Category: Gallops

Zac Purton believes Ka Ying Rising (NZ) (Shamexpress) has taken another crucial step forward on Tuesday in his preparation for Sunday’s HK$28 million Gr.1 Longines Hong Kong Sprint (1200m) at Sha Tin. Successful in his past 15 races, Ka Ying Rising is aiming to join Golden Sixty by securing a 16th consecutive win, one shy of Silent Witness’ all-time Hong Kong record of 17. Emerging at sunrise, Ka Ying Rising – under the hands of Purton – trotted a few laps in the sand ring before making his way to…

Cranbourne trainers Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young have swooped on a pair of progressive three-year-olds from their native New Zealand. Two-win filly Rising Star and last-start Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) third-placegetter Shoma are welcome additions to the stable. The Tim and Margaret Carter-trained Rising Star (NZ) (Complacent) was an impressive winner at Tauranga in mid-November and will sport the colours of Seymour Bloodstock, with the filly’s original trainers also remaining in the ownership. “I thought she had a really nice turn of foot,” Busuttin said. Morgan Carter alluded…

It’s part two of Michael’s chat with Zac Purton. They chat racing in Hong Kong, Zac’s thoughts and approach to the craft, the planning that goes into each week, his future, and his bests. Plus, Michael has some news for punters and pays tribute to the retiring Orchestral. Guerin Report – S2 Ep.14 Ft. Zac Purton Pt.2

Group One winner La Dorada (NZ) (Super Seth) will make her New Zealand return at Te Rapa this weekend following a frustrating spring in Melbourne. The daughter of Super Seth was a standout juvenile last term for trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson, winning four of her five starts, including the Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m), Gr.1 Manawatu Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m), Gr.2 Matamata Breeders’ Stakes (1200m), and was runner-up in the Gr.2 Eclipse Stakes (1200m), on her way to being crowned New Zealand Champion Two-Year-Old. Her handlers elected to test…

Brent Cooper’s band of syndication supporters enjoyed a weekend to remember with a winning double headed by star racemare Provence (NZ) (Savabeel) in the Gr. 1 TAB Mufhasa Classic (1600m). More than a decade and half since dipping his toe in the water by establishing the Auckland Racing Club’s Winners Circle Syndicate, Cooper takes special pleasure that the same group of enthusiasts is still in the winning groove. “When I was a director of the Auckland Racing Club, I came up with the idea of providing people with low-cost entry…

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Australia’s newest Group One winner, Cosmic Crusader (NZ) (Maurice), will back-up in Saturday’s Gr.3 Gold Rush (1400m) at Ascot, assuming he comes through the weekend’s heroics in good order. After a luckless campaign, which saw him finish third in both the Gr.3 Asian Beau Stakes (1400m) and Gr.3 RJ Peters Stakes (1500m), both at an odds-on quote, Cosmic Crusader took out the Listed Carbine Club Stakes (1400m) on November 22, before his gutsy Northerly triumph. Having gone from 1400 metres up to 1800 metres, the five-year-old gelded son of Maurice,…

A graduate trifecta in the Group One New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) provided a timely reminder of the quality that can be found in Book 2 of NZB’s National Yearling Sale, and more of the same can be expected at Karaka 2026. A new-look Book 2 will take place on just one day – Tuesday 27 January – and features a select catalogue of 280 yearlings. The catalogue contains plenty of yearlings with the credentials to follow in the footsteps of Romanoff (NZ) (Belardo), Affirmative Action (Yes Yes Yes) and Shoma (NZ) (Contributer), who were bought…

Just weeks after tasting the bitterness of a short-margin defeat in a Group One, jockey George Rooke is savouring the sweetness of scoring his first elite-level success over the weekend. The expat Englishman thought he had nailed his first Group One victory aboard Affirmative Action (Yes Yes Yes) in last month’s New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton, but the photo finish revealed his stablemate Romanoff (NZ) (Belardo) got the nod. Rooke was once again caught in a short-margin struggle aboard the Stephen Marsh-trained Provence (NZ) (Savabeel) in Saturday’s Gr.1…

Simms Davison is more than happy to play the long game with his broodmare gem Bella Carolina (NZ) (O’Reilly) and her family. O’Reilly’s daughter continues to do the Mapperley Stud principal proud with future stakes contender Stella Ma Bella (Contributer) the latest to shine. Davison bred and races the Contributor filly, a sister to the Gr.1 Zabeel Classic (2000m) winner Campionessa (NZ), who was an impressive winner for trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson at her second start at Te Aroha on Sunday. “She’s a better physical type than Campionessa,…