Year: 2022

Barely thirty minutes after unbeaten three-year-old filly Legarto put her hand up to start favourite in the Karaka Million 3YO Classic (1600m) next month with victory in the Gr.2 ATR Eight Carat Classic (1600m), her main rival issued an emphatic statement that he won’t be going down without a titanic struggle. The Mark Walker-trained Wild Night went into the Listed Shaw’s Wire Ropes Uncle Remus Stakes (1400m) as the winner of his last four starts and extended that record to five with another eye-catching performance. The son of Windsor Park…

Buoyant is set to be given an opportunity across the Tasman after Southland’s new sprint star secured his second consecutive stakes win in the Listed Property Brokers Hazlett Stakes (1200m) at Wingatui on Boxing Day. The Dalghar gelding had a rating of 73 at the start of the season but has made giant strides over the last four months, winning three of his five starts and stepping up on to the big stage in some of the South Island’s showpiece sprints. After a strong-finishing third in the Listed Pegasus Stakes…

Class three-year-old filly Legarto maintained her unbeaten record with a stunning performance to win the Gr.2 ATR Eight Carat Classic (1600m) at Pukekohe after most punters had written off her winning chances in the home straight. Sent out at the cramped odds of $1.10 in her first start since delivering an elite level victory in the Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton last month, the Ken and Bev Kelso-trained runner settled near the back of the field as front-runner Wessex set up a solid pace. With most riders…

Progressive mare Synchronize made her long-awaited return to the racetrack a winning one when she produced a sizzling home straight sprint to take out the Listed Hallmark Stud Handicap (1200m) at Pukekohe. The Mark Walker-trained four-year-old was returning from an enforced absence after she bled when finishing well back at Taupo in August. Two handy trial runs, including a second over 1000m behind stablemate Fashion Shoot at Avondale a fortnight earlier, had her ready for Saturday’s black type assignment and she didn’t disappoint in the hands of in-form South African…