Month: January 2022

Promising trial form in New Zealand prompted an Australian ownership group to purchase a half-share in Yonce (NZ) (Proisir) and the successful play for the daughter of Proisir now looks a shrewd piece of business. Yonce was a debut winner when first produced over 1200m at Mornington before Christmas and the four-year-old mare followed up at Sandown yesterday with a runaway victory over 1400m. Trained by Ciaron Maher and David Eustace for a syndicate that includes prominent owner Ozzie Kheir, she was sold after trialling twice from Ross McCarroll’s Cambridge…

New Zealand Horse of the Year Probabeel (NZ) (Savabeel) is preparing for what will be her final campaign but there is a possibility the outstanding daughter of Savabeel could bow out further abroad than her usual raid to Australia. The four-time Group One winner will be on a rinse and repeat campaign to Melbourne, where she won the Gr.3 Geoffrey Bellmaine Stakes (1200m) and Gr.1 Futurity Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield last autumn before a wet track at Moonee Valley thwarted her All-Star Mile (1600m) chances. The Jamie Richards-trained mare is…

After a two-year hiatus, the Racing Annual is back. Marking 50 years since the first Racing Annual was published, the 2021 New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Annual highlights another memorable turf season. Edited by well-known racing broadcaster and writer Aidan Rodley, this year’s Racing Annual covers off all the major events of the 2020-21 season in a 134-page hardcover, glossy-paged edition, stylishly laid-out by distinguished editorial designer Ken Emery. Accompanied by dynamic photography, the Racing Annual reviews all of New Zealand’s major carnivals and shone the spotlight on our champions, both…

New Zealand-bred five-year-old Zebrowski (NZ) (Savabeel) ran out a strong winner of the Gr.3 January Cup (1800m) at Happy Valley on Wednesday night for trainer Caspar Fownes. The son of Savabeel relished the strong tempo to come from mid field under Joao Moreira to score in the city circuit’s only Group race of the season. Runner up in the 2020 Gr.1 Australian Derby (2400m) behind Quick Thinker when prepared by Team Hawkes, Zebrowski has now won two of his seven races since being sold to Hong Kong and has raced…

Fraser Auret is loving his West Coast adventure. The Marton trainer has 16 horses campaigning on the coast circuit, which began with racing at Greymouth on Monday, continued with the Reefton meeting on Wednesday and culminates with Saturday’s Kumara fixture. But it’s not just a big team of horses Auret is travelling with. He is part of a 16-strong touring party along with his wife and three children, extended family, staff and owners. “You watch the West Coast races every year and it’s a trip I’ve been keen to do…

Champion jockey Opie Bosson will partner Regazzo (NZ) (Tavistock) for the first time at Ellerslie on Sunday and his report card on the promising colt will determine whether connections can look forward to a classic campaign. The Shaune Ritchie and Colm Murray-prepared Regazzo will step out in the Listed Te Akau Gingernuts Salver (2100m) and Bosson’s post-race comments will determine if the G1 Vodafone New Zealand Derby (2400m) remains a realistic target. “Obviously, he’s only had the three runs and we’re still waiting for the penny to drop a bit…