Day: 7 December 2025

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD NEWSLETTER

New Zealand-breds filled three of the first four placings in Saturday’s A$1.5 million Tabtouch Northerly Stakes (1800m) at Ascot, headed by tenacious and impressive winner Cosmic Crusader (NZ) (Maurice). Carrying on from highly successful spring carnivals in Sydney and Melbourne, where Group One victories were recorded by Kiwi-breds Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars), Globe (NZ) (Charm Spirit), Ka Ying Rising (NZ) (Shamexpress), Ceolwulf (NZ) (Tavistock) (two) and Jimmysstar (NZ) (Per Incanto), Cosmic Crusader brought up the seventh Group One win for the (NZ) suffix in Australia this season and was backed…

Midnight Edition (NZ) (Wrote), who has genuine claims to the title of most improved galloper in the North Island this season, stepped up to a new level at Pukekohe when he claimed the Gr.3 Concorde Stakes (1200m) in emphatic fashion. The Bruce Wallbank-trained four-year-old had shown plenty of promise during his three-year-old campaign, including a dead-heat for first with Yaldi in the Gr.2 Auckland Guineas (1400m) only to be relegated to second in a post-race protest. He finished that season off with a victory at Te Rapa in April and…

It was an anxious few moments for the connections of Provence (NZ) (Savabeel) as they waited to hear the judge’s call following the Gr.1 TAB Mufhasa Classic (1600m) at Trentham on Saturday, and they erupted when their mare’s name was called out first. In shades of the photo finish between Enzo’s Lad (Testa Rossa) and Ferrando (NZ) (Fast ‘N’ Famous) in the 2019 Gr.1 Telegraph (1200m) at the Upper Hutt track, there was a significant delay to the judge’s call as they studied the tight photo finish between Provence, Waitak…