Author: NZRacingDesk

Leica Lucy signed off the New Zealand stage of her career with a Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks (2400m) victory that showcased all of the class and courage that has made her this season’s standout filly. The Taranaki superstar arrived at Trentham on Saturday with a near-flawless record of five wins and a second from six starts. After running first and second in a pair of 1400m races in the spring, Leica Lucy strung together four consecutive victories with increasingly impressive performances in the Gr.3 Eulogy Stakes…

Unfancied filly Vegas Queen survived a post-race protest from runner-up Archaic Smile to collect her biggest victory after an incident-packed finish to the Gr.2 IRT Wellington Guineas (1600m) at Trentham. Sent to the front by rider Wiremu Pinn, the Kenny Rae-prepared daughter of Rich Hil Stud stallion Proisir looked to be full of running as she rounded the home bend two lengths clear of her rivals after making all of the pace from barrier rise. In a desperate finish, she held out the hard-charging pair of Archaic Smile and Dramatic…

For the second year in a row, a big autumn stage at Riccarton has brought the very best out of talented local mare Epee Beel. The daughter of Epaulette secured her first black-type success in the Listed NZB Insurance Stakes (1600m) in April of last year, and she delivered a repeat result over the same course and distance in Saturday’s Gr.3 Donaldson Brown South Island Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m). Epee Beel went into the $100,000 fillies and mares’ feature with no wins to her name from 12 starts this season,…

Taranaki trainer Robbie Patterson kicked off his assault on the stakes races at Trentham on Saturday with a bang as underrated mare Our Jumala prevailed in a titanic struggle in the Gr.3 Wentwood Grange Cuddle Stakes (1600m). The six-year-old daughter of Zed has always shown plenty of promise throughout her career including a runner-up finish in the Gr.3 Manawatu Breeders’ Stakes (2000m) at this time last year and finally achieved a richly deserved stakes race victory with a barnstorming finish in the hands of Joe Doyle. A winning result didn’t…

Saturday’s $1m Group One Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks (2400m) at Trentham will be the 11th and final leg of an NZB Filly of the Year Series that has been completely dominated by Leica Lucy (NZ) (Derryn). The Oaks would be Leica Lucy’s fifth win of the series and lift her to 40 points. Only two fillies in the last two decades have bettered that – Jennifer Eccles (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle) with 44.5 points in 2019-20, and Justa Tad (NZ) (Istidaad) with 42 in 2004-05. In the last four seasons, the winning scores have been…

Up-and-comer Risque Ruler will face the biggest test of her short career in Saturday’s Gr.3 Wentwood Grange Cuddle Stakes (1600m) at Trentham, and her regular rider Chris Dell is confident she will be up to the task. The four-year-old daughter of Mongolian Khan has made a big impression with powerful finishes for three wins and a second from her last four starts. Risque Ruler scored back-to-back wins over 1600m at Ellerslie in November and 1300m at Te Rapa in December, then flew from last into second in a 1500m race…

Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott will take a trio of three-year-olds to Trentham on Saturday in search of a second straight win in the Gr.2 IRT Wellington Guineas (1400m). The Matamata trainers won the race by a wide margin last year with Grail Seeker, who has gone on to add the Gr.1 Tarzino Trophy (1400m) and Telegraph (1200m) as a four-year-old this season. This year’s Wexford Stables contingent is made up of Sethito, Cheaha and Wounder. Sethito finished sixth in the inaugural $3.5 million NZB Kiwi (1500m) at Ellerslie two…

Ciaron Maher is backing in the class of Group 1 Oakleigh Plate winner Jimmysstar (NZ) (Per Incanto) ahead of his Valley debut in Saturday’s $1 million William Reid Stakes. A new fresh-is-best approach has seen Maher stick to a sprinting path with the son of Per Incanto, having only started below 1200 metres once before his last-start Oakleigh Plate win – when he also won fresh first-up in the spring. Maher said he has no concerns about the powerful finisher navigating the tight circumference at The Valley. “I think he’ll…

While distance may be a query for Island Life (NZ) (Vadamos) in Saturday’s Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks (2400m), the talented filly has given Steven Ramsay and Julia Ritchie every reason to attempt the million-dollar Classic. Racing in the colours of Sir Peter Vela’s Pencarrow Stud, Island Life has done little wrong in her three-year-old season, placing behind Tuxedo in the Gr.3 Wellington Stakes (1600m) and Real Class in the Gr.2 Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes (2000m). The Oaks was always the long-term goal for Island Life, and…

Joe Pride joined Racing Pulse with Michael Felgate to discuss his runners for the upcoming weekend, headlined by Ceolwulf in the George Ryder. CLICK TO PLAY AUDIO