Month: September 2020

The John O’Shea-trained All Saints’ Eve (NZ) (Sacred Falls) scored a comfortable victory in the Gr.3 Tibbie Stakes (1400m) at Newcastle on Friday, landing some valuable black-type for the well-related four-year-old. Ridden by James McDonald, who has had a long-held association with O’Shea, All Saints’ Eve sports the colours of Waikato Stud, with Mark and Garry Chittick sharing in an ownership group that features Rosemont Stud in Victoria and O’Shea’s wife Isabel. Stakes-placed at three when third in the Gr.3 Kembla Grange Classic (1600m) in March this year, All Saints’…

Cameron Lammas has been stood down by the RIU until further notice and will not be riding at Hawke’s Bay on Saturday 19 September.  Replacement riders for his following booked rides are yet to be confirmed: Race 6 #11 – Autobahn Race 8 #10 – Tokorangi Race 9 #14 – De Gaulle Race 10 #12 – Pinmedown

Trainer John Sargent is expecting a return to form from talented galloper Brandenburg (NZ) (Burgundy), who lines up in the Gr.3 Bill Ritchie Handicap (1400m) at Randwick. Brandenburg was among some high-profile stars that fell victim to a scorching tempo in the Winx Stakes first-up last month but after a subsequent trial and some pleasing trackwork, Sargent is confident the stakes-winning four-year-old can bounce back to his best. “He came through the Winx well. It just didn’t work out,” Sargent said. “All the horses that went forward dropped out but…

New Zealand Bloodstock has confirmed dates for their new NZB Ready to Run Sale race sponsorships and incentivised prize package for domestic trainers over the duration of spring. The next race in the series is set to get under way this weekend in the $70,000 Gr.3 NZB Ready to Run Sale Trainers Series (1400m), held as race three on 26 September at New Plymouth Raceway. The following dates have been confirmed for the six remaining Ready to Run Sale Trainers Series races: Saturday 3 October at Riccarton Saturday 10 October…

Group One winner Jennifer Eccles will have a change of rider in the Gr.1 Tarzino Trophy (1400m) at Hastings on Saturday. Regular rider Jason Waddell has been stood down by the Racing Integrity Unit until further notice and will not be riding at Hastings this weekend. His coveted ride on Jennifer Eccles will be taken by Matthew Cameron, while Troy Harris will ride his only other booked ride on the day, Vigor Winner in the Hastings – Heart Of Hawke’s Bay (1200m).

Savabeel filly Fashion Shoot broke her maiden at the second time of asking when scoring over 1200m at Te Rapa on Thursday. The daughter of Savabeel surged clear to beat Extortion by a length and a quarter, while Royce Roca was another half-length away in third.  Trainer Jamie Richards was pleased to see the three-year-old perform well against her own age group after running third against older horses at her first start. “It was a nice win by a promising filly,” Richards said. “She shaped up well at the trials…

Age Of Chivalry finished runner-up in the Gr.1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) last season and trainers Matthew Ellerton and Simon Zahra are hoping he can go one better in this year’s edition. “It’s a different sort of race on Saturday,” Zahra said. “He hasn’t drawn as good (barrier 13) and he was probably a touch fitter going into the run last time. That was probably more his grand final last year. “But we have left a bit of fuel in the tank for the Toorak (Gr.1, 1600m) this year.…

Andrew Bensley speaks with Hastings Track Manager Richard Fenwick about how the track is shaping up for the return of Group One racing on Saturday.