Author: NZRacingDesk

Flemington trainer Glen Thompson is keen to build up his stable numbers and was pleased to come away with a pair of colts by Sword of State at Tuesday’s Book 2 session of the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sales. Thompson, who trained in partnership with Mike Moroney until the legendary horseman’s death in February last year, lost several of his higher-rated horses, with Ballymore Stables absorbed by Lindsay Park. But Gr.1 Australasian Oaks (2000m) winner Benagil has been a headline act for Thompson’s small stable alongside Flemington Group Three…

David Hayes is applying blinkers to Public Attention (NZ) (Written Tycoon) for Sunday’s (1 February) HK$13 million Hong Kong Classic Mile (1600m), a move the trainer believes will help the quality grey colt reach another gear when the Four-Year-Old Classic Series begins.  Public Attention placed fifth at Group 1 level in Australia pre-import, and has made three starts in Hong Kong – finishing in the top four each time. This weekend’s contest sees him rise to a mile at Sha Tin with the addition of blinkers, which he wore to…

A week after the pick of the eligible crop did battle in the Listed Karaka Millions (1200m), a second wave of quality juveniles are set to line up at Ellerslie in Saturday’s Gr.3 Colin Jillings Classic (1200m). The field is headed by Harvey Wallbanger (NZ) (Home Affairs), whose two starts at Ellerslie have produced a debut win in October and second place in the Gr. 2 Eclipse Stakes (1200m) on New Year’s Day. In between those two races the Tony Pike-trained gelding finished second in the Listed Counties Challenge Stakes…

The momentum from a record Book 1 session at NZB’s 100th National Yearling Sale continued into Book 2 on Tuesday, where a condensed session saw 188 yearlings sell for an incredible $12,247,000. Surpassing all previous records, the Book 2 session reached an average of $65,144 (up 80%), a median of $60,000 (up 124%) and a clearance rate of 76%.  “As we had expected, putting the Book 2 horses in front of the international buyers has been key,” commented NZB’s Managing Director Andrew Seabrook. “To see a $2.5 million increase in turnover from…

Cambridge Stud enjoyed another strong day of selling at the Book 2 session of the New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sales at Karaka. The famed nursery were leading vendors of the Book 1 Sale and also held that mantle on Tuesday, clearing all but one of their 16-strong draft in Book 2 Progeny of Cambridge Stud’s emerging sire Sword Of State were again in vogue, while barn-mate Embellish provided the day’s top lot, with Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young signing for a filly out of Queen Of Wizardry for $200,000.…

One of the Australia’s most talented juveniles, Warwoven (Sword Of State), won’t be racing for next month’s Gr.1 Blue Diamond Stakes at Caulfield and remains in doubt for the autumn juvenile riches in Sydney. Trainer Bjorn Baker said on Tuesday that the colt had been sent for a short let-up after his sensational Magic Millions scratching earlier this month, but he was due to return to the stable at the end of the week with an eye to reviving his Golden Slipper prospects. The son of Sword Of State was…

Robbie Patterson isn’t letting weight and pedigree queries dent his confidence with One Bold Cat (NZ) (The Bold Cat) ahead of Saturday’s Gr. 3 NZCIS Wellington Cup (3200m). The New Plymouth trainer reports that everything has gone to plan with One Bold Cat since running on the first two days of the Trentham carnival. Ridden by main stable jockey Craig Grylls, in the first of those races, One Bold Cat won the Listed Marton Cup (2200m), followed by a late-closing third in the Gr.3 Trentham Stakes (2100m). “I couldn’t be…

Sir Brendan and Lady Jo Lindsay decided to support the milestone 100th edition of New Zealand’s National Yearling Sale with 100 percent of Cambridge Stud’s yearlings that were for sale this season, and that commitment was richly rewarded with a Book 1 triumph that they and their team will never forget. Across two outstanding days of selling at Karaka on Sunday and Monday, Cambridge Stud sold 50 of the 54 yearlings they offered. They earned an aggregate of $10.64 million and an average price of $212,800. Cambridge Stud finished $4.74…

In the sixth instalment of The Hong Kong Jockey Club’s Road to the Derby series, Manfred Man’s Patch Of Cosmo (NZ) (Super Seth) is in the spotlight after returning from injury with a striking victory at Sha Tin recently. With just days until the first leg of the prestigious 2025/26 Four-Year-Old Classic Series – the HK$13 million Hong Kong Classic Mile (1600m) this Sunday (1 February) – and with the 149th HK$26 million BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) on 22 March on the horizon, Patch Of Cosmo has stamped himself…

In September 2024, Cambridge Stud gave the Guerin Report a foal to follow. Fast forward to January 2026, and Lil Mickey G sold for 1.1 million at the NZB Yearling Sales; and we were there for it. Guerin Report – S2 Ep. 21 – Lil Mickey G gets sold! – YouTube