Month: September 2020

Last Saturday’s stakes win at New Plymouth was a fitting outcome from a mare who held the shining light at the end of New Zealand’s COVID-19 racing lockdown tunnel for Matamata trainer Mark Brosnan. When winning the Gr.3 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Rule Sale Trainers Series (1400m), Supreme Heights (NZ) (Jimmy Choux) took her record to six wins and four placings from 15 starts and added significantly to her value as a broodmare with a prized stakes victory. For Brosnan, the black type success is one to thoroughly enjoy,…

Stakes winning three-year-old filly Only Words (NZ) (Sweynesse) has been purchased by Chris Waller Racing in conjunction with Star Thoroughbreds and will join the Sydney stable of the champion trainer in early October. Only Words provided her Te Awamutu trainer Clint Isdale with the biggest victory of his fledgling training career after taking out the Listed HS Dyke Wanganui Guineas (1200m) earlier this month.  Isdale has long had a good opinion of the filly, who raced in strong company as a two-year-old and kicked off her three-year-old campaign with a…

Champion jockey Damien Oliver has secured the prime ride on rising star Mo’unga (NZ) (Savabeel) for the Caulfield Guineas. The Chris Waller-trained three-year-old has established himself as one of Australia’s most exciting horses following eye-catching wins at Newcastle and Rosehill this preparation. The son of Savabeel, owned by Aquis, booked his ticket to the Guineas with an impressive win in the Listed Dulcify Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill earlier this month. He moved into $6.50 for the Gr.1 Caulfield Guineas (1600m) on the back of that performance. Oliver, who notched his…

Haunui Farm shuttle stallion Belardo has a new Group winner to his credit with Elysium winning the Gr.3 Weld Park Stakes (1400m) at the Curragh on Sunday. A maiden winner in June, Elysium showed a good turn of foot to beat Aunty Bridy by a length and a half. The win continues a strong run of results from Belardo’s first northern hemisphere crop, with smart filly Isabella Giles leading the charge with her Group Two victory at Newmarket last week. Based at Kildangan Stud in the Northern Hemisphere, Belardo, the…

Quality mare Jennifer Eccles (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle) has pleased her trainers Shaune Ritchie and Colm Murray ahead of Saturday’s Gr.1 Windsor Park Plate (1600m) at Hastings. The popular galloper has never finished worse than fourth in her 12 career starts and caught the eye when finishing into that placing in the Gr.1 Tarzino Trophy (1400m) when resuming. Installed a $7 fourth favourite for the Windsor Park Plate behind Avantage (Fastnet Rock), Melody Belle (NZ) (Commands) and Two Illicit (NZ) (Jimmy Choux), Jennifer Eccles will once again be partnered by…

Peter and Dawn Williams are looking to their promising filly Helsinki (NZ) (Savabeel) to spearhead their hopes of a trip to their old stomping ground for the New Zealand Cup meeting at Riccarton in November. Helsinki, a runner-up in two of her three starts and an unlucky eighth in the Listed Karaka Million 2YO (1200m), holds a nomination for the Gr.1 Barneswood Farm 48th New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) on November 14 and will be out to press her case for a trip south when she starts at Avondale next…

New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale graduate Golden Sixty (Medaglia D’Oro) kicked off his five-year-old campaign where he left off last season with an effortless victory in the Gr.3 Celebration Cup (1400m) at Sha Tin. Golden Sixty took the first step on his path toward the 2020 LONGINES Hong Kong International Races at the same time thwarting Beauty Generation’s(NZ) (Road To Rock) tilt at a fourth straight triumph in the race. With his devastating turn-of-foot on display once again, the newly turned five-year-old made it eight wins in a…

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Four-year-old mare High Emocean (NZ) (Ocean Park) has added black-type to her already impressive resume with a dominant victory in the Listed R.M. Ansett Classic (2415m) at Mornington on Sunday. By Ocean Park, the mare has now won five from 11 races with another five placings and continues to impress the stable with her toughness. “That was fantastic, she’s an amazing little filly, she’s very brave,” co-trainer David Eustace said. “It was the plan to come here and win a stakes races with her being a mare.” With her flourishing…

Progressive galloper Super Strike reminded racing pundits of his undoubted ability when he produced a powerful finish to score first up over 1200m at Ellerslie on Saturday. The Super Easy gelding had been off the scene since sustaining a muscle injury when running second at the venue back in December last year. Trainer Richard Collett took a patient approach with the Janet Hepi bred and owned four-year-old who has taken time to grow into his imposing frame. Two handy trial outings at Ruakaka sharpened him up for his raceday reappearance…