Author: NZRacingDesk

Two New Zealand-bred horses lined up in the A$1 million Silver Eagle (1300m) at Randwick on Saturday and filled the first two placings, headed by a sparkling performance by Linebacker. Previously the winner of three of his 10 career starts headed by the Gr.1 Randwick Guineas (1600m) in the autumn, the first-crop son of Waikato Stud’s rising star stallion Super Seth had a spring setback last month when he sprained an ankle and was ruled out of the Gr.1 Epsom Handicap (1600m). But Linebacker showed he was back on track…

New Zealand-bred champion Ka Ying Rising climbed the highest mountain of his career and claimed a piece of racing history in the A$20 million Gr.1 The TAB Everest (1200m) at Randwick on Saturday. The world’s highest-rated sprinter lived up to his red-hot favouritism and became the first overseas-trained winner of the world’s richest race on turf. Ka Ying Rising’s record spoke for himself when he arrived on Australian shores for his Everest mission. He was the winner of 14 of his 16 starts, including his last 13 in a row,…

Waitak (NZ) (Proisir) was a class above his rivals in the Gr.1 Livamol Classic (2040m) at Ellerslie on Saturday, completing a spring Group One double in the early stages of what might be a career-defining season. The son of Proisir has been a Group One horse since his two-year-old days, when he ran third in the Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) in April of 2022. He went on to be a Listed winner at three, along with placings in the Gr.2 Auckland Guineas (1600m) and Gr.2 Avondale Guineas (2100m) and…

Progressive stayer Enrico (NZ) (El Roca) could be in for his best campaign yet after showing plenty of grit and tenacity to collect his fourth win at Trentham when he overcame some home-straight troubles to win the Toast To Tiptronic (1600m) open handicap on Saturday. The Ilone Kelly-prepared seven-year-old came into the event off the back of an eye-catching run for third at Otaki at his last start over 1400m and relished the step up in distance for his next assignment. On a day where on-pace runners dominated, rider Madan…

Stephen Marsh ran rampant with wins in four of the first seven races at Ellerslie on Saturday, but his hottest favourite of the day had to settle for a placing as another Cambridge stable stole the show. The Roger James and Robert Wellwood-trained Arabian Songbird (NZ) (Pierro) took flight from the back of the field to upstage Tardelli (I Am Invincible) in the $65,000 Elsdon Park (1400m). Marsh had been an unstoppable force until that point of the afternoon, winning the Gr.2 Windsor Park Stud Soliloquy Stakes (1400m) by almost…

If trainer Stephen Marsh thought his day couldn’t get any better after winning the first three races on the card at Ellerslie on Saturday, he had to revise those thoughts pretty quickly after the running of the Gr.2 Windsor Park Stud Soliloquy Sakes (1400m). Successful with Miss Fladgate (Russian Revolution) (Race 1), Swiss Prince (NZ) (El Roca) (Race 2) and On The Town (NZ) (Blue Point) (Race 3), Marsh sent out consistent filly Little Black Dress (Snitzel) and impressive debut winner Well Written (Written Tycoon) in the feature for the…

A winning debut by bargain buy Midnight Dart (NZ) (Derryn) in the Rat Tat 2YO Plate (800m) at Trentham on Saturday has kept the Karaka Millions dream alive and well for a big group of young and first-time owners. Midnight Dart was bought for just $20,000 from Book 2 of Karaka 2025 by Josh Herd, whose mother Lisa Latta trains the colt at Awapuni. He ran second in his only trial at Otaki on September 16, beaten by a wide margin by subsequent race winner De Armas (NZ) (Ardrossan), and…

Three-year-old filly Bobby McGee provided her sire Ancient Spirit with his first winner when successful at Wingatui over 1200m. The Terry Kennedy trained filly raced three wide without cover throughout, yet still finished strongly in the hands of Leah Hemi to narrowly prevail from Princess Reign. Bred and raced by Craig and Jim Hunter, Bobby McGee’s dam, the six-time winner Lucille, recently foaled a full sister to the filly. By Invincible Spirit out of Galileo’s daughter Assisi, Ancient Spirit was a dual Group Two winner in Germany before he retired…

Agera’s coming-of-age campaign has carried him all the way up to black-type level, flying home to score a last-gasp victory in Friday’s Listed Team Wealleans Matamata Cup (1600m). Coming into the 2024-25 season, Agera was a two-race winner from 18 career starts. He had placed on another eight occasions, had earned $81,490 and had a rating of 70. Agera’s six-year-old season has now produced four wins from only six appearances, adding another $127,250 to his earnings. His rating had already risen to 86 before Friday’s Matamata Cup heroics. Matt Cartwright,…

In addition to operating their racing stable in Cambridge, the father-son partnership of Ben and Ryan Foote have added another string to their bow with the establishment of St Kilda Lodge as a Ready to Run Sale vendor. Leading the charge is Ryan Foote, who has been entrusted by his father to oversee a quality draft as St Kilda Lodge steps into the limelight for the first time, with the Footes previously selling under other consignors banner’s, while also regularly trading horses from trials and races. “Ben’s always sold plenty…