Year: 2021

Shooting for his fourth consecutive win at Happy Valley on Wednesday, a rapidly-improving Fa Fa (NZ) (He’s Remarkable) is looking to continue his sublime run of form when he contests the Class 3 Tokyo Handicap (1650m) for trainer Frankie Lor and jockey Vincent Ho. Boasting four wins from his last five starts – each at the city circuit – victory for the 75-rater would assure him a start in Class 2 next time, a remarkable rise considering only three starts ago he was winning in Class 4. “He’s really good…

Roger James is hoping for a big day for his mares Two Illicit (NZ) (Jimmy Choux) and Cheaperthandivorce (NZ) (Savabeel) as they seek more black-type success at Te Rapa on Saturday. The mares, both raced by Brent and Cherry Taylor of Trelawney Stud, both gained Group Three victories at their last starts and may both start favourite in their respective races. Two Illicit is after her third success at Group Two level in the Dunstan Feeds Auckland Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (1400m). One of those came at Te Rapa in the…

A good-looking daughter of Tivaci remained unbeaten at the trials when she was successful over 850m at Foxton on Tuesday. The Peter Didham-trained filly, who has yet to be named, bounced quickly to make the running and cruised home by one and a-quarter lengths with rider Robert Hannam sitting quietly. “She’s not quite a two-year-old, but she is stunning. She’s dark and athletic, just a beautiful horse,” Didham said. Successful at last month’s Foxton trials and at Woodville a fortnight ago, the filly is likely to debut in the Gr.2…

Waikato horseman Jim Collett will head to his third successive New Zealand Bloodstock Ready To Run Sale at Te Rapa on Wednesday and he is hoping his 100 percent sale rate continues at the Hamilton venue. “The last two years I have taken horses to the ready to run sales and I have sold everything,” Collett said. “I have dabbled a bit in years prior with one or two horses. I generally buy a couple of yearlings myself to develop and sell, generally fillies because they meet a domestic market.”…

Francis Lui will unveil a healthy, strong and more mature Golden Sixty (Medaglia D’Oro) when the Hong Kong superstar resumes in the Gr.2 BOCHK Private Wealth Jockey Club Mile (1600m) at Sha Tin on Sunday. Unbeaten in three Sha Tin trials since spelling, Golden Sixty returns to competition for the first time since landing the Gr.1 Champions Mile (1600m) at Sha Tin on 25 April, extending his winning streak to 14 races over the past two seasons. Now a six-year-old, Golden Sixty continues to develop, according to Lui. “He’s good, he’s healthy.…

More than 250 two-year-olds are set to go under the hammer at New Zealand Bloodstock’s Ready To Run Sale this week. Despite the challenges presented by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic requiring the auction to be moved to a virtual format, vendors are feeling positive ahead of the sale. Phoenix Park, who have produced five individual Group One winners from the sale, will offer eight horses this week with farm principal Janine Dunlop buoyed by the amount of interest shown in her draft. “I have found the build up to the…