Author: NZRacingDesk

NZB Kiwi slot holder The King’s Men had massive grins on their faces following Belle Cheval’s victory in the Gr.3 Cambridge Stud Almanzor Trophy (1200m) at Ellerslie on Saturday. A day prior they made the announcement that they had secured the Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson-trained filly as their representative for the $4 million Champions Day feature in March, and their choice was quickly vindicated. The daughter of Savabeel jumped away well from her inside barrier and settled three back on the fence for jockey Craig Williams. The leading Australian…

Queensland trainer Liam Birchley continued his great association with the TAB Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) when recording his third win in the juvenile feature at Ellerslie on Saturday. He had previously won the $1 million race in 2010 with Sister Havana before doubling his tally in 2015 with Hardline, while he also finished runner-up in the race in 2009 with Sarge In Charge. He returned to New Zealand with two contenders for his year’s running, including Dream Roca and Vanzadee, and it was the former who gave Birchley his third…

The addition of blinkers and a super ride by Opie Bosson resulted in Tuxedo taking out the first $1 million race on Karaka Millions night at Ellerslie, the Gr.3 Elsdon Park Aotearoa Classic (1600m). The Shaune Ritchie and Colm Murray-prepared four-year-old has always shown massive promise and was a dual stakes winner during his three-year-old campaign before resuming with two meritorious performances in Group One company in the spring. Given a break after finishing sixth in the Gr.1 Howden Insurance Mile (1600m) at Te Rapa in September, the son of…

Byerley Park conditioner Barbara Kennedy made her first foray to the South Island on Saturday a successful one as her handy mare Pour The Wine dominated her rivals in the closing stages of the Listed Speight’s Timaru Stakes (1200m) at Riccarton. The Daniel Nakhle-bred and part-owned daughter of Telperion had been struggling to recapture her form of old that had seen her finish in the top three in 13 of her 31 starts, and it had been nearly two years since she had featured in the winners’ enclosure. A last…

A clever ride and some good old-fashioned kiwi grit resulted in Savabeel filly Acer (NZ) (Savabeel) collecting her maiden victory in some style as she took out the Listed Grangewilliam Stud Oaks Prelude (1800m) at New Plymouth. Consistent rain during the week and some heavy showers earlier in the day presented a very testing Heavy10 track surface, which had many struggling to cope with conditions a long way from the winning post. Wexford Stables pair Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott prepare Acer, who appealed as one who would get through…

Up-and-comer Taken (NZ) (Ardrossan) recorded his sixth win from only 12 career starts with another impressive performance in the A$150,000 A Caulfield Kind Of Summer Handicap (1700m) at Caulfield on Saturday. The New Zealand-bred gelding made a big impression with his progress through the grades last year, stringing together five consecutive victories at Pakenham on April 24, Sandown on May 24, Flemington on June 7, Flemington on June 21 and Caulfield on November 15. That winning sequence came to an end when he was unplaced in the A$1 million Supernova…

Prominent owner David Archer’s silks have been carried to victory in some of New Zealand’s most prestigious races, and in March, he is hoping he can tick off another – the $4 million NZB Kiwi (1500m). Archer has teamed up with NZB Kiwi Slot Holder The King’s Men to contest the southern hemisphere’s richest three-year-old race with his Group One-performed filly Belle Cheval (NZ) (Savabeel), and he is excited about the joint venture. “Cameron George (The King’s Men member) came to us initially,” Archer said. “We have had five others (Slot Holders)…

The Karaka Millions twilight meeting is always a key focus for Te Akau Racing, and they are set to have another strong hand in this year’s edition. The country’s leading stable has had a stranglehold on the TAB Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) in recent years, winning eight of the last nine editions of the race, and they will be represented in this year’s running by a trio of juveniles. Unbeaten Group Two winner Kinnaird will lead the stable’s charge, with trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson also upbeat about the…

Some of the most respected names in the New Zealand thoroughbred industry will be out in force at Karaka over the next few days during the milestone 100th edition of the National Yearling Sale. NZB’s annual showpiece gets underway with the Karaka Millions twilight race meeting at Ellerslie on Saturday, followed by Book 1 on Sunday and Monday, Book 2 on Tuesday and the inaugural Karaka Summer Sale on Thursday. Vendors have embraced the significance of this occasion, including Cambridge Stud, who will offer their yearlings exclusively at Karaka this…

Yulong Investments have furthered their position among New Zealand’s racing ranks this week with the purchase of eye-catching Gr.2 Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes (2000m) winner Ohope Wins (NZ) (Ocean Park). The Australian-based racing and breeding operation, owned by Zhang Yuesheng, has made a play for some of the country’s top three-year-old fillies this season, and they have been rewarded through the success of Group One winner Well Written, who will put her unbeaten record on the line in tomorrow’s $1.5 million TAB Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m) at Ellerslie. The Stephen…