Author: NZRacingDesk

Awapuni’s long-awaited return to racing on its newly renovated grass track has ended in disappointment, with their ANZAC Day meeting abandoned following a slip in the opening race. “A horse slipped on the outside,” RACE’s General Manager of Racing Brad Taylor said. “Walking the track, there is no visual slip, but we have got to have jockeys’ safety first. They are the ones going out there and riding on it and it’s on us that this has happened. “It’s really unfortunate, but we will learn from it and put the…

As they so often are, Michael and Matthew Pitman’s Riccarton operation promises to be a stable to be reckoned in their home track features on Saturday. The father and son duo will be represented by the quality pair of Mystic Park (NZ) (Ocean Park) and Third Decree (NZ) (War Decree)in the Listed Daphne Bannan Memorial Great Easter Stakes (1400m) while Epee Beel will appreciate the step up in trip in the Gr.3 Coca-Cola Canterbury Gold Cup (2000m). Mystic Park is already a black-type winner on his home turf with victory…

Talented Foxton galloper Orlov (NZ) (Sweynesse) will be aiming to hit double-digits in his win tally at Wanganui on Sunday, while his younger brother steps out on debut earlier in the meeting. In the care of his co-breeder and part-owner David Haworth, Orlov has collected nine wins through his career and continued to improve with age, producing placings in this season’s Listed Wanganui Cup (2040m) and last time out in Listed Hawke’s Bay Cup (2200m). Haworth was rapt with the latter performance, which made up for a luckless effort when…

Loose Sally (NZ) (Turn Me Loose) has given trainer Shankar Muniandy a season to remember, and she will aim to cap it off in style when she heads to Riccarton on Saturday. The three-year-old daughter of Turn Me Loose has won two of her five starts this season, highlighted by victory in last month’s Listed Dunedin Guineas (1600m) at Wingatui, giving her trainer back-to-back victories in his home feature. She will be out to replicate that feat in Saturday’s Listed New Zealand Bloodstock Warstep Stakes (2000m), where she has drawn…

Multiple Group One winner Auguste Rodin made history during his racing career and Australasian breeders haven’t wasted any time in flocking to the Windsor Park Stud newcomer. His haul of top-flight victories included the English Derby (2400m) and the Irish Derby (2400m) and beat the older horses in the Irish Champion Stakes (2000m) and the Breeders’ Cup Turf (2400m). The Aidan O’Brien-trained son of Deep Impact became the only three-year-old to secure these four championship races in his Classic year. Auguste Rodin will shuttle from Coolmore for his first season…

Eye Candy caught her connections a little by surprise with a string of stakes performances this term and she’ll aim to take the top spot for the first time in Saturday’s Listed New Zealand Bloodstock Warstep Stakes (2000m). A daughter of Darci Brahma, Eye Candy is trained at Cambridge by Shaune Ritchie and Colm Murray, who admitted that at first glance, her compact frame didn’t create a huge impression. “She’s as genuine as the day is long, but when we started training her, I told the owners that I didn’t…

 Aiming for a 12th consecutive victory with Ka Ying Rising (NZ) (Shamexpress), David Hayes had to endure a few nervous moments before the world’s highest-rated sprinter drew perfectly in barrier four for the HK$22 million G1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m) at Sha Tin on Sunday (27 April).  With only three barriers left to be drawn at the official barrier draw function at Sha Tin today (Thursday, 24 April), Ka Ying Rising was faced with the prospect of drawing either gates four, seven or the outside barrier of 13.  Luckily for…

Owned by Cheng Ming Leung, Cheng Yu Tung, Cheng Mei Mei and Cheng Yu Wai, Manfred Man-trained Lucky Sweynesse (NZ) (Sweynesse) will resume after a long break in Sunday’s (27 April) HK$22 million G1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m) at Sha Tin’s FWD Champions Day amid hopes of the completion of a great comeback story from the horse.  Winner of the 2023 Chairman’s Sprint Prize and acclaimed as Hong Kong’s Champion Sprinter in the 2022/23 season, Lucky Sweynesse suffered a health setback after winning the G2 Sprint Cup (1200m) in April,…

Rich Hill Stud’s Group One stallion roster has enjoyed another stellar year and the farm’s 2025 service fees will reflect that success while also being mindful of the uncertain economic times. Champion sire Proisir will stand at $70,000 + GST, Satono Aladdin at $45,000 + GST, Ace High will be offered at $15,000 + GST and Shocking at $10,000 + GST. “Breeders who have supported Rich Hill stallions over recent seasons have reaped substantial rewards,” Rich Hill Managing Director John Thompson said. “Our 2025 service fees directly reflect this ongoing…

After overcoming an injury scare earlier in the week, fortune has turned in favour of Kiwi flyer El Vencedor (NZ) (Shocking), drawing barrier one for Sunday’s HK$28 million Gr.1 FWD QEII Cup (2000m) at Sha Tin. The four-time Group One winner was treated for lameness in the left hind leg after arriving in Hong Kong and was restricted to light work until Tuesday morning, where he was passed suitable to complete trackwork at Sha Tin. In the hands of champion hoop Zac Purton, El Vencedor completed his final serious piece…