Category: Featured

New Zealand sprinter Alabama Lass (Alabama Express) will press on for a tilt at the Gr.1 Manikato Stakes (1200m) at The Valley later this month following her runner-up effort in the Gr.1 Moir Stakes (1000m) at the Melbourne track last Saturday. The four-year-old mare had won her only other Australian start at Flemington in March when victorious in the Listed HKJC World Pool Sprint Classic (1100m), and trainers Ken and Bev Kelso were pleased to see her measure up to the highest level in the competitive jurisdiction on the weekend.…

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Just a few days after the catalogue was launched for the 2025 Ready to Run Sale at Karaka, the world’s leading sale of two-year-olds celebrated another new stakes-winning graduate – Arigato (NZ) (Charm Spirit). Bought for $150,000 from the 2020 Ready to Run Sale, Arigato led from start to finish and picked up the biggest win of his career in Sunday’s RM100,000 Perak Charity Cup (1400m). Arigato was offered by Henley Park in Book 1 of Karaka 2020 and was knocked down for $100,000. He returned to Karaka later that year as a…

Trainer Jamie Richards sent out a double on the opening-day of the Hong Kong season as he looks to build early momentum. The Kiwi expat was all smiles after Groovy Feeling stormed home to narrowly win the second section of the Class 4 Ma On Shan Handicap (1200m) before Bulb General stamped his early claims as a four-year-old series prospect with an outstanding triumph in the Class 3 Lantau Peak Handicap (1200m) under Zac Purton. “He was a bit closer in the run than I thought he was going to…

A trans-Tasman ownership double prompted long and enthusiastic celebrations for Ashburton’s Barneswood Farm. Husband-and-wife Chris and Sarah Green and business partner Ger Beemsterboer’s colours were carried to victory at The Valley by Desert Lightning and at Ellerslie by progressive mare Arabian Songbird. “It was brilliant and we were so excited, I was at Moonee Valley and cheering him on,” Sarah Green said. Trained by Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman, Desert Lightning capped off a grand run of form when he won the So You Think Stakes (1500m) after finishing fourth…

Group One glory eluded Wexford Stables at Ellerslie, but trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott were nevertheless buoyed by the performances of their representatives. Tomodachi fared best of the stablemates when third in the Gr.1 Proisir Plate (1400m) while Checkmate and Waitak were less than four lengths off the winner and Grail Seeker had no luck in the running. The Sir Peter Vela-bred and raced Tomodachi produced a top effort in her elite level debut and first outing since she claimed the Gr.3 Rotorua Stakes (1400m) in the autumn. “We…