Category: Gallops

Talented five-year-old mare She’s A Hustler scored a game victory in the Gr.3 Tesio Stakes (2040m) at The Valley on Saturday. Under a positive ride from Jordan Childs, She’s A Hustler sat just behind the leader Sea What I See, and packed too many punches for that rival in a muddling run race. The daughter of Ace High has been a model of consistency for trainer Grahame Begg since crossing the Tasman. She placed on debut at Matamata for Roger James and Robert Wellwood. From nine career starts, She’s A…

The winning roll of the Te Akau Racing team continued unabated when former European galloper I’m A Dirty Rascal (Galileo) produced an eye-catching Gr.3 Martin Collins New Zealand Cup (3200m) trial when taking out the NZB Airfreight Road To Jericho (3000m) at Riccarton. Te Akau Racing trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson had large teams racing at both New Zealand venues with I’m A Dirty Rascal’s win their fifth combined victory on the day. Having just his sixth run in New Zealand since joining the stable last year following eight…

Chad Ormsby and Ben and Ryan Foote have plenty on their plate in the build-up to next month’s NZB Ready to Run Sale at Karaka, but the multi-talented Cambridge horsemen also made their mark on the racetrack on Saturday with victories in $65,000 open handicaps at Ellerslie. Ormsby will offer 20 two-year-olds under his Riverrock Farm banner during the Ready to Run Sale at Karaka on November 12 and 13, and they breezed up over a busy couple of days at Te Rapa last Monday and Tuesday. Ormsby quickly switched…

The value of raceday experience and a touch of class saw two-year-old Out Of The Blue retain his unbeaten record when taking out the Entain/NZB Insurance Pearl Series (800m) contest for the juveniles at Riccarton. The Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson-prepared son of Tivaci had looked good when winning on debut over the same distance at the venue last month and punters were keen on his chances again as they sent him out a red-hot $1.45 favourite in the hands of Opie Bosson. Bosson had the gelding away nicely and…

Cups king Mahrajaan made his first public appearance in more than 12 months when he finished third behind Group One winner Provence in his 1100m heat at the Ellerslie trials on Thursday. He was victorious in the 2023 edition of the Gr.3 New Zealand Cup (3200m) before winning the Gr.2 Auckland Cup (3200m) at Ellerslie four months later, placing the imported son of Kitten’s Joy at the top of New Zealand’s staying ranks. Trainers Shaune Ritchie and Colm Murray decided to test his talent in Australia, where he finished last…

Shaune Ritchie and Colm Murray teamed up with The Oaks Stud two years ago to win the Jericho Cup (4600m) at Warrnambool with Nassak Diamond, and they are hoping to do the same this year with Tempest Moon. The Cambridge trainers have trekked south to Christchurch with the five-year-old daughter of Turn Me Loose where they will try and gain a berth in next month’s marathon feature when they contest the NZB Airfreight Road To The Jericho (3000m) at Riccarton on Saturday. The winner gains an automatic entry into the…

Now Hong Kong based jockey Hugh Bowman said he felt proud to get the call up from Chris Waller to ride Aeliana (NZ) (Castelvecchio) in the final Gr.1 Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley before the track undergoes a redevelopment.  Bowman and Waller combined with Winx (Street Cry) to win the Cox Plate on four occasions, and the jockey accepted the ride on Aeliana after Waller sent out a call last week.  Aeliana is one of three runners Waller has in Saturday’s Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley joining last year’s winner Via Sistina (Fastnet Rock) and Buckaroo (Fastnet Rock).  “Moonee Valley brings many great…

A two-pronged tilt at the Gr.2 James and Annie Sarten Memorial (1400m) at Te Rapa on Monday is set to headline a busy weekend for the newest trainer inducted into New Zealand’s 1000-win club. Andrew Forsman, who celebrated his 1000th domestic success with Berry Brown at Matamata last Friday, will have runners at Ellerslie, Te Rapa, The Valley and Sale over the next three days. That contingent includes Quondo and Virgo Viva in the Sarten Memorial, which is a key lead-up for the Gr.1 New Zealand Barneswood Farm 1000 Guineas…

Labour Weekend is set to play a role in shaping Te Akau Racing’s contingents for the Gr.1 Barneswood Farm New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) and Gr.1 Al Basti Equiworld Dubai New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton next month. Trainers Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson have Guineas contenders lining up in two traditional lead-up races over the long weekend, and Te Akau has previously used both events as stepping stones to classic success. Te Akau has recorded six victories in the Gr.3 War Decree Stakes (1600m) at Riccarton, including subsequent…

Multiple Group One winner Provence indicated she is ready to take on another lucrative campaign with a strong 1100m trial win at Ellerslie on Thursday. The daughter of Savabeel had a quiet trial under her belt on the Cambridge Synthetic last month, and on this occasion, trainer Stephen Marsh was looking for a more solid hit-out. The mare tracked a keen leader in Judicial through the mid-stages before taking over in the straight, kicking clear to win by two lengths with a considerable margin back to the rest of the…