Champion trainer Ciaron Maher prepared the Big Dance trifecta as Gringotts (NZ) (Per Incanto) showed there is no substitute for sheer class with his second successive win in the $3 million feature race at Royal Randwick on Tuesday. Gringotts made light of his 62kg impost under a brave but brilliant Nash Rawiller ride to beat Vivy Air in a repeat of the stable exacta from 12 months ago. But Maher, who was at Flemington for the Melbourne Cup, went one better with a memorable 1-2-3 podium finish for the stable as early leader Lugh held on for the minor placing.…
Year: 2025
Big EV back on track with Balmerino victory
Cambridge trainer Stephen Marsh was a relieved man following El Vencedor’s (NZ) (Shocking) return to winning form in the Gr.3 Elsdon Park Balmerino Stakes (2000m) at Ellerslie on Tuesday. The reigning New Zealand Horse of the Year was a standout in autumn, winning four consecutive Group One races before heading to Hong Kong where he was unplaced in the Gr.1 FWD QEII Cup (2000m). He returned this season to finish fifth and seventh in the Gr.1 Proisir Plate (1400m) and Gr.1 Howden Insurance Mile (1600m) respectively before finishing runner-up in…
Cup Day a party for Andertons at Wingatui
A sharp front-running performance by headlined a dominant afternoon for trainers Brian and Shane Anderton at Wingatui on Melbourne Cup Day. The local father-and-son training partnership won three races through the card, all of which they quinellaed, including the feature Grand Casino Open Handicap (1400m) where they had a trio of runners engaged. Inflamed (NZ) (Ghibellines) had been slightly disappointing first-up but was still fancied in the market, closing third-favourite behind Bouyant and Martell, while her stablemates Mayor Of Norwood and Capo Dell Impero were the outsiders resuming over a…
Sister act score first win at Ellerslie
Sisters Sophia Nolan and Hanna Orting recorded the first win in their fledgling training partnership in impressive fashion at Ellerslie on Tuesday, courtesy of exciting gelding Golden Wings (NZ) (Super Seth). The four-year-old son of Super Seth and Group One-winning mare Xanadu had shown plenty of promise, undefeated in his three trials and was runner-up in both of his starts prior to Tuesday’s Yourride 1200. He rocketed out of the gates in the sprint for jockey George Rooke, who immediately pressed forward with his charge to take up the lead.…
Affirmative Action Guineas bound following Ellerslie triumph
Pam Gerard is a bundle of nerves as she gets ready to shoot for her second consecutive victory in next week’s Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton. The Matamata trainer won last year’s edition with standout colt Savaglee (NZ) (Savabeel), and this year she is set to line-up Affirmative Action (Yes Yes Yes), who shortened into $3.80 favouritism for the race following his victory in the Show By SkyCity 1400 at Ellerslie on Tuesday. The son of Yes Yes Yes hadn’t raced since his…
More Cup Day success for Hickmotts
The Hickmott family already has its name etched in the history of the Melbourne Cup, with Robert having trained two winners of the historic race, but on Tuesday it was time for other family members to experience what it is like winning on the day. This time it was his son Josh who experienced the thrill of part-owning a Melbourne Cup Day winner after Party Crasher (NZ) (Ocean Park) claimed the Benchmark 80 (2000m), which was trained by Rob Hickmott’s younger brother Michael. Josh works as a bloodstock manager for…
Merlin back on track for New Zealand Cup
By Michael Guerin Merlin’s New Zealand Cup campaign is back on track and he could even be joined by another stablemate in the great race. The five-year-old recorded his first win in nearly a year in the $100,000 Alabar Kaikoura Cup and it was a proper victory too, coming from well off favourite Akuta to overpower him in the last 150m. Akuta led early and was briefly challenged by Sooner The Bettor but Merlin still had to come from a long way back, three wide down the back straight, and…
NZ Racing and Breeding News – 03 November 2025
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“The tractor” cracks $200K with popular Kaikoura victory
By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk Surely they can’t be a more popular winner at Kaikoura today than Rachmaninov. The veteran trotter, having his 289th start, outstayed his rivals to win the Smartpanel Construction Ltd Trot. It was his second start in two days, his 12th career win and it pushed him over $200,000 in career earnings. “Everyone’s so stoked with him,” says co-breeder, co-owner and trainer Trevor Grant. “He really is everyone’s favourite horse isn’t he? After a safe beginning Rachmaninov went up to sit parked with…
Netherlands and Germany win on day two of WDC
Europe has flexed its muscle on day two of the World Driving Championship in Kaikoura. Firstly it was Jaap van Rijn from the Netherlands who took out Heat 4 and then it was Germany’s Michael Nimczyk who prevailed in the second and final heat of the day with the Matt Purvis-trained Flying Bird. Their victories completed a hat-trick for the Europeans, following Italian Giampaolo Minnucci’s win in the third heat yesterday. The opening two heats were taken out by Australia’s Gary Hall Junior. In today’s heats It’s Tough produced a…