Author: NZRacingDesk

Novara Park has announced its 2026 service fees, with owner Luigi Muollo reinforcing the stud’s commitment to offering breeders quality bloodlines and genuine value across its stallion roster. Sweynesse continues to build momentum following another strong season headlined by Wigmore’s Gr.1 South Australian Derby (2500m) victory. The stallion has also been represented by consistent filly Miss Starlight, now crowned NZB Southern Filly of the Year, while Group-performed sprinter Sweynesday will step out in Queensland for the first time when contesting Saturday’s Gr.3 BRC Sprint (1350m) en route to the Gr.1…

Terry Kennedy has the firepower to strike a possible winning blow or two at his home meeting on Friday. The Wingatui trainer will be represented by half a-dozen runners and tipped Proudtobehere and Generation Joy as his leading lights on the program. Belardo mare Proudtobehere will be chasing two wins on the bounce when she steps out in the More FM Handicap (1600m) with Mereana Hudson to guide the last-start course and distance victor. “She would be one of my best chances, she was very good last time and just…

Saturday’s Gr.1 Doomben Cup (2000m) was reduced to just seven runners at final acceptances on Tuesday in a scenario that might best suit the thrilling front-running mare Pride Of Jenni (Pride Of Dubai). The first four home in Pride Of Jenni’s Gr.2 Hollindale Stakes (1800m) win all accepted, including the Cups champion Half Yours, but there were only a handful of new players on the scene for Saturday’s $1 million race at final acceptance after 39 horses were originally nominated for the race. Vauban takes his chance back to 2000…

Frankie Lor is optimistic that implementing new tactics for Numbers (NZ) (Tivaci) can help the BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) runner-up go to another level in Sunday’s HK$13 million Gr.1 Standard Chartered Champions & Chater Cup (2400m) at Sha Tin. Aiming to unlock more of the bull-headed four-year-old’s potential, Lor is hopeful the gelding, whose bodyweight exceeds 1,200lb, doesn’t always have to race at the head of the field and that an alternative racing pattern could add another layer to his development. “I’ve always thought that we should try to…

Ballarat trainer Matt Cumani will chase another Derby with promising stayer Single Choice (Anders), who headed north on Tuesday for Saturday week’s Gr.1 Queensland Derby (2400m) at Eagle Farm. The gelding enters the Queensland feature off a solid effort for fourth in the Gr.1 South Australian Derby (2500m) won by former Kiwi Wigmore (NZ) (Sweynesse). Single Choice tracked the eventual winner throughout but elected to go wide on the Soft 7 track and loop the field rounding the home turn, whilst the breaks came for Wigmore. “We were unlucky, I…

Agera (NZ) (Complacent) will have a weighty task on his hands this winter as the Group Two winner returns as a highly-rated galloper this campaign. The son of Complacent started the season on a rating of 70, but went on a stunning run of success through the spring, winning six of his 10 starts. Two of those came early on the Cambridge Synthetic, before his streak continued on the turf claiming the Listed Matamata Cup (1600m) and Gr.2 Tauranga Stakes (1530m). Agera earned $267,000 for connections through that period of…

Ben Hayes admits he’s trepidatious about the prospect of Oak Hill (NZ) (Per Incanto) running out a strong 1350m but says the gelding will be given his opportunity to do so on Saturday when he contests the Gr.3 BRC Sprint at Doomben. Hayes, who trains in partnership with brothers Will & JD at Lindsay Park, won the race en route to Stradbroke Handicap glory with War Machine (NZ) (Harry Angel), who also carries the Rupert Leigh silks with the lightning bolt, made famous by Chautauqua. While War Machine was already…

The Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young-trained Blind Raise will soon be bound for Brisbane, following an impressive right-handed jumpout victory at Cranbourne on Monday. The two-year-old son of Ace High is the $4.50 favourite in early markets for next month’s Gr.1 JJ Atkins (1600m) after producing strong wins over 1400m at Sandown and Flemington in his only two starts to date. The Cranbourne-trained youngster will head north for his Queensland debut in next Saturday’s Gr.2 BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m). Craig Williams partnered Blind Raise in the reverse-direction jumpout, where…

Trainer John Wheeler has high hopes for his promising juvenile Crosswell (NZ) (The Bold One) after he won impressively on debut in the CLAAS Harvest Centre Maiden 2YO (1200m) at Hawera on Sunday. Wheeler trained his dam, Enchanted Lady (NZ) (Per Incanto), and while she only had the one start due to soundness issues, the Taranaki horseman rated her highly and he believes she has passed on her talent to Crosswell. “She (Enchanted Lady) was a very fast horse, probably one of the fastest horses I have ever trained, but…

Little Avondale Stud’s Per Incanto has turned back the clock this season with the farm stalwart’s younger offspring doing him proud. The Masterton nursery enjoyed further juvenile success on Saturday when homebred youngster Incandescent (NZ) triumphed in the Listed Champagne Stakes (1600m) at Ellerslie. “Per Incanto has had four black-type two-year-olds this year, as we know he’s never really been known as a sire of two-year-olds except for his first crop,” Williams said. The resident son of Street Cry has also been represented by Listed Maribyrnong Trial Stakes (1000m) winner…