Month: January 2020

Miami Bound is getting closer to a raceday return. Photo: Darryl Sherer Gr.1 VRC Oaks winner Miami Bound (NZ) (Reliable Man) will ramp up preparations towards her return when she contests a Flemington jump-out. The three-year-old filly played her part in a memorable Melbourne Cup carnival for trainer Danny O’Brien last spring, winning both the Gr.2 Wakeful Stakes and Gr.1 VRC Oaks. O’Brien also won the Melbourne Cup with Vow And Declare (Declaration of War). Miami Bound is scheduled to go around in a jump-out at Flemington on Friday in…

Jonathan Scully (centre) with Valachi Downs owners Kevin and Joanna Hickman Photo: Trish Dunell Valachi Downs has announced General Manager Jonathan Scully has stepped down from his role at the Matamata Farm to returnto Australia. “Jonathan Scully has resigned as General Manager to return to New South Wales to spend some quality time with his young family and to see what opportunities arise,” a statement from Valachi Downs read. “Owners Kevin and Joanna Hickman thank Jonathan for his efforts over the last six years and, in particular, for his role…

Unbeaten filly Levante will contest the ParkMate.co.nz 1400 at Te Aroha on Friday. Photo: Kenton Wright (Race Images) Matamata trainers Ken and Bev Kelso will look to raise the bar for exciting filly Levante (NZ) (Proisir) after taking her to Te Aroha for Friday’s ParkMate.co.nz 1400. The three-year-old daughter of Proisir has had two starts for two highly impressive wins, producing scintillating finishes from the back of the field to win at Matamata on December 6 and December 28. She was ridden on both occasions by Ryan Elliot, who will…

Opie Bosson doesn’t mind getting called greedy. Especially when it comes for his desire for further Karaka Million success. The champion jockey will team up with Cool Aza Beel in Saturday’s Karaka Million 2YO (1200m) and partner last year’s winner Probabeel in the Karaka Million 3YO Classic (1600m). Probabeel completed a treble of Karaka Million wins for Bosson and Te Akau at the same meeting last year after earlier success with Melody Belle (2017) and Avantage (2018). That recent strike-rate prompted some good-natured ribbing this week from Pukekohe trainer Nigel…

Crack Me Up winning the 2017 Villiers Stakes. Photo: www.bradleyphotos.com.au A decision whether Carrington Stakes topweight Crack Me Up (NZ) (Mossman) runs at Randwick or the Sunshine Coast has yet to be made. The 2017 Villiers Stakes winner has had two starts after being sidelined for 12 months, including a close fifth in the Gr.3 George Moore Stakes, finishing less than half a length from the winner Chapter And Verse (Rothesay), and sixth in the Magic Millions Cup won by Vega One (Lope de Vega). Trained by Liam Birchley to…

Karaka Million 2YO (1200m) contender Taroni. Photo: Trish Dunell Showcasing filly Taroni (NZ) (Showcasing) will be vying to make it back-to-back wins in the Karaka Million 2YO (1200m) at Ellerslie on Saturday for Brendan and Jo Lindsay. The Cambridge Stud principals won last year’s edition with Probabeel (NZ) (Savabeel) and will have two chances in this year’s race with Not An Option (Not A Single Doubt) and Taroni. Taroni has had the two starts to date for a runner-up performance on debut and a last start victory over 1100m at…

Midnight Magic winning at Avondale on Wednesday. Photo: Race Images Three-year-old filly Midnight Magic (NZ) (Jimmy Choux) was backed into a short-priced $1.40 favourite in the Avondale Sunday Markets 1400 at Avondale on Wednesday and duly delivered for punters. The Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman-trained filly was sent straight to the lead from her ace barrier by jockey Sam Collett where the pair were able to keep out the challenge of Madam Pompom (NZ) (Smart Missile) and Lincoln Springs (Foxwedge) down the back-straight before running away to a 1-1/2 length…