Ace Lawson-Carroll couldn’t have scripted a better return to the saddle at Riccarton on Saturday. The South Auckland apprentice jockey was having just his eighth raceday ride since returning from near career ending injuries when he reunited with Bona Sforza to take out the Listed NZB Insurance Stakes (1600m). It came 12 months to the day since the pair won the Listed Welcome Stakes (1200m), and Lawson-Carroll was rapt to be able to reward trainer Samantha Finnegan for her support. “It is good to be back in the saddle and…
Month: April 2026
Jonny Turner’s Five to Follow at Winton today
An outstanding card of racing is set down for Central Southland Raceway today and there looks to be no shortage of talent. Racing journalist Jonny Turner has assessed the even fields and attempted to nail down five horses that fans must keep an eye on. Race 3 – 1.19pm – Mor Moonlight This classy trotting mare looks one of the hardest horses to beat on the Winton card. Mor Moonlight was surprisingly beaten in her last start at Ascot Park, though she had to work hard over 2700m. With more…
Morrison heads south with good chances at Winton today
By Jonny Turner John Morrison has chosen Winton’s big meeting on Sunday to unleash two of his most promising horses. Formerly a regular in the southern driving ranks, Morrison will be back in the south with a small but powerful team to step out at Central Southland Raceway. Morrison has had to be patient with both Jesse Owens and Giorgio Denario since their impressive last start victories at Ashburton. But when the pair went stride for stride in a recent Addington trial, it looks ready to pay off. Jesse Owens…
Sarah O’Reilly with solid chances at Methven
By Mike Love The Drivers’ Challenge looks set to highlight action at today’s Methven meeting at Mt Harding. With four teams of three, each of the invited driver races provide an opportunity for a penalty free win for the winning horse’s connections. Representing the local Methven team are Leo, Gerard and Sarah O’Reilly, who look to have a strong book between them. Driver Sarah O’Reilly believes her driving team has a great chance of success in today’s challenge. “Yes, we seemed to get a good book of drives, and some…
Oceana Dream makes winning Australian debut
More than a year after his most recent raceday appearance in the Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m), Oceana Dream (NZ) (Ocean Park) kicked off his Australian career on a winning note in the A$130,000 Ern Jensen Funerals – Pinder Family Mile (1600m) at Caulfield on Saturday. The Ocean Park gelding was previously trained by Roger James and Robert Wellwood, for whom he had four starts between January and March of 2025. He was a debut winner at Tauranga on January 2, then repeated that result in Rating 65 company at…
Single Choice books South Australian Derby ticket
NZB Ready to Run Sale graduate Single Choice (Anders) secured himself a shot at next month’s Gr.1 South Australian Derby (2500m) with an impressive win in the A$200,000 Listed Manhari Galilee Series Final (2400m) at Caulfield on Saturday. Single Choice was offered by Riversley Park at the 2024 Ready to Run Sale at Karaka, where Cumani Racing bought him for $80,000. He has now had 10 starts for four wins, three placings and A$427,400 in stakes. Single Choice went into Saturday’s race with some of the strongest credentials in the…
Toa Haka too tough in Southern Alps final
Local runner Toa Haka (NZ) (Iffraaj) claimed the biggest prize of his career when he made every post a winner in the $350,000 TAB Southern Alps Challenge (1600m) at Riccarton on Saturday. The six-year-old son of Iffraaj began his raceday career in the north in 2023 under the tutelage of Te Rapa trainer David Greene where he collected a win and four placings from 16 starts before transferring to the Riccarton base of David Walsh in late 2024. In a further 16 starts before Saturday he had produced five wins…
Ohope Wins completes Oaks double
An exclusive club has a new member after Ohope Wins (NZ) (Ocean Park) powered to victory in the A$1 million Gr.1 Asahi Super Dry Australian Oaks (2400m) at Randwick on Saturday. The daughter of Ocean Park became only the fourth filly to complete the New Zealand Oaks-Australian Oaks double, following on from Domino (NZ) (Grosvenor) (1990), Bonneval (NZ) (Makfi) (2017) and Pennyweka (NZ) (Satono Aladdin) (2023). Ohope Wins stamped herself as a standout talent among New Zealand’s staying three-year-olds during the summer, stringing together successive come-from-behind wins in the Gr.2…
Crouch dominant in Hawke’s Bay Cup
Rugged stayer Crouch (NZ)(Tarzino) may well have earned the right to put an Australian stamp in his passport with a typically dogged effort to claim the headline event on the Otaki card on Saturday, the Listed NZ Punter Of The Year @ HB Spring Carnival Hawke’s Bay Cup (2200m). The Mike Breslin prepared six-year-old gelding went into Saturday’s contest as one of the favoured candidates following his late-closing effort for third in the Gr.2 Awapuni Gold Cup (2100m) at Trentham when last produced on raceday. Breslin was keen to see…
Platinum Attack all class in feature sprint
A devastating home stretch sprint carried class galloper Platinum Attack (Santos) to an easy victory in the Listed City Of Napier Sprint (1200m) at Otaki. The Lisa Latta-prepared five-year-old is known as a lethal finisher when he gets conditions and a run to suit and the pieces to that puzzle fell into place perfectly for him in Saturday’s feature short-course event on the programme. Rider Bruno Queiroz successfully negotiated a tricky wide barrier (13) to have the son of Santos travelling easily one of the fence behind midfield after just…