Category: Gallops

Race favourite Watersports (NZ) (Ocean Park), the half-sister to dual Group One winner Grail Seeker (NZ) (Iffraaj) made in three wins from her last four starts when she held out a determined late challenge from Maisy (Pierro)to take out the Benchmark 78 Good Friday Appeal Plate (1400m) at Flemington on Saturday. Rider Damian Lane had her beautifully positioned one out in third before tackling the leaders early in the long run home. Just as the daughter of Ocean Park looked to be cruising, Maisy appeared with her challenge and the…

Underrated milerCluedo Lane (NZ)(Ghibellines) provided trainer Joseph Waldron with his biggest victory since returning from a stint in Australia last year as he ran a quality field ragged over the concluding stages of the Gr.3 White Robe Lodge Weight For Age (1600m) at Wingatui. Waldron, who left New Zealand shores just over six years ago, made the decision to return to his home region of Otago in in the middle of 2025 and commenced training from Wingatui at the start of the season. Things have gone well for the talented…

A peach of a ride and a superior staying effort combined to produce a stirring Listed Positive Signs + Print Dunedin Gold Cup (2400m) victory for Canterbury raiderNoble Knight (NZ)(Ghibellines) at Wingatui. The Sandy-Cunningham trained and part-owned eight-year-old went into the contest off the back of a victory over 2000m at Riccarton before rounding out his preparation for the feature staying event with a close up second behind race rival Smooth Operator (NZ) (Turn Me Loose) in the Invercargill Gold Cup (2600m) two weeks ago. Northern rider Matt Cameron made…

Hello Hayley (NZ)(Hello Youmzain) secured a Southern Guineas double when taking out the Listed Property Brokers – Ray Kean Dunedin Guineas (1600m) at Wingatui on Saturday, and trainer Sophie Price is now eyeing the triple crown with her filly. The daughter of Hello Youmzain was eye-catching when coming from last to win the Listed Southland Guineas (1400m) at Ascot Park a fortnight ago, and despite that effort she jumped a $12.30 sixth elect on Saturday, and jockey Donovan Cooper made favourite punters rue their decision to overlook her. Hello Hayley…

Kiwi-bred six-year-old Dirty Grin (NZ) (Zacinto) bounced back to winning form with a barnstorming late run to collect his seventh career victory when taking out the second event on the card at Flemington, the Benchmark 78 Rubaroc Handicap (1200m). The son of Zacinto last stood on top of the podium when successful over 1214m at Geelong back in November last year but had failed to recapture that form in three subsequent starts since that victory. First up of a freshen up from trainer Nick Ryan, Dirty Grin settled back in…

Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) winner Willydoit (NZ) (Tarzino) will be racing for a spot in the Gr.1 Australian Cup (2000m) when he lines up at Flemington.  Willydoit and stablemate Holymanz (NZ) (Almanzor) contest the Gr.2 Blamey Stakes (1600m) on Saturday as the pair look to enhance their claims of further autumn riches.  Now in his second preparation for the Ciaron Maher stable, Willydoit is yet to strike the form that saw him win the New Zealand Derby at Ellerslie last March.  Maher’s National Assistant Trainer Jack Turnbull said the stable had learned a lot about the now four-year-old following his first campaign in Sydney during the spring.  Willydoit resumed…

Group Two performer Checkmate (NZ) (Mongolian Khan) will head to his home track of Matamata this weekend for a mile test before trainers Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott look to step him up over more ground. The Okaharau Station-bred and raced gelding returned to form when third in the Gr.2 Rich Hill Mile (1600m) at Ellerslie on New Year’s Day before running fifth in the Gr.3 Aotearoa Classic (1600m), and his trainers were intending on testing him over 2000m in the Listed Kaimai Stakes at Matamata a fortnight ago, but…

Kingsclere Stables have an exciting week ahead of them, with promising mare She’s A Dealer shooting for black-type at Trentham on Sunday, while six days later the Cambridge barn will hold a strong hand in the Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m). Trainer Roger James had five New Zealand Derby wins to his name before Robert Wellwood joined him in partnership eight years ago, and a win in the race was high on his list. Wellwood achieved that goal two years ago with Orchestral, and the stable is favoured to repeat…

Luke Ferraris reunites with David Eustace-trained Dazzling Fit (NZ) (Ribchester) in the HK$13 million Hong Kong Classic Cup (1800m) at Sha Tin on Sunday (1 March) and believes the galloper can be competitive despite being one of the lowest-rated entries in the field. A third-place finish in a Class 3 1800m contest under Zac Purton this month, raising Dazzling Fit’s rating to 76, was enough to secure a place in Sunday’s field. That day, he finished half a length behind the winner, to whom he gave 11 pounds, BMW Hong…

Unbeaten two-year-old colt Warwoven (Sword of State) will be back at the races for the first time since the beginning of January when he lines up in the Gr.2 Skyline Stakes (1200m) at Randwick on Saturday for trainer Bjorn Baker. An impressive winner of his first two starts, Warwoven was hot favourite for the Magic Millions 2YO (1200m) but was deemed unfit to start on raceday morning. “Any athlete going to any sports competition, there is always a fine line between being 100 percent healthy but doing the work to…