Month: April 2021

New Zealand Bloodstock’s annual South Island Sale, its second in an online format, concluded on plus.gavelhouse.com on Wednesday. Astute kiwi judges were in the thick of the bidding action, with bloodstock agent Phill Cataldo, Te Akau Racing Principal David Ellis, and Roger James and Robert Wellwood’s Kingsclere Stables headlining the cluster of prominent buyers. It was a case of saving the best for last, with Phill Cataldo going to $85,000 to secure Lot 63, an Almanzor filly out of Next that was the final lot of the sale. Offered by…

David Hayes struck at Happy Valley on Wednesday with emerging talent when Showina, veteran of only two previous starts, prevailed in the first section of the Class 4 Larch Handicap (1200m) under Blake Shinn. “He had to do some work from the outside barrier (gate 12) to establish the lead but once he got to the lead, he got some soft sectionals,” Shinn said. “He attacked the line and he really had a sense of purpose about himself to win the race and it’s the sign of a horse who…

Group One winning filly Bonham has run her final race for her current connections, with prominent owner Gary Harding confirming the daughter of Per Incanto will be sold as a racing and breeding prospect at the Gold Coast Sale next month. Prepared at Otaki by Johno Benner and Hollie Wynyard, Bonham was a strong winner of the Gr.1 Levin Classic (1600m) in January, defeating quality colt Brando. The three-year-old filly returned from a break to run second in the Gr.2 Wellington Guineas (1400m) behind Need I Say More, coming from…

The Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman-trained Quick Thinker has been withdrawn from Saturday’s A$2million Gr.1 Sydney Cup (3200m) after a minor issue with his near foreleg. The OTI raced four-year-old ran out a strong winner of last week’s Gr.2 Chairman’s Quality (2600m) and will now be readied for targets at the Brisbane Winter Carnival. Baker and Forsman will still be represented by classy stayer The Chosen One in the Sydney Cup, but the son of Savabeel will carry topweight of 56kgs and has the outside barrier of 16 to overcome…

The abandonment of Te Aroha’s Group One meeting last Saturday could be a blessing in disguise for Coventina Bay. The Taranaki mare was set to contest the Gr.1 Fiber Fresh NZ Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1600m), but will now repeat the float trip a week later to race in the postponed feature now being run at Te Rapa on Saturday. Trainer Robbie Patterson doesn’t believe the added travel will impact his mare and he said the venue change could work in their favour, with Coventina Bay having a strong record at…

A third member of New Zealand thoroughbred breeding’s elite broodmare ranks will be honoured when Sunbride joins iconic producers Eulogy and Eight Carat in the New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame. The name Sunbride will forever be connected to the Williams family’s Te Parae and Little Avondale Studs, but in particular with family matriarch Nancy Williams. It was she who made the landmark decision to purchase the young English-bred mare and then place her undying faith in her as Sunbride forged her place in thoroughbred breeding history. Nancy Williams was…

The success of New Zealand-bred horses in the Gr.1 Australian Derby (2400m) continued last Saturday with Explosive Jack taking out the Sydney Classic. The son of the ill-fated stallion Jakkalberry got up to win in the last stride of the 2400m feature, closing from the rear of the field to prevail from fellow New Zealand–bred runners Young Werther (Tavistock) and Lion’s Roar (Contributer). Trained by Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, Explosive Jack followed a less traditional path into the Derby, traversing Australian states at will. He won on debut over…

Nicholas Bishara would love nothing more than to be trackside at Randwick to watch his star mare Verry Elleegant contest Saturday’s $A4 million Gr.1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m). But the South Auckland trainer is mindful that any sudden COVID-19 outbreak could see the reintroduction of enforced 14-day quarantine periods that would stretch his business to the limits. His solution will be sending stable foreman Connor Harrison to Hastings to oversee his two Vintech Pacific Poverty Bay Cup hopes Daytona Red and Rising Renown so he doesn’t miss a second of…