Month: August 2022

Champion New Zealand mare Melody Belle has given birth to her first foal, a filly by Written Tycoon, on Saturday night. The daughter of Commands was bought as a yearling by Te Akau principal David Ellis and she went on to win 14 Group One races for Fortuna Syndications before being sold as a broodmare in Australia for A$2.6 million to Yulong Investments. “We are absolutely thrilled with the first foal of Melody Belle,” said Yulong’s Chief Operating Officer, Sam Fairgray. “You could not get a better first foal. A…

Love Reigns became her sire U S Navy Flag’s second stakes winner when she was victorious in the US$150,000 Bolton Landing Stakes (1100m) at Saratoga on Sunday. It was the juvenile filly’s second win from three starts, having finished fourth in the Gr.2 Queen Mary Stakes (1000m) at Royal Ascot in her previous start. Trainer Wesley Ward is now looking to target the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at Keeneland on November 4 with his filly. U S Navy Flag shuttles to The Oaks Stud in Cambridge, where he stands…

The connections of Verry Elleegant are looking forward to getting the mare over more ground after a disappointing first-up run in France overnight. The 11-time Group One winner was having her first start for trainer Francis Graffard in the green colours of part-owners Jomara Bloodstock in the Gr.1 Prix Jean Romanet (2000m) and uncharacteristically put in a subpar run to tail the field home after racing at the rear throughout in a sedately run contest. “I think it’s fair to say that we are all a bit deflated. It has…

An admirable mix of talent and hard graft were rewarded when Courtney Barnes successfully combined with leading filly Lickety Split at Ruakaka on Saturday. The 28-year-old jockey made the decision 12 months ago to head north to Waikato to further her career and dedication to the cause delivered her biggest result on Saturday. Barnes regularly rides trackwork for Lickety Split’s trainer Andrew Forsman and was rewarded with the mount on last season’s Gr.1 Sistema Stakes (1200m) winner in the Gr.3 Northland Breeders’ Stakes (1200m). In a copybook display, she gave…

There is a strong chance the Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott-trained Dragon Leap will be seen in action at Caulfield rather than Te Rapa this weekend, with the highly-talented six-year-old amongst the 20-strong nominations for the Gr.1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) on Saturday. With wet weather forecast in the lead-up to the Gr.2 Waikato Stud Foxbridge Plate (1200m) at Te Rapa, where the track is currently heavy, the Matamata conditioners are keeping their options open. The son of Pierro made an impressive return to racing when a closing second over 1100m…

Denny Moroney was well known as the father of prominent identities Michael and Paul Moroney, however, his reach went far beyond his immediate family to encompass countless members of the racing community. Tributes and memories of the man known to many simply as Horace have abounded since he passed away at age 93 on Saturday morning following a period of hospitalisation. His name will forever be linked to Ballymore Stables, but his initial passion for racing dated much further back. He grew up with horses in his life, while his…