Author: NZRacingDesk

A relentlessly wet spring has provided a frustrating start to the season for David Greene, but things might be turning the corner as the Te Rapa trainer prepares to unleash his emerging star First Five in Saturday’s Listed Legacy Lodge Sprint (1200m) at Pukekohe. Greene opened his winning account for 2025-26 when Goldiluxe took out the Avondale Main Street Rating 60 (1200m) on Thursday, and now he is excited to see First Five get underway in what could be a career-best season. “Goldiluxe won pretty well at Avondale on Thursday…

Lisa Latta is often a force to be reckoned with when she takes her horses to Riccarton for New Zealand Cup Week and hopes this year will be no exception. The Awapuni horsewoman will look to add another Listed Donaldson Brown Pegasus Stakes (1000m) and Gr.3 Windsor Park Stud Canterbury Breeders’ Stakes (1400m) to her mantelpiece on Saturday, with key hopes in Platinum Attack and Connello engaged in the feature races. A five-year-old by Santos, Platinum Attack has won two of three attempts at the 1000m trip, his only defeat…

Genuine filly Miss Ziggy ticked a significant box for trainer Andrew Carston during her trouble-free build-up to Saturday’s Gr.1 Barneswood Farm New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton. The local hope has spent most of her career competing in strong age group company and delivered an overdue victory two runs back. “I needed to get a win out of the way, and I thought I might have got that before I did, but since she won it has been plain sailing,” he said. “I’m very happy with my horse and…

Trans-Tasman trainer Andrew Forsman is hoping his stable can feature on both sides of the ditch this weekend. His Cambridge stable will have strong representation at Pukekohe and Tauherenikau on Saturday and Sunday respectively, while his Flemington barn will have a two-pronged attack on Champions Stakes Day at their iconic Melbourne base. Force Of Nature will lead the charge on the home front at Pukekohe where he will be fresh-up in the Listed Legacy Lodge Sprint (1200m). Initially set to be run at Te Rapa, Saturday’s meeting was transferred to…

Talented mare First Chorus (NZ) (Ghibellines) ran out a strong winner of the TCL Trophy (1700m) for trainer Lindsay Smith under a perfect ride from a wide draw (15) by Jamie Mott. Sporting the colours of Spicer Thoroughbreds, First Chorus powered away from her opposition to score by a length and a half to record her third victory from seven starts. The four-year-old daughter of Ghibellines had previously been runner up at Geelong off a month between runs and had come on in fitness on Thursday. “The speed was on…

Darryn Weatherley is feeling the pride of a father as he gets set to line-up the horse he co-bred, co-owns and co-trains on one of Australia’s biggest days of racing. Pier (NZ) (Proisir) carries the silks of well-known Australian owner Ozzie Kheir, but he remains a family pet in the Weatherley family, who have doted on the gelding since he was a foal. A Group One winner at three, Pier has been a test of patience for his conditioners in recent years, having one start in 18 months before returning…

The unreserved dispersal of highly respected horseman Hec Anderton’s estate has led to five members of an enormously successful South Island family being up for sale on gavelhouse.com. All five descend from the mainland marvel Princess Mellay (Mellay), whose 18 wins included the New Zealand Oaks (2400m) and two editions of the New Zealand Cup (3200m). Princess Mellay went on to be a significant influence at stud, with five winning foals headed by the 19-race winner and triple Group One winner Prince Majestic (NZ) (Noble Bijou). Countless other descendants have…

Promising filly Sweet Talkin Gal got Hollie Wynyard’s week off on the right foot as she readies proven mare Archaic Smile for a stakes assignment at Riccarton on Saturday. The Cambridge trainer ventured to New Plymouth on Wednesday with high hopes for Sweet Talkin Gal, a daughter of Anders who had placed in all three of her raceday starts including third last time out behind Gr.1 Barneswood Farm New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) contender Belle Cheval. The market shared her faith backing the filly into $1.60 favouritism and she got…

Expat Kiwi jockey James McDonald will once again represent his homeland in next month’s LONGINES International Jockeys’ Championship (IJC), which will take place at Happy Valley Racecourse in Hong Kong on Wednesday, December 10. The LONGINES IJC is the most prestigious jockey challenge in the world and the most lucrative for the winning rider, with the four contested races worth a combined $1.7 million in prizemoney. The total prize fund of $227,000 in bonus money for the most successful riders will be split three ways, with the winner set to…

A team of four will defend Te Akau’s crown in the Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m), claimed 12 months ago by Captured By Love, who will bid to return to winning form on the Riccarton undercard. Mark Waker and Sam Bergerson’s Classic hopes in the Barneswood Farm-sponsored feature rest with Cool Aza Rene (Cool Aza Beel), Belle Du Monde (Zoustar), Origin Of Love (Snitzel) and Belle Cheval (NZ) (Savabeel), while last year’s heroine takes on the Gr.3 Windsor Park Stud Canterbury Breeders’ Stakes (1400m). Captured By Love (Written Tycoon)…