Author: NZRacingDesk

Promising colt Yamato Satona (NZ) (Satono Aladdin) made an impressive start to his racing career at Arawa Park on Sunday, kicking off a winning treble for his trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott. Racing in the colours of harness racing legend Barry Purdon, who owns the colt alongside his wife Katrina and Dean Shannon, Yamato Satona had shown promise through the trials and closed second-favourite in the Green Light Insurance Brokers (1400m). Guided by Joe Doyle, the colt was green early in the running but eventually settled to find cover…

It seemed as though it would be only a matter of time before Twain (NZ) (Per Incanto) added a stakes victory to his name and the rising star did just that at Rotorua on Sunday, powering late to take out the Gr.3 Sweynesse Stakes (1215m). A winner in his debut last July, the John Bell-trained gelding has never finished out of the first four in 12 starts, including six victories and a fourth placing when starting favourite in the Gr.2 Foxbridge Plate (1200m). He continued to improve out of that…

Talented stayer What A Charma (NZ) (Jimmy Choux) brought his heavy track form onto an improving surface at Rotorua on Sunday when claiming the major spoils in the $80,000 Staphanos Classic (1950m). The eight-year-old by Jimmy Choux found career-best form through the winter and early spring, winning the Kiwifruit Cup (2100m) in June before a string of solid performances in open grade, including a last-start third behind Diamond Jak on Matamata Cup Day. The inclusion of class mare Val Di Zoldo meant much of the Staphanos field were compressed down…

Join Guy Heveldt, Emily Bosson and Aidan Rodley as they look back at the racing week including the Barneswood Farm Stakes from Ashburton, Group 1 glory at Caulfield and even the champ Ka Ying Rising arriving at Randwick. Weigh In, October 12

Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) favourite Tajana (NZ) (Darci Brahma) warmed up for her next feature assignment with an exhibition gallop between races at Taupo on Friday. The Darci Brahma filly has had two starts as a three-year-old this season for two Group Three victories, capturing the Northland Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) at Ruakaka on August 16 and the Sunline Vase (1400m) at Ellerslie on September 20. Cambridge trainers Shaune Ritchie and Colm Murray are building her towards next Saturday’s Gr.2 Soliloquy Stakes (1400m) at Ellerslie, which will be her…

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD NEWSLETTER

A notable New Zealand influence on Saturday’s stellar raceday at Caulfield culminated with A$3 million Gr.1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) success for South Island owner Glenn Ritchie and breeder Richard Rutherford. Autumn Boy carried Ritchie’s red, gold and blue colours to Guineas glory over runner-up Planet Red, who himself was a $260,000 purchase from the 2024 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale. Ritchie, who also races Saturday’s Gr.3 Barneswood Farm Stakes (1400m) placegetter Miss Ziggy, is the former owner of the Ritchies transport company. He made headlines earlier in the…

Just when it seemed like she might be slipping off the Gr.1 Barneswood Farm New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) radar, Cool Aza Rene (Cool Aza Beel) turned her spring around on Saturday and delivered a ninth win for Te Akau Racing in the Gr.3 Barneswood Farm Stakes (1400m) at Ashburton. The powerhouse stable had previously won the South Island’s most important Guineas lead-up with King’s Chapel (2003), Sea Saint (2005), Princess Coup (2006), King’s Rose (2010), Abidewithme (2012), Costa Viva (2013), Cornflower Blue (2020) and Star Of Justice (2023). Cool…

An all-the-way victory in the A$1 million Gr.1 Might And Power Stakes (2000m) at Caulfield on Saturday marked a career-defining triumph for New Zealand-bred gelding Globe. The weight-for-age feature was the first appearance at Group One level for the seven-year-old Charm Spirit gelding, who had previously won five of his 14 career starts headed by the Listed Cranbourne Cup (1600m) last November. In his only previous attempt at the 2000m of Saturday’s big race, he had run third in the Listed Ballarat Cup (2000m). Trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent…

Emerging stayer Court Of Appeal (NZ) (Eminent) is shaping up as a competitive lightweight chance in next month’s Gr.3 Martin Collins New Zealand Cup (3200m) after destroying her rivals in Saturday’s Vernon Vazey 0800 & Truck Parts Open (2200m) at Ashburton. The Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson-prepared five-year-old mare was having the third run of her current campaign which opened with a win over 1600 metres on the poly-track at Riccarton last month before finishing midfield on the grass there a fortnight ago where a slow beginning put paid to…