Year: 2024

Impressive debut winner Refusetobeenglish(NZ) (Churchill) will continue his racing career in Hong Kong after confirmation on Thursday he has been sold for an undisclosed sum. A new Hong Kong-based trainer is yet to be named for the three-year-old son of Churchill, who was heavily backed on debut at Cranbourne last month before he strode away for a three-and-a-half-length victory. Bloodstock expert Shane McGrath, who purchased Refusetobeenglish out of a two-year-old ready to run sale for $120,000, confirmed the private sale, with plans for the horse to soon enter quarantine for…

Joe Pride says Lekvarte(NZ) (Reliable Man) is a different mare over the Randwick mile and her record backs it up. Class gelding Private Eye might be the top seed of Joe Pride’s three runners in the $2 million The Ingham, but he has cautioned punters not to discount the outsider of his trio. A last start winner of the Festival Stakes, Private Eye is a $9 chance while stablemates Estadio Mestalla ($14) and Lekvarte ($23) are at double-figure odds. Lekavarte has an outstanding record over the Randwick mile, where she has won four of her six starts including…

Promising three-year-old Retrostar(NZ) (Vespa) headlined an impressive winning treble for Andrew Forsman at Tauherenikau on Wednesday. Retrostar was making just his third appearance to the races and the first since late August, where he won his maiden convincingly on the Cambridge Synthetic over 1550m. Despite the ease of that victory, the son of Vespa was underrated in the market and did himself no favours early, jumping away slowly to settle at the tail of the field. The tempo was ramped up at the 800m, with Gohugo taking over, while leading…

Consistent southerner The Good Shepherd(NZ) (Power) will be out to turn the tables on a classy mare at Ascot Park on Saturday when he contests the Howley Joinery Handicap (1400m). The seven-year-old has found a strong vein of form this preparation for trainer and regular rider Lee Callaway, winning at Oamaru before recording a close-up placing behind Third Decree. Most recently, he was run down late at the Invercargill course by The Grey Goose(NZ) (Reliable Man) in the Winton Cup (1400m). The Grey Goose will be among his main rivals…

Top mare Snazzytavi(NZ) (Tavistock) is ready to kick off her summer campaign, which will revolve around further Group One weight-for-age opportunities. Under the guidance of Matamata trainers Graham Richardson and Rogan Norvall, the Cambridge Stud-raced daughter of Tavistock has swiftly moved through the grades to establish herself as an elite level performer. An effortless winner of the Gr.3 Easter Handicap (1600m) earlier this year, she went to another level in the spring to romp away with the Gr.1 Livamol Classic (2040m). Snazzytavi subsequently enjoyed time out and has pleased Richardson…

Mike Breslin will enjoy a delayed celebration of his milestone victory at Tauherenikau during the week. The Awapuni horseman saddled his 500th domestic winner on Wednesday when the promising Sevenayes(NZ) (Vespa) accounted for his Rating 75 opposition, but the timing meant it passed without an appropriate toast to the occasion. “It was a twilight meeting, so we took the horses off the truck when we got home at 9.15pm and then back at work at 4.30 the next morning,” Breslin said. “I quite like a nice red wine, so I’ll probably…