Author: NZRacingDesk

Close up in strong company in the spring, Go Racing’s Lord Penman (NZ) (Contributer) broke through and claimed his first Australian victory in the A$160,000 Racing and Sports Handicap (1400m) at Rosehill on Saturday. The New Zealand-bred Contributer gelding ran second on his Sydney debut in August, then filled the runner-up spot behind Linebacker in the A$1 million Silver Eagle (1300m) and finished within four lengths of the undefeated Autumn Glow when seventh in the Gr.1 Epsom Handicap (1600m). Lord Penman was sent out as a $2.40 favourite for his…

Yulong Investments has made a splash in New Zealand this season, buying up the nation’s leading three-year-old filly talent, and they were once again rewarded at Ellerslie on Saturday when sealing the quinella in the Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks (2400m). The burgeoning thoroughbred giant’s silks have been prominent at Ellerslie this season through the deeds of their undefeated Group One winner and $4 million NZB Kiwi (1500m) favourite Well Written, and they were once again to the fore at the Auckland track on Saturday when their…

What a difference three weeks has made in the life of rugged stayer Final Return (NZ) (Reliable Man). The durable son of the ill-fated Westbury Stud stallion Reliable Man had held the start up for over five minutes at his last run at Ellerslie due to a pre-race issue with the bandages he wears when racing in the right-handed direction. Despite the upset that day, the seven-year-old had gone a top race for trainer Janelle Millar and stripped even fitter on Saturday for his tilt at the time-honoured Gr.3 Eagle…

Acknowledged as one of the unluckiest horses going around in New Zealand, Jaarffi (NZ) (Iffraaj) finally got the good fortune she deserved and her first Group One victory when she stormed home to take out the Sport Nation Otaki Maori WFA Classic (1600m) at Ellerslie. The six-year-old daughter of Iffraaj, who carries the colours of Cambridge Stud principals Sir Brendan Lindsay and Lady Jo Lindsay, has been amongst the top echelon of gallopers in New Zealand for the past two years but had been denied a victory at the elite…

A tilt at the Gr.1 Trackside New Zealand Derby (2400m) is now on the cards for exciting three-year-old That’s Gold (Lucky Vega) following his impressive victory in the Gr.2 Eagle Technology Avondale Guineas (2100m) at Ellerslie. The Chris Wood-trained gelding collected a big winning cheque when victorious in the $350,000 Karapiro Classic (1500m) at Te Rapa earlier this month, but despite that performance he was allowed to drift to a $12.70 shot for Saturday’s Guineas. Eager to get a line on the staying qualities of her charge, jockey Samantha Collett…

Belle Cheval (NZ) (Savabeel) will head into the $4 million NZB Kiwi (1500m) in winning form after taking out the Gr.3 Eagle Technology Uncle Remus Stakes (1400m) at Ellerslie on Saturday. Following her convincing win in last month’s Gr.3 Almanzor Trophy (1200m) on Karaka Millions night, she was meant to head to Matamata last week for her final lead-in run for the Champions Day feature, but inclement conditions forced trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson to delay that final hit-out by a week. The Matamata conditions identified the Uncle Remus…

🎥 Did you see? Joe Doyle and the Wexford Stables team will be out to try and claim another Classic together with Ohope Wins in the NZ Oaks at Ellerslie. We spent Tuesday morning with the team at Matamata trackwork for a behind the scenes look!

Trainer David Hayes takes his chance at history on Sunday afternoon (22 February) at Sha Tin when Ka Ying Rising attempts to win an 18th consecutive race – the most by a Hong Kong-trained horse – in the HK$13 million G1 Queen’s Silver Jubilee Cup (1400m), which is carded as Race 8 and will be run at 4.35pm.  Locked on 17 straight victories with Silent Witness, Ka Ying Rising is aiming to break the deadlock against nine rivals, and continue his unbeaten streak which began in February, 2024 that has…

High-class racehorse turned Group One sire Reliable Man has died aged 18. Westbury Stud General Manager Russell Warwick confirmed the striking grey died after complications from surgery to remove melanomas. “Being a grey horse, he was starting to suffer from melanomas, and he had quite a significant one under his tail,” Warwick said. “We did some surgery on Monday, which went really well but then he had some post-surgery complications, sort of 48 hours later and he was going downhill at a rapid rate. “We didn’t want him to suffer,…

Niamh Waters has been announced as the 2026 recipient of the Sunline Trust International Management Scholarship and will depart on Saturday to begin her 30-week international experience. Funded by the Sunline Education Trust and administered by the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association, the scholarship provides an all-expenses-paid, bonded international experience designed to expose emerging industry leaders to the operational systems and management practices of the world’s leading thoroughbred organisations. Waters brings a strong practical background gained across New Zealand, England and Australia, having worked through breeding seasons, yearling preparations and…