Category: Gallops

New Zealand-bred three-year-old Public Attention will continue his racing career in Hong Kong following his recent sale. The grey son of Written Tycoon was bred by the late Sir Patrick Hogan and Lady Justine Hogan out of Legramor, a daughter of their dual Group One winner Katie Lee, and he was offered through Carlaw Park’s 2023 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 1 Yearling Sale draft where he was purchased by Coolmore’s Tom Magnier for $160,000. Public Attention was raced by Coolmore, in association with several partners, including Sir Peter Vela, and…

Memories of a former high-class performer were revived when Peter Fitzgerald recently made a return to the winner’s circle. The Otaki horseman celebrated his first success in three decades when Revo broke his maiden on the polytrack at Awapuni last Friday. Fitzgerald enjoyed top-flight success in the early 1990s with the free-going chestnut Captain Cook, who won six races including the Gr.1 International Stakes (2000m) at Te Rapa where he beat Fun On The Run. He subsequently took a lengthy break from training before returning and now has Revo and…

Te Akau’s Cranbourne barn has welcomed some exciting reinforcements ahead of spring racing, headlined by $3.5 million NZB Kiwi (1500m) heroine Damask Rose. The rising four-year-old mare was a standout for trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson in her three-year-old term, winning three of her five starts in her homeland, including the $1.5 million Karaka Millions 3YO (1600m) and NZB Kiwi, accruing more than $2 million in earnings. Having taken out two of New Zealand’s richest races, her connections have now set their sights on securing the lion’s share of…

Arron Lynch and Right Now (NZ) (Wrote) have caused a boilover in the Kevin Lafferty Hurdle at Warrnambool on Sunday, holding tough at long odds. Trained by Bevan Laming, Right Now couldn’t go the 3900 metres in the Australian Hurdle last start, but the drop back to 3200m looked suitable and he travelled comfortably throughout. Lynch pinched runs up the inside and went from second last to first down the side, but there was still the matter of holding off Loft ($1.35) and Normandy Bridge ($5). But even with the…

Highview Stud stallion Divine Prophet sired a new stakeswinner on Saturday with Fortunate Kiss (Divine Prophet) a deserved winner in the Listed A$300,000 Glasshouse Handicap (1400m) at the Sunshine Coast on Saturday. With nine top five finishes in previous black type races, it was better late than never for the Lloyd Kennewell and Lucy Yeomans trained mare Fortunate Kiss held off the late charge of Oughton to score by just over a quarter of a length to get her first black type victory. Stable rep Ross O’Sullivan expected a forward…

Joe Pride has been heartened by the performances of a horse from a rival yard this season as he begins to plot a spring carnival path for dual Group One winner Ceolwulf (NZ) (Tavistock). The Warwick Farm conditioner watched with interest as Antino (NZ) (Redwood) thumped his rivals in the Gr.2 Hollindale Stakes (1800m) and the Gr.1 Doomben Cup (2000m) over the Queensland winter, the efforts elevating the Tony Gollan-trained galloper to the second line of early Cox Plate markets behind Via Sistina. While Antino has always shown talent, it…

Waikato horseman Peter Grey celebrated his first winner in the training role at Tauranga on Sunday, breaking maiden status alongside his filly Slick Chick (NZ) (Reliable Man). A daughter of Reliable Man, Slick Chick defied her $57 closing price when finishing third to Leprekhan at Wanganui last month, but remained among the outsiders in the Tremains Real Estate Maiden 2100 and settled last early in the hands of Bridget Grylls. Exiting the straight, Uhtred took control of the race and had several runners off the bit nearing the 800m, where…

Empire State (NZ) (Tavistock) has grown in confidence throughout the season and he put that on display at Te Rapa on Saturday, breaking through for an impressive maiden success in the Irwin’s Truck and Bus Hurdle (2800m). The six-year-old by Tavistock was having his eighth attempt over the smaller fences, having shown improvement at each start this campaign. He put the writing on the wall when finishing into third behind Jerricoop last month at Te Aroha, but was still slightly underrated in the market on Saturday, closing at $8.20 with…

A promising future over fences awaits Malborough Bay (NZ) (Darci Brahma), who showcased his ability on rain-affected tracks with a gritty victory in Saturday’s John F Grylls Memorial Classic (1400m) at Te Rapa.   The son of Darci Brahma had four previous wins to his credit, all on soft or heavy ground, and indicated he was ready to strike again with a narrow second to Joshua Brown at the venue last month. Among the better-backed runners in an even Rating 75 contest, Malborough Bay found cover three-wide in a compact…

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD NEWSLETTER