Milan Park Principal Hops On NZB Kiwi Ride War Princess winning the Gr.3 Lawnmaster Eulogy Stakes (1600m) at Trentham. Photo: Peter Rubery (Race Images) Tony Rider whet his appetite for victory in the $4 million NZB Kiwi (1500m) after breeding the inaugural winner of the race in Damask Rose (NZ) (Savabeel) last year, spurring him to lease a slot in this year’s edition of the Southern Hemisphere’s richest three-year-old race. The Milan Park principal has leased a slot in the Champions Day feature off RACE, and fittingly, he has chosen War Princess (NZ) (U S Navy…
Author: NZRacingDesk
Wood notches up 500th NZ training win in style
Ellerslie’s Saturday meeting proved to be a momentous occasion for Chris Wood, with That’s Gold’s dominant win in the Gr.2 Avondale Guineas (2100m) bringing up his 500th training victory in New Zealand. “It was a big thrill. That is 500 wins in New Zealand and to bring it up with a Group Two race was very good,” Wood said. “It was really exciting and the horse did the whole team proud.” While he has notched up 500 wins in his homeland, Wood also experienced plenty of success across the Tasman. “I…
Alabama Lass on track to defend King’s Plate crown
Trainers Ken and Bev Kelso have been scratching their heads with their Group One-performed mare Alabama Lass (Alabama Express) over the last few months, but they received a confidence boost following her win in a Group and Listed 1100m trial at Taupo on Sunday. After finishing runner-up when first-up in the Gr.1 Moir Stakes (1000m) at The Valley in spring, she disappointed when tailing the field home in the Gr.1 Manikato Stakes (1200m) three weeks later and following a series of post-race examinations, nothing untoward was found. The daughter of…
Milan Park Principal Hops On NZB Kiwi Ride
Tony Rider whet his appetite for victory in the $4 million NZB Kiwi (1500m) after breeding the inaugural winner of the race in Damask Rose (NZ) (Savabeel) last year, spurring him to lease a slot in this year’s edition of the Southern Hemisphere’s richest three-year-old race. The Milan Park principal has leased a slot in the Champions Day feature off RACE, and fittingly, he has chosen War Princess (NZ) (U S Navy Flag), a filly trained from the Club’s Awapuni track, as his representative. “We have got War Princess,” Rider said. “We rate this…
I’m All In scoops the pot at Ellerslie
Talented sprinter I’m All In (NZ) (Zoustar) showed he was back to his best with a gritty performance to take out the final race on an action-packed day at Ellerslie on Saturday, the Horizon By SKYCITY (1200m). Another runner sporting the colours of Cambridge Stud principals Sir Brendan and Lady Jo Lindsay, the lightly raced four-year-old was having just his 17th start and the second in his current campaign after finishing an eye-catching third first up behind Archaic Smile at Trentham last month. Trainer Stephen Marsh produced the favourite for…
Breakthrough Australian victory for Lord Penman
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 dominates NZ Oaks
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…
Final Return defies Aussie challenge in Avondale Cup
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…
Jaarffi gets deserved Group One victory
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…
That’s Gold proves staying qualities in Avondale Guineas
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…