Local trainer David Greene can’t wait to head to Te Rapa on Saturday where he will be chasing $1.125 million in prizemoney with a trio of runners. “It is brilliant,” Greene said. “We have got the three runners running for $1.1 million, it is a really good indication of what has happened to the stakes in these good races over the last couple of years.” His charge will be headed by last-start Gr.1 Telegraph (1200m) winner First Five, who will be looking to rebuff the Australian raid of Lindsay Park…
Year: 2026
Less travel time to suit Group One hope Tomodachi
Tomodachi’s connections are banking on a target closer to home to bring out the best in the gifted mare on Saturday. While she wasn’t disgraced when a resuming fourth in the Gr.1 Telegraph (1200m), more was expected and she gets an opportunity to bounce back in the Gr.1 BCD Group Sprint (1400m) at Te Rapa. “We thought she would be more competitive,” said Andrew Scott, who trains the Sir Peter Vela-bred and raced five-year-old with Lance O’Sullivan. “We just didn’t think she travelled down as well as we would have…
Horowhenua Battler looking to open some Foxton Fizz in Group One
Foxton gelding He’s A Battler may be viewed as just that ahead of Saturday’s Gr.1 Herbie Dyke Stakes (2000m) at Te Rapa, but anything can happen in horse racing and trainer Suzy Gordon is daring to dream of an upset in the $700,000 feature. The lightly-raced eight-year-old has established a tidy record, winning seven of his 25 starts to date, albeit four on the synthetic, including his last-start over 2100m on the Riccarton Synthetic at the start of December. “I know a lot of his wins have been on the…
Wallis-Hackett gunning for more success at Alexandra Park tonight
By Michael Guerin The queen of trotting may have two impressive last-start winners heading to Alexandra Park tonight but she thinks her rep with the worst form line might end up being the punter’s friend. Michelle Wallis and husband Bernie Hackett had a career-best season last year when training 57 winners capped by Hillbilly Blues capturing the Group 1 National Trot on New Year’s Eve. Remarkably of those 57 wins, 55 came in trotting races with the majority at Alexandra Park where it feels like the stable wins a trotting…
Craig Thornley with each-way chances at Rangiora today
By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk Craig Thornley is literally hoping to go one better at Rangiora’s annual Waitangi Day meeting today. And that’s because three of the horses he’ll drive (Ma Belle Amie Franco, Waikaka and Moa Mojito) all finished second for him in their most recent starts. One of them in particular Ma Belle Amie Franco is heavily backed to get her maiden win. Trained by Steven McRae, Ma Belle Amie Franco is at $2 following her last start second at Wyndham on January 6. “She is…
Sutton keeping an open mind with Feroce
Trainer Dominic Sutton will keep an open mind on the program of Feroce (NZ) (Super Seth) until he assesses the gelding’s first-up run at Caulfield. Last year’s Group 1 Australian Guineas winner is down to resume in the Group 3 Kevin Heffernan Stakes (1400m) on Saturday. The gelding’s performance in his return run will determine the path Feroce takes. Races like the Group 1 Futurity Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on February 21 and the Group 1 All-Star Mile (1600m) at Flemington next month are in the back of Sutton’s mind, as is the Group 2 Blamey Stakes (1600m) on February 28. “We haven’t made any set plans. We want to see how…
Tajana in prime order for Oaks lead-up
Tajana (NZ) (Darci Brahma) is coming toward the sharp end of her season and co-trainer Shaune Ritchie is well-qualified to rate her chances of ending it on a high. The top-rated filly will attempt to add further winning momentum to her Classic campaign when she steps out in Saturday’s Gr.2 David & Karyn Ellis Fillies’ Classic (2100m) at Te Rapa. Ritchie has already won the Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) with Jennifer Eccles (2020), Artistic (2012) and Keep The Peace (2010) and will bid for his first in the Al…
Kennedy seeking further southern success
Barbara Kennedy is hoping she will be pouring more wine in celebration following Wingatui’s meeting on Saturday where the South Auckland trainer is seeking to score more southern stakes success. The expat South African is currently on her first South Island campaign, and she kicked it off with a bang when recording her first stakes win when Pour The Wine (NZ) (Telperion) powered away to a two-length victory in the Listed Timaru Stakes (1200m) at Riccarton a fortnight ago. “We didn’t expect her to win like that, but we are…
Latta hoping to continue winning momentum
Still coming down from the high of taking out last weekend’s Gr.3 Wellington Cup (3200m), trainer Lisa Latta is hoping to quickly add to her stakes haul over the long weekend. Her first bid will be at Tauherenikau on Waitangi Day where last-start winner Connello (NZ) (Time Test) will contest the Listed Clubs NZ Wairarapa Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m). Bred and raced by Wairarapa local David Woodhouse, the Time Test four-year-old mare carries his silks, which are commonly associated with his former homebred dual Group One-winning mare Belclare. Connello has…
Highview Announce Unreserved Deplenishing Sale On-Farm
Longstanding vendors Highview who have been selling yearlings since 1986, have announced the staging of an Unreserved Deplenishing Sale at its Hamilton property on Sunday 15 March 2026. NZB will conduct the Sale on-farm, which will offer approximately 50 lots consisting of yearlings, two-year-olds, racehorses, broodmares, mares with a foal at foot and more. “There’s a changing of the guard at Highview, with my son Kurtis now taking a more prominent leadership role,” commented Highview’s Brent Gillovic. “We’ve accumulated a lot of horses so this is a genuine reduction process to trim…