Author: NZRacingDesk

Now that Wrote To Arataki (NZ) (Wrote) has ticked off the 1600 metres box she will return to that trip in next Saturday’s Gr.2 Sunline Stakes (1600m) at The Valley. After Wrote To Arataki won the Gr.3 Frances Tressady Stakes (1400m) at Flemington on February 15, Trainer Matt Williams gave the six-year-old mare her first opportunity over 1600 metres when she finished third in the Gr.3 Matron Stakes at Flemington. In that race, she took up the running and was still in front with 50 metres to go, before she…

The Team unearth some great stories from what on paper looked like a quiet week in racing. They cover everything from Waitak returning to the winners circle, exceptional Australian racing, international jockeys and retired ones. That and plenty more on this weeks Weigh In. Weigh In, March 16

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Seven-year-old mare Electric Belle (NZ) (Power) has yielded a bumper pay day for trainer Reece Goodwin and his owners in the A$250,000 Country Mile Series Final (1600m) at Caulfield on Saturday. The Kiwi-bred daughter of Power came from well-back under a well-timed ride by Damian Lane to land the most lucrative victory of her career, with the mare now the winner of seven races with 13 placings and a total of A$478,635 in prizemoney. The mare has proved a nice hand-me-down, winning five races for Alex Rae as a city-class…

Mighty seven-year-old mare Pride Of Jenni (Pride Of Dubai) was back doing what she does best on Saturday, when running her rivals ragged to land the Gr.2 Peter Young Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield. The Ciaron Maher-trained triple Group One winner signed off on her spring campaign in disappointing fashion when finishing last in the Gr.1 Champions Mile (1600m) after suffering a bleed. After a subsequent enforced layoff, the Trelawney Stud-bred mare returned a winner first-up for the first-time in her career. Under new rider Craig Newitt, Pride Of Jenni adopted…

Grande Gallo (NZ) (Belardo) collected her third win from four starts at Tauranga with a narrow victory over three-year-old Yaldi (NZ) (Ardrossan) in the Triton Pacific Owens Plate (1200m) on Saturday. The daughter of Belardo won the three-year-old race on the undercard of this same Japan Trophy meeting 12 months ago, which has proved to be a strong form reference for the 2025 edition. Grande Gallo won that race by two lengths over You Say D’Orsay (Under The Louvre), who also returned a year later on Saturday and won the…

A week after Blake Shinn’s rail-skimming masterclass to guide Damask Rose (NZ) (Savabeel) from last to first in the inaugural NZB Kiwi (1500m), Ryan Elliot followed a similar script to help Waitak (NZ) (Proisir) triumph in Saturday’s Gr.2 Ultimate Mazda Japan Trophy (1600m) at Tauranga. The $150,000 feature was a step down in class following a string of high-class summer assignments for Waitak, who has contested 10 Group One races in his 30-start career. The Proisir gelding had gone winless since taking out the Gr.1 Sistema Railway (1200m) in January…

Smart middle-distance three-year-old King Of Thunder (NZ) (Tivaci) will get another chance at Classic success following a strong second-up victory in the Bisley Workwear Handicap (1900) at Rosehill on Saturday for trainer John O’Shea and Tom Charlton. The son of Tivaci (AUS) was beaten just over four lengths when seventh in the Gr.1 VRC Derby (2500m) in the spring having placed in the Gr.2 Vase (2040m) at The Valley and will target next month’s Gr.1 Australian Derby (2400m). Ridden by Zac Lloyd, King Of Thunder came from midfield on the…

Consistent galloper Orlov (NZ) (Sweynesse) picked up his ninth career victory when he took out the feature event on the Wanganui card, the Carpet Maintenance & Cleaning Open (2040m), in the process providing trainer David Haworth with a winning double on the day. The seven-year-old son of Sweynesse had enjoyed a purple patch of form towards the end of his autumn campaign last season and early in his current preparation he was narrowly beaten by Group One performer Whangaehu (NZ) (Proisir) in the Listed Wanganui Cup (2040m). Unplaced at his…

Venerable galloper Bankers Choice (NZ) (Mongolian Khan) provided a feel-good story for all concerned when he became trainer Glen Thompson’s first solo victor since the recent shock passing of his co-trainer Mike Moroney. The seven-year-old son of Mongolian Khan proved too good for his rivals in a tactical five-horse field when scoring a comfortable three-quarters of a length victory in the DCE Handicap (2400 METRES). Under the guidance of jockey Daniel Stackhouse, Bankers Choice sat outside leader Le Don De Vie (Leroidesanimaux) and applied pressure from the 600m to establish…