Author: NZRacingDesk

Runaway last-start winner Honey Badger will head to Te Rapa on Saturday as a hot favourite for the Ambient Group 3YO (1100m), where another big performance could earn her a black-type opportunity at Tauranga next month. Honey Badger has shown a real affinity for heavy tracks, with both of her two career victories coming in those conditions. That includes a spectacular performance at Rotorua on May 10, where she blew her Rating 65 opposition away by eight and a half lengths. Trainer Tony Pike is open to the possibility of…

Consistent Taranaki mare Our Jumala has a number of winter features in her future and Robbie Patterson hopes she can pick up the first of those in Saturday’s Listed AGC Training Stakes (1600m) at Wanganui. The daughter of Zed kicked off a series of stakes races on a winning note in the Gr.3 Cuddle Stakes (1600m) in late March, which she followed up with a fourth in the Gr.3 Manawatu Breeders’ Stakes (2050m), fifth in the Gr.2 Travis Stakes (2000m) and a luckless last-start third in the Listed Rotorua Cup…

Dark Destroyer is no stranger to success in Queensland, and he will be looking to replicate his past success when he heads to Eagle Farm on Saturday. Formerly trained by Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott, Dark Destroyer had a successful three-year-old winter campaign in the sunshine state, winning the Gr.3 Rough Habit Plate (2143m) and finished runner-up in the Gr.2 Queensland Guineas (1600m). He went on to Group One glory in the Tarzino Trophy (1400m) the following spring, and after a stint with Sydney trainer John O’Shea, he is now…

Robert Dennis looks set for a lucrative meeting at Wingatui with an in-form team on Sunday, headed by open sprint handicap prospects Chevron and The Hangover. The Ascot Park trainer is enjoying a breakout season with a personal best of 32 winners and stable earnings of nearly $930,000. He has several chances to further his tally with former northerner Chevron and The Hangover both appealing as strong chances in The Mosgiel Tavern Handicap (1400m). The former placed in his first two appearances for Dennis before a comfortable win over 1600m…

Roydon Bergerson only has one preference for all five of his competitive chances on Saturday at Wanganui, a rain-affected track. That was the reality earlier in the week with the abandonment of Tauranga on Wednesday, and while he wouldn’t be wanting it to get to that extent, his top galloper Bradman would appreciate a Heavy surface as he tackles the Listed AGC Training Stakes (1600m). The runner-up in last year’s edition, Bradman is a model of consistency and always a big player in the feature contests, as displayed last start…

New Zealand horseman Nicholas Bishara will cross the Tasman this weekend to watch his filly Belle Detelle (Zed), a three-quarter sister to his ill-fated 11-time Group One Verry Elleegant (NZ) (Zed), contest the Gr.1 Queensland Derby (2400m). The three-year-old Zed filly is out of a half-sister to the Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) heroine, and while Bishara was unable to be trackside for that victory because of COVID-19 restrictions, he is intent on being at Eagle Farm in the flesh on Saturday. “Missing the Melbourne Cup really cut to the core,”…

New Zealand will welcome a familiar face back to the riding ranks in the new season, with three-time Group One-winning hoop Samantha Collett returning from Queensland. Prior to her move across the Tasman, Collett was among the top echelon of Kiwi jockeys, winning two editions of the Gr.1 Auckland Cup (3200m) and a Gr.1 Levin Classic (1600m), as well as a domestic jockeys’ premiership crown in the 2017-18 season. In search of a new challenge in her career, Collett relocated to Brisbane in 2021 and has enjoyed plenty of success,…

Dusty Road (NZ) (Shamexpress) often finds another gear around Te Rapa and his trainer Graeme Cameron is hoping that trend can continue in Saturday’s Captain Compost Landscape Supplies (1400m). The consistent son of Shamexpress won twice at the Waikato venue through the winter period last year, before placing in a Gr.3 Spring Sprint (1400m) during the spring carnival. On resuming this campaign, he was beaten less than a half-length when fourth behind Super Photon (NZ) (Super Seth) at Te Rapa, before filling the same position in Sterling Express’ (NZ) (Shamexpress)…

Highview Stud have announced the service fees for their quartet of stallions this coming breeding season, headlined by Group One producer Wrote, who will stand for a fee of $12,000+GST. A Group One winner himself of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Stakes (1600m), Wrote sired last year’s Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) heroine Pulchritudinous, while his stakes-winning honour roll also includes Group One performer Best Seller and Group Two winner Wrote to Araraki. “We have increased his fee to $12,000+GST for 2025 because he deserves it,” Highview’s Brent Gillovic said.…

Mike Breslin has an eye on the future with his two talented three-year-olds when heading to Te Rapa on Saturday. The Awapuni horseman will present speedy filly Pleasing (NZ) (Russian Revolution) and the untapped Kosta (NZ) (War Decree) at the meeting, each with strong recent form to bring into their respective races. Often the frontrunner, Pleasing has been successful in two of her seven appearances, including the most recent effort when putting a space on her Rating 65 rivals at Hawera earlier this month. Having continued to improve throughout the…