Sorghaghtani (NZ) (Mongolian Khan) will get a well-deserved tilt at black-type at Tauranga on Saturday but only if her trainers can find a suitable jockey. The daughter of Mongolian Khan is in a purple patch of form, placing first-up behind subsequent Group Three performer She’s A Dealer (Ace High) at Te Rapa in December before posting successive wins over a mile at Ellerslie in January, and trainers Graham Richardson and Rogan Norvall believe she is ready for a crack at stakes level. They identified the Gr.2 Ultimate Mazda Japan Trophy…
Category: Featured
O’Riordan on song for Beaumont Publican’s Cup
Last start victor O’Riordan (NZ) (Proisir) will trek south to Wingatui from her Timaru base on Sunday in a bid to add to her winning haul in the Mosgiel Tavern Beaumont Publican’s Cup (1500m). The six-year-old daughter of Proisir was building towards that winning result last week, having finished runner-up at Riccarton at her previous start, and trainer Stephanie Faulkner said she has bounced through the run, which has given her the confidence to back her up this weekend. “I don’t normally back her up this quick, but she was…
Savaglee Fee Set
An introductory service fee for Savaglee (NZ) (Savabeel) has now been confirmed by the stallion’s management syndicate. He will be offered to breeders for a 2026 service fee of $17,500+GST with limited nominations available due to the strong support from his owners. A debut winning two-year-old, and Group One performed at that age – just like his illustrious sire Savabeel – Savaglee was subsequently crowned Champion Three-Year-Old of his generation. Following on from his Group winning juvenile victory in the Matamata Slipper, he produced a superb sequence of four consecutive…
Yokozuna to resume at Tauranga
Wet weather is forecast ahead of racing at Tauranga on Saturday but Donna Logan is hoping the worst of it stays away. The South Auckland trainer is set to take half a dozen runners to the Bay of Plenty meeting, including her exciting Group Three performer Yokozuna (Fierce Impact), who will resume in the J Swap Contractors 3YO 1200. “I am looking forward to seeing him back,” Logan said. “I am hoping there is not too much rain because I am uncertain about how much rain he can handle.” The…
Loyal Ralph standing by his man in stakes test
Stephen Ralph is more than happy to stick with a winning combination in his pursuit of a maiden stakes victory on Saturday for the in-form Leroy Brown (NZ) (Ace High). The Te Awamutu trainer has rewarded apprentice Jack Taplin for his performance aboard the five-year-old last time out with the ride on the freegoer in the Gr.2 Ultimate Mazda Japan Trophy (1600m) at Tauranga. They combined to run their rivals ragged in an open handicap over a mile and Ralph will be hoping for more of the same from the…
Home target first up for Knock Off
Most Kiwis are dreading seeing the mercury levels drop in their thermometers as the country heads into the cooler months, but Wanganui trainer Gerard Cvitanovich is rubbing his hands together with glee. His stable star Knock Off (NZ) (Fabulous) thrives during winter racing, highlighted by his deeds last year where he posted three wins and two placings from five starts, including a runner-up effort in the Gr.3 Metric Mile (1600m). “He is happy over winter, he had a good winter last year,” Cvitanovich said. Cvitanovich is hoping his homebred son…
Giacomo goes back-to-back in South Waikato Cup
Peter and Shaun McKay were contemplating the racing future of seven-year-old gelding Giacomo, but he proved he is still up to the task when defending his crown in the Holster Engineering Lally & Symes South Waikato Cup (2000m) at Matamata on Wednesday. The son of Puccini took up his typical front-running role, but he wasn’t given it all his own way, with My Maebelline Girl serving it up to him down the back straight and wrestling away the lead. That placed Giacomo in the uncustomary position of having something to…
Promising juvenile seizes the day at Matamata
An elite-level test looms for promising juvenile Seize The Day following his comfortable maiden victory in the AKW Farrier LTD 2YO (1200m) at Matamata on Wednesday. Trained locally by Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson, the Te Akau two-year-old was a beaten favourite on debut at Ellerslie last month, placing behind Summer Schemer and subsequent Group One performer State Of Valour. His conditioners were confident of an improved result on Wednesday and the son ofI Am Invincible didn’t disappoint, sitting parked throughout and bounding away in the concluding stages under jockey…
Price Eyeing Wet Autumn To Give Globe A World Of Options
There’d arguably be few horses trialling better in Sydney in recent weeks than Group 1 winner Globe (NZ) (Charm Spirit) but co-trainer Mick Price is wary a drying track will make him vulnerable first-up at Rosehill on Saturday. A somewhat surprise winner of the Group 1 Caulfield Stakes back in the spring, Globe and stablemate La Fracas have been sent north in the hope Sydney has one of its wet autumn carnivals and they can strike. Price, who co-trains with Michael Kent Jnr, said all options are open for Globe…
Satono Aladdin Filly impresses on Debut
The juvenile fillies maiden over 1000m at Warwick Farm on Wednesday featured some very expensive fillies, but it was a Kiwi bred that took the prize with Satono Aladdin filly Satono Glow (NZ) (Satono Aladdin) creating a fine impression with a debut win. Trained by John O’Shea and Tom Charlton, Satono Glow won her only previous trial at Hawkesbury and was expected to run well with Dylan Gibbons in the saddle. Satono Glow ambled out of the gates and settled last before rounding them up after turning for home to…