by Jordyn Bublitz Loteria is set to make her Cambridge Raceway debut tonight in what looks to be a perfect stepping stone for the mare as she continues her return to racing. The four-year-old daughter of Majestic Son, trained out of Clevedon by Sammy Kilgour, is a well-travelled campaigner. She began her career across the Tasman as a two-year-old in Australia before joining Sammy and her partner Josh Dickie on their move back to New Zealand. After a strong start to her racing career on kiwi soil, Sammy made the call…
Year: 2025
Proisir 3YO impresses at Sandown
Lightly-tried three-year-old Ad Vitam broke maiden ranks in impressive fashion at Sandown on Wednesday when swooping under Blake Shinn to score over 1400m. The son of Proisir finished runner-up on debut for Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young and took good improvement and shapes as a horse with a bright future for prominent owners Kevin and Vikki Payne. “He has benefited from that first start at Sale, with that added experience,” Shinn said. “He was good in the gates, and that gave me a good indication he would jump better. He…
NZTR Confirms Relocation of Two Group 1 Races this Spring
New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (NZTR) has confirmed that two key Spring Group 1 races will be transferred from RACE Awapuni, as the track continues through its Return to Racing protocols. The decision reflects a commitment to delivering early certainty for Trainers and Owners preparing campaigns for Group 1 runners. Key Programme Adjustments (may still be subject to change): Saturday 23 August | RACE Awapuni:Planned return raceday as scheduled Saturday 6 September | RACE Awapuni: Planned raceday as scheduled Saturday 20 September | RACE Awapuni:$100,000 Group 3 Merial Metric Mile (1600m) raceday…
Perfect result for Falconer at Avondale
Cambridge horsewoman Margaret Falconer celebrated a winning double at Avondale on Wednesday with a pair of progressive staying prospects. The first to salute on the midweek card was Hakata Bay (NZ) (Mongolian Khan), a one-win galloper resuming off a spell in the Byerley Park 1400. The son of Mongolian Khan had collected his maiden on a firm surface over the summer, but faced a stark contrast at the Auckland venue, stepping out in the middle of the card on a true Heavy10 track. In the hands of Joe Doyle, Hakata…
Sulabella chasing Rotorua hat-trick
Ruakaka visitor Sulabella (NZ) (Proisir) will be out to keep her perfect record intact at Arawa Park on Saturday, as the mare takes on the open-class gallopers in the Arawa Park Hotel Rotorua 1560. A winner of six races, Sulabella hit a purple patch of form when saluting at the Rotorua course last year at the beginning of July, and in the same race earlier this month she took the top spot once again. Michelle Bradley, who trains the daughter of Proisir, is looking forward to heading back to the…
Mathews out to break season duck
For just the second time in his 40-year training career, Howie Mathews is currently winless for the season, something he is looking to change when he heads to Awapuni’s synthetic meeting on Thursday. “We haven’t trained a winner this season, which is quite unusual for us. We would like to change that and if it could happen tomorrow that would be nice,” he said. The Otaki horseman will have three chances to correct his plight, headlined by a two-pronged attack in the Spray Specialist LTD 2140, courtesy of Weneedashock and…
Early favourites dominate futures markets for November features
The Tab recently opened some long term markets around feature races in November so here’s an early look forward with harness analyst Greg O’Connor. The three-year-old season has a predictable feel to it with last season’s 2yo’s of their respective season’s dominating the early bird markets. Marketplace is basically $1.40 in every major race he is likely to line up including the2nd running of the Velocity and of course the jewel in the 3yo year, the Garrards NZ Pacing Derby. His nearest rival and most likely to bridge the gap…
Gordon hoping for another tried horse Ace
Foxton trainer Suzy Gordon has enjoyed a good run of success in the tried horse market and has welcomed another well-performed newcomer to her stable. Gordon’s latest acquisition is Turn The Ace, a multiple winner from Andrew Forsman’s stable who recently changed hands on the Gavelhouse platform for $9,750 to dissolve the syndicate that raced the son of Turn Me Loose. “The best part is that he’s all ready to go and will have a quiet trial at Foxton next week over 800m,” Gordon said. “We’re obviously learning about him,…
Kiwi Breeders to be Honoured at National Awards
The New Zealand thoroughbred breeding community will come together on Saturday July 26 to celebrate another year of excellence at the Property Brokers National Breeding Awards at the Sir Don Rowlands Centre in Cambridge. The evening will acknowledge 24 individual winners of 37 Group One races as breeders can again take pride in the global success of horses with the NZ suffix. Recently crowned Hong Kong Horse of the Year Ka Ying Rising (NZ) (Shamexpress) and Australian star Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars) will be among the leading contenders for the…
Red-letter day for Sharrock
It was a red-letter day at Hawera on Tuesday for Gavin Sharrock, with the Stratford trainer posting his first treble. “It was a big day, I haven’t had one of them (treble) before, I have never had enough horses to win three on a day, but I have had a couple of doubles,” Sharrock said. His exciting juvenile Spandeedo (NZ) (Ferrando) kicked off proceedings when dominating his rivals to score a 2-3/4 length victory in the Simon Bendall @ Metcalfe Real Estate (1200m) and in the process booked his berth…