Author: NZRacingDesk

In an open Golden Slipper, trainer Bjorn Baker knows Tuesday’s barrier draw will be key to the chances of his two hopefuls.   Bjorn Baker’s two Golden Slipper contenders will have different build ups to the $5 million feature, with Paradoxium (Extreme Choice) set to be given a serious hit-out on Tuesday and Warwoven (Sword Of State) a quiet week.   Sword Of State colt Warwoven raced his way into the two-year-old showpiece with an emphatic win in Saturday’s Pago Pago Stakes (1200m) and will go into the March 21…

Local trainers Shane and Brian Anderton are looking north to Christchurch with their mare Inflamed (NZ) (Ghibellines) after she proved too tough for her rivals in the Mosgiel Tavern Beaumont Publican’s Cup (1500m) at Wingatui on Sunday. The intention was to take a sit with the daughter of Ghibellines, however, she jumped away well and was in the thick end of the action early on. Apprentice jockey Jack Taplin had no option but to press forward for the lead with the mare, and the pair quickly took control of the…

Awapuni visitor Platinum Pantheon (Hanseatic) enhanced his reputation as a horse going places when he ran down pacemaker Lucy In The Sky to win the J Swap Contractors 3YO (1200m) at Tauranga on Saturday. The Lisa Latta-trained gelding carried the clear topweight of 58.5kgs with Opie Bosson in the saddle but made light of the impost as he cruised along three back against the fence for most of the 1200m journey before improving to be on the heels of the pacemakers Lucy In The Sky and Chatelle Rose rounding the…

It may have taken a little longer than trainers Kevin and Stephen Gray had hoped, but well-related gelding So We Go (NZ) (Embellish) finally broke through for his maiden victory at Wanganui on Saturday. A son of Cambridge Stud resident stallion Embellish, So We Go is a full brother to their Group One performed mare Luberon, who placed in last year’s Gr.1 Railway (1200m) after winning the Gr.3 Sweynesse Stakes (1215m) and Gr.3 Counties Bowl (1100m). So We Go also carries the gold and black silks of Cambridge Stud principals…

Awapuni visitors enjoyed back-to-back success at Tauranga when Omega Boy (NZ) (Time Test) claimed the feature race on the card, the Gr.2 Ultimate Mazda Japan Trophy (1600m), just one race after Platinum Pantheon (Hanseatic) defeated a handy field of three-year-olds over 1200m. Omega Boy has always appealed as a galloper with plenty of quality and has come of age in his current campaign where he had won two of his last four starts while also running a strong fifth in the Gr.3 Phar Lap Trophy (1600m) followed by an eye-catching…

Cambridge Stud stallion Sword Of State has a major Gr.1 Golden Slipper (1200m) contender in his first crop after Warwoven took out Saturday’s Gr.3 Pago Pago Stakes (1200m) at Rosehill. Warwoven wasted little time in stamping himself as a highly talented two-year-old, winning his first two starts in December and January to earn favouritism for the Magic Millions 2YO Classic (1200m) on the Gold Coast. However, he was scratched on the morning of the race on vets’ advice. Ever since then, expat New Zealand trainer Bjorn Baker has been playing…

Speedy mare Churchillian (NZ)(Churchill) showed what she is capable of when given her own terms in front when she bolted home in the open sprint at Tauranga, the Triton Pacific Owens Plate (1200m). The Tony Pike-prepared daughter of Churchill has always shown she can be tough to catch when she gets to dictate the pace and that worked out well on Saturday as she dominated proceedings in the hands of Sam Collett. In a race expected to be run at high speed, Collett was able to cast a spell over…

Hawke’s Bay mare Bedtime Story (NZ) (Per Incanto )has earned another crack at elite-level following her victory in the Shane Stone Builders Open (1340m) at Wanganui on Saturday. The Per Incanto mare settled in the trail behind Cooper (NZ) (Tivaci), and while jockey Bruno Queiroz elected to stick to the rail aboard the frontrunner when turning for home, the remainder of the pack, including Kelly Myers on Bedtime Story, veered to the outside of the track for better footing. Cooper looked to have stolen the race on the inside, but…

Stylish Secret’s (NZ) (Sweet Orange) victory in the A$80,000 DCE Handicap (2000m) at Caulfield on Saturday lifted his career earnings to A$398,525 – an outstanding return on the New Zealand-bred gelding’s purchase price of just $2,300 on Gavelhouse.com. Saturday’s Benchmark 84 handicap was the fifth win of a 22-start career for the son of Sweet Orange, whose first two victories came in 2024 over 1500m at Sandown and 1800m at Flemington. His last three successes have all been at Caulfield – over 2400m on July 26 last year, 2400m again…

Exciting two-year-old Ronaldo (NZ)(Ribchester) showed maturity beyond his years when winning the Palamountains Nutrition 2YO (1200m) at Wanganui on Saturday, and trainer Robbie Patterson is excited about the future with the progressive son of Ribchester as he eyes the Gr.1 Courtesy Ford Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) at Trentham in a fortnight. Having won on debut at New Plymouth last month, Ronaldo was backed into a $1.60 favourite for his second-up test, with the Lisa Latta-trained Pinafore (NZ) (Pinatubo) the next fancied runner at $6.20. The latter was fractious to…