Author: NZRacingDesk

Otaki galloper Driftin (NZ) (Merchant Navy) picked up her first win in more than two years when causing an upset in the Challenge Carterton R75 (1000m) at Tauherenikau on Sunday. The five-year-old by Merchant Navy had been a winner on the Cambridge Synthetic in September 2023 but was unplaced in her following six starts, after which she was purchased for $5,000 through gavelhouse.com by part-owner Andre Wallace. It was more than a year later that she stepped out at the Foxton trials in late October and put the writing on…

The revamped Spring Carnival programming, which sees the Gr.1 C F Orr Stakes (1400m) run at Caulfield this Saturday, is perfect for Jimmysstar (NZ) (Per Incanto) according to his trainer Ciaron Maher. Fresh off a dominant win in the $3 million Russell Balding Stakes (1300m), Jimmysstar has returned to Melbourne in fine fettle. “He’s super. He’s in career best form,” Maher said. Already a three-time winner at 1400m, and a winner over 1500m at his second Australian start, Maher believes Jimmysstar will relish the extra 100m in Saturday’s weight-for-age contest.…

Join Guy Heveldt, Emily Murphy and Jayne Ivil as they dissect the racing from day 1 of Cup week from Riccarton as well as Pukekohe & Flemington. Weigh In, November 9

Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars) has emerged from his unplaced Champions Mile run without any issues, but racing’s popular warhorse is likely heading for a spell. Co-trainer Ben Hayes said on Sunday morning that the weight-for-age star had eaten up and trotted up without problems on Sunday after concerns raised by jockey Craig Williams to Racing Victoria stewards after the race that his action felt “uncomfortable” and he feared there may be something amiss with the horse. “He’s all fine,” Hayes said. “He’s pulled up with no problem. I just think…

Untapped four-year-old Smart Love (NZ) (Savabeel) continued her stunning rise through the grades with a dominant display in the opener at Pukekohe Park on Saturday. The daughter of Savabeel had been unbeaten in her last three starts, one of those coming at the end of a brief three-year-old campaign and the latter pair this preparation. Smart Love earned red-hot $1.40 favouritism in the Majestic Horse Floats 1300 and justified that price, aided by a perfect steer from regular rider Masa Hashizume. She jumped positively from the inside draw but had…

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The Joe Pride-trained Ceolwulf (NZ) (Tavistock) landed the Gr.1 Champions Mile (1600m) at Flemington after a stirring 400m battle with runner-up Pericles with a nose margin in his favour. The five-year-old son of Tavistock was well and truly headed by Pericles (Street Boss) inside the final furlong but relished the fight when galvanised under rider Chad Schofield on a testing Heavy 9 track. The last start winner of the Gr.1 King Charles III Stakes (1609m) is now a four-time Group One winner at a mile and proved he had no…

Stephen Marsh had to wait until the 24th season of his career to win his first Gr.1 Barneswood Farm New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m), but an emerging superstar gave the Cambridge trainer his missing piece at Riccarton on Saturday with a performance that was worth every moment of that wait. Well Written (Well Written) joined Legarto (NZ) (Proisir) (2022) and Seachange (NZ) (Cape Cross) (2005) as only the third unbeaten winner of the 1000 Guineas in the last 20 years, and her three scintillating victories have come by a combined…

A perfectly judged front-running victory on Just Charlie (NZ) (Zed) in the Listed Nautical Boat Insurance Metropolitan Trophy (2600m) capped a memorable New Zealand riding debut at Riccarton on Saturday for apprentice jockey Logan Bates. Born and raised in Canterbury and a son of leading southern rider Kylie Williams, Bates is forging a successful career as an apprentice in Victoria. The 24-year-old has ridden over 110 winners, headed by a first black-type success with Jigsaw in the Gr.2 McEwen Stakes (1200m) on Cox Plate Day at Moonee Valley last month.…

Progressive stayer Thebudgiesmugla (NZ) (Redwood) showed his versatility when winning his second race at Rosehill in the space of a couple of weeks for trainer Bjorn Baker. The five-year-old son of Redwood was gallant on Saturday carrying 59kg topweight under Dylan Gibbons when winning the Chandon Handicap (2400m) on a Good track, having saluted last start on soft ground. Given a good ride by Gibbons, Thebudgiesmugla was taken out of his comfort zone when the pressure came on early but still proved too good. “He is just an out-and-out stayer,”…