Author: NZRacingDesk

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Emma-Lee and David Browne planned to use Saturday’s A$130,000 Robert Taranto Handicap (1400m) at Caulfield as a lead-up to a country cup for Rhinoceros (NZ) (Vadamos), but the New Zealand-bred gelding had other ideas and rattled home for a $31 upset win. The six-year-old headed into Saturday’s race with a strong run of form away from the bright lights of metropolitan racing. He had won the Dunkeld Cup (1800m) in November and the Colac Cup (2000m) in February, followed by a fourth in the Echuca Cup (1400m) and a last-start…

New Zealand-bred filly Aeliana (NZ) (Castelvecchio) secured a special place in the 164-year history of the Gr.1 Australian Derby (2400m) with a stunning five-length blitz in the A$2 million classic at Randwick on Saturday. Aeliana became only the 10th filly to win the Australian Derby, and one of just two in the last 35 years. The other filly to win the race during that period was fellow New Zealand-bred Shamrocker (NZ) (O’Reilly) in 2011. The Chris Waller-trained Aeliana burst on the scene in the spring with back-to-back wins in the…

For the second year in a row, Horsham trainer Paul Preusker has won the A$200,000 Gr.3 Tobin Brothers Celebrating Lives Easter Cup (2000m) at Caulfield with a New Zealand-bred. Preusker won the race with Savabeel gelding Captain Envious (NZ) (Savabeel) last year, and on Saturday he secured a repeat result with Tarzino five-year-old Torranzino (NZ) (Tarzino). The Easter Cup was Torranzino’s third start in his current preparation, having run a bold first-up fourth behind Deny Knowledge in the Listed Victoria Gold Cup (2000m) in late February before a close last-start…

After taking on elite opposition all season, Sacred Satono (NZ) (Satono Aladdin) stepped down in class and scored a deserved victory in the Elsdon Park (1300m) at Ellerslie on Saturday. The $65,000 open handicap was the first time Sacred Satono has raced below Group or Listed level in his five-year-old preparation. His seven previous starts produced a seventh in the Gr.2 Foxbridge Plate (1200m), third in the Gr.1 Tarzino Trophy (1400m), second in the Gr.3 Counties Bowl (1100m), fourth in the Gr.3 Concorde Stakes (1200m), second in the Gr.1 Telegraph…

The form out of New Zealand’s newest and richest race stood tall on one of Australia’s biggest stages when Evaporate (NZ) (Per Incanto) won the Gr.3 HKJC World Pool Carbine Club Stakes (1600m) on the opening day of The Championships at Randwick on Saturday. Evaporate’s last start was in the inaugural $3.5 million NZB Kiwi (1500m) at Ellerslie on March 8, where he was a gallant runner-up behind Te Akau Racing filly Damask Rose. The Ben, Will and JD Hayes-trained Evaporate had previously been a top-flight performer in Melbourne. He…

Cambridge mare Val Di Zoldo (NZ) (War Decree) bounced backed to winning form after a lengthy hiatus away from the top step of the podium as she took out the Gr.3 Intowin.co.nz Manawatu Breeders’ Stakes (2050m) in a desperate finish at Wanganui. The Tony Pike-prepared daughter of War Decree had looked a filly of real quality during her two and three-year-old campaigns that saw her take out the Gr.2 Lowland Stakes (2100m) amongst a number of fine performances. However, it had been over two years since she saluted the judge…

Cambridge trainer Stephen Marsh was expected to dominate proceedings in Saturday’s Barfoot & Thompson 1500 (1500m) at Ellerslie and did just that by filling the trifecta in the event, however the win by progressive galloper Penman (NZ) (Contributer) was not without incident after he was promoted ahead of stablemate Erin Go Bragh (NZ) (Vadamos), who had crossed the line ahead of him. Punters had expected topweight Penman, who had contested the rich $3.5 million NZB Kiwi (1500m) at his most recent start, to be the hardest to beat as he…

Group One winner He’s A Doozy (NZ) (Zacinto) snapped a sequence of disappointing performances with a three-length runaway in the Wanganui-Taranaki Racehorse Owners Association Open (1600m) at Wanganui on Saturday. The Zacinto gelding was one of the standouts of the central districts as a five-year-old two seasons ago, winning the Gr.1 Thorndon Mile (1600m) and Gr.3 Thompson Handicap (1600m) at Trentham along with a successful southern raid on the Gr.3 Coupland’s Bakeries Mile (1600m) at Riccarton. He’s A Doozy added an open handicap victory over 1600m at Trentham in March…

A lucrative winter could be in store for talented New Zealand-bred mare Grey Ice (NZ) (Reliable man), who made a winning return to racing in the A$130,000 Stow Storage Bill Collins Handicap (1600m) at Caulfield on Saturday. Grey Ice rose through the grades last autumn and winter with victories over 1600m at Pakenham, 1400m at the Sunshine Coast and 2200m at the Sunshine Coast. She then went on to contest the Gr.3 Gunsynd Classic (1600m) at Eagle Farm in June, where she was unplaced behind Bases Loaded (Deep field). Saturday’s…