Category: Gallops

An unusual plan paid big dividends for the connections of Ammirati (NZ) (Savabeel) when the big gelding confirmed New Zealand Derby plans with a dominant victory in the Listed Trackside Gingernuts Salver (2100m) at Ellerslie on Sunday. With more than a month between his win in the Gr. 3 Wellington Stakes (1600m) at Otaki in late November and a fifth placing in last week’s Gr. 2 Levin Classic (1400m) at Trentham, trainer Stephen Marsh decided on an eight-day back up for Ammirati’s first middle-distance test. That proved a masterstroke as…

Brilliant wins at Ellerslie on Sunday by the Andrew Forsman-trained fillies Stromlinien (NZ) (Almanzor) and Chilling Out (NZ) (Savabeel) have set a platform for the TAB Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) and 3YO (1600m) back at the Auckland track in two weeks’ time. A last-to-first finish in the opening race has all but secured a place in the Karaka Millions 2YO field for the previously unheralded filly Stromlinien. The $450,000 Karaka yearling purchase went into the 1200m race with a single trial placing back in September, but she put aside any…

Join a full team this week on Weigh In. Guy Heveldt, Aidan Rodley and Bruce Sherwin break down the action from the West Coast and get the backstory from Dutch jockey Floor Moerman who took out the Kumara Gold Nuggets. Weigh In, January 11

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Super-consistent mare Chica Mojito (NZ) (Zacinto) broke through for her first Australian victory with an outstanding performance in the A$500,000 Limitless Lodge The Lakes (1600m) at Wyong on Saturday. The daughter of Zacinto was born and raised in New Zealand, and she began her career on that side of the Tasman with a maiden victory at Cambridge in September of 2023 and a Gr.3 Eulogy Stakes (1600m) placing at Trentham three months later. A 50 percent share was subsequently sold across the Tasman and Chica Mojito was transferred into the…

Trainer John Sadler has the Gr.2 Adelaide Cup (3200m) in mind as a potential target for Tarvue (NZ) (Tarzino) after her tenacious victory in the A$130,000 Off The Track Trophy (1800m) at Flemington on Saturday. Sadler has always had plenty of time for Tarvue, and the Tarzino mare repaid some of that faith with the fourth and most significant victory of her 16-race career. “I’ve always had a good opinion of her,” Sadler said. “We just haven’t seen the best of her on the racetrack until now. She’s had a…

Waikato Stud’s homebred mare Sun Gift (NZ) (Savabeel) continued her strong run of summer form with another victory in the A$130,000 Honouring Our Jockeys Plate (2000m) at Flemington on Saturday. The Benchmark 78 handicap was the third start of the five-year-old’s preparation. She had resumed with a second at Caulfield on December 3 before finishing strongly from off the pace to win at Cranbourne on December 27. It was a winning result again on Saturday, but this time delivered in a different way. Ridden on this occasion by Jamie Melham,…

A long-range plan came to fruition for trainer Matthew Dale at Wyong on Saturday with No Drama’s (NZ) (Ghibellines) victory in the A$160,000 Central Coast Community News Benchmark 78 Handicap (1200m). It was the seventh win of a 26-start career for the Ghibellines gelding, who has also picked up four minor placings and has earned A$302,092 in stakes. Four of those successes have come from just six attempts over the 1200m distance of Saturday’s race. Dale took over the training of No Drama from Lindsey Smith in 2024, and he…

The in-form combination of rider Floor Moerman and trainer Kevin Myers delivered in spades once again on the West Coast circuit as quality mare Bozo (NZ) (Satono Aladdin) produced a mammoth staying performance to claim the time-honoured Vernon & Vazey 0800 Truck Parts Kumara Gold Nuggets (1810m) on Saturday. Moerman, who had tasted success aboard Illicit Dreams (NZ) (Vancouver) for Kenny Rae earlier in the day, had produced winning trebles at both the Omoto meeting on 3 January and at Reefton four days later, with the Omoto victories coming aboard…

While Cambridge trainer Stephen Marsh is currently inspecting yearlings on the Gold Coast, he will take time out to watch how one of his main Gr.1Trackside New Zealand Derby (2400m) contenders in Ammirati (NZ) (Savabeel) performs at Ellerslie on Sunday as he takes the next step on his path to the blue riband classic on 7 March. The son of Savabeel will have his first start over a middle distance when he tackles the Listed Trackside Gingernuts Salver (2100m) at the Derby venue, where he will start as one of…