Author: NZRacingDesk

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The Bjorn Baker-trained Hollywood Hero (NZ) (Sacred Falls) followed the rail home under a perfect Dylan Gibbons ride to claim the Charity Challenge Handicap (1600m) at Randwick on Saturday. It was the first leg of a double for the pair, who would later combine with Miss Kim Kar to win the last race on the card. It was the fifth career win for Hollywood Hero, who is a half-brother to Group One winner Never Been Kissed (NZ) (Tivaci). “Hollywood Hero is a strange horse as he just has to be…

Hot favourite War Machine (NZ) (Harry Angel) made light work of his rivals in the Gr.3 BRC Sprint (1350m) at Doomben on Saturday and it is now all systems go as the four-year-old heads towards the Gr.1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm on June 14.  Prepared by Ben, Will and JD Hayes, the New Zealand bred galloper is a recent addition to the Lindsay Park team, having transferred from the stable of the late the late Michael Moroney and Glen Thompson. A last-start Caulfield winner from his new quarters,…

The Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman-trained Roadcone (Almanzor) led his rivals a merry dance when winning the Stow Storage Solutions Handicap (1600m) at Sandown on Saturday, bringing up a treble for the stable and jockey Luke Cartwright. The four-year-old son of Almanzor was perfectly ridden by the in-form apprentice who utilised his three-kilo claim when setting a solid tempo and had too much dash for his rivals as Persian Spirit (Cable Bay) and Otago (NZ) (Ocean Park) chased in-vain. With Moody on holiday in Scotland, Coleman cheered home three consecutive…

Trainer Tony Gollan has earmarked the Gr.1 Cox Plate (2040m) as the long-range target for star galloper Antino (NZ) (Redwood) after a stunning victory in the Gr.1 Doomben Cup (2000m) on Saturday. Paired with Blake Shinn, the six-year-old son of Redwood has thrived with a pattern of circling the field and dashing for home early and the tactics again paid full dividends as the near-black gelding surged to a four length triumph over Fawkner Park (Zoffany) and Kovalica (NZ) (Ocean Park). Campaigned predominantly as a sprinter-miler throughout his career, Antino…

Last year’s Gr.1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) winner Pulchritudinous landed her first blow across the Tasman with a gritty victory in the Gr.3 Magic Millions Fillies & Mares Mile (1600m) at Doomben on Saturday for trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott. The four-year-old daughter of Wrote was having her fourth run since being sold out of Chad Ormsby’s stable and despite sitting three-wide throughout fought doggedly under jockey Tim Clark to defeat Adiella and Exotique Miss. “She a lovely mare,” Bott said. “We’re very fortunate to have her in the…

The $120,000 Listed Opunake Cup (1400m) at New Plymouth on July 19 is looming on the horizon for course specialist Chajaba (NZ) (Keano), who added another win to his remarkable record at the track on Saturday. Chajaba is now an eight-time winner from 28 career starts, and Saturday’s Seaton Park (1400m) was his sixth win from only 14 appearances at New Plymouth. The eight-year-old son of Keano was assigned a testing topweight of 60kg for Saturday’s feature sprint, but Egan eased that burden with apprentice jockey Elle Sole’s 3kg claim.…

Group One winner Velocious (Written Tycoon) bounced back to her brilliant best in the Jarvis Trading (1100m) at Te Rapa on Saturday, raising the possibility of a trans-Tasman mission. The Stephen Marsh-trained filly was New Zealand’s champion two-year-old last season, when she won four of her six starts, including the Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) and the Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m). Her three-year-old season has been an up-and-down journey for her connections. There was a wind operation in the spring, then a smart first-up win at Te Aroha in March, then…

Trainer John Sargent has a soft-spot for handy stayer Causal Connection, who once again relished the heavy track conditions at Randwick on Saturday as he notched win number eight of his career when successful in the PF Civil Handicap (2400m). Ridden positively by apprentice Molly Bourke, the six-year-old son of Complacent maintained a strong gallop to the line after being left in front 600m from home and defeated the fast-finishing Wuddzz, also a son of Complacent, by nearly three-lengths. “I own this horse with some friends from New Zealand and…

Progressive three-year-old gelding Taken showed his fighting qualities over the concluding stages of the Sportsbet More Places Handicap (1600m) at Sandown on Saturday when repelling the challenge of Detroit City. The Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained galloper was sent out the $4.20 favourite in the hands of Jamie Melham and was given a perfect ride outside the leader. When asked for an effort mid-straight, the son of Ardrossan kept finding for Melham, who cajoled enough from the gelding as she defeated her husband Ben on the runner-up. Originally prepared…