Author: NZRacingDesk

Doctor Askar (NZ) (Derryn) has had a near perfect record this year and he will be seeking to continue his golden run this spring, with several Group Ones in the crosshairs. The homebred gelding won all but one of his six starts for trainer Joanne Moss earlier this year, culminating in victories in the Listed Flying Handicap (1400m) and Gr.3 Easter Handicap (1600m), and stakes targets are once again in the pipeline. “That was pretty exciting with what he did, but we are in a new season now,” Moss said.…

Local gelding Heart of Gold (NZ) (Niagara) will be out to defend his crown in the $100,000 TAB Polytrack Championship (2000m) at Cambridge’s synthetic meeting on Friday, and trainer Sam Mynott believes he is up for the challenge. The eight-year-old son of Niagara was a convincing 4-1/4 length victor of last year’s race but will have his work cut out for him in this year’s edition, having been lumbered with 62kg. “He has got 4kgs more than last year, but he is in a really good place, so we have…

Platinum Emperor (NZ) (Sweynesse) and Cavalry (NZ) (Tavistock) renewed their rivalry after finishing 1-2 respectively in the Mitavite Asia Cup (Metro A – 1400m) three weeks ago and repeated that result in the Supreme A race over 1600m at Selangor racecourse in Malaysia on Sunday. Whereas Platinum Emperor was hard-pressed before winning by half a length last time out, the Sweynesse gelding had it much easier this time, coasting home by 2-1/2 lengths to bring his record in the country to three wins from four starts for the former Macau…

Smart four-year-old Evaporate (NZ) (Per Incanto) is nearing a return to racing after winning a jump-out at Flemington on Monday morning. Prepared by Ben, Will and JD Hayes, Evaporate was a Group Two winner last season and coped admirably with a campaign that took in races in Melbourne, Auckland and Sydney.   Evaporate jumped out sporting earmuffs on Monday. “We were very happy with him,” Ben Hayes said. “He was in the same jump-out as Mr Brightside and having a harder hit-out. It was his second hit-out and we thought…

Bryce Newman is content on playing the long game with his talented filly Abbakiss (Microphone), who made a sharp return to the trials on Tuesday at Foxton. The Bulls horseman unveiled Abbakiss as an early two-year-old and she swiftly showed her talent, winning an open two-year-old event before going down by a narrow margin to To Cap It All in the Listed Wellesley Stakes (1100m). The daughter of Microphone earned her place in the Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) and did her connections proud in the million-dollar feature, finishing sixth in…

Emily Murphy brings you Winter Weigh In, your place for Thoroughbred racing news, reviews and insights throughout the colder months. The team look back at the first day of racing from the Grand National Carnival at Riccarton. Winter Weigh In, August 4

Lance Noble has his eye on a major early season prize with one of the few older members of his stable. The Karaka-based private trainer for Cambridge Stud has the Gr.1 Proisir Plate (1400m) on September 6 top of his wish list for the well-performed Habana (Zoustar). “He’s got a good record at Ellerslie, he likes going right-handed and it’s not far from home,” Noble said. “We’ll get him as fit as we can and try and see if we can maybe catch a few of the others a bit…

All eyes will be on the John and Karen Parsons-trained trio of Tumuch, La Bella Nera and Miss Brittany in Wednesday’s $100,000 Polytrack Championship (1200m) at Riccarton, but fellow local hope Gemma Flitz (NZ) (Telperion) will be out to spoil the party.  The Ross Beckett-trained mare sealed her berth into the race with victory over 1200m at the track last month. The now seven-year-old daughter of Telperion had been knocking on the door, placing in her previous four starts, and Beckett was pleased to finally get a winner’s cheque.  “We…

Riccarton trainer Lance Robinson is a big advocate for synthetic track racing, and he is looking forward to lining up a trio of runners in the country’s equal-richest polytrack race at his home track on Wednesday.  “It (Polytrack Championship) is great, especially for the lower grade horses,” Robinson said. “Getting a crack at being able to run for $100,000 at this time of year is excellent.  “I am a big fan of the polytrack, especially at this time of year. We wouldn’t have half of the horses in work if…

Classy mare Val Di Zoldo (NZ) (War Decree) will have the opportunity to test her talents at the highest level this term after resuming with a tidy trial at Taupo on Monday. In the care of Cambridge horseman Tony Pike, Val Di Zoldo broke a streak of poor luck when taking out the Gr.3 Manawatu Breeders Stakes (2050m) and Gr.2 Travis Stakes (2000m) in the autumn, which lifted her rating up to 98. In her first outing since the Travis Stakes, Val Di Zoldo strode out comfortably in her 900m…