Author: NZRacingDesk

Chris Wood joined Racing Pulse with Michael Felgate to reflect on Smug’s victory on Sunday, where he had a stirring battle down the final straight with star jumper, West Coast. Smug was tough to win the Hawkes Bay Steeplechase on Sunday – Racing Pulse with Michael Felgate – Omny.fm

Emily Murphy brings you Winter Weigh In, your place for Thoroughbred racing news, reviews and insights throughout the colder months. We review the best races of the weekend and Shaun Fannin joins the show to compare West Coast to Jesko. Winter Weigh In, July 14

Andrew Forsman is hoping the younger members of his stable can make their mark in the new season’s age group events.  The Cambridge trainer is blessed with an array of youthful talent, both raced and unraced, although he is mindful of the challenges that lay ahead.  In the immediate future, he also has two strong chances at Avondale on Wednesday with Rio Grande (NZ) (Vadamos) and Eloise (NZ) (Iffraaj) primed to advance his tally of 55 winners in the 2024/25 term, his best since the retirement of former training partner…

Corrina McDougal had to wait on a protest before earning her first training success, but on Sunday at Woodville, her 100th was never in doubt. The Hastings horsewoman, who trains in partnership with Paul Nelson, had the $2.50 favourite in Kwanza (NZ) (Zed) engaged in the MacDougalls (2100m) and he justified that price with a dominant performance. In the hands of Jonathan Riddell, the son of Zed settled just worse than midfield, but cruised through the pack turning for home and powered clear in the straight, putting three lengths on his…

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The Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained Group One winner Warmonger has been sidelined due to injury, with plans for a tilt at this year’s Caulfield and Melbourne Cups in tatters. The son of War Decree has suffered a tendon injury that will see the four-year-old out of action for at least 12 months. The runaway winner of last year’s Gr.1 Queensland Derby finished second in the Listed Randwick City Stakes (2000m) behind Alalcance in the autumn and raced without luck when unplaced in both the Gr.1 Tancred Stakes and…

The Jamie Richards-trained Bulb General crowned his return from serious illness with an impressive breakthrough victory at Sha Tin on Sunday. The three-year-old son of Embellish had begun his Hong Kong career in encouraging style with a debut third earlier this year before he was sidelined. “He raced very well in February and the form out of the race was strong and, unfortunately, he did get held up with a little bout of colic after his first run,” trainer Jamie Richards told the Hong Kong Jockey Club. “He’s made a…

It was a proud moment in the Taiaroa family on Sunday when amateur jockey Evan Taiaroa recorded his first win in the saddle aboard Grand Prospect at Woodville for Foxton trainer Sue Walsh. “It was great to finally get the monkey off the back,” Taiaroa said. The 47-year-old hoop has had a lifetime involvement in racing, having followed his jockey father, Arnold Taiaroa, into the sport. “Dad showed me the ropes when I was six to about 12-years-old,” Taiaroa said. “My mother was really against it because she didn’t want…

Southern horsewoman Samantha Wynne is recuperating in Christchurch Hospital after sustaining serious head injuries in a horse-related incident on Saturday morning. Wynne, who relocated to New Zealand from her native Ireland over a decade ago, has made Canterbury home, where she has been both a successful jockey and more recently a trainer. She had enjoyed a memorable season, highlighted by three stakes victories with Pivotal Ten, who she rode in the inaugural $3.5 million NZB Kiwi (1500m) at Ellerslie in March. As she does on a regular basis, the 36-year-old…

The Great Northern Hurdle (4200m) has always been the major target for Fourty Eight this preparation, and the hopes of reaching the iconic race took a massive step forward at Woodville on Sunday when he took out the Cody Singer Memorial (4000m) in convincing fashion. Raced by a large contingent of owners, including breeder Sheena Martin and the Frac Club, Fourty Eight had been suffering from feet issues over the last couple of months and trainers Shaun and Hazel Fannin thought their hopes of getting to the Great Northern were…