Month: January 2021

New Zealand Bloodstock will undertake a live barrier draw for the $1m DoubleTree by Hilton Karaka Million 2YO (1200m) and $1m Karaka Million 3YO Classic (1600m) at their Karaka Sales Complex on Wednesday. Presenter Michael Guerin will host the barrier draw from 10.30am, which will be broadcast live from the Garden Bar Lawn at Karaka. The barrier draw format for both races will allow connections to personally draw their own barrier by picking which stall they prefer, in order of the horses being drawn. Horses that are drawn out early…

Wyong trainer Tracey Bartley remains optimistic about the chances of Moana Jewel (NZ) (Ocean Park) who heads to Randwick on Saturday. The daughter of Ocean Park will tackle the Benchmark 72 over 1400m. Moana Jewel failed to worry the judge in three Spring assignments on dry tracks but she reinforced her credentials with a resounding win in the heavy going at Warwick Farm first-up. “We hoped to have her right for the Tibbie Stakes at Newcastle last campaign but not much went right with her preparation and she never got…

He’s got the movie star looks and now exciting Savabeel colt Brando (NZ) will be out to showcase his talents on the international stage. Trainer Jamie Richards is keen to test the lightly tried galloper against the best of his generation across the Tasman following his runner-up finish in Saturday’s Gr.1 Levin Classic (1600). A Melbourne campaign beckons the three-year-old, who has won three of his five starts, including a dominant performance in the Listed Uncle Remus Stakes (1400m) at Ellerslie on Boxing Day.  Bought for $500,000 by Te Akau…

Cranbourne trainer Trent Busuttin is looking forward to the autumn with a number of New Zealand-breds, particularly three-year-old filly Impecunious (NZ) (Sacred Falls). The Kiwi import has won her only start in Australia when victorious at Caulfield over 1200m last month. She is back in the stable following a brief let-up after being kicked by another horse behind the barriers at Caulfield on January 2 and Busuttin, who trains in partnership with Natalie Young, is eyeing some big targets with the daughter of Sacred Falls. “The filly we are most…

Fairytales don’t often come true, but Tony Pike is very hopeful that comeback horse Sacred Elixir (NZ) (Pour Moi) can provide him with one. Sacred Elixir was one of the Cambridge trainer’s best horses, winning the Gr.1 J J Atkins (1600m) in Brisbane and finishing second in the Gr.1 Victoria Derby (2500m), both in 2016. Sent to Hong Kong in 2017, Sacred Elixir’s career looked to be over when he injured a tendon in his second start there. Returning to New Zealand, patience and careful treatment got him back to…