Year: 2025

Three-year-old filly Bobby McGee provided her sire Ancient Spirit with his first winner when successful at Wingatui over 1200m. The Terry Kennedy trained filly raced three wide without cover throughout, yet still finished strongly in the hands of Leah Hemi to narrowly prevail from Princess Reign. Bred and raced by Craig and Jim Hunter, Bobby McGee’s dam, the six-time winner Lucille, recently foaled a full sister to the filly. By Invincible Spirit out of Galileo’s daughter Assisi, Ancient Spirit was a dual Group Two winner in Germany before he retired…

Agera’s coming-of-age campaign has carried him all the way up to black-type level, flying home to score a last-gasp victory in Friday’s Listed Team Wealleans Matamata Cup (1600m). Coming into the 2024-25 season, Agera was a two-race winner from 18 career starts. He had placed on another eight occasions, had earned $81,490 and had a rating of 70. Agera’s six-year-old season has now produced four wins from only six appearances, adding another $127,250 to his earnings. His rating had already risen to 86 before Friday’s Matamata Cup heroics. Matt Cartwright,…

In addition to operating their racing stable in Cambridge, the father-son partnership of Ben and Ryan Foote have added another string to their bow with the establishment of St Kilda Lodge as a Ready to Run Sale vendor. Leading the charge is Ryan Foote, who has been entrusted by his father to oversee a quality draft as St Kilda Lodge steps into the limelight for the first time, with the Footes previously selling under other consignors banner’s, while also regularly trading horses from trials and races. “Ben’s always sold plenty…

The Group One Caulfield Cup has a rich history and a well-earned reputation as one of the world’s toughest handicaps. It requires a special blend of stamina and class to win it, and horses sourced from New Zealand’s National Yearling Sales have shown that they have what it takes. NZB will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the National Yearling Sales at Karaka in January. That century of sales has produced more than 20 winners of the Caulfield Cup. The first Caulfield Cup was run in 1879, and New Zealand’s affinity…

Breeze Ups for the world’s best sale of two-year-olds are set to take place next week on Monday 20 and Tuesday 21 October at Te Rapa Racecourse.7 All two-year-olds entered in NZB’s Ready to Run Sale have the opportunity to breeze on the same turf track at Te Rapa Racecourse over two consecutive days. Commencing at 10am each day, there will be a total of 202 heats filmed from the near the 500m mark to past the winning post. To assist buyers, NZB will be recording various details during the Breeze Ups including…

After being edged out by a nose by Tajana in a thrilling battle in the Gr.3 Sunline Vase (1400m) at Ellerslie four weeks ago, Lollapalooza will try to reverse that result in Saturday’s Gr.2 Windsor Park Stud Soliloquy Stakes over the same course and distance. Lollapalooza and Tajana have emerged as early standouts in this season’s crop of three-year-old fillies, collecting three Group Three victories between them through August and September. Tajana was the first to get on the board with a powerful come-from-behind win in the Gr.3 Northland Breeders’…

Having ridden in six previous editions of The Everest (1200m) as well as multiple clashes with Ka Ying Rising in Hong Kong, jockey James McDonald has a good idea of what to expect when the world’s highest-rated sprinter makes his Australian debut in the A$20 million feature at Randwick on Saturday. McDonald is the only jockey to have ever beaten Ka Ying Rising, twice edging out the New Zealand-bred champion aboard Wunderbar at Sha Tin in January 2024. Since then, McDonald has been among the beaten brigade on several occasions…