The Lindsay Park team of Ben, Will and J D Hayes are excited by the progress their New Zealand bred stables stars are making in preparation for their spring campaigns. Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars) is back galloping and is due for a jump-out early next month as he gears towards a first-up run in the Gr.1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on August 30. The gelding was just pipped in that race last year by Pinstriped before returning to winning form in Gr.1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington two…
Month: July 2025
Royal result for Wilsons in Oamaru Cup
Bevan and Robyn Wilson brought a formidable trio of chances into Sunday’s Crombie and Price Ltd Oamaru Cup (1600m) and all three ran with great merit, but none more so that the winner, Royal Valour (NZ) (Belardo). The Ashburton couple had accepted into the feature with Royal Valour, Lord Darci and Victorian Charm, all of which they bred and own, and each horse was well-fancied in the market, closing second, third and fourth favourite behind Iffididit. As anticipated, Royal Valour was a stride slow away from the barriers and jockey…
Candle lights up in River Plate Trophy
Richard Didham maintained the perfect strike rate with a pair of ex-Hastings gallopers at Oamaru on Sunday, headlined by Candle’s (NZ) (Super Easy) success in the Glenmoa Farms Ltd River Plate Trophy (1200m). Candle, alongside her stablemate Speed Dial (NZ) (Time Test), was formerly in the care of Hawke’s Bay conditioners Guy Lowry and Leah Zydenbos, and the mare joined Didham’s Aylesbury stable recently after collecting three wins in the north. The daughter of Super Easy covered extra ground to finish a respectable eighth in her debut for Didham earlier…
Gringotts aiming for Winx Stakes return
Group One winner Gringotts (NZ) (Per Incanto) has continued to improve with each campaign and connections expect that to again be the case as the rising six-year-old closes in on his seasonal return. After capturing the Big Dance (1600m) and The Gong (1600m) at the end of last spring, Gringotts returned in the autumn to claim the scalps of Fangirl and Ceolwulf in the Gr.1 George Ryder Stakes (1500m). He ended his preparation with a midfield finish in the Gr.1 Doncaster Mile, beaten less than two lengths, and trainer Ciaron…
El Vaquero outshines juveniles at Oamaru
Progressive colt El Vaquero (NZ) (Ferrando) completed the southern juvenile season on a winning note at Oamaru on Sunday, outclassing his rivals to claim the One Smart Coffee (1200m). The striking son of Ferrando had over raced when fancied on debut back in April, but since, has shown good improvement, going down by narrow margins on two occasions to Te Akau filly Cool Aza Rene. There was no Cool Aza Rene in the field at Oamaru and El Vaquero comfortably held favouritism, closing at $2.10 over fillies Ripa Time ($6)…
McKay confident Birdy can trot her way to maiden victory
by Mike Love Russley trainer Laura McKay will be hoping her charge Birdy ($1.85FF) brings their manners in race one the Seahorse Supplements Trot over 2000m at Addington today with driver Blair Orange. The four year old Royal Aspirations mare will be having start three in her career, and trainer McKay says she has learnt a lot with each outing to date. “She’s come through that last run really well. She seems pretty bright,” said McKay. “She just has to trot the whole way.” After a faultless debut running second being…
NZ Racing and Breeding News – 20 July 2025
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Crackerjack steps up at Alexandra Park
By Michael Guerin Dylan Ferguson admits Crackerjack is going to need to improve to warrant racing our best three-year-old trotters again this season. The good thing is Ferguson thinks that improvement is almost certain. The three-year-old recorded the third win of his career with perfect manners in his Classique Landscapers Metro Trotters Heat at Alexandra Park on Friday night, skying away to an easy win with Dylan’s father Peter in the sulky. Being a Metro Trot heat the next target for Crackerjack is an easy decision, the $35,000 final next…
One Mhor For Heather delivers special win at Addington
by Michael Guerin One Mhor For Heather is doing exactly what was named to do. And that is win races so her owners could remember and celebrate in the name of the late harness racing owner Heather Williams. Heather, with her husband Lex, raced some wonderful horses before Heather sadly passed in November 2020. One of thosd good horses they owned together was One Over Da Moon, the Jewels winner of his juvenile year, who has since stood at stud and sired some smart trotters. Enter the fray Heather’s friends…
Purdon hoping for one more Inter Dominion miracle
by Michael Guerin Champion trainer Mark Purdon worries he may be all out of Inter Dominion miracles. Purdon and son Nathan take Oscar Bonavena to Albion Park in Brisbane tonight for the A$500,000 Inter Dominion Trotting Final, the veteran trotter joining fellow Kiwi trotter Bet N Win in giving New Zealand a great chance of winning the 3157m mobile iconic event. The only problem is Oscar Bonavena has finished just seventh and sixth in his two heats of the series, hardly Inter Dominion winning form, and he will need a…