Month: May 2025

Talented Lindsay Park filly Chase Your Dreams (NZ) (Contributer) will press on to the Gr.1 Queensland Oaks (2200m) next month after running second in the SA Fillies Classic (2500m). The $2.80 chance was beaten home only by Danny O’Brien’s Litzdeel but her run despite doing plenty wrong was pleasing to her training trio. “She still ran a credible second doing a few things wrong, we just need to iron those things out,” JD Hayes said. “She just hung in on the straight, which was a bit annoying and she was…

Will Featherstone is the latest English jumps jockey to answer New Zealand’s call, travelling across the world to further his riding career on Kiwi soil. The 21-year-old has family roots in racing, following in his father’s footsteps in becoming a point-to-point jockey, and he has been race-riding for the past four seasons, while working under Jamie Snowden. “I’ve always ridden horses, I can’t remember a time that I didn’t,” Featherstone said. “I got into racing pretty much straight away really, I’ve always wanted to be a jockey because my Dad…

Ascot Park trainer Sabin Kirkland is a big fan of Riccarton’s synthetic track, and so is his stakes winner Buoyant (NZ) (Dalghar), who will be out to keep his unblemished record intact on the surface on Thursday.  The six-year-old son of Dalghar was victorious on the track three years ago before returning to the surface earlier this month where extended his unbeaten streak to two after taking out his 1200m event.  The Southland galloper has remained in Canterbury and will have his third crack on the polytrack in Thursday’s Happy…

Stephen Autridge will be well-represented in a race at Matamata on Wednesday that means a great deal to the local horseman. Autridge is likely to present both Afterglo and Miriam in the Toby Autridge Memorial (1100m), a race run to remember the life and achievements of his late brother, a talented former jockey and trainer who passed away three years ago. “The first time we ran this race it was about the same date as his passing, but a changed date doesn’t matter, it’s great,” Autridge said. “It’s good to…

Emily Murphy brings you Winter Weigh In, your place for Thoroughbred racing news, reviews and insights throughout the colder months. This week Sam Weatherley recaps the flat features from Rotorua and Hamish McNeill weighs in on the start of the jumps racing season. Winter Weigh In, May 12 – YouTube

Gifted Ace High filly She’s A Dealer (Ace High) will cross the Tasman later this week in a bid to make her mark at the highest level. Trained by Roger James and Robert Wellwood, the three-year-old will make her Australian debut at Randwick and a continuation of her hot domestic form will then see her travel further afield. “She will fly over to Sydney next Sunday and race on May 24 in a Benchmark 72 for three-year-olds over 1800m,” Wellwood said. “If she can win or run very well, we…