The father-son training partnership of Peter and Trent Didham recorded their first win when Danjuro scored a tough victory in Friday’s The Tele Otaki Handicap (2100m). A fourth generation of trainers was added to the Didham dynasty when 27-year-old Trent joined his father in partnership earlier this month, and the pair made a promising start with two seconds, a fourth and a fifth from their first six starters. The breakthrough came with Danjuro in Friday’s $50,000 open handicap at Otaki. Ridden by Kavish Chowdhoory, the talented five-year-old settled in third…
Author: NZRacingDesk
Linebacker on Golden Eagle Path after minor setback
Trainer John O’Shea has confirmed that Group One winner Linebacker (NZ) (Super Seth) will bypass the Gr.1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) after striking a minor setback in his spring campaign. “He won’t go to the Epsom, he’s had a little setback,” O’Shea said. “We had a day in Sydney where there was seven inches of rain. He must have just put his foot down awkwardly when he was trotting out to work and he just had a bit of a sprain of his ankle.” “We’ve resolved that. He spent a week…
Miss Ziggy out to lose unwanted tag
Stakes-performed filly Miss Ziggy will take a big step down in class at Riccarton on Saturday and attempt to shed her maiden tag in the Speight’s Summit Ultra On Tap Maiden (1400m). The daughter of Brazen Beau has recorded five placings in her nine-start career so far, headed by a third behind La Dorada and Vega For Luck in the Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) at Ellerslie in January. Miss Ziggy was a last-start fifth in the Listed Canterbury Belle Stakes (1200m) at Riccarton two weeks ago, where she was beaten…
Wexford continue cross-code association with promising 3YO
Exciting three-year-old Yamato Satona will carry colours well-known to the harness racing code when commencing his career at Te Rapa on Saturday. A colt by Satono Aladdin, Yamato Satona was a $250,000 purchase at the Karaka Yearling Sales by top harness trainer Barry Purdon, his wife Katrina, and Montana Park’s Dean Shannon, who have combined for success with the likes of star pacers Merlin and Sooner The Bettor. They entrusted Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott with Yamato Satona’s training and while he didn’t appear as a juvenile, Scott noted he…
Sydney mares chase Valley success
Sydney-based trainer Joe Pride has selected the Stocks Stakes as a suitable stakes target for Aberlour (NZ) (Mongolian Falcon), with the mare set to be among the interstate challengers in the Group 2 race at Moonee Valley on Friday night. A winner of two Listed races in NZ as a three-year-old before joining the Pride stable, Aberlour has found some consistent form in her recent races in Sydney after notching her first Australian win in a Benchmark race at Randwick in July. After a runner-up finish to subsequent G3 winner…
Shannon Stakes pivot no sweat for Gringotts
A slight program deviation isn’t expected to affect Gringott’s (NZ) (Per Incanto) build-up to the King Charles III Stakes. A poor blood reading ruled Gringotts out of the 7 Stakes but the timing of his revamped program might work out even better. Ciaron Maher scratched the George Ryder Stakes winner from last week’s Randwick assignment when routine tests showed his blood count to be slightly askew of normal. Assistant trainer Johann Gerard-Dubord said the horse could still have run but they took the safer option and saved him for this weekend’s Shannon Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill instead. “There wasn’t…
Golden Path to a Caulfield Cup
Mick Price said he is not certain that his surprise Underwood Stakes placegetter Golden Path (NZ) (Belardo) will stay, but he feels compelled to give the horse the chance to run in next month’s $5 million Caulfield Cup (2400m). Golden Path has never been beyond 2000 metres but on the back of his brave Underwood placing over 1800m, his Caulfield Cup price has continued to tumble – in from an opening quote of $101 down to $23 for the October 18 feature. “I thought this race was worth a little…
Forgot You seeks Benalla Cup lift
Trent Busuttin only has to check the past results of the Group 2 Stutt Stakes to know that the best days of his 2021 winner of the race, Forgot You (NZ) (Savabeel), are behind him. Busuttin is cognisant of this and will be happy to settle for an anniversary win four years later in the Benalla Cup for the now seven-year-old gelding in the hours leading up to the 2025 Stutt Stakes, where the stable will be represented by Decanted (NZ) (Darci Brahma). Busuttin and Natalie Young are aiming for…
Hong Kong superstar stretches his legs at Canterbury
David Hayes has declared Ka Ying Rising (NZ) (Shamexpress) ‘in great order’ as he begins the next phase of his Everest build up. Champion Hong Kong sprinter Ka Ying Rising is living every girls’ dream – he has arrived in Sydney several pounds lighter and to a new pair of shoes. Speaking from Hong Kong after the gelding had a look around Canterbury racecourse on Thursday morning, trainer David Hayes reported the Everest favourite had handled the travel well despite losing the equivalent of around 10 kilos on the flight over. “He’s in great order. He’s got…
Donoghue chasing dream result in Guineas
Navy Dreams (NZ) (Merchant Navy) all but won at stakes level last season and the in-form colt will have an opportunity to go one better at Te Rapa on Saturday. The Barry Donoghue-prepared son of Merchant Navy will attempt to break his maiden status in the Gr.2 Timberspan Hawke’s Bay Guineas (1400m). Like his young charge, Donoghue will be chasing his first victory with his main focus as a successful Ready to Run Sale vendor under his BMD Bloodstock banner, selling unraced stock out of trials and tried horses. “I…