Author: NZRacingDesk

Former elite hurdler Nedwin (NZ) (Niagara) confirmed his arrival among steeplechasing’s top echelon with a supreme performance in the $75,000 Howden Insurance Pakuranga Hunt Cup (4300m) at Te Aroha on Sunday. The Niagara gelding has now had 48 starts for 15 wins, six placings and $487,843 in stakes. Seven of those wins have come over hurdles, including the 2022 Pakuranga Hunt Hurdle (3200m), the 2023 Great Northern Hurdle (4200m), the 2023 Waikato Hurdle (3200m) and two editions of the Wellington Hurdles (3400m). Hawke’s Bay trainers Paul Nelson and Corrina McDougal…

Less than a month after winning a maiden hurdle at Te Aroha, Hill Of Kings (NZ) (Time Test) returned to the same venue on Sunday and landed a much bigger prize – the $60,000 Pakuranga Hunt “Vale Lamu” Hurdle. The son of Time Test was bought for just $600 off Gavelhouse.com in February of 2023. He has won twice from 20 starts on the flat, but has quickly surpassed those achievements in an increasingly impressive hurdling career. Hill Of Kings was runner-up in two maiden hurdles at Woodville, then romped…

It was business as usual for Ka Ying Rising (NZ) (Shamexpress) at Sha Tin on Saturday as Hong Kong’s Horse of the Year strode confidently through another eye-catching barrier trial ahead of his highly anticipated return to racing next weekend next Sunday at the 2025/26 Season Opener. A winner of his past 12 consecutive races, headlined by four at Group One level, David Hayes’ record-breaking sprinter clocked an unforced 56.3s (13.3, 21.0, 22.0) over 1000m on turf by two lengths in first place as he prepares to defend his HK$3.72…

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Group Two winner Cognito (So You Think) snapped a 22-month win drought in emphatic style in Saturday’s $50,000 Join TAB Racing Club Open (1580m) at Riccarton. The son of So You Think won three races as a three-year-old headed by the Gr.2 Wellington Guineas (1400m), and he performed with credit at four with a third in the Listed Fulton Family Stakes (1500m), fourth in the Gr.3 J Swap Sprint (1400m) and sixth in the Gr.2 Rich Hill Mile (1600m). However, a third placing in the Gr.3 Counties Cup (2100m) was…

Despite negotiating the final bend at Wanganui on Saturday like a drunken sailor, promising galloper Humza Bey (NZ) (Belardo) made it two wins from his first two starts as he scored an impressive victory in the third race on the card, the Whanganui Chronicle 1340 (1340m). Rider Kate Hercock had her hands full as the four-year-old gelding made a beeline for the centre of the track after sitting third and one-off the inside rail for the last 800m of the contest, which allowed his nearest pursuers to sneak through along…

Quality mare Mary Shan (NZ) (Almanzor) launched her spring campaign in stunning fashion when she stormed home to capture the Cloudsoft Accounting Systems Open (1200m) at Wanganui. The Andrew Forsman-prepared five-year-old was fitted for her resuming run with a pair of Taupo trials, finishing second in the first one over 900m behind Captured By Love (Written Tycoon) before going one better a fortnight later over 1100m with raceday rider Matthew Cameron in the saddle. With the race expected to be run at breakneck speed with several noted frontrunners engaged, the…

Jockey Vinnie Colgan displayed all the skills that have seen him sit in the elite echelon of New Zealand riders throughout his career as he put together a winning double with two superbly judged efforts in the early races on the Riccarton card on Saturday. Colgan was at his patient best as he guided Gr.1 New Zealand One Thousand Guineas aspirant Belle Du Monde (Zoustar) to her maiden victory in race three on the programme before making it two wins in a row as he showed his strength in a…

Emerging filly Platinum Diamond (NZ) (Hello Youmzain) sparkled again in Saturday’s Listed HS Dyke Wanganui Guineas (1200m), completing an unprecedented treble of winter age-group features. The daughter of Cambridge Stud shuttle stallion Hello Youmzain became the first horse to win the Castletown Stakes (1200m), Ryder Stakes (1200m) and Wanganui Guineas. There had previously been nine who won two of the three Listed races – Beechcraft (NZ) (Sea Anchor) (1983 Ryder and Guineas), Purdah’s Pride (NZ) (Western Bay) (1988 Ryder and Guineas), Veandercross (NZ) (Crossways) (1991 Castletown and Ryder, second in…

Saturday’s NZ Horse Ambulance Winter Appeal 3YO (1000m) continued the Te Akau stranglehold over the three-year-old spring opener at Riccarton, but not with the horse that most expected. Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson took out the $40,000 age-group sprint in 2023 with the next-start Listed Canterbury Belle Stakes (1200m) winner Viva Vienna (NZ) (All Too Hard), then saddled the quinella in 2024 with The Victress (Zousain) and About Last Night (Capitalist). The Te Akau team followed that up with another one-two finish on Saturday. Pre-race attention was dominated by the…