Author: NZRacingDesk

Fresh from a runaway victory in Saturday’s A$160,000 Listed The Wayne Wilson (1600m) at Eagle Farm, connections of Group One galloper Pier (NZ) (Proisir) are formulating plans for the spring. The Darryn and Briar Weatherley-trained gelding will enjoy a break in the Queensland sun after a three-start campaign that saw the 2022 Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) winner return to something like his best. The son of Proisir produced powerful finishes for placings in the Listed City Of Napier Sprint (1200m) at Trentham and the Gr.3 BRC Sprint (1350m)…

Harvey Wilson has been successful in a number of New Zealand’s major jumping races, but before he was training racehorses, he scaled even greater heights in the show jumping arena. Growing up in the Wanganui region, Wilson was surrounded by horses, hunting and racing, but serious competition came later in his teenage years. “My parents rode, not extensively, but they hunted, and my father was an amateur rider and rode in the point to points in those days,” he said. “He was involved in the Waverley Racing Club for a…

Mark Oulaghan is keeping his options open with three runners entered in Friday’s Harcourts Otaki Raukawa Cup (2100m), all of whom may head in different directions. The first of Oulaghan’s representatives is Jack Morrison (NZ) (Darci Brahma), a force to be reckoned with on all-weather tracks, as shown in all of his five victories coming on the Awapuni Synthetic. He has added two of those in his last two starts, and with an open staying race at that venue on Sunday, that is the probable direction for the son of…

Emily Murphy brings you Winter Weigh In, your place for Thoroughbred racing news, reviews and insights throughout the colder months. We recap all the thrills and spills from an exciting jumps day at Te Rapa as well Kiwi success across the ditch. Winter Weigh In, June 16

Cambridge trainer Stephen Marsh has singled out the Rating 73 handicap as his best chance of success at his home synthetic track meeting on Wednesday. He will be represented by Billy Lincoln (NZ) (Belardo), Sinhaman (NZ) (Tivaci) and Penurious (NZ) (Sacred Falls) in The Oaks Stud (1550m) and indicated the former to most likely to be his leading light in the contest. The Belardo four-year-old finished a respectable seventh in an open handicap at Ellerslie two runs back and was then a close course and distance second on his local…

Waikato Thoroughbred Racing will continue a proud tradition on the Cambridge Synthetic on Wednesday, with the fifth edition of their annual Cambridge RDA Raceday. The Cambridge Riding For The Disabled is part of a nationwide organisation that focusses on providing interaction with horses to improve the health and wellbeing of people experiencing disabilities, challenges or specific needs. The RDA is catering for a wide range of individuals, as well as horses, staff, and volunteers, so fundraisers such as this raceday provide the essential funds needed to keep this service operational.…

Synthetic specialist Branciforti (NZ) (Belardo) will commence her path towards defending her crown in the $100,000 Polytrack Championship (1400m) in August when she heads to Cambridge on Wednesday. The Sir Peter Vela-bred and owned mare took out the Awapuni feature in convincing fashion last August and will be out to replicate that feat in six weeks’ time. Trained at Te Rapa by David Greene, Branciforti has shown a penchant for the polytrack, winning four of her eight starts and earning more than $90,000 on the surface. “She really grows another…

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Venerable sprinter Mrs Chrissie (NZ) (Per Incanto) has won six races for trainer Ciaron Maher and has placed on a further nine occasions, but the six-year-old mare will make a rare appearance at Flemington this Saturday. Mrs Chrissie hasn’t been to Flemington since finishing fifth in an 1100m benchmark 70 in May 2023, and has primarily done her racing at Caulfield. The talented mare will contest an A$150,000 open handicap off a rating of 91 and enters in a fresh state. The daughter of Per Incanto will have her first…

Cranbourne trainer Gavin Bedggood could unveil new acquisition St Lawrence (NZ) (Redwood) at Flemington on Saturday as a potential candidate for next month’s Listed Winter Championship Series Final. Formerly prepared by Ciaron Maher, the son of Redwood has won eight of 23 starts and a tick under A$1 million in prizemoney. The rising seven-year-old was recently purchased for $85,000 and transferred to Bedggood by passionate racehorse owner-breeder Paul Lofitis, of the Lofty Group. St Lawrence has tuned up with an impressive two-length 1300m Seymour trial win last Wednesday. “He might…