Bob Butt is letting his mind wander. An easy win on night one for Bet N Win and another great barrier draw in the second round of heats on Saturday night have Butt excited about tackling Saturday week’s $500,000 Grand Final. And who the main danger might be. Other than unexpected change of training bases when Bet N Win first arrived in Queensland, everything has gone superbly for the young trotting star during this Aussie raid. “Even having to change bases because of the beach situation near Vic (Frost) and…
Month: July 2025
Synthetic heavyweights to renew rivalry
Two of the heavyweights of New Zealand synthetic racing are set to meet for just the second time this week at Cambridge’s synthetic meeting on Thursday. The Mark Treweek-trained Lhasa (Hellbent) has won six of his nine starts on the surface, while the David Greene-trained Branciforti (NZ) (Belardo) has won four of her nine polytrack starts, including defeating the former in last year’s $100,000 Martin Collins Polytrack 1400m Innovation Race at Awapuni. The pair will renew their rivalry in Thursday’s Cambridge Real Estate 1300, with the 92-rated Lhasa set to…
Six to watch: Trial form on show this week
These 6 horses have trialled pleasingly in recent weeks and this week (10/7/25) they head back to the racetrack. Abitibi (3f Sweet Lou – Utmost Delight) Trainer: G Rogerson Manners have let her down badly in 2 raceday runs thus far & consequently stood down to trial satisfactorily before returning to the track. Did that at Pukekohe (1/7/25) where she worked to the front and just got nutted by race rival Ifindoubt in a 2:05MR, last 800m in 58.7 although she wasn’t under any pressure in run home and took…
Big weight no concern for Belardo Boy
Winter marvel Belardo Boy (NZ) (Belardo) overcame a clear topweight to collect the 11th victory of his career in the New World Otaki Handicap (1400m) at Otaki on Tuesday. A winner of the Gr.3 Winter Cup (1600m) and Gr.3 Metric Mile (1600m) in 2023, and the Listed Opunake Cup (1400m) and Listed AGC Training Stakes (1600m) last term, Belardo Boy has become accustomed to carrying hefty imposts, and Tuesday’s assignment was no exception, with six kilograms to his closest rivals. Jumping inside the short-priced favourite in Belles Beau, Belardo Boy travelled…
Isdale hoping golden southern run continues
Cambridge horseman Clinton Isdale has had plenty of success in the South Island as an owner, and he is hoping that continues on Wednesday when Funfetti (NZ) (Embellish) will shoot for her third successive win on Riccarton’s polytrack. Isdale tasted success in the south just last week when Storms Ahead (NZ) (Astern) was victorious at Ashburton, keeping his 100 percent South Island strike rate intact after winning first-up for Timaru trainer Stephanie Faulkner at his new home track last month. Isdale purchased the son of Astern off Gavelhouse.com for $1,000…
Pride Of Aspen shines in familiar territory
Pride Of Aspen (Pride Of Dubai) looked right at home when she scored a decisive victory in the Cavallo Farms and Chris Rutten Bloodstock Handicap (2200m) at Otaki’s rescheduled meeting on Tuesday. The daughter of Pride Of Dubai was previously trained at the Central Districts venue by Johno Benner and Hollie Wynyard before relocating with the latter to Cambridge this season. She often brings out her best on her old home turf, winning on three prior occasions, and continued that strong form when runner-up to Benefactor a fortnight ago. Wynyard…
In-form fillies spearhead strong stable line-up
Te Akau Racing looks set to be a major player on the all-weather track at Riccarton with a particularly strong hand to play in the age group event on Wednesday’s card. Trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson will be represented by the in-form duo of Queen Of Naples and Porcia Catonis in the Red Rose Raceday – 24 July Three-Year-Old (1400m). Stablemate Vivacious also looks a strong chance in the Join TAB Racing Club Rating 74 off the back of two wins on the bounce. Queen Of Naples (NZ) (Darci…
Mrs Browne’s lasting legacy in jumps racing
Ann Browne, widely known as Mrs Browne, is a trailblazer and heroine in New Zealand racing, and would be the first to share her passion for jumpers. As Ann Fraser, Browne spent her early years living on a farm off the East Coast of the North Island where her horse-oriented family felt anything but isolated. “All of my relations are from Gisborne and I grew up on a farm inland from Tikitiki, off the East Coast,” Browne said. “I lived there until I was 14, until my father bought a…
Everest only for Hong Kong star
It will be a case of one and done for New Zealand-bred sprinting sensation Ka Ying Rising (NZ) (Shamexpress) in his Australian spring campaign, with trainer David Hayes confirming the A$20 million The Everest (1200m) will be his sole target down under. “It’s been decided that we’ll give Ka Ying Rising one run in The Everest and then the owner is keen to concentrate on Hong Kong,” Hayes told the South China Morning Post. “He’s avoiding the temptation of the big money in Australia. He’s decided win, lose or draw, to…
Quantity and quality in Rich Hill Stud’s Online Breeding Stock Sale draft
Rich Hill Stud is a prominent player in the 2025 National Online Breeding Stock Sale on Gavelhouse Plus, offering more than 10 percent of the 87-lot catalogue. The Rich Hill consignment features 10 mares, six of which are in foal to the stud’s promising sire Ace High. Two others are carrying pregnancies to the well-performed Rich Hill resident Shocking, while another is in foal to Embellish (NZ). “There’s certainly some nice young mares from good families, and most of them are going to have foals on the ground within the…