Category: Gallops

Bonifleur (NZ) (Burgundy) will have her first raceday start on Cambridge’s polytrack on Wednesday, and trainer Paul Richards is hopeful of a positive result. The Pencarrow Stud-bred and raced mare was in a purple patch of form over summer, winning in December and placing in her subsequent two starts before putting in a below par performance when last in the Entain/NZB Insurance Pearl Series Final (1400m) at Ellerslie in March. The daughter of Burgundy has been freshened, and Richards is looking forward to kicking-off her winter campaign in the TAB…

Emily Murphy brings you Winter Weigh In, your place for Thoroughbred racing news, reviews and insights throughout the colder months. It’s been a busy King’s Birthday weekend and the team cover all the action. Winter Weigh In, June 2

Pencarrow Stud has celebrated an outstanding achievement with a century of homebred winners for the season. The Sir Peter Vela-owned nursery hit the three-figure mark on Saturday when promising staying mare Dresse’ Par Joli (NZ) (Tavistock) was successful in the closing event on the Wanganui card. “It’s pretty good, considering the size we are, and we had some good quality winners in among the tally,” Stud Manager Leon Casey said. “That includes horses we’ve sold as yearlings and those we have bred and retained to race. “It doesn’t include the…

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Spring stakes assignments are in the crosshairs for exciting gelding Twain (NZ) (Per Incanto) following his victory in the Waihou Tavern (1150m) at Te Aroha on Monday. The four-year-old son of Per Incanto and Group One-winning mare Fleur de Lune (NZ) (Strvinsky) had won four and placed in two of his previous seven starts and was sent out a short-priced $1.20 on Monday by punters. From his outside barrier in the six-horse field, Twain drifted back early to sit second-to-last before jockey Triston Moodley elected to punch forward to sit…

Two thoroughbred industry stalwarts have been bestowed one of New Zealand’s highest honours in the King’s Birthday honour list, including Catriona Williams, who has been appointed a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for her services to spinal cord injury research and equestrian sport. Williams, the founder and driving force behind the CatWalk Spinal Cord Injury Trust, has been a pillar of the worldwide effort into spinal cord injury research over the last two decades, and her efforts were recognised on Monday. Williams was one of New…

The Cambridge Stud legacy continues to grow, with current co-principal Brendan Lindsay appointed a Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the King’s Birthday Honours for his services to business and philanthropy. Lindsay purchased the renowned operation off founder Sir Patrick Hogan, who received the same honour 25 years ago for services to the thoroughbred industry. “Sir Tristram (former Cambridge Stud stallion), Sir Patrick and now Sir Brendan,” Lindsay said. “It is a real honour, and you are joining a pretty exclusive club. It is a bit…

New Zealand bred horses won five of the seven races carded at the final meeting to be staged by the Penang Turf Club in Malaysia on Saturday. Trainer Simon Dunderdale was full of praise for jockey Blaike McDougall after he piloted Sacred Buddy (NZ) (Sacred Falls) to victory in the RM150,000 Penang Turf Club Memorial Trophy (1100m). Making his third appearance in the country after notching five wins from Open Maiden to Class 4 at Kranji, the Sacred Falls gelding overcame a check halfway through the Cosmo C set-weight race…

Patrick and Michelle Payne’s The Cunning Fox (NZ) (Reliable Man) made it six wins from six jumps starts with a gutsy Australian Hurdle victory at Sandown on Sunday. Despite coming under riding from Tom Ryan a fair way from home, the striking grey, who cost Prime Thoroughbreds just $30,000 as a yearling, surged in the straight and lifted late to score by just under two lengths as a $3.10 chance. Highland Blaze flew late to go into second, while Affluential (NZ) (Zed) tired late to run a brave third, but…

Proven Te Akau Racing filly Cool Aza Rene (Cool Aza Beel) put her quality on display when prevailing in a competitive Nellies Restaurant and Bar 2YO (820m) at Wingatui on Sunday. A winner at her first two starts through the spring, Cool Aza Rene had started favourite in the Gr.2 Wakefield Challenge Stakes (1100m) in December, but after an uncharacteristic performance to finish the last of five, the filly pulled up shin-sore. Returning to Te Akau’s Riccarton stable in the late autumn, Cool Aza Rene trialled impressively at Ashburton before…