Amalfi Prince (Sebring) has put himself into Gr.1 Vodafone New Zealand Derby (2400m) contention after he broke through for his maiden win at Hastings on Thursday. It was the fourth start for the Sebring gelding, having finished runner-up in his first two outings before running fifth over 1400m at Tauranga earlier this month. Trainer Jamie Richards was pleased to see his charge get his maiden win when scoring in the Wairoa RC @ Hastings 20 Feb Maiden (1600m). “It was a nice ride from Joe (Kamaruddin),” Richards said. “I was…
Author: NZRacingDesk
Kaapfever Rules the roost on Australia Day
Kaapfever (NZ) (Sufficient) produced one of the biggest moments in racing for breeder and co-owner Colin Rule at Warwick Farm on Wednesday when winning the Listed Australia Day Cup (2400m). The son of Sufficient ran third in the race last year and Rule was delighted that the Joe Pride-trained gelding was able to go two better this year. Rule didn’t give the New Zealand-bred seven-year-old much of a chance until he neared the 800m mark. “It was amazing, we didn’t give him a chance halfway around,” Rule said. “It was…
New Karaka 2022 Trainers Series commences
New Zealand Bloodstock is pleased to announce a new incentive for New Zealand-based trainers wishing to purchase at its National Yearling Sales Series at Karaka held from 7 to 12 March. Five race meetings throughout New Zealand have been selected for the Karaka 2022 Trainers Series. The trainer of each winning horse on the racecard of each meeting will go into a draw at the end of the day to win a special prize package, should they wish to purchase at NZB’s National Yearling Sales Series in March. The Karaka…
Cameron hoping he’s on the right one for Thorndon
Gun jockey Matthew Cameron is hoping all the pieces of the puzzle that is Saturday’s Gr.1 Harcourts Thorndon Mile (1600m) at Trentham might have fallen into place for him. Cameron had initially accepted the ride on the Annabel Neasham-trained Holyfield (I Am Invincible) but when that Aussie raider was withdrawn on Wednesday, the two-time champion jockey snapped up the mount on the Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman-trained The Chosen One (NZ) (Savabeel). It presents Cameron with a gilt-edged opportunity to win his first Group One race since the 2019 New…
Trentham trip to decide filly’s end goal
Gifted filly La Crique (NZ) (Vadamos) will be the mistress of her own destiny and her performance at Trentham on Saturday will determine her major three-year-old target. She will bid to add to her tidy record in the Gr.3 New Zealand Bloodstock Desert Gold Stakes (1600m) while talented stablemate Te Toki (NZ) (Tarzino) will be back on track at Ellerslie on Sunday after a no risk approach ruled him out of Karaka Million 3YO Classic (1600m) contention. La Crique has hardly put a foot wrong in her limited career with…
Maher and Eustace double up with kiwi-breds at Caulfield
A pair of New Zealand-bred horses produced a winning double for Ciaron Maher and David Eustace at Caulfield on Wednesday. $11 chance Playoffs (NZ) (Tavistock) was first to salute in the McCafe Handicap (2000m) out staying his rivals to post his fifth career win. Later on the card Yonce (NZ) (Proisir) rallied after being headed in the home straight to justify support that saw her backed in from $1.90 to $1.55 in The Mary Bell (1400m). While punters seemingly had cause for concern when Ayahuasca headed Yonce and jockey John Allen at the 100m, Maher…
Freedmans Open Minded about Group One opportunity
Open Minded (NZ) (Jimmy Choux) might have earned himself a throw at the Group One stumps after continuing his career progression with a maiden Stakes win at Caulfield on Wednesday. The Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained gelding cashed in on a brilliant Damien Thornton ride to score an all-the-way win in the Listed John Dillon Stakes (1400m). It was the son of Jimmy Choux’s ninth win from 18 starts and fourth in as many starts at Caulfield, which Sam Freedman said may warrant a crack at the Gr.1 C.F. Orr Stakes (1400m) at…
Australia beckons the Brownes
Australian punters are set to become better acquainted with trainers David and Emma-Lee Browne as they get set to move across the Tasman from their Cambridge base. The husband-and-wife team secured plenty of success in Victoria in the spring, headlined by their uniquely named duo of Elephant and Rhinoceros. Elephant won two of his five starts in Australia, including the Gr.3 Sandown Stakes (1500m), and placed in the Gr.2 Feehan Stakes (1600m) and Gr.2 Crystal Mile (1600m). Rhinoceros also claimed plenty of success, winning two of his three starts. The…
Verry Elleegant on top of the world
Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed) has been rated the world’s best racemare according to the Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings (WBRR) released by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA) on Tuesday. The New Zealand-bred mare was given a rating of 123 for her win in the Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington in November, putting her 15th equal in the WBRR, and the highest-rated female equine athlete in the world. Trainer Chris Waller was over the moon upon hearing the news. “Proud is an understatement! To train the world’s highest-rated…
Cunneen has her sights set on feature race spoils
Meg Cunneen has developed a taste for black-type racing less than a month since the first stakes win of her fledgling training career. The Riccarton trainer produced William Wallace to win last month’s Listed Timaru Cup (1600m), her first black-type win bringing up just her third training success. On Saturday, Cunneen will produce Gr.2 Coupland’s Bakeries Mile (1600m) runner-up Seriously in the Listed Speight’s Timaru Stakes (1600m) at Riccarton, a possible precursor to the Gr.3 White Robe Lodge Stakes (1600m) at Wingatui a week later. Cunneen also has William Wallace…