Author: NZRacingDesk

The Odyssey’s performance at Ellerslie on Melbourne Cup Day may result in a change to his immediate program. The in-form son of Zacinto will step out of handicap company to run in the Gr.3 Elsdon Park Bonecrusher Stakes (2000m) at Ellerslie on Tuesday. The weight-for-age feature wasn’t initially on his radar, but two bold performances into his current preparation have encouraged trainers Ben and Ryan Foote to change tack. The six-year-old followed up a resuming sprint third at Tauranga to carry 59kg to a last-start victory on the course over…

Katrina and Simon Alexander have handled their Show By SkyCity (1400m) contender Aksil with patience and hope to reap the rewards of that later in the season. The Te Awamutu-based trainers purchased Aksil as a yearling and the son of Ace High showed an abundance of promise through the trials stage, eye-catching in all four efforts before stepping out on debut at Taupo in mid-October. A consummate professional, Aksil travelled well, balanced up in the straight and powered through the line to win over 1300m, a perfect first step in…

Group One winner Smokin’ Romans will aim to extend his breeder Brian Anderton’s successful run in the Gr.1 Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) when he takes his place in the iconic Flemington feature on Tuesday afternoon. Anderton established the Mosgiel thoroughbred nursery White Robe Lodge in 1956, which has stood a number of champion sires over the years including Mellay and Noble Bijou. It was a Noble Bijou mare Joyarty that produced the 1989 Melbourne Cup winner in Tawrrific, a son of Tawfiq, who also stood at the farm. White Robe…

Local trainer Kelvin Tyler had a day out on his home track of Riverton on Sunday, training five winners including the two features with Master Marko and Prince Alby. To make the result even more impressive, Tyler and his wife Vanessa either own and part-own all five gallopers, and bred a pair of them as well. “It was a great day and I’m very appreciative of everyone involved,” Tyler said. “It’s always good to have a day like this especially at your local meeting.” After settling for second in the…

There is a sense of déjà vu for Pam Gerard as she navigates a muddled path to this year’s Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m), but she is keeping her eye on the prize. The Matamata horsewoman prepared star three-year-old Savaglee to win last year’s 2000 Guineas, which he won off an interrupted preparation with the rescheduling of both the Gr.2 Hawke’s Bay Guineas (1400m) and Gr.2 James and Annie Sarten Memorial (1400m). A year down the track, Gerard is chasing a repeat crown with Affirmative…

Join Guy Heveldt, Emily Murphy and Jayne Ivil as they dissect the racing from Tauranga and Tauherenikau on Saturday. Then Aidan Rodley beams in from Melbourne to reflect on Derby day with a look ahead to Melbourne Cup. Weigh In, November 2

Local trainers Brian and Shane Anderton will have strength in numbers at their home track’s Melbourne Cup day meeting on Tuesday. The Wingatui-based father and son partnership have accepted 17 runners across the nine-race card, including three in the headlining Grand Casino Open Handicap (1400m) in Capo Dell Impero (NZ) (Ghibellines), Inflamed (NZ) (Ghibellines) and Mayor Of Norwood (NZ) (Ghibellines). All progeny of the Anderton’s White Robe Lodge sire Ghibellines, the trio have accumulated 18 wins between them, with full-brothers Capo Dell Impero and Mayor Of Norwood particularly effective over…

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With those same tearaway tactics that have made her one of Australian racing’s fan favourites in recent years, Trelawney Stud-bred mare Pride Of Jenni ran her rivals off their feet again at Flemington on Saturday and became the first two-time winner of the Gr.1 Empire Rose Stakes (1600m). The daughter of Pride Of Dubai produced a similarly spectacular front-running performance to win the fillies and mares’ feature in 2023. That was a first win at Group One level for Pride Of Jenni, who went on to add the Cantala Stakes…

Two weeks on from a luckless third in the A$20 million Gr.1 The Everest (1200m), Jimmysstar had a well-deserved moment in the spotlight with a dominant victory in Saturday’s A$3 million Russell Balding Stakes (1300m) at Randwick. The New Zealand-bred son of Per Incanto burst on to the big sprint stage in Australia last season with explosive Group One victories in the Oakleigh Plate (1100m) and All Aged Stakes (1400m). All roads led to The Everest this spring, but until Saturday, Jimmysstar had to settle for a series of strong-finishing…