Category: Gallops

New Plymouth trainer Robbie Patterson had a perfect two-from-two day at Wanganui on Saturday, capped by potential black-type contender Belles Beau (NZ) (Iffraaj) in the Loaders Civil (1340m). Patterson had only two horses entered all weekend, and both of them produced impressive performances at Wanganui – Ma Te Wa (NZ) (Time Test) in the Hirepool 3YO (1340m) and Belles Beau in the day’s open sprint. “Two wins from only two runners is a really satisfying day, and I think they were two good performances by a couple of very progressive…

A thrilling victory on Afterallthistime (Deep Field) in Saturday’s Signature Homes Waikato Steeplechase (3900m) capped a Te Rapa double for Portia Matthews that was unforgettable in more ways than one. Matthews won both of the steeplechase races on the card, having previously taken out the Ken & Roger Browne Memorial (3900m) in extraordinary fashion aboard Uncle Charlie (NZ) (Alamosa). Six of the seven horses in that field were out of contention by the end of a chaotic first lap, leaving Uncle Charlie the only one still standing. Uncle Charlie mixed…

Robbie Patterson has unearthed another potential topliner from his New Plymouth stable as progressive gelding Ma Te Wa (NZ) (Time Test) kept his winning Wanganui record intact with victory in the Hirepool 3YO (1340). The three-year-old son of Time Test opened his career with a fourth on his home track back in February. Patterson gave him a few weeks off to recover from that effort before producing him to score by more than four lengths in a maiden contest at Wanganui in late May. Ma Te Wa returned to the…

Saturday’s A$150,000 Sportsbet Jockey Watch Handicap (1000m) at Sandown was Hello Romeo’s (NZ) (Hello Youmzain) first appearance since the Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m) in January, and the talented two-year-old resumed in style. Hello Romeo comes from the first New Zealand crop by Cambridge Stud shuttle stallion Hello Youmzain, and he brought up a first southern hemisphere win for the sire with his victory at Bendigo in November. His performances in that initial preparation prompted trainers Ben, Will, and JD Hayes to take a shot at the Karaka Millions in Ellerslie,…

Dictation (NZ) (Tavistock) has encountered more than his share of misfortune through the early part of his hurdling career, but he and jockey Mathew Gillies turned that around and made their own luck in the Fairview Motors Waikato Hurdle (3200m) at Te Rapa on Saturday. The winner of three of his seven starts over hurdles before Saturday’s $60,000 feature, the Paul Nelson and Corrina McDougal-trained Dictation also threw away a likely Sydenham Hurdle (3100m) victory with a costly late blunder at Riccarton last August, followed by a luckless second at…

Exciting sprinter Twain (NZ) (Per Incanto) will head to the spelling paddock off the back of an impressive performance in Saturday’s Bayleys Country Sprint (1200m) at Te Rapa. The four-year-old son of Per Incanto has proven to be a winning machine since commencing racing in July last year, with five victories from just eight starts before lining up on Saturday. Trainer John Bell has made no secret of his regard for Twain and was confident of another big effort provided he mastered the left-handed way of going at Te Rapa…

Rising star War Machine will start the popular elect in Saturday’s Gr.1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm, carrying not only the hopes of punters and his connections, but the heartfelt weight of two powerful legacies. The four-year-old has won five of his 12 starts since being purchased from New Zealand including his two outings from his new quarters with trainers Ben, Will and JD Hayes. Jockey Tim Clark will sport a black armband on Saturday in the A$3 million feature in memory of two pivotal figures who helped shape…

Three weeks on from a dominant performance over the same course and distance, Uderzo (NZ) (Vadamos) will return to Te Rapa on Saturday in search of a repeat result in the Skycity Hamilton Mile (1600m). Uderzo has been a strong performer throughout an 11-start campaign as a six-year-old this season, including a third in the Gr.2 Rich Hill Mile (1600m) in January and a huge finish from the back of the field for fourth in the Gr.3 Easter Handicap (1600m) in April. But the Vadamos gelding’s first win of the…

Ascot Park trainer Robert Dennis will head to Oamaru on Sunday with four leading chances, all of whom began their careers in the North Island. Dennis will be represented by the formerly Karen Fursdon-trained Vino Valentino in the Female Jockey Tribute Day (2200m), the former Lauren Brennan runner Sir Sterling in the Donna Wilson (1400m), the formerly Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott-trained Forseti in the Debbie Henderson (1200m), and the ex-Andrew Forsman runner Magnastar in the Debbie Kennedy (1200m). Sir Sterling performed to a high level in the north, winning…

Rising star War Machine will start the popular elect in Saturday’s Gr.1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm, carrying not only the hopes of punters and his connections, but the heartfelt weight of two powerful legacies. The four-year-old has won five of his 12 starts since being purchased from New Zealand including his two outings from his new quarters with trainers Ben, Will and JD Hayes. Jockey Tim Clark will sport a black armband on Saturday in the A$3 million feature in memory of two pivotal figures who helped shape…