Month: July 2020

Forward showing from Pike team at Te Rapa hit-out

Editor BOAY

Thoroughbreds were a step closer to racing in the Waikato on Tuesday with a bumper set of trials conducted at Te Rapa. 293 horses were put through their paces as late autumn puppy fat is turned to lean mean muscle ahead of the brought-forward return to racing date of June 20 at Pukekohe Park, where a winter race meeting has never held such interest. Despite the fresh conditions on a sunny winter’s day, there was an air of optimism at Te Rapa as racing people gathered like long lost friends…

Polly Grey testing Sydney waters

Editor BOAY

Stakes-winning mare Polly Grey (NZ) (Azamour) has joined the stable of leading Sydney trainer Chris Waller. The five-year-old mare won the Listed Matamata Cup (1600m) last October before placing in the Gr.3 Thompson Handicap (1600m) and Gr.2 Japan Trophy (1600m) and has recently joined the expat Kiwi’s barn. “We decided to send her to Chris Waller, just to see how she goes and give her an opportunity to get some black-type in Australia hopefully,” former trainer and part-owner Kylie Fawcett said. “We have leased a half share in her to…

Ocean Emperor stud fee announced

Editor BOAY

Three-time Group Two winning son of Zabeel, Ocean Emperor, will stand for a fee of $6,000+GST for the forthcoming breeding season, a reduction from $7,000+GST at his initial season at stud last year. Retired to Gary and Jenny Hennessy’s Weowna Park, Ocean Emperor covered 20 mares in his inaugural season at stud. A $450,000 yearling purchase at Karaka from the draft of Waikato Stud, Ocean Emperor had 28 starts for Gary Hennessy and recorded nine wins and five placings, headed by the Gr.2 Japan-NZ International Trophy (1600m) and back-to-back editions…

WA life agreeing with Humidor

Editor BOAY

Gallant New Zealand-bred galloper Humidor (NZ) (Teofilo) is set to line-up in Saturday’s Gr.3 Hyperion Stakes (1600m) at Belmont for trainer Lindsey Smith, with stablemate and fellow veteran Black Heart Bart (Blackfriars) also a chance of contesting the mile feature in Perth. A three-time Group One winner who was also placed behind Winx (Street Cry) in two editions of the Gr.1 Cox Plate (2040m), Humidor has had just the one start for Smith after transferring from Ciaron Maher and David Eustace for whom the rising eight-year-old failed to fire. Part-owned…

Exciting spring tipped for Team Rogerson

Editor BOAY

Team Rogerson were out in force at the Te Rapa trials on Tuesday with 48 representatives and a number of their runners have the Hamilton trio excited heading into the new season. The training partnership of Graeme Rogerson, his wife Debbie, and granddaughter Bailey, were able to keep a few of their team in work at their Tuhikaramea private training property over the COVID-19 enforced lockdown period, which was reflected by their large contingent on Tuesday. “We were one of the lucky ones, we kept quite a few going,” Graeme…

Strong LA Draft for National Sale

Editor BOAY

Little Avondale Stud are confident the New Zealand Bloodstock National Weanling Sale will continue the successful trend of previous auctions having had to move to an online format due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Wairarapa nursery will offer a select line-up of youngsters in the auction to run on plus.gavelhouse.com, including two by their exciting young shuttle stallion Time Test. Weanlings from the first southern hemisphere crop of Dubawi’s dual Group Two winning son Time Test have generated a large amount of interest and Sam Williams is looking forward to…

Brennan beaming to be back

Editor BOAY

It may have been a cold winter’s day, but Lauren Brennan was over the moon to be back at the trials at Te Rapa on Tuesday. “It was great to be back at the trials and I think it was the same for everyone else,” she said. The Cambridge trainer lined-up three runners with two of her representatives taking out their respective heats. The two-year-old Star Witness gelding won his 850m heat by half a length, while the three-year-old Per Incanto gelding also won his 850m heat by the same…

Ormsby excited to resume riding

Editor BOAY

Group One-winning jockey Chad Ormsby is making a comeback to the saddle, some eight years after he last rode on raceday. The 31-year-old Matamata horseman has packed plenty into his career, which has involved roles as an apprentice then senior jockey, jumps jockey, trainer, breaker and doing sales preparations under his Riverrock Farm banner. He has also made a name for himself as a bull rider of some repute on the rodeo circuit. While he is not turning his back on his pre-training, training or bull riding, Ormsby was back…

Sixth horse ambulance ready for racing’s re-start

Editor BOAY

Otago equine veterinarian, Dr Peter Gillespie, is proud to personally deliver the latest horse ambulance manufactured at TL MacLean’s Dunedin workshop to its new home base in Auckland. Dr Gillespie and his colleague, Dr Bill Bishop, came up with the idea of a national horse ambulance service eight years ago and Dr Gillespie acknowledges the hard work and determination of NZHAT Trust Chair Martin Burns to help make it happen. The Trust has worked closely with New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing, Harness Racing New Zealand and the New Zealand Equine Veterinary…

Flemington expected to suit Zacinto mare

Editor BOAY

Adelaide trainer Gordon Richards is hopeful the decision to wait an extra week for a Flemington race with Miss Mandito (NZ) (Zacinto) will be rewarded when the mare makes her latest Melbourne appearance. Miss Mandito won last year’s Leilani Series Final at Flemington when trained in Victoria by Charlotte Littlefield and that same race is a target again for the mare on July 4. The five-year-old will be chasing victory in one of the heats of the series in Saturday’s Bruce Gadsden Handicap (1420m) at Flemington. Miss Mandito has won one of her four…