Day: 6 August 2026

Cameron Crockett is a very hands on trainer and he knew something wasn’t quite right with Leovanni (NZ) (Leovanni) when she returned to work for her second preparation with him. He’d spent $40,000 to buy the mare, but in her first two starts she was being hesitant at the jump in country maidens, costing her any chance, and he wondered if he’d done the right thing. Cut to present day and Leovanni heads to Randwick on Saturday looking for four straight wins, stepping out of Highway grade, in the MM…

The Livamol Classic (2040m) and New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) have retained Group One status this season following a vote by the Asian Pattern Committee (APC). Both races were subject to the vote after failing to meet the required international race rating standard in their last three editions, with the race rating based upon the first four placings. The New Zealand Pattern Committee’s submission to the APC noted the NZ 2000 Guineas as a critically important race to not only New Zealand racing but also the wider industry as a…

Bill Thurlow is likely to extend the southern stay of his in-form sprinter Wire Rope (NZ) (Darci Brahma). The Waverley trainer will run the son of Darci Brahma in Saturday’s Vernon & Vazey Truck Parts Open (1400m) at Riccarton off the back of his Rating 75 success last weekend before handing over the reins. Wire Rope will remain at southern headquarters in the care of local trainer Anna Furlong. “He won’t come straight home, the plan was to run him in these two races all going well and he’ll probably…

Skymax (NZ) (Ferrando) and Novak’s (NZ) (El Roca) winter preparations have been geared towards Friday’s TAB Polytrack Championship (2000m) at Cambridge, and trainers Graeme and Debbie Rogerson, and Clinton Isdale, are hoping the pair can claim the lion’s share of the $75,000 purse on offer. Skymax has been a standout at the track, winning by eight lengths over 2000m in May before beating Novak by four lengths over the same distance a fortnight later. The daughter of Ferrando was then freshened before resuming at the track late last month where…