Month: June 2025

Pukekohe trainer Rudy Liefting will make the long trek down State Highway One with a couple of his jumpers this week to target Trentham’s Grant Plumbing Wellington Steeplechase Day on Saturday. His charge will be led by nine-year-old gelding Mont Ventoux in the Aztech Engineering Wellington Hurdle (3200m), with the son of Nom du Jeu looking to improve on his last-start third placing in the Waikato Hurdle (3200m). “His last start third was encouraging,” Liefting said. “I have really got to tackle the big ones because he is up in…

Trentham racegoers are in for a treat this Saturday, with Matt Hill, the voice of the Melbourne Cup, on course to call the Grant Plumbing Wellington Steeplechase (4900m). Hill’s voice is one of the most recognisable in Australian sport, with the Melbournian not only calling horse racing, but also AFL, the Olympics, and since 2012 he has been a commentator and presenter for the Australian Open Tennis. He enjoys the diversity of calling multiple sports and is thrilled to have followed in the footsteps of a couple of his idols.…

Star galloper Antino (NZ) (Redwood) isn’t far off returning to Tony Gollan’s Brisbane stables to ramp up his preparations for a Melbourne spring campaign aimed towards the Gr.1 Cox Plate. Antino, brilliant winner of last spring’s Gr.1 Toorak Handicap in Melbourne, starred in his home state during his most recent campaign with dominant victories in the Gr.2 Hollindale Stakes (1800m) at the Gold Coast second-up and the Gr.1 Doomben Cup (2000m) demolition on May 24. Gollan told RSN Racing Pulse on Tuesday that Antino is scheduled to return to his stable next Monday…

Zac Purton has spoken of how highly he rates superstar Hong Kong sprinter Ka Ying Rising (NZ) (Shamexpress), saying if he goes to another level this campaign ‘he starts to get himself up into the Black Caviar territory’. The current odds-on favourite for The Everest, who has won his past 12 starts including four at Group One level, will return in September’s Chief Executive Cup, a race he won with ease last year. From there, there’s no easy path to the $20 million contest in Sydney, but Purton believes the…

Tommy Hazlett was destined for a life in the racing industry, and the popular figure has seen it all, and won most, when it comes to riding over fences. Growing up in Southland, Hazlett was raised in a racing environment, with his father Mike Hazlett both an owner-trainer and a successful amateur rider, and his grand-uncle, hall of famer Bill Hazlett, among New Zealand’s leading owners and was twice runner-up in the national trainer’s premiership. From an early age, Hazlett had aspirations of becoming a jockey, and riding over fences…

Spiritus (NZ) (Ancient Spirit) will become the first North Island representative for southern sire Ancient Spirit on Wednesday at Pukekohe, and the juvenile has made a good impression on his trainer in the lead-up. Standing at White Robe Lodge, the multiple Group Two-winning son of Invincible Spirit has had a handful of runners closer to home, including placegetter Bobby Mcgee. Sourced from the Mosgiel nursery, Spiritus entered the care of experienced horseman Chad Orsmby, who couldn’t speak more highly of the gelding. “He’s my first (Ancient Spirit) in training and…

Stakes targets are in the offing for Te Aroha mare Debit (NZ) (Darci Brahma), with trainer Peter Lock impressed with the way she has returned this year.  The five-year-old daughter of Darci Brahma had a perfect spring preparation last year, winning all three of her starts, extending her envious record to four wins and a placing from five career starts.  Lock elected to bring her south to the Foxton trials on Tuesday, along with a couple of stablemates, and he was pleased with the way she went, finishing fourth in…

Emily Murphy brings you Winter Weigh In, your place for Thoroughbred racing news, reviews and insights throughout the colder months. This week we wrap the action from a busy long weekend of domestic racing. Plus, Victorian commentator Matt Hills joins the show to talk about his upcoming trip to Trentham. Winter Weigh In, June 23

The emergence of the Victorian-based Taken (NZ) (Ardrossan) is another winning story for a New Zealand breeding and ownership group established to support the three-year-old’s young sire.  The Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained son of Ardrossan made it four wins on the bounce when he carried 60kg to victory at Flemington last Saturday.  He was bred by the Dewar Partnership, established to promote the Waikato Stud stallion through the early stages of his career.  “Taken has come a long way and is out of a good staying family and…