Month: September 2019

Te Akau Shark closes well late into second (No.2) behind easy winner Dreamforce in the Gr.2 Tramway Stakes (1400m) Despite not managing to put a win on the board, members of the New Zealand contingent that launched their assault on the riches of the Australian spring racing carnivals in Sydney and Melbourne were happy with their showings on Saturday. Te Akau Racing mentor Jamie Richards produced Te Akau Shark and Probabeel at Royal Randwick, with their second and fourth placings respectively delighting their trainer. “I was very pleased with both…

Progressive five-year-old Comeback was humanely euthanased after suffering a serious injury in the Gr.1 Tarzino Trophy (1400m) Trainer Graeme Rogerson is looking forward to the second day of the Bostock New Zealand Spring Racing Carnival at Hastings later this month despite the unfortunate loss of progressive five-year-old Comeback. The Makfi gelding was humanely euthanised following his gritty run for sixth in the Gr.1 Tarzino Trophy (1400m) at Hastings on August 31 after sustaining a slab fracture in his left fore carpal joint during the closing stages of the contest. “He…

Tofane on her way to winning at Moonee Valley Trainer Michael Moroney had been confident of a strong performance from Group Two performer Tofane leading into Saturday and the four-year-old mare did not disappoint. The daughter of Ocean Park was second-up in the Pfd Food Services (1200m) at Moonee Valley and despite having to travel three-wide most of the trip, she had plenty in the tank to collar leader Haut Brion Hur (Zoustar) with 100m to go and went on to win by .3L. “She got the right spot to…

Cooga Doon and Lisa Allpress storm clear at Wanganui Lightly raced three-year-old Cooga Doon made it two wins from two starts when he took out the Listed HS Dyke Wanganui Guineas (1340m) in sensational fashion on Saturday. The Fraser Auret-trained Makfi gelding had set tongues wagging when successful by seven lengths over 1200m in his debut run at the venue last month. The subject of a mountain of late support that saw him start favourite for his first start in black-type company, Cooga Doon looked anything but a winning chance…

Wise Men Say clears a fence in effortless fashion on his way to victory at Ellerslie Wise Men Say added his name to the Ellerslie record books when he took out one of the world’s iconic jumping races, the Network Visuals Great Northern Steeplechase (6400m), for the second time on Saturday. The ten-year-old, who had won the race in 2017, adopted tearaway tactics as he led from go to whoa to defy his rivals under the urgings of rider Shaun Fannin. The pair gave a faultless display of jumping in…

Picaro Warwick Farm trainer Gary Portelli has predicted more Sydney horses will be heading to Brisbane in coming weeks after Picaro won at Eagle Farm. Picaro won a battle with favourite Miss Shanti to score by a half head in the Madison Cleaning Plate (1825m). The four-year-old son of Pierro was sold as a yearling though Hallmark Stud’s 2017 New Zealand Bloodstock draft when purchased by Laurel Oak Bloodstock for $100,000. Portelli, who also won with Single Bullet at Eagle Farm last week, said he would be back with more…

The never say die attitude of accomplished hurdler Bad Boy Brown was on display for all to see at Ellerslie on Saturday after he produced a stirring home straight rally to claim the day’s first prestige jumping event, the Boutique Body Corporates Great Northern Hurdle (4190m). Narrowly beaten in a tight finish to the Grand National Hurdles (4200m) at Riccarton last month, the Harvey Wilson-trained eight-year-old put that disappointment aside as he rallied bravely in the final 100m of the Ellerslie feature after being clearly headed by Laekeeper earlier in…

Hastings visitor Riva Capri indicated she will be a filly to watch at a higher level over the next few months after she broke her maiden status in stakes company when taking out the Listed The O’Leary’s Fillies Stakes (1200m) at Wanganui. Raced in the colours of well-known owner Lib Petagna under his JML Bloodstock banner, the Guy Lowry and Grant Cullen-trained three-year-old had looked a likely type when flashing home late for second on debut at her Hastings home track back in July. Unsighted since that performance, Riva Capri…

South African trainer Ricardo Le Grange’s high opinion of Field Marshal was given another boost following a second win from as many starts on Friday night. The New Zealand-bred three-year-old by Sweet Orange made a thrilling winning debut under Le Grange’s apprentice jockey Krisna Thangamani, getting up by a nose in a Restricted Maiden race over 1200m on turf on July 28, carrying only 50kgs. Le Grange raised the ante by stepping up the Middle Kingdom Stable-owned galloper in the S$75,000 Novice race over 1200m, this time around on Polytrack.…

Me Tsui is seeking redress. The trainer’s Fight Hero ran a race befitting his name to place a close second in last year’s Korea Sprint (1200m) – after luck deserted – and on Sunday his Ugly Warrior will enter the Seoul sand track in an attempt to go one better. “I want to win,” Tsui said, recalling the wide run from gate 13 and the barely believable, deep-closing stretch run that took the now-retired Fight Hero to within a head of Japan’s victorious Moanin. Fight Hero was allotted that wide…