Author: NZRacingDesk

Former Central Districts mare The Entertainer (NZ) (Staphanos) made a brief winter cameo at Oamaru on Sunday, headlining a winning double for Anna Furlong. Successful twice over New Zealand Cup Week in the care of Bill Thurlow, the mare is now based in Christchurch with Furlong, who presented her first-up in track conditions that weren’t entirely to suit the daughter of Staphanos. The market was mindful of her previous heavy track form, closing her at $8.50, but her class prevailed in the Rating 75 contest. Jumping well in the hands…

Matamata was the setting for Samantha Collett’s first victory in the saddle, and on Sunday, she was back on the board at the course after a three-year stint riding in Australia. After winning three Group Ones in her homeland, Collett relocated to Queensland in October 2021 to ply her trade in Brisbane, where she rode over 150 winners and half a dozen of those at stakes level. She announced in May that she would be returning to New Zealand, and while not in any rush to return to riding, she…

Matamata hurdler Squire (NZ) (Savile Row) commenced his jumping career in the best possible fashion at Te Rapa on Saturday, coming out on top in a tight tussle in the Waikato/BOP Owners Association Hurdle (2800m). The son of Savile Row broke through maiden grade just over a year ago in the care of part-owner Karen Fursdon, who entrusted Peter and Jessica Brosnan with the gelding as he switched to racing over fences. After trialling well at Cambridge, Squire stepped out on debut in the hands of Joshua Parker, who restrained…

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Promising New Zealand-bred mare Sacred Rocks (NZ) (Sacred Falls) made a big impression in her first appearance in Sydney on Saturday, storming home from well off the pace to win the A$160,000 Toyota Forklifts Handicap (1300m) at Rosehill. The Ciaron Maher-trained four-year-old had previously had four starts in Victoria, starting with a winning debut at Pakenham in January. She was runner-up in two appearances at Sandown in January and February, then returned from a freshen-up with an impressive five-length victory at Sale on May 28. Sacred Rocks was sent out…

Kovalica (NZ) (Ocean Park) made a welcome return to winning form when he prevailed in a pulsating three-horse finish to the A$1.2 million Gr.2 HKJC World Pool Q22 (2200m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday. The Kiwi-bred son of Ocean Park was the standout three-year-old of the Queensland Winter Carnival two years ago, winning the Gr.1 Queensland Derby (2400m) and Gr.2 Queensland Guineas (1600m) and placing against older horses at weight-for-age in the Gr.1 Doomben Cup (2000m). Kovalica went winless in 20 starts through the two years after that Derby success,…

With a powerful and poignant performance in Saturday’s The Star Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm, budding superstar War Machine (NZ) (Harry Angel) added extra Group One sparkle to the legacies of two much-missed New Zealand industry figures. The triumph came less than a week after the sudden passing in Kentucky of internationally renowned bloodstock agent Michael Wallace, who sourced War Machine’s dam Caserta on behalf of his brother David and late wife Maddy and parents Jim and Mary Wallace. War Machine was bred by the Wallace family’s MDJ Bloodstock…

The Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) looms as a possible spring target for New Zealand-bred stayer Campaldino (NZ) (Ghibellines), who continued his rapid rise with another outstanding win in the A$400,000 Gr.2 XXXX Brisbane Cup (3200m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday. Within the space of nine weeks, the Ghibellines gelding has strung together four increasingly impressive victories. He kicked off with wins in the Orange Cup (2100m) and a Benchmark 78 handicap on Randwick’s Kensington track, prompting trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott to take him to Brisbane and raise the…

A runaway victory in Saturday’s A$160,000 Listed The Wayne Wilson (1600m) at Eagle Farm was a proud moment for Pier’s (NZ) (Proisir) connections, but they could also be forgiven for wondering what might have been in the Gr.1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m). Pier ventured across the Tasman as the winner of four races in New Zealand, headed by the Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) in 2022. The son of Proisir has found a promising vein of form in his latest preparation, producing powerful finishes for placings in the Listed City…

Stratford visitor Soldier Boy (NZ) (Proisir) made a long-awaited return to the winners’ enclosure when he came out on top in a three-horse tussle in the SKYCITY Hamilton Mile (1600m) at Te Rapa. The Gavin Sharrock-prepared galloper hadn’t been seen on top of the victory podium since he claimed the Listed Maron Cup (2200m) at Trentham in January 2023. Sharrock has never lost faith in his versatile son of Rich Hill Stud stallion Proisir, who tends to excel on tracks with plenty of cut in them. With Te Rapa coming…