Category: Gallops

The Gr.1 Tancred Stakes (2400m) looms as a possible autumn option for ever-improving stayer Torranzino (NZ) (Tarzino), who on Monday returned to work with Paul Preusker. The Tarzino gelding’s return to stable life comes around two months since his fifth placing in the A$10 million Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m). Preusker was determined to reward his new stable star with a good spell after his career-best campaign and considered giving him a tick-over preparation without a run before resetting for spring, but was now favouring a brief autumn campaign. “He’ll start work Monday and then we’ll just sort of…

In the third instalment of The Hong Kong Jockey Club’s Road to the Derby series, we zero in on a pair of Frankie Lor-trained up and comers with the potential to make an impact in the 2025/26 Four-Year-Old Classic Series. With less than four weeks until the first leg of the prestigious series – the HK$13 million Hong Kong Classic Mile (1600m) on 1 February – and with the 149th HK$26 million BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) on 22 March on the horizon, Numbers and Regal Gem have both built…

Chris Rutten has a knack for selecting Karaka Millions 2YO contenders, and he looks to have struck again, this time with the Roydon Bergerson-trained Sweetest Thing. The daughter of Hello Youmzain impressed when runner-up to Lassified in the Listed Wellesley Stakes (1100m) at Trentham on Saturday, with her runner-up cheque of $18,500 putting her on the cusp of qualifying for the $1 million TAB Karaka Millions (1200m) at Ellerslie on January 24. It’s a race Rutten has a strong association with, having won it with Vespa in 2014, and he…

Waikato Stud-bred filly La Dorada continues to add further honours to her richly decorated family. The daughter of resident sire Super Seth enjoyed an outstanding juvenile season with success in the Gr.1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m), Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) and Gr.2 Matamata Breeders’ Stakes (1200m). At Trentham on Saturday, she returned to top form with success in the Gr.2 Levin Classic (1400m), with the $1.5 million TAB Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m) now in the sights of trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson. La Dorada was a $190,000 purchase…

Ruakaka trainer Michelle Bradley will line-up a trio of runners at her home track on Tuesday, including No Plan Be, who will attempt to secure the Trigg Construction Northland Cup (2100m) for the local horsewoman. The six-year-old daughter of Tarzino won over the same track and distance last month, giving Bradley the confidence to press on to her home cup, with Courtney Barnes retaining the ride. “She has trained on well since her win, it was good to get that result,” Bradley said. “She is very well and has just…

Wanganui trainer Kevin Myers and Canterbury apprentice jockey Floor Moerman proved to be a potent combination at Omoto on Sunday, bagging a treble at the Greymouth meeting, including the Recreation Hotel Greymouth Cup (2000m) with Sunset Boulevard (NZ) (Eminent). The Peter Vela-bred and raced gelding was heavily favoured to take out the meeting’s feature race, having been freshened since his two victories over New Zealand Cup Week in November. Moerman was positive from the jump aboard the son of Eminent, settling him outside early pacemaker Taimate Diva before taking a…

Join a full team this week on Weigh In. Guy Heveldt, Emily Murphy, Aidan Rodley and Jayne Ivil break down the action from Trentham on a Group 1 raceday and look back to the New Years Day Races out of Ellerslie. Weigh In, January 4

It will be an anxious few weeks for the connections of State The Obvious (NZ) (Sword Of State) as they wait to see if their filly makes the cut for the $1 million TAB Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) at Ellerslie on January 24. The daughter of Sword Of State made a strong play at Te Aroha on Saturday when winning the Mark Anderson Memorial Maiden 2YO (1000m), with her $10,360 winning cheque bringing her earnings to $11,285, placing her in 20th position in order of entry for the Karaka Millions, meaning…

Miss Jones (Deep Field) showed plenty of promise in Australia, placing in six of her 10 starts for trainers Richard and Will Freedman, but she has found her groove since crossing the Tasman. The daughter of Deep Field broke through for her maiden win when victorious in her New Zealand debut for new trainer Cody Cole at Ellerslie last month and doubled her tally at Trentham on Saturday when taking out the Listen Live On Sportnation.co.nz Maiden Sprint (1200m). From her outside draw in the seven-horse field, she was taken…

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