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Month: June 2025
Welcome-Saplings Stakes double for Allamericanplayer
By Mike Love Allamericanplayer stamped himself as the current best two-year-old in the country by winning the Group 2 Rakaia Seed Cleaning NZ Sapling Stakes for $60,000 over 1700m at Ashburton yesterday. The Steve and Amanda Telfer-trained runner repeated the dose of a week ago when he beat race favourite Fugitive in a similar display in the Group 1 Welcome Stakes at Addington. Yesterday Allamericanplayer, with driver Tim Williams, were able to secure the one by one early, while main race rival Fugitive did the donkey work parked, then eventually…
Don Hugo back after fourth at $1m The Race by betcha
By Adam Hamilton Luke McCarthy has urged fans not to judge Don Hugo too harshly for his disappointing Cambridge display. The champion horseman explained Don Hugo was found to have a virus after his tiring fourth to Leap To Fame in the $1mil Race by betcha at Cambridge on April 4. A subsequent Perth trip was aborted and Don Hugo had a short spell. “Leap To Fame was just amazing that night, he was too good. I’m not taking anything away from him, but I know we didn’t have the…
Bet N Win heading to Australia early
By Adam Hamilton Rowe Cup winner Bet N Win won’t race in New Zealand before his “trip of redemption” to Queensland. Instead, co-trainer Stacey White said the five-year-old’s lone lead-up race would be in a 2300m trotting free-for-all at Menangle on June 21. “It’s the best option. The only race here was in Auckland and he’d have been off at least 30m,” she said. “He’s booked a flight to Sydney on June 17 and running on the 21st (of June) fits well before he heads up to Brisbane. “I think…
Spring stakes assignments for Twain
Spring stakes assignments are in the crosshairs for exciting gelding Twain (NZ) (Per Incanto) following his victory in the Waihou Tavern (1150m) at Te Aroha on Monday. The four-year-old son of Per Incanto and Group One-winning mare Fleur de Lune (NZ) (Strvinsky) had won four and placed in two of his previous seven starts and was sent out a short-priced $1.20 on Monday by punters. From his outside barrier in the six-horse field, Twain drifted back early to sit second-to-last before jockey Triston Moodley elected to punch forward to sit…
Williams honoured with Damehood
Two thoroughbred industry stalwarts have been bestowed one of New Zealand’s highest honours in the King’s Birthday honour list, including Catriona Williams, who has been appointed a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for her services to spinal cord injury research and equestrian sport. Williams, the founder and driving force behind the CatWalk Spinal Cord Injury Trust, has been a pillar of the worldwide effort into spinal cord injury research over the last two decades, and her efforts were recognised on Monday. Williams was one of New…
Knights of the Cambridge Stud roundtable
The Cambridge Stud legacy continues to grow, with current co-principal Brendan Lindsay appointed a Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the King’s Birthday Honours for his services to business and philanthropy. Lindsay purchased the renowned operation off founder Sir Patrick Hogan, who received the same honour 25 years ago for services to the thoroughbred industry. “Sir Tristram (former Cambridge Stud stallion), Sir Patrick and now Sir Brendan,” Lindsay said. “It is a real honour, and you are joining a pretty exclusive club. It is a bit…
Siblings to the fore at Invercargill today
By Jonny Turner Brett Gray’s form only needs to continue at Ascot Park on King’s Birthday. The trainer has enjoyed an outstanding past month, with his results headed by the unbeaten Miki’s Deal and his smart trotting mare, Julie Jaccka. It’s a brother-and-sister act that’s among the best of Gray’s Invercargill chances. Little brother Jaccka Henry and big sister Haley Jaccka both look like serious winning threats. Though Haley has proven form on the board, it is Henry who gets the nod as the Gray stable’s biggest chance. “Neither have…
Kiwi breds dominate at final Penang meeting
New Zealand bred horses won five of the seven races carded at the final meeting to be staged by the Penang Turf Club in Malaysia on Saturday. Trainer Simon Dunderdale was full of praise for jockey Blaike McDougall after he piloted Sacred Buddy (NZ) (Sacred Falls) to victory in the RM150,000 Penang Turf Club Memorial Trophy (1100m). Making his third appearance in the country after notching five wins from Open Maiden to Class 4 at Kranji, the Sacred Falls gelding overcame a check halfway through the Cosmo C set-weight race…
Cunning hurdler’s sixth straight win
Patrick and Michelle Payne’s The Cunning Fox (NZ) (Reliable Man) made it six wins from six jumps starts with a gutsy Australian Hurdle victory at Sandown on Sunday. Despite coming under riding from Tom Ryan a fair way from home, the striking grey, who cost Prime Thoroughbreds just $30,000 as a yearling, surged in the straight and lifted late to score by just under two lengths as a $3.10 chance. Highland Blaze flew late to go into second, while Affluential (NZ) (Zed) tired late to run a brave third, but…