Month: September 2020

Aidan Rodley catches up with trainer Frank Ritchie about his Gr.2 Valachi Downs Foxbridge Plate (1200m) candidate Dawn Patrol.

Andrew Bensley speaks with trainer Peter Moody about stable newcomer Platinum Invador.

Cambridge Stud has put up the book full sign for their European Champion three-year-old Almanzor for the third consecutive year. The son of Wootton Bassett is standing his third season in New Zealand at a fee of $30,000 + GST. “We are delighted that Almanzor’s book is full again,” Cambridge Stud chief executive Henry Plumptre said. “Our thanks go, particularly, to our shareholders but also our annual breeders, most of which are using him for the third consecutive year. “New Zealand breeder support has been very strong and we are…

Punters and keen followers of form now have an additional tool with the inclusion of sectional split data. New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing has entered a partnership with Formpro to provide what has been an essential part of racing followers’ arsenal in most other racing jurisdictions for many years. Previously only the last 600m has been available in New Zealand but now the NZ-based Formpro is now supplying splits for the first 400m, and at 200m intervals from the last 800m. The information is expected to be available online within 24 hours…

Three-year-old colt Sir Beets cleared maiden ranks on Wednesday, winning the Aquashield Roofing Maiden (1100m) at Otaki. Ridden by Johnathan Parkes, Sir Beets came from last to down his rivals in an impressive performance to score by half a length from Old Town Road for trainer Lisa Latta. Sir Beets had previously finished eighth behind promising galloper Mogador, a leading contender for Saturday’s Listed HS Dyke Wanganui Guineas (1200m). “He didn’t have a lot of luck at Waverley last start,” Latta said. “He missed the kick and got into a…

Te Akau Racing’s annual southern spring sojourn begins in earnest at Timaru on Friday with trainer Jamie Richards unleashing five of his 12-strong first wave of travellers. Richards will produce Lethal, Bordeaux Le Rouge, Remington, Phantom Witness and Khafeef at Phar Lap Raceway as he seeks to build fitness for his team heading towards the lucrative New Zealand Cup Week meeting at Riccarton in November. Richards’ father Paul has again travelled south to supervise the team as he has done for the past two years, using Riccarton as a base.…

Promising three-year-old Taroni (NZ) (Showcasing) will begin her path towards the Gr.1 Barneswood Farm New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) when she lines-up at Te Rapa on Saturday. The daughter of Showcasing will contest the Gr.3 WRC Northland Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) and trainer Lance Noble is hoping for a solid performance from his charge after her pleasing trial last month. “She had a trial just on a month ago and we were happy with that,” he said. Taroni won two of her three races as a juvenile, however, she was relegated…

The New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association (NZTBA) has announced that Waikato Stud is the winner of the Sir Patrick and Justine Lady Hogan New Zealand Breeder of the Year Award. In a very successful year for New Zealand breeders, the voting went right down to the wire with Waikato Stud prevailing from a stellar pool of finalists which featured Gerry Harvey, Nearco Stud, The Oaks Stud and Trelawney Stud. According to NZTBA President John Thompson, the competition for the New Zealand Breeder of the Year Award gets stronger every year.…