Quirky but talented mare Miss Tarzy has come from last win the Leilani Series Final (1400m) under a patient Jett Stanley ride. The daughter of Tarzino was sent out a $51 chance but defied the punters in the last to close over the top of Sassy Boom who had looked poised for victory. Prepared by Anthony and Sam Freedman, Miss Tarzy has now won five of her 19 starts with a further seven placings but is usually seen to best effect at a mile and beyond. Connections have hailed the…
Category: Gallops
Shockletz claims Mahogany Challenge Final
Smart three-year-old staying filly Shockletz has overcome a wide barrier to win the Mahogany Challenge Final (2500m) at Flemington on Saturday under a well-judged Harry Coffey ride. Prepared by Ciaron Maher, the daughter of Shocking recorded the third victory of the campaign and relished the step up in distance, narrowly getting the better of Ant who made a dashing late run nearer the rails. “She was drawn really wide (13) and Harry was initially going to be posted deep but he rolled the dice and decided to go a little…
Banter is back a winner
Four-year-old mare Good Banter was back in the winner’s circle when narrowly prevailing in the Catanach’s Jewellers Handicap (2000m) at Rosehill on Saturday for trainers John O’Shea and Tom Charlton. The daughter of Tavistock hadn’t greeted the judge first since her triumph in the Gr.3 Adrian Knox Stakes (2000m) in April of last year but had shown positive signs in trackwork before her success on the improving Soft 7 surface. Ridden by Dylan Gibbons, Good Banter settled just forward of midfield and enjoyed a clear passage despite ducking in late…
Caitlyns Wish relishes testing Te Rapa conditions
Winter specialist Caitlyns Wish was in her element in the extremely testing conditions at Te Rapa on Saturday and scored a determined front-running victory in the Group One Turf Bar Sprint (1200m). The $40,000 open handicap was the seventh win of a 24-start career for the daughter of Belardo, with all of those victories coming on heavy tracks. She has made a habit of winning at Te Rapa around this time of year, taking out a 1200m three-year-old race in July of 2023 and a 1200m open handicap last June.…
Te Awamutu Cup success for Drop Of Something
Japanese apprentice Yuga Okubo cheekily suggested he could win four races at Te Rapa on Saturday from his four rides during a pre-raceday interview on Saturday morning and he nearly made good on that promise as he completed a winning treble with victory aboard Drop Of Something in the main flat race on the day, the UBP Te Awamutu Cup (1600m) The winner of four races in Japan before his arrival in New Zealand in early 2024, the likeable Okubo has created a good impression on some influential members of…
Family Folks opens New Zealand account
Well-travelled gelding Family Folks launched a powerful finish from near the back of the field to collect his first New Zealand victory in the Mark Sanders Memorial (1400m) at Te Rapa on Saturday. The son of Snitzel was born, raised and sold in Australia, then headed to Hong Kong and won five times in a 37-start career for owner Wing Keung So. The eight-year-old has found a new home this season with Cambridge trainers Tim and Margaret Carter, who now own him. He went winless in his first nine starts…
Jakama Krystal takes out the Waikato Hunt Cup
A daring ride by Kylan Wiles paved the way for tenacious mare Jakama Krystal to add a second win on the Te Rapa card for trainers Peter and Jessica Brosnan as she raced away with the Waikato Hunt Cup (3900m) on Saturday. The nine-year-old daughter of Jakkalberry is normally seen disputing the pace in her races but a change in tactics saw her settle near last for the first half of the contest before edging nearer with 1600m to run. Jakama Krystal was in the zone with her jumping and…
Apprentice defeats his boss at Te Rapa
Japanese apprentice Yuga Okubo upstaged his employer at Te Rapa on Saturday with an upset victory on Ribkraka in the Jack & June Stewart Memorial (1200m). The 22-year-old is apprenticed to Cambridge trainer Tony Pike, who saddled Honey Badger as a red-hot $1.60 favourite in the $35,000 three-year-old race. But Pike was thwarted by his protégé as Okubo steered Ribkraka to an all-the-way win. Ribkraka drew the inside gate in a field that was halved to just four runners by scratchings. Okubo made full use of that handy draw and…
Callwood secures first New Zealand victory
Visiting English jumps rider Ellie Callwood secured her first success in New Zealand when she guided promising jumper Squire to victory in the OTL Group Ltd Hurdle (2800m) at Te Rapa. Callwood has joined a number of jumps riders from the United Kingdon making their way to New Zealand for winter racing and put her name on the winners list with a superbly judged ride aboard the Peter and Jessica Brosnan-prepared Squire, who was having just his second attempt over fences after scoring narrowly at the venue last month when…
Al’s Red Zed takes Jesko form to Te Rapa
With multiple recent placings behind a rising star of New Zealand’s steeplechasing ranks, Al’s Red Zed takes strong form credentials into Saturday’s Waikato Hunt Cup (3900m) at Te Rapa. Al’s Red Zed began his steeplechasing career last winter, scoring a three-length maiden win at Trentham in July before finishing fourth in the Koral Steeplechase (4250m) and falling at the last fence of the Grand National Steeplechase (5600m). The Zed gelding has had two steeplechase starts this winter for two placings, both behind Jesko. He ran third in a 3800m open…