Category: Gallops

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Promising New Zealand-bred mare Sacred Rocks (NZ) (Sacred Falls) made a big impression in her first appearance in Sydney on Saturday, storming home from well off the pace to win the A$160,000 Toyota Forklifts Handicap (1300m) at Rosehill. The Ciaron Maher-trained four-year-old had previously had four starts in Victoria, starting with a winning debut at Pakenham in January. She was runner-up in two appearances at Sandown in January and February, then returned from a freshen-up with an impressive five-length victory at Sale on May 28. Sacred Rocks was sent out…

Kovalica (NZ) (Ocean Park) made a welcome return to winning form when he prevailed in a pulsating three-horse finish to the A$1.2 million Gr.2 HKJC World Pool Q22 (2200m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday. The Kiwi-bred son of Ocean Park was the standout three-year-old of the Queensland Winter Carnival two years ago, winning the Gr.1 Queensland Derby (2400m) and Gr.2 Queensland Guineas (1600m) and placing against older horses at weight-for-age in the Gr.1 Doomben Cup (2000m). Kovalica went winless in 20 starts through the two years after that Derby success,…

With a powerful and poignant performance in Saturday’s The Star Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm, budding superstar War Machine (NZ) (Harry Angel) added extra Group One sparkle to the legacies of two much-missed New Zealand industry figures. The triumph came less than a week after the sudden passing in Kentucky of internationally renowned bloodstock agent Michael Wallace, who sourced War Machine’s dam Caserta on behalf of his brother David and late wife Maddy and parents Jim and Mary Wallace. War Machine was bred by the Wallace family’s MDJ Bloodstock…

The Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) looms as a possible spring target for New Zealand-bred stayer Campaldino (NZ) (Ghibellines), who continued his rapid rise with another outstanding win in the A$400,000 Gr.2 XXXX Brisbane Cup (3200m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday. Within the space of nine weeks, the Ghibellines gelding has strung together four increasingly impressive victories. He kicked off with wins in the Orange Cup (2100m) and a Benchmark 78 handicap on Randwick’s Kensington track, prompting trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott to take him to Brisbane and raise the…

A runaway victory in Saturday’s A$160,000 Listed The Wayne Wilson (1600m) at Eagle Farm was a proud moment for Pier’s (NZ) (Proisir) connections, but they could also be forgiven for wondering what might have been in the Gr.1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m). Pier ventured across the Tasman as the winner of four races in New Zealand, headed by the Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) in 2022. The son of Proisir has found a promising vein of form in his latest preparation, producing powerful finishes for placings in the Listed City…

Stratford visitor Soldier Boy (NZ) (Proisir) made a long-awaited return to the winners’ enclosure when he came out on top in a three-horse tussle in the SKYCITY Hamilton Mile (1600m) at Te Rapa. The Gavin Sharrock-prepared galloper hadn’t been seen on top of the victory podium since he claimed the Listed Maron Cup (2200m) at Trentham in January 2023. Sharrock has never lost faith in his versatile son of Rich Hill Stud stallion Proisir, who tends to excel on tracks with plenty of cut in them. With Te Rapa coming…

New Plymouth trainer Robbie Patterson had a perfect two-from-two day at Wanganui on Saturday, capped by potential black-type contender Belles Beau (NZ) (Iffraaj) in the Loaders Civil (1340m). Patterson had only two horses entered all weekend, and both of them produced impressive performances at Wanganui – Ma Te Wa (NZ) (Time Test) in the Hirepool 3YO (1340m) and Belles Beau in the day’s open sprint. “Two wins from only two runners is a really satisfying day, and I think they were two good performances by a couple of very progressive…

A thrilling victory on Afterallthistime (Deep Field) in Saturday’s Signature Homes Waikato Steeplechase (3900m) capped a Te Rapa double for Portia Matthews that was unforgettable in more ways than one. Matthews won both of the steeplechase races on the card, having previously taken out the Ken & Roger Browne Memorial (3900m) in extraordinary fashion aboard Uncle Charlie (NZ) (Alamosa). Six of the seven horses in that field were out of contention by the end of a chaotic first lap, leaving Uncle Charlie the only one still standing. Uncle Charlie mixed…

Robbie Patterson has unearthed another potential topliner from his New Plymouth stable as progressive gelding Ma Te Wa (NZ) (Time Test) kept his winning Wanganui record intact with victory in the Hirepool 3YO (1340). The three-year-old son of Time Test opened his career with a fourth on his home track back in February. Patterson gave him a few weeks off to recover from that effort before producing him to score by more than four lengths in a maiden contest at Wanganui in late May. Ma Te Wa returned to the…