Author: NZRacingDesk

Central Districts jockey Sam O’Malley has had a quiet last few years in the saddle but made a winning return at Waverley on Thursday when taking out the Pioneer – P8240 (1650m) aboard the Allan Sharrock-trained Fulla Grace (NZ) (Ocean Park).  It was O’Malley’s first win in three years, with weight issues derailing his riding career on the flat, and with no ambitions of riding over fences, he elected to take some time away from the sport.  “The weight was a problem on the flat and it was getting too…

Ahead of the anniversary of his imperious racetrack finale in the Gr. 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes on Day 2 of The Championships at Randwick in 2014, it’s fitting to announce Dundeel (NZ) (High Chaparral) as the latest inductee to the New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame. Returning to the scene of his Spring Champion Stakes and Australian Derby victories as a three-year-old, Dundeel took his Group One tally to six with victory in the race that has become synonymous with the Sydney autumn carnival. The High Chaparral colt’s career had…

There will be plenty of New Zealand interest in FWD Champions Day at Sha Tin on April 27, headlined by Kiwi raider El Vencedor (NZ) (Shocking).  The multiple Group One winner was rated the 10th joint best galloper in the world in the latest LONGINES World’s Best Racehorse Rankings, and the Stephen Marsh-trained gelding will head to the competitive racing jurisdiction to test his talent in the Gr.1 FWD QEII Cup (2000m).  He attracted plenty of interest from the international racing fraternity following his impressive run of form in New Zealand,…

Pam Gerard came close to picking up a three-year-old major across the Tasman this season with Savaglee (NZ) (Savabeel), and the Matamata trainer is back with another rising star in pursuit of Saturday’s A$1 million Gr.1 Australian Oaks (2400m) at Randwick. Savaglee finished a close-up second to Feroce (NZ) (Super Seth) at Flemington in the Gr.1 Australian Guineas (1600m) last month, and on this occasion it will be the turn of Dubai Gold (NZ) (Pride Of Dubai), who pushed Leica Lucy (NZ) (Derryn) right to the wire in the Gr.1…

Samantha Wynne recently bid farewell to her star three-year-old Pivotal Ten (NZ) (Ten Sovereigns), but waiting in the wings has been Kellanzor (NZ) (Almanzor), who gets her opportunity in the spotlight in Saturday’s Listed NZB Airfreight Stakes (1600m) at Riccarton. The Canterbury trainer-jockey had an outstanding summer with Pivotal Ten, winning the Listed NZB Insurance Stakes (1400m), Listed Gore Guineas (1335m) and Listed Southland Guineas (1400m), earning herself a place in the $3.5 million NZB Kiwi (1500m). Meanwhile, Kellanzor worked her way through maidens swiftly and finished a meritorious fifth…

Wingatui trainer Shankar Muniandy is riding the crest of a wave with his talented filly Loose Sally (NZ) (Turn Me Loose), and he is hoping that continues at Riccarton on Saturday when she contests the Listed NZB Airfreight Stakes (1600m). The daughter of Turn Me Loose placed behind in-form filly Pivotal Ten (NZ) (Ten Sovereigns) in the Listed NZB Insurance Stakes (1400m) at Wingatui on Boxing Day before returning to the Dunedin track last month where she was victorious in the Listed Dunedin Guineas (1600m), giving Muniandy his second consecutive…

New Zealand is set to open its stable doors this November with the launch of the inaugural National Thoroughbred Week—a five-day initiative aimed at giving the public an inside look at the care, passion, and people behind the country’s thoroughbred racing industry. Running from November 20–24, racing stables, stud farms, and aftercare facilities across New Zealand will welcome visitors for a hands-on experience—offering everything from observing morning trackwork to learning about equine welfare and life after racing. The initiative comes at a time of growing public interest in animal welfare and…

Champion trainer Chris Waller has labelled the Australian Oaks a clash of the queens as two classic winners from opposite sides of the Tasman prepare to do battle. While Waller has opted not to back-up star New Zealand-bred Aeliana (NZ) (Castelvecchio) from her stunning Australian Derby triumph, he will have former Kiwi Leica Lucy (NZ) (Derryn) and Verry Elleegant’s (NZ) (Zed) close relation Belle Detelle (Zed) engaged. The pair face an onerous task against Matt Laurie-trained star Treasurethe Moment, the VRC Oaks heroine and winner of her past seven starts,…

Champagne Diblu won’t lack support when the trial-winning youngster opens his career on his home track at Riccarton on Saturday. The Anna Furlong-trained son of Russian Revolution will be cheered on by a sizeable ownership crew when he steps out in the Listed Riccarton Park Function Centre Welcome Stakes (1000m). “He was our first micro-share horse and we’ve tried to get people involved in the game at a lower cost,” Furlong said. “It’s been pretty successful and there’s a wonderful group behind him who are all pretty excited to get…

The $5 million Queen Elizabeth Stakes is shaping as a moment of truth for Ceolwulf (NZ) (Tavistock) as the dual Group One-winning miler seeks to prove he can mix it with the country’s best horses over a middle distance. Ceolwulf will take his place in a crack field that boasts Cox Plate winner Via Sistina, international raiders Dubai Honour and Rousham Park, Australian Cup winner Light Infantry Man and pre-post Melbourne Cup fancy Vauban. The winner of the Epsom Handicap-King Charles III Stakes double over a mile in the spring, Ceolwulf had his autumn campaign interrupted when he missed a scheduled run in the Verry Elleegant Stakes. He was forced…