Author: NZRacingDesk

Late maturer Queen Of Kings (NZ) (Prince Of Brooklyn) has a gilt-edged opportunity at Phar Lap Raceway on Wednesday to add to her record. The five-year-old has been in fine touch this preparation and looks a leading chance in the Jon Snow & Echoes Of Heaven Handicap (1600m). A daughter of Prince Of Brooklyn, she broke her maiden at Oamaru during the winter and two runs back doubled her tally when successful in an open handicap at Ashburton where race rival Iffididit finished third. In between times, she has posted…

With a quinella in Saturday’s Gr. 1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) done and dusted, trainer Pam Gerard is now setting about confirming summer plans for Romanoff (NZ) (Belardo) and Affirmative Action (Yes Yes Yes). The obvious route for the latest pair of Ballymore Stables stars is towards Ellerslie in late January for the $1.5 million TAB Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m), followed six weeks later by the $4 million NZB Kiwi (1500m), but Gerard is not rushing into defined decisions. “I stayed down in Christchurch until…

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The 100th National Yearling Sale in New Zealand will feature a refreshed format to celebrate the milestone. Off the back of another record-breaking Ready to Run Sale, New Zealand Bloodstock has catalogued 1009 yearlings to be offered at Karaka from January 25-29. Book 1 will be conducted across two days, composed of 567 horses with Book 2 to follow with a further 281 yearlings, while a third session has also been re-introduced with 161 yearlings catalogued to sell on the Thursday for the new Karaka Summer Sale. “Coming off the back off what…

Cambridge trainer Paul Mirabelli is now eyeing the Gr.1 Trackside New Zealand Derby (2400m) with Shoma following his pleasing placing in last Saturday’s Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton. The son of Contributer wasn’t wanted by punters in the three-year-old feature, drifting out to a $104 outsider, but that didn’t quash Mirabelli’s hopes. “We have had belief in him the whole way through,” he said. “He has always shown that he has got really good ability. “I guess the punters were put off him from last time because…

Gringotts (NZ) (Per Incanto) is likely to be Ciaron Maher’s sole representative in the Gr.3 The Gong (1600m) as Saturday racing next weekend again heads outside of the Sydney area to Kembla Grange. Maher has created plenty of history of his own through his training career but there would not be many ‘double-doubles’ among them. That is what Gringotts could achieve should he salute in the 1600m A$1 million Group Three event. Victory in the Listed The Big Dance (1600m) last year followed by The Gong have the signs there again after the six-year-old was…

Waikato apprentice jockey Bailey Rogerson has been placed in an induced coma following a race fall at Arawa Park on Sunday. The 24-year-old hoop was riding Mandalo in The Rotorua Club 1950 for her mother Michelle Northcott and was dislodged from her mount near the 400m mark after he clipped heels with In A Pickle. Rogerson was flown to Waikato Hospital where she is being treated for her injuries. “They flew her up last night from Rotorua and she is in the ICU,” Rogerson’s grandfather, Group One-winning trainer Graeme Rogerson,…

Victory bells have been ringing for Marie Leicester and her family for decades, with Romanoff the latest to hit a Group One note. Leicester bred the Pam Gerard-trained son of Belardo who at Riccarton on Saturday added to an extensive role of honour when he triumphed in the New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m). His pedigree is full of top-quality performers, including the outstanding mare Melody Belle, with all stemming from Belle Star. She is the matriarch of a family line that started when she was sent to Foxbridge, then resident…

Group One performer Perfect Scenario has been retired following his unplaced run in the Gr.3 TAB Mile (1600m) at Riccarton last week. The eight-year-old son of Iffraaj has been a stable stalwart for Te Akau Racing’s southern base at Riccarton Park over the last couple of seasons and retires the winner of 11 of his 59 starts, with $570,000 in earnings. He was purchased by Te Akau Racing principal David Ellis out of Woburn Farm’s 2019 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 1 Yearling Sale draft for $165,000 and has given his…

A huge crowd flocked to Waipukurau on Sunday as the Central Hawke’s Bay course hosted its first race meeting in six years, and Tauranga visitor Enright (NZ) (Power) emphatically broke a drought of his own in the DMAK Electrical Waipukurau Cup (2100m). The $35,000 country feature was the first win since October of 2022 for Enright, who has now had 43 starts for four wins, 13 placings and $179,300 in prize-money. He is trained by Stuart Manning, who co-bred and part-owns the Power gelding along with Kaye Durrant. The capacity…