Month: December 2020

One of New Zealand’s most exciting weight-for-age gallopers, dual Group One winner Te Akau Shark (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle), has been retired. The Rip Van Winkle gelding hasn’t raced since finishing fifth in the Gr.1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Randwick in April. He underwent optic implant surgery for a rare eye condition in June and while recovering from the operation he picked up a lung infection. “It’s disappointing that he was unable to get over his eye complaints, but he’ll be remembered as one of the most naturally gifted…

Former Kiwi galloper Nikau Spur (NZ) (Proisir) has made an impression in Australia in just his second start across the Tasman. The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained gelding ran away to a 3-3/4 length victory over 1600m at Moonee Valley on Friday night after placing over 1300m at Bendigo in his Australian debut at Bendigo last month. The son of Proisir was identified by Maher’s bloodstock manager Will Bourne after running a game third on debut at Awapuni in July for former trainer Rosie Buchanan. “I watched the race and…

Talented Team Rogerson-trained sprinter Mascarpone (NZ) (Shooting To Win) is set to miss the Gr.1 Sistema Railway (1200m) on New Year’s Day. “He’s out of the Railway, but he is running in the Telegraph (Gr.1, 1200m),” Graeme Rogerson said. “He pulled a plate off in the run in the J Swap Stakes (Gr.3, 1400m) last start and we will just freshen him up for the Telegraph.” The four-year-old has won six of his 15 starts and has been placed on four occasions, however, all of his victories have come when…

Waikato bloodstock agent Stuart Hale’s annual Auckland/Waikato yearling inspection tour will return in 2021. The week-long tour will commence on Sunday, January 10, and include visits to nearly 30 farms. The tour will depart daily from BP Cambridge, 98 Victoria St Upper, and lunch and dinner will be provided on each of the six days of the tour. To book a place on the free tour, please contact Stuart Hale on 027 492 0975. Tour Itinerary Sunday – January 10 7.30am Cambridge BP 9am Cambria Park (137 Ostrich Farm Rd)…

If you watched Royal Performer (Medicean) in track gallops you would think he’d have been better named Pauper or Court Jester. But the ex-Hong Kong galloper is a different beast on raceday, as he showed with his 5-3/4 length demolition of his open handicap opponents in the GMD Consultants Ltd Mile (1600m) at Te Rapa on Saturday, earning him a chance to take on New Zealand’s best milers. “He shows absolutely nothing in trackwork,” said Bob Vance, who owns and trains Royal Performer along with his wife Jenny, at Ardmore.…

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Senior jockey Matthew Cameron has called time on his riding career after completing his last raceday at Awapuni on Saturday. The thirty-four-year-old finished on a winning note by piloting the Ross McCarroll-trained Initiative to victory, but admits his desire to continue in the saddle has waned over the past few months. “I have been thinking about and contemplating my options for a while now,” Cameron said. “I spoke with my manager about a week ago and decided that Saturday would be my last day. “There’s no one reason for my…

Busy putting in the hard yards conducting his pre-Christmas inspections for the annual NZB National Yearling Sale at Karaka next month, Te Akau Racing principal David Ellis CNZM took time out to reflect on the stables’ achievements in 2020. It has been a bumper year for Te Akau Racing with horses the ilk of Avantage (Fastnet Rock), Probabeel (NZ) (Savabeel), Te Akau Shark (NZ) (Rip Van Winkle) and Melody Belle (NZ) (Commands) all landing multiple Group Ones, while champion two-year-old Cool Aza Beel (NZ) (Savabeel) and Guineas winning three-year-old Kahma…

Trainer Emma-Lee Browne was still sporting a smile a mile wide on Sunday morning following the winning double that she and husband David picked up at Te Rapa on Saturday. The Cambridge couple had just the two runners entered for the day and managed to book-end the programme when taking out the first event with progressive galloper Elephant (NZ) (Shocking) and then closing out the day with a win by promising stayer Gone West (NZ) (Reliable Man). “It was a really great day for the stable and we’re very happy,”…

The sight of promising galloper Lincoln Falls (Dundeel) storming past his rivals to win at Awapuni on Saturday provided trainer Lisa Latta with a special moment after she has endured plenty in her battle to get him back to the racetrack. The Dundeel five-year-old had been off the scene since finishing well back in the Gr.3 Cambridge Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) to round out a three-year-old campaign that produced two victories and several hard luck stories in the age group features that year. Latta was looking forward to a bigger and…