Author: NZRacingDesk

Time has been a friend to a once-erratic Bradman, who will have just celebrated his eighth birthday when he tackles Saturday’s Gr.3 Winning Edge Presentations 128th Winter Cup (1600m) at Riccarton Park. The son of Pins and champion broodmare Baggy Green, Bradman was a frequent in the stewards report through his early years on the track, but perseverance paid off for trainer Roydon Bergerson when as a six-year-old, Bradman had his best-ever season collecting a stakes victory and over $146,000. “He was mentally insecure, you go back through his history…

Earlier in the year, Bevan and Robyn Wilson mapped out a plan for three of their talented gallopers to tackle Saturday’s Gr.3 Winning Edge Presentations Winter Cup (1600m), and despite a few challenges, the trio will each take their place in the Riccarton showpiece. Well-known for training and racing their homebred horses, the Ashburton couple have had their best season since Robyn joined the partnership in 2018, training 10 winners and 12 placegetters from just 45 starters. Royal Valour, Lord Darci and Victorian Charm have all contributed to that amount,…

Kelvin Tyler will be represented by young and old at the Grand National opener on Saturday at Riccarton Park, including a pair of promising juveniles stepping out at three for the first time. The aptly-named Four The Moment and Fourofus will go head-to-head in the Christchurch Casino 30th South Island Awards – 12 September Three-Year-Old (1200m), both appearing off a spell after they quinellaed the Excellency Stakes (1100m) in April on their home course of Riverton. Only a nose could split them on that occasion and Tyler expects a similar…

High-class New Zealand juvenile La Dorada (NZ) (Super Seth) could potentially be seen at Group One level at her first assignment since crossing the Tasman to join Mark Walker’s Cranbourne stable. The daughter of Super Seth has been bested in only one of her five starts to date, when runner-up in the Gr.2 Eclipse Stakes (1200m) to Too Sweet at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day, but subsequently went on to win the $1 million Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m), Gr.2 Matamata Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) and Gr.1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m).…

The New Zealand breeding industry has once again demonstrated its commitment to the next generation, with an outstanding fundraising result at the National Breeding Awards securing the future of the Sunline Trust International Management Scholarship. Held as part of the 2025 National Breeding Awards, the fundraiser raised well over six figures – an outcome that not only ensures the scholarship’s continuation, but gives it the capacity to thrive into the future and provide more young leaders with the opportunity of a lifetime. At the heart of the evening was a…

The first foal by Highview Stud stallion Mr Mozart has arrived with breeder James Chapman of Jamieson Park delighted with the filly which is out of the Almanzor mare Qdos, a half-sister to black-type performers Sacred Master, Kia Ora Jewel and Tears of an Angel. Chapman part-owned Mr Mozart during his racing career and has doubled down on the Group Two winning son of Snitzel now that he has retired to Highview Stud. “I have 13 mares in foal to him at Jameison Park and he has 79 in foal…

Te Akau Racing have continued their dominant run, securing their 12th New Zealand Trainers’ Premiership this season with a tally of 131 wins, 27 clear of nearest rival Stephen Marsh. It’s the second season Sam Bergerson has trained alongside Mark Walker, and he was thrilled to keep his 100 percent premiership strike-rate intact. “I am very fortunate in the fact I joined Mark in a time where the stable has been so strong, and we have got a fantastic team of staff, horses and owners,” Bergerson said. “I have the…

The finalists for the 2024–25 New Zealand Thoroughbred Horse of the Year Awards – sponsored by Sport Nation have produced some fascinating matchups, with voters facing the challenge of comparing standout performers across a variety of form lines, particularly in the two-year-old, three-year-old and sprinter-miler categories. 2024–25 Finalists Champion Two-Year-Old – sponsored by Entain Australia & New ZealandLa Dorada, Return To Conquer Champion Three-Year-Old – sponsored by TAB New ZealandAlabama Lass, Captured By Love, Damask Rose, Leica Lucy, Savaglee, Willydoit Champion Sprinter-Miler (up to 1600m) – sponsored by Taylor Perry…

Champion jockey Craig Grylls takes an uncomplicated approach to his riding and that will again carry over to the new season. The 35-year-old had the 2024/25 New Zealand Jockeys’ Premiership parcelled up well in advance of the term’s end with 141 winners, with runner-up Michael McNab on 86. “I’m really chuffed, it’s good when everything works out and there’s been a lot of travelling and I wouldn’t say it’s been easy, but it’s been very rewarding and I’m absolutely stoked,” Grylls said. Such was his lead, the Matamata-based Grylls was…

Jumping has always been Stephen Nickalls’ main passion in racing, and while he is heading to the South Island’s premier jumping carnival on Saturday, flat racing will be his priority. The Manawatu trainer is heading south with his Group One performer Chase (NZ) (Zed), who will tackle the Gr.3 Winning Edge Presentations 128th Winter Cup (1600m) on the opening day of Riccarton’s Grand National Festival of Racing. The rising 10-year-old gelding earned his ticket south with a 1-3/4 length victory over a mile at Hawera a fortnight ago and a…