Month: June 2020

Talented ex-pat Kiwi apprentice Lewis German aboard Heptagon after their victory at Caulfield Photo: Reg Ryan – Racing Photos One of the hottest prospects amongst the ultra-competitive Victorian riding ranks continued to put his name in the headlines when he guided the Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr-trained Heptagon to victory at Caulfield on Saturday. New Zealand born and raised apprentice rider Lewis German has taken the opportunities that have come his way of late with four winners in metropolitan Melbourne during the month including a double at Caulfield three…

Star New Zealand three-year-old Catalyst (outer) battles with Alligator Blood in the Gr.3 CS Hayes Stakes (1400m) at Flemington Photo: Reg Ryan – Racing Photos Te Awamutu trainer Clayton Chipperfield is looking forward to welcoming back a beefed-up Catalyst (NZ) (Darci Brahma) in the coming days, with this season’s Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) winner being readied for a spring campaign. The winner of six of his seven starts in New Zealand, Catalyst finished second to Alligator Blood in the Gr.3 CS Hayes Stakes (1400m) in an enthralling clash at…

Heptagon back in winning form at Caulfield. Photo: Reg Ryan/Racing Photos Honest six-year-old Heptagon (NZ) (Jimmy Choux) completed a red-letter day for Caulfield trainers Mick Price and Michael Kent (Jnr) on their home course. The duo sent out a treble of winners, with Heptagon following earlier wins by stablemates Right You Are and Tavisan. The son of Jimmy Choux took out the Vale Kevin O’Brien Handicap (1400m) and was aided by a perfect ride by three-kilo claiming apprentice Lewis German. It had been more than 12 months since Heptagon had…

Shalwa on her way to winning the Listed Helen Coughlan Fillies and Mares Plate at Doomben. Photo: Grant Peters Five-year-old mare Shalwa (NZ) (O’Reilly) has led in a stable quinella for Brisbane’s premier trainer Tony Gollan with her first stakes victory in the Listed Helen Coughlan Stakes (1350m) at Doomben. The 1350m race for fillies and mares offered a ballot exemption to the winner into next Saturday’s Stradbroke Handicap but Shalwa is not among the nominations for the Group One race. Gollan had pinpointed the Helen Coughlan Stakes as a…

Group One Sistema Railway (1200m) winner Julius Photo: Trish Dunell Cambridge trainer John Bell is delighted with the condition of his stable star Julius (NZ) (Swiss Ace), who again has summer sprint features firmly in his sights. The lightly raced eight-year-old has won nine of his 17 starts, placing in another six and never finishing further back than fourth. Last summer marked a triumphant comeback from injury and semi-retirement for the big gelding, scoring brilliant wins in the Gr.1 Sistema Railway (1200m) and Gr.3 J Swap Sprint (1400m) before finishing…

Tavisan recorded the fifth win of his career at Caulfield on Saturday Photo: Ross Holburt/Racing Photos Handy sprinter Tavisan (NZ) (Tavistock) recorded the fifth win of his career when successful in the Le Pine Funerals Handicap (1100m) at Caulfield on Saturday under a controlled Ben Melham ride. Having begged to get more rides from the Mick Price and Michael Kent Jr stable, jockey Ben Melham produced a peach aboard the son of Tavistock, who has now won A$326,351 in prizemoney. “He basically pleaded his case,” Price said of Melham. “I…

A service to Darley’s exciting stallion Microphone will be sold to raise funds for the CatWalk Trust via online auction Gavelhouse Plus. Photo: Supplied A service to one of Australia’s most sought-after stallions will be on offer in the 2020 edition of the New Zealand Bloodstock Weanling Sale. The annual auction, this year operated online due to restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic, will include a service to Darley stallion Microphone to be sold on behalf of the CatWalk Trust. A son of Exceed and Excel, Microphone was Champion two-year-old of…

Smart stayer Platinum Invador winning the Gr.3 City of Auckland Cup (2400m) Photo: Trish Dunell Leading Awapuni trainer Lisa Latta is enthusiastic about the prospect of an all-weather track at the busy Palmerston North racecourse. Installation of a synthetic surface is already well underway at Cambridge in the north, and Latta has welcomed this month’s announcement of funding for all-weather tracks in the central and southern regions. “That’s got to be good news for us in the central districts,” Latta said. “Obviously they’re getting one in the north, so I…