Month: September 2020

Trackside catches up with Tony Pike, trainer of Gr.1 New Zealand Derby (2400m) winner Sherwood Forest, who will be back on the track this Saturday in the JRA Trophy (1400m) at Ellerslie.

Bronte Beach can make it back-to-back Riccarton wins on Saturday, according to New Zealand’s leading apprentice Kozzie Asano. Asano guided the Stephen Marsh-trained Reliable Man four-year-old mare to a Rating 94 win at Riccarton last month and was confident she could replicate the performance in Saturday’s Pryde’s Easifeed Handicap (1600m). “She jumped nicely and travelled well all the way at Riccarton last time. She saw the leader and just did everything she could to make sure she could catch him,” Asano said. “If she handles the track on Saturday, she’ll…

Group One-winning mare Toffee Tongue will have her second hit-out of the season when she contests a 1700m handicap at Flemington on Saturday. The full-sister to Group One winner and former Hong Kong Horse of the Year Werther finished fifth first-up over 1400m, which pleased her connections. “It was a very encouraging run first-up, especially over a distance that is well short of her best,” trainer Chris Waller’s Flemington foreperson Jo Taylor told RSN927. “She got held up in quite a vital part and she is a mare who needs…

New Zealand Bloodstock has announced eight new NZB Ready to Run Sale race sponsorships as well as a new, incentivised prize package for domestic trainers over the duration of spring. NZB has introduced the new incentive to support New Zealand trainers to attend the Ready to Run Sale in November. Four races will take place at Riccarton, while four other races will be shared between New Plymouth, Hawke’s Bay and Wellington Racing Clubs. Full details of race dates will be released shortly. Working alongside partners, NZB will award the winning…

Multiple Group Two winner Scott Base has been retired after finishing 12th in last Saturday’s Gr.2 Foxbridge Plate (1200m), with connections electing to call time on the career of the highly talented, but injury-plagued six-year-old. “He was just showing a few signs of wear and tear, and we just want to do the right thing by the horse,” said Chris Rutten, who owns the gelding in partnership with John Norwood, and Joanna and John Frew. “He has given us a lot of thrills and a lot of fun. The vet’s advice…

Christchurch apprentice Rohan Mudhoo is riding the crest of a wave, having impressed the country’s leading trainer Jamie Richards enough to secure key rides for Te Akau Racing at Riccarton on Saturday. Mudhoo, apprenticed to Riccarton trainer Mike McCann, had his first ride for Richards at Timaru last week, finishing seventh on Remington. Despite that unplaced finish, Mudhoo has secured two rides for Richards this weekend, aboard Group One winner Age Of Fire in the Speights Handicap (1200m) and the stakes-placed Summer Monsoon in the Group 1 Raceday Party 1400.…

Meleka Belle (NZ) (Iffraaj) has been named the 2020 Arion Pedigrees Eight Carat Broodmare of the Year. The award criteria states that the winner shall be the mare whose New Zealand-bred and/or New Zealand conceived progeny, anywhere in the world, in the season under review, most clearly reflect true breeding merit in quality of racing performance.  Meleka Belle’s daughter Melody Belle (NZ) (Commands) certainly achieved that criteria. Melody Belle’s achievements on the racetrack last season included securing the Hawke’s Bay Triple Crown, becoming the first horse to do so, before…

Fiscal Fantasy (Skilled) has become one of trainer Frank Ritchie’s stable favourites and he admits it will be a sad day when she leaves his Cambridge barn for the last time. The six-year-old mare will begin her final preparation with Ritchie in the Auckland Co-op Taxis 1600 at Ellerslie on Saturday and while he has reserved expectations heading into the race, he hopes it will set her up for some bigger targets later this spring. “We would like to get a little bit more black-type for her,” Ritchie said. “She…