Author: Editor BOAY

Matamata trainer Jamie Richards is comfortable with star mare Melody Belle (NZ) (Commands) carrying the favourite tag into Saturday’s Gr.2 Missile Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill. Commands six-year-old Melody Belle has won three of her seven previous first-up starts though was fourth in last year’s Gr.2 Foxbridge Plate (1200m) at Te Rapa and fourth in the Gr.1 Futurity Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield in February in her last two resuming runs. “She’s in good condition. She trialled up well and had an exhibition gallop between races at Randwick last month,” Richards said.…

Danny O’Brien is hoping a rain-affected surface can trigger a return to form for VRC Oaks winner Miami Bound (NZ) (Reliable Man) when she starts her spring campaign at Flemington. Miami Bound will run in the G H Mumm Plate (1410m) on Saturday and the trainer is keen for her to signal she can again be a major carnival player. O’Brien pulled the plug on Miami Bound’s autumn campaign after she failed in two runs in Melbourne where she finished eighth in the Caulfield Classic and fourth in the Alister…

Next Monday will mark the farewell to one of the unsung promoters of the New Zealand racing and breeding industry with the funeral of Ronald Walter Ladd, QSM. Ladd, who died peacefully at the Cascades Rest Home in Hamilton last Monday at the age of 93, made a huge impression through his services to racing and breeding, an input which resulted in him becoming a Life Member of the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association and the Te Aroha Jockey Club. Ladd also served on the NZTBA council and was vice…

Evergreen galloper Sampson (NZ) (Dubai Destination) will kick-off his 11-year-old season at Hawera on Saturday and trainer Howie Mathews said his pride and joy is training like a horse half his age. “The way he is and his demeanor he is like a five-year-old. He does not show his age and the way he track works you wouldn’t think he is getting on in years,” Mathews said. The multiple stakes winner defied his age last term when placing in the Listed Marton Cup (2200m) and Listed New Zealand St Leger…

Shaun Phelan won’t enjoy watching his fellow jumps jockeys compete in two of the country’s feature jumps races at Te Rapa on Saturday. The talented rider has been sidelined after breaking his wrist while schooling a horse in June and he is hoping to make a return to race day riding in the coming month. “I fell off a horse when schooling about six weeks ago, it was just a bit of bad luck,” Phelan said. “My body is not quite ready to make it back and I am not…

Impressive Riccarton debut winner Matchmaker will continue her career in Sydney this spring after breeder-owners Gus and Bianca Wigley reached a deal to sell a half-share in the filly. The Nick Wigley and Kayla Milnes-trained filly triumphed by 3-1/4 lengths in two-year-old company at Riccarton last month, with Wigley revealing there had been plenty of interest in the filly after she won a Rangiora trial 11 days earlier. The deal results in Gus and Bianca Wigley retaining a half-share in the Makfi filly with new owner Manoj Wanzare and Matchmaker…

Trans-Tasman trainer Michael Moroney had a season to remember last term, capped by She’s A Thief’s win at Caulfield last Saturday, taking the stable past the $6 million threshold for the season. “She’s A Thief is a good example of how we operate,” Michael Moroney said. “Purchased for $30,000 as a yearling at the New Zealand Bloodstock Sales at Karaka by Paul Moroney (brother and bloodstock agent), she won at Group level as a two-year-old in New Zealand and her earnings now exceed $275,000 and she has more than one…

Andrew Bensley catches up with Ballymore stables co-trainer Pam Gerard regarding their runners at Te Rapa’s feature jumps meeting on Saturday.

Andrew Bensley speaks with Central Districts trainer Chrissy Bambry about her five runners at Hawera on Saturday.