Category: Gallops

Progressive fillyOhope Wins (NZ)(Ocean Park) completed the perfect dress rehearsal for the Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand Oaks (2400m) in a fortnight when she stormed home out wide from last on the corner to take out the Gr.2 David & Karyn Ellis Fillies Classic (2100m) at Te Rapa. Carrying the colours of leviathan breeding and racing operation, Yulong Thoroughbreds, who purchased her in late January after she had won the Gr.2 Sir Patrick Hogan Stakes (2000m) on New Year’s Day, the daughter of Ocean Park started a warm…

New Zealand-bred gelding Oak Hill (NZ) (Per Incanto) lifted his ever-improving career to another new level with his first black-type victory in the A$300,000 Gr.2 Here For The Horses Rubiton Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield on Saturday. The five-year-old son of Per Incanto has now had 19 starts for eight wins, four placings and A$717,140 in stakes. The Rubiton was the fifth start at stakes level for Oak Hill, who had resumed with a last-start second in the Listed W.J. Adams Stakes (1000m), and earlier in the season was only three…

Te Rapa trainer David Greene is riding the crest of a wave after he doubled his Group One tally when First Five took out the BCD Group Sprint (1400m) at his home track on Saturday. Greene recorded his first elite-level success when the Almanzor five-year-old won last month’s Gr.1 Telegraph (1200m) at Trentham, and he was confident he would go close to keeping his undefeated record over 1400m intact on Saturday. Despite his last-start heroics, First Five jumped a $7.40 fourth favourite in a market headed by Lindsay Park raiders…

Former northern galloper Witz End made his presence felt for new trainer Terri Rae when he scored the second win from just four starts from Rae’s Canterbury base when taking out the Listed Property Brokers – Ray Kean Hazlett Stakes (1400m) at Wingatui on Saturday. The five-year-old gelding commenced his career for Tony Pike at his Cambridge stable before transferring to Rae late last year, finishing unplaced first-up in November before winning on the synthetic track at Riccarton three weeks later. The son of Savabeel rounded out his 2025 year…

It was apt for Opie Bosson to bring up his 100th Group One win on Legends Day at Te Rapa. The 45-year-old became just the second Kiwi jockey, and first New Zealand-based hoop, to bring up the milestone when piloting the Ken and Bev Kelso-trained Legarto (NZ) (Proisir) to victory in the Gr.1 Herbie Dyke Stakes (1400m) on Saturday. He joins Sydney-based Kiwi James McDonald, who boasts 124 elite-level victories to his credit, and Bosson was rapt to reach the mark after returning from retirement just over six months ago,…

Autumn Glory (NZ)(Ocean Park) came off the bench to secure her future broodmare career when taking out the Gr.2 Legacy Lodge Waikato Guineas (2000m) at Te Rapa on Saturday. The daughter of Ocean Park was first on the ballot for the Guineas and was set to contest the Gr.3 David & Karyn Ellis Fillies Classic (2100m) later on the card, however, she gained a berth against the boys when Single Red (NZ) (Vanburgh) was withdrawn from the Guineas in favour of the fillies feature, and trainers Roger James and Robert…

Frankie Lor is optimistic talented young stayer Numbers can achieve twin objectives when the gelding contests the HK$4.2 million G3 Centenary Vase Handicap (1800m) at Sha Tin on Sunday (8 February). Targeting the HK$13 million Hong Kong Classic Cup (1800m) on 1 March and the HK$26 million BMW Hong Kong Derby (2000m) on 22 March with the last-start winner, Lor believes the Tivaci gelding is capable of landing his first Group race win in Hong Kong while also advancing Four-Year-Old Classic Series hopes. To carry only 115lb under Derek Leung,…

Cambridge mare Nigella Lane (NZ) (Niagara) was runner-up in last year’s Listed Clubs NZ Wairarapa Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m) and she was able to go one better in this year’s edition at Tauherenikau on Waitangi Day. The last-start winner settled three back on the fence in the hands of in-form hoop Bruno Queiroz, while the Sam Mynott-trained Electron (NZ) (Turn Me Loose) set the tempo up front and race favourite Khanshe (NZ) (Mongolian Khan) was ridden quietly at the back of the pack. Taranaki galloper Sindee (NZ) (Ardrossan) began to…

Local trainer David Greene can’t wait to head to Te Rapa on Saturday where he will be chasing $1.125 million in prizemoney with a trio of runners. “It is brilliant,” Greene said. “We have got the three runners running for $1.1 million, it is a really good indication of what has happened to the stakes in these good races over the last couple of years.” His charge will be headed by last-start Gr.1 Telegraph (1200m) winner First Five, who will be looking to rebuff the Australian raid of Lindsay Park…

Tomodachi’s connections are banking on a target closer to home to bring out the best in the gifted mare on Saturday. While she wasn’t disgraced when a resuming fourth in the Gr.1 Telegraph (1200m), more was expected and she gets an opportunity to bounce back in the Gr.1 BCD Group Sprint (1400m) at Te Rapa. “We thought she would be more competitive,” said Andrew Scott, who trains the Sir Peter Vela-bred and raced five-year-old with Lance O’Sullivan. “We just didn’t think she travelled down as well as we would have…