Author: NZRacingDesk

Procul Boy (NZ) (Proisir) made up for a late start to his racing career with an eye-catching victory in the Property Brokers – Wanganui (1200m) at Waverley on Wednesday. A five-year-old by Proisir, Procul Boy has been patiently handled by Gail Temperton, who bred and owns the gelding under her Taikorea Thoroughbreds banner. He made his first appearance to the trials back in December of 2023, and over a year later, he returned to Foxton to finish a narrow second over 1000m, showing promising signs ahead of his debut. That…

 An exciting host of 28 individual Group 1 winners headlines entries for FWD Champions Day on Sunday, 27 April at Sha Tin – all chasing a chance to compete for the record HK$74 million prize money on offer across three of world racing’s pre-eminent contests.  Representing owners from Hong Kong, Great Britain, Australia, France, Japan, Ireland, New Zealand, the United Arab Emirates, the United States of America, Bahrain and Qatar, 95 horses are vying for starts in the HK$28 million G1 FWD QEII Cup (2000m), HK$24 million G1 FWD Champions…

Derby placegetter Golden Century (NZ) (Pierro) will travel to Sydney next week to contest the Gr.2 Tulloch Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill, ahead of a possible tilt at the A$2 million Gr.1 Australian Derby (2400m) on April 5.  While still a maiden after seven starts, Golden Century has shown promise from his debut and only narrowly missed the top honours in the Listed Gingernuts Salver (2100m) in January. He continued on to the $1.25 million Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) on Champions Day, where he missed the start and powered home…

Retired superstar Imperatriz will have a race named in her honour from this season’s Cox Plate Day forward, with the program’s existing open 1000-metre handicap now titled the Imperatriz Sprint. The event’s prizemoney will be increased from $150,000 to $200,000 and will be run over the same course on which Imperatriz won the Group 2 McEwen and G1 Moir Stakes in 2023. The Moir victory saw Imperatriz set The Valley’s current 1000-metre course record at 56.47 seconds. She finished her career with five wins from as many starts at The…

Michael and Matthew Pitman have made the journey from Canterbury to Trentham for many years with an abundance of success along the way, a trend they hope to continue on Saturday with Mystic Park (NZ) (Ocean Park) taking on the Listed Bill Tito Book Repair Specialist Lightning Handicap (1200m). The father-son training partnership won the Lightning back in 2020 with Enzo’s Lad, a galloper that also won two editions of the Gr.1 Telegraph (1200m) at the champagne turf before campaigning in Hong Kong and England. Mystic Park is the newest…

Promising three-year-old Sought After (NZ) (Tivaci) is to head down a familiar route for Waikato Stud and continue his career in Australia.  The homebred and raced son of Tivaci will cross the Tasman next week to join the Pakenham stable of Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman.  Sought After will be following in the footsteps of the Matamata farm’s star galloper I Wish I Win (NZ) (Savabeel), who was recently retired following a glittering career.  He was a two-time Group One winner, claimed the Golden Eagle (1500m), posted multiple top-flight placings…

Improving four-year-old First Five (NZ) (Almanzor) will step into open company for the first time in Friday’s Nikau Contractors (1400m) at Pukekohe Park. The son of Almanzor was tried over middle-distance trips as a three-year-old and in the recent spring, but has found his sweet spot back over the sprint trips, winning twice and placing in the remainder of his last four starts. David Greene, who prepares First Five out of Te Rapa, had hoped to continue his momentum into the $350,000 Wairere Falls Classic (1500m) at Matamata earlier this…

Leading trainer Mick Price says Public Attention‘s (NZ) (Written Tycoon) racing days could be as a sprinter, with doubts over whether the grey colt sees out a strong longer trip. The Written Tycoon colt won first-up over 1200m and ran well in the Gr.2 Hobartville Stakes (1400m) won by Broadsiding but may not have seen out the 1500m in the inaugural NZB Kiwi in New Zealand. Public Attention was targeted at and eventually ran fifth in last year’s Gr.1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m). “He’s run 1400m, 1500m, 1600m and each time…

Wolfgang (NZ) (Puccini) will aim to complete his best season to date on a high on Saturday, chasing another Trentham distance feature in The Frac Club New Zealand St Leger (2500m). A gelding by Puccini, Wolfgang has flourished in his six-year-old season, kicking off with victories at the Hawke’s Bay and Matamata premier meetings, before a successful trip across the Tasman where he finished fourth in the Gr.3 Geelong Cup (2400m). Back at home, he went on to place in the Gr.3 Balmerino Stakes (2000m) and Gr.3 Manawatu Cup (2400m),…

A year after disaster struck in a stakes race at Riccarton Park, in-form mare Contemplation Bay (NZ) (Rageese) will be back for redemption as she takes on the Gr.3 South Island Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m) on Saturday. The daughter of Rageese was a fast-improving three-year-old, progressing through to an attempt at the Listed NZB Insurance Stakes (1600m), but after just 600m, her saddle slipped severely and she was ruled out of contention. Contemplation Bay swiftly bounced back, winning her final start of the campaign and opening up plenty of opportunities…