Author: NZRacingDesk

Riccarton trainer Terri Rae flexed her potential New Zealand Cup Carnival firepower with an impressive double in $50,000 open handicaps at Ashburton on Saturday. Rae saddled Spot On Time (NZ) (Time Test) for a stylish first-up victory in the GD Jones Salute (1200m), then Sir Albert (NZ) (Savabeel) followed suit 35 minutes later and took out the McCrea Painters & Decorators Ashburton Cup (1600m) by two lengths. It was a welcome return to winning form for Sir Albert, who won six of his first 14 starts including five from nine…

Like most trainers at this time of the year, Stephen Marsh has spent plenty of time studying weather forecasts as he prepares to launch a ten-strong team from his Cambridge stable at the Rotorua race meeting on Sunday. With the track currently rated a Heavy9, Marsh is hoping some strong wind and plenty of sunshine over the next 24 hours will bring the rating back to at least a Slow7 which would see the majority of the ten acceptors take their place in their respective events. “We certainly had been…

Trainer Tony Pike admitted he had a real sense of satisfaction as he watched progressive mare Churchillian (NZ) (Churchill) return to winning form at Taupo on Friday at just her third run back from a substantial lay-off due to a hock injury she suffered late last year. It took a month for vets to determine she had suffered torn ligaments in a hock and needed a lengthy spell to recover from the mishap. Two quiet trials in August preceded a useful first-up run for seventh at Ellerslie in early September,…

Cambridge trainer Shaun Phelan took special satisfaction from an all-the-way win by Pacheco in the $60,000 Poverty Bay Turf Club Cup (2600m) at Taupo on Friday. The Rating 75 staying test was the fifth start in a new campaign for the Makfi gelding, who had recorded a second and two thirds from his first four starts this time in. Before finishing third in his resuming run over 1600m at Te Rapa in early August, Pacheco had spent more than a year on the sidelines with a serious injury. “He’s a…

Marton horseman Fraser Auret has enjoyed the limelight in recent years as the man behind star sprinter Ka Ying Rising. The outstanding son of Shamexpress was bred and originally trained by Auret, and the world’s highest-rated galloper will step onto the biggest stage when he contests the A$20 million Everest at Randwick on Saturday week. But while Ka Ying Rising will dominate the headlines for the next week, Auret will be closely watching another of his graduates, Romantic Encounter, who contests Saturday’s Gr,1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m). A New Zealand bred…

A lucrative race at Selangor on Sunday will shine a spotlight on next month’s NZB Ready to Run Sale at Karaka as well as showcasing the high-quality graduates of the Sale that are currently racing in Malaysia. The New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Open Championship (1400m), offering prize money of RM300,000, is held in recognition of the New Zealand Bloodstock’s strong affiliation with the Selangor Turf Club and the club’s commitment to support the Ready to Run Sale. New Zealand Bloodstock Director of Business Development, Mr Mike Kneebone, Mr…

Trainers Simon and Katrina Alexander have set their sights towards summer targets with their star mare La Crique following yet another runner-up result in last month’s Gr.1 Howden Insurance Mile (1600m) at Te Rapa. La Crique has two Group One victories to her name but has earned the perennial bridesmaid tag after finishing runner-up at elite-level on eight occasions, including her last six starts, and her trainers are hoping a freshen-up can help give her that extra edge to claim another Group One scalp. “We have decided to take a…

Simon and Katrina Alexander came close to winning the Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) a few years ago with their stable star La Crique, and now it looks like they may have another Derby prospect on their hands. Three-year-old gelding Aksil had already attracted the attention of eagle-eyed scouts in his four trials prior to making his debut in the Master Builders Taupo (1300m) at Taupo on Friday, and he lived up to his early promise when comfortably winning by 1-1/4 lengths in the hands of jockey Masa Hashizume. “He’s…

Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott got a busy weekend off to a promising start with two wins at Taupo on Friday. The Wexford Stables team won the first race on the card, the Placemakers Rotorua Maiden (1800m), with lightly raced four-year-old Gippsy God, and two hours later they saddled first-starter General Menari for a smart victory in the McLeod Hiabs 3YO (1100m). For good measure, the Matamata trainers also collected placings with High Society and Woman In Charge. “It was a really pleasing day,” Scott said. “Both of those winners…

Trainer Dominic Sutton will forever hold Feroce (NZ) (Super Seth) in the highest regard as the gelding chases a second Group One win, this time at Caulfield.  Feroce provided Sutton, who has been training just over 18 months, with his first winner, his first city winner and his maiden Group One success.  That Group One success came in the Gr.1 Australian Guineas (1600m) at Flemington in March and the trainer is hoping for premier win number two with Feroce in the Gr.1 Toorak Handicap (1600m) at Caulfield on Saturday.  Sutton said Feroce was primed for Saturday’s assault after two runs…