Category: Gallops

Promising filly Bobby Mcgee showed she will be a force to be reckoned with against her age-group rivals over the next few months when she bounded home to take out her first victory at stakes level in the Listed NZB Airfreight Stakes (1400m) at Wingatui. The Terry Kennedy-prepared daughter of White Robe Lodge stallion Ancient Spirit had broken her maiden status on her home track two starts ago and followed that up with a tidy run for fifth against the three-year-olds at Invercargill a fortnight ago. Despite that form, she…

A brilliant front-running ride from Joe Doyle saw gritty filly Tellum upset the applecart as she downed the favourites in the Gr.2 Hallmark Stud Eight Carat Classic (1600m) at Ellerslie on Boxing Day. The Debbie Sweeney-prepared three-year-old had been thereabouts in her recent racing and with no other runners prepared to set up the pace, it was Doyle and the daughter of Ocean Park who seized the initiative and dictated proceedings. It was obvious that the filly was travelling well on the home corner and when she sneaked away with…

Nerves are a rare feeling for Stephen Marsh on raceday, but he was certainly feeling them at Ellerslie on Boxing Day. The Cambridge horseman was lining up his unbeaten filly Well Written in the Gr.2 Jimmy Schick Shaw’s Auckland Guineas (1400m), and he knew the well-supported filly would be vulnerable fresh-up. The daughter of Written Tycoon has made waves since winning on debut at Ellerslie in September, going on to win the Gr.2 Soliloquy Stakes (1400m) in eye-catching fashion, attracting the attention of plenty of prospective buyers in the process.…

White Robe Lodge has announced the death of proven stallion Ghibellines. A son of champion sire Shamardal and the Group One-winning Elusive Quality mare Camarilla, Ghibellines’ racing highlight was his victory in the Gr.2 Todman Stakes (1200m) for trainer Peter Snowden. Retired to stud in 2016, Ghibellines sired Group One winner Smokin’ Romans, last season’s Gr.2 Brisbane Cup (2400m) winner Campaldino and A$1.5 million earner Palmetto among nine stakes winners at a very respectable 4.3 percent stakes winners to runners.

Nearly a decade after taking up the mantle as private trainer to Cambridge Stud owners Sir Brendan and Jo Lady Lindsay, Lance Noble has delivered results that he hopes to embellish at one of New Zealand’s racing’s biggest events, Boxing Day at Ellerslie. From his base at Lindsay Racing’s lavish Karaka facility, Noble has prepared more than 120 winners in the gold and black Cambridge Stud colours, and with a select team lining up on the first big day of the holiday racing season, he’s looking for more. Noble’s team…

Darryn and Briar Weatherley are under no illusions about the holiday task ahead of Bulgari (NZ) (Hello Youmzain) but are confident the three-year-old is up to making a strong impression. While respectful of the competition, the father and daughter training combination have faith in their colt to give the more favoured contenders a run for their money in Friday’s Gr.2 Jimmy Schick Shaw’s Auckland Guineas (1400m). “We are really happy with him, he’s up against it with that filly (Well Written (Written Tycoon)) and Pam Gerard’s horse (Affirmative Action (Yes…

Te Akau Racing will be hoping to unwrap some late Christmas presents when they head to Wingatui on Boxing Day with a handful of runners. Their charge will be led by a two-pronged attack in the Listed NZB Airfreight Stakes (1400m) courtesy of Cool Aza Rene (Cool Aza Beel) and Marokopa Falls (Hellbent), who have drawn at opposite ends of the spectrum. Group Three-winning filly Cool Aza Rene has drawn the ace marble, while Group Two performer Marokopa Falls will jump from barrier 10 in the 15-horse field. “They bring…

Chris Wood acknowledges his emerging three-year-old That’s Gold (Lucky Vega) will have a fight on his hands in the Gr. 2 Jimmy Schick Shaw’s Auckland Guineas (1400m), but he’s still taking a positive approach to the Boxing Day challenge. The Ellerslie feature is dominated by unbeaten filly Well Written, who heads the TAB final field market at $1.35 with course specialist Affirmative Action at $4.20, while That’s Gold, chasing a hat-trick after his last-start win in the Gr. 3 Bonecrusher Stakes (1400m), is the $16 fourth favourite. “This is pretty…

Promising two-year-old Ka Ron (NZ) (Hello Youmzain) was unfortunate not to have made the perfect start to his career and will have the opportunity on Boxing Day to make amends. The Allan Sharrock-trained youngster was narrowly beaten on debut and will bid to go one better in the SkyCity 2YO (1100m) at Ellerslie and in the process book a return for a far more lucrative prize at northern headquarters. Ka Ron currently sits in 15th spot in order of entry to the Karaka Millions (1200m) to be run for $1…

Trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson are hoping a return to the right-handed way of going will help Qali Al Farrasha (NZ) (Almanzor) bounce back to winning form at Ellerslie on Boxing Day. The homebred mare was eye-catching when winning the Gr.2 Auckland Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1400m) in that direction at Pukekohe fresh-up last month, but failed to flatter when a beaten favourite in the Gr.2 Cal Isuzu Stakes (1600m) at Te Rapa earlier this month. Bergerson admitted to being perplexed by her subpar showing but has been pleased with…