Category: Featured

For all their success in three-year-old staying features, Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young were yet to win a VRC St Leger, with American Wolf (NZ) (Tivaci) pulling out all the stops to change that record. First run in 1857, the St Leger is one of Australia’s oldest classics, and American Wolf ($12) proved the strongest stayer under John Allen, battling stride for stride with the Danny O’Brien trained filly Litzdeel ($8.50) to win by a long head, the pair clearing out by six lengths back to Kicking King ($12) in third. Co-trainer Natalie Young said it was a thrilling…

No Fuss (NZ) (Jon Snow) has delivered his ownership group an emotional victory at Flemington on Anzac Day, as the son of Jon Snow extended his unbeaten run in Australia under John Allen. The exciting four-year-old settled a touch closer than expected over the 1800-metre journey, but always travelled comfortably at a slow pace. Several horses loomed up to challenge at the top of the straight, but Tony and Calvin McEvoy’s galloper kept finding and held off the impressive Hoops ($51) to make it four wins on the spin, and…

John Leek Junior received the confidence booster he was looking for with Affluential (NZ) (Zed) heading towards the Galleywood Hurdle at Warrnambool when he narrowly took out the TAB We’re On (2500m) at Flemington. At his last start Affluential, the younger brother of Melbourne Cup winner and superstar stayer Verry Elleegant, was pulled out of the M.J. Bourke Hurdle and was subsequently found to have suffered cardiac arrythmia. “That was what we wanted to see that he was back in form to confirm he’s back on track for the Galleywood…

Hong Kong’s champion jockey Zac Purton plans to employ a familiar plan and use Ka Ying Rising’s (NZ) (Shamexpress) blistering speed against his 12 rivals in Sunday’s (27 April) HK$22 million G1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m) at Sha Tin.  Purton said he doesn’t want a slowly run race but, as the world’s highest-rated sprinter, he has the horse to dictate the way the race will be run.  Chasing a 12th consecutive victory, Purton said the New Zealand-bred gelding had been a gem from the first time he got off the…

As the spotlight turns to Sha Tin for FWD Champions Day, the Hayes family stands on the verge of an extraordinary feat in international racing. With two New Zealand-bred stars entered in Group One contests, the iconic family operation is chasing a unique double that would further cement their place in racing folklore. David Hayes will be represented by star sprinter Ka Ying Rising in the Gr.1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m), while his sons Ben, JD, and Will Hayes send out the formidable Mr Brightside in the Gr.1 Champions Mile…

Awapuni’s long-awaited return to racing on its newly renovated grass track has ended in disappointment, with their ANZAC Day meeting abandoned following a slip in the opening race. “A horse slipped on the outside,” RACE’s General Manager of Racing Brad Taylor said. “Walking the track, there is no visual slip, but we have got to have jockeys’ safety first. They are the ones going out there and riding on it and it’s on us that this has happened. “It’s really unfortunate, but we will learn from it and put the…