Category: Featured

Three-year-old gelding Arcadia Park (NZ) (Ocean Park) proved the superior stayer when taking out the Listed Belmont Classic (2200m) in impressive style on Saturday. Ridden by Clint Johnston-Porter, Arcadia Park worked to the front inside the final furlong and despite a determined chase from the well-fancied filly Fancy Red, proved too tough in the run home to score by just over a length. Arcadia Park continued his winning ways, notching a hat trick of victories and second straight feature after claiming the Listed Aquanita Stakes (2019m) at Bunbury for trainer…

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Hardy three-year-old Stylish Secret will ensure trainer Mick Nolan can savour his 70th birthday celebrations after a strong win in the MRC Chairman’s Club Handicap (2400m) at Caulfield. The diminutive son of Sweet Orange has taken his connections on an enjoyable ride with his three victories to date, with Saturday’s triumph the gelding’s first since landing the Derby Trial last spring. Ridden by Craig Williams, Stylish Secret came from just beyond the speed to run down Verona Rupes. From 15 starts, Stylish Secret has won on three occasions and is…

Enigmatic galloper Diamond Jak exacted the perfect revenge when he came with a perfectly timed run to take out Saturday’s feature flat race at Te Rapa, the Callinan Family Taumarunui Gold Cup (2100m) after being narrowly denied success in the 2024 version of the event. The Mark Brosnan-trained rising seven-year-old had beaten narrowly by Saturday’s race rival Hula Beat in a stirring finish in 2024 and brought good form to the 2025 edition although this was tempered by his knack of missing the jump in his races and setting himself…

Race favourite Force Of Nature made it five wins from five starts at Te Rapa when he strolled home in the Woods Contracting 1300 (1300m) on Saturday. Bred and raced by Milan Park principal Tony Rider, the son of Savabeel has continued to improve since breaking his maiden status back in October last year and is unbeaten in three starts after resuming from a summer spell with a win in rating 75 company in April followed by his inaugural open handicap success in early May. Trainer Andrew Forsman gave his…

A nasty fall that extinguished the chances of four of the nine runners in the Property Brokers Taumarunui 3YO (1400) at Te Rapa overshadowed a fine victory by talented filly Ortega. The race changed in dramatic fashion when Illuminated Miss clipped the heels of race favourite Ribkraka as that runner crossed to the lead at the 1000m mark. The subsequent chain effect saw Gina Rosa, Gracetheace and I Park all hit the deck leaving the rest of the field to continue on. The Stephen Marsh-prepared Ortega kept in touch with…

Talented juvenile filly Platinum Diamond made all posts a winner when she captured her second consecutive stakes victory in the last black type feature of the 2024-2025 racing season, the Listed Phils Electrical & Gypsy Caravans Ryder Stakes (1200m) at Otaki. The Lisa Latta-trained daughter of Cambridge Stud shuttle stallion Hello Youmzain had scored handsomely in the Listed Castletown Stakes (1200m) at the venue last month with Bruno Queiroz in the saddle and the visiting Brazilian jockey made it three victories from three rides on the filly with another well-judged…

Trainer Chris Waller will take a cautious approach with star filly Aeliana in the spring as the patient trainer is wary of jumping too quickly to staying distances with the rising four-year-old. The New Zealand bred daughter of Castelvecchio was a dominant winner of the Gr.1 Australian Derby (2400m) but don’t expect to see the staying journey at the top of spring targets. “We won’t be in any rush to get her to 2400m unless we have to,” Waller said. “I just find it tends to send horses a little…

Consistent three-year-old Puntin steps up to 1800m for the first time on Saturday when he contests the ATC Thank You Stable Staff Handicap at Randwick. The Bjorn Baker-trained son of Super Seth has won four of his seven starts and has finished runner-up on the other three occasions including last start when slow into stride. Jockey Ashley Morgan is confident Puntin will relish the step up in distance. “I think he can be a stakes horse at 2000m, he’s got such a great attitude and he loves his racing. It…

Waverley’s meeting on Friday will live long in the memory of Foxton horseman Adam Scott, who recorded his first win as a trainer courtesy of Another Won’t Hurt in the Sandfords Rural Carriers (1400m). The rambunctious five-year-old was having just his second start and he was unwanted by punters following his debut antics where he bucked off rider Nick Downs shortly after the start at Woodville earlier this month. He trialled to the satisfaction of stewards at his home track on Tuesday and started a $61.70 outsider. In stark contrast…