Category: Featured

Jesko (NZ) (Atlante), the new steeplechasing star in New Zealand, produced another quality performance in the hands of his co-trainer Shaun Fannin to capture the time-honoured Grant Plumbing Wellington Steeplechase (4900m) at Trentham. Fannin, who prepares the seven-year-old alongside his wife Hazel, produced a remarkable ride that was befitting of the status of the event as he dictated all of the pace while conserving as much energy as possible for the last 600m slog in tough conditions. Jesko jumped superbly throughout and shook of the attentions of another champion jumper…

A tenacious front-running performance in Saturday’s A$160,000 Captivant @ Kia Ora Handicap (1400m) at Rosehill added a first city victory to Puntin’s (NZ) (Super Seth) burgeoning record. The New Zealand-bred three-year-old gelding has now had six starts for four wins and two seconds, earning A$184,400 for his big group of owners. Puntin stepped up to 1400m on Saturday after a narrow last-start defeat over 1250m at Canterbury on June 9. Drawn gate seven in a nine-horse field, Puntin was pushed forward by jockey Ash Morgan and quickly took up the…

Matamata trainers Ken and Bev Kelso sent Levakia (NZ) (Priosir) on a big road trip on Saturday in search of reasonable track conditions, and the plan paid off with victory in the $60,000 ITM/GIB 3YO Winter Championship Final (1600m) at Ruakaka. Seventh over 1400m and 1500m in two appearances at Te Rapa in April and May, the Proisir filly stepped up to 1600m on Saturday and was strongly backed into $2.90 second favouritism behind Acapelago (NZ) (Belardo). Jockey Jasmine Fawcett took up a midfield position in fifth along the rail,…

New Zealand-bred gelding Rolling Magic (NZ) (Per Incanto) continued his progress through the grades with a stylish first-up win in the A$120,000 Midway Handicap (1300m) at Rosehill on Saturday. The son of Per Incanto disappointed his trainers Richard and Will Freedman in the early stages of his career, but turned a corner last spring with three wins and then a placing in the A$500,000 Four Pillars (1500m). “After his first prep, he was only a stone’s throw away from the Inglis Digital Sale,” Will Freedman said. “We tipped him out…

Tony Pike-trained juveniles Boombox (NZ) (Spirit of Boom) and Ashoka (NZ) (Hello Youmzain) ran their second quinella of the month in the ITM/GIB 2YO Championship Final (1200m) at Ruakaka on Saturday, with Boombox getting the better of his stablemate on both occasions. The talented pair had their first clash in a 1200m race at Ellerslie on June 7, where they fought out a tight finish and Boombox edged out Ashoka by a head. That Ellerslie assignment marked Ashoka’s raceday debut and the second start for Boombox. With the benefit of…

Race favourite Billy Boy (So You Think), who was having just his third start over hurdles, produced one of the great staying performances to capture the Aztech Engineering Wellington Hurdle (3200m) at Trentham on Saturday. The Jo Rathbone-prepared son of So You Think made a winning debut over fences at Woodville in September last year before returning to the hurdling caper at Trentham three weeks ago to take out the Manawatu Hurdles (2500m) at his second jumping start. Punters installed the seven-year-old a solid $4 Fixed Odds favourite for Saturday’s…

The National Online Breeding Stock Sale has launched on Gavelhouse Plus with bidding open on the 87 Lots sale which is set to end from 7pm on Wednesday 9th July. This year’s sale boasts a quality selection of both young and proven mares plus stallion shares in Reliable Man, Santos, Shamexpress and Wrote. gavelhouse.com and New Zealand Bloodstock representative Patrick Cunningham is pleased with the assembly of stock. “This annual sale of premium breeding stock holds plenty of appeal for breeders looking to source commercial mares. There are 11 stakes-performers…

The late Mike Moroney always believed Coeur Volante (NZ) (Proisir) had the potential to be a Group One winner.  As a three-year-old, Coeur Volante started favourite in the Gr.1 Thousand Guineas (1600m) at Caulfield, finishing fourth to Joliestar (Zoustar), while placegetters in that race were subsequent Group One winners Kimochi (Brave Smash) and Skybird (Exosphere).  Coeur Volante was Moroney’s last winner when successful in the Gr.3 Mannerism Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield in February before dying in his sleep just days later.  Under the care of Glen Thompson, Coeur Volante did not run again at Group One level until this…

With Jim Chung’s two-kilogram claim reducing his weight to 57.5kg, Bradman will attempt to break a year-long absence from the winners’ circle in the MJH Engineering Limited Whyte Handicap (1600m) at Trentham on Saturday. The Pins gelding has won eight races and more than $317,000 in stakes, but has endured a frustrating run through the last 13 months. Since his last victory in a 1400m open handicap at Trentham in May of last year, Bradman has run second in the Listed AGC Training Stakes (1600m), fourth in the Listed Opunake…

Leading thoroughbred nursery Cambridge Stud has committed their full support for NZB’s 2026 National Yearling Sales Series, with the announcement they will be selling 100% of their yearling stock at Karaka.  Karaka 2026, which marks the 100th National Yearling Sale in New Zealand, will debut a new format that features condensed quality throughout Book 1 and Book 2 and the introduction of a third session, the Karaka Summer Sale.  Cambridge Stud has a long-standing history of selling yearlings, dating back to their debut at Trentham during the 1978 National Yearling…