Emily Murphy brings you Winter Weigh In, your place for Thoroughbred racing news, reviews and insights throughout the colder months. The team look back at racing from Te Rapa, and trainer Tony Pike joins the show to chat about his apprentice jockeys and horses for the spring. Winter Weigh In, July 7
Month: July 2025
Tough draws for Kiwis on night two of Inter Dominion
by Adam Hamilton Millionaire Kiwi trotter Oscar Bonavena’s exasperating start to the Brisbane Inter Dominion series has taken another twist. Mark and Nathan Purdon’s superstar nine-year-old has drawn gate one – probably one draw they didn’t want – in his do-or-die second round heat at Albion Park next Saturday night. Oscar Bonavena has a history of galloping when put under pressure from inside front row draws. The awkward draw follows an opening night horror show where he was held-up and hit the line full of running in seventh place. Driver…
Duchess Of Kent’s speed streak continues
by Jonny Turner There is more to Duchess Of Kent than the brilliance she’s shown in her recent winning hat-trick. The three-year-old made it three-from-three this time in when speeding up the Ascot Park passing lane to win the Diamond Creek Farm & SBSR Silk Road Final on Sunday. Speed has been the key ingredient in Duchess Of Kent’s hat-trick of victories, with the filly settling handy in each before zipping home to score for driver Brent Barclay. As fast as she is, trainer Lauren Pearson thinks there is more…
Jeremy Pearson claims first training success
by Mike Love Templeton trainer Jeremy Pearson trained his first winner yesterday when Coba Charged took out the Wouldn’t Be Here Without Ted & Di Enright pace, with Sam Thornley in the sulky. “It’s bloody brilliant,” said Pearson. It was Pearson’s eleventh race as a trainer, and only the second this season. It was Coba Charged’s ninth career start and maiden victory. Coba Charged made a good beginning from the outside of the tapes to be in the one out one back position briefly before being left parked. Over-racing in…
NZ Racing and Breeding News – 07 Juy 2025
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Smart Kiwi-bred three-year-old sold to Hong Kong
New Zealand-bred three-year-old Public Attention will continue his racing career in Hong Kong following his recent sale. The grey son of Written Tycoon was bred by the late Sir Patrick Hogan and Lady Justine Hogan out of Legramor, a daughter of their dual Group One winner Katie Lee, and he was offered through Carlaw Park’s 2023 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 1 Yearling Sale draft where he was purchased by Coolmore’s Tom Magnier for $160,000. Public Attention was raced by Coolmore, in association with several partners, including Sir Peter Vela, and…
Triumphant return for Group One-winning trainer
Memories of a former high-class performer were revived when Peter Fitzgerald recently made a return to the winner’s circle. The Otaki horseman celebrated his first success in three decades when Revo broke his maiden on the polytrack at Awapuni last Friday. Fitzgerald enjoyed top-flight success in the early 1990s with the free-going chestnut Captain Cook, who won six races including the Gr.1 International Stakes (2000m) at Te Rapa where he beat Fun On The Run. He subsequently took a lengthy break from training before returning and now has Revo and…
Walker welcomes exciting reinforcements to Cranbourne
Te Akau’s Cranbourne barn has welcomed some exciting reinforcements ahead of spring racing, headlined by $3.5 million NZB Kiwi (1500m) heroine Damask Rose. The rising four-year-old mare was a standout for trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson in her three-year-old term, winning three of her five starts in her homeland, including the $1.5 million Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m) and NZB Kiwi, accruing more than $2 million in earnings. Having taken out two of New Zealand’s richest races, her connections have now set their sights on securing the lion’s share of…
Right Now causes Lafferty Hurdle boilover
Arron Lynch and Right Now (NZ) (Wrote) have caused a boilover in the Kevin Lafferty Hurdle at Warrnambool on Sunday, holding tough at long odds. Trained by Bevan Laming, Right Now couldn’t go the 3900 metres in the Australian Hurdle last start, but the drop back to 3200m looked suitable and he travelled comfortably throughout. Lynch pinched runs up the inside and went from second last to first down the side, but there was still the matter of holding off Loft ($1.35) and Normandy Bridge ($5). But even with the…
Kiwis make their presence felt on opening night of Inter Dominion
New Zealand’s raiders had a varied start to the Inter Dominion carnival at Albion Park, with two wins, a strong runner-up performance, and a few who’ll be looking to bounce back on night two. Mixed night for Kiwi trotters at Inter Dominion opener It was a tale of two very different stories for New Zealand’s two trotting stars on Inter Dominion opening night at Albion Park. The shock came when millionaire veteran Oscar Bonavena was bailed up in traffic and only finished seventh in the first trotting heat. Driver Adam…