This week the girls have taken over, Emily Murphy and Jayne Ivil and joined by Brittany Taylor from Sydney to review The Greatest Day on the Punt. Andrew Scott stops by to talk about Waitaks latest Group 1 and the team catch up with Fraser Auret, breeder of superstar Ka Ying Rising. Weigh In, October 19
Year: 2025
Talented Tisse headed for Cups
Taranaki visitor Tisse (NZ) (Belardo) announced himself as a serious Cups contender for the summer months with an impressive victory in the Barfoot and Thompson 2100 at Ellerslie on Saturday. After racing well on heavy tracks this campaign, the son of Belardo finally struck a good surface in the staying contest and started favourite in the hands of Opie Bosson, who let him settle near the tail of the field. The early leader Gillian slowed the tempo as the field streamed down the back straight, before a keen Cleese took…
Summerston upsets in thrilling Ellerslie finish
Underrated mare Summerston (NZ) (Reliable Man) sprang a massive upset when she burst between runners to claim victory in the Kingmakers Syndication 1400 (1400m) at Ellerslie on Saturday. The Debbie Sweeney-prepared five-year-old has never been blessed with a lot of luck in her career to date but more than made up for that with a performance that suggested there could be more in store in the coming months. Allowed to settle well back by rider Warren Kennedy, the daughter of Westbury Stud-based stallion Reliable Man began to track into the…
Leap To Fame beaten again in Victoria Cup
By Adam Hamilton Leap To Fame’s long-waited New Zealand Cup raid is in limbo after another defeat in last night’s $250,000 Group 1 Victoria Cup at Melton. Trainer-driver Grant Dixon said the next few days would decide plans. “That’s two runs down here he hasn’t quite been at his best,” he said. “He seems ok, but his heart rate is higher than normal. “We’ll see how he is and make a decision on NZ early in the week.” Leap To Fame was far from disgraced, but laboured into a…
NZ Racing and Breeding News – 19 October 2025
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD NEWSLETTER
Ashburton Flying Stakes key to pair’s New Zealand Cup hopes
By Michael Guerin The Ashburton Flying Stakes could decide the New Zealand Cup chances of Jeremiah and Better Knuckle Up. And it may now also play a pivotal role in the preparation of their stablemate Merlin after his moderate fifth at Addington on Friday night. Jeremiah and Better Knuckle Up head south next week to join the rest of the Barry Purdon/Scott Phelan raiders already in Canterbury and they looked in fine form for the trip when they quinellaed the Vale Chris Garrard Pace at Alexandra Park on Friday night.…
Major setback for Swayzee
By Adam Hamilton The odds are mounting against Swayzee’s quest for a record-equalling third successive IRT New Zealand Trotting Cup win at Addington Raceway on Tuesday, November 11. The champion stayer missed defending his Victoria Cup title with a bowel infection and owner Mick Boots revealed it is still an issue. “He’s touch and go for NZ,” Boots said. “It’s that bowel infection and it’ll be hard to get the work into him for an NZ Cup.” The line in the sand looks to be next Saturday night’s Battle of…
Ceolwulf defends King Charles crown
Ceolwulf mastered the Randwick mile again on Saturday, going back-to-back in the Gr.1 King Charles III Stakes (1600m) and heading an all New Zealand-bred trifecta in the A$5 million showpiece. The Tavistock gelding defended his King Charles crown with a powerhouse performance to beat 10-time Group One winner Mr Brightside by a length and three-quarters. The Matamata-trained Proisir gelding Pier finished another neck away in third. That trifecta capped a remarkable day at Randwick for the Kiwi-breds, who had earlier produced a one-three result with Ka Ying Rising and Jimmysstar…
Brilliant Linebacker heads Kiwi quinella in Silver Eagle
Two New Zealand-bred horses lined up in the A$1 million Silver Eagle (1300m) at Randwick on Saturday and filled the first two placings, headed by a sparkling performance by Linebacker. Previously the winner of three of his 10 career starts headed by the Gr.1 Randwick Guineas (1600m) in the autumn, the first-crop son of Waikato Stud’s rising star stallion Super Seth had a spring setback last month when he sprained an ankle and was ruled out of the Gr.1 Epsom Handicap (1600m). But Linebacker showed he was back on track…
Ka Ying Rising conquers Everest
New Zealand-bred champion Ka Ying Rising climbed the highest mountain of his career and claimed a piece of racing history in the A$20 million Gr.1 The TAB Everest (1200m) at Randwick on Saturday. The world’s highest-rated sprinter lived up to his red-hot favouritism and became the first overseas-trained winner of the world’s richest race on turf. Ka Ying Rising’s record spoke for himself when he arrived on Australian shores for his Everest mission. He was the winner of 14 of his 16 starts, including his last 13 in a row,…