The Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young trained Emphasize (NZ) (Embellish) has rocketed into Gr.1 New Zealand Derby contention with an emphatic victory at Sale on Thursday. The lightly tried son of resident Cambridge Stud sire Embellish had finished a debut third on the course over 1400 metres prior to Christmas and he relished the next step up to 1717 metres, waltzing home by four lengths. Emphasize was forced to cover plenty of extra ground in his victory romp with a performance that now has him the $8 second favourite for…
Month: January 2025
Tauranga consolation prize for Lingjun Xiongfeng
It might not have been the race she wanted to target with Lingjun Xiongfeng this week, but Pam Gerard was pleased to see her showy grey return to winning form at Tauranga on Friday. The Matamata trainer had set her sights on tomorrow’s Gr.1 Harcourt Thordon Mile (1600m) at Trentham with the six-year-old gelding, but his 78 rating had made if difficult for her to execute that plan. “We have been a bit unlucky trying to get into fields. With his rating, he hasn’t been able to get in Open…
Timely Salver test for promising staying 3YO
Potential Group One contender Golden Century (NZ) (Pierro) will have his chance to shine on Sunday when he steps up to a middle distance on a roomier track. The highly regarded son of Pierro has yet to open his account and is presented with a grand opportunity to bank a winning cheque in the Listed Gingernuts Salver (2100m) on the big stage at Ellerslie. Golden Century ran third in his first two appearances at Taupo and Te Aroha before he changed hands and finished runner-up at Rotorua in his first…
Marotiri Molly out to conquer a mile in Group One debut
Rising star Marotiri Molly (NZ) (Per Incanto) has defied the expectations of Matt Dixon already this season, and on Saturday at Trentham the Foxton trainer hopes she can continue that trend in the Gr.1 Harcourts Thorndon Mile (1600m). The late-developing daughter of Per Incanto broke maiden status as a five-year-old over 1200m, and there was a period of time where Dixon wondered if that would be her limit. 12 months down the track, Marotiri Molly had won three races in succession over 1400m, and in her first attempt in stakes company…
Sharrock hoping to continue hot holiday run
Allan Sharrock’s New Plymouth stable has been firing on all cylinders in recent weeks, and rising star mare Islington Lass (NZ) (Proisir) will attempt to extend that hot run in Saturday’s Gr.3 Life Direct Trentham Stakes (2100m). Sharrock sits in fourth place on the New Zealand trainers’ premiership with 34 wins this season, and 16 of those victories have come since December 5. That includes black-type successes with Ladies Man in the Gr.1 TAB Mufhasa Classic (1600m) at Trentham on December 7 and Islington Lass in the Gr.3 Manawatu Cup (2300m)…
Qali Al Farrasha gets nod for Te Akau in feature mile
Classy mare Campionessa has flown the flag for Te Akau Racing at the top level for a number of years, but on Saturday at Trentham, her younger stablemate Qali Al Farrasha (NZ) (Almanzor) will get her time to shine contesting the Gr.1 Harcourts Thorndon Mile (1600m). The Te Akau homebred mare was among the top staying fillies last term, placing in the Gr.3 Sunline Vase (2100m) and Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m), earning her a tilt at the Gr.1 Australasian Oaks (2000m) at Morphettville. While she didn’t fire in her season…
Former Singapore sprinter set for NZ debut
Stephen Gray experienced plenty of highs with Silent Is Gold (Star Turn) when training in Singapore, and he is excited to begin a new chapter with the gelding when he makes his New Zealand debut in the JR & N Berkett 1100 at Trentham on Saturday. The six-year-old son of Star Turn won seven races in Singapore for Gray, up to Class 1, and was placed in the Singapore 3YO Sprint (1200m), Kranji Sprint (1200m) and Singapore 3YO Classic (1400m), and earned more than S$390,000 ($509,000) in prizemoney. With the closure…
Bauhinia primed for Magic Millions 3YO Guineas tilt
Bauhinia. Photo: Bradleyphotos.com.au Lee Curtis is unfazed by Bauhinia’s wide barrier draw as the talented three-year-old filly prepares for Saturday’s $3 million Magic Millions 3YO Guineas (1400m). Although drawn in barrier 20, Bauhinia will shift into barrier 16 of 18 if emergencies fail to secure a start. Curtis remains optimistic about the chances of the fast-finishing filly, who caught attention with her impressive first-up win in the Magic Millions Wyong Stakes (1200m), where she set a new 1200-metre track record of 1:07.67. “She’s been to races four times and pretty…
Maher optimistic about Icarian Dream in Magic Millions 2YO
Icarian Dream. Photo: Bradleyphotos.com.au Ciaron Maher remains optimistic about Icarian Dream’s prospects of delivering him a third Magic Millions 2YO Classic (1200m) victory, despite the filly being handed a wide draw in barrier 21 for Saturday’s $3 million feature. The accomplished trainer has already tasted success in the prestigious event with Away Game and Coolangatta, and has had his sights set on another triumph with the $300,000 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale acquisition. Icarian Dream impressed in her last outing with a commanding win in the Group 3 B.J.…
Qali Al Farrasha to fly Te Akau flag in Group 1 Thorndon Mile
Qali Al Farrasha will contest the Group 1 Thorndon Mile (1600m) at Trentham on Saturday. Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images) Classy mare Campionessa has flown the flag for Te Akau Racing at the top level for a number of years, but on Saturday at Trentham, her younger stablemate Qali Al Farrasha will get her time to shine contesting the Group 1 Thorndon Mile (1600m). The Te Akau homebred mare was among the top staying fillies last term, placing in the Group 3 Sunline Vase (2100m) and Group 1 New Zealand…