Best Jockey Award in Hong Kong earlier this month, having won the title for the first…

Smokin’ Romans(NZ) (Ghibellines), Herman Hesse and Strawberry Rock will aim to give Ciaron Maher a third Pakenham Cup success. The Ciaron Maher stable will saddle three hopes at it chases back-to-back victories in the Pakenham Cup.  Maher won the 2500m Listed race with Ashrun back in March after the race was not run in 2023 as Racing Victoria tinkered with race dates.  But with the Cranbourne Turf Club and Pakenham Racing Club merging to form Southside Racing and their desire to have a two-day Carnival, the Pakenham Cup is back to a December date, although…