Year: 2026

Star sprinter Jimmysstar (NZ) (Per Incanto) is slowly building towards an autumn return with the Gr.1 William Reid Stakes (1200m) on March 21 which will be held at Caulfield this year an early target. The six-year-old son of Per Incanto has an affinity for the Caulfield track and signed off his spring campaign with a brilliant win in the Gr.1 C.F. Orr Stakes (1400m) at the venue. The Ciaron Maher-trained Kiwi import has amassed $6.6 million in prizemoney to date, and the triple Group One winner has come back as…

Three-year-old filly Ultimate Habit (NZ) (Embellish) took an important step toward her tilt at the Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks (2400m) at Ellerslie on Saturday week with a strong trial win at Te Aroha on Wednesday. The Robbie Patterson-trained filly was a stunning last-start winner of the Gr.2 Lowland Stakes (2100m) and is rated a $9 chance in the Oaks in a market headed by $1.90 favourite Ohope Wins (NZ) (Ocean Park). Ultimate Habit oozed quality when coming from last in an 1100m heat on Wednesday to…

Tyro trainer Benji King has enjoyed the reflected glory from unbeaten filly Well Written (Written Tycoon), but on Saturday he will be out to generate his very own headlines with the star of his small team, Mid Ocean (NZ) (Ocean Park). King has become well known for selecting Well Written from a Melbourne weanling sale and on-selling her a year later to Cambridge trainer Stephen Marsh through Dylan Johnson Bloodstock. Instead of being disappointed about the one that got away, he has taken a positive attitude by celebrating what Well…

In more than three decades’ training Bill Thurlow has yet to race a horse at Matamata, but that’s about to change with two stable members entered for the eastern Waikato venue’s biggest ever race meeting on Saturday. The Waverley horseman, who since the start of the season has been training in partnership with former heavyweight jockey Sam O’Malley, is scheduled to head north with stable members Frank The Tank (NZ) (Burgundy) and Wire Rope (NZ) (Darci Brahma). Both are entered for the $350,000 Comag Wairere Falls Classic (1500m), while Wire…

The world’s best sprinter, Ka Ying Rising (NZ) (Shamexpress), will face nine rivals when he attempts to break Silent Witness’ seventeen race winning streak in the Gr.1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup on February 22. The David Hayes-trained and Zac Purton-ridden five-year-old will tackle familiar foes Helios Express and Lucky Sweynesse in the 1400m Group One event, which he prevailed in last year. Former Aussies Copartner Prance, Galaxy Patch and Packing Hermod, last start winner Patch Of Theta, Hong Kong sprint runner up Raging Blizzard, Champions Mile victor Red Lion and…

Last Saturday’s Gr.2 David & Karyn Ellis Fillies Classic (2100m) has proved a fork in the road for a pair of Andrew Forsman-trained fillies earmarked for Oaks ambitions.   The race was won impressively by the Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott-trained Ohope Wins (NZ) (Ocean Park), who swamped Forsman’s gallant runner-up Single Red (NZ) (Vanbrugh) late in the piece.   While Single Red is set to renew her rivalry with Ohope Wins in the Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks (2400m) at Ellerslie on February 21, it was…

Promising three-year-old Navy Ensign (NZ) (U S Navy Flag) will be seeking to break through for an elusive maiden victory when he heads to Te Aroha on Wednesday to contest the Taylor Perry Insurance NZB Mega Maiden (1150m). The son of U S Navy Flag was initially purchased as a pinhook prospect by part-owner David Archer out of Haunui Farm’s 2024 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 2 Yearling Sale draft for $47,500, but was retained after he failed to meet his $60,000 reserve at the Ready To Run sale later that…