Month: March 2022

New Zealand can now boast the world’s first dedicated national horse ambulance service, following the commissioning of the country’s ninth and final horse ambulance. The ambulance was unveiled by the NZ Horse Ambulance Trust on Thursday in Karaka, where sponsors and supporters of the Trust celebrated the achievement. “We’ve been on a mission to deliver a national fleet of horse ambulances and today we are proud to say we’ve done it,” Chair of the NZ Horse Ambulance Trust and General Manager of Welfare & Sustainability for NZ Thoroughbred Racing Martin…

Little Avondale Stud stallion Per Incanto continued his good run in Hong Kong on Wednesday when he scored a double at Sha Tin. His son Flying Dragon recorded his second win when taking out the Class 4 Hap Mun Bay Handicap (1200m) for trainer Dennis Yip, while Duke Wai’s victory in the Class 1 Silvermine Bay Handicap (1200m) has earnt the gelding a tilt at the Gr.3 Shat Tin Vase (1200m) in May. Upstaging Kurpany and Majestic Star, who are both being aimed at the G1 Chairman’s Sprint Prize (1200m) at…

Three weeks after rocking the Australian sprinters with a Group One boilover in Melbourne, Little Avondale Stud has two chances of a repeat result at Randwick on Saturday. The Wairarapa nursery’s green and yellow colours will be carried in the Gr.1 TJ Smith Stakes (1200m) by Roch ‘N’ Horse, who defied 100-to-one odds in an extraordinary Newmarket Handicap (1200m) triumph on March 12, along with the in-form Belluci Babe. “Having two runners in our colours in a Group One race during The Championships at Randwick – it’s ‘pinch yourself’ stuff,…

Clinton Isdale’s time with Big Story will be short and he is hoping to make an early impact with the youngster before he heads offshore. The Cambridge trainer has a healthy opinion of the juvenile, who will make his first appearance in the Auckland Alarms 2YO (1300m) at Avondale on Saturday. Big Story was bred by Luigi Muollo under his Explosive Breeding banner and the Novara Park principal recently sold an interest in the gelding to OTI Racing. Terry Henderson’s Australian-based operation is a major supporter of the New Zealand…

Waverley trainer Bill Thurlow is looking forward to racing at his home track on Friday where he will have a trio of runners. His charge will be led by Darlington County who drops back to rating 72 grade after running sixth in the Listed New Zealand St Leger (2600m) at Trentham. Thurlow was pleased with her effort in the race and believes she is a strong chance in the Steelformers Wanganui Race (2200m). “I thought she went really well. She got well back but she drew wide so we didn’t…