Category: Gallops

Saturday’s Stout Roofing (1200m) was the second year in a row that Erin Hocquard has used a May meeting at Trentham as a first-up assignment for Spencer (NZ) (Derryn), and the Waverley trainer’s stable star has struck gold on both of those occasions. A Rating 75 sprint at Trentham on May 25 provided a winning start to Spencer’s campaign last winter, and the son of Derryn went on to collect another three wins, including the Gr.3 Spring Sprint (1400m) at Te Rapa in October. He was also runner-up in the…

Progressive galloper Sterling Express (NZ) (Shamexpress) made it a winning double at Ellerslie to open his current campaign when he took full advantage of a superb Warren Kennedy rails-hugging ride to capture the Network Visuals (1400m). The four-year-old gelding had suggested he was reaching a new peak in this preparation after he dashed clear first up at the venue in open-class company over 1200m. Up to a more favoured 1400m trip on Saturday, the son of Shamexpress was one of the main chances in a very even contest that saw…

Saturday’s Harrison’s Carpet Hard Flooring 3YO (1600m) at Trentham brought the curtain down on Coulthard’s (NZ) (Redwood) three-year-old season and hinted at an even brighter future as a four and five-year-old. The Lisa Latta-trained Coulthard has made a favourable impression in his first racing preparation, which kicked off with a second and a fifth from his first two appearances in December and January. He was a three-length maiden winner at Waverley in February in his third start, then was beaten by a nose when second at Wanganui in March. A…

Gr.1 Blue Diamond (1200m) winner Little Brose (Per Incanto) has been officially welcomed to the Little Avondale stallion ranks to join his champion sire, Per Incanto. Little Brose was presented in outstanding order and is really letting down into a magnificent animal.   Little Brose is very much in the mould of his father, Per Incanto and it is very exciting for breeders to have access to the 1st Australian 1200m Gr.1 winning 2YO to ever debut at stud in New Zealand. Little Brose was bred by local friend and client, David…

Stephen Marsh is eyeing a light winter campaign with his Group One-winning sprinter Mercurial (NZ) (Burgundy), who shook off some cobwebs with a trial win at Cambridge on Friday. The winner of six of his 36 starts, including last year’s Gr.1 Telegraph (1200m) at Trentham, Mercurial has been off the scene since he was unplaced in the Gr.1 BCD Group Sprint (1400m) at Te Rapa on February 8. The six-year-old Burgundy gelding pleased his trainer with a narrow but comfortable short-neck victory in Friday’s 950m heat on his home track.…

Cambridge trainer Clinton Isdale had a pleasing day at Riccarton’s synthetic meeting on Thursday, and he is hoping he can take that form into the weekend. He tasted success as an owner when the John and Karen Parsons-trained Funfetti (NZ) (Embellish) romped home to a four-length victory in the Firefighters Challenge – Phil Leabourn Rating 75 (2200m), while his stable runner Elegant Explosive (NZ) (Sweynesse) was just half a length shy of winner Sonnet (NZ) (Charm Spirit) in the Entain/NZB Insurance Pearl Series (1400m). “Funfetti has always shown ability on…

David Haworth’s two runners at Trentham on Saturday are a pair of full-brothers – Orlov (NZ) (Sweynesse) and Subsonic (NZ) (Sweynesse). Haworth co-bred and shares in the ownership of both geldings, who are by Sweynesse out of the Guillotine mare Diamond Cut. “They’re both in on Saturday and they’re both really well,” Haworth said. “Hopefully there’s no more rain in the Wellington area and the track stays around that Soft7 mark. If it does, I wouldn’t be surprised to see them both run big races.” Seven-year-old Orlov is already a…

Andrew Forsman is hoping for a lucrative few weeks in Melbourne with his talented three-year-olds Yaldi (NZ) (Ardrossan), Mustang Morgan (NZ) (Preferment) and Prochester (NZ) (Proisir). The trio will all line up at Flemington on Saturday in races that are qualifying heats for the Winter Finals at the same venue on July 5. Yaldi’s assignment is the K. A. Morrison Handicap (1400m), which is a qualifier for the A$150,000 Silver Bowl Series Final (1600m). Mustang Morgan and Prochester are entered for Saturday’s Sir Henry Bolte Handicap (2000m), which is a…

Group One-winning mare Bonny Lass (NZ) (Super Easy) will head across the Tasman after being bought by Widden Stud for $480,000 on Gavelhouse Plus on Thursday. Bonny Lass was a Group winner as a two, three, four, five and six-year-old for owner-breeder Sandy Moore, co-owners Brent and Wendy Cooper and the Social Racing Starting Gates Syndicate. From the stable of Matamata trainers Graham Richardson and Rogan Norvall, her 26-race career produced eight wins, eight placings and $774,950 in stakes. Widden Stud principal Antony Thompson was thrilled to secure another quality…

Promising juvenile Towering Vision (NZ) (Circus Maximus) will aim to double his stakes-winning tally before heading to the paddock when he contests Saturday’s Listed SkyCity Champagne Stakes (1600m) at Ellerslie. Towering Vision became the first stakes winner for his sire Circus Maximus when taking out the Listed Waikato Veterinary Centre Stakes (1400m), a result that co-trainer Sam Bergerson had cautiously hoped for when heading to Te Rapa earlier this month. “We were quietly confident that he’d run well, we didn’t expect him to win but it didn’t come too much…