Day: 10 June 2026

Evergreen galloper Bradman was back in the winner’s circle at Trentham on Wednesday, as he nears his swansong early in the new season.   A winner of nine previous races including the Listed Lightning Handicap (1400m) in 2024, Bradman was back on favourable heavy conditions in the Grant Plumbing 30th Anniversary (1500m) and went straight to the lead for apprentice Jim Chung.   He remained in control of the race throughout and kicked hard on the turn, angling for the outside fence along with much of the field. Chris Dell opted to stay on the fence aboard Benefactor and the pair were wide apart on the track, but…

A revitalised former National winner and a rising star claimed top honours in Wednesday’s rescheduled jumping features at Trentham.  The Manawatu ITM Manawatu Hurdles (2500m) went the way of Happy Star (NZ) (Fabulous), a horse that is no stranger to feature success having won the Hawke’s Bay Hurdle (3100m), Grand National Hurdle (4200m) and was stakes-placed in a Rotorua Cup (2200m).   Defending champion Billy Boy (NZ) (So You Think) started favourite in the race, with Happy Star in contention at $6.30 alongside stablemate So Call Me (NZ) (Sweynesse) ($5.70).   Prepared by Kevin Myers, Happy Star settled…

Memories of a former stable star were rekindled at Trentham on Wednesday for Robbie Patterson when Shamelia Kirk (NZ) (Shamexpress) made short work of her two-year-old rivals.  The New Plymouth trainer produced the speedy filly to claim top honours in the Let’s Keep Racing At Trentham Supporters’ Club Sprint (1000m) and confirm plans for upcoming stakes assignments.  A daughter of Shamexpress, Shamelia Kirk is a three-quarter sister to Coventina Bay (NZ) (Shamexpress), who won 11 races from Patterson’s stable and gave him his first taste of top-flight success in his own right.  That was celebrated in the 2022 edition of the Gr.1 Herbie Dyke Stakes (2000m) and at her…

Smokin’ Romans (NZ) (Ghibellines)  has undergone a course of jumping that the Ciaron Maher stable hopes will rejuvenate the Group 1 winner.  The rising 10-year-old recently ran second in a hurdle school at Traralgon in preparation for his second-up run of the campaign in the Quayclean Handicap (1800m) at Sandown on Saturday.  Victorious in the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington in October 2022, Smokin’ Romans has been winless since taking out the Warrnambool Cup (2350m) in May last year.  His best result was a second in a 2000m contest at Caulfield last August with…

Entries are now open for NZB’s Karaka 2027, with the action-packed week of selling set to take place at the Karaka Sales Centre from Sunday 24 January.  The 100th National Yearling Sale marked by Karaka 2026 set a new benchmark for the industry with turnover rising by almost $10 million, validating the strength of the refreshed sales format and depth of demand for New Zealand thoroughbreds.  Across a week that celebrated a century of New Zealand’s rich thoroughbred history, Karaka 2026 returned more than $96 million to breeders and consignors.…