Author: Editor BOAY

Spring Carnival up in the air for NZ trainers

Editor BOAY

Multiple Group One winner The Bostonian (NZ) (Jimmy Choux) is set to head to Sydney next month, but whether he will race under trainer Tony Pike’s name is still up in the air. The Cambridge trainer, who also heads the New Zealand Trainer’s Association, has been in discussions with an Australian immigration expert, however, there is still no clarity as to whether any of his staff members can gain an exemption to enter Australia. “At this stage there is no problems in getting the horses across, but with what has…

Tavirun chasing successive victories

Editor BOAY

The Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young stable are hopeful Tavirun (NZ) (Tavistock) does not have any bad memories of his last trip to The Valley. Tavirun’s last outing at the track was almost 12 months ago and he came away from the race with a slab fracture to a knee. The mishap was after three successive Caulfield victories that led Busuttin and Young to believe Tavirun was a spring contender. “At the end of his last preparation when he ran third at The Valley he ended up hitting the rail…

Karaka 2021 Sales Update in regard to the Covid-19 situation

Editor BOAY

Dear Breeders, On behalf of New Zealand Bloodstock, I would like to give you a further update on the 2021 National Yearling Sales at Karaka.  We believe that a trans-Tasman bubble is very important to the success of the Sale, and given the current outbreaks of COVID-19 in Victoria, a January Sale is looking more and more unlikely. After consulting a number of major breeders over the past few weeks and to give everyone some clarity going forward, we will be deciding the date of the Sale on 31 August. If by…

Pearl Series entries set to close

Editor BOAY

The New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association is calling for final entries for the NZB Insurance Pearl Series Early Bird Entries. Early bird entries close at the end of the current season, on Friday, July 31. For more information: https://pearlseries.nzthoroughbred.co.nz/page/nomination-form/

Brandenburg trials in preparation for G1

Editor BOAY

The first Group One race of the 2020-21 Australian racing season is the immediate target for trainer John Sargent with Brandenburg (NZ) (Burgundy). The three-year-old colt continued preparations towards the Group One weight-for-age Winx Stakes with a barrier trial at Randwick on Tuesday. Brandenburg went around in a 1080m heat on the Polytrack, finishing fourth under jockey Hugh Bowman in the trial won by the Peter and Paul Snowden-trained Creator. Sargent elected to run Brandenburg on the Polytrack on Tuesday rather than wait until Friday for one of the three…

Promising filly headlines winning double for Ridley

Editor BOAY

Trainer Neill Ridley produced a winning double on his home patch on Saturday with promising filly Ataahua Dreamtime (NZ) (Tavistock) the headline act for the Riccarton Park local. The Tavistock three-year-old had produced an eye-catching debut effort when running on strongly for second to Walkthisswey (NZ) (Sweynesse) earlier in the month and went one better on the weekend to break her maiden status. Bred and raced by Jeanette Brown, Ataahua Dreamtime had won twice at the trials before her raceday debut with Ridley keen on the long-term prospects of his charge. “She…

Emotional victory for winning syndicate at Avondale

Editor BOAY

A relationship forged over many years in the racing game together bore further fruit on Saturday when the Stephen Marsh-trained Letz’av Bubbles (NZ) (Showcasing) broke her maiden status at just her third raceday start. Letz’av Bubbles is raced by the Shirl’s Girls syndicate, a group comprising friends and family of Shirley Vincent, who bred the Showcasing filly along with her husband Murray, son Craig and good friends Karen and Kevin Fursdon. The syndicate was put together by Shirley’s daughter Karyn, the Administration Manager at Rich Hill Stud, and is named in…

Travelling Light on target for Te Rapa feature

Editor BOAY

Outstanding three-year-old Travelling Light (NZ) (El Roca) will head to Ruakaka next week as she continues her preparation for a raceday return in early September. Trainer Ben Foote is delighted with the El Roca filly, who won five of her seven starts in her first campaign including the Gr.1 Levin Classic (1600m) and will use the trip north and a run at the trials meeting scheduled for August 4 to fit her for her spring campaign. Foote and part-owner Col MacRury have a four-race programme earmarked for Travelling Light starting with…