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Month: June 2025
Sacred Rocks makes winning Sydney debut
Promising New Zealand-bred mare Sacred Rocks (NZ) (Sacred Falls) made a big impression in her first appearance in Sydney on Saturday, storming home from well off the pace to win the A$160,000 Toyota Forklifts Handicap (1300m) at Rosehill. The Ciaron Maher-trained four-year-old had previously had four starts in Victoria, starting with a winning debut at Pakenham in January. She was runner-up in two appearances at Sandown in January and February, then returned from a freshen-up with an impressive five-length victory at Sale on May 28. Sacred Rocks was sent out…
Kovalica back on top in Q22
Kovalica (NZ) (Ocean Park) made a welcome return to winning form when he prevailed in a pulsating three-horse finish to the A$1.2 million Gr.2 HKJC World Pool Q22 (2200m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday. The Kiwi-bred son of Ocean Park was the standout three-year-old of the Queensland Winter Carnival two years ago, winning the Gr.1 Queensland Derby (2400m) and Gr.2 Queensland Guineas (1600m) and placing against older horses at weight-for-age in the Gr.1 Doomben Cup (2000m). Kovalica went winless in 20 starts through the two years after that Derby success,…
Poignant Stradbroke win for War Machine
With a powerful and poignant performance in Saturday’s The Star Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm, budding superstar War Machine (NZ) (Harry Angel) added extra Group One sparkle to the legacies of two much-missed New Zealand industry figures. The triumph came less than a week after the sudden passing in Kentucky of internationally renowned bloodstock agent Michael Wallace, who sourced War Machine’s dam Caserta on behalf of his brother David and late wife Maddy and parents Jim and Mary Wallace. War Machine was bred by the Wallace family’s MDJ Bloodstock…
Big Friday night for Williamsons at Addington
By Jonny Turner Yet again it has been proven that a horse with ability and Phil Williamson’s masterful hand are a potent combination. In the depths of winter while most star three-year-old trotters are off the scene, Tarragindi is taking huge strides towards his big spring targets. The trotter cleared out for an emphatic win for driver Nathan Williamson, on a big Friday night at Addington for his father Phil, who later produced Becky’s Girl for an effortless debut victory for driver Brad Williamson. Tarragindi showed all sorts of ability…
Hackett ok after Alexandra Park heroics
By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk Top junior driver Crystal Hackett is nursing a few bumps and bruises but is otherwise ok after an eventful and scary time at Alexandra Park last night. She had just won Race 8 with debutant Buddy Guy at the park and was returning to the stabling area when the two-year-old got spooked. Hackett was tipped from the sulky and got dragged along the infield. “It was a good distance and it was at a good clip,” Hackett says, “it certainly felt…
NZ Amateur Drivers championships set for big finale
The New Zealand Amateurs Drivers championships looks set for a big finish at Addington tomorrow (Sunday). The Raceway will host the final two heats of the four-race series, with Bruce Hadley, Cheree Wigg and Frank Phelan all tied on seven points, one ahead of Alan Edge, and Michael House and John Kriechbaumer on five. Wigg won last night’s heat at Addington thanks to a determined finish by the Matt Purvis-trained Almighty Clever in the IRT.Your Horse. Our Passion Mobile Pace. Almighty Clever will back up at the Raceway tomorrow as…
Campaldino triumphs in Brisbane Cup
The Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) looms as a possible spring target for New Zealand-bred stayer Campaldino (NZ) (Ghibellines), who continued his rapid rise with another outstanding win in the A$400,000 Gr.2 XXXX Brisbane Cup (3200m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday. Within the space of nine weeks, the Ghibellines gelding has strung together four increasingly impressive victories. He kicked off with wins in the Orange Cup (2100m) and a Benchmark 78 handicap on Randwick’s Kensington track, prompting trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott to take him to Brisbane and raise the…
Pier picks up Stradbroke consolation
A runaway victory in Saturday’s A$160,000 Listed The Wayne Wilson (1600m) at Eagle Farm was a proud moment for Pier’s (NZ) (Proisir) connections, but they could also be forgiven for wondering what might have been in the Gr.1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m). Pier ventured across the Tasman as the winner of four races in New Zealand, headed by the Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) in 2022. The son of Proisir has found a promising vein of form in his latest preparation, producing powerful finishes for placings in the Listed City…
Soldier Boy tastes victory after three-horse Te Rapa war
Stratford visitor Soldier Boy (NZ) (Proisir) made a long-awaited return to the winners’ enclosure when he came out on top in a three-horse tussle in the SKYCITY Hamilton Mile (1600m) at Te Rapa. The Gavin Sharrock-prepared galloper hadn’t been seen on top of the victory podium since he claimed the Listed Maron Cup (2200m) at Trentham in January 2023. Sharrock has never lost faith in his versatile son of Rich Hill Stud stallion Proisir, who tends to excel on tracks with plenty of cut in them. With Te Rapa coming…