Day: 16 November 2025

Former Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) winner Asterix (NZ) (Tavistock) returned to top form and scored his first Australian victory in the A$300,000 NZB The Beauford (2300m) at Newcastle on Saturday. The Chris Waller-trained gelding showed signs that he might be finding form with a close last-start fifth in the A$500,000 St Leger (2600m) at Randwick on October 18, and his stamina and class were on full display on Saturday as he outstayed his 11 rivals in the hands of jockey Jason Collett. “I thought his run was great the…

Promising New Zealand-bred galloper Taken (NZ) (Ardrossan) won four races in a row to close out his last campaign, and he picked up where he left off with a first-up victory at Caulfield on Saturday. The A$130,000 RM Williams Handicap (1400m) was Taken’s first raceday appearance since June, and he finished second at Cranbourne on October 20 in his only preparatory trial. Ridden by Ethan Brown for trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent Jr, the four-year-old dug deep in the straight despite a tiring three-wide run, snatching victory by a…

Expat New Zealand trainer John Sargent expected a strong showing from Meridiana (NZ) (Preferment) at Newcastle on Saturday, and that was exactly what he got in the A$160,000 Lees Racing ‘Legend’ Mile (1600m). The New Zealand-bred mare was heading into the Benchmark 78 handicap after a last-start second in the A$500,000 Four Pillars (1500m) at Rosehill on November 1. “She was a bit stiff in that race,” Sargent said. “She couldn’t get out when we wanted to and it cost her the race, because they weren’t really coming from the…

Brilliant New Zealand-bred gelding Jimmysstar (NZ) (Per Incanto) lifted his Group One tally to three with another scintillating performance in Saturday’s A$1 million CF Orr Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield, in which progeny of Little Avondale Stud stallion Per Incanto finished first and third. Jimmysstar burst into the top level of Australian sprinters last season with explosive victories in the Gr.1 Oakleigh Plate (1100m) and All Aged Stakes (1400m). The Ciaron Maher-trained gelding has gone on to perform at the highest level in Sydney this spring, running a gallant third from…

Respected Wanganui trainer Kevin Myers captured his fourth Gr.3 Martin Collins New Zealand Cup (3200m) at Riccarton on Saturday courtesy of a supreme staying performance by Bozo (NZ) (Satono Aladdin). An extraordinary storm in the early part of Saturday afternoon made the track a gruelling Heavy9 and turned the $450,000 staying showpiece into a case of survival of the fittest. Five-year-old mare Bozo, who was previously a five-time winner from 14 starts on heavy tracks, was the horse to fit that bill. Bozo was ridden by Tina Comignaghi, who was…

A bargain buy from Windsor Park Stud’s Rugby, Racing and Beer yearling sale has now won six of her seven starts including a first black-type success in Saturday’s A$200,000 Gr.3 How Now Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield. Proved (NZ) (Time Test) was bred by Windsor Park Stud and is by Time Test out of the Shamexpress mare Out To Impress (NZ), who is a half-sister to the Gr.1 Victoria Derby (2500m) winner Monaco Consul (NZ) (High Chaparral). Windsor Park offered Proved at the 2022 edition of their popular Rugby, Racing and…

The only thing certain as horses slogged their way to the winning post in Saturday’s Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) was that Matamata trainer Pam Gerard would produce the quinella in the Riccarton classic. Heavy rain during the day had seen the track reduced to a Heavy9 rating that threw a massive spanner in the works as connections of the 15 runners tried to work out if their horse could handle the downgraded surface and just how competitive they would be. Gerard was in that…