Month: July 2021

I’m Thunderstruck (NZ) (Shocking) signaled his likely return to Stakes company next season with a dominant four-length victory in the A$135,000 K.A. Morrison Handicap (1400m) for three-year-olds at Flemington on Saturday. I’m Thunderstruck ($4.20 favourite), who is trained by Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr, settled in the second half of the field under Jamie Kah and relished the fast early tempo established by Japery, who rushed through the first 1000 metres of the race in 59.75 seconds. I’m Thunderstruck resembled a lightning bolt down the Flemington straight as he…

Proven wet track performer Barbara (NZ) (He’s Remarkable) provided a welcome mid-winter highlight for her owner and former trainer Nigel Tiley when she strode clear in the concluding stages to capture the feature event at Ruakaka on Saturday, the ITM/GIB Whangarei Gold Cup (2100m). Raced by Tiley along with wife Lee and her sister Mandy Rutherford, the five-year-old daughter of He’s Remarkable was transferred to the stable of fellow Pukekohe trainer Kylie Grass shortly before the Tiley’s departed for an extended Queensland holiday break in early June. Barbara finished an…

Ken Rae and his daughter Krystal Williams-Tuhoro provided the first three runners home in Saturday’s two-year-old feature at Ruakaka. Race favourite Dream Queen and rider Sam Collett proved too strong in the run home as they dashed away from Sam Weatherley on stablemate Follow Your Dreams in the closing stages to win comfortably by over four lengths, while their compatriot Van Diesel, with Terry Moseley aboard, came from last on the home turn to snatch third. It was a welcome return to the winner’s enclosure for Dream Queen, who had…

Gale forces winds and torrential rain forced the abandonment of Saturday’s racemeeting at Trentham. More than 60mm of rain fell at the venue over a 12-hour period leading into raceday, causing water to pool around the track, while powerful wind gusts saw the running rail collapse in several locations. With an unfavourable forecast for the remainder of the weekend, the decision was made to call off the meeting. New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing have announced that the two feature jumping events on the day, the Hydra-Cell Pumps Wellington Hurdle (3400m) and…

There were smiles all around after the running of race one at Ruakaka on Saturday with local resident Michelle Bradley making a welcome winning return to the training ranks through the deeds of four-year-old mare, Regal Duchess. The four-year-old daughter of Super Easy sat outside the pace for rider Lynsey Satherley before fighting off the challenge of race favourite Express Desire in an enthralling struggle over the closing stages of the maiden 1200m contest. Bradley, who worked for the successful Donna Logan stable for many years before entering a training…

Warwick Farm-based trainer Bjorn Baker has continued his rich vein of form unveiling a promising two-year-old with War Eternal (NZ) (Pierro) proving to be too strong over the 1400m at Randwick. The Pierro two-year-old managed to get his head down on the line in blustery conditions, running down Revivalist by a short head with Honeycreeper a further length away in third. The Baker camp has now posted a remarkable 16 winners from their past 50 runners including one down south at Caulfield with quality sprinter Malkovich. Baker was full of praise for War Eternal, who may…