Author: NZRacingDesk

Darby Racing’s new recruit Nkosi (Shamus Award) collected his second win from three Australian starts with a dominant front-running performance in the A$160,000 TAB Handicap (1800m) at Rosehill on Saturday. The Bjorn Baker-trained four-year-old made a winning Australian debut at Wyong last month, scoring by four lengths over 1600m, then finished seventh in a 1500m race at Rosehill on August 30. The step up to 1800m proved to be ideal for the New Zealand import, who was sent forward by jockey Dylan Gibbons and controlled the race from the front.…

Exciting three-year-old Miss Starlight (NZ) (Sweynesse) thrust her name squarely into contention for future Group One honours when she destroyed a quality field of fillies in the time-honoured feature race at Riccarton on Saturday, the Listed NZB Canterbury Belle Stakes (1200m) The unbeaten daughter of Sweynesse went into the contest with a pair of wins on the Riccarton synthetic track under her belt but no one was sure how she would take the leap to the grass surface. The John and Karen Parsons owned and bred filly answered that question…

Stratford trainer Tony Dravitzki broke new ground in his career with back-to-back victories at New Plymouth on Saturday. Dravitzki, who has held a trainer’s licence since the 2009-10 season and has only four horses in work, went into Saturday’s meeting with a total of 22 wins to his name from 352 runners. He wasted little time in increasing that number to 24. Last-start Hawera maiden winner Im Bartholomew (NZ) (Complacent) provided the first leg of the double in the $40,000 Taranaki Pine Dash (990m). Just over 35 minutes later, the…

Extreme raceday at New Plymouth started in exactly that fashion on Saturday with torrential rain making for an uncomfortable start to the opening event, the NZB Ready To Run Sale Trainers Series 3YO (1200m). Commentator Justin Evans could hardly make out the five runners as they waited for the barriers to open although, thankfully, the rain eased and made vision for the race a little easier than expected. With race favourite Spandeedo (NZ) (Ferrando) out in front it was left to Matamata visitor Luminance (NZ) (Time Test) to head the…

Trainer Andrew Forsman has his eyes on the heavens above as he waits to see just what sort of track surface will be on offer at Te Rapa on Sunday. With plenty of midweek rain the official Saturday morning reading for the meeting was a Heavy10 with more rain and gusty winds expected over the next 24 hours. Forsman is keen to get a run under the belts for as many of the five-strong team he has nominated on the day but is mindful he doesn’t want to hinder their…

Highly respected British ratings agency Timeform believes that Ka Ying Rising (NZ) (Shamexpress) could end up as the best sprinter we’ve seen this century. The David Hayes-trained superstar currently has a Timeform rating of 135, meaning that he’s currently the world’s best racehorse and has also surpassed other Hong Kong sprinting greats like Silent Witness (El Moxie) and Sacred Kingdom (Encosta de Lago) on their ratings. Ka Ying Rising’s figure of 135 also places him just behind Black Caviar (Bel Esprit) and former top British sprinter Battaash (Dark Angel), who…

Small fields can throw up strange results and the connections of Mark Twain (NZ) (Shocking) will be hoping for one on Saturday.  Mark Twain is the $101 outsider in the Gr.1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on Saturday where he tackles five opponents who are all Group One winners.  Since 2000, there have been eight horses win at double figure odds including Gatting (Hard Spun) at $101 in 2019, Littorio (Bellotto) ($41) in 2011 and Hugs Dancer (Cadeaux Genereux) ($26) in 2004.  Mark Twain’s main claim to fame was his victory in last year’s Listed Roy Higgins (2600m) at Flemington, a race that…

Intention’s future program will be determined by her performance in Saturday’s Listed NZB Canterbury Belle Stakes (1200m). The daughter of Bivouac has headed south for the Riccarton feature with a return trip for higher honours on the line for the Mike Breslin-trained filly. “This race has been on the cards since she came back into work with the Gold Trail Stakes (Gr.3, 1200m) moved from Hawke’s Bay to Ellerslie,” Breslin said. “I decided to give her this trip to Christchurch and it’s a defining race for her as to which…

Debit will put her picket fence form line on the line at Te Rapa on Sunday when she contests the Power Farming – We Keep Growing 1200. The six-year-old mare placed on debut in May 2023 but has been unbeaten in her subsequent four starts, and trainer Peter Lock is looking forward to getting her back to the races this weekend. She hasn’t raced since winning over 1340m at Wanganui last November, but has enjoyed a long and slow build-up, heading to the trials on four occasions over the last…

Trainer Allan Sharrock couldn’t be any happier with his Group One winner Ladies Man at this stage of his preparation, but admits he faces a near impossible task at Te Rapa on Sunday. With a rating of 110, the eight-year-old gelding is the fourth highest rated horse in the country, and has accordingly been lumbered with 66kg in Sunday’s VCE – Vision Complete Earthworks/Stronger Together 1600. With the aid of apprentice jockey Ashlee Strawbridge’s four-kilogram claim, his impost has been brought down to 62kg, within half-a-kilogram of multiple Group One…