Author: NZRacingDesk

Bold front running mare Pride Of Jenni (Pride Of Dubai) will be out to light up The Valley once again when she chases back-to-back wins in the Gr.2 Feehan Stakes (1600m) on Friday night. Ciaron Maher’s eight-year-old will be first up since May and had Declan Bates in the saddle for her Monday morning gallop at the tight inner city circuit, with Maher receiving positive feedback from the Irishman. “He said he felt she was pretty relaxed for the first half of the gallop and wanted to rip down the…

Superstar Hong Kong sprinter Ka Ying Rising (NZ) (Shamexpress), the odds-on favourite for this year’s The Everest (1200m), has arrived safely in Sydney. The David Hayes-trained speedster touched down mid-morning on Monday in what was the biggest step in his quest towards the $20 million sprint at Randwick on October 18. The son of Shamexpress reportedly travelled well and Australian Turf Club racing manager Nevesh Ramdhani said it was a coup to have Hong Kong’s best horse in town for the Spring Carnival. “Absolutely, the ratings on this horse after his 13 wins have just…

Former northerner Martell and heavy-track specialist Vamos spearheaded a dominant Sunday afternoon at Gore for trainer Kelvin Tyler. The Riverton horseman scored a winning treble on the eight-race card, alongside three runner-up placings and two fourths from his eight starters. He got off to the perfect start in the opener with homebred More Sass, who put away a maiden field comfortably over 1100m. More Sass, like her well-performed sister Lady Sass, has a few quirks, so Tyler was rapt to see a more professional display from the now four-year-old. “She’s…

Cambridge trainers Shaune Ritchie and Colm Murray are hoping to spend plenty of time on the road this spring with a pair of The Oaks Stud’s representatives. The training partnership earned a winning treble across the weekend, with two of those carrying the familiar Oaks silks, headlined by Tajana’s gutsy victory in the Gr.3 Sunline Vase (1400m) at Ellerslie on Saturday. The $150,000 contest was pinned as a match race between the Darci Brahma filly and rising star Lollapalooza, and it proved to be just that, with the former coming…

Dean Hawkins admits to shedding a tear or two when With Your Blessing was sold as a yearling. The family offered the stunning looking youngster under their Wentwood Grange banner at the 2020 Inglis Melbourne Classic Sale where he left the ring with a A$70,000 price tag. “He was absolutely beautiful as a yearling and, hand on heart, the only horse that I’ve loved that much that I cried when he was sold, he was my all-time favourite horse,” Hawkins said. The son of Vadamos has since earned more than…

Melbourne Cup aspirant Trav secured his plane ticket across the Tasman with a pleasing performance over 2100m at Ellerslie on Saturday. It was the Bulls gelding’s first appearance at the Auckland track since winning the Gr.2 Auckland Cup (3200m) on Champions Day in March, and his run was very similar to that triumphant performance. Reuniting with Cup-winning hoop Masa Hashizume, Trav settled at the rear of the field, where he enjoyed an economical passage before being presented wide at the turn where he once again showed a good turn of…

This season’s breakout steeplechaser Jesko (NZ) (Atlante) put the icing on top of a phenomenal jumping campaign when outstaying his rivals in the inaugural Ben and Ryan Foote Great New Zealand Steeplechase (6200m) at Te Aroha on Sunday. The son of Atlante started the season as a maidener over the bigger fences, but under the guidance of co-trainer and rider Shaun Fannin, the gelding swept through the ranks seamlessly with victories in the Manawatu Steeplechase (4000m), Wellington Steeplechase (4900m) and Koral Steeplechase (4250m), before a game second behind Captains Run…

There was no disguising what winning Sunday’s time-honoured Duke Of Gloucester Cup (2200m) meant to amateur rider Caitlin Rennie as she crossed the line victorious aboard Joejoeccini (NZ) (Puccini). The 21-year-old had partnered the Sam Mynott-trained galloper in a similar event at Te Aroha at the end of August when finishing into third, and chasing her first success in the saddle, her mount was well-backed closing second favourite behind Autumn Beauty. Rennie allowed Joejoeccini to stride forward from the gate and sat outside the leader in Leprekhan early, before easing…

Cambridge Stud owned mare Joliestar (Zoustar) pulled off a stunning win in the Gr.2 Shorts at Randwick on Saturday, beating fellow Everest contenders Briasa and Private Harry despite sitting back without cover throughout. The Chris Waller-trained mare, who hadn’t run since a similarly unbelievable win in June’s Gr.1 Kingsford-Smith Cup, was set a task when drifting to the tail and sitting four lanes from the fence but still slid into the race with purpose. Joliestar ($4.80) and Briasa ($3.10) set off to fight the race out, but the former always…

Stradbroke Handicap winner War Machine (NZ) (Harry Angel) will miss Friday night’s Gr.1 Manikato Stakes (1200m) at The Valley after suffering an untimely foot abscess. Co-trainer Ben Hayes explained connections are still hopeful of gaining a slot in next month’s A$20 million The Everest, with War Machine now likely to run first-up either at Flemington or Randwick early next month. “He got a very minor foot abscess so he missed a week, which put us on the back foot, so he’ll probably run now in the Gilgai,” Hayes said. “He’ll…