Month: May 2025

Rogan causes Caulfield shock

AAP

Rogan tough to the line at Caulfield. (Photo: Bruno Cannatelli) A pair of New Zealand-breds drew clear to fight out a thrilling finish at Caulfield on Saturday, with Rogan edging out Stylish Secret to score an upset win. The Cliff Brown-trained Rogan went into the three-year-old race under the radar, having recorded one win and one placing from his eight career starts beforehand. His maiden win came over 1600m at Kilmore on April 5, and he followed that up with close fourth under 61kg in a Benchmark 58 handicap over…

Canadian Ruler impresses in Hawkesbury triumph

AAP

Canadian Ruler winning at Hawkesbury. (Photo: Bradley Photos) Kiwi-bred gelding Canadian Ruler mastered a testing topweight and won impressively at Hawkesbury on Saturday. The four-year-old son of Vancouver headed into the race with two wins and seven placings to his name from a 12-race career, and he was lumbered with a big impost of 62.5kg. Trainer Matthew Dale secured the services of in-form apprentice jockey Braith Nock, whose 2kg claim reduced that weight to 60.5kg. Canadian Ruler was first to leave the starting gates, but Nock was happy to let…

Familiar combination strike again at Caulfield

AAP

Sunshineinmypocket winning at Caulfield. (Photo: Bruno Cannatelli) Trainer Ciaron Maher and the Ozzie Kheir-John O’Neill ownership group have had a stellar run with New Zealand imports in recent times, and Sunshineinmypocket put his hand up as another one to watch with his come-from-behind victory at Caulfield on Saturday afternoon. That owner-trainer combination has celebrated three Group One victories in 2025 with their Per Incanto geldings Jimmysstar and Gringotts. Jimmysstar took out the Oakleigh Plate (1100m) and All Aged Stakes (1400m), while Gringotts won the George Ryder Stakes (1500m). Saturday’s Benchmark…

Pride Of Jenni back to winning ways in Listed Anniversary Vase

AAP

Pride Of Jenni successful in the Listed MRC Anniversary Vase at Caulfield. (Photo: Bruno Cannatelli) Caulfield has been a happy hunting ground for Pride Of Jenni in recent weeks, and the reigning Australian Horse of the Year produced another spectacular front-running performance at that venue in Saturday’s $175,000 Listed Anniversary Vase (1600m). The Ciaron Maher-trained Pride Of Jenni has now had 38 starts for 10 wins, 12 placings and $10.44 million in stakes. She was a triple Group One winner in last season’s Empire Rose Stakes (1600m), Champions Mile (1600m)…

Another huge win for Mister Smartee

NZHarnessNews

By Adam Hamilton  Former Kiwi pacer Mister Smartee completed Western Australia’s big pacing double with a barnstorming $300,000 Group 1 Fremantle Cup win at Gloucester Park last night. Just as he did a week earlier to win the $1.25 million Nullarbor, Gary Hall Jr drove a stunning race, this time escaping a tricky pocket at just the right time. It gave his father, Gary Hall Sr, a remarkable 11th win in the Fremantle Cup. It was Hall Jr’s 10th driving win in the Grand Circuit feature. “He’s just the best…

Paige and Arthur Shelby star at Addington

NZHarnessNews

By Michael Guerin A relationship that dates back to the great Courage Under Fire combined to win the biggest race of the night at Addington on Friday. But this time it was with a trotter called Paige, who bounced around between Bruce Negus and Colin De Filippi early in her career. Negus and De Filippi were of course the combination that took the champion young pacer Courage Under Fire to 24 straight wins at the turn of the century before the horse moved to Brian Hancock’s care in New South…

Republican Party wins fourth Group 1 in six months

NZHarnessNews

By Michael Guerin History and the future met in perfect synergy when Republican Party won the $100,000 Roy Purdon Memorial at Alexandra Park on Friday. On face value it was simple stuff as the wonderful pacer made it four Group 1 wins in six months when he rolled to the front effortlessly at the 1600m mark and never looked like being headed.  It capped a career-best night for young driver Carter Dalgety who drove two Group 1 winners after Fugitive won the $90,000 Breckon Farms Young Guns Final earlier in…

Bet N Win too good in Rowe Cup

NZHarnessNews

By Michael Guerin The biggest decision of David and Stacey Whites’ training career may have been the race they chose not to start in. The greatest moment came a week later, in the $200,000 Reharvest Rowe Cup at Alexandra Park on Friday night. The Whites train Bet N Win, the horse we all thought would win a Rowe Cup one day but we were starting to doubt it might be this one. After starting 2025 so well the five-year-old was below par in his two runs at Cambridge and was…

Oak Hill brings in new era

NZRacingDesk

A smart win by the New Zealand-bred Oak Hill at Caulfield on Saturday marked a changing of the guard. Oak Hill was guided through the early stages of his promising career by New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame inductee Mike Moroney, who passed away in February. Moroney’s partner Karen chose Lindsay Park trainers Ben, Will and JD Hayes to take over Ballymore Stables’ Flemington operation. Moroney’s former training partner Glen Thompson is now training in his own right and won last Saturday’s Gr.1 Australasian Oaks (2000m) with Benagil, while racing…

Te Rapa consolation for Cannon Hill

NZRacingDesk

A week after missing out on a black-type opportunity at Awapuni, Cannon Hill (NZ) (Ardrossan) eased his connections’ disappointment with victory in the Prezzy Card Mile (1600m) at Te Rapa on Saturday. Cannon Hill was entered for the ANZAC Mile (1600m) on last Friday’s card at Awapuni, which was abandoned after one race. That Listed feature was rescheduled for Wanganui two days later, but many of the northern raiders were withdrawn. That led to New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing increasing the stake of Saturday’s Prezzy Card Mile at Te Rapa to…