Author: NZRacingDesk

Robbie Patterson had high Classic hopes for Read About It (NZ) (Wrote) last season before his rising young star’s progress was halted by illness. The New Plymouth trainer believed the son of Wrote was a genuine Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) prospect until the two-time stakes winner was laid low with breathing issues. “He was one of the most promising young horses I’ve had for sure, and then he started to make a bit of noise,” Patterson said. “He got some growths in his upper airways, and we treated him…

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Mick Price has not overestimated Globe’s (NZ) (Charm Spirit) ability by considering a start in this Saturday’s Gr.1 The Might And Power (2000m) at Caulfield, but the trainer sees advantages in the $1 million Group One for his gelding. The seven-year-old son of Charm Spirit was one of just nine entries for the 2000-metre weight-for-age event when they closed at midday Monday. Taking on the likes of Treasurethe Moment (Alabama Express) and Buckaroo (Fastnet Rock) will be a major step up on the open handicaps in which he has been beaten this time in, but he looks the race’s lone leader,…

Sailor Jack impressed trainers Shaun and Hazel Fannin with his trial victory at Awapuni on Monday, and they have their fingers crossed their home track will be back in commission for his first major test of the season. The five-win gelding took out his 1400m heat in the hands of Chris Dell, beating a handy field, which included last-start Group One winner Quintessa. It was the eight-year-old gelding’s fourth trial this time in, with his trainers searching for better footing. “We were really happy with him,” Hazel Fannin said. “This…

Adverse weather has forced multiple Group One winner Quintessa to take an unorthodox route to next Saturday’s Gr.1 Livamol Classic (2040m), with the mare appearing at the Awapuni trials on Monday afternoon. Prepared by Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson at Matamata, Quintessa got her preparation off to a flying start winning the Gr.1 Proisir Plate (1400m), but she was scratched from the second leg of the triple crown (Gr.1 Howden Insurance Mile, 1600m) at Te Rapa, avoiding the heavy surface. With a task of getting her to the Livamol three…

Bulb General continued his electric form in Hong Kong to bring loftier targets into play for the son of Embellish. Trained by Jamie Richards, he completed a hat-trick of victories when he put away his Class 3 rivals with ease over 1200 metres at Sha Tin in the hands of Zac Purton. The four-year-old is taking winning strides toward the lucrative Four-Year-Old Classic Series – the Hong Kong Classic Mile, Hong Kong Classic Cup and Hong Kong Derby. “We’ve got some nice targets for him if he keeps progressing. He…

Darren Danis is developing a knack for making a comeback from career-threatening injuries, but he is hoping his run of serious injuries is now at an end. In 2017, Danis broke his back in a race fall, but made a relatively quick recovery, returning to raceday riding just eight months later, while last November, he was met by a similar fate when involved in an incident at the Waipa trials where he sustained a fractured C4 and C5 vertebrae, leading to a lengthy time on the sidelines. It has been…

Buyers passed over War Machine as a younger horse and his Masterton breeders and part-owners continue to count their blessings that he returned home after two tours of the Karaka sale ring. The New Zealand-bred son of Harry’s Angel was offered by Ardsley Stud at both New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale and Ready to Run Sale and failed to attract the expected interest. “We always liked the horse and put what we thought was a realistic value ($100,000) on him,” Ardsley’s Jim Wallace said. “Everybody thought he was too…

Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) hopeful Wolfgang will return to New Zealand after finishing at the tail of the field in Saturday’s Gr.3 The Bart Cummings (2500m) at Flemington. Wolfgang, who races as Mister Wolfgang in Australia, won the Gr.3 Wellington Cup (3200m) and New Zealand St Leger (2500m) last term, then crossed the Tasman for a campaign towards the time-honoured race staged in early November. His co-trainer Peter McKay was pleased with his progress through his first two runs but pulled pin when his charge performed below expectations in the…

All eyes will be on Hong Kong champion Ka Ying Rising at the Randwick barrier trials but the session will also provide an important hit-out for Group One winner Linebacker (NZ) (Super Seth). Originally being targeted at Saturday’s Epsom Handicap (1600m), the four-year-old was ruled out of the feature after a setback caused him to miss a scheduled start in the Bill Ritchie Handicap (1400m) last month. While it was only a minor ailment, it was enough to force a rejig of Linebacker’s spring program. “In simple terms, he sprained…