Author: NZRacingDesk

Trainers Ben, Will & JD Hayes will have one eye on Sydney and another on Melbourne as they prepare for one of the best week’s in racing.  The Hayes camp will be chasing lucrative riches in Sydney this weekend, where Evaporate (NZ) (Per Incanto) contests the A$10 million Golden Eagle (1500m). “His run last start when second in the Toorak (Gr.1, 1600m) was excellent when beaten by Transatlantic who has since come out and won well,” Ben Hayes said. “The form is good and it has been done before. The…

The rescheduling of Monday’s Gr.2 James and Annie Sarten Memorial (1400m) to Saturday at Tauranga could rule both of Andrew Forsman’s pair out of a trip south for New Zealand Cup Week. Forsman was set to line-up stakes placegetter Quondo and the lightly-tried Virgo Viva at Te Rapa on Labour Day, but the meeting was abandoned after a horse slipped turning for home in race two. As for many of the Sarten contenders, it was a crucial final step towards the Guineas races at Riccarton, with the Gr.1 Barneswood Farm…

Rain, rain, go away – that’s the thoughts of many trainers around the country as the wet weather persists through the spring.  One of those trainers is Barbara Kennedy, who has been holding out for better tracks for many of her team, and her patience is starting to wear thin, with the Byerley Park horsewoman set to be met by another Heavy track at Pukekohe on Wednesday.  Kennedy was excited about the prospects of all three of her entrants, however, she said with the track unlikely to improve from its…

Chicflix (NZ) (Sacred Falls) has been knocking on the door of a maiden victory for some time and trainer Paul Mirabelli is hoping she can breakthrough for an elusive win in the Eagle Technology 2200 at Pukekohe on Wednesday.  The six-year-old daughter of Sacred Falls has placed in six of her last starts eight starts, and while Mirabelli said she has yet to fully mature, all signs are pointing towards another bold showing on Wednesday.  “She is very honest,” he said. “Even though she is a six-year-old, she is still…

Andrew Forsman is one of New Zealand’s leading trainers, and recently chalked up his 1000th career win. So where does he feel the industry is at? Where does he see improvement? And what gives him hope? Guerin Report – S2 Ep. 9 Ft. Andrew Forsman

John Thompson and Greg Tomlinson have combined for another major stakes success in Australia. The respective principals of Rich Hill Stud and Nearco Stud bred and sold She’s A Hustler (NZ) (Ace High), who continued her excellent strike rate when she claimed the Gr.3 Tesio Stakes (2040m) at The Valley. The daughter of Rich Hill resident Ace High has won six of her nine starts, with one of her three runner-up finishes posted in last season’s Listed Centaurea Stakes (2017m) at Morphettville. Thompson and Tomlinson previously joined forces to purchase…

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Novara Park Stud stallion King Of Comedy is on the board as a sire, with his son Sir Ruby becoming his first winner when victorious over 1300m at Selangor Turf Club in Malaysia on Sunday. The three-year-old gelding was having his third start for trainer Joseph Leck, having placed on debut in September over 1200m before running fifth last month over 1150m. In the hands of jockey Harmeet Singh Gill, Sir Ruby was able to secure the coveted one-one position early and enjoyed an economical passage for much of the…

Mapperley Stud stallion Armory recorded his first winner on Sunday when his two-year-old daughter Silhouette raced to a dominant victory in the Fusion Electrical Two-Year-Old (900m) at Trentham. Prepared by Cody Cole and ridden by Sam Collett, Silhouette oozed professionalism, crossing to lead the small field of three and was barely asked for an effort as she extended to win by four and a quarter lengths. Silhouette had trialed well when third prior to her raceday outing and shapes as a classy prospect for Cole, who went to $120,000 to…

Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) dreams are still alive for connections of Kiwi stayers Mark Twain and Trav. Both horses were paid up for the $A10 million Flemington showpiece at Monday’s third declarations stage. The Roger James and Robert Wellwood-trained Mark Twain will have his final lead-up run in Wednesday’s $A500,000 Gr.3 Bendigo Cup (2400m). “On his wellbeing and his work, I’d be extremely disappointed if he didn’t run a bold race,” James said. “I’d like him to win or be unlucky in the running and fill a placing, getting home…