A nasty fall that extinguished the chances of four of the nine runners in the Property Brokers Taumarunui 3YO (1400) at Te Rapa overshadowed a fine victory by talented filly Ortega. The race changed in dramatic fashion when Illuminated Miss clipped the heels of race favourite Ribkraka as that runner crossed to the lead at the 1000m mark. The subsequent chain effect saw Gina Rosa, Gracetheace and I Park all hit the deck leaving the rest of the field to continue on. The Stephen Marsh-prepared Ortega kept in touch with…
Month: July 2025
Latta favourite captures final stakes race for the season
Talented juvenile filly Platinum Diamond made all posts a winner when she captured her second consecutive stakes victory in the last black type feature of the 2024-2025 racing season, the Listed Phils Electrical & Gypsy Caravans Ryder Stakes (1200m) at Otaki. The Lisa Latta-trained daughter of Cambridge Stud shuttle stallion Hello Youmzain had scored handsomely in the Listed Castletown Stakes (1200m) at the venue last month with Bruno Queiroz in the saddle and the visiting Brazilian jockey made it three victories from three rides on the filly with another well-judged…
Staying targets not a priority for Aeliana
Trainer Chris Waller will take a cautious approach with star filly Aeliana in the spring as the patient trainer is wary of jumping too quickly to staying distances with the rising four-year-old. The New Zealand bred daughter of Castelvecchio was a dominant winner of the Gr.1 Australian Derby (2400m) but don’t expect to see the staying journey at the top of spring targets. “We won’t be in any rush to get her to 2400m unless we have to,” Waller said. “I just find it tends to send horses a little…
The Moonstone back in winning form
By Jordyn Bublitz For Cambridge trainer Nicky Chilcott, it wasn’t the stature or the stakes of The Moonstone’s Silk Road victory on Thursday night at Cambridge Raceway that mattered, it was the sense of relief and accomplishment in finally getting the mare to return to a glimpse of her former self. Many may remember The Moonstone for her standout performances as an early two-year-old, when she impressed spectators on debut at Alexandra Park with a remarkable victory, despite missing away from the mobile and giving herself a considerable handicap in the…
Puntin to relish rise in distance
Consistent three-year-old Puntin steps up to 1800m for the first time on Saturday when he contests the ATC Thank You Stable Staff Handicap at Randwick. The Bjorn Baker-trained son of Super Seth has won four of his seven starts and has finished runner-up on the other three occasions including last start when slow into stride. Jockey Ashley Morgan is confident Puntin will relish the step up in distance. “I think he can be a stakes horse at 2000m, he’s got such a great attitude and he loves his racing. It…
Scott scores first training win
Waverley’s meeting on Friday will live long in the memory of Foxton horseman Adam Scott, who recorded his first win as a trainer courtesy of Another Won’t Hurt in the Sandfords Rural Carriers (1400m). The rambunctious five-year-old was having just his second start and he was unwanted by punters following his debut antics where he bucked off rider Nick Downs shortly after the start at Woodville earlier this month. He trialled to the satisfaction of stewards at his home track on Tuesday and started a $61.70 outsider. In stark contrast…
Speedy juvenile leading Sharrock’s trio at Otaki
Gavin Sharrock had a day out with three of his promising young gallopers at Hawera a fortnight ago, and he hopes to replicate that effort at Otaki on Saturday, particularly with Spandeedo, who will contest the Listed Phils Electrical and Gipsy Caravans Ryder Stakes (1200m). The Stratford horseman took Spandeedo, Stewart, and Vibration to the Egmont meeting, and all three returned winners, with the former comfortably taking out the two-year-old race. It was the second victory in four starts for the son of Ferrando, who has improved with each run.…
Canheroc on a path towards Cups redemption
Canheroc has come close to taking out a couple of New Zealand’s feature staying races, and they will once again be on his radar this coming season. The Chris Wood-trained gelding was third in last year’s Gr.3 Wellington Cup (3200m) after winning the Listed Marton Cup (3200m), and last November he filled the same placing in the Gr.3 New Zealand Cup (3200m). “He has had a couple of unlucky runs in the New Zealand Cup and Wellington Cup. He probably should have won one of them at some stage but…
Late bloomer quick to rise to Cup challenge
A checkered past is proving to be a blessing in disguise for in-form mare Quick Fire, who is presented with an opportunity to rise to another level at Te Rapa. With maturity, the five-year-old daughter of Time Test has put a series of issues behind her and looms as a major player in The Callinan Family Taumarunui Gold Cup (2200m) on Saturday. “She wasn’t physically or mentally ready to be there and now she’s had all this enforced time to develop, we’ve got this really lovely racehorse to go on…
Latta pair seeking further black-type
The Lisa Latta-trained pair of Platinum Diamond and Brutiful Lass will bid to end their juvenile season in perfect fashion at Otaki on Saturday when they tackle the Listed Phils Electrical & Gipsy Caravans Ryder Stakes (1200m). Platinum Diamond has made a solid start to her career, with the daughter of Hello Youmzain winning two of her three starts to date, including last month’s Listed Castletown Stakes (1200m) at Otaki. In-form hoop Bruno Queiroz will jump back in the saddle on Saturday where he will be out to replicate their…