Year: 2021

Locally-trained mare Norwegian Bliss (NZ) (El Roca) remains unbeaten after dominating her rivals in a Fillies & Mares Benchmark 78 Handicap over 1400m at Newcastle on The Hunter undercard. Ridden by Andrew Adkins, Norwegian Bliss, who sports the colours of breeder Gerry Harvey, was positioned prominently and extended away in the straight. The four-year-old daughter of El Roca has now won all four starts for trainer Nathan Doyle and has continued to progress after joining the Newcastle horseman as a hand-me-down. Norwegian Bliss trialled in September of last year for…

Top-class five-year-old Lost And Running (NZ) (Per Incanto) made it a one-act affair in the A$1 million The Hunter (1300m) at Newcastle on Saturday. The John O’Shea-trained son of Per Incanto brought impeccable form-lines through a fourth-placing in the A$15 million The Everest (1200m) and runner-up finish in the A$1 million Classique Legend (1300m). But to counter-balance that, he lumped 59kgs as topweight and jumped from the second to outside barrier of 14. After pressing forward, Lost And Running covered some extra ground as rivals kicked up underneath him but…

Chris Waller and Kiwi syndicators Go Racing combined to provide the quinella in the inaugural Alf Kneebone Trans Tasman Trophy (1850m) at the metropolitan meeting at Newcastle on Saturday, with Mightybeel (NZ) (Savabeel) and stablemate Lord Ardmore (NZ) (Reliable Man) running 1-2 in the Benchmark 88. Four-year-old gelding Mightybeel was sent out $2.25 favourite and had to work for the victory after getting back in the small field, with a strong headwind ensuring he had to dig deep to get the better of front-runner Lord Ardmore. Ridden by James McDonald,…

A patient ride by Sam O’Malley proved the key to victory as Taranaki visitor Justaskme (NZ) (No Excuse Needed) stormed clear to win the Gr.2 Gartshore Tauranga Stakes (1600m) at Tauranga. The six-year-old son of No Excuse Needed relished the Heavy10 footing and looked to be travelling like a winner a long way out, despite being last in the seven-horse field. With stablemate and race favourite Tavi Mac (NZ) (Tavistock) setting up a solid pace in front, O’Malley began a searching run out wide at the 600m as he tracked…

It was some Kevin Myers magic at play at Riccarton on Saturday when outsider Mondorani (NZ) (Burgundy) ($22.60) stormed home down the outskirts of the Riccarton track to take out the 158th running of the Gr.3 Martin Collins New Zealand Cup (3200m). Myers has long made Riccarton a happy hunting ground despite operating from his North Island base at Whanganui. Having already produced four winners during the Cup Week carnival, including a double earlier in the day with Kopua (NZ) (Shocking) and Ucalledit (NZ) (Zacinto), Myers provided the piece de…

Trainer Jamie Richards added another milestone to his already storied training career when he provided the first four home in the Gr.1 Barneswood Farm New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton. Impeccably bred filly The Perfect Pink (NZ) (Savabeel) gave Richards his 50th Group One victory of his career and an elite level double at the carnival for he and jockey Opie Bosson, after the pair combined just seven days earlier to capture the Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) aboard Noverre (NZ) (Savabeel). The Perfect Pink, a daughter of…